Just started Propecia, Age 20.

[GreatSage]

I'm the same age and in the same situation and just recently started taking Propecia, absolute no sides at all so far. To be fair though I was kinda "excited" to go on it and was focusing more on the positives.

[seattle30]

Post by victimofdht,"I don't think there are 50 cases of ED -worldwide- due to the use of Fin. Enough with this stupid shit."

I dont think the facts backup this statement. If you read within the July 18 edition of the Journal of Sexual Medicine the Editor-in-Chief Dr Irwin Goldstein writes, "I think of the frequent phone calls I recieve from men with varying degrees of hair loss who have used 5 alpha reductase inhibitors and now have newly manifested sexual and cognitive complaints that often persist despite discontinuation of the 5 alpha reductase inhibitor."

I am more inclined to go with Dr Goldstein's belief that in the many men who have called him with persistent sexual dysfunction after cessation of the 5 alpha reductase inhibitor, the cause is iatrogenic.

[VictimOfDHT]

I don't care what ONE doctor says, or two or three. Many doctors seem to have differing opinions about different things/drugs. I also find that some doctors don't know shit about anything. What the majority says, and what most people experience is what counts. I have no doubt that many of the people who are experiencing side effects experience them because of psychosomatic reasons. I'm sure if you give these people sugar pills and tell them it's Fin they'd still have these side effects.

Show me actual number of people who have ED because of the drug. Unless it's like 20% or at least 10% of the users I'd say the drug is safe. And again, you know beforehand the drug might cause some sexual side effects but you choose to take it anyway and then you experience some effects. So what's the problem ?
We take meds and we know they all can have side effects but take them anyway. Should we ban all meds because some of us experience side effects ???
Enough with this shit.

[seattle30]

The problem is that the sexual side effects(along with cognitive in some individuals) persist after stopping the medication. When I went on the medication the dermatologist who prescribed me propecia never told me this. Its easy to say enough with this shit if the problem isn't happening to you.

I am not saying we should ban the medication, just require those who prescribe propecia to let patients know that there is a possibility of experiencing these side effects after discontinuation.

[SBTRKT]

ED is the very start of things.

I cannot feel my penis anymore - full stop.

[seattle30]

Victim of DHT "I have no doubt that many of the people who are experiencing side effects experience them because of psychosomatic reasons. I'm sure if you give these people sugar pills and tell them it's Fin they'd still have these side effects."

A sugar pill does not inhibit the neurosteriods 5 alpha-tetrahydroprogesterone and 5 alpha-dihydrodeoxcorticosterone. It will also not inhibit an androgen which plays a role in erectile function, from a paper in the journal of andrology titled the Effect of 5a-Reductase Inhibitors on Erectile Function "In the castration group, the thickness of tunica albuginea decreased significantly and the elastic fibers were mostly supplanted by collagenous fibers, and in the DHT-inhibited group, the elastic fibers were replaced by disorganized and thick collagenous fibers. Since the tunica albuginea plays a major role in the erectile mechanism of the penis, the latter results offer an explanation for the presentation of ED in patients treated with 5ARIs."

I think this statement by victimofdht is basically like telling hair loss sufferers that its "all in their head." Obviously not everyone who takes the medication experiences the persistent side effects after cessation, but for the unknown percentage who do they are very real.

[Confided]

I'm the same age and in the same situation and just recently started taking Propecia, absolute no sides at all so far. To be fair though I was kinda "excited" to go on it and was focusing more on the positives.

Good to hear, I'm doing the same thing. My scalp is still really itchy and I also pay attention to when my hair starts shedding but I guess it's just me being paranoid. I'm a lot more positive now that I'm on the propecia because of the fact that I'm actually taking a step to combat it.

And thanks to everyone that shows a lot of interest in the ED aspect of the symptoms but I'm having no side effects at all and my package is a functional as ever. haha.

Once again thanks to everyone for the encouragement I really appreciate it.

[JOE-91]

You will experience sexual side effects within a few months and stop taking the drug. I guarantee you.

[Confided]

UPDATE MONTH #1: I've noticed that I've been shedding excessively. When I run shampoo through my hair when taking a shower I notice sometimes 10-20 hairs on my hands. Some days I only see a maximum of 5. I don't really understand why it fluctuates but I hope it doesn't last long. It also seems like my hair has begin to recede a bit faster along my temples, side, and front hairlines. Wouldn't it be some shit if this exacerbated the hair loss and it didn't come back? I hope this isn't the case.

[GreatSage]

Are you just on Fin?