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 search looking for help
What is your current age, height, weight?
35 years old, 5’10, 175 lbs
What specific drug did you use (finasteride, dutasteride, saw palmetto, isotretinoin/Accutane, fluoxetine, sertraline, citalopram, leuprorelin, etc…)?
Finasteride
What dose did you take (eg. 1 mg/day, 1 mg every other day, etc.)?
1mg per day
What condition was being treated with the drug?
hair loss
For how long did you take the drug (weeks/months/years)?
1 month
How old were you, and WHEN (date) did you start the drug?
34 years old, September 1st, 2018
How old were you when you quit, and WHEN (date) did you quit?
34 years old, September 28th, 2018
How did you quit (cold turkey or taper off)?
cold turkey
How long into your usage did you notice the onset of side effects?
after 2 weeks
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
[x] 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
[ ] 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
[ ] 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
[ x] Persistent Fatigue / Exhaustion
[ ] Stomach Pains / Digestion Problems
[ ] Constipation / “Poo Pellets”
[ ] Vision - Acuity Decrease / Blurriness
[ ] Tinnitus (ringing or high pitched sound in ears)
[ ] Hearing loss
[ ] Increased hair loss
[ ] Frequent urination
[ ] Lowered body temperature
[ ] Other (please explain)
What (if any) treatments have you undertaken to recover from your side effects since the discontinuation of the drug? I have previously before finasteride been on TRT with pellets and HCG injections. none of this has changed a thing.
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.
Before taking finasteride I was on TRT with pellets for 3 years. This was because of low testosterone levels. At this time, I didn’t have any problems with my libido, even though my testosterone was around 280. I was only put on TRT to try and fix another problem I always had which was premature ejaculation. Around September of 2018, I started taking finasteride for hair loss. I noticed after a few weeks that my ejaculation started to feel different and my libido was decreasing. I stopped taking the pills after about a month and I have had the same recurring problems ever since. My libido seems to be non-existent and I have an overall dull and flat feeling about life now.
I can sometimes get an erection when I’m getting physical with my girlfriend, but I have no desire to do anything with it, let alone have sex. I feel fatigued most days and not much motivation to do anything. I have recently started seeing Dr. Bieley in Florida and we are in the process of figuring out a plan of action. I’m not sure where to start, and after spending countless hours on this forum reading, it seems there are many directions I can go and see what works.