Oh God, This is really not a dream

Member Stories
#1

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)?
South Africa
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
What is your current age, height, weight?
42, 1.89m, 105kg
What specific drug did you use (finasteride, dutasteride, saw palmetto, isotretinoin/Accutane, fluoxetine, sertraline, citalopram, leuprorelin, etc…)?
finasteride
What dose did you take (eg. 1 mg/day, 1 mg every other day etc.)?
1mg/day
What condition was being treated with the drug?
mpb
For how long did you take the drug (weeks/months/years)?
4.8 months
How old were you, and WHEN (date) did you start the drug?
42, 1 Mar 2021
How old were you when you quit, and WHEN (date) did you quit?
42, 24 Jul 2021
How did you quit (cold turkey or taper off)?
Cold Turkey
How long into your usage did you notice the onset of side effects?
3 weeks
What side effects did you experience that have yet to resolve since discontinuation?
all
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
[x] Erectile Dysfunction
[x] Complete Impotence
[x] Loss of Morning Erections
[x] Loss of Spontaneous Erections
[x] Loss of Nocturnal Erections
[x] Watery Ejaculate
[x] Reduced Ejaculate
[x] Inability or Difficulty to Ejaculate / Orgasm
[?] Reduced Sperm Count / Motility

Mental
[ ] Emotional Blunting / Emotionally Flat
[ ] Difficulty Focusing / Concentrating
[ ] Confusion
[ ] Memory Loss / Forgetfulness
[ ] Stumbling over Words / Losing Train of Thought
[ ] Slurring of Speech
[ ] Lack of Motivation / Feeling Passive / Complacency
[x] Extreme Anxiety / Panic Attacks
[x] Severe Depression / Melancholy
[x] Suicidal Thoughts

Physical
[x] Penile Tissue Changes (narrowing, shrinkage, wrinkled)
[ ] Penis curvature / rotation on axis
[x] Testicular Pain
[x] Testicular Shrinkage / Loss of Fullness
[x] Genital numbness / sensitivity decrease
[ ] Weight Gain
[x] 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
[x] 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?
None so far
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.

God what have I done. Never wished I could turn back time so badly. Like an idiot believed I would not be part of the statistics and would just stop if side-effects got too bad. Now, a life sentence - doom -despair - tears. The real realization has not yet set in, cause I still have some unfounded hope, which I know is nonsense looking at people who had a similar crash than me here.
Already mentally preparing to wave goodbye to my gf - not putting her through this - or living through the embarrassment of her having to deal with my limp mini penis.
Sorry for the rambling to follow - just typing as I think it.
Been on fin for almost 5 months, things were going ok. Thursday or Friday morning woke up with my cushion soaking wet - just thought it was because of the heater, but in hindsight it was something going whack upstairs in the brain. Both Thursday and Friday I have major anxiety - Saturday during day have phone sex with gf, after ejaculating penis immediately goes soft - think mmm that’s strange usually stiffness goes slowly. Take my fin tablet. Later that night look at my penis and I’m like wtf is going on here?! Looks shrunk to more of when I was a child. Freak out. Immediately resolve to stop meds and go on a google mission to calm my panic - after hope, delusion, denial pretty much realize I’m fcked. Looks like I had a “crash” and worse seems like anyone on here whose had the penile shrinkage never regain it and expecting a turnaround of symptoms like some of the lucky ones is pretty much out the window. Connection to my dick to brain is non-existent. Shrivelled and dead now since Saturday afternoon - like nothing, no life. Can feel some pressure starting in my perineum I guess it as the fin starts to wear off. Sleep is really bad, 2/3 hours over the last few nights. Brain is hyper awake.

What completely is freaking me out, is the (almost certain?) possibility that I will have a second crash coming down the line as the drug exits, and that my penis will shrink even further - I have read about someone who had that experience here - if there is any way to prevent or mitigate this please please let me know.

And I also read one should get on cialis asap for cases with penis shrinkage, but on the other hand people saying don’t take anything else at this stage. Thing is, if cialis helps with preventing fibrosis or helps against further shrinkage I should probably get on it asap? Do you guys recommend I make an appointment with an urologist to see how quick I can get him to prescribe it to me?

I know it’s still only barely 2 days but can I ever expect my penis to show some form of life again on its own? Is there scenarios where people dicks just never get filled ever again?

Another thing freaking me out: Low-T with Covid infection is associated with much worse disease and even death. Anyone know what my T-levels are at the moment probably from past experience? Scared to death now for leaving the house as well!

