Post-Finasteride Syndrome: About 2 Cases and Review of the Literature [THERAPEUTIC APPROACHES]

Science
#40

Hello everyone,

I am Case 1, I cant believe this has been shared here, I havent been active in this forum scince 2015/16, there was nothing else I could do at that time. I tried to re-build my life as I could.

Just to clear a few things, I a am not cured but have improved ALOT, unfortunately I am on serveral medications (HCG, Anastrozole, cialis, vit d, and avoiding endocrine disruptors overall). Also haved crushed a few times in the past years, mainly due to trying new protocols/medicines that backfired.

At first I couldnt find any doctors that belived me, I thing i went to 7 or 8 different doctors before finding the right ones. And they didn believed me straigh away, i had to convice them showing them papers, studies, and empirical evidence (although scarce) to back up what i was saying.

If anyone has any questions I will be glad to answer them.

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#41

Hello,

Lots of improvements compared to what would have happened to me if I hadnt donde anything.

Benzos worked for me as a patch, It didnt do what HRT has done for me, but helped my penis to not destroy itself until I was able to find the rigth protocol. I am currently off benzos, but have used them sporadicaly when I had a crush.

#42

I was not taken seriously by about 7 or 8 doctors until I found the right ones, and they where reluctant to consider my case unitl I showed the the last papers at that time, the damage that was visible on my penis (via Ecography), and asked them to do some research and talk to other doctors.

What I am trying to say, is that you have to keep trying doctors, and work with them, in the end you only need to find one that is willing to investigate your case.

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#43

Thanks for letting us know how you are.

Please can you outline exactly what you currently take alongside dosages?

Also what changes have you had in symptoms?

I think lots of us have to do doctors work and recommend our own doctor what they should prescribe us and so dosages you take might come in useful for some people.

Thanks

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#44

Hey man, what’s your protocol with the HCG and anastrazole. And have you tried testosterone instead of HCG? If so, did you feel different on HCG than TRT?

#45

First of all, everything I do is trial and error, and any conclusions I may arrive, are only a best guess and a sympthomatic treatment. Currently we do not have any empirical evidence about the molecular causes, only hypothesis. I am not a doctor, SO PLEASE always work with a doctor to guide what you try. I studied 3 years medical school before I decided to study engineering, this was 5 years before PFS.

Having said that, I am taking since 2015:

HCG: 1500 IU 3x per week (total 4500 IU). I started with 2000 IU 3x per week (6000 total) and when I experience a crash I tried as much as 3000 IU 3x per week. Even in the best periods I was not able to go lower than 1500 IU 3x per week. I know many consider these dosages as very high, but I have been on this for 5 years aprox, OK so far (always with doctors supervision). Also, 4000 IU 3x per week for 6 months is what it is prescribed for hypogonadal adolescents.

Anastrozole: 1 mg x2 per week (total 2mg), in the last years I have experienced better results with 3mg per week. Also when ever I experience a crash tend to elevate de dose till I recover. Anastrozole has been really good for me, with out it HCG ends up failing.

Cialis: 5 mg every 48hs at night.

Vit D3: I use it when I have sex arround 5000 IU. I experience almost a full reversal of symptoms when I tried 100.000 IU at once, which is a normal dose for 3 months, but it only lasts for one or two days. It is not the same if I take another high dose, and you cant take too much Vit D3 due to calcification.

Clonazepam: I use it before sex, very little dose, arround 0,125mg. Before this, I used clonazepam before HRT for about a year, taking about 0,125mg in the morning, 0,125mg in the afternoon and 0,25mg before sleep. This stopped my penis from destroying in just a few weeks when PFS hitted me back in 2014, but it turned me into a zombie and only slowed the shrinking, not stopped it.

In general, I have tried to keep dosages as low as I could, so that I my body does not get used, this is a long run till some cure/treatment is found, if ever.

Avoid Endocrine Disruptors: I have crushed over these years with a few subtances, carnitine, quercetine, Melatonine, some dermatological creams. Also something I have noticed this year with COVID, is that I had a very bad year and crushed a few times without aparent reason. I realized a few weeks ago that chemicals like Lysoform, detergents, cleaning products, creams, fragances, etc worsen the condition. This year these chemicals where EVERYWHERE. Took a week free of all those products and got better, now I took a week away on a farm, and the response was even better. This is the reason why I returned to this forum, to look for some answers regarding endocrine disruptors.

About Symptoms
My main concerns since the beginning was/is penile shrinking/hard flaccid, my reproductive organs semmed to started destroying themselves. I was able to see this with a simple penile echography.

HRT stopped shrinking for me, and have had decent reversals, not to 100% pre PFS, but able to have good sex and enjoy life. Whenever I crush, shrinking and hard flaccid kick in very fast, to prevent further damage I elevate HRT dosage and take benzodiazepines, this usualy works till I figure out what made me crush, and remove it form my life.

Given time, I have always been able to go back to minimal dosage (HCG 1500IU and Anastrozole 2mg).

My best guess About PFS (or my case)

I think we may carry some faulty gene or Fin caused some gene to work badly, probably involving Androgen receptors expression/mechanism, and/or 5 alpha reductase faulty
functioning.

Probably a combination of these to problems. I think this is why (in general) high testo and low estrogen, together with trying not to disrupt ARs have been very good, at least in my case.

