Problems with Finasteride

[wobblywilly]

Hi,

I've been on finasteride for approximately 4-5 years now. I've noticed increasingly that my semen has became quite watery and there is also a throbbing ache in my perineum.

I believe that this is due to the finasteride shinking my prostate to the point where it does not secrete sufficient amounts of fluid to cause the semen to coagulate.

I've decreased my intake of finasteride to 0.6g daily. However, there is no improvement in the situation.

Has anyone else had this issue and how did they resolve it? I've spoken to my doctor but they were pretty clueless about the issue. In fact, they didn't even know finasteride could be used for treating hair loss.


Thanks.

[Dan26]

Hi,

I've been on finasteride for approximately 4-5 years now. I've noticed increasingly that my semen has became quite watery and there is also a throbbing ache in my perineum.

I believe that this is due to the finasteride shinking my prostate to the point where it does not secrete sufficient amounts of fluid to cause the semen to coagulate.

I've decreased my intake of finasteride to 0.6g daily. However, there is no improvement in the situation.

Has anyone else had this issue and how did they resolve it? I've spoken to my doctor but they were pretty clueless about the issue. In fact, they didn't even know finasteride could be used for treating hair loss.


Thanks.

You gotta go back to your doctor man, or find another one. You should have some tests done (full blood panel, hormone, semen analysis), make sure nothing is out of wack.

[Dr. Glenn Charles]

I have had a few patients over the years with complaints of lower seman volume and a more watery consistancy.

[wobblywilly]

I have had a few patients over the years with complaints of lower seman volume and a more watery consistancy.

Hi Dr. Charles. Was there an outcome to this - did it improve or cause any permanent damage?

[dex89]

Hi Dr. Charles. Was there an outcome to this - did it improve or cause any permanent damage?

I also experience this when I started propecia, it happen twice a month for the about 8 months and it went away.

[Dr. Glenn Charles]

A few of the patients stopped taking the medication and things returned to normal and a few patients continued taking medication and I assume things got better because I never heard any patient complain of permanant changes. By the way I love that show Dexter.

[wobblywilly]

So, it doesn't effect fertility? My understanding is that it shrinks the prostate and by doing so inhibits relase into the semen of a slightly acidic milky fluid which purpose is to increase the lifespan of the sperm in the vagina.
Hence, although fertility is not afected, ability to conceive is reduced.

Is this understanding correct?

[wobblywilly]

Should I consider switching to Dutasteride instead in order to get rid of the issues I'm having with dutasteride?

[Dr. Glenn Charles]

You go to the physician who is prescribing your medication and ask what they think about trying the switch to see if this improves your side effects.

[BigThinker]

Hey wobbly, just curious: what dosage were on before 0.6? Based on your OP, it seems like you went down to 0.6 over a month ago. Did lowering the dose help at all, and did your hair deteriorate at all due to lowering the dose? Regards.

[d2001chen]

Some doctors say that Finasteride stays in the body for 72 hours and then flushes out. It does not stay in the body permanently. I don't know how true this is, but if it is true, you can stop taking the med for a week and see if this helps.

Some members have mentioned shrinking of prostrate and I did know about this. But is this permanent? Or does it return to original size once the med is stopped?

[wobblywilly]

Hey wobbly, just curious: what dosage were on before 0.6? Based on your OP, it seems like you went down to 0.6 over a month ago. Did lowering the dose help at all, and did your hair deteriorate at all due to lowering the dose? Regards.

I was on 1.25mg per day - basically cutting the tablet in quarters.

My hair might have slightly deteriorated at the temples, but then it was thinning there anyway. It is hard to say what would have happened without going back in time and repeating with the increased strength.

[wobblywilly]

Some doctors say that Finasteride stays in the body for 72 hours and then flushes out. It does not stay in the body permanently. I don't know how true this is, but if it is true, you can stop taking the med for a week and see if this helps.

Some members have mentioned shrinking of prostrate and I did know about this. But is this permanent? Or does it return to original size once the med is stopped?

If you read the wiki entry now for Finasteride it states:

There are case reports of persistent diminished libido or erectile dysfunction, even after stopping the drug.[18] In December 2008, the Swedish Medical Products agency concluded a safety investigation of finasteride and advised that finasteride may cause irreversible sexual dysfunction. The Agency's updated safety information lists difficulty in obtaining an erection that persists indefinitely, even after the discontinuation of finasteride, as a possible side effect of the drug.[19] The UK's Medical and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) cites reports of erectile dysfunction that persists once use of finasteride has stopped.[20] Similar labeling changes have been made by the Italian government. For a period of time there was a discrepancy between European and North American warning labels regarding the risks of developing persistent sexual side effects from taking Propecia but after two years in April 2011 Merck revised the United States' warning in consumer and medical leaflets to include erectile dysfunction that may persist after stopping finasteride.[21] In April 2012, the FDA chose to approve Merck's proposed labeling from 2011 only after the warning label was further strengthened to include reports of persistent libido disorders, ejaculation disorders, orgasm disorders, and decreased libido. [22][23][24]

[wobblywilly]

It doesn't sound great. I really hope against hope that I've not ruined myself. I've noticed that there is decreased sensation with orgasm and that ejaculation is very watery. I put this down to the prostate not producing sufficient (if any) fluid during ejaculation and hence it is watery which causes the lack of sensation during orgasm.

I'm currently weaning myself off this stuff. I don't think it is worth it any more.