@Sibelio I have read your first post. Although, I don’t have the scientific knowledge to comment critically on your theory, it definitely feels plausible. I think the Melcangi study shows that PFS patients do tend do display different methylation pattern, but I think it’s definitely possible that we were already displaying that difference before starting Finasteride (which would explain why there are people who use this pill without significant sides). It could be a combination of the methylation pattern with the decreased DHT that sends us in the crash. Whereas, for example, someone with regular methylation pattern would only experience the symptoms (the other 44% of the PFS patients from Melcangi’s study) due to a different dosing/longer exposure to the drug. I can’t recall if the study took into consideration the duration and dosage of Fin usage in the PFS study group.
I think one of the questions is what kind of effect/damage do the crashes have? Are they simply a potentially-temporary imbalance in hormones that the body cannot balance out on its own? Or even if the drug itself is not inducing some “permanent” alteration, are the cascaseds of the 5ar inhibition potentially leading to other epigenetic changes.
It is interesting that we have a user who claims to have recovered by cycling Proviron. But we also have many people who argue they have seen no effects from it (I’m not aware if anyone has been negatively affected after trying it). Is this simply a function of the method of dosing & cycling? Or are people suffering from PFS in a multitude of original pathways? I notice in the Proviron thread you discuss PFS type 1 and type 2, but I am not clear on what the distinctons are.
@AaronF As new as I am here, I did read some other poster ranting about that (using skin from the back, and being potentially compromised by Merck) in another thread. As much as we need to be adverse to conspiratorial thinking, I don’t have doubt Big Pharma has the power to often influence research. Especially, considering Merck’s shady past.
Does anyone know if the Harvard study was funded or petitioned for by PH or PFSFoundation?
@Greek Unfortunately, I don’t think I have any specific skills. I’m a mechanical engineer. I was thinking along the lines of what you have stated about being somewhat scientifically literate and reasonably intelligent. I also have some free time and would be willing to donate a reasonable amount of money. Although, I realize it’s reactionary, I’ve been trying to understand the scientific fundamentals and framing presented in the various studies being shared around here.
