PROPECIAHELP: Persistent Finasteride Propecia Proscar side effects info & discussion forum

Hi all!!

0) Where are you from (country)? Germany

1) 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.
2) What is your current age, height, weight? 32 173 cm 65Kg had 70Kg

3) Do you excercise regularly? If so, what type of excercise? Did. weightlifting

4) What type of diet do you eat (vegetarian, meat eater, raw, fast-food/organic healthy)? meat...just chicken. a lot of fish

5) Why did you take Finasteride (hair loss, BPH, other)? Hair loss

6) For how long did you take Finasteride (weeks/months/years)? 1 DAY!!!

7) How old were you, and WHEN (date) did you start Finasteride? 32

8) How old were you when you quit, and WHEN (date) did you quit? 32

9) How did you quit (cold turkey or taper off)? cold turkey

10) What type of Finasteride did you use – Propecia, Proscar, Fincar or other generic? Propecia

11) What dose did you take (eg. 1 mg/day, 1 mg every other day etc.)? 0,5 mg

12) How long into your use of Finasteride did you notice the onset of side effects? 2 Hours later, pain in Testicels

13) What side effects did you experience while on the drug that have yet to resolve since discontinuation?

Put an X beside all that apply:

Sexual
[x] Loss of Libido / Sex Drive
[x] Erectile Dysfunction
[ ] Complete Impotence
[x] Loss of Morning Erections
[x] Loss of Spontaneous Erections
[ ] Loss of Nocturnal Erections
[ ] Watery Ejaculate
[ ] Reduced Ejaculate
[ ] Inability to Ejaculate / Orgasm
[ ] Reduced Sperm Count / Motility

Mental
[ ] Emotional Blunting / Emotionally Flat
[ ] Difficulty Focusing / Concentrating
[ ] Confusion
[ ] Memory Loss / Forgetfullness
[ ] Stumbling over Words / Losing Train of Thought
[ ] Slurring of Speech
[ ] Lack of Motivation / Feeling Passive / Complacency
[x] Extreme Anxiety / Panic Attacks
[x] Depression / Melancholy

Physical
[x ] Penile Tissue Changes (narrowing, shrinkage, wrinkled)
[ ] Penis curvature / rotation on axis
[ ] Testicular Pain
[x] Testicular Shrinkage / Loss of Fullness
[x] Genital numbness / sensitivity decrease
[ ] Weight Gain
[ ] Gynecomastia (male breasts)
[x] Muscle Wastage
[ ] Muscle Weakness
[x] Joint Pain
[ ] Dry / Dark Circles under eyes

Misc
[x] Prostate pain
[ ] Persistent Fatigue / Exhaustion
[ ] Stomach Pains / Digestion Problems
[ ] Constipation / "Poo Pellets"
[ ] Vision - Acuity Decrease / Blurriness
[x] Increased hair loss
[ ] Frequent urination
[x] Lowered body temperature

[x] Other (please explain)
Strange Skin on scrotum and Penis, the Male "smell" is gone cold head of the penis, extrem sweating, change of Bloodpreasure and heartbeat. Had. normal 80 130/80 now even when doing nothing 120 100/60


14) What (if any) treatments have you undertaken to recover from your side effects since discontinuation of the drug?
D-Asparaginacid and Resveratrol. Arginin, aminoacids, Multivitamins.

15) If you have pre or post-Finasteride bloodtests, what hormonal changes have you encountered since discontinuing the drug (pls post your test results in the "Blood Tests" section and link to them in your post)?

16) Anything not listed in the above questions you'd like to share about your experience with Finasteride?

