Warning: restarting propecia will kill you

Member Stories
#67

I cannot hide PFS with the dark cycles around my eyes. I’m fat from binge eating. Frust throating. Only a handful jogging clothes, one stretch jeans and two camouflage trouthers I can wear. All my clothes I can’t wear anymore. A whole boutique, with cotton shirts, t shirts, freaky jackets, 100 vests…

I feel totally ashamed to meet women I know from my old life. I haven’t make a post on Facebook for more than a year. I haven’t contacted most of my old friends and fiancee’s because I feel ashamed for that I’m now. But some close friends women or man I still meet.

So if she is a real old friend, she will understand your situation. But nothing is as before.

2 Likes
#68

Got my first ‘you don’t look that young’ today. Ringing up beer in the self checkout, clerk asks my birthdate. I’ve been told ‘you don’t look that old’ countless times from the same crew but not anymore I guess. Dude said he was joking but his face said ‘I can’t believe I said that out loud’. I can, I’m a walking corpse. The guy is just a year younger than me and was caught off-guard. I was tempted to explain I have a degenerative condition but all I wanted to do was get the fuck out of there.

Fuck. This. Shit.

3 Likes
#69

Self-reporting form

Name of the therapy/substance: fentanyl
Dosage: whatever they put in these pills
How often you took it: once

Status
Still using [ ]
Stopped with no lasting change to initial symptoms [x]
Stopped with persistent change to symptoms [ ]

Duration of use: Days [1] Months [ ] Years [ ]
Response when you started:

Greatly improved [ ]
Slightly improved [ ]
Stayed the same [ ]
Slightly worsened [x]
Greatly worsened [ ]

Current response (if you’re still using) OR Response in the time before you stopped the treatment
Greatly improved [ ]
Slightly improved [ ]
Stayed the same [ ]
Slightly worsened [ ]
Greatly worsened [x]

Lasting changes to initial symptoms after cessation (if you have stopped for more than 3 weeks)

Greatly improved [ ]
Slightly improved [ ]
Stayed the same [ ]
Slightly worsened [ ]
Greatly worsened [ ]

What are my symptoms: silenced AR, head to toe muscle wastage and tissue loss, disfigurement, fatigue, insomnia
What was I hoping this drug would do: kill me
What did it do: made me dizzy then a two day hangover

1 Like
#70

This message from you hit me on a sunny September morning. In my old life the most romantic and emotional time of the year, turned into grey forever. So I can understand your desperation.
Tears from my heart are with you.

2 Likes
#72

Self-reporting form

Name of the therapy/substance: Diazepam
Dosage: varied
How often you took it: several times

Status
Still using [x]
Stopped with no lasting change to initial symptoms [ ]
Stopped with persistent change to symptoms [ ]

Duration of use: Days [ ] Months [1] Years [ ]
Response when you started:

Greatly improved [ ]
Slightly improved [ ]
Stayed the same [x]
Slightly worsened [ ]
Greatly worsened [ ]

Current response (if you’re still using) OR Response in the time before you stopped the treatment
Greatly improved [ ]
Slightly improved [ ]
Stayed the same [x]
Slightly worsened [ ]
Greatly worsened [ ]

Lasting changes to initial symptoms after cessation (if you have stopped for more than 3 weeks)

Greatly improved [ ]
Slightly improved [ ]
Stayed the same [ ]
Slightly worsened [ ]
Greatly worsened [ ]

What are my symptoms: silenced AR, head to toe muscle and tissue loss, facial disfigurement, fatigue
What was I hoping this drug would do: distract me and/or trigger a happy accident
What did it do: knocked me out

In a wastage cycle this week, this shit comes in waves and leaves me increasingly disassociated. I have a bunch of diazepam now so trying different dosages to cope. 5mg didn’t do much and 8 to 10 makes me dizzy and sleepy. I was told that benzos and zolpidem together can cause fatal respiratory arrest but so far that hasn’t happened, then again I’m not taking huge doses.

#73

Knee surgery.

I don’t see much on the forum about this as it relates to waste cases so I’ll document my experience. I’m scheduled for knee surgery in April that will involve a tissue graft. I can’t say if structural tissue loss from PFS played a role in the injury but I suspect it did.

