Has fasting helped you a lot? How long did you do them for?
Just intermittent fast. Spend most of the day just drinking water, then eat enough in, like, a 6-hour bloc each day (you can easily eat at a calorie deficit if you live a sedentary lifestyle), so that your body isnāt constantly digesting food, which in the modern world is usually corn-syrup overloaded junk anyway. You can research online about different methods. Some people eat normal one day then fast the entirety of the next.
For me personally, I wouldnāt say itās had a massive effect on my erections ā theyāve just gotten better very gradually over almost 5 months since I quit the drug. But when I stay off alcohol and donāt eat that much until a medium meal at the end of the day, I find that my mind is much clearer, my testicular atrophy is lessened greatly, and in general I am a more productive and happy person.
Some people recommend extended fasts or juice fasts or whatever, but I consider them pseudoscience and fads. Just restrict your diet to something you can imagine a premodern individual going by, not constantly snacking on junk and carbs, but having a single strong meal at the end of the day. You can have lunch and dinner as long as theyāre not too far apart, and the meals arenāt too big and unhealthy. Try to stick to paleo foods also (including dairy). Stay away from starchy, sugary foods, they make you feel tired, exacerbate all other health issues, and are a pain for your body to sort out when its otherwise trying to fix the 5-ar issue.
Appreciate the time to answer my questions buddy. Thank you for your advice
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Day 25 update since d-day, will be a bit graphic so be aware.
I had been coming to terms that my libido and all emotion was lost and figuring out how I would try and live a ānormalā life with this condition.
A few days ago I fasted for 54 hours (just water and tea) followed by heavy Mexican dinner which probably wasnāt a good idea. Then today fasted for 18 hours followed by steak, potatoes, wine ice cream etc with the girlfriend.
Today, for the first time since I crashed, when we kissed on the sofa, my penis reacted a little without stimulation, it inflated a bit which surprised me and I got incredibly horny.
We went to the bedroom and got funky lol. I have not been this turned on since I took finasteride and crashed after one pill. For the first time, I was actually enjoying everything we were doing and not just pretending it felt good, which I had been doing for the past couple of weeks, and I managed to stay fairly hard without TOO much stimulation. No ciallis either.
When ejaculating, a lot shot out (instead of the usual dribble) and there was more semen than Iāve had since (which my gf commented on). The orgasm felt the best it has, and has given me some hope.
I worry that this could have been a one-off though so I remain cautious. This is a great jump from complete impotence and zero libido though, and has given me hope I am not completely a dead, emotionless zombie.
Just thought Iād update to give hope to anyone with sexual sides. Sorry if it grossed anyone out. BTW my brain fog has gone, and depression has subsided (most likely caused by the realization of sexual sides), except for the waking moments each morning when I remember my situation.
The only thing Iāve been doing differently this week is fasting for that 54 hours and one day of IF (past couple of weeks Iāve also eaten more raw vegetables such as asparagus, spinach, kale, LOTS of blueberries, and recently more meat and fish).
Still no morning or spontaneous erections.
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Hey bud,
Firstly thereās NO need to apologise about dick stuff; weāre all pretty familiar with that sort of talk so share away.
Second of all ignore any negativity. Side effects from fin arenāt uncommon, but not something everyone reports, within that subset full-blown PFS is SO SO rare so itās looking incredibly likely youāll be alright. As I remind folks a fair bit, my GP has NEVER in his career known anyone who DIDNāT just recover from fin sides, so the odds look good anyway.
Lastly, your last post speaks for itself - recovering symptoms is good. Be positive, donāt take anything for it and just try and stay as peaceful as poss while things subside, which Iām certain they will. As has already been said give that AT LEAST 3 months before you even START to think āPFSā. 
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Thanks for your words of enouragement, Jinstewart. Iāll keep you updated as things happen, but Iām going to stay realistic and open to the possible reality. Praying for your recovery too (if that means anything to you haha)
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Thatās very kind of you thank you - and yes even Iāve improved IMMENSELY from āthe horrorā of the early days of it. What youāre describing (happily enough) doesnāt sound like what I had, so take that as a good sign. Just bear in mind, a positive state of mind is never a bad thing so, in maintaining that standpoint of realism, remember PFS is extremely rare, and the overwhelming majority of people who get sides just recover like nothing went on - so do your pondering of possibilities in that headspace.
Take care bud.
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Morning erections seem to be coming back slowly. Semi hard, but get fully hard easily with slight touch.
took a pile yeasterday and got the same result as you got dont know what to do now
Give it a little time. Iāve seen improvements in the 30 days since it happened to me. Ahmed1960 saw improvements in 6 months (he also had just one pill and woke up like we did). The worst thing I did, if you look at my posts, is stress and freak out. Nearly quit my job and broke up with my gf. My depression is gone now and I have my emotions back. Sexually still a way to go but Iām slowly getting better I think.