17) Tell us your story, in your own words, about your Finasteride usage and side effects experienced while on/off the drug.´

I had severe hair loss and was all in all, an extreme testosterone bomb. My libido was very strong. Since I've worked for a time in urology, I asked some urologists is whether it is safe. They all said yes, we prescribe that for a long time at high doses, and all the side effects go away.
I also looked in our medicine book. no lasting side effects.
Also a statement of the German Endokinologie said, it is safe.
My dermatologist also told me nothing will happen ..
Wrong!
After the first pill I had pain in the testicles .... and it seemed to me the whole thing was no longer worth it.
I stopped immediately. 2 days later my little friend was numb. But it was quickly better. 12 days later I was again a testosterone bomb and my penis was even greater than before. 14 days later ... I sit on the couch and watch a movie and suddenly get a panic attack. From there it was all from the mountain. A few days later it was better. then worse again.
I've been to three urologists one was of a Prof. from our house.
Before my finasteride androstenedione and DHT was very high and my testicular volume was measured in our clinic. After finasteride was only the half of my volume, but I was told it's normal. Suddenly, in 1.5 months? only the half? Normal? No one believed me. Also, my testosterone was the half. LH and FSH also low and E2 high. But all in range....a low range. Also a friend of me a uni prof. of endocrinology did not believe me. so hope it will again. But I have some more good conections, who might help. Yesterday, I had my first erotic dream and woke up with an erection.
For the time I take resveratrol and aspartic acid, and believe me it helps a little. But I have day by day ups and down and most of the time I just want to die. I have a very wonderfull girlfriend who ist a very very big support for me. But i dont know, how I should go on like this.

You had 1 pill? 2 times half a pilll? Wow. Sorry to hear this it seems you did you research before taking it.

Do you have your before and after blood tests.

Brainbug, welcome to the forum. Your story seems very interesting. You only took 1 pill right? and are you a doctor?

Hi,

Thanks! Yes, just took one of this shit. I feel like the walking sideefect. Well, I´m a Idiot.

I just took a half, 0,5mg and even just to test, if it lowers a bit my very bad eye problems. I wasn´t able to look anymore, because my meibom glandulars produced to much. I read it lowers it a bit. It worked...but my eyes are not dry...now my eyes are slowly getting back and my head starts itch again sometimes. 3 days ago....i was reading and not thinking of all this shit. i went up and my Penis was looking totaly normal. Than it all went away. The next night I had my first "nice dream" and woke up with a hard one. Sometimes its better sometimes is worst. Even the pain in the lower back and Penis and Prostata. But all in all atm its not so bad, how it was 3 weeks ago.

yes, I did before:

Date: 17.11.11 (8:00) 22.3.12 (8:00)
Ref. before: after:
Testosteron 1.32-9.05 ng/ml 5.99 3.74 ▼
Fr. Androgenindex 7,5-55(ľg/nmol) 54.6 40.4 ▼
LH 1.7-8.6 mU/ml 4.0 3.0 ▼ now lower
FSH 1.5-12.4 mU/ml 3.5 3.1 ▼
SHBG 13 - 71 nmol/ 38.1 32.1 ▼
Estradiol 7.6-43 pg/ml 16.0 19.0 ▲
DHT 400-990 pg/ml 815 756 ▼
Androstendion 30-310 ng/dl (/ml) 643.6 4.2 (15.2.12) 3.6(26.3.12)
DHEA-S 150 -400 µg/dl 358.9 kA
Cortisol 2.3-19.4 µg/dl kA 25.0
Prolaktin 4.6-21.4 ng/ml kA 11.9 (15.2.12)

Well, for one brainbug, you're no idiot. You trusted the doctors, your peers, and the FDA to keep you safe. That's more assurance than I'm sure many of us had before taking this drug. Now in reading your labs, I'm having kind of a difficult time interpreting the values. Why are the units for the Testosterone range so small? Does anyone know if they be expanded to meet the ranges we're (or at least I'm) more familiar with (i.e. 280-800)?

Regardless, your test seems low but I can't really tell for certain. And I'm pretty sure it's a good thing that your DHT is on the higher end. I'm still very new to the research and mechanisms behind everything but I think a higher DHT level would mean less issues relating to DHT will occur (e.g. popping, sore joints).

Sorry that you've befallen the same abuses of trust that we here all have, but we're pleased to make your acquaintance. Good luck on your recovery and be sure to keep us all posted!

I find it strange you SHBG has gone down. Estrogens increase SHBG and androgens decrease it. Can not understand what it means that yours has gone down.

hi

and thanks for the reply.

