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)? US
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 under PFS
What is your current age, height, weight? 70, 5’ 6.5", 200 lbs
What specific drug did you use (finasteride, dutasteride, saw palmetto, isotretinoin/Accutane, fluoxetine, sertraline, citalopram, leuprorelin, etc…)? Dutasteride + saw palmetto
What dose did you take (eg. 1 mg/day, 1 mg every other day etc.)? 0.5 mg/day
What condition was being treated with the drug? BPH
For how long did you take the drug (weeks/months/years)? several years
How old were you, and WHEN (date) did you start the drug? Don’t remember
How old were you when you quit, and WHEN (date) did you quit? 69.5, around Sept 20, 2020.
How did you quit (cold turkey or taper off)? cold turkey
How long into your usage did you notice the onset of side effects? Don’t remember
What side effects did you experience that have yet to resolve since discontinuation? Ejaculatory dysfunction; & dramatically reduced libido
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
[ ] Erectile Dysfunction
[ ] Complete Impotence
[ ] Loss of Morning Erections
[ ] Loss of Spontaneous Erections
[ ] Loss of Nocturnal Erections
[ ] Watery Ejaculate
[ ] Reduced Ejaculate
[x] Inability or Difficulty to Ejaculate / Orgasm
[ ] Reduced Sperm Count / Motility
Mental
[x] Emotional Blunting / Emotionally Flat
[ ] Difficulty Focusing / Concentrating
[ ] Confusion
[x] Memory Loss / Forgetfulness
[ ] Stumbling over Words / Losing Train of Thought
[ ] Slurring of Speech
[ ] Lack of Motivation / Feeling Passive / Complacency
[ ] Extreme Anxiety / Panic Attacks
[ ] 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
[x] 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
[x] 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 discontinuation of the drug? Sexual intercourse with my partner has become increasingly unsuccessful over the past year; however I try to masturbate about once every day.
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?
I am still able to masturbate, although it is significantly more difficult now. Curiously, I have not experienced ED. My dysfunction is ejaculatory, not erectile. Arousal to erection still occurs, although far less frequently. Ejaculation during intercourse is now extremely rare. I fear the condition is permanent.
Tell us your story, in your own words, about your usage and side effects experienced while on/off the drug.
I’m very angry at my doctor for prescribing Dutasteride in the first place. My symptoms of BPH were easily manageable without the drug, and they never improved while on the drug. I’m also very angry at myself for not having researched potential side effects before taking the drug. Learning about PFS has been a gargantuan nightmare.