Please donāt take this the wrong way (because I hope reading this somehow provides some comfort) but It could be so much worse man. I donāt say this to try and measure dicks (no pun intended), but after fighting so many issues from taking 1 pill myself almost 2 years ago now. I just wish that some guys could see it from mine and some othersā point of view here. It could be so much worse than your dick not working like it should. Itās not going to impact your ability to work, solve problems, and interact with people. I know how devastating something like that is but man if youāre able to find any solace in this shit situation, just let it be that. There are things that this fucking drug can do that can completely change the course of your life, and it doesnāt matter how young, healthy, driven, smart, or whatever else you are. If you took Finsteride, had a reaction, and you got out of it with your mind and physicality intact, itās worth noting that you dodged a bullet. Having said that, I can understand with being hit with 1 thing really bad and that being what you have to focus on. If you had like 4 different things wrong with you, you might not think the sexual stuff was as big of a deal. So I do understand.
I hope your situation improves man & I am sorry you are here with us.
I can totally understand where youāre coming from, I can see how just one set of side effects can seem like nothing when you have the whole batch.
For the first 3 weeks I was depressed, had panic attacks every day or so, brain fog, and basically complete emotional and sexual anhedonia. On top of being impotent with zero brain-dick connection. Those 3 weeks were honestly the worst days of my life but I prayed if nothing else, that the anhedonia was lifted and I could just feel any kind of happiness.
Apart from the remaining sexual sides (which seem to be slowly getting better), the other things have faded and I am honestly so relieved. So yeah, sexual sides are probably not the worst. But they still have the ability to ruin someoneās life, just in a different way. I honestly hope you are doing better after 2 years if suffering from this, my friend.
did this happen to a lot of people after 1 pill and what are the Percentage to recover from it any idea ?
and did any of you take accutane before ?
Including you and me, I only know of 5 people from looking at this site who took one pill have had straight impotence without any sort of recovery then crash. One Iāve spoken to a couple. One guy recovered after a few months, one guy recovered a bit after six months, then crashed after taking a supplement and says he is back to square one, on guy posted in 2012 but never updated whether he recovered, and I guess I am recovering, but not sure how far it will go. Iād say you have a good chance. Its only been a day. No I never took Accutane.
ok thanks for the info much appreciated.
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Another update. When I concentrate on something erotic I can get sort of hard without any stimulation. However as soon as I lose concentration it deflates again. Just kissing or even snuggling with the gf also turns me on. This is definitely improvement, however slow and inconsistent. The past two times ejaculating from masturbation have also felt kind of dull. Seems like side effects are trading off with each other.
More plus sides, I have a libido now again, even if my dick isnāt as responsive and I am positive about the future, which is arguably the best kind of recovery.
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Another update. Been about a month and 10 days since I took the pill. Things seem to be improving further. I am super horny with my gf a lot and I can get erections just by thinking about about erotic things with her or by even just holding hands lol. But still no spontaneous erections from say looking at a hot woman on the street (which used to happen a lot). Morning erections I feel are half there. Penis feels fuller, bigger and not lifeless when I wake up (was totally dead for the first month) but still wouldnāt classify it as a morning erection per say.
Last night with my gf, I was probably like 120% pre fin for horniness as we watched a movie together. Incredibly horny and barely watched the movie lol. This felt great of course, I just worry because a lot of people say they peak and get prefin levels of horniness and then crash and go back to square one. Iāll stay cautious but optimistic for now.
I wouldnāt say Iām recovered yet at all, but even if I managed to just maintain the level I am at now, I would consider myself very lucky and be incredibly grateful.
And masturbation also kind of sucks now. Orgasms are a little dull and I donāt enjoy it as much. Orgasms only feel good when with my girl, oddly enough.
Also, Iām not taking any supplements except for multivitamin, omega 3 and vitamin D daily. I fast for around 20 hours a day if possible. (First few weeks I was desperate and tried every supplement under the sun. For those who are just going through the beginning of this, please donāt do this)
Try to give it a few months. If you recover within 3-6 months or so you will probably be fine. Just avoid any 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors, such as saw palmetto, also stay away from other products like minoxidil as well. Good luck!
What would you say is bad about minox? Iāve been using it for a little while since before fin and still do. Its not a 5 alpha inhibitor is it? Iāve mentally recovered the stage Iāve started to care about my hair again too.
Yes, minoxidil is a 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor as well.
There are probably more sources for this, but these are just the ones I could immediately find.
Topical application or ingestion makes no difference in these substances.
You may even find that a lot of foods are 5ari as well, but probably mostly to a less worrisome degree.
If I may give you a good piece of advice: Your hairgrowth is what it is. You can comb and groom your hair, but donāt ever try to medically or topically bruteforce its growth because sooner or later itās going to severely screw with your hormones. If your hair is falling out, let it go. Itās not worth risking your health over in the end.
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