@Domino:

The values depent on the Lab. ng/ml know what i mean?
Well my DHT was much higher before. I dont know how it is now. But I have hope i will recover in a few month, when my T will raise normaly. I think its not a Problem of DHT, more a Problem of the AR.

@vincenTV:
Yes, that is realy strange! E2 normaly raises SHGB. But who says SHGB is bad?
I can´t remeber, but i read in some book, that SHGB ist just kinda Taxi that brings the T or DHT to the cell. Anyway its very Strange. My androstendion was very very high, dont know why it was so high before. But my hope is, that my body will raise it again.

Update:
The last day´s has been a up and down. We went out 2 Days ago and i was feeling very good.
My penis was hanging lose all the time and not so shrunken and hard.
The next Day was not so good, all the time panik and exrem sweating hands.
Since 3 or 4 days, it´s kinda a weird to say, but my Scrotalskin seems to be feel more normal and is smels like before fin. My glans isn´t cold anymore since 3 weeks now. Only sometimes for a few min. Penis smal and hard most of the Time but it doesnt feel so numb anymore. Sometimes hurt a lil bit. My head starts to itch sometimes again and my eyes seems to produce stuff.
The prostata pain seem to be gone for a while abut 3 weeks, than returns before 3 days just very soft. Now its been gone. Since 3 Days.
I dont have to pee all the time and the flow is much stronger.
Libido is some still there, when I look at my girlfriend she makes me still horny somehow.
But the pain in my lower back was worst yesterday.
I was at my Doc today. she belives me and want to help.
I had a call with a scientist from USA today a very smart and cool guy. He know a lot of AR and he will have a look at our/my Problem. This gives me a bit hope.

I know when my e2 goes up my SHBG does. I have determined this from testing. If you SHBG went down and your E2 went up this would increase your free E2. SHBG is not bad or good like any other hormone. You could do a siliva e2 test.

This is crazy, I can't believe one pill did this. Do you live an extremely stressed life or something? I bet breaking the pill and taking may have something to do with it. It says the active ingredient is protected by the outer coating. Maybe you got a big dosage by doing that.

@vincentv:

Yes, thaty, why im may be so depresst. May be i should try to lower my E2 with ari, to see what happen. or raise my SHGB somehow. I dont know.

@degreene:

I cant believe it too. even its not just only hard to get a erection...or some other lil issus. I have the full bomb. only my mind ins clear. Well, many while in the was at my muccosa. But the whole thing would be absorbet in the gut...but the first pass by the liver might clean some out.
I´m so down atm, don´t know what to do.

Update: 10 weeks after my crash.

No much changes, my balls still smells like a man again. No more cold Penis and my face skin is more oily. My urinflow is also normal again.
But its harder for me to get an erection and cant hold it. Reading all you very sad storys make me even more sad. I dont know, what I should life for. Sadly, im looking more atm how I can make this All an end than looking for a cure.

Hallo Brainbug,

willkommen im Forum, auch wenn niemand sich wirklich freut, hier zu sein.
[welcome to the forum, although nobody is really happy to be here]

Du scheinst gute Beziehung zu Mediziner zu haben. Damit bist du sehr wertvoll für dieses Forum.
[You seem to have good connections to the medical community. This makes you extremely valuable for this forum].

Ich weiß, am Anfang ist alles ein großer Schock und man ist niedergeschlagen. Aber wenn wir stark bleiben und nach einer Lösung suchen, werden wir unsere Situation verbessern. Halte uns auf dem Laufenden!

[I know, at the beginning it's a huge shock und very depressing. But if we stay strong and work on solutions for our problem, we will be able to improve our condition. Keep us updated!]

@Northern Star

Vielen Dank!

Yes, I think we try to make the best of it and I hope I can help here also a bit!

update:

Just can back from a very smart Doc.
He was the first doc, whos said my T is much to low, for someone at my age. He dont have much Time at the Moment, but he will have a look on this Problem. Knows about the Accutane Problem, but never heard of PFS. He´s specialized in Laboratory medicine.
So, what we do is first, a big Steroidhormon-Profile: 24h urin
Androstandediol,Androstendion, Androstendiol, Androsteron, DHEA, DHT, Eticholanolon, Testostern inkl. Etiocholanolone/Androstendion-Ratio (5AR activity)

If you like to know how much it cost and the name of the lab, PM me. or can i write it here? It´s under 100 Euro

And also we do Estradiol, Estriol, Estrone, inkl. Estrio-Quotient

This Lab can also do a Moleculargenetic diagnostik Of 5AR and many more so for all ppl from Germany it seem very good.

