Welcome to our community. Please fill in the following template as a way of introducing yourself, and helping others to understand your background and situation.
Where are you from (country)?
USA
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
What is your current age, height, weight?
31, 5 ft 10 in, 175 lbs
What specific drug did you use (finasteride, dutasteride, saw palmetto, isotretinoin/Accutane, fluoxetine, sertraline, citalopram, leuprorelin, etc…)?
Finasteride, saw palmetto shampoo
What dose did you take (eg. 1 mg/day, 1 mg every other day etc.)?
1 mg/day finasteride
What condition was being treated with the drug?
Male pattern baldness
For how long did you take the drug (weeks/months/years)?
Took 15 fin tablets over 22 days, 1 topical dose 12 days later. Used saw palmetto shampoo 17 times over 36 days.
Date when you started the drug?
July 31st, 2023
Date when you quit the drug?
September 3rd, 2023
Age when you quit?
29
How did you quit (cold turkey or taper off)?
Cold turkey
How long into your usage did you notice the onset of side effects?
First day
What side effects did you experience that have yet to resolve since discontinuation?
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
[ x] Erectile Dysfunction
[ ] Complete Impotence
[x ] Loss of Morning Erections
[ x] Loss of Spontaneous Erections
[ x] Loss of Nocturnal Erections
[ ] Watery Ejaculate
[ x] Reduced Ejaculate
[ ] Inability or Difficulty to Ejaculate / Orgasm
[ ] Reduced Sperm Count / Motility
Mental
[ x] Emotional Blunting / Emotionally Flat
[x ] Difficulty Focusing / Concentrating
[ ] Confusion
[ ] Memory Loss / Forgetfulness
[ x] Stumbling over Words / Losing Train of Thought
[ ] Slurring of Speech
[ x] Lack of Motivation / Feeling Passive / Complacency
[ x] Extreme Anxiety / Panic Attacks
[x ] Severe Depression / Melancholy
[x ] Suicidal Thoughts
Physical
[ x] Penile Tissue Changes (narrowing, shrinkage, wrinkled)
[ ] Penis curvature / rotation on axis
[ ] Testicular Pain
[ x] Testicular Shrinkage / Loss of Fullness
[x ] Genital numbness / sensitivity decrease
[ ] Weight Gain
[ ] Gynecomastia (male breasts)
[ ] Muscle Wastage
[ ] Muscle Weakness
[ ] Joint Pain
[ x] Dry / Dark Circles under eyes
Misc
[ ] Prostate pain
[ x] Persistent Fatigue / Exhaustion
[ ] Stomach Pains / Digestion Problems
[ ] Constipation / “Poo Pellets”
[ x] Vision - Acuity Decrease / Blurriness
[ ] Tinnitus (ringing or high pitched sound in ears)
[ ] Hearing loss
[ ] Increased hair loss
[ ] Frequent urination
[ ] Lowered body temperature
[x ] Other (please explain)
-Sleep quality has lessened
-Hand tremors
What (if any) treatments have you undertaken to recover from your side effects since discontinuation of the drug?
If you have pre or post-drug blood tests, what hormonal changes have you encountered since discontinuing the drug (please post your test results in the “Blood Tests” section and link to them in your post)?
Anything not listed in the above questions you’d like to share about your experience?
Tell us your story, in your own words, about your usage and side effects experienced while on/off the drug.
Hi everyone. Two years ago, my life changed forever when I made the short sighted decision to use finasteride to help with my thinning hair. Shortly after, I discovered this forum, and saw that I was far from alone. You can review my journey from my original post;
And also the one year update I posted a year ago;
It’s now been a little over two years since I quit finasteride, and I feel an obligation to continue to periodically update those in the community on my condition. To be clear; I don’t considered myself cured or 100% back to who I was pre fin. And I’m somewhat resigned to the reality I probably never will be. But I consider my story a positive one, and there aren’t enough of those on these forums.
Today, I live basically a normal life again. I have an active social life, I date, I have sex, I hold down a full time job, I have hobbies. There are still things lacking; I no longer have spontaneous or nocturnal erections. I have slight tremors and occasional brain fog/anxiety. But I’ve gotten used to those things, and they no longer stop me from living my life. As mentioned on my previous posts, I don’t have a cure all, and I’m not here to downplay anyone else’s experience. The best advice I can give anyone here, especially struggling in the early stages; try your best to continue living your life as you did pre fin. That’s easier said than done, but it can help you maintain some semblance of control. If you liked to workout, keep hitting the gym. If you liked to game, fire up the console. If you golfed, play 9. And if you just can’t do it today, that’s okay. But try again tomorrow. Don’t let not today turn into never again.
Some things that I believe helped me;
-I workout 4-5 days a week (weights, some cardio)
-I see a therapist bi-weekly
-Early on, being honest with my close friends and family, talking through it with them, felt less alone
-Continuing my hobbies (golf, sporting events, happy hour, karaoke night, movies).
-Taking 5 mg Cialis 3-4 days a week
-Actively pursuing dating when ready.
-Jerking off a few times a week
-Staying away from forums like these and doing my own research. You’ll drive yourself crazy. It’s important to educate yourself, but you’re not going to find a cure on here. The less you obsess over this, the better you’ll feel.
I’m happy to speak with anyone who has questions about my experience, even though I admit I don’t have all the answers. But I want to emphasize to those struggling, especially early on or with suicidal thoughts; please hold on. Your life is worth living, you are still you. And the world is still better with you in it. 2 years ago, I never would have imagined I would have this quality of life. There was no diet I tried, no supplements or medications. Just time, and a shift in focus. I can’t promise that for you, but I hope you feel it’s worth it to wait and see. Please donate if you can, and give yourself grace. I still hold out hope that one day a cure will be found for all of us. Until then, one day at a time guys.