Was playing Russian roulette

[Kelld56]

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
What is your current age, height, weight?
27, 6-1, 235
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/every other day on and off
What condition was being treated with the drug?
hair loss
For how long did you take the drug (weeks/months/years)?
4months
Date when you started the drug?
2020 Jan
Date when you quit the drug?
2022 Dec, 31
Age when you quit?
27
How did you quit (cold turkey or taper off)?
old turkey
How long into your usage did you notice the onset of side effects?
3 days into it
What side effects did you experience that have yet to resolve since discontinuation?
erectile dysfunction
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
[ ] Loss of Libido / Sex Drive( Still there but kinder low)
[ ] Erectile Dysfunction( idk about this one I can still have sex most times when I’m arose with a pretty good erection, just feels off though)
[ ] Complete Impotence
[ X] Loss of Morning Erections(somewhat soft)
[ ] Loss of Spontaneous Erections(again when arose ot comes on.
[X ] 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
[ ] Extreme Anxiety / Panic Attacks
[ ] 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”
[ ] Vision - Acuity Decrease / Blurriness
[ ] Tinnitus (ringing or high pitched sound in ears)
[ ] Hearing loss
[ ] Increased hair loss
[ ] Frequent urination
[ ] Lowered body temperature

[ ] Other (please explain)

What (if any) treatments have you undertaken to recover from your side effects since discontinuation of the drug?

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.
Okay so basically I stated using finestride around December 2019, I took finestride for first two days the first week then quit for a couple of week because I was scared. Then took half a pill after the first try then quit because I felt side. Lastly I took finestride for three days then quit that year. Into 2020 I don’t remember really touching finestride like that or in 2021 that much. I would try here and there but never really stay consistent on the medication. It wouldn’t be until 2022 in which I would be on finestride a little more consistently, would be from Feb to April/May I would be more on track but quit, and went to a 3 times per week around August to beginning of December with me finally quitting.

I guess what I’m trying to say i have been on finestride very infrequently. Each time side effect had went away except this recent one this is the longest one. I was off the medication for two week, for the following two week i was good then, the next two weeks everything crash.

So from the crash it’s been about 3weeks
From the date I officially quit finestride it’s been a bout 5/6weeks
Self-reporting template - ONLY USE FOR FUTURE POSTS TO REPORT ANY TRIALS OF TREATMENTS, NOT YOUR INITIAL MEMBER STORY

Name of the therapy/substance:
Dosage:
How often you took it:
Status
Still using [ ]
Stopped with no lasting change to initial symptoms [ ]
Stopped with persistent change to symptoms [ ]
Duration of use: Days [ ] Months [ ] Years [ ]
Response when you started:
Greatly improved [ ]
Slightly improved [ ]
Stayed the same [ ]
Slightly worsened [ ]
Greatly worsened [ ]
Current response (if you’re still using the therapy/substance) OR Response in the time before you stopped the treatment
Greatly improved [ ]
Slightly improved [ ]
Stayed the same [ ]
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 [ ]

[Wintermoon]

Hey there @Kelld56 ,

Thanks for reaching out to us and sharing your experience with adverse effects with us.

Please be aware that there’s a good chance you might still recover from these in the near future if you’ve quit using it only recently.

Our experience is that the symptoms usually subside within 3-6 months.
Although unfortunately that isn’t true for everyone.

Could you tell us a little bit more about your situation?

I hope that your situation will improve in the coming weeks/months, in the meantime, please take good care of yourself.

[Kelld56]

So I’ve been on oral finasteride on and off for about three years. Each time got sides, which usually disappear in about 3 weeks. This time I had recently switched to tropical two weeks after discontinuing oral. I only used tropical for about three days and got sides and quit. Sides lasted two weeks, then stop for a whole about 11days , then came back! It’s been like this ever since. I know I was playing Russian roulette with finestride, but I never thought it would be the tropical version that would end it for me!! So and in all I’ve been around finasteride on and off for three years with tropical finasteride being the end of it.

[Wintermoon]

Unfortunately, there are multiple reports of people using finasteride in a topical form still experiencing lasting side effects. Indeed whether you consume finasteride via systemic/oral consumption or topical application seems to not make a difference in terms of safety and risk of side effects.

