freaked out about finding out about post finasteride syndrom, my story. Any insights?

[chris00]

I'm 33. I've been using 1mg of Propecia for around 8 years now. I haven't been super consistent, sometimes it's been weeks or even maximum a month of two off.
I'm doing pretty good in terms of hair. I think I've remained around the same as I first saw my receding hairline when I was 24/25. And I have naturally super think hair. If I would wear a very short haircut people would notice but with my current styling, no one ever notices anything. Only my hairdresser knows it's been receding.
I haven't really done any other treatments. I tried Minoxidil/Regaine for a few months at first but couldn't keep that messy **** up.

I don't know though whether I've done a big mistake of ever starting? When I first started there was no talk of potentially permanent side effects. And I had such a fetish in the hair department. I guess it was more of being afraid of my own mortality and being self conscious about my ageing and growing old. I was 24 though still so I didn't event want to hear about going bald.

I'm pretty good looking (still kind of they tell me and look a few years younger for my age) and generally people usually like me. However I had a weird mind state when I was young and never had a girlfriend or had real intercourse sex before I was 24. So almost the same time when I started taking Propecia.
So I don't really know how my system worked on a proper intercourse situation (unless with jerking off, pardon my french) with out Propecia regime.

I got dumped for another guy 1,5 years ago from a girlfriend of 2 years. It certainly wasn't only about sex. I know literally what else went sideways. There was a lot. But after the breakup, I've been struggling. I have tons of challenges and problems in all areas of my life. I've been working on myself trying to reinvent myself but it's been a road of struggle so far. I want to be the sexual man who would have high sex drive and able to perform 100%. Otherwise I'm afraid I'll end up alone. I've had bunch of hookups but never slept with the same women more than twice after the breakup.

The problem is, I can almost never go twice. My dick just becomes limp and I loose all sex drive for an hour after I've ejaculated. I very hardly ever can go twice. I thought that's normal but then started to think that might be the Propecia. It's been like this pretty much for as long as I can remember having sex. The problem is of course, that this is the same period I've always been on the drug.

I still have morning wood sometimes. I don't have much problem to get hard in the first place. Only happened a couple of times when I've been really drunk or tired.
I've noticed though that v**** or Cialis give me harder erection. The latter gaves me an almost constant hard on for almost 24 hours. So, that's too much even. But even with that, I still loose sex drive for at least for an hour after I've come.

I also get a small amount of sperm only and it's mostly very watery. I also wish my sex drive would be higher.

I recently (a few weeks ago) reduced my dose to 0,5mg a day. I cut the pill in half now.

I was thinking to come off the drug. But then found out about the potential gruesome permanent side effects that might come after quitting. That freaked me out.
Can I ever come off it? I of course also like to keep my hair at least for a few more years. When I look my brother though. He has also receided his harline like me but have otherwise fiull head of thick hair. Did I ever need the bloody drug? Did I create this problem to myself out of nothing just in the sake of vanity?

I was thinking that maybe my ejaculations and libido (be able to go multiple rounds) are connected to this drug.
Would there be any sense to try to come off gradually? From 1mg a day, to 0,5mg a day. To 0,5mb every other day etc.?

Would there be any other means to pump up my sex drive and libido ejaculations?
Like working out more. (I do already quite a lot). Lift weights more. Eat more healthy. (I already am trying although I'm falling back often).

I've recently quit sugar, I quit smoking a few months ago entirely (I was anyway a social party smoker not everyday). I reduced drinking alcohol.
I'm trying to work out as much as possible (I have another health condition that somewhat limits all I can do).

I know some men have it way worse. I'm still performing in some OK level. Just the sex is not super long. And still have my hair. So I'm sorry and feel for the guys who are having it worse. But still trying to figure out what i should do.

I've spend a small fortune on the drug during all these years and I'm not really rich. Fortunately it's now finally more affordable with the patent being opened up.
I'm just not sure, whether the side effects of smaller libido and poorer performance has affected my life more than I thought. Did it really **** it up?

Maybe I also shouldn't expect to be as horny as a 24 year of anyway?
I mean I still am masturbating every day almost. Or if I'm not, I still have the urge to masturbate.
I was thinking at some point that I should cut that back but it didn't have much effect on having a second go in the real indoor Olympics.

