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

I am 28 year old, I took 4 pills of propecia a month ago and had very few side effects while on it (just fewer spontaneous erections).

After stopping I had all sort of symptoms so I get my blood tested. Here is how my hormone profile changed from before propecia to after propecia.

THE DAY BEFORE TAKING PROPECIA (October 30 2009):
Testosterone 544 g/dL (range 400-1080)
Free Testosterone 115 pg/mL (range 47-244)
Estrogen not tested

A MONTH OFF THE DRUG (December 4 2009):
Testosterone 163 g/dL (range 400-1080)
Free Testosterone 29 pg/mL (range 47-244)
Estrogen 14 (range 10-42)

I've been taking zinc and broccoli in this month, which made me feel a lot better. I'm seeing an endo tomorrow but I wanted to hear from you guys what supplements I should take or what other suggestions you have.

One footnote question: even if my estrogen is in the low part of the range, it is kind of high isn't it? If it is proportional to the testosterone, then it would be high if I could bring the testosterone back to its normal level.

Hypogonadal testosterone levels.

Your endo will need to determine why. Will likely need to re-test levels and add other tests like LH and FSH to determine if problem lies at the pituitary (secondary hypogonadism) or testes (primary hypogonadism).

Estrogen is lowish likely due to low T levels. Low E2 levels can also cause sexual problems in men...

Keep us posted on results from your appointment.

This is clear evidence that shows this drug does not do what it is supposed to. Please submit your story and test results to the FDA asap. The more complaints they have the better. The FDA link is in my signature.

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SUBMIT your side effects to the FDA. Collectively we can get them to investigate this drug. Here's the link: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/medwatch/medwatch-online.htm

ditto mystory. and keep complaining to merck and FDA if it doesn't clear up every quarter (3 months).

As Mew was saying, the endocrinologist made me take a more complete test (with LH, FSH, and Prolactin). Unexpectedly, my hormones bounced back up:

Hormone test taken on 12/10/2009:

Testosterone 700 (300-1080)
Prolactin 5.4 (2.1-17.7)
LH 4.6 (1.7-8.6)
FSH 2.6 (1.5-12.4)
Free testosterone 131 (47-244)
Free testosterone percentage free 1.9% (1.6%-2.9%)
Estrogen (she decided not to have it tested)

So my T increased from before propecia!! I have to say that my first test (baseline before propecia) was taken at 10:50am, the second test (after 1 month, hypogonadal levels) at 4:35pm, this third test at 9:06am. Can the hormone levels vary that much during the day? Another factor that may have caused an increase of T is that I'm taking zinc and broccoli to keep estrogen low (which is expected to raise T a little).

Anyhow, according to the endocrinologist I should feel completely normal. Honestly, I have to say that I'm feeling normal (mentally, physically, sexually), except that my penis is insensitive (it feels like I'm wearing a condom all the time... so I can't get aroused very easily).

I've been off propecia for 1.5 month now and she said to chill out and wait for 1-2 months more and see if everything goes back to normal.

Yes, you basically invalidated your 2nd test results by taking them at 4:35pm, because T levels are HIGHEST in the morning... so you cannot really compare the 2nd tests to either the 1st or the 3rd.

Regardless, its good to see your T levels have climbed back up.




Yes, T levels are highest in the AM and get lower throughout the day into the evening.




That likely has more to do with local 5AR2/DHT inhibition in genital tissues. I also have this numbness, my dick feels like rubber and like touching my arm ever since taking Finasteride.

Mew,

I know that you have been off propecia for quite a long time. Has this DHT insensitivity improved over time? Which is the most effective way to test it?

Also, this insensitivity is a pretty recent side effect. I haven't experienced it for the first 30-40 days off the drug. How would it be possible? Cannot it be due to a too low level of estrogen (which I read somewhere that can give you aphrodisiac feelings - e.g. marijuana)?

The numbness you mean? Very little, if any in over 4 years of being off.




Genital skin fibroblast culture to check for 5AR2 activity and DHT binding with Androgen Receptor.



I don't know. Perhaps due to a post-Fin crash in T levels, but it seems your Total T has come back up... although your Free T is mid range.

However unlike your case, I experienced the genital numbness (penis/scrotal tissue, where 5AR2 is located) within 3 days of starting drug... as penis/scrotum began to "tingle" as if nerves in skin were dying.

I thought this was normal part of taking drug and it would reverse after quitting like Merck claimed -- never did. After quitting penis & scrotum shrunk up, continues to feels like rubber and remains insensitive to touch.

