Side effects or mind games?

[JNorton52]

I started taking generic fin three days ago, and I'm only taking 0.5 mg a day. I was terrified of taking it because of all of the propecia hate and life ruining ive been reading about. I finally decided to take the plunge, but I've resolved that I will immediately discontinue fin the moment I noticed any side effects. However, this has gotten me searching for side effects, and when I look for any testicular discomfort... I WILL find testicular discomfort. I've noticed that my testicles have been hugging a little closer to my body lately, but I can't tell if that's just my paranoia or not. Basically, I'd just like to know which side effects I should be on the hunt for. Is it just enough to be monitoring things like erection size, semen quality, and to check for gyno? I keep reading that fin is sinister and I may not be able to notice the damage it's doing to my body. Ugh, the Internet man...

[JNorton52]

I'm also 20 years old if that matters

[BigThinker]

Prostate ache is extremely common when starting finasteride. I think most find it resolves itself over the course of a week or two. I wouldn't stress it.

Also, as you stated, if you go looking for sides, you'll probably "find" them. I have the same issue. Furthermore, if you go browsing the internet for a symptom, you'll almost certainly find an instance or two.

I don't think any drug is fear-mongered the way finasteride is. For what it's worth, I'm 5.5 months on fin and have zero side effects, and I did have bouts of fear and "sides" like you.

Best.

[Aeroes]

I started taking generic fin three days ago, and I'm only taking 0.5 mg a day. I was terrified of taking it because of all of the propecia hate and life ruining ive been reading about. I finally decided to take the plunge, but I've resolved that I will immediately discontinue fin the moment I noticed any side effects. However, this has gotten me searching for side effects, and when I look for any testicular discomfort... I WILL find testicular discomfort. I've noticed that my testicles have been hugging a little closer to my body lately, but I can't tell if that's just my paranoia or not. Basically, I'd just like to know which side effects I should be on the hunt for. Is it just enough to be monitoring things like erection size, semen quality, and to check for gyno? I keep reading that fin is sinister and I may not be able to notice the damage it's doing to my body. Ugh, the Internet man...

Hey bro,

I'm 22 I took propecia for a short period of time got the ball ache and ED which subsided when i stopped. Your going to feel sides initially if your depriving your body of a hormone, your body will adapt to the changes. Though I don't recommend taking this product. I have friends that have taken fin without any issues.

[JNorton52]

Hey guys, thanks so much for the replies. I was at my internship all day and didn't notice a thing until I got home. Now that I have nothing to do, my paranoia has returned and I'm trying to see if my balls are acting funny lol. I guess I'll know if I have a real side effect if I suffer from any pain during my internship or any other place where I'm too distracted to care. All I know is, if I get a single ache while busy, I'm probably chucking the bottle of fin into the river haha. Paranoia kills.

[TheSwingingGate]

Good for you for at least giving Propecia a shot. If it doesn't work for you, then that is ok.

I do not want to minimize your symptoms, but testicular ache can be caused by many factors a lot of which are benign.

It has also been my experience, once you notice this ache, one can zero in on it. I just got over a month of this pain, and I am not on Propecia at the moment.

Just wanted to give you an opposing view.

Good luck!

[JNorton52]

Good for you for at least giving Propecia a shot. If it doesn't work for you, then that is ok.

I do not want to minimize your symptoms, but testicular ache can be caused by many factors a lot of which are benign.

It has also been my experience, once you notice this ache, one can zero in on it. I just got over a month of this pain, and I am not on Propecia at the moment.

Just wanted to give you an opposing view.

Good luck!

Hey I appreciate that man. I can't be jumping to any conclusions that fin is causing any discomfort.

So I forgot to mention above what the story is:
I've had hair thinning at the front and crown for over a year now. I can hide it fairly easily, but I've been shedding like CRAZY since April. The front has become noticeable thinner since, and in June I concluded that I would shave my head once the hair loss hits hard enough that I can't keep my current hairstyle. I figured the shaved head would give me a mature look that could help me out during interviews and what not. But, obviously, I love my hair. I have a classy look that I really don't want to lose. I just wanted to give fin a shot, at least for a month, just to get that closure of knowing whether or not I could keep my hair. If 0.5 mg doesn't work, then, well, it doesn't work. I don't want to take the full dose, as I simply don't want to make the financial effort of paying $73 a month as a college student (halving the dose gives me double the pills), and I feel a little safer with the lower dosage. First, sure sign of a side effect though, and I am chucking the bottle.

[DesperateOne]

Hey I appreciate that man. I can't be jumping to any conclusions that fin is causing any discomfort.

So I forgot to mention above what the story is:
I've had hair thinning at the front and crown for over a year now. I can hide it fairly easily, but I've been shedding like CRAZY since April. The front has become noticeable thinner since, and in June I concluded that I would shave my head once the hair loss hits hard enough that I can't keep my current hairstyle. I figured the shaved head would give me a mature look that could help me out during interviews and what not. But, obviously, I love my hair. I have a classy look that I really don't want to lose. I just wanted to give fin a shot, at least for a month, just to get that closure of knowing whether or not I could keep my hair. If 0.5 mg doesn't work, then, well, it doesn't work. I don't want to take the full dose, as I simply don't want to make the financial effort of paying $73 a month as a college student (halving the dose gives me double the pills), and I feel a little safer with the lower dosage. First, sure sign of a side effect though, and I am chucking the bottle.

Well I don't know where youre getting your finadteride from but I went to the doctor and I got prescribed the 1mg, I found that it was going to be $230 for 90 days. Then I did some research and found that Walmart is selling them extremely cheap but in the 5mg dose, I guess they make more of those than the 1mg and so it's much cheaper. Anyways, I had to drive 45 mins to get to Walmart but I ended up paying $9 for 30 5mg pills that I can now split into 4 pieces and it should last me a couple of months. So there is no reason that cost should be an issue, although I do hate Walmart but I can't deny the help it gave me.

[JNorton52]

Well I don't know where youre getting your finadteride from but I went to the doctor and I got prescribed the 1mg, I found that it was going to be $230 for 90 days. Then I did some research and found that Walmart is selling them extremely cheap but in the 5mg dose, I guess they make more of those than the 1mg and so it's much cheaper. Anyways, I had to drive 45 mins to get to Walmart but I ended up paying $9 for 30 5mg pills that I can now split into 4 pieces and it should last me a couple of months. So there is no reason that cost should be an issue, although I do hate Walmart but I can't deny the help it gave me.

I live in NYC so there's no Walmart anywhere close to me. I get my fin as a 30 day supply from CVS.

[redy]

I recently started fin too...

I know for a fact that I can convince myself of any sickness, so it's been a test for me.

Take your mind off it, that's what I've been doing.
Figure that you can't regret using it because you were trying, right?

Hope your body will adapt to it, and have a healthy lifestyle in the mean-time.

You'd be surprised what a mindset can do to your body...
Not exactly the same as you, but for what it's worth...
I've been going through a very traumatic and painful injury for the last 9months or so now, which I'm also convinced sped up my hair loss, and at the onset of the injury I was convinced that it was causing me ED.
Just because I had read that the meds I was taking could effect it and I was in so much pain and also scared I'd lose my girlfriend because of all the problems I was going through - hairloss wasn't even a concern yet!

After a few weeks of that I just told myself that it was all in my damn head, took a month or so of just clearing my mind, and then my drive was raging and ED gone...

Not saying that fin won't seriously cause these problems, nor am I advocating it in general, but if you look for a problem you will always find one.