The Story of a Swiss Guy

[dome1234]

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)? Switzerland

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?) Reddit

What is your current age, height, weight? 24, 183cm, 75kg

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.)? 1mg

What condition was being treated with the drug? Hairloss

For how long did you take the drug (weeks/months/years)? 3 months

Date when you started the drug? September 2023

Date when you quit the drug? December 2023

Age when you quit? 24

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

How long into your usage did you notice the onset of side effects? 3 Pills

What side effects did you experience that have yet to resolve since discontinuation? No libido, ED, Penile tissue changes/penile veins

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
[ x] Loss of Nocturnal Erections
[ x] Watery Ejaculate
[ ] Reduced Ejaculate
[ ] Inability or Difficulty to Ejaculate / Orgasm
[ ] Reduced Sperm Count / Motility

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

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

Misc
[ ] Prostate pain
[ x] 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
[ ] Lowered body temperature

[x ] Other (please explain): More visible penile veins. Tissue is somehow thinner and therefore the veins are more prominent.

What (if any) treatments have you undertaken to recover from your side effects since discontinuation of the drug? L-Arginine, L-Citrulline, L-Carnitine, Cialis 5mg daily.

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)?

Anything not listed in the above questions you’d like to share about your experience? I’m just shocked this has been done to my body.

Tell us your story, in your own words, about your usage and side effects experienced while on/off the drug.

Hey you,

Started with Finasteride in September 2023. After three pills (1mg ed) i noticed testicular ache/chest pain and I somehow just felt off. Stopped it because I went on vacation and did not want to deal with it. Everything completely went back to normal in about 7 days.

Came home after 2 weeks of vacation and hairloss still bothered me. I thought that I’ll just start again and if I get sides I’ll just stop and therefore everything will go back to normal like it did the first time.

So I restarted with 1mg a day and there were no side effects. After about 2 weeks in I noticed an increase libido. After 2 month, November 2023 I noticed a lack of motivation and emotional connection to my girlfriend. I did not link it to Finasteride. In December ED and no Libido hit me and I finally made the connection and stopped Finasteride.

After about 7 days since stopping the drug I had this burning sensation in my penis. It is hard to describe but it sometimes felt like shooting pain and sometimes like burning. This lasted for 14 days. In this timeframe new/more prominent veins formed and the structure of my penile skin/tissue somehow changed. My assumption is that the skin has become thinner and the veins on the penis are more visible as a result. My flaccid penis also feels less heavy and kind of light and definitely looks smaller (it is like a jelly feeling).

So 3 month after stopping I’m still dealing with: Penile tissue changes, no libido (feels like asexuality), ED (without Cialis erections would not be possible, with Cialis I get them to about 80% with physical stimulation).

Thanks for reading, just wanted to contribute my data.

Cheers,
Dome

[dome1234]

Dear Community,

It has now been five months since I developed PFS. I’m making this post for my personal reference in the future, and perhaps it might interest someone.

I recently came across the story of @Dknighten. He took only one pill and developed the exact same side effects as I did. It was astonishing to read his post and see that 90% of his symptoms match mine.

My current symptoms:

• Brain fog and head pressure, which gets a lot worse when I have to concentrate and do cognitive tasks
• Eye floaters (blurry moving dots in my vision field)
• Fatigue
• Complete loss of libido
• Veiny, narrower, and jelly-like penis
• Veins on hands are more visible, probably due to skin thinning
• ED
• Anhedonia / Emotional blunting

It is difficult to get through the day. I used to be a very ambitious and disciplined person who wanted to make something of his life. I work part-time at a large insurance company and am studying for a bachelor’s degree in economics. I used to be the top student in my class every semester. Unfortunately, those days are over. I struggle to keep up with the information being taught due to my cognitive limitations. Since having PFS, I wake up every morning and hope to just get through the day. That is my goal every day. I spend weekends alone and usually go for long walks to recover.

I have worked hard for my grades and my success, and I don’t want to give up what I have put into my studies and career over the past few years. That’s why I fight through each day. It’s quite ironic, isn’t it? I’m holding on to something from a past life that doesn’t really matter to me anymore.

ED can be managed with Cialis, but it’s really a challenge to have sex when you have to force yourself. So, I’ve completely given up on my sex life for the moment. I’ve tried the following supplements over the last couple of months with unfortunately only very little impact on my symptoms:

• Boron
• Lithium Orotate
• L-Dopa
• Maca
• L-Carnitine
• Magnesium
• 5-HTP
• L-Arginine
• L-Citrulline
• Tongkat Ali

In the coming weeks, I will be trying HCG under my doctor’s supervision, and I hope for improvements in my energy levels, brain fog, and of course, in the sexual department.

Thank you for reading this post.

Dom

[che]

@Dom, have you got any new news?
Did you try HCG?

[dome1234]

@che

First of all, sorry for the late reply. I’ve been trying to stay away from all this trauma. Yes, I’ve been on HCG for about six weeks now. I feel a lot better in terms of energy. I’m very active, going to the gym four times a week and playing tennis. Before using HCG, I could barely get through the day. The emotional numbness/anhedonia has also improved, I’d say I’m about 60-70% recovered. Brain fog is still there occasionally, but as long as I stay on my ketogenic diet, I’m good to go. Even the eye floaters have improved—not completely gone, but about 50% better. My libido is also a bit better (more sexual thoughts, but still not great). For example, before, I could watch porn and not get hard just by watching. Now it works, but it takes a bit longer.

I still don’t feel like I did before. It kind of feels like part of my personality was robbed by this drug, mainly in the sexual department. I can have sex like a normal person, but I just don’t feel the need to do it. The changes in my penis are also still the same (narrowing, empty, jelly-like).

So yeah, HCG has definitely helped me in nearly all areas. The improvements are small, but they happen weekly.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

Dom

[dome1234]

Update

I’m currently on a two-week vacation by the sea (completely alone) to recover from the stresses of the past and to reflect on everything that has happened. While I’m here, I want to give you all, as well as myself, an update, which also serves as another entry in my journal. I understand that what I’m about to share might not apply to everyone dealing with this condition. However, if you have had or currently have similar symptoms to mine, this post might be helpful for you.

How do I manage this condition?
(The most important thing is your mental attitude)

First, you have to come to terms with the fact that you took this pill. You did nothing wrong. There’s also a realization that you need to be honest with yourself about. The bad news is that, except in rare cases, PFS is a lifelong condition. It’s important to accept that you may never be the same person you were before taking this medication or supplement. I struggled to wrap my head around this fact, but I believe that over time, you will learn to deal with your new self and to grow from your new baseline.

How things are going for me:

Currently taking: HCG, 250 IU’s every 2nd day and Tadalafil 3.75mg (morning and evening)

• Brain fog and head pressure are gone as long as I stick to a ketogenic diet (particularly avoiding flour, sugar, and gluten). However, they come back if I eat something like pizza or burgers.

• Eye floaters have improved but are still present (since starting HCG, they’ve improved by about 50%).

• Fatigue/Energy has tremendously improved since starting HCG, but it worsens if I don’t stick to my diet.

• Libido has improved to the point where I can perform once a day. However, the feeling of “looking forward to it” is completely gone. Compared to three months ago, I can now kiss a woman and sometimes get aroused/get a semi-erection. I can also watch porn and get an erection without physical stimulation (although it takes longer, and I’m using Tadalafil). What’s somewhat unusual is that I find it more difficult to engage in sexual activity and get erections in the evening compared to the morning or afternoon. It’s also harder for me after eating.

• Veiny, narrower, and jelly-like penis (no change).

• Veins on my hands are more visible (no change).

• Erectile dysfunction (ED) is manageable by taking Tadalafil (Cialis). After trying different doses and splitting them up, I found my sweet spot. For about three months now, I’ve been taking 3.75mg right after waking up and another 3.75mg right before bed. This regimen gives me normal erections when in sexual situations (though there is a delay between my thoughts and my body, but thankfully, it works).

• Anhedonia / Emotional blunting is about 70%-80% back to normal. I can read books, enjoy music, feel the sun on my skin, enjoy snorkeling trips, and watch things online. However, my interests and personality seem to have changed. I’ll try to explain: I used to love science fiction movies and movies with good stories in general, and I also loved watching Netflix. Since I’ve had PFS, I haven’t watched Netflix. I find myself more interested in reading and watching factual information. It sounds nuts, I know…But that’s exactly how it is.

So, things are definitely improving and have improved compared to a few months ago. But this isn’t just a simple race; it’s a marathon. Probably for years to come. But I’m willing to accept the situation as it is and make the best of it. Some days I’m really down, but some days are actually good, and I guess that’s life. Since I started HCG and have more energy, I’ve been meeting up with friends a lot and really enjoyed summer with them. I’ve also started dating a girl, and I think I’ll start a relationship with her.

I think we all need to give ourselves some grace. I know what it’s like to feel trapped in your own body. But the only thing I can tell you is, don’t give up. You must resist getting caught in the constant negative loop. Life keeps moving forward, and that’s the challenging part. You have to find calm within the storm, or you risk capsizing, which can be devastating. If you focus solely on what you’ve lost or what could have been if you weren’t in this situation, it’s a dangerous game—and it doesn’t end well.

This, along with donations, is all I can do in this situation while the studies by the PFS Network are ongoing.

Thank you for taking the time to read this update. I truly wish you all the strength and positivity on your own journey.

Sincerely,
Dom