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Where are you from (country)?
The Netherlands. -
How did you find this forum (Google search – if so, what search terms? Via link from a forum or website – if so, what page? Other?)
Google/Haarweb.nl. -
What is your current age, height, weight?
28, 187cm, recently I’m experiencing a rapid weight increase with no change in diet. Currently 80 kilos. -
Do you excercise regularly? If so, what type of excercise?
Kickboxing, full contact karate. -
What type of diet do you eat (vegetarian, meat eater, raw, fast-food/organic healthy)?
General healthy food, no special diets. Lot’s of banana’s, some diary products. -
Why did you take Finasteride (hair loss, BPH, other)?
Hairloss. -
For how long did you take Finasteride (weeks/months/years)?
I took Finasteride 2 times. One period of almost a year, no side effects whatsover, but at the end I got sensitive nipples. I stopped.
A few years later I tried it again. A period of half an year. After that, severe side effects/pfs. -
How old were you, and WHEN (date) did you start Finasteride?
24 years old, I don’t know the date. -
How old were you when you quit, and WHEN (date) did you quit?
27 years old. -
How did you quit (cold turkey or taper off)?
Cold turky, 2 times. -
What type of Finasteride did you use – Propecia, Proscar, Fincar or other generic?
Propecia, Proscar and a generic. I used more Propecia/Proscar in my second attempt, and felt more side-effects then. -
What dose did you take (eg. 1 mg/day, 1 mg every other day etc.)?
1 to 1.25 mg each day. -
How long into your use of Finasteride did you notice the onset of side effects?
In my first period, after a year of use. In my second try, after a month. -
What side effects did you experience while on the drug that have yet to resolve since discontinuation?
Erectile dysfunction.
Sexual
[ ] Loss of Libido / Sex Drive
[x] Erectile Dysfunction
[ ] Complete Impotence
[ ] Loss of Morning Erections
[ ] Loss of Spontaneous Erections
[ ] Loss of Nocturnal Erections
[ ] Watery Ejaculate
[x] Reduced Ejaculate
[ ] Inability to Ejaculate / Orgasm
[ ] Reduced Sperm Count / Motility
Mental
[ ] Emotional Blunting / Emotionally Flat
[x] Difficulty Focusing / Concentrating
[ ] Confusion
[x] Memory Loss / Forgetfullness
[ ] Stumbling over Words / Losing Train of Thought
[ ] Slurring of Speech
[ ] Lack of Motivation / Feeling Passive / Complacency
[ ] Extreme Anxiety / Panic Attacks
[x] Depression / Melancholy
Physical
[x] Penile Tissue Changes (narrowing, shrinkage, wrinkled)
[ ] Penis curvature / rotation on axis
[ ] Testicular Pain
[ ] Testicular Shrinkage / Loss of Fullness
[ ] Genital numbness / sensitivity decrease
[x] Weight Gain
[ ] Gynecomastia (male breasts)
[ ] Muscle Wastage
[ ] Muscle Weakness
[ ] Joint Pain
[x] Dry / Dark Circles under eyes
Misc
[ ] Prostate pain
[ ] Persistent Fatigue / Exhaustion
[ ] Stomach Pains / Digestion Problems
[ ] Constipation / “Poo Pellets”
[x] Vision - Acuity Decrease / Blurriness
[ ] Increased hair loss
[ ] Frequent urination
[ ] Lowered body temperature
[x] Other (please explain)
Hyperventilation and extreme dizzyness.
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What (if any) treatments have you undertaken to recover from your side effects since discontinuation of the drug?
I’ve tried Tongkat Ali, Creatine, Androgel, Maca, Horny Goat Weed, Tribulus terrestris, L-Argine, L-Cartine, Zinc, MSM, ZMA and Cytozyme AD. -
If you have pre or post-Finasteride bloodtests, what hormonal changes have you encountered since discontinuing the drug (pls post your test results in the “Blood Tests” section and link to them in your post)?