There was nothing seen on the MRI that was mentioned by the doctor as a concern regarding the surgery. One item noted was “There is scattered superficial, partial-thickness cartilage loss and thinning throughout the medial compartment, greatest peripherally.” That sure sounds like a good description of what PFS has done to my knees.

I had a PT session yesterday to loosen my range of motion and the visit notes indicate “Quad tone poor”. My quad tone is exactly as PFS left it.

If you asked me a year ago if I’d undergo surgery in this condition I’d have said are you fucking nuts. A knee graft like this, that’s asking a lot of a body that doesn’t seem to care anymore. But we’ll see how it goes.

2 Likes
#74

One thing I notice is that the knee pre-surgery is less stable than my other knee was when I had a similar injury 15 years ago. I was able to do most activities back then without much problem but this time my knee collapses if I put any lateral weight on it.

I suspect the loss of surrounding tissue in the area from PFS has increased my dependence on the support ligaments for balance. This makes me nervous about the post-surgery prognosis since it takes a long time for the graft to heal over and rehab counts on that tissue to shoulder some of the load.

In related news I went for a physical yesterday, only because I was told I needed to do so to continue my medication refills. They took my blood pressure several times because it was so high they thought their equipment was malfunctioning. They were also alarmed at my weight gain, apparently I’m in the fat gut stage of PFS. I was told that as we age we may not be able to exercise as much as we used to blah blah. I wish there was a video of my facial expression during that…lethal side eye. This was a PA who I’d reported PFS by name to in 2021 but of course that’s long forgotten.

Anyway, the point is that I have a followup appointment the day after my surgery. Assuming I live through the anesthesia (…) I have a feeling I’m going to be getting a lecture on the importance of fitness and mobility as we age and not letting muscles atrophy. Not to mention some surprise about bone density and whatever other unexpected mess they find. I’ll need to do some eye exercises to make sure I don’t strain them from rolling.

4 Likes
#75

My dear friend, I’m looking like an old fat buffer nut now with my 140 kg ~ 280 pounds an 1.90 m ~ 6.23 feet and the 5 xl army jacket tightens like a sausage skin on my blubery hell belly. My blood pressure I really don’t want to know! My cock is a little sausage tip from a wieners, erected a half flavid cocktail wienerle. Walking a little walk I snapp like a panting pug. But I have still 100 % libido. Fluctuating. Months not. Nothing! Muscles faded away with the crash. As a Nordic Walker, sportive cyclist, and tracker I had calves like a Austrian moutain walker in the Steiermark.
Arnold’s coming from. My brain is switched off. Only memory. Could write my 100 % recovery story with little retards. Or flying to the stars. The late Club 61.

So wish you the best for all. The real motivation for a new healthy lifestyle isn’t really with us. But who knows?!

3 Likes
#76

Friend I can relate! From 7 inches shrunk to barely two, but still wanting sex so much with high libido, but unable to act with ED! My greatest complaint about PFS!
Maybe we should start a picture thread and everybody can show their tiny cocktail weenie! Share the misery!
Think mods would allow it? Jim

3 Likes
#77

My knee injury was also a hip injury on the same side and there was a ton of swelling from both. So much so that other than the giant bruise, my left leg looked almost like a normal human leg. All of the empty space from wastage was suddenly filled again and that one part of me was recognizable. The holes and bones were gone and padding was back, at least down to my sock band. Below that it was still skinny like a prosthetic. I could even sleep on my side without pain…the bone on bone discomfort I described upthread was gone. But it was back last night since most of the swelling has gone down.

Surgery is coming up and I’m a bit nervous…healing with PFS is not what it used to be. I wish there was a way to warn the surgeon without scaring him off.

**man, just realized another potential issue here. Last time I had surgery was 2020, pre-pfs and had healthy skin and solid veins supported by subcutaneous fat and muscle. They put the IV in the back of the hand and now my hand is empty dry skin and bone and the veins are mush with no support. God dammit.

#78

I saw a post on YouTube somewhere from a dude who’s pelvis/femur just broke…They couldn’t figure out why then he said his surgeon asked him if he took any medication and he said finasteride…The surgeon told him was probably what caused it due to blocking hormones…

2 Likes
#79

Interesting, sides like that should get more press. In 2017 while on fin I had a mysterious groin/hamstring injury that came on suddenly while walking and took me out of the game for a year. Did MRI, X-Ray, PT, acupuncture, etc and never got a diagnosis. It took a year to resolve which for me was typical of fin sides.

