NEW MEMBER - Need Help!!

Member Stories
#1

Hello,

I am a new member to this website. Here is my background:

I was on the drug for 7 years. I am now 26 years old and have been off of it for 7/8 weeks (cant remember exactly). THe symptoms i experienced while on it:

  • Reduced Ejaculate
  • Weak erections
  • Loss of morning erections
  • Severe Fatigue
  • Penis Shrinkage
  • Brain Fog
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Slurring of speech / can’t remember words
  • Puffy face
  • Loss of muscle mass
  • Less facial/body hair
  • Loss of wit
  • Emotional bluntness

One of my main complaints is fatigue and brain fog. I am a law student and I am writing the bar exam. In Ontario there are two bar exams, and I just wrote one. I am certain that I failed it. It is very hard to concentrate and study intensely when you have constant and severe fatigue and mental impairment.

I stopped taking this poison 7/8 weeks ago. Surprisingly, my hair has not fallen out. It has stayed the same as the pre-quit days. Initially in the fist few days after quitting (around the 4th or 5th day) I woke u with a very strong erection and my ejaculate was abundant. I didnt feel tired and my ind felt sharp. Everything was is good order. I was cured.

Then i went back to my previous state. I woke up feeling tired, brain fog, low ejaculate, etc… HOWEVER, my erections have gotten stronger in the past few weeks and they seem to happen more spontaneously. But my ejaculate is still low and I don’t have morning wood.

I am starting to get concerned. I dont think I have had a traditional crash but ever since experiencing the temporary effects of recovery in the first week of post use, the only symptom that has somewhat improved is the penile shrinkage / strength of erection and occurrence of spontaneous erections. Aside from that, I have not had any other improvements, with fatigue and brain fog as my main problems. They go hand in hand. My ming is very dull when I’m fatigued. I cant speak/think properly.

What should I be expecting? What is my next step? I have started to work out and that seems to help but not a whole lot. I want to feel the way i did when I initially quit this drug. I felt amazing.

#2

I felt the same way when I quit but then it subsided just like you. If you run a SERM I can almost guarantee you will get back to that state. I did but I crashed a few days later. I believe my dose was too high. If you run a much lower sustained dose it’s possible it could work. I ran stenlabs.com Toremifene 120mg every day. First day I had wet dreams but by the third I had crashed. I would run 15-30 mg everyday.

#3

  1. Where are you from (country)?
    Canada

  2. 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

  3. What is your current age, height, weight?
    26, 5’8", 160

  4. Do you excercise regularly? If so, what type of excercise?
    Yes. 2-3 times per week

  5. What type of diet do you eat (vegetarian, meat eater, raw, fast-food/organic healthy)?
    Non organic but healthy food. I RARELY eat fast food or consume soda. I have eliminated refined carbs, sugars and caffeine. I follow the healthy food guide fairly closely but limit my dairy and Carbs a bit. Overall though I eat very healthy. Also I drink ALOT of water.

  6. Why did you take Finasteride (hair loss, BPH, other)?
    Hair loss

  7. For how long did you take Finasteride (weeks/months/years)?
    7 years

  8. How old were you, and WHEN (date) did you start Finasteride?

  1. How old were you when you quit, and WHEN (date) did you quit?
    1, February 2013.

  2. How did you quit (cold turkey or taper off)?
    Cold turkey

  3. What type of Finasteride did you use – Propecia, Proscar, Fincar or other generic?
    Propecia

  4. What dose did you take (eg. 1 mg/day, 1 mg every other day etc.)?
    1 mg every day.

  5. How long into your use of Finasteride did you notice the onset of side effects?
    Hard to tell. Maybe 2 years into use.

  6. What side effects did you experience while on the drug that have yet to resolve since discontinuation?

Put an X beside all that apply:

Sexual
[ ] Loss of Libido / Sex Drive
[ ] Erectile Dysfunction
[ ] Complete Impotence
[ x] Loss of Morning Erections
[ ] Loss of Spontaneous Erections
[ ] Loss of Nocturnal Erections
[ x] Watery Ejaculate
[ x] Reduced Ejaculate
[ ] Inability to Ejaculate / Orgasm
[ ] Reduced Sperm Count / Motility

Mental
[ x] Emotional Blunting / Emotionally Flat
[ x] Difficulty Focusing / Concentrating
[ ] Confusion
[ x] Memory Loss / Forgetfullness
[ x] Stumbling over Words / Losing Train of Thought
[ x] Slurring of Speech
[ x] Lack of Motivation / Feeling Passive / Complacency
[ ] Extreme Anxiety / Panic Attacks
[ x] Severe Depression / Melancholy
[ x] 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
[ ] Increased hair loss
[ x ] Frequent urination
[ ] Lowered body temperature

I need your help. I quit Propecia 7 weeks ago due to side effects just as genital shrinkage and fatigue. After a few days of quitting I felt great. Woke up with Morning erections, felt sharp mentally and sexual sides were gone. But after that I went back to my previous state.

