Scotsman's Story

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)? Scotland, U.K.

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?) It’s so long ago that I can’t quite remember but I assume that it was Google.

What is your current age, height, weight? 49; 5’10"; 12 stone 5 pounds, although I was 37 when I first joined propeciahelp whilst still taking finasteride due to concerns about side effects and 39 when I eventually stopped & became active on the forum.

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.)? 1 mg/day, although there were times when I hadn’t gotten around to arranging for a new prescription by the time my current script ran out so there were some stop/start gaps.

What condition was being treated with the drug? Male pattern baldness

For how long did you take the drug (weeks/months/years)? Approximately 12 years

Date when you started the drug? Late 90s/2000

Date when you quit the drug? Late 2011

Age when you quit? 38

How did you quit (cold turkey or taper off)? Cold turkey

How long into your usage did you notice the onset of side effects? 7 years approximately

What side effects did you experience that have yet to resolve since discontinuation?
Thinned, wrinkled skin; subcutaneous fat loss; dental bone loss; numb, wrinkled finger tips; some toe nail degradation?; cold extremities; weak urinary flow; frequent urination; penile tissue loss; low libido; erectile dysfunction (difficulty achieving and sustaining full erection); difficulty reaching orgasm; impaired orgasm; weak ejaculatory force and reduced ejaculate; hair loss to lower legs and thinning eye brows; some cognitive/memory issues; anxiety.

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
[ ] Complete Impotence
[ ] Loss of Morning Erections
[X ] Loss of Spontaneous Erections
[ ] Loss of Nocturnal Erections
[ ] Watery Ejaculate
[X ] Reduced Ejaculate - this has improved somewhat
[X ] Inability or Difficulty to Ejaculate / Orgasm - this improves somewhat with time since previous orgasm. Generally it feels like a two day refractory period although my libido is usually low.
[? ] Reduced Sperm Count / Motility

Mental
[ ] Emotional Blunting / Emotionally Flat
[ ] Difficulty Focusing / Concentrating
[ ] Confusion
[ X] Memory Loss / Forgetfulness
[X ] Stumbling over Words / Losing Train of Thought
[ ] Slurring of Speech
[X ] Lack of Motivation / Feeling Passive / Complacency
[ ] Extreme Anxiety / Panic Attacks - my issues with anxiety don’t feel as acute
[ ] Severe Depression / Melancholy - this has eased
[ ] Suicidal Thoughts - I initially felt suicidal on observing the additional side effects several months after stopping finasteride although this is thankfully no longer the case.

Physical
[X ] Penile Tissue Changes (narrowing, shrinkage, wrinkled)
[ ] Penis curvature / rotation on axis
[ ] Testicular Pain
[ ] Testicular Shrinkage / Loss of Fullness
[ ] Genital numbness / sensitivity decrease
[ ] Weight Gain
[ ] Gynecomastia (male breasts)
[ ] Muscle Wastage
[ ] Muscle Weakness
[X ] Joint Pain - I can experience some pain in my hands
[ ] Dry / Dark Circles under eyes

Misc
[ ] Prostate pain
[ ] Persistent Fatigue / Exhaustion
[ ] Stomach Pains / Digestion Problems
[ ] Constipation / “Poo Pellets”
[ ] Vision - Acuity Decrease / Blurriness
[ ] Tinnitus (ringing or high pitched sound in ears)
[ ] Hearing loss
[ ] Increased hair loss
[X ] Frequent urination
[X ] Lowered body temperature

[X ] Other (please explain)

As detailed above, thinned, wrinkled skin; subcutaneous fat loss; dental bone loss; numb, wrinkled finger tips, some toe nail degradation (I’m not quite sure how to word this. My big toes, one in particular, have become crinkled, so much so in one that a chunk was torn off); weak urinary flow

What (if any) treatments have you undertaken to recover from your side effects since discontinuation of the drug?

Nothing of note. I currently take vitamin D3 (4000iu) and vitamin C (1000mg) daily and I have not long started to take biotin (1000ug) daily. I have taken supplements in the past with no discernible difference. It could be that I don’t give them enough time, but I can’t escape the feeling that it is merely a psychological crutch that will have exceedingly limited if any impact and that the action of swallowing a vitamin at least feels like you are doing something.

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)?

https://forum.propeciahelp.com/t/scotsmans-bloods/5629/9

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.

Firstly, apologies that despite being a member of the forum for over a decade I have never posted a formal member’s story. I feel that I have spoken about my experiences for so long that the cows are now bedded for the night so probably for my own sake I will try and be as expedient as possible here with the proviso that I may expand it a bit in future. I have previously written a summary that can be accessed if you click on my avatar and on the top right click to expand. It’s one of these things whereby I have spoken a lot about my experiences historically and it can be difficult to tread over old ground.

