Propecia erectile dysfunction effect is real folks

[CVAZBAR]

Compared to some of the "testimonials" on here that read more like pharmaceutical sales pitches than actual first hand accounts of this drug's side effects I would say this one is dead on. I took Propecia for well over a year with exactly those results. Definite reduction in sex drive, erection frequency and potency with a significant loss in "volume". For me these side effects weren't worth it and I stopped taking the drug and within roughly 3 weeks all returned to normal. As a point of perspective and was then and am now in EXTREMELY good cardiovascular shape. Of course I'm also bald

Well the volume in semen really does not matter much to me because i can still muster a good amount. As long as it would not affect me having babies, its all good for me, plus women also play a big part. Sex drive? Like i said, I'm not sure if that it's really taking a toll on me because i still think about women. It's really hard to tell if my sex drive has decreased but i know that working out and staying active will help. Staying positive and even taking some herbal supplements can help out like tribulus, just in case you really think its a huge problem. Now the Erection is probably the thing that makes me think the most. I know for a fact, part of it can be mental because even when i was young, it was quite normal to go numb at times. Now you can also do something about it, like taking viagra or cialis. You don't have to take it everyday, only when you need it and you might even enjoy it more. When i have sex i always feel that in order for me to feel great, i needed to let myself go completely but when you really think about satisfying women to the extreme, you really have to concentrate a lot more and have control. I always felt more tense and pressure even though i would definitely get the job done for her. This might not be the best example but the whole damn porn industry is on viagra hahaha. I don't see women complaining and i doubt you will. BUT i know that it's not the best of ideas and the potential problems that occur for some but it gives me a bit more comfort knowing you can do something about everything. Unfortunately we don't have too many choices when dealing with this shit but i think it's manageable and you can find some peace.

[Zao]

I actually think it looks like some herbal companies are trying to dissuade people from helping themselves with medication that actually works. I’ve been on Propecia since about 1998 and I have never suffered with any sexual side effects. I have been able to keep my hair for many years and feel very lucky that I started taking it early. Several of my friends take it too and not one has complained of side effects.
You can read my story here.

http://www.baldtruthtalk.com/showthread.php?t=435

[lightheaded]

As far as side affects, i do have a bit of everything like less volume of semen and maaaaaybe lowered libido but that is hard to tell for me because i don't feel that different. The problem that i noticed is that my erections are not as hard and its a bit harder for me to maintain

Compared to some of the "testimonials" on here that read more like pharmaceutical sales pitches than actual first hand accounts of this drug's side effects I would say this one is dead on. I took Propecia for well over a year with exactly those results. Definite reduction in sex drive, erection frequency and potency with a significant loss in "volume". For me these side effects weren't worth it and I stopped taking the drug and within roughly 3 weeks all returned to normal. As a point of perspective and was then and am now in EXTREMELY good cardiovascular shape. Of course I'm also bald

[CVAZBAR]

Side Effects!

I know many people talk about side effects from propecia or whatever medical therapy that you are taking but some are not so bad are they?? Im taking propecia and it has not done anything noticeably for me yet. It's almost 6 months and i might be considering avodart. As far as side affects, i do have a bit of everything like less volume of semen and maaaaaybe lowered libido but that is hard to tell for me because i don't feel that different. The problem that i noticed is that my erections are not as hard and its a bit harder for me to maintain it but why can't you use Viagra?? This can work for everyone. You don't have to take it daily and im guessing you can manage it to where you can use it when you think you might need it? I read that its perfectly safe to use both but i don't know how much of a problem it might be for some people. What you guys think??

[scarman]

I'm beginning to think that some herbal hair loss company is paying people to say this stuff about Propecia. I have yet to find a doctor who reports more than 1% of their patients (out of many thousands) who have any erectile dysfunction from the drug. I also took it for 12 years without side effects and I have several friends on it who say they have no side effects or in one case, an increase in sex drive. I really wish people who have issues with the drug would have a rational discourse about it so they don't scare guys into unnecessarily avoiding the drug and having to live with the resulting misery that hair loss can bring.

yep, I think the same .

[scarman]

Your hair is probably not going to start falling out again for at least a couple of months after stopping. If you're really worried about your hormones, you can get blood tests done to see where your levels are. All of the guys on propeciahelp.com and the other such sites have hypogonadism so their testosterone and DHT levels are extremely low. Trust me, you would know if you had this condition and the fact that you are seeing an increase in sexual function undoubtedly means you do NOT.

Testosteron leves low cause finasteride have none sense at all. They should have another problem that is not finasteride related .
That is the problem, some people think that since they are tacking finasteride they should be superman, if not , is cause finasteride side effects .
People that do not take Finasteride have testosterone defficient, so why you think that is finasteride fault ?

[scarman]

Why do you think that cause you take Finasteride you could not have erectile dysfunctio ? and if you have it , it is finasteride fault ? 25 % of men at 30 suffers some kind of erectile dysfunctio . I have been taking since 17 and do not have any problem.

