*** OFFICIAL ENROLLMENT FOR GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY STUDY ON T, DHT and fertility in men who developed persistent sexual side effects related to the use of Finasteride ***

Science PFS Research
#1

[Size=4]Dr. Irwig and colleagues at the George Washington University are conducting a study to look at male hormone levels and fertility parameters in men who developed persistent sexual side effects related to the use of finasteride (Propecia/Proscar).[/size]

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TO PARTICIPATE IN THE STUDY:

  1. DOWNLOAD CONSENT FORM: download/file.php?id=515
  2. Submit completed consent form to propeciastudy@gmail.com
  3. Obtain hormone & fertility tests per instructions below
  4. Submit photocopied test results to Dr. Irwig at propeciastudy@gmail.com
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If you did not participate in the previous study by Dr. Irwig ( viewtopic.php?f=33&t=3497 ), a telephone interview of less than 30 minutes would be scheduled so that Dr. Irwig or his assistant can ask basic questions about your medical, psychiatric and sexual histories. Two questionnaires will be emailed relating to sexual function and depression.

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HORMONE & FERTILITY TEST INSTRUCTIONS

You will need to have your local physician order:

* 2 sets of morning blood tests (8-10 AM, and at least one month apart) for [u]total testosterone and dihydrotestosterone[/u]

* 2 semen analyses (read according to World Health Organization standards) also [u]spaced at least one month apart.[/u]

* Results of these studies on official letterhead should be sent to Dr. Irwig ( [propeciastudy@gmail.com](mailto:propeciastudy@gmail.com) ) for review and analysis.

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These tests may or may not be covered by your health insurance and this study is not responsible for any medical/lab bills. The blood tests should be sent to a large reputable laboratory such as Quest or LabCorp if you live in the United States. All information will be kept confidential and each subject will be assigned a unique ID number so that the data is analyzed anonymously.

[Size=4]You are eligible if you:[/size]

  1. began and completed use of finasteride before age 40 for the treatment or prevention of male pattern hair loss.
  2. developed sexual side effects that have persisted for at least 3 months after discontinuation of finasteride.

You are NOT eligible if you had

  1. Any significant baseline sexual dysfunction.
  2. Psychiatric diagnoses (including depression, anxiety) BEFORE starting finasteride
  3. Medication use (within the 3 months prior to bloodwork and semen analyses) that can affect reproductive hormones or fertility (testosterone, hCG, clomid, DHEA, etc)

[Size=4]We invite you to be a part of this important project so that we can report the hormone levels and fertility parameters in men who developed persistent sexual side effects after taking finasteride for male pattern hair loss. [/size]

[Size=4] Interested subjects should email propeciastudy@gmail.com to participate.[/size][Size=4] The consent form is attached below. Participation is entirely voluntary. [/size]

Thanks in advance for being part of the solution!
HormoneFertilityConsentForm.pdf (47.5 KB)

#2

Can anybody tell me when the “first” study of Dr. Irwing is going to be released? Does the second study (which is stated on the propeciahelp.com website) need to be finished first for the first study to be published? I am a little bit confused. Maybe we should open a new thread for people interested in participating in the second study (for FAQs etc.).

#3

has anyone taken part in this second study yet? there hasn’t been many replies to this so just a bit confused about it, as well as the results from the first study

#4

It’s been published as of March 18, 2011:
viewtopic.php?f=33&t=3497

As it states above by Dr. Irwig himself:

“If you did not participate in the previous study by Dr. Irwig ( viewtopic.php?f=33&t=3497 ), a telephone interview of less than 30 minutes would be scheduled so that Dr. Irwig or his assistant can ask basic questions about your medical, psychiatric and sexual histories. Two questionnaires will be emailed relating to sexual function and depression.”

So, you will be asked the same questions as those in the first study, in addition to participating in the 2nd.

#5

.

#6

Well, stuff like that can be brought up but honestly, any coverage at this point is pretty important. The fertility test - part of this second study is seminal and everybody should be doing it to further prove that this causes infertility, ergo more interest from the medical community. More studies! Not to mention that the class action suit needs more studies to back us up!

Honestly, don’t drop this now. This second study NEEDS to happen, the first study provided no actual numbers in how it has affected our endocrinic system!

