Hello!
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Where are you from (country)? United States
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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?) Searching my sexual dysfunction symptoms
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What is your current age, height, weight? Age: 21, Height: 5’7", Weight: 135lbs
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Do you excercise regularly? If so, what type of excercise? I run/use the elliptical 2-3 times a week, with some weight machines 1-2 times a week
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What type of diet do you eat (vegetarian, meat eater, raw, fast-food/organic healthy)? I eat mostly healthy low-fat foods, but I wouldn’t describe my diet as specifically healthy or totally organic.
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Why did you take Finasteride (hair loss, BPH, other)? Hairloss
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For how long did you take Finasteride (weeks/months/years)? Approximately 8 months
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How old were you, and WHEN (date) did you start Finasteride? Started Finasteride at age 20
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How old were you when you quit, and WHEN (date) did you quit? Quit Finasteride at age 21
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How did you quit (cold turkey or taper off)? Cold turkey
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What type of Finasteride did you use – Propecia, Proscar, Fincar or other generic? Started with Propecia, switched to generic Finasteride
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What dose did you take (eg. 1 mg/day, 1 mg every other day etc.)? I think 1mg per day
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How long into your use of Finasteride did you notice the onset of side effects? The side effects appeared slowly, maybe 3-4 months into taking the drug
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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
[ x] Loss of Libido / Sex Drive
[ ] Erectile Dysfunction
[ ] Complete Impotence
[ x] Loss of Morning Erections
[ x] Loss of Spontaneous Erections
[ ] Loss of Nocturnal Erections
[ ] Watery Ejaculate
[ ] Reduced Ejaculate
[ ] Inability to Ejaculate / Orgasm
[ ] Reduced Sperm Count / Motility
Mental
[ ] Emotional Blunting / Emotionally Flat
[ x] Difficulty Focusing / Concentrating
[ ] Confusion
[ ] Memory Loss / Forgetfullness
[x ] Stumbling over Words / Losing Train of Thought
[ ] Slurring of Speech
[ ] Lack of Motivation / Feeling Passive / Complacency
[x ] Extreme Anxiety / Panic Attacks
[ ] Severe Depression / Melancholy
[ ] Suicidal Thoughts
Physical
[x ] Penile Tissue Changes (narrowing, shrinkage, wrinkled)
[ ] Penis curvature / rotation on axis
[ ] Testicular Pain
[ x] Testicular Shrinkage / Loss of Fullness
[x ] 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? I haven’t taken anything. I have started taking a multivitamin that has zinc in it recently.
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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)? I have had bloodtests but have not looked at my hormone levels
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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.
I began to take Finasteride April 2013 for hair loss. While taking the drug, I noticed a steady decrease in my libido and loss of morning erections. Yet, despite this lessening I was still functioning fine. I was still moderately horny - simply down from my extremely high libido I had before. I also noticed slight weight gain. Seeing these symptoms, I did some research about Finasteride and read about the potential for persisting side effects, so in December 2014, I quit the drug cold turkey.
After quitting, my libido steadily rose back up - never to the level it once was, but I was satisfied with my status. It seemed that all the symptoms I had experienced on the drug were slowly resolving themselves.
Now, 2 months ago (or 6 months after quitting Finasteride), in early July, my penis suddenly changed. The foreskin was swollen by the glans, making it appear slightly deformed, and I had a hardened cord running along the shaft. It also was in a hard-flaccid state. I went to a urologist and he diagnosed this as a penile vein thrombosis. Since that diagnosis, the thrombosed vein has diminished (though definitely hasn’t completely healed) and the oedema (swelling) has mostly disappeared, but my penis now has a rubbery texture and my genitals lack sensation - only the spot where the head and the foreskin meet (I am partially circumcised) is sensitive.
These sexual symptoms seem to align with many post-finasteride symptoms, yet I am questioning if I am experiencing post-Finasteride syndrome because my current sexual symptoms 1) do not match the symptoms I experienced while taking the drug, and 2) appeared nearly 6 months after quitting the drug. I would really appreciate any insight others may have.
The reiterate, my current symptoms are:
Rubbery, hard-flaccid penis, feels as if my penis is never “relaxed”
Lack of genital sensation - testicles, foreskin, and head are all either completely numb or vary in slight sensitivity
Anxiety (which might be brought on my thinking about my sexual dysfunction)