0)Where are you from (country)?
USA
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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?)
Web search -
What is your current age, height, weight?
31years 2months, 5’8" 150lbs -
Do you excercise regularly? If so, what type of excercise?
Yes, aerobic -
What type of diet do you eat (vegetarian, meat eater, raw, fast-food/organic healthy)?
Semi healthy diet -
Why did you take Finasteride (hair loss, BPH, other)?
Hair loss -
For how long did you take Finasteride (weeks/months/years)?
6years 1mg per day 1yr 1/4mg per day -
How old were you, and WHEN (date) did you start Finasteride?
About 23 -
How old were you when you quit, and WHEN (date) did you quit?
30 years -
How did you quit (cold turkey or taper off)?
Cold turkey -
What type of Finasteride did you use – Propecia, Proscar, Fincar or other generic?
Finasteride -
What dose did you take (eg. 1 mg/day, 1 mg every other day etc.)?
1mg per day -
How long into your use of Finasteride did you notice the onset of side effects?
4 years -
What side effects did you experience while on the drug that have yet to resolve since discontinuation?
Low sperm count, erection difficulty
Put an X beside all that apply:
Sexual
[X] Loss of Libido / Sex Drive
[X] Erectile Dysfunction
[ ] Complete Impotence
[X] Loss of Morning Erections
[X] Loss of Spontaneous Erections
[ ] Loss of Nocturnal Erections
[ ] Watery Ejaculate
[X] Reduced Ejaculate
[ ] Inability to Ejaculate / Orgasm
[X] Reduced Sperm Count / Motility
Mental
[ ] Emotional Blunting / Emotionally Flat
[ ] Difficulty Focusing / Concentrating
[ ] Confusion
[ ] Memory Loss / Forgetfullness
[ ] Stumbling over Words / Losing Train of Thought
[ ] Slurring of Speech
[X] Lack of Motivation / Feeling Passive / Complacency
[ ] Extreme Anxiety / Panic Attacks
[X] Depression / Melancholy
Physical
[ ] Penile Tissue Changes (narrowing, shrinkage, wrinkled)
[ ] Penis curvature / rotation on axis
[ ] Testicular Pain
[ ] Testicular Shrinkage / Loss of Fullness
[ ] Genital numbness / sensitivity decrease
[ ] Weight Gain
[ ] Gynecomastia (male breasts)
[ ] Muscle Wastage
[ ] Muscle Weakness
[ ] Joint Pain
[ ] Dry / Dark Circles under eyes
Misc
[ ] Prostate pain
[ ] Persistent Fatigue / Exhaustion
[ ] Stomach Pains / Digestion Problems
[ ] Constipation / “Poo Pellets”
[ ] Vision - Acuity Decrease / Blurriness
[ ] Increased hair loss
[ ] Frequent urination
[ ] Lowered body temperature
[ ] Other (please explain)
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What (if any) treatments have you undertaken to recover from your side effects since discontinuation of the drug?
None yet -
If you have pre or post-Finasteride bloodtests, what hormonal changes have you encountered since discontinuing the drug (pls post your test results in the “Blood Tests” section and link to them in your post)?
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Anything not listed in the above questions you’d like to share about your experience with Finasteride?
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Tell us your story, in your own words, about your Finasteride usage and side effects experienced while on/off the drug.
Hello everyone. I am sorry I cannot say it is a happy reason why I am here. I will let you briefly know my story.
I am a 31-year-old male. I used propecia for hair loss for roughly 7 years when I first started losing my hair. I stopped about 4 months ago.
I have always had a concern about the potential side effects of propecia on the male reproductive system. So I was always proactive. While I was on the drug, my semen was sometimes lumpy and weird looking. However when I personally examined them under a microscope they appeared normal.
That was until about a year ago. While I was examining my semen for count and mobility, I noticed there was not the normal amount. I immediately saw a urologist. They performed a more through semen analysis and the results were not so good. Although I still am producing sperm, the count has dropped a lot. I am about at 1/3 the normal amount.
( I was told I am at 30, normal 75-100)
So here I am on this site looking for help. I believe the propecia may have played a major role in my loss of sperm count. That is why I discontinued the medication. So now I have some questions if anyone can help me.
Has anyone who experienced low sperm count after propecia use regained their sperm count back to normal?
If so how long does it take sperm counts to return to normal?
Do I stand a chance to regain normal male fertility?
Are there any good links or stories on this site that may help me gain more information on propecia’s effect on sperm counts?
Are there any treatments for a low male fertility?
Can I still father a child if I have low sperm?
What are blood tests about, and how do you talk to your dr. about getting one?