[ryan555]

yup, it's true. Propecia will crush your penis!!

I'm beginning to think that some herbal hair loss company is paying people to say this stuff about Propecia. I have yet to find a doctor who reports more than 1% of their patients (out of many thousands) who have any erectile dysfunction from the drug. I also took it for 12 years without side effects and I have several friends on it who say they have no side effects or in one case, an increase in sex drive. I really wish people who have issues with the drug would have a rational discourse about it so they don't scare guys into unnecessarily avoiding the drug and having to live with the resulting misery that hair loss can bring.

[skipstah70]

yup, it's true. Propecia will crush your penis!!

[Notbaldyet]

yes

i had my testosterone checked. it was normal. i am reassured.

[ryan555]

Your hair is probably not going to start falling out again for at least a couple of months after stopping. If you're really worried about your hormones, you can get blood tests done to see where your levels are. All of the guys on propeciahelp.com and the other such sites have hypogonadism so their testosterone and DHT levels are extremely low. Trust me, you would know if you had this condition and the fact that you are seeing an increase in sexual function undoubtedly means you do NOT.

[Notbaldyet]

wow...

really? holy crap. that is actually kind of frightening to me. i am one of those people who actually hope that I start losing my hair like crazy because it will be a sign that i am a 'man' again. when i was 19, in college, i would close my books after a night of studying and i would literally have to dust the hair out from the pages. then i started propecia and if i see more than a single strand of hair on my bed sheets, its unusual. the more i read, the more i realize that although i am thankful for the past 12 years of hair, i basically emasculated myself for the past 12 years too, and thats frightening. on another note, 2 weeks after stopping the medicine i already see changes in sexual function, which is great. to give you an indication of how bad things had gotten, when i described my function to my doctor, he told me that i was normal....for a 65 year old. that scared the bejesus out of me. i thought i had just been getting old. i guess the best combo would be to just keep my hair and regain normal function.

[ryan555]

i know its a powerful drug -- i kept every strand of my hair for years. i hope that when my hair falls out, my boners come back! my contention against those who say that its a 'permanent' change is -- if it was permanent, you woud probably permanently keep your hair. my guess is that once the hair starts falling out again, its a sign your levels have normalized again a month or two previously.

Many of the guys on the anti-Propecia websites claim that their hair did not change after quitting the drug. In fact, if they are experiencing long-term issues, it is almost certainly because their hormones did not readjust for some reason. I even read a thread where some of the guys were saying they wished their hair would start falling out because it would be a sign they are normalizing. Anyway, the chances of your body not returning to a pre-treatment state are extremely remote. What you don't know is how bad your hair loss would have been had you never taken the drug, nor what effect all the years on the drug might have in slowing your hair loss. I know a lot of doctors claim that you'll quickly "catch up" to where you would have been had you never taken the drug, but I'm not convinced this is true. I have spoken to a few guys who did not see much hair loss in the year after they stopped. I am about 7 months out from quitting and I have receded a bit, but it is not as bad as I thought it was going to be (knocking HARD on wood).

[Notbaldyet]

boners and balding

its the crazy thing, and it makes sense, that these two things which are so connected to virility are so important to me.

incidentally, i just came across a journal article in which finasteride 5mg was used for gender reassignment medical treatment for men wanting to become women.

i know its a powerful drug -- i kept every strand of my hair for years. i hope that when my hair falls out, my boners come back! my contention against those who say that its a 'permanent' change is -- if it was permanent, you woud probably permanently keep your hair. my guess is that once the hair starts falling out again, its a sign your levels have normalized again a month or two previously.

[ryan555]

Ryan...agree. and I don't personally believe in the hysteria about permanent side effects. As far as I'm concerned once u stop the drug it makes no sense that things would not revert to normal. My issue with this drug is that its unclear whether it was investigated that carefully prior to marketing and whether the issue of ED with it, that is now pretty much clear in the literature, was discussed as fully as it needed to be. When I started to take this drug I was told it was harmless. It is...once you stop it. And like you said, is there are side effects, stop the drug. But some may not have even been aware of what to watch for.

I won't burden you with my life story, but I can tell you that I probably have more contempt for the pharma industry than anyone you'll find.

Having said that, I will defend Merck to a degree because all drug trials have to be limited in duration or they would never get to market. I think perhaps the number of men who experience some form of decrease in erectile function probably increases after long term use (especially as age becomes and increasing factor). When I started the drug at 19, I experienced zero side effects and I guess very gradually over the years some minor changes took place. Had I been a part of the study for 2 years, I would have reported no side effects. However, it is not uncommon for long-term symptoms of a drug to surface years after the trials have ended, which may be happening with Propecia. I don't believe that Merck distorted the trial results at all and that opinion seems to be validated by the many doctors who prescribe this medication.

I think what's really going on is that men FREAK OUT when anything effects our members, no matter how slight. Most of us would grow a sixth toe if we could keep a full head of hair, but if we get a 2% reduction in the size of our boners we think the world is coming to an end.