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)?
United States
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?)
Google search - dutasteride side effects
What is your current age, height, weight?
23 / 5’10 / 153
What specific drug did you use (finasteride, dutasteride, saw palmetto, isotretinoin/Accutane, fluoxetine, sertraline, citalopram, leuprorelin, etc…)?
Topical dutasteride + tretinoin
What dose did you take (eg. 1 mg/day, 1 mg every other day etc.)?
5 ‘pumps’ of solution, every other week for two weeks
What condition was being treated with the drug?
MPB
For how long did you take the drug (weeks/months/years)?
two doses, two weeks
How old were you, and WHEN (date) did you start the drug?
23, April 2021
How old were you when you quit, and WHEN (date) did you quit?
23, April 2021
How did you quit (cold turkey or taper off)?
Cold turkey
How long into your usage did you notice the onset of side effects?
Next day after second dose
What side effects did you experience that have yet to resolve since discontinuation?
Visual snow, visual processing disorder, fluctuating brain fog, debilitating anxiety, headaches and head pressure, zero stress tolerance, dpdr, terrible reading comprehension. Consistently feels like the world is closing in on me. Below the neck I am 100% fine, physically and sexually.
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 (likely a secondary effect of anxiety / dpdr)
[ ] Erectile Dysfunction
[ ] Complete Impotence
[ ] Loss of Morning Erections
[ ] Loss of Spontaneous Erections
[ ] Loss of Nocturnal Erections
[ ] Watery Ejaculate
[ ] Reduced Ejaculate
[ ] Inability or Difficulty to Ejaculate / Orgasm
[ ] Reduced Sperm Count / Motility
Mental
[X] Emotional Blunting / Emotionally Flat
[X] Difficulty Focusing / Concentrating
[X] Confusion
[ ] Memory Loss / Forgetfulness
[X] Stumbling over Words / Losing Train of Thought
[ ] Slurring of Speech
[X] Lack of Motivation / Feeling Passive / Complacency
[X] Extreme Anxiety / Panic Attacks
[X] Severe Depression / Melancholy
[ ] Suicidal Thoughts
Physical
[ ] 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
[ ] Joint Pain
[ ] Dry / Dark Circles under eyes
Misc
[ ] Prostate pain
[ ] Persistent Fatigue / Exhaustion
[ ] Stomach Pains / Digestion Problems
[ ] Constipation / “Poo Pellets”
[X] Vision - Acuity Decrease / Blurriness
[X] Tinnitus (ringing or high pitched sound in ears)
[ ] Hearing loss
[ ] Increased hair loss
[ ] Frequent urination
[X] Lowered body temperature
[ ] Other (please explain)
What (if any) treatments have you undertaken to recover from your side effects since discontinuation of the drug?
Supplements + some anti-anxiety medications, time
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.
All my symptoms developed a day after applying a dose of a prescription topical dutasteride solution. I am still unsure if this is the cause of my debilitating symptoms but the timing is extremely suspect. Strange that the symptoms only arose after my second dose.
80% of my symptoms seem to be related to visual processing, and the rest are psychological. I wouldn’t be surprised if my brain fog is a secondary effect. I essentially have developed persistent post-concussive syndrome. Symptoms have progressed and have not shown any improvement.
This shit sucks. If dutasteride actually caused these issues then the UN should reclassify the drug as a biological weapon. I have gone from peak mental/cognitive health to a psychiatric mess in a matter of months. I seriously wish I had schizophrenia or a DSM-diagnosed mental illness that would be taken seriously. Joining this forum to share & find answers.