Did anyone from you guys who have taken the drug for so long, experience a crash and side-effects after quitting?
Anyone had similar side-effects for long period?
I thought I didn't have side effects. But I had all these years. Affected my otherwise good libido and ejaculations.

Sorry for the language here and there

Thanks for any insights or comments.

Good day everyone!

 

[br1]

I took it for longer than 13yrs. Came off no problems. I also had these (watery semen, no morning woods every day, less ejaculate volume), it all came back to normal after when I quit.

I decided to quit after reading the horror stories too.. They are pretty much bul****..

 

[buckthorn]

I took it for longer than 13yrs. Came off no problems. I also had these (watery semen, no morning woods every day, less ejaculate volume), it all came back to normal after when I quit.

I decided to quit after reading the horror stories too.. They are pretty much bul****..

you quit finasteride after 13 years??? because of the "horror stories"?? if it was working for your hair loss, then that was a big mistake.

 

[chris00]

br1, thanks for your reply!

You quit 4 months ago? How long it took for your watery semen/ejaculations go better and have better wood so to speak? How old are you if I may ask?
are you noticing any hairloss now?

plan to get back on it?

 

[br1]

I was naive enough to think the drug wasn't doing much for my hair. I cought it early and had the same hair for all this years. When I quit I experienced a MASSIVE thinning. It was weird. I didn't shed any hair. It just got thinner on diameter.. This was like a couple weeks after stopping. The next months my hairline started to receed. Never had that .

So yeah. I decided to get back on finasteride, at 0.5mg/ED.

I started with finasteride at age ~25 (can't really precise to be honest). I'm 39 now.

I never had any sexual issues. Maybe I didn't have morning woods.. But I never paid attention to any sides (I didn't even know there were finasteride sides). When I started taking it, I was young, and the Dr said "hey there is this new drug for hair loss. And it works". I was like... **** yeah.. Any time..

And was taking it daily, as a "hair vitamin". and it was working. That was it. Damn Internet, that made me self conscious..

and, you know what? My finasteride days where the best of my life. I did a computer science bsc, was very active, always working out, doing BJJ, got nice jobs, got married had a kid, and even immigrated to freaking Canada!

I got super weird and depressed when I was off finasteride. Dunno if it was psychologic or hormonal. But now that I am back on it, I feel like myself again... Who knows.

Sorry for the long text..

 

[chris00]

Thanks a lot for sharing!

But were you / are you able to go multiple rounds? Have sex right or soon after orgasm or ejaculating?

Sorry if this a direct question. Haha.

I didn't think I have any sides either. Before reading it over the internet.
And also after my last breakup. I tried to make sense of it. Put together the main reasons. It was a hard blow as it was a very intense and close relationship that just disintegrated pretty much in one month.

Then again, there are girls who want me. So maybe I'm OK.

Do Finasteride also lessen my muscle growth in the gym? Maybe that's pseudo science?
Just knowing that taking testo makes the opposite effect and makes muscles and stregth bigger.

 

[br1]

Ahaha.. that's fine.. well I don't know. I can definitely keep an erection after having sex.. it actually keeps up for a while..

I think it doesn't affect the gym gains.. The only thing that I noticed when I quit, and that could be wrong.. was that I felt easier to loose fat on the waist area (i'm 145lb, but I felt I could get really ripped with no much effort)..

You're supposed to get a ~10% extra test when on finasteride, i guess? since that's the amount that was going to be converted to DHT and is not anymore? DHT has no effect on muscle building AFAIK.

 

[tellersquill]

Every man is different. I can only **** once and then I am nearly always done for the next few hours.

As long as you give your girl an orgasm and you last longer than 10-15 minutes then they will not complain.

 

[Spagolli74]

I'm starting wonder how many long term users are blaming finasteride for the natural aging process? I started finasteride around age 28. I was already noticing a drop in libido, morning wood and the ability to go multiple rounds BEFORE I started finasteride.

