It is fairly devastating to learn that you cannot get an erection or maintain an erection from this stuff and libido is next to zero. I have been off it for six days today and am still feeling these side effects. I am looking for some encouraging news, jeez!
I had my bloodwork done last week as well as a testicular sonogram…somebody boost my spirits…
On the drug for several years, experienced testicular pain, masturbated to get rid of it and am now feeling nothing…
Read FAQ at top of site, post your Member Story in Members Story section using template at top, and post your bloodwork in Hormones section when you get it. It is early days yet so you will feel the return of DHT in the coming week or two, and most likely be fine thereafter. Keep us posted if not.
my member story?
Yea.
Notice the section called Member Stories?
propeciahelp.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=3
There is a template at the top you can use to copy/paste when you post your own story:
propeciahelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=371
Suggest you go through the process so others can get a sense of your history with the drug, side effects etc. Makes it easier to keep track of people’s progress that way.
Where are you from (country)? USA New York
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 search
What is your current age, height, weight? 28, 5’11’’, 180lbs
Do you excercise regularly? If so, what type of excercise? I did until recently, weight training and a little cardio 3x a week, havent exericised in about two weeks
What type of diet do you eat (vegetarian, meat eater, raw, fast-food/organic healthy)? generally healthy but drink too much
Why did you take Finasteride (hair loss, BPH, other)? hair loss
For how long did you take Finasteride (weeks/months/years)? 6 years
How old were you, and WHEN (date) did you start Finasteride? 22years old
How old were you when you quit, and WHEN (date) did you quit? 28 (six days ago)
How did you quit (cold turkey or taper off)? cold turkey
What type of Finasteride did you use – Propecia, Proscar, Fincar or other generic? Propecia 1mg
What dose did you take (eg. 1 mg/day, 1 mg every other day etc.)?
How long into your use of Finasteride did you notice the onset of side effects? a couple of years
What side effects did you experience while on the drug that have yet to resolve since discontinuation? Erectile Dysfunction, loss of libido, brain/penis disconnect, but when I was on it I would experience testicular pain and need to masturbate or have sex to quell it.
Put an X beside all that apply:
Sexual
[ x] Loss of Libido / Sex Drive
[x ] Erectile Dysfunction
[ ] Complete Impotence
[ ] Loss of Morning Erections
[x ] Loss of Spontaneous Erections
[ x] Loss of Nocturnal Erections
[x ] Watery Ejaculate
[ ] Reduced Ejaculate
[ ] Inability to Ejaculate / Orgasm
[ ] Reduced Sperm Count / Motility
Mental
[ x] Emotional Blunting / Emotionally Flat
[ ] Difficulty Focusing / Concentrating
[ ] Confusion
[ ] 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
[x ] Testicular Pain
[ ] Testicular Shrinkage / Loss of Fullness
[x ] Genital numbness / sensitivity decrease
[ ] Weight Gain
[ ] Gynecomastia (male breasts)
[ ] Muscle Wastage
[ ] Muscle Weakness
[ ] Joint Pain
[ ] Dry / Dark Circles under eyes
Misc
[ ] Prostate pain
[ ] Persistent Fatigue / Exhaustion
[ ] Stomach Pains / Digestion Problems
[ ] Constipation / “Poo Pellets”
[ ] Vision - Acuity Decrease / Blurriness
[ ] Increased hair loss
[ ] Frequent urination
[ ] Lowered body temperature
[ ] Other (please explain)
What (if any) treatments have you undertaken to recover from your side effects since discontinuation of the drug? I just took a blood test, testicular sonogram last week and am expecting results this week
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)?
propeciahelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=12644
Anything not listed in the above questions you’d like to share about your experience with Finasteride? I feel right now its a confluence of factors affecting me anxiety/depression and it feels as if my penis does not connect with my brain. I believe these issues are all inter-related too, its quite debilitating now but I’m praying it will get better as it has only been six days.
Tell us your story, in your own words, about your Finasteride usage and side effects experienced while on/off the drug.