That’s why when I hear about someone on fin who isn’t receptive to warnings I tell them just be on the lookout for new injuries, vision problems, or digestive issues. I imagine there’s a lot of current or ex fin users experiencing this stuff and not making the connection. They probably think ‘my dick works so all is good’.

2 Likes
#80

Day of knee surgery: IV insertion went ok despite my concerns and was not aware of any PFS-specific ill effects. Refused the nerve block based on the PA’s recommendation. Anesthesia worked fast and woke up post-op (not overjoyed but whatever) in a pretty good deal of pain so they gave me the nerve block at that time. Neither the block nor opioids alleviated my pain. I was discharged once alert. I was able to get around on crutches and a hinged brace.

Night 1: Took two doses of two norcos (5/325) four hours apart which had no effect and also naproxen. Also began a 2x/day baby aspirin regimen to prevent blood clot. Went to bed around midnight and could not sleep at all for a while, any time I started to doze I’d jolt awake from the pain…it was a lot like PFS insomnia. I finally got some off and on sleep between 5 and 7am.

Day 2: Worst pain subsided, lower leg still numb. Had a followup and PT where the therapist gave me exercises to get my knee moving. He also talked about preventing atrophy. I was tempted to tell him that ship has sailed but I let it go.

Day 3: As I do my PT stretches to regain knee extension I’m finding it just as challenging sitting on my deflated butt to do these exercises. PFS wastage has left zero firm tissue there so it’s just bone on floor.

Day 4: A lot more bruising than my pre-PFS surgery and this day it had gotten pretty ugly so I went to the clinic to make sure it wasn’t a blood clot. Was kind of torn about this, having a mental DNR/no 911 policy but I was actually more concerned about gangrene or something that would leave me with PFS and an amputated leg. Doc examined it and said it was normal.

Day 5: Naproxen is starting to take its toll on my stomach so cutting down the dosage. Found that an OTC I had was worse in this regard than the high dose prescription one. Kind of lame how formulas can diverge so much for the same medication.

Night 5: Woke up around 5am with a lot of pain so took one and a half of the norcos. It knocked me out pretty good. Seemed to not so much kill the pain as just make me not care about it.

Day 13: Had my two week followup with the PA, she took out my stitches and cleared me for full weight on the leg along with continued brace usage. I’d stopped taking the NSAIDs about a week ago to see if it might help the bruising subside. The bruising did clear up but yesterday I had an increase in pain so I took naproxen this morning and it felt better.

The PA seemed pleased with my progress though the visit notes still indicate poor quad tone…apparently quad rehab is a big factor in knee surgeries. I wonder if at some point they’ll comment on the muscle tone not returning. I may mention that I developed a sudden-onset muscle wasting condition in 2021 and see if they take an interest, I doubt it.

1 Like
#81

I’ve developed patellofemoral syndrome in my surgical knee which will hamper my recovery:
“It’s common in people who participate in sports, especially women and young adults.”
Great, another symptom more common in women to add to the pile.

Also noticed this gem on my latest PT report.
image

This was within a couple weeks of my crash, so my PFS diagnosis as interpreted by my GP. I was considering telling the therapist that I began a sudden onset tissue loss at that time but looks like the well is already poisoned.

4 Likes
#82

Doctors cannot settle up the diagnosis post finasteride syndrome because it has not an ICD 10 entry. So they need an recognized diagnosis for pfs like depression, anxiety. And they need the money, life isn’t cheap and the third horse for the family too.

Alternatives

T88.7: Unspecified adverse effect of drug or medicament.
ICD-10-CM Code for Postprocedural endocrine and metabolic complications and disorders, not elsewhere classified E89
ICD-10-CM Code for Other endocrine disorders E34

But this the pharma cartels representative and the medical mainstream system don’t like very much. Because it’s like a poop on the ultra violet white pharma philanthropic vest. Not even mention an brachial endocrine disruptor by it’s function and it’s permanent side effects.

