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)?
US
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?)
“Investigation of the Plausibility of 5-Alpha-Reductase Inhibitor Syndrome” (journal article)
What is your current age, height, weight?
27, 5’11’, 150 lbs
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 daily
What condition was being treated with the drug?
Hair loss
For how long did you take the drug (weeks/months/years)?
3 weeks
How old were you, and WHEN (date) did you start the drug?
27, June 2019
How old were you when you quit, and WHEN (date) did you quit?
27, July 2019
How did you quit (cold turkey or taper off)?
Cold turkey
How long into your usage did you notice the onset of side effects?
~ week and a half
What side effects did you experience that have yet to resolve since discontinuation?
Anxiety, panic attacks, insomnia, possible sleep apnea
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
[ ] Reduced Ejaculate
[ ] Inability or Difficulty to Ejaculate / Orgasm
[ ] Reduced Sperm Count / Motility
Mental
[ ] Emotional Blunting / Emotionally Flat
[ ] Difficulty Focusing / Concentrating
[ ] Confusion
[ ] Memory Loss / Forgetfulness
[ ] Stumbling over Words / Losing Train of Thought
[ ] Slurring of Speech
[ ] Lack of Motivation / Feeling Passive / Complacency
[x] Extreme Anxiety / Panic Attacks
[x] Severe Depression / Melancholy
[x] Suicidal Thoughts
Physical
[ ] Penile Tissue Changes (narrowing, shrinkage, wrinkled)
[ ] 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
[ ] 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)
Insomnia and possibly sleep apnea
What (if any) treatments have you undertaken to recover from your side effects since discontinuation of the drug?
Will hopefully be starting psychotherapy
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?
Tell us your story, in your own words, about your usage and side effects experienced while on/off the drug.
I started taking 1mg finasteride for hair loss at the end of June. About a week and a half in, I started noticing a dull groin pain that eventually localized in my right testicle, with a pain similar to having epididymitis. Then, starting about 5 days ago, I began having sleep issues, with very frequent waking up. In addition, I had several incidents of walking up gasping for breath, which could be sleep apnea. Connected with the frequent waking up are panic attacks and a strong sensation of being unable to breathe properly (a former symptom of my teenage anxiety, not experienced in years).
I already have issues with anxiety and depression, and just in the last few days, my state has gone from manageable to dangerous (suicidal ideation). It wasn’t until yesterday, after a major midnight panic attack, that I realized it was connected to finasteride. I had only been warned of sexual side effects, which fortunately I seem to have mostly avoided. I am making this post to help document things and to reach out for hope, that my short time of taking it means I might be spared the long term emotional problems.
My plan is to start exercising in the mornings. I am living in a different part of the country for a few months, and being isolated from friends has been difficult. I will be trying to reach out to people I have met here to be more social. I will also be seeking out acute psycotherapy.
Day 5 post-fin update: my penis and testicles have shrunk. My libido has vanished. I am not OK.