Finasteride worse than it seems? [GTFIH]

[Jonas2k7]

Hi guys, I've been lurking for awhile but the time has come for me to post... I really need your help, PLEASE. I don't know what to do anymore and my health and quality of life has been ruined thanks to Finasteride.

LAB ATTACHMENTS ARE INCLUDED IN THIS POST.

I am 27 years old, 5'10, 150lbs. I took Finasteride (Proscar) quartered 1.25mg/day for 11 months when I was 25-26 for hairloss. It has now been 14 months since I quit (cold turkey) and I have still not recovered from the side effects I experienced. This was after I was told by my doctor and MERCK's literature that any side effects would resolve upon discontinuation of the drug.

Prior to Finasteride I was a perfectly healthy 25 yr old guy, I loved to have sex, could get hard at the drop of a hat, was always horny and mentally sharp. Now a year and a half later I'm a shell of my former self, and am STILL experiencing side effects that manifested while on the drug, including:


Sexual:
---------
- Low libido, no primal desire for sex, never horny
- No spontaneous, morning or nocturnal erections
- Numb feeling/lack of sensitivity in penis/balls, rubbery penis
- Penis/nuts extremely wrinkled when flaccid, constantly retreating
- Penile/scrotum shrinkage
- Porn/girls don't turn me on anymore (nothing happens down there)
- Some penis curvature and rotation on axis to left
- Semen volume/shooting distance decrease
- Semen consistency change from thick creamy white before fin, to clear and watery while on fin.... after fin, semen is somewhat thick and sheet yellow/white in color.
- Loss of erections soon after penetration, unable to sustain


Mental:
--------
- Brain fog, difficulty remembering things, forgetfulness
- Stumbling over words, tongue tied, slurring of speech
- Emotional blunting / no feelings
- Lack of energy, interest in hobbies, no passion to do anything anymore


Physical:
--------
Pseudo-gyno


When I quit on October 1, 2005, my dick was shrivelled, totally numb and tingly, and completely lifeless... I couldn't feel anything down there anymore. I couldnt get turned on, my jizz was like water and I felt like I was constantly out of it mentally, and always tired. Also by this point I was experiencing full-blown panic attacks, anxiety, weight gain and the beginnings of puffy nips/gyno (I had major chest pains in month 6 -- should have recognized the signs).

2 weeks after I quit I felt a massive flood of DHT come back into my system. I felt horny and alive again!!! I could get turned on no problem, erections were 100%, jizz volume great, penis/balls were full size.

3 months later by January 2006, the flood of DHT had disappeared and I felt like complete crap... my system had crashed. At this point I got my first labs drawn.


LABS (Canadian values):
-----------------------

1. January 2006 (3 months off):
- low T (12.8 nmo/L, range 8.4-28.7 = 388 in US)
- high TSH (4.54, range 0.30-5.50).

Family doctor refused to believe Finasteride could be causing these problems, said everything was in my head. I knew it wasn't and by this point I had found the Yahoo Finasteride Side Effects forum. I came to realize there were hundreds of other men who had their HPTA screwed by finasteride, and have yet to recover.

2. May 2006 (8 months off) - 2nd blood test:
- T went up to 17.3 (519)
- TSH went down to 2.33
- Estradiol 154 (43 US terms)
- LH 2.0 (2.0-18) ... BORDERLINE
- FSH 2.1 (2.0-18) ... BORDERLINE
- Also had a semen test - came back fertile.

I realized at this point I was experiencing symptoms of secondary hypogonadism. Again my doctor shrugged things off and told me to come back in 6 months.


TODAY:
--------

December 2006 (14 months off):

- Have since seen a world-reknowned Urologist who basically told me this was all in my head and claimed all my values were "normal", yet found it "interesting" that I had no morning, noctunals or spontaneous wood.
- Prescribed me Viagra (at 27!!!) and sent me on my way.

Even though its been 14 months since I quit, I am still experiencing all of the above side effects, and nothing has really improved. My main issue is still the lack of sex drive, penis/nuts shrinkage, reduced ejaculate and difficulty getting erections (due to lack of libido).

I am seeing another local Endo in March but may get new labs before then (they cost me $) to check Estradiol, Total T, TSH, LH, FSH, Prolactin, Progesterone, SHBG, DHT, AST, ALT, DHEA-s, Cortisol, Albumin, and Free Testosterone.

--------------

TREATMENT HELP:

Well, here's where I need your guys' help and expert opinions...

Basically... HOW CAN I GET BACK TO NORMAL? I understand HCG and Clomid can be used to jumpstart the HPTA... but for how long after you've been shutdown? Does anyone even know how or why Fin screws up the HTPA in the first place (besides blocking DHT/T upregulation/extra aromatization to E?)