Today is also not a nice day, lots of panik for futur all the time I ask myself, how could a half of this shit do that to me. Also my Prostata hurts a lil today, dont know why. Many be the whole stress. My head is still itching and my eyes are full of slime. Even my balls are still smelling like a male again, haven had that since weeks ago and now since a few day´s. I think and feel, that the Estrogens are making this Panik atm so Resveratrol seem so keep it down.

update:

Today it was a real good day even with PFS. My lil friend is still very smal. But since weeks he isnt coold anymore. My extrem hair loss, that short starts after my crash went away. I dont know if its good or bad, but it´s now like it pre fin. But I dont have Panik the whole time and that is great! My skin is more oily again. I´m not sure, but I think I didn´t had any nocturals the last days. I´m so happy with my girlfriend, shes the only one that can bring to lol. I´hope i wont loose her, because of that all. I´m not like I was before but will be, like we all will be!!!

I would say please do diagnostics for 5ARs. Also can you discuss with your doctor if he can look at PFS from auto immune angle?

thanks

@spstriken:

I think a moleculargenetik test is useless, but can be done via blood test. I will da a test that shows the activity of 5AR. But I think the Anrogenrezeptor is the Problem togehter wit the estrogens. There is a Time prenatal in males where no 5AR and DHT is produced. Testosteron activats the AR, that say make 5AR and than DHT. A autoimmunthing can be possible und the italyen Studdy shows that there must be something with the AR. There are some areas in Body, like the genitals, were normaly DHT is very activ and not so much T. There are also some Treatments today, that might be a futer option. Like SARM´s or genedoping.

update:

I´m sleeping good atm. Today one of my balls starts to hurt a lil bit and now he is bigger than before. My whole scrotal skin still changing to the pre fin time but my penis feels still a bit numb like rubber. God sended me an Angel, my girlfriend it so wonderfull, she gives me hope and is the only one, who can help me to forget my shit for some time.

Update:

On Sunday I had some short but hard panik attacks. When I went to sleep, I feelt something comming. I remeber, short after my crash I had those Panik atacks the whole day and night. Atm I´m very sure its the E2. All the time my E2 goes up, I start to sweat on my hands and i get eyefloaters. This is a common Side effect of things like clomid and even many girls have it when taking the "pill". It´s so weird, all the time I´dont think of it, I do have big improvements. My lowerbackpain has gone. I do have still noctural erection and sometimes good morning wood. Urinflow close to normal and my balls still feel normal, the rubberskin has gone more and more but sometimes more or less. My Prostata pain has been also gone. My Hairloss is back to normal, after my crasch it was worst. But like all of you guy´s I give a F... on my hair! Working seems very good for me, the only real bad thing is my lil friend it´s still smal and like rubber. I hate that the most.

Update:

I had some very very lil sort of Panikatacks today and realy always, only when I think of the future and what happens, when this never stops. All in all my day was ok, I woke up with a normal mornig wood. The whole day my Penis was better than before, still far away from what it was but better. Yesterday eve and today I had some moments, where it was about 80-90% normal. It´s so weird how fast the feeling can come back. But this evening its shrunken again.
But at the moment, I see some flucturating improvments. Before, it seems to me, like its going Big up, bigger down, big up, much bigger down. Where i get to a point, were my somptoms where worst. Cold penis, cold balls, no libido, Extreme Anxiety / Panic Attacks, Prostate pain,
Frequent urination and many more. But some things had improved. It seems, that I sometimes forget that.

upadate:

Had a nice hard Panikatack today...Why? just because of thinking of that shit. The night I had nocturals and a good morning wood. The day my penis ..shrunken and numb... not so good as the days before...but the evening its was about 70%