My miserable experience with propecia - numb to life

Member Stories
#41

UPDATE:

I recently went on vacation and had a brief recovery from most symptoms. I was suffering pretty bad before I left and have not been on any type of treatment because of anticipated blood tests except melatonin and vitamin D which are taken daily. I stopped taking L-Arganine completely (was down to every 2 or 3 weeks anyway) because though the muscles are relaxed during the night more and right after waking up they got tenser and tenser in the following days/weeks. Another supplement that lost effect…

Most Prominent Symptoms:

-ED, lack of libidio, lack of feeling, anorgasma, Adhedonia
-Dry, weak eyes
-Weak muscles: my muscle structure has fallen as in the spine doesn’t hold things in place anymore. The muscles themselves are just like the penis, unless I can get them moving properly they are weak and non-elastic so I cannot sit up straight or stand up straight anymore. My joints pop a lot due to this, my left shoulder has about 4 pops per movement now. These muscle problems are generally applicable to my penis also, my erections are weak and non-erected state is shrunken and fibrotic. General lack of feeling or if the penis is touched it’s uncomfortable.
-Generally cold with low body temp
-Dry skin that has evolved into psoraisis in some places.
-Face that looks fallen and puffy
-Anxiety and low to no libido
-Slow mental facilities, not so much brain fog as an inability to remember anything (short term is the worst) and being slow at putting things together.

So I left and went on a surfing vacation with my gf, colder water so a wetsuit was needed. Getting there sucked, traveling on the plane was a nightmare because it was late and I was tired, it was dry and I couldn’t see well.

Day 1 of surfing: total nightmare, couldn’t get into position to hold my back straight enough to paddle on board much less catch a wave. Exhausted before I even began. Got some sun, about 2 hours worth, so vitamin D too. Went back, slept long, ate oily fish (sardines) and potatoes. Ate seafood and potatoes the entire trip along with other snacks and fruits. Thought the ocean was going to freeze me but my body temp seems to be increased and I don’t mind the cold at all. Penis is warmer. It was seaweed season, so lots of Australian red about, could have increased the iodine content in the water, but no telling. Got hungry.

Day 2: A little better but still exhausted. Only short amount of surfing and more sun. Developing some negative energy but woke up with rock hard piss boner, strong from the prostate through the tip, the kind of diamond cutter boner that’s been missing for so long. Hunger increasing.

Day 3: Same but started supplementing really small doses of protein and amino mix, Biochem protein powder.

Day 4: Took a break from surfing, just drove around, no sun. Piss boner no more but we finally have sex after about a week of none, it’s ok, some work to gain an erection but it stays through the end.

Day 5: Day after sex I lose most of my physical power, especially around core and prostate region. General tension with my GF finally exploded, spent the day fighting with her instead of surfing. Really frustrating fighting, like there is no end in sight, destructive and stressful, but I did have some energy to fight. Hunger waning as I feel more full and feeling doesn’t go away though I need to eat for energy so I start eating lighter stuff, more carbs.

Day 6: Calmer day with surfing being shit so lots of hiking on the beach with a board, good to relax back muscles.

Day 7: Power finally hits, back straightens out, have energy to hold my back straight and paddle and have a great day with good mood. My penis is full and heavy again but eyes are dry from salt water rinsing in the waves.

Day 8: Same. Surfed 2 sessions, about 4 hours, with power to spare. Muscles are strong and in the mirror I notice my old face came back with my erect back and I’m standing almost an inch taller with definition. I think my weight didn’t change, because when I moved around I could still find the bad bulges, but overall they weren’t noticeable. Thinking quickly too. The biggest change I notice other than remission of basically all symptoms was how good my face looked. The structure underneath looked different, the muscles were tighter so the skin wasn’t sagging so low. It’s still a bit puffy but I gained a little bit of fat this summer eating only watermelon for a month during intense heat. Sex this night ok through end.