WORK IN PROGRESS

Self-reporting template - ONLY USE FOR FUTURE POSTS TO REPORT ANY TRIALS OF TREATMENTS, NOT YOUR INITIAL MEMBER STORY

  1. Name of the therapy/substance: Vitamin D3

    • Dosage: 4000iu
    • How often you took it: daily

  2. Status

    • Still using [ X]
    • Stopped with no lasting change to initial symptoms [ ]
    • Stopped with persistent change to symptoms [ ]

  3. Duration of use: Days [ ] Months [ ] Years [ X] - I have been taking vitamin D3 for years although I can’t remember how long. I have taken 4000iu for at least a year and a higher dosage before that.

  4. Response when you started:

    • Greatly improved [ ]
    • Slightly improved [ ]
    • Stayed the same [ X]
    • Slightly worsened [ ]
    • Greatly worsened [ ]

  5. Current response (if you’re still using the therapy/substance) OR Response in the time before you stopped the treatment

    • Greatly improved [ ]
    • Slightly improved [ ]
    • Stayed the same [ X]
    • Slightly worsened [ ]
    • Greatly worsened [ ]

  6. Lasting changes to initial symptoms after cessation (if you have stopped for more than 3 weeks)

    • Greatly improved [ ]
    • Slightly improved [ ]
    • Stayed the same [ X]
    • Slightly worsened [ ]
    • Greatly worsened [ ]

  7. Name of the therapy/substance: Vitamin C

    • Dosage: 1000mg
    • How often you took it: daily

  8. Status

    • Still using [ X]
    • Stopped with no lasting change to initial symptoms [ ]
    • Stopped with persistent change to symptoms [ ]

  9. Duration of use: Days [ ] Months [X ] Years [] - I can’t remember how many months.

  10. Response when you started:

    • Greatly improved [ ]
    • Slightly improved [ ]
    • Stayed the same [ X]
    • Slightly worsened [ ]
    • Greatly worsened [ ]

  11. Current response (if you’re still using the therapy/substance) OR Response in the time before you stopped the treatment

    • Greatly improved [ ]
    • Slightly improved [ ]
    • Stayed the same [ X]
    • Slightly worsened [ ]
    • Greatly worsened [ ]

  12. Lasting changes to initial symptoms after cessation (if you have stopped for more than 3 weeks)

    • Greatly improved [ ]
    • Slightly improved [ ]
    • Stayed the same [ X]
    • Slightly worsened [ ]
    • Greatly worsened [ ]

  13. Name of the therapy/substance: Biotin

    • Dosage: 1000ug
    • How often you took it: daily

  14. Status

    • Still using [ X]
    • Stopped with no lasting change to initial symptoms [ ]
    • Stopped with persistent change to symptoms [ ]

  15. Duration of use: Days [X ] Months [ ] Years [] - I’ve not long started this although I can’t remember how many days.

  16. Response when you started:

    • Greatly improved [ ]
    • Slightly improved [ ]
    • Stayed the same [ X]
    • Slightly worsened [ ]
    • Greatly worsened [ ]

  17. Current response (if you’re still using the therapy/substance) OR Response in the time before you stopped the treatment

    • Greatly improved [ ]
    • Slightly improved [ ]
    • Stayed the same [ X]
    • Slightly worsened [ ]
    • Greatly worsened [ ]

  18. Lasting changes to initial symptoms after cessation (if you have stopped for more than 3 weeks)

    • Greatly improved [ ]
    • Slightly improved [ ]
    • Stayed the same [ X]
    • Slightly worsened [ ]
    • Greatly worsened [ ]

I may try and be more specific with how long I have been on the treatments above by looking to see when I purchased them.

#2
#3

You already have a Member Story. Please edit your existing topic instead. This topic will be deleted in 24 hours.

#8

Hi guys

I wasn’t quite sure where to post this as I have a few points to raise although I felt that this was the most appropriate.

I had been taking propecia on and off (although mostly on) for over ten years, the times when I did stop was mostly due to me not getting round to getting a new supply. I initally became concerned about propecia over what I percieved to be premature ageing and skin damage to my face, particularly my cheeks. I had always been quite boyish and youthful looking (I’m now 39) and it now appeared that I had developed very fine, although still noticeable to me, lines on my cheeks. This damage was particularly noticeable when I scrunched my skin up. It has proved very difficult to disentangle the various elements that may have contributed to this as I had also been taking anti-depressants and SSRIs since my mid-teens for other issues.

