Ten years , finally called it quits

Member Stories
#1

Hey guys,

I am 32 years old, at the young age of 22 I decided to get on propecia as a preventative measure to balding. Which is common in my family.

Young and vain, its a perfect combination for not doing enough research.

So I have to say that yes, I did maintain a healthy head of hair. But I did notice a slight decrease in libido, however luckily not too much.

So here I am, I quit Propecia 2 weeks ago. Took my last three pills and flushed them down the toilet. I read that you should ween off it but I just couldn’t bare to put another pill down my throat.

Here is the reason why I quit. I noticed a jump in my weight gain, my memory loss, sexual libido loss, and the most annoying terrible factor that I experience…chronic hives.

Ok so I started propecia ten years ago. Well I have had chronic hives for a longggg time now. I have been tested for allergens and I am allergic to grass, and have a sensitivity to aspirin. So about a month ago, I was really trying to figure out what could be causing my hives. Over the years I changed my soaps, eating habits, etc, nothing ever stopped them.

So I am taking xyzal to combat them. Then it hits me…10 years ago i started propecia, about a year later i started to get chronic hives.

Do I know if propecia definitely is the cause, no. But its possible.

So now here I am, waiting to see if they go away. My fiance, who is a registered nurse, said that my hives are much better already and that she sees a decrease since I quit propecia.

I am reading up on the endocrine system, as well as adrenal fatigue and thyroid issues.

I am going to ask my doctor for some bloodtests. Im not exactly sure which ones would be ideal to get run. But that is why I am here, to get some direction.

Oh and btw, my libido has increased already from getting off the propecia. But the hives, they are a bit more stubborn it appears.

Thanks for having me here.

#2

Welcome.

Hives are a reported side effect as noted by Merck:

propecia.com/finasteride/pro … e-effects/

Sounds like this is what occured in your case. In time I’m sure they will resolve.

As for bloodwork, check Hormones & Bloodtests section – there is a sticky post at top about what type of blood tests to get.

Cheers.

#3

Thanks mew.

Im wondering , if they are a biproduct of the propecia, how long it will take for them to totally dissipate.

On a more positive note, I can say that my libido is already better since I have stopped the propecia. My overall sense of wellbeing in general has improved.

So there is hope out there for all of us.

#4

Propecia is metabolized by the body within 6-8 hours.

The effect after a single dose on 5AR2/DHT can last for more than a week. Details here:

propeciahelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1170

#5

Thanks Mew,

I will do some reading up on that.

Let me take some more time to try to put as much info as I can in this thread. Hopefully it will aid in others giving advice. As well as members or lurkers reading this that can relate, they can find solace in knowing they arent alone in their symptoms.

Ok lets see.

If this is propecia based, the hives, then it also has created a sensitivity to aspirin. I have chronic hives and take xyzal an antihistamine to curb the effects. My hives usually spread across my full body. Some days a few others a lot. They congregate on my ribs quite often and once in a while cause lip swelling and hand swelling. The worst times for me are when I first wake up and before I go to sleep. When I wake up, it feels like all the hives just decide to come out. And before I go to sleep, maybe my xyzal is wearing off. I dont know. If I take a nap during midday, my hives will be much worse when I wake up from that nap.

For the first few years, the hives would subside during the winter. This may be because it is cooler and i feel more relaxed. {stress seems to worsen hives}. or because i am also allergic now to grass.

this last year they didnt go away as the cold winter came in.

Ok what else.

Sexual libido was suppressed a bit, but no I am waking up with morning erections again. Which is sort of funny because it reminds me of when I was a teenager lol.

I never had a hard time staying erect or ejaculating until about four months ago.

Around that time I started taking lexapro. I have anxiety issues and depression. Now that I am off of the propecia, my overall sense of well being is much more enhanced. I may have been experiencing the anxiety as a side effect of the propecia but it is too early to tell. So the lexapro stacked on top of the propecia appeared to be too much for my body to handle. I had erection problems and loss of sex drive. I decided I would rather be bald and have sex with my fiance then have a full head of hair and all these side effects.

After discontinuing the propecia my drive and erection have returned. I am not at 100% yet but I definitely have noticed an increase.

I do have some weight gain, but I do not thin it is anything that will be long term.

So my friends, we all are effected by this. And for me, it is the chronic hives that are the thorn in my side. I will update this thread as things progress for sure.

Now that I think about it, over ten years I have spent about ten grand on propecia. For ten grand I could have hair transplant surgery done lol. Weird how when we are young we dont look at the big picture.

#6

and let me fill this out:

  1. How did you find this forum? google

  2. What is your current age, height, weight? 32, 6ft, 240pds,

  3. Do you excercise regularly? If so, what type of excercise?
    five days a week, good workout routine. and cardio 3-5 days a week on top of the weight training.

