Mental support section

General Discussion
#11

Almost 17 months off now. Agreed on the girls thing, I guess not being horny makes you more attractive to them, who knew?

I had a breakdown at 9 months off. Cried a lot… told my mom stuff even. Have told a few friends as well… they’ve been supportive.

When I’m with girls and it doesn’t work I just explain I took a medication and it messed me up in that department. Some of them ask what it was for, I say hair… they just say “hair’s not that important” – guess I shoulda known all along. All of them so far have been ok with ED issue, by the way. I’ve even been with one girl for over a year now on a casual basis and she doesn’t care, she likes me for me and told me sex isn’t everything… so there are women out there that will work with you on this and be supportive.

Day to day I realize I am not 100% but i just go on and stay positive. I don’t get as excited about things or feel as quick or sharp as I used to, but I still force myself to get out there and enjoy life as much as I can… who knows what might happen down the road thanks to this drug.

I have come to accept my current state of shrivelled dick, ED and loss of libido for the most part until I see a doc that can work with me on this. By accepting that this is how it is, it makes it easier to manage for me. No sense fighting what I can’t change at the moment… but I will be looking at seeing Crisler or Shippens down the road, for sure… hopefully sometime later this year.

I am happy to report that a lot of the brain fog has dissipated and besides the sexual issues, that was enemy #2… with that clearing up gradually, I can actually relate to people once again, find humour in things, etc… I don’t feel as numb and flat as I used to, but lack of emotions are still a problem since Finasteride…

My advice is in no way to contemplate suicide. We are still alive, and we can work together on this… and maybe even make Merck pay with lawsuits. Furthermore, getting the word out about the dangers of this drug is almost a personal mission for me now, as should it be for all of us… and with Shippens and Crisler actively looking into this, there is still lots to look forward to.

Stay positive, don’t dwell on this and get busy with other things in your life. Certainly visiting and posting on this board every few hours only reminds you of the crap we have to deal with… if you ocupy yourself with your job, friends, activities… you may find you are able to deal with this a lot better. Ditto goes for telling some of your close friends/family. Support is important.

Cheers.

#12

I remember being suicidal as well. The drug has screwed up your hormones and in fact effecting your emotions as well. I remember being VERY emotional while going through the side effects.

You WILL get better over time. It’ll actually make you a stronger person when you look back on it.

Stay strong dude and ask any questions re: recovery. Many of us are almost 100% cured. I just need to cure my prostate problem and I’ll be completely good!!! (after almost 2 years though)

#13

Hi guys,

I added my Yahoo messenger address to the old forum. Feel free to add me to contacts, so we can chat about this condition. We can have a mental support ring of some kind.

#14

Not everyone has access to the old forum. If you want people to add you I suggest PMing guys here your Yahoo userID… or just put it on your public profile on this site.

#15

Ive only got MSN??

#16

I have only MSN as well.

#17

Guys, you can download Yahoo Messenger for free here:

messenger.yahoo.com

If you want to use MSN messenger then go ahead, it would just be great if we were all using the same thing… for me, Yahoo is more anonymous (all my friends are on MSN/photos of me etc), so I prefer using Yahoo for that reason alone… plus Yahoo lets you do group conference voice chats.

Try it out, then PM each other your Yahoo usernames or post them in the thread if you dont’ care who can add you to their list.

#18

I cant use yahoo due to the way my computer is set up. If anyone wants to talk to me on MSN they can just PM me. I will try and find out how to get it to work on yahoo, but for now I cant do it.

#19

Guys,

I would suggest downloading Trillian. Trillian is a chat client that allows you to be connected to MSN, Yahoo, AIM, ICQ all at once from within one application. Since most of you probably already have yahoo accounts since you were on the yahoo group, I would suggest downloading Trillian from here http://www.download.com/Trillian/3000-2150-10047473.html?part=dl-trillian&subj=dl&tag=button

If you guys have any problems getting it set up, feel free to ask me.

#20

I’m so pissed off and terrified about the damage done by this POISON, let alone future relationships how am I gonna be able to look after myself? One stupid mistake looks to have destroyed everything. My sides are WAY beyond sexual and I can’t imagine much of a future of any kind unless something dramatic happens in the next few years. Gonna be a challenge to hold on that long …I would honestly rather have AIDS than this crap …sometimes I feel like going crazy and getting revenge on all those b$%tards who screwed me over while I was finasterided…thank god I can’t get hold of a gun! Feel like a right stupid &!£ cos had done quite well out of life’s genetic lottery looks wise and now finasteride $%!s it up for NW1 hairloss.

btw I would be wary of confiding in people about this stuff as you can get desensitised from talking about your cock etc here and forget how freaky and embarassing this would be to peers.