Anyway, I stopped taking propecia nearly 6 months ago through a combination of worrying about the side effects and to be honest, the cost, and also arranging a repeat prescription (my mental health difficulties include problems with motivation). Although I feel that I have lost much more hair in this period than previously, I do feel that my skin, although still finely lined when I smile, appears to have improved slightly.

Another thing which has complicated my story further is that due to not getting round to picking up a repeat prescription for my anti-depressant (paroxetine/paxil) during the new year I have effectively gone cold turkey and maybe experiencing some of the side effects of this withdrawal. As it stands, when I was on my anti-depressant my libido was lower, with me masturbating approximately every 2 weeks (I’m single!) and even then I really struggled to orgasm/ejaculate. Since coming off my anti-depressant however I have been able to masturbate on a daily basis. One of my few concerns however is that the volume of the ejaculate appears much depleted and possibly a bit more watery (amongst other concerns about much less of a feeling of that whole body satisfaction that an orgasm can bring - it just feels more apathetic than that with possible increased localised sensation at the end of the penis itself). The volume of the ejaculate has slightly improved with time.

The reason I’m posting all this on this particular forum is that I had taken propecia for a very long time and despite SSRI withdrawal having a separate impact, I was wondering if propecia has a part to play at all in my current position. I say this particularly as I observed this week that like others have reported, my testicles do appear to be a bit smaller. I say this as when I lift my penis to look at them, they don’t appear to hang as low as they used to and reside just at the base of the penis. Is this because they have a smaller mass? I appreciate like stocks and shares, testicles can go up as well as down! How can I, or anyone for that matter, empirically measure this change when it is only from memory? Does anyone know what the average size of a testicle is? I apologise if this has been covered before in the forum. One other point to mention which has been noted elsewhere is that I have a few white pubic hair on my testicles which started to appear a few years ago. Again, I don’t if this is normal for a guy my age. I was also wondering if a possible shrinkage/atrophy of my testicles could be a possible reason for the change in volume/quality? It does appear to have dropped in volume since coming off the SSRIs, although maybe the reduction in volume is just more noticeable now that I’m masturbating daily (although others that have come off SSRIs have also reported a decrease in volume).

Could anyone recommend any measures to improve volume/testicle size?

And would it be worthwhile to have my bloods taken by an endicrinologist?

I live in the U.K. (Scotland) and I am used to the public health care system and really don’t have a clue as to where to begin, or whether they have the funds or the understanding to humour me.

Apologies for such a lengthy and fragmented post.

#9

Semen from the testicles is a very small part of ejaculate volume. Most of the fluid from ejaculate is from the prostate and semenal vesicles. Semen makes up .1-.2% according to literature on the topic.

Increasing testicle size can be possible with HCG/clomid thou these have not worked to restore full testicle size for myself and others on this site.

#13

Hi guys

I’ve been swithering whether to post or not as I’m trying to best manage my mood/expectations since noticing a week past tuesday that my penis, like many others on the site, now appears to have gone through some physical changes.

Prior to this my concerns had been around skin damage/aging; much reduced ejaculate; slightly impaired libido; and concerns about changes to testicle size etc. I appreciate that I am one of the luckier posters on this site, if there is such a category, in that I’ve not experienced ED, complete loss of libido, fatigue etc. although I do have a history of depression/anxiety that may well have been compounded by this drug.

I stopped taking propecia cold turkey 6 months ago and my anti-depressant paroxetine in the New Year, so I’m really not sure if paroxetine withdrawal symptoms are also playing a part. I suspect that the combination of the two meds wasn’t a good one anyway and it was difficult to disentangle the various sides. I do appreciate however that propecia is the big bad in all this.

Anyway, my penis is now shorter when erect (I’d say at least an inch and a half shorter), taking it from being pretty average in size to small. When erect now there is still quite a bit of loose skin, and the foreskin remains over the head, rather than peeling back. As others have reported, it has also lost girth in places, and the skin can appear lifeless/dull/patchy in terms of colouration(?). Again, as others have reported, it appears to have lost some of its elasticity and rather than shrink up as it used to, it hangs lower and longer when flaccid. Because of the weight loss to the shaft, the head of the penis appears more prominent under the foreskin.

All of this has got me really upset and has provoked further anxiety/depression, and even suicidal thoughts, especially if the damage is irreversible. I saw my G.P. today to discuss my concerns, who has advised that I visit the genito-urinary clinic. She said that they could test my testosterone levels there etc. I appreciate that I am only at the beginning of my own journey in trying to rectify damage that has been done. I have read through the forum quite a bit on and off and I’ve not come across any member’s stories whereby they have been able to reverse these changes to the penis.

Is there any hope for this particular side effect?

(Apologies if this should have been posted elsewhere. I appreciate that this has been covered by many other members. I just felt that it was useful for me to tell my own story.)