Day 9: Tourist day and have same weak feeling as previously after sex originating in prostate region. It’s kind of numb. Back still mostly straight though, however day of walking on pavement makes me exhausted and symptoms begin to worsen slightly.

Thoughts:

I think the sun and ocean water were two big plusses here but took some time before their effect was strong. Exercise, especially forcing the total body into positions I cannot seem to in the gym, positions that counter the sag/collapse of the spine and hips from sitting, were great for this. Surfing and walking barefoot over uneven surfaces are the only exercises I’ve found capable of realigning everything, though struggling for 6 days absolutely sucks. Funny with surfing, I have to press the legs all the way from hips to heels strongly together to have any paddle leverage and align the spine. I think the cold water fish helped too, with the phosphytidserine content. I lost most sugar cravings but did eat some chocolate. Hunger was weird, i get hungry very hungry toward the beginning of the trip and then it’s like something gets clogged, I have to still eat for energy but the body stopped processing food correctly toward the time when I was feeling best so I started eating lighter, snacks, more carb rich.

So, I was almost recovered when I came back, though libido was still lagging. I had a few urges during the trip but not many. Now I’m slowly slipping out of this state, I cannot seem to find an exercise that duplicates putting everything in the right place. Maybe running but I’m waiting to purchase a new pair of vibrams (my feet grew 2 sizes in the last 4 months, maybe because the ligaments are not holding them tightly enough together). I expect to be back to where I was in about 10 days if history is any judge.

#42

Boston: No real updates on my front except I’m getting the bad shoulder dislocations and pops again due to overly stiff muscles. One bright spot is that I tried ibuprofin last night. I had been taking some during the surf vacation, didn’t think about it at the time, and got more energy, I think due to the lack of pain and stiffness. I continued taking it all week and stopped when I came back. It’s been a little over a week between taking it.

Last night when I took it I had much better sexual response than I’d had since the day after I stopped surfing. I will link this to the ibuprofin thread, I had forgotten that I went a long time with not being able to take it. I took it after coming back from the gym, which wasn’t very fun due to no energy. I had an awful cramp in my shoulder and joints popping out of place. After about 30 min I started to feel much better and less irritated. I had been feeling sexual earlier that day and even watched some porn with no hard on. About an hour after taking it my girlfriend and laid down on the bed and it took 15 min of manual stimulation to get hard enough for a condom. But once it was on it was a proper hard erection, with feeling throughout and a more intense orgasm (increased from the little I usually have).

EDIT: This page has some info on taking cort and T3, the proper timing. I didn’t see anything definitive though…

stopthethyroidmadness.com/ad … -to-treat/

#43

That’s a good link. At least that’s the first one I have seen that addresses the issue of being on thyroid treatment before starting cortisol and what to do. Texas just sent me a link that may have some data on how possibly fixing the adrenals could kick thyroids back in line. I haven’t looked it over yet. I’ll yet you know if I find anything worthwhile.

One that sucks is reading this:

Knowing what we know about testosterone treatments, they make sound like supplementing TRT is like taking a simple Vitamin. So if we don’t do this what the hell do we do, my Free T is already way too low.

#44

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=4363

I posted a new thread recently on some beneficial effects of marijuana. In fact, I would go so far to say I made a complete recovery on all levels for the first few days after taking a small amount 1 time. So far it’s been a week and I’m still doing very well although I’m starting to slowly deteriorate again. The overall benefits are amazing. I’m waiting to pursue further blood tests and thyroid adrenal treatment until I look into marijuana further and experiment with it some more. What has me so impressed was the effect throughout the body starting with looks to strength to restarting the cognitive functions and creative ability. I even regained more short term memory, the one thing marijuana is supposed to be worst for, however this may just be with high quantities. My looks were masculine again (fading already), which makes me think it’s not a testosterone problem. Yes, marijuana made me look like a man again. And a warm man at that, I’ve been much warmer this week than I have even in the summer, the kind of warm that feels good and pleasant.

