Has anyone had any luck with testosterone replacement therapy? I know it’s not the answer but I’m desperate to try something. If it would help me at all I’m willing to try. I feel like my life is falling apart. My wife is so frustrated at me and my kids hate being around me. I don’t know how much longer I will last. If it would make me feel any better it would be worth it.
With a Testosterone level of 234, you are probably at the bottom or outside the low end of the range for men. It is possible you would see significant improvement if you were to boost your T levels to normal ranges.
Can you please elaborate on your Finasteride usage history, symptoms etc. by filling out following template: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=371
Mew how can you say that when nobody responds to androgens? My Testosterone levels are 99 lower than a lot of women, and i feel no difference than when i get my levels up too 600 or even 1,200
Moonman,
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You did take Saw Palemtto, not Finasteride. There could potentially be mechanisms at work that affected you differently vs. a Finasteride user.
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If someone has below range T levels, that’s a diagnosable hormone abnormality which may improve symptoms if brought into normal range. Only way to know would be to get Testosterone levels into the normal range.
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Not everyone is resistant to TRT. Crisler and Jacobs have noted some patients respond to it, while other require supra physiological dosages.
Harley,
Before jumping on Testosterone Replacement you might consider other treatment like Clomiphere Citrate or hCG to boost your body’s own Testosterone production.
Studies:
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=971
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=67
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=1515
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=66
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=84
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=1012
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Where are you from (country)?USA
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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?) I searched propecia side effects
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What is your current age, height, weight? 42, 6’, 205
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Do you excercise regularly? If so, what type of excercise? cardio 2-3 times per week
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What type of diet do you eat (vegetarian, meat eater, raw, fast-food/organic healthy)? Fast Food for lunch and meat and vegetables at night
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Why did you take Finasteride (hair loss, BPH, other)? Hair Loss
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For how long did you take Finasteride (weeks/months/years)? 6.5 years
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How old were you, and WHEN (date) did you start Finasteride? 34 9/2004
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How old were you when you quit, and WHEN (date) did you quit? 41 3/2011
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How did you quit (cold turkey or taper off)? cold turkey
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What type of Finasteride did you use – Propecia, Proscar, Fincar or other generic? Proscar, Fincar, and other generic
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What dose did you take (eg. 1 mg/day, 1 mg every other day etc.)? 1.25 mg/day
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How long into your use of Finasteride did you notice the onset of side effects? decrease in semen in a few weeks. Major side effects 6.5 years.
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What side effects did you experience while on the drug that have yet to resolve since discontinuation? Loss of libido, ED, depression, Decrease sensitivity
Put an X beside all that apply:
Sexual
[x ] Loss of Libido / Sex Drive
[x ] Erectile Dysfunction
[ ] Complete Impotence
[x ] Loss of Morning Erections
[ x] Loss of Spontaneous Erections
[ ] Loss of Nocturnal Erections
[ ] Watery Ejaculate
[x ] Reduced Ejaculate
[ ] Inability to Ejaculate / Orgasm
[ ] Reduced Sperm Count / Motility
Mental
[x ] Emotional Blunting / Emotionally Flat
[ ] 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
[ ] Extreme Anxiety / Panic Attacks
[x ] Depression / Melancholy
Physical
[x ] Penile Tissue Changes (narrowing, shrinkage, wrinkled)
[ ] Penis curvature / rotation on axis
[ ] Testicular Pain
[ ] Testicular Shrinkage / Loss of Fullness
[x ] Genital numbness / sensitivity decrease
[ ] Weight Gain
[ ] Gynecomastia (male breasts)
[ ] Muscle Wastage
[ ] Muscle Weakness
[ ] 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
[x ] Frequent urination
[ ] Lowered body temperature
[ ] Other (please explain)
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What (if any) treatments have you undertaken to recover from your side effects since discontinuation of the drug? n/a
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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)? n/a
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Anything not listed in the above questions you’d like to share about your experience with Finasteride?
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Tell us your story, in your own words, about your Finasteride usage and side effects experienced while on/off the drug.
I started taking finasteride at 34. I noticed a decrease in semen within weeks but I was ok with that. I already had 2 children so I didn’t mind the decrease. I took the medicine for years without major problems until the end of 2010. That is when my problems began. At first I didn’t realize it was finasteride that was causing my problems. I had gone 3 months without having sex with my wife. The odd thing was I didn’t even realize it had been that long. I had no desire to have sex. After searching loss of libido on the internet, I read that medication could cause this. At that time I remembered the doctor telling me this when I started taking finesteride. I also remember him saying that I could discontinue taking the medicine and everything would go back to normal. I stopped taking finesteride March 28, 2011 and to this day my life is nowhere near normal. I never got my libido back after stopping the medicine. Since I stopped, I have gone through major depression. I do feel better mentally now. I still have some bad days occasionally. My ED has continually gotten worse. I currently can keep an erection for about 2-3 minutes. I did get a perscription for cialis several months ago. At first it worked well but now it doesn’t work hardly at all. I have been to 5 doctors in the past year but all they want to do is put me on TRT. My testosterone levels have been between 234 and 289. I’m leery about taking any medicine now. At first my family was understanding but they are loosing their patience with me. I am not a very pleasant person to be around.
Thanks for sharing your story, I and others here can certainly feel your pain.
The drop in Testosterone after quitting the drug seems to occur to many men. Do you have baseline levels before Finasteride to compare against? That would give you an idea of your ideal Testosterone levels pre-drug.
Although you’ve been off a little over a year and seen little improvement in the ED department, I would urge you not to loose hope. Many men do find improvements over time, although they can be slow. Try to maintain regular bloodflow to the penis on a near daily basis if you can, to help stimulate the tissues with fresh oxygenated blood. Low-dose Viagra, L-Arginine or Horny Goat Weed (natural supplements) before bed can be helpful to stimulate nocturnal erections to assist with this.
Also consider supplementing with Omega 3s to help with any depressive symptoms and assist with neurogenesis, myelination and axon regrowth in both the CNS and potentially, prostatic nerve bundles.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1892224/
soundhealthchiropractic.com/uploads/Article_08-10._Omega-3_Fatty_Acids_Upregulate_Adult_Neurogenesis.pdf
inflammationresearchfoundation.org/UserContent/UserFiles/J%20Neurosurgery-2011%20for%20IRF.pdf
If you are concerned about further usage of pharmaceuticals to try and increase your Testosterone levels, consider weight training, light cardio, a balanced but protein-rich diet, and natural supplements like Tribulus, Tongkat Ali or other Testosterone booters. L-Arginine can help with Nitric Oxide release which plays an important role in erectile function, and Horny Goat Weed (active ingredient = icariin) is considered “herbal Viagra”.
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=359
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1589
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=875
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=16
Tongkat Ali and Maca are purported to have aphrodiasiac properties:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1967
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1418
Stay strong, you will get through this.
Hi Harley, how did things progress? Any improvements.
Sorry for the delay in answering. I don’t check back here often since they changed this website. It has been over 7 years since I stopped taking finasteride. I will say many side effects have gotten better but I still have this feeling of disconnect between my brain and penis. I know that might sound weird but that is the best way I can describe it. The excitement is still not there. ED has gotten better though. I take a daily Cialis. I started that when I went to Baylor to participate in their PFS study. Hopefully we will hear from that study eventually.
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How long were you on Fin for?
I took finasteride for 6 1/2 years.