Propecia/Finasteride sides update - doctor visit

[Papillion]

Yep, I appreciate what you say stay think, but 10 years in and a transplant done I'm to a certain extent held to ransom, if I stop entirely then I run the risk of having an odd hairline in future.

[itsmyhairs]

Custard, I respectfully 100% disagree with everything you just said. I personally was a 25/26 year old athlete when I first started Propecia. I experienced obvious sides within the first week, but stuck with it because many on the forums explained your body needs to adjust. The frustrating part was the other more serious sides that creeped up gradually over time. Morning erections disappeared after 2 weeks of use..thought this would change back to normal in time, but NO they did not. Again, this has nothing to do with age. I was still a young, athletic guy that NEVER had that issue until while on the drug. After a few months, I started noticing unusual weight gain, side belly fat around my mid-section. Dude I have always had a six-pack and nothing changed gym wise (went 5 days a week)..the only other variable was Propecia. And it was weird type of weight gain..like it went straight to my waist and thighs like a women. I figured this was excess Estrogen floating around.

I then started noticing speech issues, having trouble getting words out clear, stuttering. This has nothing to do with "aging" or "balding." Then my puffy nip situation started...somebody commented on my chest at the beach and asked if I stopped working out because my chest looked "flabby" and "boob-like." I quickly realized my body was changing before my eyes and it wasn't because I was 1 year older..it was clear as day Propecia was the culprit.

I could go on and on with the gradual sides I got, but the one that made me quit were the loss of morning erections, semi hard-erections, weight gain, and comments on my puffy nips. I quit instantly (1 year on drug). Within the first 2 months my raging boners came back (stronger then ever currently), erections firm as stone, and oddly enough all that weird weight around my chest, mid-section, and thighs started burning off. (Maintained same workout regimen). Slowly, but surely the puffy nips starting shrinking, but that is the only thing not 100% normal yet.

So, NO, balding did not cause any of the above sides. Propecia DID. Once Propecia usage was ceased, EVERYTHING went back to normal, while some took longer then others. Overall, I consider myself one of the lucky ones. At 27, you should NOT be having erection problems, puffy nips, unusual weight gain once starting a drug. Especially if you are a athlete like me. That drug is and will always be poison. Those that claim NO SIDES are just ones I believe forgot how they felt and were prior to the drug. These sides will creep on you and lose yourself and how you felt prior. It's really unbelievable the role DHT plays in the body beyond hair loss. I was just fortunate to have a group of friends point out many of those sides for me. Never again will I go near it or alter my DHT levels.

Your story is nearly identical to mine, apart from the fact I'm lazy and don't go to the gym, I'm just naturally skinny.

Took me about 4 months to get back to normal and I consider myself very, very lucky, some guys have sides years after propecia.


I've warned 2 friends against it so far and had to physically stop one from going to the pharmacist to get it, I eventually just told him (as embarrassing as it was) about the ED and flabby man boobs.

[thechamp]

Weight gain

I get rapid weight gain, on propecia I'm going to check my thyroid glan but I think it's propecia, any one else get weight gain

[custards]

Thanks for the clarification staythick. I guess in the back of my mind I still keep medication open as an option while my (thin) hairline is still (almost) where I want it to be. So the personal experiences and warnings are much appreciated.

I'd always been in excellent shape as well (and am getting there again). I'm not kidding when I said I experienced all those things. I wonder if my body temporarily overcompensated itself into a propecia-like state naturally. I did take SP but for a very short time and most people say it's too weak to have much effect anyway. Who knows...

[nativer]

Chris, thought I share my experience with Fin. Took it, got sides. Talk to my doctor, a psych the whole 10 yards.

Chris I think you should see a Urologist who is known to treat ED with TRT. That particular type of Urologist are better informed about Propecia and the sides.

I'm currently on Armidex to reduce my estrogen is hopes my body will restart my Testosterone.

You can Google Chlomid restart, or TRT restart, or Test restart

Take a look at this post.

http://www.propeciahelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4996

I hope you are able recover

[chrisis]

Sorry for the lack of responses to this topic, I haven't been getting alerts recently.

Just an update:

Went to a doctor a few weeks ago, but he dismissed my problems as "psychological" (big surprise....). I demanded a blood test anyway, and during the blood test I asked the nurse if she could recommend a doctor who might be more understanding. This doctor offered the blood test result shown below, however she still took a bit of persuasion on the topic of whether my symptoms are the result of taking this drug. She explained that my results were "normal", however I managed to convince her to refer me to an endocrinologist because I suggested that perhaps another hormone such as DHT might be the issue.

I'd really appreciate advice/thoughts on the above basic test, and I will report back in when I get further tests/help from the endocrinologist.

Sex hormone result:

Serum testosterone 21.4 nmol/L (9-25)
Calculated free testosterone 516 pmol/L (215-760)
Serum sex hormne binding glob 27 nmol/L (15-48)

[chrisis]

I'm currently on Armidex to reduce my estrogen is hopes my body will restart my Testosterone.

You can Google Chlomid restart, or TRT restart, or Test restart

Thank you nativer, but it seems from my result my testosterone level is in range - according to the doc. Maybe something else is at play...

[baldesswonder]

Im still puzzled by why so many are scared/paranoid of the systemic sides of finasteride and dutasteride yet they just dont crush it up and put it in a shampoo? That eliminates most of the sides, it did for me anways.

[nativer]

interesting go on.....

[nativer]

Thank you nativer, but it seems from my result my testosterone level is in range - according to the doc. Maybe something else is at play...

Have your estrogen check as well.

[chrisis]

Im still puzzled by why so many are scared/paranoid of the systemic sides of finasteride and dutasteride yet they just dont crush it up and put it in a shampoo? That eliminates most of the sides, it did for me anways.

A shampoo wouldn't inhibit DHT in the body. I'm not even sure it would do anything at the scalp. There are actual products for this, e.g. Nizoral.

[chrisis]

Thank you nativer, but it seems from my result my testosterone level is in range - according to the doc. Maybe something else is at play...

Have your estrogen check as well.

Yeah think I'll be demanding a lot of tests until they identify any problems. I'll keep on nagging until I get answers.

[Assemblage23]

I dont know if this is mental but now that I have all these doubts about my propecia use I feel like chit when I don't have sex on my mind.

[chrisis]

I dont know if this is mental but now that I have all these doubts about my propecia use I feel like chit when I don't have sex on my mind.

I'd say unless your libido has noticeably gone down, or you notice clear signs like lacking sensitivity you're probably ok. If your symptoms were anything like mine you wouldn't doubt for a second.

[Assemblage23]

I'd say unless your libido has noticeably gone down, or you notice clear signs like lacking sensitivity you're probably ok. If your symptoms were anything like mine you wouldn't doubt for a second.

I have less sensitivity, and a lot less random sexual thoughts but no gyno and my ejaculations are perfectly normal.

It just takes A LOT more to turn me on. The funny thing is that my sexlife exploded when I got on propecia I became obsessed with pulling girls and did well. Maybe I'm desensitized.
It's hard to tell. I just have to wait for a few more days. I want to experience something that will leave no doubt. If not, I'm back on fin.