I really have no idea what I should be doing right now. I want to be as pro-active as possible. Should I start with lifting some weights and taking some of the recommended amino acids like l-arginine asap to start repairing while still in the acute phase and hopeful dampen some of the effects of a potential second crash?

Thank you

Also, thank you for everyone on the forum and for those lending a shoulder to cry on.

2 Likes
#2

Hello,
Sorry that this has happened to you.
My advice would be to stop panicking, try to stay calm and don’t feed your fear and catastrophic thinking. DONT jump into any drugs to try to resolve this. Wait it out give it at least 3 months. Take things easy and stay away from stress, do light exercise and things you would normally enjoy. Avoid stimulants and alcohol for the time being. You have a good chance of recovery. BELIEVE!! Where abouts in SA are you from?

2 Likes
#3

Thanks for the feedback @LazarusRy
I hear you. But I just don’t want to be in the position 1 or 3 months from now going, damn I should have gone on cialis asap as per this post
I am located in Cape Town

1 Like
#4

Any intervention could slow recovery or even worsen things especially while you’re in a state of flux. Please refrain. What’s 3 months of pain in comparison to a lifetime of hell. My sister lives at Shely Beach and is very supportive of pfs. One of her friends partner also has pfs but is in denial. Best of luck. Continue to seek support on here thats what we’re here for. It’s been a ife saver for me many times.

#5

Ok, that’s a valid point. I will just try and take each day as it comes and try to stay calm.
I took a prebiotic the last couple of days… do you think I should put that on hold for now as well?
Oh, interesting, that’s about 30min away from me. Your sister sounds like the kind of people we need.

1 Like
#6

Yes I’d put hold on any changes as it would potentially cloud things for you. She’s an absolute star I just wish she lived closer. If I didn’t have my son here in the UK I’d join her and would reside in SA its an absolutely beautiful place. My 2nd home! People are so genuine and friendly and no one i have spoken to has judged pfs negatively.

#7

If you don’t want to take any medication, penis pumping could be an alternative.

People undergoing ADT due to prostate cancer is encouraged to do pumping.

Apparently it promotes regeneration of tissue and decrease apoptosis, and is key during ADT to keep the penis healthy.

There’s a lot of studies done on it and it should be safe when comparing with PDE5I.

1 Like
#8

Thank you. Looks like a good alternative. Just ordered a Vacurec. Will not overdo it, just want to get some moderate blood in maybe once or twice daily.

1 Like
#9

After 2 months in Finasterid I had penis and scrotum shrinkage
After Stopping the drug brain penis connection break off. After one week from tat Point one evening Yi Had bloodstream in Penis and scrotum again, all became to it’s old size. I thought OK IT was just the normal sideeffekt. But ED and all the other symtomes remained.

All day, every minute I Thing, why didn’t you Check the Internet about this horryble sideeffects. Why did you Take this pills

Im shocked and suicidal of taking this Shit Up to now. But other Sides Like brainfog etc. Much better. Muscle Wastage and weakness going worse.

#10

:frowning: Scared I will be
sharing the same fate

1 Like
#11

Yes, Internet is full of warnings about the sideeffects. There are Videos, newspaper and TV Reports. And I took the pills without any Check. I Play the evening I took the First Pill a thousend Times in my mind and I Stopp than this ugly suicidal behaviour in the Last Minute.

#12

Same here

#13

Thats the Thing, depressed and psychological instabile people seem to have a predisposition. My urologist discribed me the poison two Years ago
Because of having a relationship I didn’t use IT. Than a Stopp and I started the pill. Out of any Control. Suicidal Ideatinon Not about the disease, but about my self harming by abuse this Shit.

#14

!!! I don’t want to frustrate you totally, because there is a Chance that you solve the sideeffects in the next 4 weeks without developing pfs.!!!

This is absolutely true. I Just want to Help you, staying you are Not allone with the weird Finistarid usage in 2021.

1 Like
#15

I did check but the articles I read said it was a small percentage and in most cases would resolve on cessation. Forums like these didn’t come up, wonder if by design. I did it because I was balding badly and have scarring on my head. Now I get to enjoy that was well once I loose the little coverage I gained. Going to be honest, at the moment I look forward to the day I finally die.

#16

Don’t Hurt your shrunken Penis by to exsessive using of the vacopump. Give dick some weeks to recover.

#17

I don’t want to go excessive, just get some blood in

1 Like
#19

Everything all right. You are Not in Panic? I told you, shrunken Penis can recover, If reductase gets more and more unblocked by Finistarid after half live and DHT Level increase, neurological blockades dissapear and everything can change to normal in the first weeks.
Even pfs symptomes Change to a better state.