Years in hell

Member Stories
#1

I found this forum in the last thursday and now i decided to post. Excuse me for my english, i’m brazilian and i don’t speak english very well.

My story with fin began in july 2004, i took it by myself and in the fourth month i felt sexual sides. I could not make sex with my ex-girlfriend. I stopped and ten days after my sides were gone. I tried again some months later and the sides came after one month on and last more time to leave. During 2004 i tried to take two more times and the sides came quickly, more strongs and last more. Now i can see that were not only sexual side effects(no libido at all and incapacity to make sex) but also mental sides like irritation, mood swings.

In march 2005, few months after the last try on fin the side effects began without the medicine. I had no libido and could not make sex. In june i experienced huge depression.

Since then 'till now my symptoms are: no libido, depression, very weak energy, no motivation to do anything, feeling of separation to the world and with my past, dark circles under the eyes, fatigue, very very rare and weak nocturnal and morning erections. very weak memory, almost total social isolation. I’m living like a zombie since then and my life is a hell.

First i thought that my problems were psychological and tried therapy for one year. Then, more one year in antidepressants (fluoxetine, venlafaxine, buproprion and others. No changes. Tried testosterone replacement by myself for 7 weeks and nothing.

Last week i was in internet and found the expression: “finasteride permanent side effects”. It drop like a bomb on me. I never believed in the “2% merck’s story” but i never thought that the sides could be permanent and start months after quitting the drug! Now all makes sense for me! Looking back, i can see that my symptons began while i took the drug ang worsed after i quit. This drug made me change and live a miserable life.

I would appreciate some advices of you guys. I know that my case is not a case of spontaneous recovery cause my symptoms just worse with time and it is too much time since i took this shit. I will fight a new battle but at least i know who is my enemy.

I posted my tests in the section of tests:

propeciahelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=858

Thank God i found this forum!

#2

I forgot to say that i was 20 when i began with fin and i am 24 now.

#3

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#4

Dude, I have had stints on Anti-D’s (SSRI’s), and they are NOT always stupid to prescribe them. They can help people out tremendously, especially through hard times. I wouldn’t recommend them indefinitely/I wouldn’t want to live on them, but they can definitely help people get through hard times. If he was dysfunctional depressed, it very well could have helped him get through the mess.
They can also sometimes help you identify your strengths and weaknesses, look at the problems from an outside perspective, and really help to calm people down. They really work.
I don’t know where you read your medical literature, or what form of medicine you practice, and I’m sure most of us would agree that Anti-D’s are often way over prescribed, however, they are also considered a wonder drug, can help people live a better quality of life, and in some instances can help save people’s lives!

Peace

#5

Some SSRI’s are also linked to permanent sexual dysfunction, so be wary.

#6

To butt in here, plenty. In fact, you can count the amount of Doctors who believe Propecia can cause long-term side effects on one hand. We display in-range levels of hormones with the occasional low or high levels, and serious mental and sexual difficulties. Doctors only patch up what seems to be leaking without looking at why.

Besides, the psychiatric medical community is a bunch of vultures.

#7

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#8

while on the subject of anti-depressants. Do you think certain anti-depressants have long term effects after you stop taking them? I took anti-depressants and stimulants for about 6 years (I was about 13 when I started and I stopped when I was 18, I am 20 now) straight before weening myself off of them. The last thing I was taking was Prozac and provigil. I seemed to recover from withdrawal but I am wondering if all that couldve permanently messed up my hormones ( although my libido seemed fine until now), thus making it worse for me to be taking propecia, which i quit about 4 days ago after taking it for 5 days.

#9

Guys, after 6 years i can say i’m recovered. Writing this topic is like if i were taking 1 ton from my back.

This is my story until september 2007:

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=857

I lived a living hell for 4 years since i quit fin. Depression, no libido, no motivation to do anything, no sex life. I had no life. During this time, i tried all sort of things to recover, i went to dozens of doctors (endocrinologists, psychologists, psychiatrics, infectologists, neurologists and others), took a bunch of medicines as well. Every drug and that was mentioned here i tried. I tried TRT (600 mg per week), antiestrogen, antidepressants, creatine, acupunture, homeopathy, and a lot of other stuffs that i can’t remember… No one of them worked, or did any difference. Actually i was very lucky that i had no damage from these drus that i tried.