I’m currently trying to convince my new doctor to get more bloodwork. Today I received info that my Testosterone was in perfect order (after not using anything for months). When I visit the doctor again I will go into the details. -
Anything not listed in the above questions you’d like to share about your experience with Finasteride?
- Tell us your story, in your own words, about your Finasteride usage and side effects experienced while on/off the drug.
As stated above, at 24 I had my first experience with Finasteride. My hairloss was quite severe back then. I used Finasteride with a combination of Eucapil and multi vitamines. My hair started to grow back and looked great. After almost a year, I started to develop sensitive niples. Afraid to get Gynecomastia, I stopped Finasteride cold turkey. I continued the use of other products. The sensitivity of my nipples went away, everything was back to normal.
At 27, in some sort of panic, I started Finasteride again. I felt like my hair was falling out more then before, but I think it was more a panic reaction. How stupid I was. After a few months I experienced severe pain in my testicles. I stopped using it again, cold turkey. At first, things returned to normal. After a month, I felt God like. I was like Wolverine, without the claws, but with a sex addiction. I had stamina like never before, an increase in muscle growth, and the biggest and fullest penis I ever had. Although I enjoyed it, I was already aware of this site, and the crash that could follow. And I crashed big time.
A period followed where I was severely depressed. I had brain fog. I got into the wrong trains and busses. Couldn’t concentrate at all at work, or at home. I wanted to be left alone all the time. I just couldn’t process what people were saying to me. It even got so severe that I would faint if people started to talk about things that irritated me.
Sexually things went downhill also. Small penis, small testicals, watery ejaculate. No morning wood, no interest in women.
After walking around for a while like that, hoping that things would improve with time, I decided that it was time for action. I started to take Zinc, MSM, L-Argine and L-Cartine. After using it for a couple of months, I couldn’t detect a change. I stopped taking it, switched to a combination of Maca, Tongkat Ali extract and Horny Goat Weed. I tried Androgel before that, but it didn’t do anything. The Tongkat Ali gave me back my morning erections, caused my testicles to grow. The Maca and Horny Goat Weed helped also, but a bit. A normal erection I still couldn’t achieve, always stuck at 70%. The effect of the Tongkat Ali dropped after a month of use. After trying a second month, I switched to Creatine, cause some people claim it increases DHT production. I ordered a batch of Creatine for a month. When I was out of Creatine, I only continued with a multi-vitamine. Nothing else.
For weeks things stayed the same, until one weekend. I was feeling a bit better then before, enjoying the sun in the garden, when I was struck with dizzyness. I didn’t think much of it, drank some water, kept calm and it passed. Two days later, at work, I’m on the floor, not able to get up. I was extremely dizzy, almost puking. I was taken to the hospital where they said it was hyperventilation. They were suprised however, because my way of breathing was normal and calm, I was calm, but still the oxygen/CO2 levels indicated hyperventilation. The doctor there indicated it was probably because of stress and adviced me to go to my own doctor.
I found out my own doctor was replaced by a new one, one I could talk to far more easily. The funny thing was, the brain fog, the blurry vision, the depression, it all went away after I recovered of a week of extreme dizzyness. The doctor thought it was a balance organ disorder and I received medication for that. Since the dizzyness, I’m mentally exactly as I was before Finasteride. Except for the sexual side-effects, I enjoy life again, I can think again, I can solve problems again. Morning wood seemed to slowly return, I now have morning wood multiple times a week, but not always strong. Erections are still stuck at 70%, volume of ejaculate increased. Since 2 weeks however, I have episodes that I’m extremely horny, but not able to produce an erection, not even the 70% I normally get. I’m also gaining weight, approx. 6 kilos in 2 weeks, without any change in diet. My hair is great, no hairloss whatsoever. The doctor let me test my thyroid levels, chlorestorol, blood sugar and testosterone. Everything seemed to be in range, but the exact results I will get when I visit her again (currently moving to another city and they won’t give detailed test results by phone). I will be asking for more tests soon. After reading this site I think my estrogen levels are too high, but one thing is for sure, lot’s of tests coming up…