My overall worst symptom since fin has been “tightness”. My muscles are inelastic and always tense. This carries through the body I believe, including the blood vessels, neck muscles which allow blood to the brain, and penis/prostate. Every time I do or have anything that further constricts the body like caffeine I’m much worse off. Marijuana, through still through only partially know actions, relaxes the body. It has something like an artificial neurotransmitter (cannabiod) that stimulates the nervous system.

This is my second TEMPORARY RECOVERY after taking marijuana and the only common factor in my top two short-term recoveries, assuming that this one will only be short term. I posted about the earlier one in this thread. The amazing thing about this is that things have become easy and fun again. Skateboarding, swimming, the jacuzzi, they are all interesting again, not something I do just to pass the time.

I have been having sex or masturbating daily with close to if not full feeling daily. Touching the penis is pleasant again and I’ve been up for some nights even after having sex with normal libido and dirty, aggressive sexual thoughts again. This is after telling my girlfriend to stop touching my penis for the last 9 months because it takes away ability to get an erection and feels unpleasant.

The relaxation and vasodilation, literally opening of blood vessels, has me the most interested in marijuana. Unfortunately marijuana has many different strains, and (60+) functioning cannaboids, so I don’t know what causes what effect. However this can have an effect down to a cellular level, which literally means that it can help the body open up the pathways for all of the vitamins and hormones and minerals to act the way they need to in the body, in addition to helping to raise the body’s temp so that enzymes are able to function.

Right now I’m looking for a source to try some more, will probably make it edible this time because it’s longer acting and has a higher chance of becoming fat and slow releasing in the body.

#45

Well, I guess that is positive. Proves you CAN get well. Maybe run this by one of the PFS docs and see why they think it is happening? I’m about willing to try anything at this time. I dont think I could smoke it though, I’d have to bake it in brownies or something.

Did you have shrinkage and did that resolve at all with the pot?

#46

You’re right, the promise of getting well and brief recovery periods is what has kept me going these 2+ years.

Yes, I have MAJOR shrinkage that also fluctuates to normal. I attribute the shrinkage to the general stiffness or fibrosis of the penis which I also have in the rest of my body. Marijuana completely reversed the shrinkage problem to the point where it’s not noticeable. However it’s slowly starting again 1 week after dosing.

Smoking really depends on the type, I can’t stand cigarette smoke but pot doesn’t bother me especially if hydrated in a bong. Edible is the best however, it delivers it directly to the stomach and also opens everything up, which is good for me. Lasts much longer and comes on slower too, so easier to have a small amount and extended effects without getting high.

I want to try a few more times before bringing it up to the PFS docs. I’m with you, willing to try about anything if it has long term promise (i.e. it won’t stop working) but I’m much more inclined to go a natural route and I want more ground to stand on before claiming results, which is why I posted the success of my initial dosing and am seeking others experiences.

#47

Short update on my status. I’m still waiting for a marijuana source to come home from vacation to so I can try again. I’ve had a regression in symptoms again including shrinkage, which starts out as a stiff/fibrotic penis and then gradually got a bit smaller. My weight hasn’t changed but my pants are tight again and my face looks awful again. Sex and orgasm is back to no real pleasure, though I’m still able to get an erection it feels lighter and less sensitive. Overall feelings are more bland, no ups or downs. Tension and stiffness has come back throughout the body which is causing the biggest discomfort, it’s very similar to the penis. So the effects lasted strong about 5 days and then regressed over the next 9 days or so so I got 2 weeks out of the treatment. I’ll post again after I secure some product to try again. I’m even thinking of flying to Amsterdam if it’s going to be another week…

#48

Interesting. Keep us updated. Too bad no medical pot law. If its helping I say go for it. Were me I’d bake up a huge batch of pot brownies once a week and go from there. Funny, I’ve never even tried illegal drugs, I dont drink or smoke but I’m interested in trying this out.

