Hi all- been a long time follower but this is my first post. Took finasteride from 2007- 2012 and started getting anxiety and brain fog in 2008. Went to several docs (GP, neurologist, cardiologist, psychiatrist) and all said it was just anxiety even though I never had any issues before propecia. Then the panic attacks and dizziness started and that was a whole new level of misery- I didn’t like taking any medication but Xanax helped me through some horrific times. I would also get intense brain zaps that would leave me very dizzy and that would sometimes lead to a full panic attack. Anyway I found out about the mental issues that were being attributed to finasteride so I took my last pill in May of 2012 after a panic attack. I would say the brain fog started to lift a little after about a year but there were still some dizzy spells and other mental issues ( never had any sexual issues at all.) I improved for a while but I could always tell my brain was not the same but I was just happy I was getting better. Now this last month or 2 the minor issues have come back full force even though I haven’t taken a pill in over 7 years. The brain fog is back, brain zaps are here again and I the anxiety is raising my blood pressure again- it’s very much like 2009 all over again and I am back to square 1. I guess I just have 2 questions: has anyone regressed mentally years after stopping and are there others that are still having mental issues 7-10 later?
Thanks
hello zapped sorry to hear whats going on.
check if you are taking other substances by accident that also inhibit 5ar.
some like 5htp, saw palmeto, etc.
i think others will be able to help you out, as there is a link that will give you a full product list.
Is there?
How long did you take Xanax for and are you still taking any psych drugs?
I took a low dose Xanax daily for about a year and then only when I was was very anxious or dizzy after that. From about 2014-2018 I might only take 10 pills a year- lately I have been taking a couple a week though because the brain fog and anxiety have been terrible. I would say mentally I was about 90% better for a while but I was never 100%. I never took anything but Xanax. Pretty sure my brain has been permanently changed by this drug.
I am not sure which drug you meant, but Xanax by itself can cause all of your symptoms, or at least make your original finasteride caused symptoms much worse. Benzos do a lot more harm than good leading eventually to higher levels of anxiety, along with the myriad of other harmful effects. People have neurological problems for years after benzo use. Look into that.
Do you have any lingering sexual side effects from finasteride?
I was referring to finasteride about damaging my brain- the side effects started long before I ever took a Xanax. Also i estimate I took about 30 .25mg Xanax from 2015- 2018 so I suspect the brain zaps, panic attacks and brain fog are because of the finasteride I took daily for 6 years. I don’t really have any sexual side effects now- those subsided over the years. I did have some moderate ED issues for a while but I didn’t care about that because I was dizzy, anxious and foggy 24/7 so sex was the last thing I was worried about- my goal was to make it through a work day and not end up in the ER. I just wish I knew that this finasteride was causing my mental issues because I continued taking it for almost 5 years after my issues started.
And these mental sides went away? For how long did they go away for? And then they reappeared out of nowhere?
I wouldn’t say the side effects ever completely went away but they slowly became more manageable. For instance I would have maybe 2 or 3 brain zaps a year- I had 3 last week. My brain fog went down to a 2 or 3 for years and now it’s back to a 7 or 8. I woke up in the middle of the night last week on the verge of a panic attack- my blood pressure was 140/95. Even before I had this setback I mentally still only felt 80% of what I was pre finasteride which makes me think if I haven’t completely recovered mentally after almost 8 years that I never will. I know all about the neurosteroid alterations and the rest of the wonderful things this crap does to the brain- I figured that it might take a very long time for my brain to fully recover but now i don’t think that is likely.
isnt there a thread thats compiled a list?
pretty sure i saw someone post it before
If you find it, do give it a bump!
I have i had absurdly happy, i mean I should be sad or angry but even with my dick status i was happy for 4 years then i crashed while on trying yohimbine for pfs then i got panic disorder and extreme brain fog. All subsided a year ago thanks to my psychiatrist though he was sure that my sexual sides are hormone related he send me to urologist where I diagnosed with pfs… my anxiety and panic totally recovered though damn brain fog hits me time to time.
It subsided on its own?