There are serious side effects that need to be considered! Updated Review of the Hair Loss and Prostate Drug Finasteride: Worst Pills, Best Pills, January 2020. Response via Twitter to the Karolinska Institutet study Association of 5-Reductase Inhibitors With Prostate Cancer Mortality: May 31, 2022. I am on the transcrotal cream. Post-Finasteride Syndrome: Current Views and Where do We Stand? Yes, in general its safer with less sides, but some people have reported similar side effects as fin. Careers. Even if the incidence of persistent sexual adverse events is 3% to 5%, which may be viewed as a small number, approximately 900,000 to 1.5 million men would suffer persistent sexual and psychiatric adverse events. The PubMed wordmark and PubMed logo are registered trademarks of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Altered methylation pattern of the SRD5A2 gene in cerebrospinal fluid of post-finasteride patients: a pilot study: Endocrine Connections, July, 2019. Have you tried nearly everything, but nothing seems to move the needle? Transdermal substitution of dihydrotestosterone led to an improvement in sexual symptoms in two placebo-controlled studies. Thats a very common thing. Mens Health and Fertility Lifestyle Information: Weill Cornell Medicine Center. Every patient must be thoroughly informed about its side effects. PFSNetwork.org J Sex Med. Concern regarding adverse effects of finasteride is increasing. Post finasteride syndrome is real. Discontinuation of the drug should actually make the hormones work again.but apparently, something breaks down in some men, in the prostate, in the brain, in the whole organism. I will not prescribe finasteride to young men with MPB because of the potential side effects. I want to try a solution like HCG low dose: 2022 Mar;8(2):169-170. doi: 10.1159/000518750. Unable to load your collection due to an error, Unable to load your delegates due to an error. Patients who are having emotional issues on finasteride, at the one-milligram dose, young men, need to be removed from finasteride. Markthceck (SWR TV) Lifestyle Drug Finasteride: Dead pants instead of a bald head? OK to keep taking: 17.5% The effects in the brain of finasteridehave been poorly explored. Long-term-treatment follow-up revealed that (5 mg/day) effects on hair growth are sustained in most women. Determining if You Suffer from PFS Finasteride, dutasteride and saw palmetto are 5-alpha reductase inhibitors that can trigger an enduring sexual dysfunction with a very similar profile to post-SSRI sexual dysfunction. (A call with me is usually $200, but since this is your first call, I've got you covered.). Optimize thyroid. Men reporting Post-Finasteride Syndrome experience side effects that persist after stopping finasteride or other 5-alpha reductase inhibitors. Statement (via Twitter) to research colleague, Statement via Twitter to fellow clinicians. Yuck. And I have to use huge amounts of testosterone to overcome this drug. Epub 2022 Jan 10. Post-finasteride syndrome is leaving behind a slew of victims in its trail. 2012 Nov;9(11):2927-32. doi: 10.1111/j.1743-6109.2012.02846.x. I find this amazing article. Balding? My private email list for written articles, exclusive offers, sales & more: http://bit.ly/2mtASGW https://gorillamind.com . The concept of PFS has emerged from reports of non-dermatologists, neuroendocrinological research and reflections, and uncontrolled studies of low quality and with a strong bias selection, while a significant nocebo effect among patients informed about possible side effects of finasteride is recognized. A few of the best ways to lower prolactin include: For more a comprehensive guide on lowering prolactin, check out this article: Serotonin is most often high in all mental and physical disorders and there is always a serotonin receptor/s gone rogue. Some people actually report dramatic improvements in their symptoms after starting a certain SSRI. Maybe you think Im exaggerating. We aimed to determine the type and frequency of symptoms in men having long-term sexual and non-sexual side effects after finasteride treatment (a condition recently called post-finasteride syndrome, PFS) against androgenetic alopecia (AGA). Hi man, what have you done so far that helped you to 80% recovery? 2020 Jan;113(1):21-50. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2019.11.030. If estrogen is high, focus on lowering that, as estrogen is a potent inducer of serotonin and prolactin. How Avodart and Proscar Affect Libido: Prostate Cancer Research Institute, May 3, 2021. [Finasteride therapy] is a modification of the hormonal mechanism, which raises the question of reversibility. Careers. Here we evaluate the scientific and clinical evidence in the contemporary medical literature to address the very fundamental question: Is PFS a real clinical condition caused by finasteride use or are the reported symptoms only incidentally associated with but not caused by finasteride use? Post-finasteride syndrome: An emerging clinical problem: Neurobiology of Stress, May 2020. Post-Finasteride Syndrome: Efforts to explain persistent symptoms are undermined by poor long term data on harms: The BMJ, August 9, 2019. Finasteride USERS BEWARE!!! Are you sensitive to dietary fats and have greasy stool with fat floating on the surface of the water after pitching a loaf? Literally a drug looking for any reason to still exist. As a 5-alpha reductase inhibitor, finasteride works by inhibiting the . See? Le Figaro, March 3, 2019. If prolactin is high, dopamine is most likely low and serotonin elevated, so then it would be good to focus on lowering prolactin. In men affected by the PFS, the level of Androstanediol Glucuronide is not restored to previous finasteride levels. Blocking 5 alpha-reductase to any degree in the brain is a crapshoot. We stopped prescribing finasteride because the risk is just too high. And can we talk about the real risks of cognitive decline with them??? Risk of Depression Associated With Finasteride Treatment: Journal of Clinical Psychoparmacology, March 31, 2021. And its not worth it. Proscar can hardly be categorized as safe because it can cause breast augmentation, reduced libido andimpotence. This warning is now mentioned in finasterides package insert. Good morning, Brain fog A growing number of doctors, researchers and therapists have in recent years been voicing their concerns about finasterides potential to cause persistent physical and mental side effects, known as post-finasteride syndrome (PFS), in a subset of patients. Whats happening to the progesterone if I try HCG? Health Canada recently recommended adding a warning to products containing [finasteride] While being administered the above-mentioned drug, patients may develop muscle weakness and stiffness, which in turn may cause pain to the patient, damage to muscle tissue and an increase in kinase enzymes. Post-Finasteride Syndrome: Legit or Mythic? - YouTube Post-Finasteride Syndrome: What is It? | hims I didnt believe it either, until 10 years ago, when I started seeing more men with PFS I advise you once again to never use [finasteride] to treat hair loss. Responding, via Twitter, to the study Association of 5-Reductase Inhibitors With Dementia, Depression, and Suicide: December 24, 2022. Chiriac G, Cauci S, Mazzon G, Trombetta C. Andrology. Statement, via Twitter: December 4, 2022. 2022 Oct;10(5):100543. doi: 10.1016/j.esxm.2022.100543. [PFS] appears to occur in sensitive individuals, even if exposed to small doses and for short periods, and symptoms can persist for long periods. In some patients the treatment is associated with adverse side effects that could become persistent after therapy discontinuation, resulting in the so-called post-finasteride syndrome (PFS). VRT-TV, Belgium. Sure I can do that for you. BPH? Will start vitamin K soon. Then they have no ejaculate. But always do blood tests first to see what is really going on. Propecia (finasteride) for Androgenetic Alopecia "I have PFS (Post-Finasteride Syndrome). Essentially, the cells get too much DHT, it puts them in overdrive and it burns them out. Post-finasteride syndrome (PFS) describes persistent sexual, neurological, physical, and mental adverse reactions in patients who have taken finasteride, a 5-alpha reductase type II enzyme inhibitor used to treat hair loss (under the brand name Propecia or generics) and/or enlarged prostate (Proscar or generics). And thats huge. I cant think of a single patient of mine for whom this drug made the difference in their voiding symptoms. Post-finasteride syndrome - does it really exist? Since 2008, at least 17 countries including the United Kingdom and the United States have warned prescribers of the potential for depression, sexual side effects, or both with finasteride. Keep sexual side effects in mind! Epub 2012 Jul 12. As I read websites like yours and CDsNuts. Suicidality and Psychological Adverse Events in Patients Treated with Finasteride. Can take years to get better for some! Before New Information about Post Finasteride Syndrome (PFS) SperlingProstateCenter.com, Aug. 30, 2018. Clipboard, Search History, and several other advanced features are temporarily unavailable. Statement via Twitter, February 10, 2022. While the sexual side effects of 5ARIs are well known, there may be persistent genitourinary, physical, psycho-cognitive, anti-androgenic and penile vascular changes after 5ARI discontinuation. Many clinicians are unaware of the scope of the persistent physical and psychological adverse effects of finasteride while it is in usage and despite its discontinuation. Unfortunately, some of the side effects of finasteride are more serious and persistent than the original condition it is intended to treat [W]e encountered a surprising association between finasteride use and presence of optic neuropathy or retinopathy To worsen the situation, the neuropsychiatric impact of finasteridechanges in mood and behaviorcan alter