Yea, the various shrinkage stages suck. I go through a few days a time shrunk up and painful there. Then, it will ease somewhat for a day and then back to shruken up and painful.

gl Mart

#49

I finally got some marijuana and tried again last Thursday, which was 4 days ago. Unfortunately I got crap. I didn’t know this until asking regular consumers. Sticks and seeds and powder. Apparently regular smokers won’t touch it because it gives you headaches. I had again a little bit, first smoked and then eaten in a firecracker, which is made by mixing it with an oily substance like nutella or organic peanut butter and baking it.

This was TOTALLY different than my last experience with high quality bud. In contrast to last time, I didn’t find anything interesting. It was just like the world slowed down and I felt stupid for a few days. The last time I felt like the fog was lifted and I was strong and alive again.

There were some positives however. I had been having really bad nerve pain in the 2 weeks before, especially in my left shoulder and over some teeth when I brushed them. It had gotten so bad that I quit brushing some areas. I got more relaxed after this treatment and the nerve pain in the teeth went away.

I also got some benefits to my penis, but different than last time. Last time I had hard wood again. This time it’s increased in size but tends to be the floppy boner. The size is bigger in the flaccid state though, which is much more comfortable. I worked out better than I had in weeks yesterday, 3 days after treatment, and had a decent, hard erection for sex, though it took about 7 minutes to form. Orgasm was almost non-existent though.

This stuff really depends on the quality and strain. I will be trying some more of the shit next weekend if I cannot find higher quality stuff before. It’s better than sitting miserable inside all day but there is much room for improvement. I expect to see this with higher quality marijuana. I am further encouraged however as benefits were seen both times.

#50

does the size improvement tend to stay or does it goaway when you come down off the high?

#51

Last time it stayed over a week, this time it’s been 4 days, so yeah. And it gets warm

#52

Might give it a try. Should get very good stuff and a tiny bit in food to start yes? I really have no idea where to get pot so might take some doing.

#53

Yeah, start very small with only good stuff. It’s legal in your surrounding states. I think RI is the closest, so you could go to the dispensary and try some different strains. I would pick two different ones if you can do this, one for nerve pain/anxiety and one that’s more cerebral for depression. Different strains act differently with different people. I’ve had results by smoking so I would try it first as the effects are more temporary this way. When you eat effects come slowly and its harder to micro dose. You can find more info on dispensaries either at forum.grasscity.com or the forum on marijuana.com. PM me if you need further info.

#54

My situation sucks right now. I’m having an awful time concentrating and most of the time I have muscle spasms that have my left shoulder almost into my ear. Using the computer makes it worse. It feels like nerve damage either in the location or brain. I can literally feel things shut down in my head and then open again depending on what I eat which has me resorting to some sweeter stuff for relief.

It’s a crap shoot with sex. Usually I can perform though not at full mast. Most of the time I don’t feel anything even during orgasm and if I do it means I get into a position later where I can no longer relax, can’t sleep, and it takes much longer for me to feel any sort of pleasure again.

Basically I’m old. I have a huge refractory period with any activity and have become cranky because I cannot feel pleasure. If I can feel pleasure I don’t allow myself to because for every bit there is a reaction in the opposite direction of greater magnitude.

The only + I have right now is the absence of shrinkage and usually a warmer penis, looks like marijuana has taken care of it. I don’t think I’m really different now than I was prior to taking it other than this.

It’s so god damn frustrating that everything I do takes a disproportionate amount of energy and my body needs so long to recover. Anhedonia is exactly the right word. Not sexual anhedonia, but EVERYTHING ANHEDONIA. I don’t care about work, about money, about girls, about anything. All I know is that I have a girlfriend that I like and that I would be unhappier if I didn’t have her. If it weren’t for that I would give up everything in society right now and go live somewhere with minimal life and stimulation like Buddhist monks. At least there I wouldn’t have people asking me all the time why I’m not doing more in life, why I’m not drinking, why I don’t look like I’m having fun, why I’m not interested in the 22 year old with great tits who’s looking to lose her virginity…

FUCK FUCK FUCK

#55

Hey Martin,

Hang in there man. All of us have had gone through the worst of the worst from this poison. I believe we will beat this thing. There are just too many of us that are working so hard to figure out wha this crap did to us.

