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I am a 40 yr old male. I have led a very healthy lifestyle. Never have used illegal drugs, smoked and rarely if ever drank. People would commonly think I was 8-10 years younger than my age.
I started 1 mg Propecia daily for MPB around November 2008. Right away I had a few side effects.
I noticed that my penis felt a bit as if it retracted into my body. I lost a bit of penis size (both length and girth). The volume of my ejaculate descreased greatly and became watery. Also, I noticed a slight loss of libido and slight ED.
My doctor assured me this would go away with prolonged use of the drug and all side effects would cease as soon as I discontined the medication.
The medication definately grew hair on my head and I got caught up in those results. I stupidly took the medication until around early March of this year for a total of nearly fifteen months.
All went fine for the 1st six weeks off propecia. I wasnt my pre-propecia self but I was about the same as when I was on the drug.
Then one night I masturbated 3 times. The next day I woke up and my penis had shrunken to about 1/2 is flaccid size. It was extremely devestating. Also, severe ED had set in. I could not get an erection for days at times. Penis now feels as if its “burning” and testicles have an ache which ranges from mild to moderate depending on the day. Penis has lost some of its length and a great deal of its girth and weight. I have almost a complete lack of libido.
I feel constantly depressed. Suicide is an almost daily thought and consideration. My emotions feel “blunted”. I never feel romance, lust, joy or any connection to anyone including those I love(d). I have become very withdrawn from family, friends and my work.
My ejaculate is still decreased in volume but has become less watery and looks a bit normal now. I have lost alot of sensitivity in my penis. At times I cannot even feel my penis in my pants. There is no connection between my brain and my penis. If I can force a partial erection sex really isnt enjoyable as I dont have the feeling there I used to have.
I used to be big into the gym and working out. My muscles have atrophied at even a greater rate then the times in the past when I would take a few months off from the gym. I seem to easily put on belly fat. Also, I never sweat and I get chills easily now. I used to sweat easily. I notice odd dry skin patches on my face and upper lip.
Never got anything like that before finasteride.
My total testosterone is high 500’s. Cant remember the exact number.
Around early July of this year I went back to about 80% of my old self. Felt good enough to think maybe I was going to get better. Then, around early August I crashed back to my base post finasteride levels.
Is there any hope at all to get me back to my old pre-finasteride self?
@boston332 3287 wrote:
I am a 40 yr old male. I have led a very healthy lifestyle. Never have used illegal drugs, smoked and rarely if ever drank. I started on Propecia for MPB around November 2008. Right away I had a few side effects. I noticed that my penis felt a bit as if it retracted into my body. I lost a bit of penis size (both length and girth). The volume of my ejaculate descreased greatly and became watery. Also, I noticed a slight loss of libido and slight ED. My doctor assured me this would go away with prolonged use of the drug and all side effects would cease as soon as I discontined the medication. The medication definately grew hair on my head and I got caught up with those results. I stupidly took the medication until around early March of this year for a total of nearly fifteen months.
All went fine for the 1st six weeks off propecia. I wasnt my pre-propecia self but I was about the same as when I was on the drug. Then one night I masturbated 3 times. The next day I woke up and my penis had shrunken to about 1/2 is flaccid size. It was extremely devestating. Also, severe ED had set in. I could not get an erection for days at times. Penis now feels as if its “burning” and testicles have an ache which ranges from mild to moderate depending on the day. Penis has lost some of its length and a great deal of its girth and weight. I have almost a complete lack of libido. I feel constantly depressed. My emotions feel “blunted”. I never feel romance, lust, joy or any connection to anyone including those I love(d). I have become very withdrawn from family, friends and my work. My ejaculate is still decreased but has become less watery and looks a bit normal now. I have lost alot of sensitivity in my penis. At times I cannot even feel my penis in my pants. There is no connection between my brain and my penis. If I can force a partial erection sex really isnt enjoyable as I dont have the feeling there I used to have. I used to be big into the gym and working out. My muscles have atrophied at even a greater rate then the times in the past when I would take a few months off from the gym. I seem to easily put on belly fat. Also, I never sweat and I get chills easily now. I used to sweat easily. I notice odd dry skin patches on my face and upper lip. Never got anything like that before finasteride.
Around early July of this year I went back to about 80% of my old self. Felt good enough to think maybe I was going to get better. Then, around early August I crashed back to my base post finasteride levels.
Is there any hope at all to get me back to my old pre-finasteride (pre-poison) self?
ps- I have contacted your office. I am going to try to come to see you this fall should you have an opening them.