2 Likes
#83

I can’t keep waking up to this. I had a life, all I wanted was someone to share it with.

My greatest moments now involve drifting in and out of consciousness on the couch as various drugs kick in.

4 Likes
#84

Self-reporting form

Name of the therapy/substance: “M30”
Dosage: half
How often you took it: five times

Status
Still using [x]
Stopped with no lasting change to initial symptoms [ ]
Stopped with persistent change to symptoms [ ]

Duration of use: Days [ ] Months [1.5] Years [ ]

Response when you started:
Greatly improved [ ]
Slightly improved [ ]
Stayed the same [x]
Slightly worsened [ ]
Greatly worsened [ ]

Current response
Greatly improved [ ]
Slightly improved [ ]
Stayed the same [ ]
Slightly worsened [x]
Greatly worsened [ ]

What are my symptoms: silenced AR, progressive muscle waste, tissue loss, and disfigurement, fatigue, no response to alcohol or caffeine
What was I hoping this drug would do: zonk and/or kill me
What did it do: zonked me

Supposedly Oxy laced with fentanyl but these might just be fentanyl laced with food coloring. My earlier review was based on a whole pill and that was more sickening than anything else. I started taking halves in June and it’s a more manageable dose. It’s definitely not calming like norco, fent is an aggressive sort of zonkage. I can see why it kills you, lying there on the couch it almost feels like you have to coax your heart into beating.

But the takeaway is they last a long time, like a good eight hours. Some of it you sleep, some of it you just lie there like you’re floating in space, some of it you wander around in a woozy daze. I would say if you’re at the point where every conscious moment is torture and each day is worse than the last then this is a decent mental break. I’d limit it to half a pill per week but I’m not your mother.

**Update: this is either hit and miss or very sensitive to centigrams. Took another dose yesterday that by weight was ~.01g more than last week’s. It hit hard and while there was some good down time the rest of the evening was not so pleasant. My log entry sums it up:
1:52 that chunk of M which weighed in at .07 or .08
2:50 kickin in like a big wave
3:49 dizzy things in vision moving up
4:33 puked
6:58 headache. not a good dose.
7:49 puked again

Don’t forget to donate

1 Like
#85

It’s crazy how painful wastage is. Last week I had severe pain in the back of my neck and today I can see upper spine bones under the skin that were never visible before as more neck and shoulder tissue has just vanished. I was not a lifter so while my pre-PFS musculature was firm from exercise and activity, the basic visible structure was mostly just genetic. It’s not like I lost mass if I was sedentary due to illness or something.

After almost two years of this it’s hard to remember a body that used to support its own structure simply by ingesting food and letting it go to work. What a piece of magic that was, who knew it was not to be taken for granted.

1 Like
#86

Self-reporting form

Name of the therapy/substance: cocaine
Dosage: a toot
How often you took it: thrice

Status
Still using [x]
Stopped with no lasting change to initial symptoms [ ]
Stopped with persistent change to symptoms [ ]

Duration of use: Days [1] Months [ ] Years [ ]

Response when you started:
Greatly improved [ ]
Slightly improved [x]
Stayed the same [ ]
Slightly worsened [ ]
Greatly worsened [ ]

Current response
Greatly improved [ ]
Slightly improved [ ]
Stayed the same [x]
Slightly worsened [ ]
Greatly worsened [ ]

What are my symptoms: silenced AR, progressive muscle waste, tissue loss, and disfigurement, fatigue, no response to alcohol or caffeine
What was I hoping this drug would do: not sure exactly. coke + pfs is kind of division by zero
What did it do: worked

There’s a backstory to this but I’ll just get to the nuts and bolts. This did what coke does at the intensity and duration one would expect absent PFS. It was a bit of a surprise since I figured low dopamine from PFS compounded by adderall usage might mute a dopamine reuptake inhibiter.

But it did its thing and for the first time in twenty two months I wanted to talk to someone. There was nobody to talk to and it lasted all of twenty minutes but I don’t have many options for mood enhancement these days so I’ll take it.

**update: Sure it’s nasty and wears off fast but it does the job while alcohol and caffeine do not. So coke the job is yours, welcome aboard. You only have to work a couple days a week and don’t look me in the eye.

3 Likes
#87

take a pic and show us how u are

1 Like