I also still have nearly the same complete loss of sensation when having sex. I am currently pursuing a possible varicocele that may have caused this problem.

hang in there man!

#56

After being sick the majority of the last 3 weeks I was feeling better the last 2 days. 2 days ago I go to the gym, light workout, all is fine. Next day I get up, get out, walk around, take some pics, go to the gym, light workout.

I get home and have a bought of uncontrollable rage, can’t go to sleep, and wake up with a puffy face. The rage has been around for the last 4 months on and off, the face hasn’t been this puffy in a long time. My girlfriend looked at me this morning and said “shit”.

My muscles are tight enough around the neck to trap fluid in my face but I don’t know the cause. Could be something like this too, it makes the most sense now without further diagnostics:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cushing’s_syndrome

I usually have signs of low cortisol except for this puffy face which is a sign of high cortisol when it comes, usually after times of stress. To top it off in a little under 48 hours I’m leaving for a ski trip and I’m pretty sure I’m gonna feel like shit the entire time but pretend to enjoy so I don’t the girlfriend’s time.

Dazed and Confused but not in a good way…

#57

Thyroid and adrenals.

Get comprehsnive panel for thyroid genova.
adrenals 4 X daily saliva.

Most of these issues are due to the way the drug afftected adrenals and thyroid.

dry skin, losing hair, puffy face - hypthyroid, tired weak, all point to thyroid issues and adrenal problems.

Normal doctors will not diagnose you - go to someone like Dr peatfield in Uk or maybe a specialist if you are not from Uk.

Thats why men here have a wide range of symptoms - adrenal fatigue has many levels and thyroid issues do too. Liver issues may be in there as well.

Thats why it takes time to recover - adrenal fatigue casn take a while when you relax and give right support let alone when you stress and dont know how to help yourself.

#58

Thanks muscleman, I agree that thyroid and adrenals have issues, I’m betting with adrenaline production also. I’m in Russia so I’m still dealing with the doctor situation here.

UPDATE: I finally have a doctor appointment and a translator for this month with an Endo. I’m hoping I can select my own tests, we will see.

Last week I got back from a 10 day trip mostly spent skiing. I thought it was going to be miserable but I managed. Here’s the catch. There was one instance of sexual activity in the week before leaving. The day I got there I had sex but not to orgasm. I was able to ski and keep mostly up with everyone else, if you figure trailing when I used to lead keeping up. I didn’t have to pee, ate at intervals with everyone else. It went fine for 6 days…

Then I had sex to orgasm and my body felt like it internally collapsed. No power, no energy, didn’t want to get out of bed. The next and last day I quit half way through and had to rush to eat sweets as I thought I would pass out. My joints ached and I felt miserable and had to pee urgently. The next days were just as bad, I got tired from a little walking, then I got sick.

So, the orgasm killed me. I was actually somewhat normal until this except for having the puffy face.

Three days after returning, with minimal activity, I get huge sexual urges combined with normal energy again. I have 1 orgasm and again am destroyed, this time with the “incredible shrinking penis”. I’m probably going to try some more weed today or tonight to counter this. Strange thing is in the last few days my face has lost the swollen look, it’s much more normal.

So, don’t know where this even leaves me. I’m waiting for the doctor appointment. Plus I’m getting more and more patches of dry red skin on my body, precursors to psoriasis. I’m starting to hate to shower because I have to try and rub some cream in to keep it moisturized before it drys out and I can’t reach the middle of my back. It’s maddening.

#59

Food allergies martin?

#60

No, I’ve weeded out and reintroduced everything I ate during this time a long time ago.