Thank you. I posted my story. Is it true many people experiencing htese side effects get better after two weeks-month when DHT resumes??
Yes the majority of men who quit Finasteride recover without issue once DHT comes back online.
However as noted in the FAQ at top of site (read it pls), for unknown reasons a small percentage of guys experience a post-Fin crash shortly thereafter where their Testosterone, LH, FSH levels drop and the feeling of DHT fades away, leaving us with these permanent issues as noted in the FAQ.
what does it feel like when DHT returns??
blood work/testicular sonogram came back normal. I’m freakin’. It’s only been about 7-8 days but I am frustrated and strting to panic…
No need to panic at this stage. Once DHT starts to return, you should feel “like your old self” – horny, alive, hormones pumping through your veins, can get hard easily etc.
Pls post your bloodwork in the Hormone section, with ranges.
Thank you for your help. Should I revisit my urologist? do anything else in the mean time besides take good care of myself?
Maybe work-out, take a multi-vitamin?
Maybe take 45mg of zinc to coiunter any possible t loss, stay off alcohol and substances for a while. Avoid any stress.
13 days since I’ve been off this shit and still no recognizable changes…I cannot believe this shit. Going to urologist tomorrow…Is this ever going to get better and I know guys have suffered with this for way longer and I don’t mean to downplay your struggle. I’m just so unbelievably scared…
I am going to see Dr. McCullough today in New York. Any advice or tips?
Thanks in advance
Yea, ask if he can do testing for:
These may shed light on our situation to see if Finasteride did in fact irreversibly inhibit the 5AR2 enzyme or downregulate AR in those 5AR2 tissues (genital skin especially).
Just came back from dr. mccullough and suffice it to say he did not have a good bedside manner. He is re-did blood tests and will do an entire work up.
But basically he dismissed me when I said that I had testicular pain while on propecia. He said propecia didn’t cause that…
He might prescribe arimidex based on the blood results…whatdo you think?
Well he’s being a bit ridiculous there, since the side effect is actually a listed one by Merck.
From propecia.com…
I know its bullshit! What should I do as it is hard enough to see this guy and I won’t get blood results back until the end of the week. e’s testing prolcatin etc…
I only saw this guy because my regular urologist is on vaca…Does arimidex work? Anyway, I’m hoping I will start to feeel better naturally…
I think I’m just so scared from reading stuff here and just anxiety that its is affecting me a lot…thnkas gimzim…are you feeling better?
Yeah, even if the doctor’s bad if you can get him to do the blood tests you’re on the right track. Low-dose arimidex can help to lower estrogen, but it’s probably the heaviest way to do that. Better perhaps is to try zinc, or DIM, or something like that first. But it’s up to you and it really depends how severe the imbalance is. Also, I’ve got a feeling that the SERMS (nolvadex, clomid etc) are helpful in lowering E, but I could be wrong in this.
I’m not doing great, and I’m a bit annoyed because I was supposed to get my results back today (and didn’t). I’m hoping I’ll get the bloods tomorrow and can take things from there.
Gim
My problems with loss of libido/spontaneous erections I really believe has not much to do with my drinking and I wish it did cause then my problems would be solved.
But the way i feel day to day hasn’t really changed. I still don’t get spontaneous erections and nocturnal ones aren’t as strong. In the mornings I just feeling an emptiness down below like something isn’t triggering, its very disconcerting. Like you know when you wake up in the morning and sometimes have a piss-boner, I never do. My balls/penis is fine and full but don’t have the desire. I feel different down below can’t really explain it.
I have a very limited desire to even have sex but can masturbate not really out of a feeling of horniness but just to feel normal.
I really don’t know waht to do. I have an appointment with a world renowned urologist in Brooklyn where i live in November. I also have an appointment with a psychiatrist as my problem with drinking are directly related to this. I have been eating well and sticking to the protocol as far as not drinking and exercising which has helped but not fully.
What in God’s name should I do? This affects me daily and is a constant source of stress/pain. Thanks for listening.