I stopped finasteride around a month ago (I don't remember my exact timeline) after using it for 7 months.
It was a miracle drug that stopped all my hairloss. Went from around 50 hairs a day in the shower to maybe 2.
When I was on the drug I experienced a number of side effects, but the most important one -- its effect on my mood -- I didn't initially attribute to finasteride. I was very, very depressed and moody while I was on finasteride. I'm usually depressed so I didn't really notice or draw a causal relationship. But after stopping, it is all too apparent that this drug was seriously messing with my brain. finasteride took away all my energy, all my optimism, and really just turned me into a bitter, sour person. A relationship fell apart while I was on the drug, I started obsessing about an older relationship, my head really went to some dark places. I'd be on dates with good looking, interesting women, and I'd be feeling lifeless and uninterested.
A month into stopping and my mood has improved beyond measure. I don't know if PFS is really a thing but I'm sure glad I don't have it. I really want to encourage people who already have anxiety, depression, that sort of thing -- to think twice before starting finasteride.
And, maybe more generally - if you experience any side effect at all, immediately stop. If you're prone to side effects on this drug, jump ship before it sinks and don't listen to people who say it'll be fine after a few months. Your body might adapt to its new hormonal make up, but you will be a different person.
Sexual side effects were the least of my concern, although they were present. A few days in, I got watery semen, and to continue the analogy, someone lowered the pressure on the water pump! Drips instead of a firehose. Seemed like finasteride was acting on the physicality of my prostate in one way or another, probably shrinking it. A couple months after starting it got less watery, but the pressure was still way down. Now a month after stopping and all is back to normal, which I was terrified wouldn't happen.
For anyone curious about my routine when stopping, I was taking 1.25mg/day (generic 5mg Proscar cut up into sections) at first. When I stopped, I went down to taking 1mg generic Propecia. After two weeks, down to 0.5mg for 2 weeks, then a week of 0.25mg, then a few scattered days of using a topical.
I'm sure forum members who have been around a lot longer than me have seen this happen to scores of men, but I think half of why I'm posting it is as a reminder to myself that it isn't worth it, because finasteride really does work for hair, and in a very self-defeating corner of my brain, I didn't and still don't want to stay off.
Let's hope CB can do its thing to androgens without spinning me out of control.
It was a miracle drug that stopped all my hairloss. Went from around 50 hairs a day in the shower to maybe 2.
When I was on the drug I experienced a number of side effects, but the most important one -- its effect on my mood -- I didn't initially attribute to finasteride. I was very, very depressed and moody while I was on finasteride. I'm usually depressed so I didn't really notice or draw a causal relationship. But after stopping, it is all too apparent that this drug was seriously messing with my brain. finasteride took away all my energy, all my optimism, and really just turned me into a bitter, sour person. A relationship fell apart while I was on the drug, I started obsessing about an older relationship, my head really went to some dark places. I'd be on dates with good looking, interesting women, and I'd be feeling lifeless and uninterested.
A month into stopping and my mood has improved beyond measure. I don't know if PFS is really a thing but I'm sure glad I don't have it. I really want to encourage people who already have anxiety, depression, that sort of thing -- to think twice before starting finasteride.
And, maybe more generally - if you experience any side effect at all, immediately stop. If you're prone to side effects on this drug, jump ship before it sinks and don't listen to people who say it'll be fine after a few months. Your body might adapt to its new hormonal make up, but you will be a different person.
Sexual side effects were the least of my concern, although they were present. A few days in, I got watery semen, and to continue the analogy, someone lowered the pressure on the water pump! Drips instead of a firehose. Seemed like finasteride was acting on the physicality of my prostate in one way or another, probably shrinking it. A couple months after starting it got less watery, but the pressure was still way down. Now a month after stopping and all is back to normal, which I was terrified wouldn't happen.
For anyone curious about my routine when stopping, I was taking 1.25mg/day (generic 5mg Proscar cut up into sections) at first. When I stopped, I went down to taking 1mg generic Propecia. After two weeks, down to 0.5mg for 2 weeks, then a week of 0.25mg, then a few scattered days of using a topical.
I'm sure forum members who have been around a lot longer than me have seen this happen to scores of men, but I think half of why I'm posting it is as a reminder to myself that it isn't worth it, because finasteride really does work for hair, and in a very self-defeating corner of my brain, I didn't and still don't want to stay off.
Let's hope CB can do its thing to androgens without spinning me out of control.
