New Member Story from UK

COPY AND PASTE THE FOLLOWING INTO YOUR OWN POST, then answer the questions.

  1. Where are you from (country)?
    UK
  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?
    36, 6ft2, 16st
  4. Do you excercise regularly? If so, what type of excercise?
    Yes weights and football
  5. What type of diet do you eat (vegetarian, meat eater, raw, fast-food/organic healthy)?
    Mixed fairly healthy
  6. Why did you take Finasteride (hair loss, BPH, other)?
    BPH
  7. For how long did you take Finasteride (weeks/months/years)?
    6 months
  8. How old were you, and WHEN (date) did you start Finasteride?
    36
  9. How old were you when you quit, and WHEN (date) did you quit?
    36
  10. How did you quit (cold turkey or taper off)?
    cold turkey
  11. What type of Finasteride did you use – Propecia, Proscar, Fincar or other generic?
    proscar
  12. What dose did you take (eg. 1 mg/day, 1 mg every other day etc.)?
    1.25mg day
  13. How long into your use of Finasteride did you notice the onset of side effects?
    2 months
  14. What side effects did you experience while on the drug that have yet to resolve since discontinuation?
    impotence, significant penis and testicle shrinkage
    Put an X beside all that apply:

Sexual
[ ] Loss of Libido / Sex Drive
[ x] Erectile Dysfunction
[x ] Complete Impotence
[x ] Loss of Morning Erections
[x ] Loss of Spontaneous Erections
[ ] Loss of Nocturnal Erections
[ ] Watery Ejaculate
[x ] Reduced Ejaculate
[ x] 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
[x ] Lack of Motivation / Feeling Passive / Complacency
[ ] 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)

  1. What (if any) treatments have you undertaken to recover from your side effects since discontinuation of the drug?
    viagra (not much use)

  2. 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)?

  3. Anything not listed in the above questions you’d like to share about your experience with Finasteride?
    Yes the results of taking this drug were significant penis and testicle shrinkage, impotence and almost numbess below. Some feeling of loss of worth and less career motivation.

  4. Tell us your story, in your own words, about your Finasteride usage and side effects experienced while on/off the drug.
    Since ive stopped taking the drug my erectilce dysfunction has progressed into impotence, progressing further into problems ejaculating. Combined with significant penis atrophy.

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)? UK

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 - Finsateride Support

What is your current age, height, weight? 41, 16st, 6ft2

What specific drug did you use (finasteride, dutasteride, saw palmetto, isotretinoin/Accutane, fluoxetine, sertraline, citalopram, leuprorelin, etc…)? Finasteride 5mg

What dose did you take (eg. 1 mg/day, 1 mg every other day etc.)? 5mg a day

What condition was being treated with the drug? Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

For how long did you take the drug (weeks/months/years)? 5 months so far (this time)

How old were you, and WHEN (date) did you start the drug? 40 (41 now)

How old were you when you quit, and WHEN (date) did you quit? still on it this time

How did you quit (cold turkey or taper off)? NA

How long into your usage did you notice the onset of side effects? very quickly

What side effects did you experience that have yet to resolve since discontinuation? the longer im still on it, loss of energy, loss of muscle mass, fat around sides, less sleep (take melatonin to counter), fully impotent, penis and testicular atrophy, less drive even change in career aspirations etc

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

Mental
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
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
[x ] Gynecomastia (male breasts)
[x ] Muscle Wastage
Muscle Weakness
[ x] Joint Pain
Dry / Dark Circles under eyes

Misc
[x ] Prostate pain
Persistent Fatigue / Exhaustion
Stomach Pains / Digestion Problems
Constipation / “Poo Pellets”
Vision - Acuity Decrease / Blurriness
[ x] Tinnitus (ringing or high pitched sound in ears) - been to see hearing specialist
Hearing loss
Increased hair loss
[x ] 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? ive tried everything leading upto this, the website is not long enough

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.

Well im still on it (2nd time on) but the changes started first time I took it (less at first) 2nd time around is much worse particular the penis and testicular shrinkage. Loss of drive as well and im in a senior leaders job, genuine thoughts of changing career, lack of sleep. Ive got to the stage of accepting it and working around my sexual dysfunction whilst my libido has not reduced if anything the frustration has made it worse different to some stories on here. Ive accepted it which is the key I belive.