Where are you from? Germany
How did you find this forum? I can’t remember, I think using good search terms “finasteride” + “insomnia”
What is your current age, height, weight?
38, 178 cm, 77 kg.
What specific drug did you use (finasteride, dutasteride, saw palmetto, isotretinoin/Accutane, fluoxetine, sertraline, citalopram, leuprorelin, etc…)?
Finasteride, Minoxidil
What dose did you take (eg. 1 mg/day, 1 mg every other day etc.)?
1 mg every day
What condition was being treated with the drug?
Preventing hairloss
For how long did you take the drug (weeks/months/years)?
~4 years
How old were you, and WHEN (date) did you start the drug?
~31
How old were you when you quit, and WHEN (date) did you quit?
~36
How did you quit (cold turkey or taper off)?
Taper
How long into your usage did you notice the onset of side effects?
2 years
What side effects did you experience that have yet to resolve since discontinuation?
- insomnia, brainfog, loss of libido, loss of erectile function, loss of sensitivity, watery ejaculate, prostate pain, muscle wastage, impaired cognitive function, anhedonia, loss of emotions, loss of being able to get drunk, belly pain and food intolerances, dry skin, parodontose, borderline high blood sugar.
Check the boxes that apply. You can save your post first, then interactively check/uncheck the boxes by clicking on them. If your symptoms change, please update your list.
Sexual
[ x] Loss of Libido / Sex Drive; improved
[ x] Erectile Dysfunction; improved
[ - ] Complete Impotence
[ x ] Loss of Morning Erections; partially improved
[ x] Loss of Spontaneous Erections
[ x] Loss of Nocturnal Erections; improved
[ x ] Watery Ejaculate; improved
[ - ] Reduced Ejaculate
[ x ] Inability or Difficulty to Ejaculate / Orgasm; resolved
[ - ] Reduced Sperm Count / Motility; probably
Mental
[ x] Emotional Blunting / Emotionally Flat; improved
[ x ] Difficulty Focusing / Concentrating; improved
[ x] Confusion; improved
[ x ] Memory Loss / Forgetfulness; improved
[ x ] Stumbling over Words / Losing Train of Thought; resolved
[ x ] Slurring of Speech; resolved
[ x] Lack of Motivation / Feeling Passive / Complacency
[ - ] Extreme Anxiety / Panic Attacks
[ - ] Severe Depression / Melancholy
[ - ] Suicidal Thoughts
Physical
[ - ] Penile Tissue Changes (narrowing, shrinkage, wrinkled)
[ - ] Penis curvature / rotation on axis
[ x] Testicular Pain; just a short period of time
[ - ] Testicular Shrinkage / Loss of Fullness
[ x] Genital numbness / sensitivity decrease
[ x ] Weight Gain
[ - ] Gynecomastia (male breasts)
[ x ] Muscle Wastage; yes, initially lost a lot weight; resolved
[ -x] Muscle Weakness; resolved
[ x] Joint Pain; initially
[ x ] Dry / Dark Circles under eyes; resolved
Misc
[ x] Prostate pain; 2x for a few weeks
[ x] Persistent Fatigue / Exhaustion; a lot better, but still a problem
[x ] Stomach Pains / Digestion Problems; was very severe for 2 years, resolved
[ - ] Constipation / “Poo Pellets”
[ x ] Vision - Acuity Decrease / Blurriness
[ - ] Tinnitus (ringing or high pitched sound in ears)
[ - ] Hearing loss
[ - ] Increased hair loss; since PFS hair is not falling out, but lost my chest and body hair for a while
[ -x] Frequent urination, in the beginning; resolved
[ x] Lowered body temperature, I always felt cold, but I don’t think I had hypothermia, had hot flashes and night for a long time
[ x] severest insomnia for several years, partially resolved