Finasteride sides: update (especially for fab and Johny.track131)

***This topic is not an invitation to debate side effects.***
Please do not post here unless you wish to contribute to this discussion about eliminating side effects after taking Propecia/finasteride that some of us have experienced or are experiencing.

Thank you

Back story: started finasteride in January 2012, and began suffering sexual side effects at the 2 months mark. I quit quit cold turkey around the middle of March. Since then I've been struggling to get back to normal.

About a month ago, fab and Johny.track131 suggested I try Clarityn, or it's generic active ingredient, loratadine, which a trial and anecdotes suggested might restore healthy functionality somehow.

I tried that and enjoy a return to normality almost immediately, followed by spells of dysfunction again. I took my last tablet about a week ago and have had problems since, so I'm going back on loratadine to see what happens.

fab also suggested I try maca root, which a trial also indicated might be helpful. I have bought some of this today and gonna give this a try too. It's 1.5mg a tablet, but 3mg was considered to be the effective dose so I'm going to take two. I know taking both at the same time kinda messes up the science of figuring out what works, but **** it, I want this sorted.

What specific sexual side effects are you experiencing?

• lower libido
• lower sensitivity
• less powerful ejaculations
• fewer random boners
• less volume and watery consistency of semen

Sorry if that's graphic, but you did ask :)

Could try some horny goat weed as well. Works pretty well increasing libido and sensitivity as well.

I saw a special formula which had both, but I thought I'd just go with the maca for now.

Can I ask if you've had your hormone levels checked?
Also would you say there's been any kind of general trend since you quit, i.e. getting worse or better overall? Or mainly just the same besides the time on loratadine?
Did you notice any new sides after quitting, or "just" a continuation of the same ones?

Thank you and good luck.

I had a few good spells while on loratadine. Generally I think with time things are getting better.

I haven't had any tests done, because I thought the loradatine had fixed me :/ I will wait it out for now...

Have you been to an actual doctor? Lack of sex drive is a common problem (especially among older people).

Not to play armchair doctor but it might be safer to just get your hormones checked. I'm no endocrinologist but I think changing the levels of one hormone can cause a kind of cascading reaction, where other hormones might fall/rise out of the normal range.
Probably not telling you anything you don't know but, if a fix is as easy as a temporary hormone treatment or something like that, you might find yourself in the clear faster than you expected

sighsigh, I'm pretty sure he's in his 20s

What would the affects be for a person who takes fin and isnt actually experiencing mpb. Would it be really damaging?

Im saying this because Im sure I am but if the odd chance I wasnt how would taking fin affect me.

cheers