Based on my last labs, my best guess is to get my Estradiol under control (apparently its high?) to correct the T/E ratio, and see where Prolactin and SHBG are with my next labs. I understand the former can shutdown T production/the latter binds Free T, which is crucial for libido. Hopefully by correcting those hormones LH will be stimulated and T/FSH will rise again?

However, eventually I think I will make an appointment to see Dr John or Shippens in the US. I understand they have experience treating men shutdown my Fin... but if anyone knows a doctor or endo in Canada that has treated Finasteride patientsthen please let me know... I really don't want to have to resort to going on TRT for life (if I could even find a doc willing to work with me on it).


Thanks in advance for any and all insight, I feel like a shell of my former self but I know there must be a way to beat this.

You guys are the best.

https://thinksteroids.com/community/threads/finasteride-5ari-induced-associated-effects.134248317/

TLDR: OP took 1.25mg of Finasteride for 11 months and experienced long-term side effects including:

• low libido, decreased semen production and quality, loss of erections
• lack of energy, brain fog, overall mental issues
• pseudogyno

Just wanted to share this

@Orc @Chintuck22

 

[Always Stay You]

Im nw2 at 20,5 yrs old. Should I hope on in your opinion?

Read what I said in this thread and make your decision

 

[BimaxLaser]

I was on fin as a young teen and got sides while on the drug. My dick grew after and I have matured. And it was so bad I had to have test done by doctors but my development has been "normal" since. The mental sides have remained though and my EQ has been reduced.

Mainly for me its mental sides although my sexual functioning has been permanently diminished by it. I am a completely different person now. Like I said I think of my life as being "pre and post fin". It sounds melodramatic but the mental sides really were that dramatic for me. Like I said im a happy dude and blackpilled from a long time so i would always be reluctant to admit I have this debilitating subhuman mythical syndrome. But what it did to me was just too brutal to try and ignore and cope. Its why I warn people about it. If it werent for me having a happy go lucky temperament i would have probably roped like many do from these side effects.

The single "good" thing about getting PFS young is the neuroplasticity you have as a juvenile supposedly allows for better healing of mental side effects. So although the younger you are the worse the sides, the more chance you have of healing.

How young were you

 

[nuisance]

I was on fin as a young teen and got sides while on the drug. My dick grew after and I have matured. And it was so bad I had to have test done by doctors but my development has been "normal" since. The mental sides have remained though and my EQ has been reduced.

Mainly for me its mental sides although my sexual functioning has been permanently diminished by it. I am a completely different person now. Like I said I think of my life as being "pre and post fin". It sounds melodramatic but the mental sides really were that dramatic for me. Like I said im a happy dude and blackpilled from a long time so i would always be reluctant to admit I have this debilitating subhuman mythical syndrome. But what it did to me was just too brutal to try and ignore and cope. Its why I warn people about it. If it werent for me having a happy go lucky temperament i would have probably roped like many do from these side effects.

The single "good" thing about getting PFS young is the neuroplasticity you have as a juvenile supposedly allows for better healing of mental side effects. So although the younger you are the worse the sides, the more chance you have of healing.

So did you have "the crash" when you got off or did the sides you got on the drug just persist and not change.

Have you adjusted all the possible things in your life that affect libido? Diet, exercise, sunlight, sleep, body weight? Do you suffer from depression?

Saying things like "my sexual functioning has been permanently diminished by it" will hinder your recovery. Performance anxiety is very real and will give you low libido and ED

 

[Orc]

Im nw2 at 20,5 yrs old. Should I hope on in your opinion?

waiting is often a bad idea because hair loss is easier to prevent than fix.

 

[BimaxLaser]

waiting is often a bad idea because hair loss is easier to prevent than fix.

Alright I shall hop on tomorrow then. Thank you my nigga

 

[Always Stay You]

So did you have "the crash" when you got off or did the sides you got on the drug just persist and not change.

Sides kind of gradually worsened on the drug and when I come off they worsened further.

Have you adjusted all the possible things in your life that affect libido? Diet, exercise, sunlight, sleep, body weight? Do you suffer from depression?

Yes I've lived "optimally" and it has helped, not fapping helps libido as well although EQ doesn't improve much. I am not clinically depressed because natural character doesn't permit it but I am joyless due to anhedonia. I am numb and emotionless. It might sound cliche but life lost its "spark", with that spark I guess being some kind of dopamine in the brain. But it is slowly coming back. Every year I am recovering more mentally and seeing improvements, but it is slow progress.

Saying things like "my sexual functioning has been permanently diminished by it" will hinder your recovery. Performance anxiety is very real and will give you low libido and ED

Yes this mindset is very important I agree thanks for reminding me. But think something is still wrong hormonally which contributes to persistent side effects. I think my hormones must have crashed and still not recovered. They need something to kick them into gear but I am going to test my levels to confirm this. I will try HCG or progesterone or something later this year.