Endocrine disruptors (parabens, phthalates, plastics etc) play a very big role in my case, as it turns, these subtances mimic Estrogen, but not in a normal way, these tend to bind to AR receptors and do not let go, maybe causing an estrogenic like effect, that lasts for much longer than regular Estrogen.

I think, and please this is only a best guess, that our faulty ARs over respond to these subtances that are everywhere, when you put finasteride damaging 5alpha reductase, the perfect storm is created, having your ARs responding almost eclusively to estrogen/estrogenic like subtances.

Again, all of this is only a theory, and best guess. After all, sitting arround having my penis destroyed was not an option for me, that is why I tried all of this. I probably forgot many experiencies I had during these years, any question I will be glad to answer.

Regards

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Voice’s list of all treatment tried so far
#46

Hi, I havent tried Testoterone, I have always thought about changing it, but never tried. I am courious about if I would respond to it as I respond to HCG, but never tried.

I posted my protocol on this post.

Regards

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#47

@Arg, so you didn’t suffer from any libido or emotional blunting or mental issues? Just genital-related stuff?

#48

man thank you so much, that is so helpful

my situation is similar to yours, and I am seriously considering your protocol as sick of ed dominantimg my life

have you noticed any improvement over time and do you one day hope to wean off the hcg?

#49

Yes, almost no libido. Amost recovered now but not as pre FIN.

My symptoms where penile shrinking, hard flaccid, NO hair fall (halted now falling but slowly), varicocele, Peyrones, testicles shrinking, no libido, no arousal, no erections.

Surprisingly I was able to stay SANE, no mental issues other than the expected stress and anxiety due to what happened, maybe fin had something to do, but I cant say. It helped ALOT to focus on solving the problem, although there is no definite solution, but stopping my organs form detroying themselves was really good for my mental health.

Just to be clear, the phisical changes in my penis were/are SEVERE, I may have lost 30% 40% girth and may have recovered 10%. But the main result is that I was able to STOP my penis and testes from destorying (literally)

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#50

Yes, over time with high HCG, anastrozole and avoiding chemicals, I have slowly reversed penile shrinking, but not to pre PFS.

I have tried to wean off HCG, but I couldnt.

I do full medical examinations every 6 months, no monitor all my levels, not only hormonals.

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#51

honestly really appreciate your response, going through a bad patch and needed a lift

I dont think my shrinkage was as bad as yours and mine recovered, my biggest issue is my erection quality which tends to fluctuate widely as you described

I also agree with your theory on testosterone/ estrogen. Despite relatively okish blood levels, I always feel better after increasing testosterone…but then always tend to eventually crash with estrogen dominance type ed symptoms

I think the HCG / AI combo could benefit me and am looking for a doctor in the UK to help

#52

Cheer up, I strongly believe symptoms can improve, but unfortunately medical intervention is needed, meaning that simple herbs or supplements wont cut it, but its just my point of view.

I think not only Testo and Estrogen are important.

I think it is a “game” between Testo, Estrogen, ARs and other endocrine disruptors, maybe at plasma level, maybe at the SNC level.

You may have a solid T to E relation, buy your ARs are downregulated, or estrogenic substances are messing up with ARs, meaning that the real T/E ratio is different, more if you think that endocrine disruptors tend to cause heavy estrogenic effects. The good thing is that in general, these subtances can be exccreted in a few days, once you stop exposure.

Erections have always responded to Cialis in may case, but as long as my hormones are balanced.

Try to avoid almost every chemical for a while, increase yout T and decrease your E. A little intervention in my experience has no effect, medical prescribed dosis are needed, together with eliminating other substances.

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#53

@Arg, thanks again for this information and having the kindness to return to this forum.

One last question if I may - how long after starting HCG did you notice benefits?

#54

In my case, the response to HCG was almost from the first dose, I remember testing hormones a few weeks after and my test was arround 1000. But about after one week on it I was able to reduce benzos and started improving.

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#55

Thanks for that anecdote. Interestingly several guys on here have started hcg for a few weeks and haven’t noticed anything immediate or profound. I suppose we’re all a bit different!

#56

Yes, I am aware that PFS is a different animal for evey one of us, and many cases HCG and other strategies do not work.

But, I do not know if somenone has tried high dosage, I have never been able to go down from 1500IU x3 per week (4500 total), and this was very gradual after months on it. I started with 2000 IU x3 per week (6000 total). This together with Anastrozole.

I have seen HCG recomended at 500IU x3 per week or less, probably someone else tried high dosages, I do not know.

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#57

How do your orgasms feel, did hcg improve the sensation?

#58

In my cass HRT (not HCG alone) improved almost evey symptom.

I cant remember orgasms spcifically, I think there are alot of factors involved on an orgasm, not only hormones, but yes I supposed they improved too, as before I had almost no orgasms

Sory cant help with this.

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#59

Hey @Arg - thank you so much for sharing your story. Its remarkable that you were able to be featured in a study and now we find you here on the same post!

I was curious, were you able to recover your testicular size? I hear HCG can help with that.That is one my sides and unfortunately to echo your comment about your genitals being destroyed, I have some tiny calcifications in the testes called testicular macrolithiasis. Also were you ever classified as suffering from hypogonadism and if so, was it labelled as primary or secondary?