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

I am a passed reader of this forum and may have had an account many years back however i could not confirm this anyway i will cut and paste the symptoms/profile to seek further feedback.

COPY AND PASTE THE FOLLOWING INTO YOUR OWN POST, then answer the questions.
-----------------------------

0) Where are you from (country)?
Australia

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 and HLH forums

2) What is your current age, height, weight?

26. about 175cm and about 72kg

3) Do you exercise regularly? If so, what type of exercise?

If walking counts then yes.

4) What type of diet do you eat (vegetarian, meat eater, raw, fast-food/organic healthy)?

No set diet.

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

hair loss.

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

about a year and half the first time the a year and half the second time.

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

about 17 almost 18 but will need to confirm this.Started about 2003

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

Will need to confirm this. First time doctor stopped the scripts because Dr said propecia causes prostate cancer then i went back about 2 years later he gave me proscar without an issue. I should have just seen another GP i was scheduled to see.

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 1st time. The proscar second.

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

1 mg/day first time then proscar 1.5 mg/day

12) How long into your use of Finasteride did you notice the onset of side effects?

I may have seen it as far back as a year after taking propecia because of constant voiding. But then noticed prevalent symptoms back in 2008 with urological problem developing. Eventually found to have a pelvic floor dysfunction

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

ED. Loss of gidth and width.

Put an X beside all that apply:

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

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

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

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

14) What (if any) treatments have you undertaken to recover from your side effects since discontinuation of the drug?

Urological advice and pelvic floor training.

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.

Can you share a detailed history with us please, thanks.

_________________
PROPECIAHELP - PERSISTENT FINASTERIDE SIDE EFFECTS
Forum: http://www.propeciahelp.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/propeciahelp
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/propeciahelp
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/propeciahelp

Sure ill try the best i can. I still plan to get some more dates as i want to see an andrologist.

*when to GP about 17-18 about hair loss. Sent me to a dermatologist.He said nothing can be done.when to see Another GP at same practice after seeing trichologist.He wrote a script after seeing a drug request form for propecia and minoxidil and progesterone from what i can recall. Which were made by the trichologists compound chemist.

*Took The drugs for some time and thought all was well.started to see symptoms of excess voiding but they disappeared shortly. About a year and half after starting GP says he wont give it to me anymore because it causes prostate cancer.

*About a year a half later i went the GP who gave me proscar without much of an issue after looking up a manual called MIMS (http://www.mims.com.au/) All he stated was some ED and water semen. I was also given a script for minoxidil with retin-a. I also used minoxidil with ketoconazole for a time.

* Late 2007 i asked for a referral to urologist who says i have interstitial cystitis. It does not improve i go to another urologist who tells me its in my head.Last urologist tells me i have a pelvic floor dysfunction. Saw physio whilst things improve still some ED and loss of girth and width.

When did you quit the drug and have any side effects subsided since, or any new ones emerged?

_________________
PROPECIAHELP - PERSISTENT FINASTERIDE SIDE EFFECTS
Forum: http://www.propeciahelp.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/propeciahelp
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/propeciahelp
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/propeciahelp

Quite first time about 2004.The after restarting finished about november 2007.

Most have subsided except the ED and as stated previously have lost some length and width.

How is your sex drive/ libido?

Mostly good.

Has anyone ever seen or know much about the andrologist in Australia Dr David Handelsman?

http://www.asiaandro.com/archive/journal/board/plus/015_0.htm

Do a search:

search.php?keywords=Handelsman&terms=all&author=&sc=1&sf=all&sk=t&sd=d&sr=posts&st=0&ch=300&t=0&submit=Search

_________________
PROPECIAHELP - PERSISTENT FINASTERIDE SIDE EFFECTS
Forum: http://www.propeciahelp.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/propeciahelp
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/propeciahelp
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/propeciahelp

Would someone be able to tell me what sort of blood tests I should have done even though I quit the drug sometime ago? I want to visit my doctor (GP) to ask this and discuss a possible referral to an andrologist.

_________________
PROPECIAHELP - PERSISTENT FINASTERIDE SIDE EFFECTS
Forum: http://www.propeciahelp.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/propeciahelp
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/propeciahelp
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/propeciahelp