1 Like
#14

This side effect is the most difficult to handle both physically and mentally I think for alot of us. I’ve also dealt with some of those dark thoughts as a direct result of this particular side. Some of the physical changes you describe are fairly common around here. I assume you’ve already tried l-arginine, viagara, and/or DHT gel? Of course at this moment all we can really do is manage this best we can and hope we stumble across some treatment and see how our bodies respond.

#15

Hi there Boston

Thanks a lot for your reply to my post. To be honest I’ve not tried anything as yet to try and counteract the damage. As I feel I am now living with the consequences of having blindly taken medication (both propecia and SSRIs) at the moment my initial plan of attack is to see what the doctor says when I visit the genito-urinary clinic and take it from there. I feel that they must have come across guys in the same situation. I appreciate however that this will probably be an extremely long process of trial and error and at the moment I’m really just making preliminary enquiries as it were. I feel that the experience has left me with a fear that something could fuck things up more and I would probably take a cautious approach to what I take. I do know however that I have to do something. Probably the most important thing I could do would be to redress my poor lifestyle as I’m pretty sedentary and my diet isn’t the best, so at least if I improve that I’m helping to maintain the machinery as best I can. I’m also concerned about the situation getting worse and possible liver damage etc etc so want to get things checked out asap. At the moment, although I said that I’m feeling cautious, at the same time I would consider anything to try and get things back to how they were.

#16

You should try some things out to counter this. I had horrible shrinkage and hourglassing of the penis for a while and here’s what helped out a lot.

Vitamin E
Fish oil
Vitamin D3
Quercetin
L-Arginine
10mg Cialis

All on a daily basis.

#17

Hi there Davey

Many thanks for your reply. I’ve had a bit of a scan of your own posts and we appear to be in the same boat in so far as the side effects seemed to kick in after taking the drug. In my own case however I did have lower libido and reduced ejaculate whilst on propecia, but I was also on paroxetine at the same time which can have similar side effects. I kind of felt that being off both drugs would give me greater clarity as to symptoms, but unfortunately I have now developed this new side effect as well. At times I have also wished that I had never stopped taking the drug, as the potential damage it is doing and the russian roulette of it all can at times seem preferable to my current state. Intrinsically however I would be extremely reluctant to ever take such a potentially devastating drug again because in my own experience when you feel that you have reached rock bottom, there will always be something worse on the horizon. I do find myself however going over in my head the “if onlys” for so many different variants, including sometimes wishing that I hadn’t stopped!, but the biggest “if only” for all of us is actually taking it in the first place.

Would you mind me asking the level of improvement you feel you have experienced in reversing shrinkage etc. on your current regimen? I know that I shouldn’t be digging around to find someone who has been able to completely reverse any damage as any improvement is a major positive.

Thanks again :slight_smile:

#18

after 3 yrs i recovered shrinkage (not all)

girth is improving but very very slowly

1 Like
#19

im interested in quercetin how many mg do you take? i also have some girth loss.

#20

My shrinkage was horrible at one point. I had very little sensation and it always felt “cold” down there, especially at the head. If it wasn’t shrunken up, it was in a very prominent hourglass shape, which is almost worse. Imagine going to take a piss and your dick looks like tiny hands were choking at it for the last hour… not cool.

Of the supplements that I take, I feel that Quercetin and L-Arginine are doing the most at reversing my shrinkage. The Cialis might be doing something as well, but when I on just Cialis alone I still had shrinkage.

#21

Have you tried taking l-arganine alone? What is the result?

#22

@daveydc82:
did you keep your improvements? any sides on quercetin?

#23

I take 500mg in the morning and at night.

I have never taken only L-Arginine – I have always taken it with other supplements. By itself it doesn’t seem to have much of an impact on shrinkage throughout the day, but I do get stronger erections with it, during both sex and nocturnal/mornings.

#24

?

#25

Hi there prop

Thanks a lot for your input. Could I ask you whether you lost any length at all, especially whilst erect, and if so, if this has improved at all?

Guys who have reported shrinkage can appear to experience different side effects. With some the flaccid penis gets smaller, while for others it appears to hang more, suggesting it has lost some of its ability to retract???

#26

I’ve always taken L-Arginine with Vitamin E, Vitamin D3, and fish oil. Never took it just by itself.

#27

This one is for Davey…

Sorry to bother you again with my various questions. Despite the fact that I’m worried about ALL the changes to my penis, top of the pile of my various worries is the downgrading of my dick size whilst erect. As I said, I’ve gone from pretty avarage to small :frowning: Could I ask you if you lost any length whilst erect, and if so, if you have seen improvements here as well.

Thanks again Davey :slight_smile: