Sexual dysfunction and Finasteride

[Louish]

Why would you take an opioid antagonist for your condition?

[willy31]

I don't know, it's a PHG forum members suggestion. But, more I read about Naltrexone, more I think it's not a good idea.

[willy31]

Hello everyone,

I have something new.

As I already mentioned, after complaining about hair loss and sexual dysfunction (of which I am responsible for Prozac, Risperidone, Concerta ... and maybe Finasteride), my doctor made me have a blood test. He called me yesterday to tell me that my Vitamin B12 was low. He told me he was going to send me a prescription Vitamin B12 to take by mouth (oral) to stabilize all that.

However, I have done some research and I am afraid it will be more complicated than that. First, it seems that the injections are more effective, and secondly, since I am not a vegetarian and I eat regularly full of foods containing Vitamin B12, it could be due to malabsorption of V B12. Even if I'm not yet 40 (I'm only 26 years old), it could still be a pernicious anemia or other serious diseases of the kind that develops quietly and insidiously. Untreated, the disease progresses to severe neurological disorders.

Since my doctor does not seem to know what to do and it is difficult for me to reach him (impossible by phone), can you tell me what is the next step?
-Do I only take a supplement of V B12 (injection, patch, orally, other?). For life? With a draconian follow-up?
-Do I have to do other more advanced blood tests? Are there more than one type of V B12 to identify?
-Are there tests to detect serious diseases related to the lack of V B12 (such as pernicious anemia, etc.)?
-Do you have any other suggestions?

* I want to specify that I live in Quebec *

Thank you!

William (Male, 26 years old)

[Louish]

I doubt B12 is the only factor but oral supplements are enough.

[willy31]

I continued my research and I read that several medicaments could interfere and be at the origin of vitamin B12 deficiency by malabsorption, including psychotropic drugs (antidepressants, neuroleptics) and treatments against high blood pressure (Minoxidil). It could only be that. But maybe not.

But even if it's a drug that causes malabsorption, it's still dangerous to let the vitamin B12 level out of balance. Hence the importance of finding a doctor who knows about it, how to rebalance it in the best possible way and to have a regular follow-up with blood tests.

[willy31]

I started the oral tablets Beduzil 1200mcg on November 16th.

I saw two doctors who told me the same thing. They do not want to do more testing. They told me to start with the tablets, do another blood test in March 2018, and if that does not work, go to the injections. That's what I'm going to do.

What scares me is that my B12 level was 131pmol / L on October 31, 2017. The critical threshold is 110pmol / L. Down there, there can be irreversible damage. I hope that if the tablets are ineffective, my B12 rate will not have time to go down to 110pmol / L by March 2018. I do not know how fast it is going down.

Also, according to all the sites I consulted, it seems that testing the B12 rate and treating it properly is much more complex than simply doing blood tests every 3 months and choosing between tablets or injections. I would so like to meet a doctor who agrees to deepen the subject with me. Maybe I should go to private, but it's very expensive.

For more testing...My family doctor and the other general practitioner I have seen are completely stubborn and do not want to know anything.

Would it seem that no analysis is 100% reliable, since the analyzes recommended below are not specific to B12 and that rates may increase for other reasons than vitamin B12 deficiency. That said, these assays remain the most reliable current method for detecting B12 deficiency.

Methylmalonic acid (AMM, measured more specifically in urine than in blood) is the main analysis to identify a deficiency.
When our cells begin to run out of vitamin B12, our levels of methylmalonic acid increase.
A person properly supplemented and without deficiency will most often obtain a result less than 1 mmol of AMM per mol of creatinine. Starting from 2 mmol of AMM per mol of creatinine, one can ask questions about a deficiency / a beginning of deficiency. The official recommendations are not to exceed (approximately) 3.5 mmol of AMM per mol of creatinine.

It is important to ask for the urinary MAH (urine analysis) and not the AMM serum (blood test), the latter being less precise.
It is to be expected that our doctor and laboratory will know absolutely nothing about methylmalonic acid.
For clarification: it is better to ask the laboratory to have the analysis sent to a specialized lab (where the analysis is done), if possible, rather than to laboratories that are not specialized in this area. (who do not perform the analysis themselves and subcontract it, which can significantly lengthen the time to receive its results).

Neurologists strongly recommend that you test your homocysteine (the latter increasing during vitamin B12 deficiency as the AMM) via a blood test.

[willy31]

Do you think there is a correlation between low B12 and Hairloss/Sexuals dysfunctions/Vitiligo/Psoriasis/Always tired?

Since 16th november, I take Ginkgo Biloba 2X 80mg/day for my libido but... I don't think It's really effective.

[enalex]

did you try organic viagra ?

[DFrost]

Why should you take opioid antagonists for your medical condition?

[Yikes123]

Hey guys. So sorry if this isn’t the best thread for this but I’ve been taking finerastride for about 7 months... the first few months were fine I could jack off 4 times a day if I wanted to. Now I can’t get an erection... I think I’m gonna stop taking it