Where are you from (country)?
I am from Pakistan originally but I live in Germany since 2 years now.
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?)
I found this forum through a Google search, PFSnetwork.
What is your current age, height, weight?
I am 23 years of age, I am 180 cms (5’11), I am around 82 kgs.
What specific drug did you use (finasteride, dutasteride, saw palmetto, isotretinoin/Accutane, fluoxetine, sertraline, citalopram, leuprorelin, etc…)?
I used Finasteride. Hairfin(Pakistani-based Generic) and a German generic brand, I forgot the name.
What dose did you take (eg. 1 mg/day, 1 mg every other day etc.)?
1mg first time around. 0.5mg(1mg pill split in half) second time around.
What condition was being treated with the drug?
Male Pattern Baldness, Aggressive case.
For how long did you take the drug (weeks/months/years)?
April-September 2024. (First cycle) - 6 months
Oct-December 2024(Second Cycle) - 2 months
Total 8 months.
Date when you started the drug?
April 2024.
Date when you quit the drug?
December 2024.
Age when you quit?
22
How did you quit (cold turkey or taper off)?
Cold turkey.
How long into your usage did you notice the onset of side effects?
Gradual, 4 months.
What side effects did you experience that have yet to resolve since discontinuation?
Flat Orgasm.
Flat Emotions.
Low libido.
ED.
Low metabolism.
Fatigue.
Inferior Memory recall.
Gyno.
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
[x] Watery Ejaculate
[x] Reduced Ejaculate
[x] Inability or Difficulty to Ejaculate / Orgasm
[?] Reduced Sperm Count / Motility
Mental
[x] Emotional Blunting / Emotionally Flat
[x] Difficulty Focusing / Concentrating
[x] Confusion
[x] Memory Loss / Forgetfulness
[x] Stumbling over Words / Losing Train of Thought
[ ] Slurring of Speech
[x] Lack of Motivation / Feeling Passive / Complacency
[ ] Extreme Anxiety / Panic Attacks
[x] Severe Depression / Melancholy
[ ] 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
[x] Weight Gain
[x] Gynecomastia (male breasts)
[x] Muscle Wastage
[x] Muscle Weakness
[x] 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
[x] Lowered body temperature
[ ] Other (please explain)
Less sweating.
Pricky heat.
What (if any) treatments have you undertaken to recover from your side effects since discontinuation of the drug?
Pregnenolone 10mg
PEA 600mg
Creatine Monohydrate
Black Maca
Multi-Vitamins
Cialis
Magnesium
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)?
High TSH.
Liver not optimal.
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.
I wish I never started. I wish I never restarted. And I will never forgive myself for ignoring the warning signs.
Here’s my full journey.
Cycle 1: The Start – April to September 2024
I began taking Finasteride (1mg generic) in April 2024. My hair was shedding fast and aggressively, and I panicked. I was in my early 20s and felt like I was aging in real time. Out of desperation, I turned to what the internet called a “proven solution”: Finasteride.
At first, things seemed fine. No major side effects. No sexual dysfunction. No depression. In fact, I felt some relief—like I was finally taking control of my hair loss.
But slowly, without realizing it, my libido started to dull. It wasn’t gone, just… muted. Then came emotional flattening. I wasn’t crying or panicking—I just felt less. Movies didn’t hit the same. Music felt distant. My thoughts got foggy, and mentally, I felt slower. None of it was extreme, but all of it added up.
By September 2024, I had had enough. I connected the dots, read the stories, and realized this drug might be behind my subtle decline. So I stopped. Cold turkey.
And at first? I felt amazing. Not overnight, but within a few weeks, emotion returned. I could laugh again. Feel excitement. Libido wasn’t perfect, but it was improving. I was optimistic. I thought I had dodged the bullet.
Cycle 2: The Relapse – October to December 2024
Then came the hair loss again. And it was brutal. Mentally, it crushed me. I couldn’t bear looking in the mirror. I felt like I was falling apart all over again. So I gave in. Told myself I’d be smarter this time. Just half a pill a day, I thought. That should be safe, right?
It wasn’t.
The side effects crept back in. Like shadows. Subtle at first, but undeniably there: libido fading, emotional dullness, cognitive haze. I panicked. Stopped again.
But then something strange happened.
The Rebound & The Crash – December 2024
Two days after quitting, I felt like I was hit with a wave of life. My libido exploded—like I was 14 again. Sexual energy surged, my chest felt warm, I had spontaneous erections, constant thoughts, emotional highs. I thought: This is it. I made it out.
But I was wrong.
Around a week later came the crash. And this time, it was nothing like before.
I lost almost all sexual function. Mentally, I could still feel desire—but physically? It felt like my body was disconnected. Erections were weak or inconsistent. Orgasms? Numb, empty, robotic. After ejaculation, I felt emotionally dead—like a ghost inside my own skin.
My chest felt hollow. Not metaphorically—literally empty, like something inside me had shut off. Caffeine made everything worse. Sleep felt useless. Burnout and detachment became my baseline.
My brain still works—I can solve problems, have conversations—but the emotional layer is missing. Joy feels out of reach. Sadness feels muted. Everything feels neutral, gray, distant.
Some days I manage to smile or laugh. Others, I just exist. Wake up. Function. Wait for bedtime. Repeat. Sometimes I wonder what the point of anything is if I can’t feel it.
Final Thoughts
If you’re reading this and considering starting—or restarting—Finasteride, please think deeply about what you’re risking.
I know how painful hair loss is. I know what it does to your self-worth. I understand the desperation. But what I’m living through now? It’s so much worse.
This isn’t about looking older or losing vanity. This is about losing your ability to feel like a human being.
I don’t know if I’ll recover. I hope I will. I’m trying to stay healthy, exercise, cut out triggers like caffeine, and wait. That’s all I can do. But I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy.
Please don’t roll the dice like I did.
Self-reporting template - ONLY USE FOR FUTURE POSTS TO REPORT ANY TRIALS OF TREATMENTS, NOT YOUR INITIAL MEMBER STORY
-
Name of the therapy/substance:
- Dosage:
- How often you took it:
-
Status
- Still using [ ]
- Stopped with no lasting change to initial symptoms [ ]
- Stopped with persistent change to symptoms [ ]
- Duration of use: Days [ ] Months [ ] Years [ ]
-
Response when you started:
- Greatly improved [ ]
- Slightly improved [ ]
- Stayed the same [ ]
- Slightly worsened [ ]
- Greatly worsened [ ]
-
Current response (if you’re still using the therapy/substance) OR Response in the time before you stopped the treatment
- Greatly improved [ ]
- Slightly improved [ ]
- Stayed the same [ ]
- Slightly worsened [ ]
- Greatly worsened [ ]
-
Lasting changes to initial symptoms after cessation (if you have stopped for more than 3 weeks)
- Greatly improved [ ]
- Slightly improved [ ]
- Stayed the same [ ]
- Slightly worsened [ ]
- Greatly worsened [ ]