  4. What type of diet do you eat (vegetarian, meat eater, raw, fast-food/organic healthy)? chicken and fish based meals. veggies fruit and juice

  5. Why did you take Finasteride (hair loss, BPH, other)?hair loss

  6. For how long did you take Finasteride (weeks/months/years)?
    ten years

  7. How old were you when you started Finasteride?
    22

  8. How old were you when you quit?
    32, two weeks ago

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

  10. What type of Finasteride did you use – Propecia, Proscar, Fincar or other generic?
    propecia

  11. What dose did you take (eg. 1 mg/day, 1 mg every other day etc.)?
    1mg a day

  12. How long into your use of Finasteride did you notice the onset of side effects?
    now that i think back, about a year into it

  13. What side effects did you experience while on the drug that have yet to resolve since discontinuation?
    chronic hives
    Put an X beside all that apply:

Sexual
[ x] Loss of Libido / Sex Drive
[ ] Erectile Dysfunction
[ ] Complete Impotence
[x ] Loss of Morning Erections
[ x] Loss of Spontaneous Erections
[ ] Loss of Nocturnal Erections
[ ] Watery Ejaculate
[ ] Reduced Ejaculate
[ ] Inability to Ejaculate / Orgasm
[ ] Reduced Sperm Count / Motility

Mental
[ x] Emotional Blunting / Emotionally Flat
[ x] Difficulty Focusing / Concentrating
[ ] Confusion
[x ] Memory Loss / Forgetfullness
[ ] Stumbling over Words / Losing Train of Thought
[ ] Slurring of Speech
[ x] Lack of Motivation / Feeling Passive / Complacency
[x ] Extreme Anxiety / Panic Attacks
[ x] Depression / Melancholy

Physical
[ ] Penile Tissue Changes (narrowing, shrinkage, wrinkled)
[ ] Penis curvature / rotation on axis
[ x] Testicular Pain
[ ] Testicular Shrinkage / Loss of Fullness
[ ] Genital numbness / sensitivity decrease
[ x] Weight Gain
[ ] Gynecomastia (male breasts)
[ ] Muscle Wastage
[ ] Muscle Weakness
[ x] Joint Pain
[ ] Dry / Dark Circles under eyes

Misc
[ ] Prostate pain
[ ] Persistent Fatigue / Exhaustion
[ ] Stomach Pains / Digestion Problems
[ ] Constipation / “Poo Pellets”
[ ] Vision - Acuity Decrease / Blurriness
[ ] Increased hair loss
[ ] Frequent urination
[ ] Lowered body temperature

[x ] Other (please explain)
chronic hives

  1. What (if any) treatments have you undertaken to recover from your side effects since discontinuation of the drug?
    none. I am waiting to see if things level themselves out once my natural body chemistry returns.
  2. If you have pre or post-Finasteride bloodtests, what hormonal changes have you encountered since discontinuing the drug (pls post your test results in the “Blood Tests” section and link to them in your post)? none to date
#7

Do the hives itch?

#8

As weird as it may sound, the hives arent always the same. Sometimes they are red, sometimes more of a skin color. Sometimes raised, sometimes not as much as others.

But as a general answer to your question, yes they itch.

#9

Aspirin (drug) sensitivity is something other members including myself experience. I’ve become very sensitive to many substances. Are you still taking lexapro? If so I’d advise to stop. You’re depressed due to propecia and lexapro can permanantly alter your body chemestry too. Try to heal before more drugs. Best of luck

#10

Id like to stop the lexapro, but my anxiety levels got so high that I couldnt function. I do not plan on being on it forever, just long enough to avoid the anxiety attacks i was having. If my anxiety was due to the propecia then i should be able to ween off the lexapro very soon.

Aspirin sensitivity sucks. I used to take advil when I had a headache {my headaches always turned into migranes}, now Im forced to take tylenol for everything.

Doesnt matter too much to be honest, because I try not to take anything when I get sick or ill. Just oj sleep and soup.

#11

skarzx,

congrats on quiting this horrible drug. I agree with Martin you should try to get off of the Lexapro. The Propecia also caused bad anxiety for me as well. That side effect has gone away for me now since being off of this crap for a year.

Regarding your sensativity to aspirin. I had the same problem. It would bother my stomach. I never had any problems with aspirin before taking propecia.

I had a stomach ulcer, which I’m very confident was caused from this crap. I posted a link a while back that was straight off of Merck’s website stating that ulcer’s are a common side effect from prescription meds. Martin also had a similar issue with stomach problems.

I had to take a medication called Prevpac to relieve my body of the ulcer. For the most part I don’t have stomach problems any more. I’m sure theres damage done, but it’s much better than it was.

#12

My stomach ached like hell too. But it hasn’t for a few months now thank god.

#13

Ok quick update. So far things are looking good. My lowered libido has risen dramatically. Also, this may be placebo but I took a Viagra my doctor prescribed for me and man it was great. It boosted my self confidence andddd I believe helped my issues. My erections are rock hard now. I wake up with morning wood. I cant say for sure that the viagra helped chemically in the long term but I do believe that it helped in one way or another. Maybe mentally, since a lot of impotence problems and soft erections can be fueled by doubt and stuff in the mind.

I havent noticed any hair loss yet but I am sure itll happen eventually.

My moods have been lighter as well. I am not as snappy

I suggest to anyone to get a viagra from their doctor and try it and see what comes of it.

#14

You should probably start to notice your hair falling out a lot more frequent 3-4 months from now or so i’ve read.