Question: those with persistent cognitive issues after stopping. Any insights?

[strat99]

I’ve been off finasteride for about 3 years. I took it for two stints, the second for an extended duration, i.e. more than a year, with a break of a couple of years in between.

I have cognitive symptoms, e.g. delayed perception, slowed speech, decreased verbal fluency, word stumbling, and deficits in prospective memory and working memory. As well, I have extreme anxiety that cycles, but always present. Basically, my memory is horrible and speech unstable; all mixed together with nervousness. For a period, I also had uncontrollable racing thoughts. This has subsided, but all else remains. This condition is debilitating.

I have read over and over that these symptoms attenuate over time. However, this hasn’t been the case for me.

Are there any members that took this drug for extended periods, have had severe cognitive deficits (relative to their pre-fin selves) that came on more so upon quitting; and went on to regain these attributes (or improve significantly)?

I’d appreciate any advise in the matter.

If interested, my blood work:

Testosterone: has fluctuated between 400 - 550 (range: 249-836ng/dL)
When my total testosterone was lower (400), my free test. was just low of the reference range. SHBG has fluctuated between 38-45 or so (range: 7-49; 13-71 - different ranges from different labs)

Estrogen 17 (range:0-52) and DHT 49 (range: 25-75) have been relatively stable.

Thyroid:
TSH:1.6 (range: 0.3-4.5)
T4 Free 1.43 (range: 0.8-1.8)
T3 Free 2.9 (range: 2.3-4.2)
T3 Reverse 22 (range: 11-32)

I tested on the low end for progesterone 0.4 (0.3-1.2); pregnenolone 95 (13-208) was well within range. I have also tested low for vit. D but not consistently. For me, supplementing D3 produces no noticeable benefit. Cortisol is higher 18 (4-22) in morning and lower 8 (3-16) in the evening. DHEA 377 (61-1636) and DHEAS 278 (80-560) are also within range.

As a side, the second time I took finasteride, although my sex life remained terrible, I did notice a large improvement in my anxiety and cognitive ability. I don’t think improvement would would have lasted indefinitely, however.

Other sides I have include reduced sex drive, ED, possibly peyronnies, etc.

Thanks in advance for any help/suggestions!

[martinM]

Many members here report improvement in cognitive sides with dietary changes. Changing to a raw or paleo oriented diet seems to help as does eliminating alcohol, caffeine, stress, and adding moderate exercise into your routine.

Brain fog is the one symptom that seems to disappear over time and with these dietary changes.

You may want to investigate your T3/RT3 ratio further as per the following websites:

thyroid-rt3.com

Stop the Thyroid Madness™ - Hypothyroidism and thyroid mistreatment

Some here have taken supraphysiological doses of pregnenolone and seen some resolve however this could also convert into other hormones:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pregnenolone

I share your problem as my cognitive problems acquired from finasteride have not resolved.

[m_81]

@strat99

I have read over and over that these symptoms attenuate over time. However, this hasn’t been the case for me.

Are there any members that took this drug for extended periods, have had severe cognitive deficits (relative to their pre-fin selves) that came on more so upon quitting; and went on to regain these attributes (or improve significantly)?

I’d appreciate any advise in the matter.

My side effects got worse and worse for a year and 2 months after stopping. Mental sides (which I didn’t have on the drug) started started 4 months off and got debilitating at 6 months off, while on clomid.

@strat99

If interested, my blood work:

Testosterone: has fluctuated between 400 - 550 (range: 249-836ng/dL)
When my total testosterone was lower (400), my free test. was just low of the reference range. SHBG has fluctuated between 38-45 or so (range: 7-49; 13-71 - different ranges from different labs)

Estrogen 17 (range:0-52) and DHT 49 (range: 25-75) have been relatively stable.

Thyroid:
TSH:1.6 (range: 0.3-4.5)
T4 Free 1.43 (range: 0.8-1.8)
T3 Free 2.9 (range: 2.3-4.2)
T3 Reverse 22 (range: 11-32)

I tested on the low end for progesterone 0.4 (0.3-1.2); pregnenolone 95 (13-208) was well within range. I have also tested low for vit. D but not consistently. For me, supplementing D3 produces no noticeable benefit. Cortisol is higher 18 (4-22) in morning and lower 8 (3-16) in the evening. DHEA 377 (61-1636) and DHEAS 278 (80-560) are also within range.

As a side, the second time I took finasteride, although my sex life remained terrible, I did notice a large improvement in my anxiety and cognitive ability. I don’t think improvement would would have lasted indefinitely, however.

Other sides I have include reduced sex drive, ED, possibly peyronnies, etc.

Thanks in advance for any help/suggestions!

I think that if you push pregnenolone to 200, progesterone to 1.2, cortisol to mid-top range, DHEA to top range, and T3 to mid-range, you will probably get rid of all the mental sides and the physical sides. At least, that’s what happend to me. I believe that if you are among the luckiest, boosting the hormones above will improve your sexual sides too. For example, theDuck, correiovip, and robbocopp (from another forum) improved, treated, or cured the sexual symptoms by boosting cortisol or thyroid hormones – through T4+dexa, prednisone, and biotin, respectively.