I'm almost 42 now. I'm not expecting to have raging morning wood or be able to go all night, with or without finasteride. Most of my buddies joke about the same thing and none of them took finasteride. It's part of aging. I got divorced at age 38 and met a young, beautiful girflfriend. We f'ed like rabbits. Multiple times a day. Now we're 4 years into the relationship and although we still have a healthy sex life, we don't do it 3 times a day anymore. Must be the finasteride, right? NO! Think about it - do you parents still have sex multiple times every day? Maybe they did when they were 23 and first met. But now they are in their 60s and probably read books in bed. That's normal life and has nothing to do with finasteride.

Reading all this stuff has me spoked pretty good. Until yesterday, I had enjoyed 12 years of blissful, hair-filled ignorance. And now I'm having a full blow panic attack worried about PFS if I ever stop taking it.

Oh, and get this. Last night, after reading all this stuff, I had trouble getting hard. Apparently it's hard to get an erection if you're freaking out and worried something might be wrong with you. Ha! Who knew?

Uhgh. Sometimes I hate the Internet. I wish I could burn down the PropeciaHelp website and never see it again. I was totally fine until I saw that and now my head is a mess.

 

[Ashkan63]

I'm starting wonder how many long term users are blaming finasteride for the natural aging process? I started finasteride around age 28. I was already noticing a drop in libido, morning wood and the ability to go multiple rounds BEFORE I started finasteride.

I'm almost 42 now. I'm not expecting to have raging morning wood or be able to go all night, with or without finasteride. Most of my buddies joke about the same thing and none of them took finasteride. It's part of aging. I got divorced at age 38 and met a young, beautiful girflfriend. We f'ed like rabbits. Multiple times a day. Now we're 4 years into the relationship and although we still have a healthy sex life, we don't do it 3 times a day anymore. Must be the finasteride, right? NO! Think about it - do you parents still have sex multiple times every day? Maybe they did when they were 23 and first met. But now they are in their 60s and probably read books in bed. That's normal life and has nothing to do with finasteride.

Reading all this stuff has me spoked pretty good. Until yesterday, I had enjoyed 12 years of blissful, hair-filled ignorance. And now I'm having a full blow panic attack worried about PFS if I ever stop taking it.

Oh, and get this. Last night, after reading all this stuff, I had trouble getting hard. Apparently it's hard to get an erection if you're freaking out and worried something might be wrong with you. Ha! Who knew?

Uhgh. Sometimes I hate the Internet. I wish I could burn down the PropeciaHelp website and never see it again. I was totally fine until I saw that and now my head is a mess.

i first took finasteride when i was 20 without any idea whats that i am now 31 during these years i have been on it on and off like 2 years on and one year off,but have been on it now for three years,side effects stop for me after stopping the drugs ,at least the sexual ones but when i come off i feel depressed as well i dont k ow if its because of finasteride or just in my head but when i am on finasteride it is like a miracle,it makes my mood much better,my face more attractive ,my appetite bbetter,feel more energic ,better sleep,so i dont really care if i dont get morning wood

 

[Spagolli74]

i first took finasteride when i was 20 without any idea whats that i am now 31 during these years i have been on it on and off like 2 years on and one year off,but have been on it now for three years,side effects stop for me after stopping the drugs ,at least the sexual ones but when i come off i feel depressed as well i dont k ow if its because of finasteride or just in my head but when i am on finasteride it is like a miracle,it makes my mood much better,my face more attractive ,my appetite bbetter,feel more energic ,better sleep,so i dont really care if i dont get morning wood

So it sounds like you had sexual sides when you were on the drug, which subsided when you went off. But when you went off, you got depressed? I have never had any sides being on the drug. Likewise, the drug doesn't make me happy or energetic, it just grows my hair. Next time you come off, maybe you should try weaning off slowly and just focus on your overall health to improve your mood?

 

[Ashkan63]

So it sounds like you had sexual sides when you were on the drug, which subsided when you went off. But when you went off, you got depressed? I have never had any sides being on the drug. Likewise, the drug doesn't make me happy or energetic, it just grows my hair. Next time you come off, maybe you should try weaning off slowly and just focus on your overall health to improve your mood?

Yea i usually get sexual sides not very bad though,i can have a orgasm and erection but like less libido and less intention for sex ,i have tried everything before like coming off gradually but still i feel much better when i take finasteride,than when when i am off it

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