The question is: do you have sex drive, are you interested in women like you were before? If a somewhat numb penis is your only problem, then you should leave this place and be happy you got away with this little.

Fanjeera,

Yes, I do have sex drive. Furthermore, after seeing the side effects that other poeple are having, I honestly wish that insensitivity was the only persistent side effect. I was just curious to see if anyone had an idea about the cause because my endo didn't want me to do a complete hormone check like the one suggested in the FAQs.

Also, at the moment I cannot know if this is going to be my final state, as I've quitted propecia for just 1.5 months and things have been changing quite a lot in the past 2 weeks. I have a hormonal storm in my body which at some point is going to end.

I will just wait for a 1-2 months to see how my body and my mind evolve, and then I'll post an update

Mew - You stated:

.

I have also had tingling on the back of my testicles semi regularly for the past year or so. More regular lately. My urologist completely blew me off when I brought it up on my visit last year. The best I could come up with on the internet for this is a vague condition known as neuritis, which basically says your nerves are telling you they are not happy. Here is a pretty good overview link:

http://www.diseasesatoz.com/neuritis.htm

I've found lately if I follow their advice and take a multi-B vitamin when this is happening the tingling seems to go away (maybe my imagination, who knows). Thought I would mention it since I have posted about this tingling before and have not received a reply. Are you still getting the tingling? Have you ever discussed it with a urologist?

The tingling only occured within first 3 days of starting drug, when 5AR2/DHT dependent tissues (like genital skin) began undergoing androgen deprivation thanks to Finasteride. Since then it's just been lifeless and rubbery down there, no tingling in skin whatsoever, and not pleasureable to touch like pre-Fin.

bro with this informationyou can easily sue...no?

Your levels may improve over time, but you need 3-adiol G tested, or youll be like me waiting years and years looking for a cure. We have a pattern here...low normal 3 adiol G levels tested...please get it tested. Thanks

hi m_81 .
are you still feeling as wearing condom?
and can you tell me about your current state ?

Hi all,

It's been 4 months since I took those 4 pills. In these 4 months, I've experienced a few cycles (aka roller coaster). In negative cycles I've had all symptoms I had when I was diagnosed with hypogonadism; in positive cycles I've been feeling better than before propecia.

Lately (in the past 2 months), these cycles seem to have flattened a lot, leading my body to a quite stable situation. If, on one hand, many sides disappeared, on the other hand some obnoxious sides are unfortunately still there. The sides that disappeared are testicular pain, little semen, watery semen, weak ejaculation, shrunk penis and shrunk testicles (these 2 last ones are still partially present); the sides that are still present are: ED (very weak erections which are very hard to maintain), weak nocturnal and spontaneous erections. The sensitivity of my penis comes and goes. Interestingly, I noticed that it goes away during positive cycles (see my previous post), and it comes back all of a sudden a couple of days before the beginning of a negative cycle -- although, as said, these cycles are not as easy to distinguish right now.

I've recently taken a blood test, and today I got the results. I've attached my complete evolution. The first column is my baseline, the last column reports the latest results. On top of each column I indicated the time of the day the test was taken.

Luckily, since I have a baseline blood test, taken the day before starting propecia, I can claim that something is still wrong even if my blood test is more or less in range. In particular, my T is 20% lower than the baseline and, more importantly, my free T is 50% lower than the baseline. I think that this test reflects how I'm feeling: I am ok but my erections suck, and Broccoli and zinc have no effect because my estrogen level is already low.

One thing that concerns me is the level of sex hormone binding globuline (SHBG), which has been increasing since I took propecia. Does anybody have an idea on how to decrease it? Or does anybody have any other suggestion for me?

The increase in SHBG is likely what is causing the lowerinf of % of Free T, since SHBG binds with Testosterone.

Do a search for "danazol" and start from the bottom up. It is a drug which supposedly lowers SHBG.

Mew,

Thanks for your prompt reply. I'm not very sure bout Danazol, as it seems that it impacts a lot of other hormones.

Is there any safer drug/supplement? I've heard that avena sativa may work. Do you know if it has any side effect.

Also, from a more theoretical point of view, how is it possible that my SHBG almost doubled since stopping propecia? My endo has no clue about it. We've ruled out the following causes: high estrogen (I have low estradiol) and thyroid problems (I have done other exams that show that my thyroid is in good shape).

Could be, or possibly Stinging Nettles (although it has been found to also be a 5AR inhibitor).



From my understanding, this would point to liver metabolism. Maybe consider investigationg liver function further.