My situation is different from most because my main problem is not the sexual sides. Th only sexual sides that remain with me are reduced ejaculate and loss of morning erections. My main problem is persistent and constant fatigue, and the mental side effects that accompany it like brain fog, slurring speech and stumbling over words.

I have sex 3 times yesterday and today I felt like death. I was so tired. Even when Im not very active sexually the fatigue is debilitating. What is going on with me? What do I do? Please help because this fatigue has turned me into a total recluse and I fear that I will lose my job / relationship if I am not able to overcome it in the near future.

#4

Get bloodwork as outlined here to try and determine where issues may lie, particularly with respect to a potential drop in Testosterone/DHT/LH/FSH levels, increased estrogen/prolactin levels or otherwise: propeciahelp.com/testing

For some the fatique and brain fog may clear up over time, however it can be a slow process. As you’ve only been off for 7 weeks, your body may need more time to adjust to any hormonal changes which may have occurred after quitting the drug, as it attempts to find homeostasis.

In meantime try not to stress your body, eat healthy and get plenty of rest. Hopefully over time you will find improvements, even if slow.

#5

Thanks Mew. Another thing to add is that my hair has not been falling out at all. And i must stress that my penis gets erect spontaneously, and i can maintain erections, its just that I dont have as much ejaculatant as before.

Do you think that I will feel better if my hair sops falling out? Also, I had this type of fatigue while on finestride, it just took me a long time to realize that finestride was the culprit. Does my profile sound like any else’s that you know? The only sexual problem I have is low ejaculant, the rest is mental and fatigue, which seem to come in a pair. It would really help if you guys know of other ppl with similar circumstances.

#6

I feel sorry for you my friend. if you look at my old posts I was very disappointed. Just like you I had severe fatigue, shrinkage, appetite loss, muscle loss, head ache etc. the list is very long, in short I was a mess. I strongly suggest to start Vit D3 4000 IU per day. you will see the difference in 4 - 6 weeks. Also please stop Gluten for some period and then reintroduce slowly. We don’t have Celiac but for some reason we have have developed gluten resistance. you will feel very good.

#7

That is your opinion and does not apply to everyone on this site. Please refrain from making definitive statements such as this – rather, indicate it is your opinion instead. This is especially true considering you took saw palmetto, not Finasteride. Thanks.

#8

what is difference between SP and Fin? are not both 5AR inhibitors? I challenge every one on this forum who can prove SP is chemically/functionally is not 5AR inhibitor.IT is dual inhibitor.

#9

I’d like to know this as well.

#10

I have cut out carbs and caffeine from my diet. Somehow I feel a little better and the mental sides are improving. But my hair has been falling out more and my scalp has been starting to itch.

I dont know if its my new diet that has been helping me or the fact that my DHT levels may be rising (hence the increase in hair loss). Which is it do you think? The carb free diet absolutely sucks and I would like to avoid it if I can. I’m in my 8th week off the drug btw.

#11

Hi guys,

I need your advice about my next step. I have now been off for a little less than 5 months. I was a long term user of 7 years. My symptoms after cessation were as follows:

Sexual
[ ] Loss of Libido / Sex Drive
[ ] Erectile Dysfunction
[ ] Complete Impotence
[ x] Loss of Morning Erections
[ ] Loss of Spontaneous Erections
[ ] Loss of Nocturnal Erections
[ x] Watery Ejaculate
[ x] Reduced Ejaculate
[ ] Inability to Ejaculate / Orgasm
[ ] Reduced Sperm Count / Motility

Mental
[ x] Emotional Blunting / Emotionally Flat
[ x] Difficulty Focusing / Concentrating
[ ] Confusion
[ x] Memory Loss / Forgetfullness
[ x] Stumbling over Words / Losing Train of Thought
[ x] Slurring of Speech
[ x] Lack of Motivation / Feeling Passive / Complacency
[ ] 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
[ ] 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
[ ] Increased hair loss
[ x ] Frequent urination
[ ] Lowered body temperature

I have since made improvements. Here is a list of my improvements:

  • I am not as fatigued as I used to be. I am okay for most of the day but I run out of steam in the evening sometimes
  • My flaccid penis has return to pre-fin size (I think). It no longer looks shrunken and tiny
  • My erections are somewhat fuller
  • skin is oilier (although this varies)
  • no longer depressed / suicidal

However, there has not been much progress on the mental sides. My main problem has always been the mental sides. That is what caused me to find this website. Sexually, I am okay. I can be content with my current sexual state even if it does not improve. But the mental sides are, at times, debilitating. In particular, I have issues with speaking. I forget words, use the wrong words and slur my speech. This happens more when I’m fatigued. It is very discouraging and depressing for a new Law School graduate who is trying to find gainful employment.

