What are my chances?

Stop all vitamins that you are taking.

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Stopped all vitamins last week.

are you share you didnt take fin? I had the exact same symptom today, my left knee was hurting a lot (i did walk more than usual today). But it was that typical FIN pain, more like a throbbing/burning sensation.

Just took Saw Palmetto

I have been taking my dog on a long walk every day for the past week or two, which could’ve made things worse, my pain feels like arthritis and my knees click.

yes, same feeling I have. But is it constant or does it go away? Mine seems to pop up and go away.

Only noticeable when moving/walking. If I stay in bed it goes away.

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My sexual function has indeed improved to a small degree (morning erections have fully returned and persist) but things have since seemingly plateaued and my libido is still completely nuked. A fundamental primal desire wholly erased.

It’s not even the loss of sexual pleasure that I morn, but the loss of creativity, zest and passion for life that comes with one’s libido. I am struggling to keep up with my hobbies and have lost interest in all of my long term academic plans and pursuit of a meaningful career. Life now feels constantly flat and dull. I feel only apathy and regret, I cannot even cry or feel sadness, merely wallow apathy and regret.

Moreover, I am haunted by the idea that this change is potentially permanent. No more relationships, no wife and kids, no family of my own - just another 60-70 years of living alone filled with apathy and regret. I know it’s still early days and I said I wouldn’t return for a while, but as the clock ticks my hope diminishes bit by bit, hour by hour. I have been seriously l fantasising about suicide and though I won’t act on my impulses yet (and perhaps never will) the idea is more real now than it has ever been previously. This is a cry for help.

Brother I feel your pain, but think of all the other physical symptoms PFS members here have.
Im having a frickin fridge in my ear thats buzzin 24/7 for 6 weeks straight now.
Thats something to kill your self over, I wish it was ‘just’ low libido.

Try to see things into prespective, things could/can be much worse.

EDIT: you can supplement or workout to see if it has a positive impact on your libido, I cant do shit to turn the volume of my tinnitus down.

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That does sound awful. I’m sorry to hear of the suffering you’re going through and hope things get better for you and for all of us in general.
You’re right, things could be a lot worse for me and I do feel lucky that I’m a pretty mild case, though it’s still a very difficult thing to deal with and I have always had a pessimistic mindset which holds me back. One of my main problems is that I’m finding it hard to remain positive and hard to find any meaning in my suffering.

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I have some interesting updates:

I got my blood tested last week and it has been found that I have high prolactin (about 5 times the normal range), though everything else is within normal range. I am going to see an endocrinologist in two weeks time.

Hyperprolactinaemia by itself can cause the kind of sexual dysfunction that I am experiencing. It also worthy of note that my symptoms only really arose after I started supplementing my use of topical SP with minoxidil, and interestingly enough, there are several anecdotes of people who have suffered from hyperprolactinaemia and subsequently sexual dysfunction from minoxidil use (which luckily resolved after they got their prolactin levels back in order). Indeed, minoxidil is an antihypertensive and hyperprolactinaemia is a potential side effect of antihypertensives, but at the same time I’m aware SP and even minoxidil can induce real PFS.

What I’m trying to determine now is whether my problems can be attributed to PFS/a PFS-like illness (with my high prolactin levels being a secondary consequence thereof), or whether I’m simply suffering from medication-induced hyperprolactinemia. I’m really hoping it is the latter. Will post updates in a couple of weeks.

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I also had high prolactin and low testosterone the first time I had a bloodtest done with my endocrinologist. The second time it came down and testerone was in normal range. I started doing cold showers every day before the second test, maybe that has anything to do with it, but I am not sure. My doctor send me home after the second test because i was fine according to him even though my issues remained… I do not know if there is any other testing that can be done to find other issues related to elavated prolactin, but you should really push your doctor and demand to do tests, because else they will send you home as quick as they can

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Did your condition improve after getting your prolactin and test back in range?

I guess the best thing I can do rn is to push ahead with tests as you suggest and get my prolactin levels back to normal.
If things don’t improve after that, then it’s likely that something else is causing the problem.

No my symptoms remained, but I’ve always been curious why it was that high. But your symptoms are way less extreme than mine, maybe that also helps your case.

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Alright lads, so it has been three months now, and I’m only around 50% better, definitely not how I was before but I have improved, so, it’s safe I haven’t made a full recover but still I can accept this.

I mean, I’m definitely a lot better than before my crash, maybe half better as I said, though I feel like I have ‘meaningfully recovered’. I got my libido back (just the feeling of losing this and going asexual was absolutely terrifying as a 21 year old) and have an interest in girls again, thank God, also I have gotten over the depression and anxiety and all other horrible mental sides of this - I’m living a normal life, working, doing my hobbies and meeting people again.
My default state feels “happy” again, after my crash I felt like I had been stripped of all possible emotions and felt like a walking zombie, I could not feel happiness or deep sadness or any strong emotions, just a kind of generalised feeling of melanocholy and regret. This was perhaps one of the worst things. But now I feel like myself again, am feeling emotion again, and just enjoying life again. On the downside, and yeah I feel kinda embarassed by this lol but I still have mild ED, but anyway I decided to accept this and will just use cialis if/when I get into another relationship with a girl, and I have semi-decently function without so what the hell. And anyway, at least my libido and emotions and zest for life are back, I feel like I’ve got a chance again.

And tbh, life goes on, I’ve taken a bullet but not a cannonball. I have realised that I have PFS but I have it mildly and can probably get by in life while sto;; doing my best to promote a full recovery meanwhile.

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So good to hear you’re doing well. I hope you continue to get better and reach full recovery. I’m still interested in hearing updates about your prolactin levels, because I’m in a similar position.

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Thanks man, hope you’re doing well too

I went for more extensive blood tests recently but strangely the hospital hasn’t gotten back to me yet, I’ll probably phone my doctor sometime this week and ask about the results

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November was a great month for me symptom-wise and I felt like I was on my way to reach a true recovery, but, I ended up going to a house party and getting drunk and I feel like I have been set back to square one again. My symptoms rn are the worst they have been since my initial crash. It’s strange, alcohol seems to help certain people, but has destroyed me.

I’m going teetotal from now on and not touching any for at least 6 months of feeling 100%. Will drop another update in a week.

What did you drink @Northumbrian?

Whiskey

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Its a killer mate. I was JD drinker but even a sip makes me worse now.

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