Side effects after 4 years

Johdan

New Member
Reaction score
0
Hi,

I am 27 years old and have been on finasteride (2.5 mg per day) for approximately 4 years.

About 6 months ago I began to experience serious sexual problems. These problems are the ones typically associated with a negative finasteride reaction - testicle pain, decreased libido, impotence, etc. I also noticed an increased frequency in urination (or at least, the feeling of an increased need to urinate) as well as soreness in the actual shaft.

In response, I tried playing around with the dosage. I went as low as 0.25 - 0.5 mg a day but still suffered the same side effects, albeit in a slightly less concentrated manner.

I went to the doctor and he ran blood & urine tests. The results showed no problems whatsoever (i.e. everything was within range). My doctor also suggested I stop taking the finasteride, which I have done.

Well it's been about a month of no finasteride whatsoever and I, of course, have shed like crazy. My hair line, which was once tolerable if not perfect, has basically disintegrated and is now intolerable if not ridiculous.

My questions are as follows:

- have other individuals experienced side effects with finasteride after years of usage?
- what is likely causing the side effects?
- is there any chance (hope) that this could be caused by something else... something which is just being inflamed by the finasteride?
- if I cannot take finasteride in seemingly any dosage, what are my alternatives? how good are this alternatives? (i am currently taking revivogen but haven't heard much good about it)


Thanks,
Johdan
 

UK1

Experienced Member
Reaction score
1
Why have you been on 2.5mg a day? Did you see positive results prior to stopping the regimen?
 

Johdan

New Member
Reaction score
0
I am not sure if I grew any new hair with the finasteride but it definitely slowed the loss (this is evident by the huge loss being experienced right now). This last year, it's efficacy appeared to decline a little.... but still nothing compared to when I stopped taking it.

I was on 2.5 mg because that is what my doctor agreed to prescribe. I would have taken 5 mg if he had have been willing to prescribe that but he wasn't. He also is not willing to prescribe dutasteride.
 

UK1

Experienced Member
Reaction score
1
Sounds like a lot to have been taking, I'm sure I heard somewhere that taking 5mg a day would actually be no more effective than taking 0.5- 1mg a day. If this is the case you'd have clearing been doing yourself no favours in the side effect department over a 4 year period.. Sorry to hear that you've experienced that recent shed.. is it still happening now? What do you think you'll do next?
 

blueshard

Established Member
Reaction score
0
In my own case, I was on finasteride for aroubd 3.5 years before starting to get symptoms of gyno.

No one is really clear from side-effects as I feel that they can happen at any point in time when you are taking a medication.
 

Johdan

New Member
Reaction score
0
If I may ask, (a) what are the symptoms of gyno, and (b) what did you do in response to these systems (i.e. did you discontinue the drug or simply lower the dosage)?
 

blueshard

Established Member
Reaction score
0
My gyno started out as aching pain, pretty bad really. Then they started getting bigger, with harder tissue developing. It is not like I have huge boobs or anything, but they are definitely not normal in my opinion.

I tried stopping finasteride for 6 months and my hair went to absolute sh*t, so I started it again with Raloxifene (Evista) to help combat the gyno. The Raloxifene definitely helps some but I still get pain and sensitivity in my chest. I will have to get surgery probably in the coming year to get rid of the breast tissue.
 
Top