Although it is very experimental, some people have "cured" pfs with hcg or prog.

Did you take finasteride and get sides? Maybe not the syndrome but any side?

 

[nuisance]

Sides kind of gradually worsened on the drug and when I come off they worsened further.



Yes I've lived "optimally" and it has helped, not fapping helps libido as well although EQ doesn't improve much. I am not clinically depressed because natural character doesn't permit it but I am joyless due to anhedonia. I am numb and emotionless. It might sound cliche but life lost its "spark", with that spark I guess being some kind of dopamine in the brain. But it is slowly coming back. Every year I am recovering more mentally and seeing improvements, but it is slow progress.



Yes this mindset is very important I agree thanks for reminding me. But think something is still wrong hormonally which contributes to persistent side effects. I think my hormones must have crashed and still not recovered. They need something to kick them into gear but I am going to test my levels to confirm this. I will try HCG or progesterone or something later this year.

Although it is very experimental, some people have "cured" pfs with hcg or prog.

Did you take finasteride and get sides? Maybe not the syndrome but any side?

Yea im on it right now and do have some sides.

I actually made a post about stopping it (I only did for like three days) like last week due to low libido but I fixed a couple of things since then.

Im hopefully it was not caused by finasteride since the last three months I've been on a very hard cut 1300-1500 calories per day and I think that's the reason why. Also not in very good mental state due to rotting in my room studying for a very important certification I need. I think that is why but ill see. I upped my calories and hung out with my friends and it seems to have gotten a lot better.

One definite side effect though is nipple sensitivity/gyno its on and off for the last 6 months and it doesn't seem to go away for long. Ive been on it for 6 months and only noticed low libido month 5 which makes me think its probably due to low calories and slight depression. The gyno pain has been there since the first week but I cant say if there is growth or not in the last six months.

 

[nuisance]

Sides kind of gradually worsened on the drug and when I come off they worsened further.



Yes I've lived "optimally" and it has helped, not fapping helps libido as well although EQ doesn't improve much. I am not clinically depressed because natural character doesn't permit it but I am joyless due to anhedonia. I am numb and emotionless. It might sound cliche but life lost its "spark", with that spark I guess being some kind of dopamine in the brain. But it is slowly coming back. Every year I am recovering more mentally and seeing improvements, but it is slow progress.



Yes this mindset is very important I agree thanks for reminding me. But think something is still wrong hormonally which contributes to persistent side effects. I think my hormones must have crashed and still not recovered. They need something to kick them into gear but I am going to test my levels to confirm this. I will try HCG or progesterone or something later this year.

Although it is very experimental, some people have "cured" pfs with hcg or prog.

Did you take finasteride and get sides? Maybe not the syndrome but any side?

Im gonna be honest anhedionia/ being numb and emotionless is depression whether its caused by hormones or not.

I had pretty bad depression on and off in my life and that's exactly what it feels like. You are not sad when depressed you lack feelings and joy.

 

[20/04/2008]

https://thinksteroids.com/community/threads/finasteride-5ari-induced-associated-effects.134248317/

TLDR: OP took 1.25mg of Finasteride for 11 months and experienced long-term side effects including:

• low libido, decreased semen production and quality, loss of erections
• lack of energy, brain fog, overall mental issues
• pseudogyno

Just wanted to share this

@Orc @Chintuck22

No shit even a single google search would have explain that to you
Your literraly blocking the most androgenic compound in the human body like tf
Also dht is regulating your estrogen
So now you have no dht your estrogen is high and your testosterone is high because you blocked dht then get back to moderate levels because of your estrogen

 

[Always Stay You]

Im gonna be honest anhedionia/ being numb and emotionless is depression whether its caused by hormones or not.

I had pretty bad depression on and off in my life and that's exactly what it feels like.

Ig fin gave me depression then. I don't feel sad just joyless. Did fin give you depression?

 

[nuisance]

Ig fin gave me depression then. I don't feel sad just joyless. Did fin give you depression?

No, I actually am in a better place right now because I've been dealing with hair loss since I was 18 and when I got on it it felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulders. I didn't want to go outside for like two years even though honestly my hairloss isn't even that bad yet it was just like a mental cage.

Again its entirely possible that fin caused some chemical imbalances or something but its worth a shot to try and look deeper. Do you have any hobbies other then something like gaming? Do you go out often? Do you have a community of people that you can hang out and rely on. Do you find doing simple day to day tasks to be easy?

If the answer is no to any of those it would be working on those things and seeing if it will help. Depression symptoms match a lot of the pfs symptoms even the sexual ones.

 

[Heatmiser]

stfu and keep taking the pill and forget its existence

 

[Heatmiser]

tbh i read couple of pages and shit myself