[IrishLegend]

I was on oral finasteride for 20 years there abouts with no issues

At the start of lockdown I switched to topical as I was reading more and of people getting better results

I indeed did get better results with my hair but it came with a bucket load of horrible sides which lead me to find this site.

If I could give you one piece of advice wait it out and don’t experiment with supplements to try improve things unless like the basics vitamins or minerals

I took one DIM supplement, DHT blocker(I wasn’t aware at the time) and my penal shrinkage remerged after having previously resolved

I took two Tribulus capules to try improve it and made things much worse.

NEVER EVER take Tribulus especially if it contains protodioscin.

[Kelld56]

It’s been like six weeks of this thing with no even hope of it returning to normal. Starting to get depressed

[Bruce]

Based on my personal experience and understanding, the damages that have incurred when taking Fin/Dut/SP/etc. are probably based around the nerves in the brain. As we understand, nerves take a long, long time to heal. If you are to expect recovery, depending on the severity of the damage, it may take a year or so. Again, this isn’t proven fact with how PFS works because no one really understands it. It could be a slew of nerves and hormones that have been discombobulated. For me, it took about a year to recover from my side effects.

[lakehouse]

I got better after a year

Regarding mental symptoms (I don’t have sexual sides)

Hang in there

You got this disease when there’s a lot of exciting news coming up. Time to cowboy up and contribute to progress

[Kelld56]

Update: so it’s been about 41days or so. Suddenly got my Nocturnal erection back for the past two night. And was about to get a strong erection when aroused by my girl for along time. Funny though bu the time she was ready I Suddenly for what reason wasn’t interested and couldn’t get it up to perform lol

[Kelld56]

Has anyone here had a Nocturnal erection test?

[Kelld56]

So I get Nocturnal and morning erections, bit none during the day. Is this still PFS. Sexaul issues is the only thing I have

[Kelld56]

Might have crash again

[Kelld56]

Was able to get a morning erection, but still no Spontaneous erection

[Gmikester]

Sounds like you’ll be recovered eventually. How long have you been off fin now. Sides can be so much worse.

[Kelld56]

Hello so tho keep this short three months ago I had crash using topical finasteride. Sides was ED for three months, now my penis seems to be coming back at almost the exact three months. Still not at 100% I’ll say about 60-70% could this be a sign of recovery? Anyone can relate

Side not during the crash it seem my DHT was low the entire time off of fin 10 references range (12-70) now it’s finally at 32 and that’s when the sides started to subside. Anyone can relate?

[Kelld56]

So for the past three months my DHT levels was low below reference range. So just act the three month level my DHT levels finally return to normal with symptoms slightly better but not at 100% all sexual. Anyone else or any thought?

[Kelld56]

Update:

3 1/2 months in

Sexually; it’s been horrible, can’t get no erection anymore. Also has no libdo anymore. Only good thing is that my penis shrinkage has gotten better

Mental: these past few days depression was at its highest. Lack motivation. Today though I feel pretty good. So atleast I think mental I getting better

[PeaceHugs]

It seems like yo-yo recoveries are how this goes. Hopefully time will bring more healing.

[Kelld56]

So I’ve been dealing with PFS for four months, what’s interesting I only used topical for three days prior pfs. Before used I tested my DHT which was 35, and three months later after pfs it was 10! So it’s possible finasteride kept it down for three months!? Now it’s back to 32?

[PeaceHugs]

It’s my understanding that Finasteride permanently binds to 5a-reductase. So the only way to get 5ar back is for our bodies to create more. I forget where I read the amount of time it takes to generate it, but I got the impression at the time that it’s more than three months before 5ar would be anywhere near the pre-fin level again. And then who knows how long it takes body tissues to respond to DHT being back. So, mainly, we’re healing from a huge, catastrophic injury. Things like that take time. And, some guys say they still see improvements a year off the drug or more. I’m at almost 5.5 months off fin. I’m trying to hold out for the year mark before making future plans. With that said, I haven’t had much of a recovery. But I am better now than I was at only 1 month off.