#7

I enrolled in the second study and have already encountered a possible obstacle. I have been in contact with Dr. Irwig and submitted my consent form along with my two blood tests, but have only submitted 1 fertility test. Upon contacting my doctor for a second test, I got major resistance. My first test showed everything in range except morophology, but they considered everything perfectly normal. So they would not do a second test for me. Evidently labs need a doctor’s order to do this test. So if your doctor won’t order it, it can be tricky. Right now I am researching how I can get this test done without involving a doctor. I guess another solution would be to start over with a new GP and not tell them about past tests and try to have them order one. My current doctor was hesitant to even do the first one.

Any input on this would be appreciated. I just wanted to make everyone aware that these fertility tests are not an easy thing to get done like the blood tests have been.

#8

Contact Dr. Irwig and see what he advises?

#9

I would love to participate, but I am disqualified due to my ongoing usage of Clomid, Cabergoline, and Arimidex. I am unwilling to discontinue these drugs because I fear a medical relapse.

#10

Are you seeing positive results with these drugs?

#11

Hopefully, people in this community are getting their fertility tests done and submitted so that this study can go forward. We saw how quickly the first study was completed once Dr. Irwig had enough data and we’ve seen all the positive outcomes in terms media attention etc. that came about because of it. Please participate.

#12

can anyone tell me how Dr. Irwing is doing with his second study.
How can people from Europe participate in the study? (as far as I know we need to donate semen/blood samples - how does it work technically - should we do it at a local doctor and send it to him?)
Thanks for advice.

#13

Check with Dr. Irwig, he’s the one that needs the info.

FYI I asked him a similar question and it depends on the labs you’re using. Write him and ask.

#14

I asked him to confirm with me whether he had everything he needed upon sending all my stuff. He replied a few days later saying I was good to go.

#15

any one else care to share their results I just started on the forum and afraid I am bit late for the test but will willing to participate on the next enrollment
Regards
Suave

#16

The study is still accepting participants. Please download the form and follow the instructions in first post of this thread to submit it to Dr. Irwig.

#17

Guys, I have a problem, and would like to get some opinions or comments on what you all think. I REALLY WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS STUDY, because I think studies such as these are really the stepping stones toward of course finding out what is going on with us. Now after seeing Dr. Guay back in July, he told me that I should go on Clomid immediately, and forget about the study. He then refused to order me all of these required blood tests, because he thought I was foolish for waiting even another 2 months, after suffering for nearly 4 years of this already. He thought I should start IMMEDIATELY in case I needed to start “banking sperm” because he is afraid I am going to have fertility problems. After a month on Clomid he wants me to get fertility testing done. He is NOT concerned with baselines! He could care less. I feel like I’ve waited this long, however, and so would just like them done!

Now I was at a loss for words after all of this… and …well didnt quite know what to do… I am kind of a procrastinator, didnt want to offend the guy, and still haven’t come to a resolution or a conclusion as to how I am going to proceed, still after all this time already has gone by now. I was going to write to him to hopefully request nicely and persuasively the extra tests… but I just havent been able to get it together to study all the stuff again, and put it together… because then, lets just face the facts… Its a lot of running around, waiting, and work getting all this shit done.

How important do you think it should be for me to participate in this study? and is it still even open for applicants?

Or Do you guys think I should just start on this clomid treatment I probably should have started 6 months ago!??

I’m having a tough time making this decision, because I would really like the baselines, and tests done, but I also dont want to risk my fertility, and just dont think I have the energy to deal with all this BS.

what do u guys think?

#18

Contact them at the email address in the first post and ask.

If you want to participate, I wouldn’t take clomid yet.

#19

bosten,
I know how you feel. I know it really sucks to take care of our PFS issue all the time. I am in a similar situation as you are even though I am suffering for eight years already.
Even tough it takes time and it sucks I would participate in the study. It should still be possible to participate (I had a telephone conversation with a guy who did it just recently). In my opinion it is the only way we can find what is going on with us.

I am very much afraid to take any further medication (I have seen the devastating effect of finasteride and I also have negative experience with Tamoxifen). Hence, I don’t take any further medications (even though I am tempted to take Clomid, HCG, testosterone gels/injections). I think there are some risks.

I didn’t fully understand your last mail (I am no native English speaker). What exactly are you afraid of and why did the doctor urge you so strongly to take Clomid? Does he fear that you are not fertile anymore because of PFS and therefore wants to give Clomid or does he fear Clomid has negative effects on your fertility (and therefore he wants to “bank” your semen)?

I would participate. We have nothing to loose but can only win.

#20

Mew, what would you do bro? Do you think I should just get on my treatment right away? He is very afraid of my fertility if I want to have kids. He is one of the only doctors I’ve seen who really examines and sizes up your testicles. :blush:

How is your fertility, Mew? Have you been tested recently?