I started to improve spontaneouslly after 4 years. My depression and brainfog started to disappear, and i started to be more motivated and feel more energy. I did nothing for that, it was natural, a spontaneous recovery. Last year i started dating and had sex after 5 years! Now i have a normal life, have fun, i’m active. I’m not dating anymore but i have two permanent sex partners :stuck_out_tongue:

i can’t say i am 100% recovered cause i’m not so active and so horny as i was before taking propecia, but it doesn’t bother me at all today, i got my life back and i am pretty happy and motivated.

I want to thank all you guys who have written in this forum. Your words have helped me so much during those hard times. And i want to thank specially Mew, for mantaining this website and for struggling for a solution to our problem.

And i want to say for everybody who is suffering with the fin sides to not lose hope. Probably i was one of the guys with the most devastating side effects, that last for years, but even so they disappeared. As i said for braziliandude, this tunnel has an end, for some like me the tunnel is long, but without a shadow of doubt one day you left it behind and see the sunlight.

Thank you again, and my heart is with you.

2 Likes
I'm at two year mark
#10

Thanks for the update Matis and congratulations on your recovery. The thing I find most hopeful in your recovery is that your body finally recovered naturally. I won’t say that I’ve given up, but I have come to the conclusion that probably the only way I’m going to recover is if my body somehow rights it’s self. I still take a few supplements a day, but mostly healthy things like vitamins (B & D), and minerals (zinc occasionally, calcium). I’ve never eaten or lived as healthy in my life, but so far not too much improvement. Do you take any supplements these days?

#11

Matis, did you have lots of sexual problems like a shrunken penis, no libido, little ejaculation, and depression that eventually got better? I am currently taking lots of meds like clomid and arimidex right now and i feel physically stronger but that is it right now.
Please keep posting your recovery really gives us hope

#12

Great news! thanks for reporting back :slight_smile:

Did you have any shrinkage? has this reversed?

Cheers!

#13

Thank you so much for coming back and letting us all know Matis

#14

I have shrinkage too and I’d be interested in hearing if that has reversed. So far I havn’t seen any recoveries where it was reverted back to normal.

Seems the shrinkage/sexual side effects of this never go away completely but the depression and brain fog do subside somewhat. Obviously if you went back 100% in size and libido yours might be a very important case study.

Anyway, glad you’re feeling better.

#15

Congratulations matis, you were not a regular poster but I remember you and how you were even going to try HGH at one point, so things must have been pretty bad.

I would be interested in hearing you describe how bad your ED, libido loss and brain fog was at your worst and how much you have improved. While I don’t think time is a healer for the majority of us, some symptoms aside, your recovery does offer hope to a few and I am genuinely happy for you.

#16

can you try to remember specific lifestyle choices you decided up to one month before your recovery? like what did you diet look like, what did you eat, what kind of exercise did you do, what kind of things were you involved in, etc? any kind of information that sticks out in your mind is helpful in this.

#17

Simply Brilliant. I am so happy for you. See all, anything is possible! There is ALWAYS a solution, to everything.

#18

i have shrinkage too, can i ask you about it? Does it affect length or girth or both? When do you notice it, resting, in erection or both? Does it affect penile consistency too?

#19

I would imagine the shrinkage we all experience is very similar. It shrinks in girth, length, skin and tissue feels sort of dead, penis rotates on it’s axis, it goes all wrinkly and tight in the middle, loss of healthy color etc etc.

#20

@MATIS

Congratulations! I am so happy for you and you must feel like you have been given a second chance at life. I wish you good health and happiness everlasting.

I cannot help but be curious, have you regained the ability to FEEL your orgasm? Before finasteride I could feel my orgasm from head to toe and it was truly wonderful, but now there is no good feeling whatsoever.

Anyways, I am very happy for you. May you live a long and happy life.