Exercise helps, but if it’s strenuous exercise like lifting weights, then I have a mini-crash. Even consistent exercise hurts me. I can only exercise 3 times a week. Anything more causes an increase of mental sides. However, if I dont exercise for an extended period of time (ie. 2 weeks), I revert back to my previous state and lose the gains that I have had. It is a funny situation. Consistent exercise = bad; no exercise = bad.

Quality sleep seems to help with the mental sides. But I often wake up feeling somewhat unrefreshed. What should I do to improve the quality of my sleep? Judging by cases similar to mine, good sleep is the key to improving the mental sides. I always feel better mentally when I wake up feeling refreshed. Also, many years ago when I was on the poison, I recall trying GHB one night at a club. I woke up feeling like superman, and I my/tongue was as sharp as ever.

I am going to try the amino acid L-Glutamine, as it is said to affect GABA receptors and I believe that it may have an effect similar to GHB. Any other advise on anything that will improve sleep and have a similar effect as GHB?

Also, I am at a cross-road. Do I just wait this out, or do I go and visit a specialist? My brother lives in NY and I would be able to travel there to see one of the top guys. But I am afraid of doing something that leads to more problems. They will likely prescribe meds, and it seems like meds lead to more problems down the road. But maybe there are people who are cured by the meds. Also, the cost of it all is an issue.

I need your help brothers. I have to get this speech problem under control. Employers write me off because I seem inarticulate and incompetent. I need help improving my mental sides. I really dont know what to do. Thinking about all of this is very stressful and depressing. I am competing for jobs and I cant be successful if things remain this way. I used to have a very sharp tongue and quick whit. A great sense of humour. All of that is gone! I am merely a shell of my former self! It’s so depressing. F_U MERK!@!!@

#12

For mental sides, time seems to be a big help, and as you are only 5 months off, it is very early days for you. Also consider taking Omega 3s (fish oil) to help with neurogenesis.

For sleep I’ve found occasionally taking 500mg or 1gm of L-Arginine on an empty stomach leads to a more deep, restful sleep… likely due to increased nitric oxide production and release (which is involved in the sleep/wake cycle, amongst other functions).

Cheers

#13

Mew, have you ever tried GABA for sleep? If so, any help?

Thanks

#14

Haven’t tried GABA supplements as I read they don’t cross the blood brain barrier. Then again, without trying I can’t comment on their effectiveness.

#15

If you responded well to GHB, try getting a prescription for Xyrem. That might help. Or find actual GHB. People have recovered using it.

Also, my brain fog is very similar to yours, mostly related to speech and processing information. I know how you feel. It’s horrifying. Like you, I used to be very, very witty, was very articulate, etc. It was what I prided myself on the most. Now I feel like an idiot. Pharmaceutical grade fish oil has helped very slightly in this regard, you may want to try that. It mostly just takes the edge off the general foggy haze, but it’s better than nothing, and maybe it’ll help over the long term.

#16

Cap: Have you tried GABA or GHB? Has it helped?

#17

When you say time, how much time are we talking here? Im on the verge of having a breakdown… Im gona lose my girlfriend, be left jobless under a mountain of student debt… how long do the mental sides take? Its just the speech that bothers me. The rest I can live with… but I just cant seem to find the right words and i slur my speech!!

#18

For some it can be months, others longer.

That said, the longer one is off the drug and allowing normal bodily processes to occur, the more your body can try to heal itself.

With time the speech issues should get better, it just may be a slow process. Try and do some cardiovascular exercise to help with bloodflow and oxygenate tissues around the body and especially the brain, eat healthy and get plenty of rest… hopefully it will speed up progress.

#19

hi, sorry for my late reply. try small portions of running units, ie max. 15 minutes. and strength training as well in this measure.
What helps definitive, is a dopamine agonist. Bupropion at mornings would be my suggestion.

you must understand that these fears that plague you, appear much worse by your illness.
calm down and have trust, you’re still a young man and time is your friend.