Mens Rea's Battle against PFS.

Member Stories
#201

The more i read the more it’s becoming clear to me that the finasteride has triggered off some sort of reaction in our immune systems. We may have been predisposed to this.

How have i formed this conclusion?

  • Look at JN who now believes he has found his root cause in a worm, parasites and worn down adrenals. The former two were confirmed via live blood analysis from what i can gather, by an esteemed doctor.
  • Look at Ihatepropecia702 and xhorndog who have confirmed candida infections. JN’s doctor also mentioned candida. Ihatepropecia has improved dramatically by using anti-candida (anti-inflammatory) meds and diet.
  • There have been reports of recovery from prednisone and dexa. I think this is because of the immune system.
  • Look at the number of people who have recovered/imrpoved generally speaking by implementing holistic anti-inflammatory and pro-health diets and life-styles.

and lastly, look as what Dr Ayers reckons, not to mention (again) JN’s doctor who also seems to have similar sentiments and has allegedly improved 4/5 other people…

coolinginflammation.blogspot.com/

There is, without a doubt, something in all of this.

For me personally i have low WBC, in fact one of the specific types of WBC was out of range low. I believe my body’s immune system has been compromised for some period of time. The question is: is it a parasite, autoimmune issues or what? I’ll have to work that out. This isn’t really the conclusion i wanted to draw as it isn’t easily addressed but i think the shoes fits in my circumstances especially given my almost perfect sex hormone profile (i think i’ve actually got the highest testosterone on this board?).

Dexa might lend me some more clues.

#202

29/8/11

First dose of dexa. 0.5mg before i go to bed.

This is the start of my t-totalling (no alcohol) and healthy September plan and hopefully i can take it from there to endorse a slow recovery curve.

As regards the dexa i plan a 2 week spell: what i haven’t decided is whether i will go down to 0.25mg ED for the second week. I’ll have to think about that one.

Failing all this ill invest in the tests for parasites, worms, candida etc to rule that out and continue to work on a healthy approach for my body to be in great shape.

I’m extremely positive for the future.

#203

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#204

Update 5/9/11

Ok, so that’s a week on dexa. I wasn’t going to update yet but i thought i might as well to keep a good record of things.

Basically, i’ve been on dexa and have also ran out of cialis this week. I’ve noticed a deterioration this week which i would attribute to the dexa, though. Particularly, ive noticed my girth is worse and my semen is more watery again. Now ive noticed this, ive actually realised that i must have improved a little over the past 4 or 5 months because this current condition isn’t a new low for me, i’ve been this bad before - i think i just forgot. Therefore, perhaps i’ve been recovering a tiny little bit over time without noticing.

Anyway, i take these changes as positive. For the second time ever, the other night, i felt a fuzzy feeling in my prostate area and the need to urinate when i didn’t actually need to. The only other time i felt this was when i took a doxy antibiotic several months ago. This can’t be a coincidence can it?

Furthermore, even though my erect girth has perhaps went down a little, i noticed a few times my penis fill up a little more around the top (one or twice last week). Things that wouldn’t happen without a big dose of cialis, normally.

I read about a few recoveries and they came several weeks after dexa / prednisone so im hoping this is the same for me in that my body can then make a “rebound”.

So:

My plan is to take another week of 0.5ED and then stop and see how it goes. I haven’t drank and won’t all September atleast.

If this doesn’t work ill get my adrenal salivary analysis done, look into testing for parasites etc etc and just get a 20mg cialis prescription and basically try live a good lifestyle and hope for a slow, natural recovery. That way, it’s impinging as little on my life as possible. Even if that means being on cialis for the next 5 years or whatever, so be it.

#205

No change in energy, mood, or sleep?

#206

Never have a problem with any of these three tbh.

My sides are 100% sexual as far as i know.

I was at the cinema with my girlfriend on Sat night and i watched “Friends with Benefits”. There was a few parts i could feel strong flushes of emotion (as you do). I kinda of spare a thought for the guys on here that no longer have that and i’ve learned to appreciate something that otherwise i would take completely for granted.

#207

Last night again proved to me how i’m back to my Christmas 2010 condition. I think the dexa’s definately weakened my condition - last night i woke up and i was half erect - my penis felt tiny and thin. I specifically recall this happening back then. It’s proof that i had progressed since then and i believe i’ll rebound back to my more “improved” condition after i stop dexa at the end of this week.

Ultimatly, even if the dexa doesn’t help me, it’s proved to me that i was perhaps improving a little (As i’ve said) so im not going to try disrupt that much anymore beyond doing pro-health things expedite my “recovery”. Naturally i use that word very loosely.

Will keep you all updated.

#208

Feel the need for an update.

Condition pretty weird. Just masturbated, took ages to get 70% erect (much thiner than pre-dexa), it’s ridiculous. Anyway i ejaculated fine. The last bits were lumpy. My penis threw some ridiculous shapes afterwards, too - i just stood in the mirror thinking W T F is going on with my body. Sex would be impossible without a decent dose of cialis right now.

Isn’t it interesting how dexa is able to dramatically affect me? I’ve had prostrate dull aches all day, too. Is this proof of a connection with the immune system? I think so, be it infection, inflammation or what not. I hope this doesn’t set me back when i cease it, i really do.

Anyway, i’ll not update again for a little bit.

#209

Has your dexamethasone use coincided with you quitting cialis use?

#210

Mens Rea,

Do you still believe in the immune system theory? What if our bodies started an immune response to DHT? Is that possible? Could PFS maybe be some sort of autoimmune disorder?

