G k said:
anyone who thinks underlying depressions cause this have obviously never experienced hard core brain fog.
This could not be farther from the truth. Brain fog (which in itself isn't a symptom, but a conglomeration of other symptoms such as poor mental function, confusion, difficulty concentrating, and sometimes depersonalization - all of which usually go hand-in-hand in people with cognitive dysfunction) is one of the most commonly reported, persistent and challenging symptoms people with Depression and Anxiety disorders have to face.
I'm fairly certain I’ll be ragged on by telling my own personal story again, but please bear with me. I went through over 5 years of extreme depression and anxiety during my early 20's, and experienced brain fog to a degree unimaginable. I agree with you that it’s extremely unpleasant. It’s much harder to deal with than any sort of physical pain I’ve ever had in my life. It’s true; you don’t know what it’s like until you experience it first-hand. My point is that PFS sufferers are not unique to this symptom; millions and millions of other people experience this daily.
Merck added depression to the list of symptoms resulting from Finasteride. There are studies that indicate 5AR inhabitation may result in mental degeneration, which could explain why PFS sufferers are experiencing such extreme anxiety and depression.
I maintain my belief that anxiety and/or depression are the cause of many of these symptoms, most notably, brain fog. I do however admit that Finasteride may have actually been the cause of the cognitive dysfunction in PFS patients, and it makes sense that it would persist after stopping the medication. It’s also possible that due to how Finasteride altered the chemistry in these people’s brains, it may be much harder to treat than an average joe with these conditions. I don’t think this is the whole story, but certainly a large piece of the puzzle. I can almost guarantee that ALL PFS sufferers experience some degree of depression and/or anxiety, which would significantly contribute to the myriad of symptoms being reported. I can guarantee that properly targeted therapy (not traditional ‘talk’ therapy, which would be useless in this case) would alleviate a large number of symptoms, most notably the brain fog.