My Story - Looking for immediate guidance

Member Stories
#21

It’s strange, I only had anxiety when I immediately crashed about a month ago. I got over the feeling of anxiety and depression in about four days with diet and wim hof breathing, but I still wake up suddenly 2-3 times a night.

I can typically fall back asleep in 2-3 min, but I’m convinced I’m not getting deep sleep.

However, I do dream every night and sleep in 3-4 hour blocks.

I’ve read a lot of stories on here and I’m pretty sure I’m a pretty mild case (and may not even have PFS at three months).

Hopefully my sleep gets back to normal in the next few months, but for now, box breathing really helps.

#22

I have a similar situation. When my mental symptoms are bad, my sleep is good. But when mental symptoms clear up abit, my sleep is similar to wat u have.

#23

Well done you seem to be really motivated and on a good path

Have you considered 24-48hours of fasting?

Do you have a fitbit or equivalent to measure your sleep. I have one but I’m not sure how accurate it is as I think it confuses my light sleep for being awake.
I know I’m getting REM as I have crazy vivid dreams every single night since I crashed.

#24

Coming back to update my story. I’m hoping to talk to others who have symptoms similar to my own. I crashed in mid February of 2024 - anxiety, insomnia, brain fog, etc… I immediately went on carnivore diet, abstained from alcohol, and started taking amino acids. Within two months I was 100% recovered. Apart from the initial crash, I didn’t have any ED and probably just slightly diminished libido.

By early April, about two months on, I wasn’t thinking about PFS anymore. I truly believed I was out of the woods. About eight weeks later, in early June, my GF brought home a Costco sized bag of nuts. I crushed the whole bag in just a few days and felt a crash coming on - turns out I ingested a known 5ari antagonist (beta sitosterol). About two weeks later I recovered from this crash and once again felt 100%. This persisted through June and the first week of July.

When I came home from the 4th of July holiday, I wasn’t feeling very good. July has been a month of poor focus, high stress and then Monday of this week my insomnia came screaming back. Thankfully, insomnia just lasted one night. I was able to get 6-7 hours of sleep last (with occasional wake-ups).

So, I’m wondering else has else has experienced something similar?

I either had a false recovery, or a real recovery that I messed up because my system was so fragile. However, it’s been less than six months off Finasteride and at least 2.5 months of that has been symptom free.

#25

This is my six month update. Exactly six months to the day I was hit with the infamous crash.

In many respects, I’m much much better. The initial anhedonia I was hit with is completely gone. I feel a full range of emotions. These days it’s typically frustration with my lingering symptoms. Over the last few months I’ve read as many stories as I can, trying to find someone’s story who matches mine so I can infer or draw conclusions about what to expect. I’m sure we all have at one point or another.

Other than the first week, I haven’t had any ED. Libido is a tough one to remember. I’m in my mid 30s, and even before Finasteride I wasn’t exactly the horniest person all day. That subsided in my late 20s. That said, I’m often engaging or making the first moves on my GF so I do have some libido and my sexual function is 100%. Regular morning wood and easy to get and maintain a full erection.

My frustration today is that I’ve had good windows of 100% recovery. I crashed in February, and by late April I thought I was completely out of the woods. No symptoms at all. I had slight dip in early June, but that resolved in a week. I was fine for another month and had a great fourth of July with my family. Completely symptom free.

Then about 3.5 weeks ago I was hit by a wave of anxiety I haven’t felt since my first crash. Since then, I’ve had terrible sleep, minor brain fog (nowhere near my initial), and fleeting anxiety.

I’ve read enough accounts to know that fluctuations are common and that there’s some cyclical nature to this.

For now, I’m exercising every day, focusing on my sleep hygiene, eating a low carb/gut friendly diet and hoping I can pull out of this and get back to another level where I’m symptom free.

Onwards and upwards.

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#26

Eight months in, I’m back with a positive update. For the last two or three weeks I’ve had zero symptoms. Not thinking about PFS. Sleep is great, sex life with the GF is amazing, libido is strong and mentally I’m good. No anxiety, brain fog or neurological issues. This is my 2nd, 100% recovery window in eight months.

So to recap, from crash (month zero) to three months I slowly recovered (Feb, March, April 2024) and by May 2025 (four months) I was 100% and thought I had avoided PFS. This was good through May and June. I went back to a terrible lifestyle - drinking, partying, and eating like shit - then I had second crash (month 5.5/6). I crashed again, not nearly as bad as the first, in mid July and slowly recovered for 5-6 weeks. By mid September (month 7) I was back to normal again - so here I am at 8 months with no noticeable PFS.

This time, I’m much more careful about my diet and lifestyle. I’ve had a few beers out with friends and have no noticeable side effects the next day, even when I have a slight hangover.

This is important to me. Not that drinking matters, but I want to be able to live my old life. That’s when I know I’m fully recovered.

I don’t plan on coming back to this forum unless symptoms flair up again or I have another crash. If I can go another four months and make it to one year with no other crashes then I’ll start to feel like I’ve turned a corner.

In many ways I realize how much more fortunate I am than many in this forum. I’m also leaving this here for myself, in case I have to come back to remind myself that I’ve been through hell and can come out the other side.

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#27

Thanks dude, much appreciated. I’m at 5 months and I’ve had amazing days where I felt alive again, had good sex, etc.

Anhedonia is kicking my ass right now but you’re giving me the strength to keep going.

Thanks alot