Need some help - new at this. Saw Palmetto/Fin question.

[burtandernie]

I had oily skin, my head stopped itching, and I had sexual sides. All very similar to what you hear about finasteride. It definately did something for me, but I decided id rather try fin then always wonder if saw palmetto was really helping my hair or just giving me sides. Also over time the strength of saw palmetto seemed to gradually get worse. After I stopped it took while like many months to get back to normal. Everyone is going to be different though.
I will say I took saw palmetto other times like those powder pills and those did nothing for me the different brands I used. The only SP that did anything for me was GNC liquid gel caps. I think the liquid/potency/purity all matter for how its aborbed and used. The powder never worked so IMO the liquid works much better and I took 320mg the 2 caps a day.
I also think its weaker than fin because taking 2 I could notice it wearing off before the next dose. I think fin is just overall stronger which is a bit scary, but you know its helping your hair verses guessing. Im not on anything now just lipogaine but if I start an AA it would be trying fin like .25mg a day for cost/safety reasons instead of using SP again

[maxout777]

I had oily skin, my head stopped itching, and I had sexual sides. All very similar to what you hear about finasteride. It definately did something for me, but I decided id rather try fin then always wonder if saw palmetto was really helping my hair or just giving me sides. Also over time the strength of saw palmetto seemed to gradually get worse. After I stopped it took while like many months to get back to normal. Everyone is going to be different though.
I will say I took saw palmetto other times like those powder pills and those did nothing for me the different brands I used. The only SP that did anything for me was GNC liquid gel caps. I think the liquid/potency/purity all matter for how its aborbed and used. The powder never worked so IMO the liquid works much better and I took 320mg the 2 caps a day.
I also think its weaker than fin because taking 2 I could notice it wearing off before the next dose. I think fin is just overall stronger which is a bit scary, but you know its helping your hair verses guessing. Im not on anything now just lipogaine but if I start an AA it would be trying fin like .25mg a day for cost/safety reasons instead of using SP again

Thanks for the response, and the detailed write up, looks like I may have some months of fun ahead of me, but as long as I recover I'll take it. You're a braver man than me to try fin after having problems on SP....this has me on the edge. Like you, I too took the liquid soft gels. Almost wish I would've gotten the powder in hindsight, ha.

[maxout777]

A month off now and starting to feel better each day, slowly. Sweat, skin oil, eyes are less dry....brain fog isn't as steady. Gonna keep updating this as I go just so folks can find some relief if they are ever in my situation and scared. I'm thinking about trying Minox, anyone had real success with that? Would like to find a natural dht blocker that works without screwing me up.

[koko207]

Hey Max,

Can you give us an update on how you are feeling nowadays?

Thanks man

[maxout777]

Hey Max,

Can you give us an update on how you are feeling nowadays?

Thanks man

Hey man,

First off, I was there once and I know how anxious and terrible life seems right now. You've got to RELAX, it's hard to do. But you've got to do it. You have every chance of returning to normal.

Personally, unfortunately I'm still dealing with sexual side effects from Saw Palmetto usage. I am MUCH better than I was when I started this thread, and I feel I will return to normal. My recovery has come in waves, as in I'll feel good for a week or so, then I'm back down, but not as low as before, and each time I go back up, I'm better than before. As if my body is finding its equilibrium.

Exercise, eat a paleo style diet, and get plenty of sleep. Best advice I have for you. Give it three months before you take any action to correct it. Number one thing you need to do is quiet your mind. That screwed me more than anything I believe, constantly googling my symptoms and spot checking my erections by masturbating. Abstain from masturbation too, in my early days it only made it worse.

I'll report back when I have more news to share, best of luck my friend. I hope that you'll be just fine soon!

[koko207]

Thank you man I really appreciate your response. Did you also have constipation problems?

[maxout777]

Thank you man I really appreciate your response. Did you also have constipation problems?

Not a problem. I did have bad digestion problems, including constipation. Went away. I can't say for sure of course but I attribute the paleo diet and probiotic use to that.

Also, do yourself a favor and start taking a different testosterone boosting herb everyday. Examples include: Tongkat Ali, Tribulus, Mucuna, Pine Pollen, etc. You can find a whole list and the cycling method through a quick Google search. This has definitely attributed to my recovery. Time is of course the best healer of all wounds, so relax and be patient. Best of luck.

I'd say I'm close to 60-70%, prob closer to 70% back to normal, so don't fret. It'll come.

[koko207]

Not a problem. I did have bad digestion problems, including constipation. Went away. I can't say for sure of course but I attribute the paleo diet and probiotic use to that.

Also, do yourself a favor and start taking a different testosterone boosting herb everyday. Examples include: Tongkat Ali, Tribulus, Mucuna, Pine Pollen, etc. You can find a whole list and the cycling method through a quick Google search. This has definitely attributed to my recovery. Time is of course the best healer of all wounds, so relax and be patient. Best of luck.

I'd say I'm close to 60-70%, prob closer to 70% back to normal, so don't fret. It'll come.

Thanks for the advise men, but in all honesty I want to give my body I little more time to heal and sort itself out alone. I feel I am getting close to normal little by little. After this experience I am very reluctant to take any kind of herbs anymore.

Are you still on the Paleo diet or it was a momentary thing?

I hope everything goes well for you and you get to 110%

[maxout777]

Thanks for the advise men, but in all honesty I want to give my body I little more time to heal and sort itself out alone. I feel I am getting close to normal little by little. After this experience I am very reluctant to take any kind of herbs anymore.

Are you still on the Paleo diet or it was a momentary thing?

I hope everything goes well for you and you get to 110%

I'm still on the paleo diet with carb back loading (look it up if you're curious). It's honestly one of the best diets/methods for hormones.

In regards to those herbs, I waited about two months myself before I started doing them. I improved some prior to that, but once I started them things really accelerated and I wish I had started them earlier. Like you, I was hesitant to take anything else, but if you decide to go that path later, the ones I listed won't cause you any problems, they'll only help. Thanks for the kind words, I should be back to normal within a couple of months if my progress keeps up. Wish you all the best too.

[sanook]

I've been using SP the last 2 months and over the last week or so i've been experiencing very similar side effects to finisteride (which I no longer take). I wasn't sure if it was the Rogaine/Regaine I had been using (started about the same time as the SP). I will stop SP and see how I go...