Had these labs done on Aug 25
FSH – 11.4, range 1.4-18.1
LH – 9.4, range 1.3-8.0
Prolactin – 5.9, range 2.1-17.7
Testosterone- 565, range 241-827
Cortisol AM- 15.9, range 4.3-22.4Vit D 25 Hydroxyvitamin D- 19, range 30-100 ng/mL
Vit D 25-0H D3- 19 ng/mL
vit D 25-oH D2- <4 ng/mL
Estradiol E2, Serum- 33 PG/ML
Dihydrotestosterone- 39, range 25-75 ng/dL
Prolactin- 5.9, range 2.1-17.7 ng/ml
IGF Binding Protein-1- 7(L), range 13-73 NG/ML
DHEA Sulfate 404 (H), 45-345 UG/DL
Sex Hormone Binding Globulin 24, range 9-45 NMOL/LAs I had stated in my other post, it is also common to find very low 3alpha-androstanediol glucuronide in patients with these symptoms after taking finasteride even if they have normal testosterone or DHT levels. Does this tie into other endocrine functions such as thyroid or the adrenal systems or is this due to some type of enzyme deficiency?
Since many people are now searching for the mechanism in which these long term side effects occur (there is clinical study about long term finasteride side effects, and another neuroendocrinologist named alan jacobs is now blogging about it) What do you believe, Dr. Mariano, is causing long term side effects after the drugs discontinuation?
Alan Jacobs’ blog is here, btw.
http://blog.alanjacobsmd.com/alan-jacobs-mds-blog/2010/06/index.htmlI am formulating an answer to this topic. It is an interesting and highly a complex condition. It is also far deeper than what most practitioners consider. Coming soon.
Thank you for taking the time to formulate a response to this, Doctor, I look forward to reading what you have to write. I also am curious if you consider this a treatable condition.
Thank you for taking the time to formulate a response, Dr. Mariano. Many of us are greatly looking forward to your insight on this issue that has interrupted so many of our lives.
I will be testing for Bioavailable Test, estradiol, 3 alpha-Adiol-G, IGF-1, Vit D, LH and FSH this week sometime at a local lab. Hopefully I will have those results in a few weeks.
Also, may I ask what do you believe happened to me? I have speculated that my endocrine system was in fragile state after using Propecia then the excesive masturbation on that occasion may have taxed it too much thus “crashing” it. This is a common pattern for some PFS sufferers. Why would you think I did “alright” while on the drug then crashed after discontinuation?
While my Testosterone is in normal range I am thinking I may have been in the 800 to 1000 range before Propecia. Many PFS patients are put on TRT. I am hesitant to start TRT as I already have penile tissue changes (shrinkage) and am not looking forward to testicular atrophy as well. Would there be a protocol you would recommend to “restart” my endocrine system?
Lastly, would you consider that my penile tissue changes could at all be reversable?
Propecia is used as they say to stop the male baldnerness, but it really stops his masculanity
people who used propecia for a long period suffers from what is happening to you boston, the propecia works on
killing the DHT conversion, where you will end up being with small amount of DHT
and this well shrink your penis and reduce your sexual desire, muscle shrinkage and joint aches.the good thing is tht your propecia usage period wasnt to long ( 2 years or less), you need to just re enerngize your liver to function again in converting the excessive test to DHT…
and by the way TRT is not recommended for you since your test is in the 500’s….
That what i have got, I will leave the rest for Dr.Mariano
It seems I left out my DHT from the lab results. Thank you for pointing that out. It was 39. This is in range although not great.
Im thinking maybe I was high testosterone before Fin, maybe 800-1000 range. I always developed muscle easily, had high sex drive, etc. Wondering if TRT would bring that back up to MY normal and if I would be able to sustain it naturally at some point without TRT. If TRT is not the answer then androgen insensitivity is considered and most test for 3 Adiol G.
Also troubling from my lab is my Vit D 25 Hydroxyvitamin D which was 19. Very low considering I take at least 2400 IU’s of vit D3 daily along with drinking vit D added milk. My body isnt aborbing Vit D. It is common for Post Fin users to have low Vit D scores. I believe vit D plays some role in the answer to the post finasteride problem.
Again, this is all conjecture and I look forward to Dr. Mariano’s thoughts on my situation.
I should mention that my high DHEA level results from taking it as a supplement daily.
JHK – many with PFS find that they have low to low normal testosterone levels and still display hypogonadism. TRT often times has little effect with us. Some have had their total Testosterone up to 4000 with no effect whatsoever. This leads some to believe that Finasteride has somehow altered us on a epigenetic level. The how is the real question…
I think the real question is whether or not this is a treatable or reversible situation, hopefully Dr. Mariano will post his information related to this topic soon.
I am considering 2 different treatments for this – both would be under Dr.’s supervision-
First would be a cycle of T3 with clomid. I would take the T3 and check temp daily and try to stay around 98.6. When I’d get to that temp and feel ok I’d stay on it. Then, after about 6 weeks or so I would cycle it back down.
Or, I would just go straight to TRT. From my past experience I believe I have always been in the high range testosterone. Now being in the low range somehow due to Finasteride I am hypogonadal. Thats the theory anyway. Maybe stay on TRT for 3 or 4 months then cycle it back and see if I maintain that level after cessation TRT.
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
Common symptoms after affecting the vast majority of men with hypogonadism who have post Finasteride syndrome. Symptoms may then appear on the drug but follows a common pattern as follows1. Within 10 14 days of quitting is not an increase of behind DHT in the body as it is supposed 5AR2 is not inhibited by finasteride 2. A lack of resolution of side effects takes place during the following week .
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