I lost libido on Propecia, but I'm back on it

[TheMan23]

I'd like some opinions on this story.

Here's my background: I'm 24 and my hairline is starting to lose some hairs, it's thinning a little bit, but still to the point where I'm probably the only person who can notice it. The hairLINE itself is still intact, but it's starting to lose hairs.

Anyway, after learning about this, I started taking Propecia for 3 months. I lost my libido. I could get a very soft erection and had no problem ejaculating, but I rarely ever got a morning wood or "good" erections. So I freaked out that this might be permanent, I stopped taking Propecia. After 2 weeks my libido came back and everything was back to normal. But after a month and a half I noticed that I still looked like I was losing hairs and went back on Propecia. Once again, after being on it for 2 months, my libido is really weak.

My goal is to keep using Propecia for several years until I'm ready to get married. Then I'll probably quit using it. Since my libido came back after I stopped using it, shouldn't it come back again when I stop? Even if I use it for several more years? Logic says yes but I wanted to get your opinions.

 

[Mew]

There are no guarantees with drugs that disrupt or alter the endocrine system.

2007 Swedish TV documentary segment on permanent Finasteride side effects:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nXWVTStnHs

A certain percentage of men out there, however small, continue to suffer from thus far irreversible sexual, mental and physical side effects from Finasteride, despite quitting the drug long ago.

The choice is yours if you want to risk it, no matter how "small" that risk may be. For more stories like this and to learn more about the unlisted mechanisms of action of this drug, including neurosteroid inhibition in the brain, visit http://www.propeciahelp.com

Also, more stories: http://www.askapatient.com/viewrating.a ... e=PROPECIA

 

[joseph49853]

There are no guarantees with drugs that disrupt or alter the endocrine system.

2007 Swedish TV documentary segment on permanent Finasteride side effects:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nXWVTStnHs

As a patient, attemping to elucidate these finasteride-induced sexual sides has been made very difficult.... especially in light of such dismissiveness in the name of obtuse medical science. Additionally, the mostly scientifically unprecedented cascade of effects caused by blockbuster pharmaceuticals like finasteride has yet to be fully studied. All of the focus is on DHT as a harmful element with little underlying knowledge about hormones or the endocrine system.

Although, I really related to the description by the opening interviewee, "it was like there was no connection between the brain and the penis." This statement almost perfectly describes some of what I experienced on finasteride over a cumulative period of approx. 5 years. It took almost two full years before these sides were fully reversed. There's no way to fully understand or empathize with the exact situation until it happens to you.

 

[Administrator]

There is a simple solution.

You're harming yourself. Propecia isn't harming you.

If you expereince side effects, stop taking it.

Dont turn around and go back on it, and then come to web forums and scare the daylights out of people who have no side effects.

Be a responsible consumer and stop taking the drug the minute you have side effects, and you will never have to deal with 5 years of misery.

And I speak from experience. I ignored my side effects for 3 years straight. It was a stupid choice.

But the only person I blame is myself. Not Propecia, and not Merck.

Nobody forced me to keep taking the pills despite the fact that my estrogen was high, i had severe migraines, and I had painful testicles and prostate.

It was my own fault.

Admin

 

[Mew]

You're harming yourself. Propecia isn't harming you.

You're harming yourself indirectly, as a direct result of ingesting a DHT and 5AR inhibiting medication which according to the manufacturer is perfectly safe and has a 2% side effects profile which should resolve if you quit.

You are trusting the manufacturer and the FDA with your health. If one gets side effects that are a direct result of the medication, how is that not the medications' fault?

But the only person I blame is myself. Not Propecia, and not Merck.

Disagree, since Merck claims all side effects should resolve if you quit. Unfortunately this has not been true for a small percentage of men worldwide.

I was in the same boat as you and eventually quit, but things never went back to normal despite doing so. And for that, I blame Merck and their reluctance to advertise the true risk, however small, that such changes to sexual function may be irreversible. Had I and others been told such things up front, we would have never touched it.

Merck did not present this information up front, which would have properly informed the consumer to make their decision with such knowledge in hand. Instead we were told, and they continue to state, "quit and things go back to normal".

Again, this has not been the case for certain men worldwide. And for that, we blame Merck.


Mark my words, there will be a class action lawsuit in the future.

 

[ali777]

I happen to agree with the Admin. I know what finastride does to me, and I have read lots of information on the subject.

Most of the information states that any side effects should subside in a few weeks time. Obviously, if they don't subside, discontinuing the treatment is the only logical step to take.

The first time I took finastride I had heavily reduced libido, and my body felt different. I wasn't sure what to do, so I reduced the dose and decided to give it a go for a few weeks. As most of the users in this forum report, the side effects are gone and I feel normal again. Sexually I feel normal, I took an IQ test recently to see how my intelligence is handling the changes and I scored about the same (actually higher, but this is probably due to the test being different) as I did before.

My advice to everyone would be to try it for about 10-20 days, but if the body isn't adjusting itself to deal with the hormonal changes then stop taking the medication.

 

[Cassin]

Listen to your body.

And I always find it astounding people don't see a doctor and self medicate!

 

[brentx]

You're harming yourself. Propecia isn't harming you.

You're harming yourself indirectly, as a direct result of ingesting a DHT and 5AR inhibiting medication which according to the manufacturer is perfectly safe and has a 2% side effects profile which should resolve if you quit.

You are trusting the manufacturer and the FDA with your health. If one gets side effects that are a direct result of the medication, how is that not the medications' fault?


[quote:2tfmzfyr]But the only person I blame is myself. Not Propecia, and not Merck.

Disagree, since Merck claims all side effects should resolve if you quit. Unfortunately this has not been true for a small percentage of men worldwide.

I was in the same boat as you and eventually quit, but things never went back to normal despite doing so. And for that, I blame Merck and their reluctance to advertise the true risk, however small, that such changes to sexual function may be irreversible. Had I and others been told such things up front, we would have never touched it.

Merck did not present this information up front, which would have properly informed the consumer to make their decision with such knowledge in hand. Instead we were told, and they continue to state, "quit and things go back to normal".

Again, this has not been the case for certain men worldwide. And for that, we blame Merck.


Mark my words, there will be a class action lawsuit in the future.[/quote:2tfmzfyr]

This is wondering a little off-topic, but it's still related to what you're talking about, so..

Do you know when the Swedish investigation into finasteride's side effects will be finished?

That will really make or break your class action I would imagine..

 

[Mew]

Do you know when the Swedish investigation into finasteride's side effects will be finished?

http://www.propeciahelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=882

 

[brentx]

Cheers, thanks :-D

 

[HT55]

Dont turn around and go back on it, and then come to web forums and scare the daylights out of people who have no side effects.

Especially when he has his own forum to do what he pleases.


This $hit has been going on for years.

 

[follicle84]

Hard to say, i imagine that the longer you are on finasteride, the longer it will take for your libido to come back, as it would take longer for your bodies hormones to re-adjust to normal. Since your body would have adapted to the hormone changes finasteride has given it. So in the long term you would be waiting a while but eventually yes, your libido would most likelly come back.

Try lowering the dose and using some natural estogen blockers like green tea extract. This will help a little with your sex drive, it certainly did with me.