#211

Let me put together your latest tests:

Oestradiol 127 pmol/L (<156)
FSH 2.8
LH 7.6
high T
Reverse T3 (rT3) 0.29pmol/mL (0.14 - 0.54 pmol/mL)
TSH: 0.765
Free T3 1.7 (0.9 - 2.5)
Free T4 15.9 (12-22)

After your experience with HC and dexa, and considering the value of RT3 (which I hadn’t seen when I last posted – sorry), I changed my mind about your cortisol levels. You have high cortisol, not low. If you had low cortisol, your RT3 would be high. Furthermore, you would feel real good with some HC or dexa, but you don’t. In fact, it seems that your thyroid is the weak part of the system. In other words, your thyroid output does not match your (presumably high) cortisol levels. If this is the case, your symptoms would improve by taking some thyroid supplement, such as tyrosine or iodine. Have you ever taken any thyroid medication?

#212

You cannot predict the future and you are not qualified to make such diagnoses – none of us are.

Stating “such and such WOULD occur” is misleading and dangerous. In future, you should rephrase your statements to be more in line with these facts:

“If this is the case, in my opinion your symptoms MAY (or may not) improve by taking some thyroid supplement, such as tyrosine or iodine.”

Of course, it would be even more prudent to include links to scientific articles to validate your points, otherwise it is simply one’s opinion based on… well, who knows.

Thanks.

#213

Thanks for the post.

You may be right. It would explain (i think) my low body temperature.

I’m starting to think my condition is beyond thyroid and adrenals, though. My levels are good, i shouldn’t have the symptoms i have with such favourable readings, no way.

I have tyrosine, i took it a few times before without any effect. I may revisit that in future given its a low risk idea.

I don’t believe it’s a immune response to DHT but there may but some element of autoimmunity, potentially emanating from the prostrate. Just speculation, though - this is why i took dexa, really - to test this hypothesis.

Have a read…

coolinginflammation.blogspot.com/

#214

why are you pushing every body into taking thyroid and cortisole supps?
Are you a doctor? or have madical background?

#215

only because a lot of us have low body temperatures…

#216

I have told you before on this board, that both my Cortisol and RT3 reading were high. So your hypothesis isn’t correct - or atleast not in my case. Dont push everyone in the Thyroid/Cortisol treatment when all the numbers look good.

#217

Yes, but this isn’t really an issue i have a strong idea what im like with and without cialis. I haven’t quit cialis ive just ran out for the time being.

Anyway, i really cant believe how my semen is changing on dexa. Bear in mind my semen has been pretty well recovered the past 6 months. I mean, I just ejaculated and it’s of an inconsistent concentration in that the first bit was watery then the second part was lumpy with bits of white in it. Surely this can only be traced back to prostrate?

0.5mg of dexa is a very low dose in relative terms. It’s hard to see how would affect my hormones in any significant manner (a large amount could suppress the adrenals), so the only connection is that of autoimmunity, inflammation etc.

The plot thickens, as does my semen :stuck_out_tongue:

Finally, i look forward to next week when i quit the dexa to see how i respond over the following few weeks. I’ll be taking Vit D3, Zinc and Vitamin E daily thereafter and that’ll pretty much be it for the foreseeable future. I’ll probably keep taking my 100mg of progesterone too which seemingly kept my E2 levels in place.

1 Like
#218

One more thing to add. I haven’t had any eye floaters since ive started dexa. I never had them pre-PFS but have noticed them in the past year. Who knows if there’s a connection here or not.

#219

You are right. I’ll try to be more careful in wording by sentences.

As far as I know, it’s not the level of cortisol, T3, and T4 to be important, but their proportion. In other words, if you had high cortisol and mid-level thyroid hormones, I think that you would suffer from hypo symptoms anyways, until you increase the thyroid levels or reduce the cortisol levels.

I’m not. I asked him if he ever supplemented with thyroid hormones.

Nope

No. Just my personal experience with hormone therapy.

I said that, in my opinion, if you have low cortisol, then your RT3 will be high (I’ve never seen anybody in forums with low cort and low RT3). How exactly does your high-cort-high-RT3 case contradict my sentence?

I’m not. I asked him if he ever supplemented with thyroid hormones.

#220

Im just doing this to keep a record for myself at this point (i might discuss these findings with various doctors down the line).

My body is definately reacting to the dexa. There’s absolutely no doubt about it.

I had full pain in my prostate all yesterday practically. Today it’s subsided a bit. I just forced myself to masturbate and i noticed my penis was looking a little bigger than previous (pre-dexa). When i ejaculated it shot out but the second part, again, was very very lumpy.

I can’t stress how much this is in contrast to my very watery semen pre-dexa.

This is clear signs of the prostrate being hugely involved in my condition.

I’m reaching a slight dilema;

  1. Do i keep taking dexa for another week (that’d be 3 weeks) and then stop? The logic here would be to continue to observe these changes and see how they progress - perhaps it could reveal alot and potentially even lead to improvements.

  2. Do i finish it, as planned, at the end of the week?

  3. When i do finish, should i then hit it with a course of antibiotics given i might have unearthed an infection?

  4. Or do i continue dexa indefinately? 0.5mg isn’t a big dose and it’s not unheard of for people to take much larger doses for longer periods of time albeit for more serious conditions.

I really think something is happening and i need to strike the iron when it’s hot. I feel some guys who recovered from PFS got very lucky and did the right things via sheer luck. I’m trying to second guess what steps might somehow lead me to recovery.

Any opinions on the three above noted options?