#21

I’m feeling very suicidal right now over what this drug has done to me. I only took 15 pills. I’ve been off 10 weeks now and things keep getting worse by the week. My prostate problem is out of control, I can’t sleep, I can’t pee, I have a UTI infection which won’t go away because I can’t empty my bladder, my penis is deformed, and my chest has constantly been hurting the last week, which is probably gyno. On top of all this I’m on antibiotics which make me feel like complete shit. What’s next? What did I do to deserve this???

I really want to do myself in, but the only way I could do it is with a non-violent manner like a drug cocktail. If I had it in front of me right now, I would gladly take it. This is not worth going through for years and years with no end in sight. I would be much happier dead.

#22

youtube.com/watch?v=hWUfFwoe8ko

#23

Have you been in for medical tests? Two longtime sufferers, JN and Boston2009, have been having good response to thyroid meds. The more I read about it the more I think there is possibility to cure a percentage of us.

There is also the clomid route which would block the estrogen. Get some melatonin, take enough to get some rest, and explore and TRY the options before losing the last hope.

Edit: Boston is reviewing his thyroid treatment

#24

I’m supposed to go in for a blood test on 9/1. I had been taking Sustain Alpha and the doctor wanted me to stop taking it for a while so my results wouldn’t be skewed. Boy Mew tells you to get blood tests immediately for a reason. I didn’t do it because I don’t have insurance or much money and I had been hoping for a natural recovery. I just couldn’t believe that 15 pills could do this to me.

I’m seriously considering borrowing money from my parents and flying to see Crisler. This urologist I’m seeing doesn’t know anything about this.

#25

Cantsleep, hang in there mate, things WILL get better.

What do you mean by ‘can’t piss’? you literally can’t urinate at all?

I can’t sleep for more than 3-4 hours myself, and often have pains that don’t last but go through different areas of my body.

#26

Joe, I’m having a lot of trouble getting the urine stream started… it’s taking up to 20-30 seconds even when my bladder is full and I really have to strain. I believe my prostate is enlarged and is cutting off the flow. The main problem with this is I can’t seem to empty my bladder all the way, which leads to urinary retention, giving bacteria a chance to take hold in the urine. I’m finding I basically have to constantly drink water and urinate all day to keep the urine diluted and prevent an infection. This could be a serious long-term health problem.

It’s hard to believe this will get better. With each week something new seems to appear with no improvement elsewhere. I am wondering when I will hit the bottom, if there is such a thing.

#27

It is frustrating. I seriously think get some doctors take this poison by force for some months. when they are sick then let them go and wonder about their own health. they will go and talk to merck themselve other wise these ideots will keep calling us mentally sick.

sps

#28

True striken. What I can’t get over though is the fact that I did this to myself. I ordered it from an online pharmacy and put it in a drawer for a month because I was so scared of it, but I let my vanity, as well as the reassurances of those on hair loss forums and blogs(Dr. RASSMAN comes to mind), get the best of me. I actually shaved my head for two months before trying this drug because I knew it could be bad news, but I just couldn’t get used to the look.

The problem was that I thought the “persistent” sides were all sexual/libido issues, and that they happened after taking the drug over a period of time. I didn’t understand the idea of a post-drug “crash” where everything gets infinitely worse and new sides hit you from all over the place. I’ve already been through 2 crashes in the last month. I know for a fact I can’t take another one. I pray to god this stabilizes soon.

#29

Me too, only excuse I have is that it was before this site existed and I read nothing of possible permanent sexual sides let alone the other problems this stuff gives you. I also wish I’d just close cropped my hair. And yeah the fact that everything got worse AFTER i stopped is just too cruel.

#30

Woah, woah, woah guys. All this talk of suicide is kinda scary to me. I used to think like you did. The worst thing we can do is come down with a side effect of our own creation, a “tunnel vision” where we are looking at the future and see no hope. It was only when I started appreciating the present that things turned around for me mentally. I know, it seems like it’s impossible to appreciate the present with what we’re going through, but propecia reminded me of my own mortality and how valuable life really is. I know we’re in a lot of pain sometimes, but rather than think your life is over and has no meaning, think of this as a new start to a life full of deeper meaning. Perhaps before we were only interested in shallow things (like our looks), but we have learned that there are things that are far more important.
Guys, what I mean is, if we can’t feel better physically then get out there and feel better emotionally, mentally, and even spiritually. Help a kid with his homework. Buy a friend a gift. Go camping and enjoy the great outdoors. Show the family how much you love them. Just do something other than concentrate on our problems, and people (including women) will really be endeared to us and we will find a new outlook on life.
I’m saying this because it worked for me. Although I am sick, I am very happy because I have literally hundreds of people who love me and value my life. They would be devastated if I wasn’t around and that is a priceless feeling.
Honestly, try to be positive and live a more fulfilling life. Your life will turn around just like mine did.
I wish you all the best.