practitioner perceptions about affected patients, resulting in a psychosomatic diagnosis. Much of the medical community has yet to recognize [PFS] as a real clinical entity. Now two months after stopping Dudasteride, my twitches and brain zaps are now greatly diminshed, insomnia is still a problem though. Just wanna ask advice from a casual weed smoker as in vaping on weekends what would be a good supplement/nutritional addition to counter any negative effects? Accessibility What Is Post-Finasteride Syndrome? Epub 2016 Jan 13. Would it be safer to just use Minoxidil (sporadically) or will I still potentially have symptoms? So I suggest you continue with Minoxidil and multivitamins. Medications Most Commonly Associated With Erectile Dysfunction: Evaluation of the Food and Drug Administration National Pharmacovigilance Database. Treatment of young subjects is of increasing concern due to accumulating evidence that daily use of oral finasteride has several severe adverse effects.Since finasteride inhibits T conversion into DHT, which is responsible for most androgen activity, it is plausible that prolonged finasteride use in predisposed individuals could simulate the effects of aging in young men. Natural solution without any success. Some recommend andractim, available in Europe (and online). In addition, there is a recognized conglomerate of sexual side effects accompanied by neuropsychiatric effects including depression that have been grouped into a term known as post-finasteride syndrome. As we stated in 2006, we advise against a cosmetic product with potential endocrine side effects. Aging Male. 2022 Oct;11(10):1452-1457. doi: 10.21037/tau-22-92. Shockwave therapy for ED. Here are a few things you can do: Finasteride binds to 5-R type 2 with high affinity and dissociates very slowly with a half-life of 31 days. How do you explain that? Based on currently available data, the use of 5-reductase inhibitors in patients with a history of depression, sexual dysfunction or infertility must be carefully and individually evaluated. In addition, many doctors dont understand or even recognize PFS as a real disease and these patients will suffer alone. Finasteride is a 5-alpha reductase inhibitor that's used to treat androgenetic alopecia (a clinical term for male pattern baldness) and benign prostatic hyperplasia (non-cancerous growth of the prostate gland). I have patients who come in to see me for sexual problems. Dont risk your future children for a little hair. PFS can start shortly after starting the medication and can possibly last months to years after stopping. HHS Vulnerability Disclosure, Help Avoid all environmental plastics and toxins, Cold and hot exposure, such as swimming in a cold river and doing sauna sessions. Post finasteride syndrome is so real! All healthcare providers should learn about these conditions as finasteride/SSRIs are commonly prescribed. Allopregnanolone, the Neuromodulator Turned Therapeutic Agent: Thank You, Next? Proscar can hardly be categorized as safe because it can cause breast augmentation, reduced libido and, The Post-Finasteride Syndrome Foundation 2023, Support Program Connects PFS Patients Worldwide, Finasteride and Suicide: A Postmarketing Case Series, Penile vascular abnormalities in young men with persistent side effects after finasteride use for the treatment of androgenic alopecia, Global online interest in finasteride sexual side effects, Society for the Study of Male Reproduction, Propecia users claim drug causes memory loss, ED, suicidal thoughts, Ongoing Concerns Regarding Finasteride for the Treatment of Male-Pattern Androgenetic Alopecia, Side Effects of Finasteride Are Underestimated, FDA response to Merck & Co.s citizen petition requesting that finasteride be added to the List of Approved Drugs for Which Additional Pediatric Information May Produce Health Benefits in the Pediatric Population, Diagnostic criteria for enduring sexual dysfunction after treatment with antidepressants, finasteride and isotretinoin, Medications Most Commonly Associated with Erectile Dysfunction, Adding a warning to pharmaceutical preparations containing the medicinal substance finasteride, Mens Health and Fertility Lifestyle Information, Association of 5-Reductase Inhibitors With Dementia, Depression, and Suicide, Post-Finasteride Syndrome: An Endocrinologists View, Response via Twitter to statements about the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial concluding that 5-ARIs can cause prostate cancer. But check your bilirubin just in case. Responding, via Twitter, to the study Association of 5-Reductase Inhibitors With Dementia, Depression, and Suicide: December 25, 2022. Id love to help you out. wow very helpful articular and explains my symptoms exactly. Learn how your comment data is processed. Four clicks per day at .25 mL each. Post-finasteride syndrome is an ill defined and controversial syndrome associated with a constellation of sexual, physical, and psychological symptoms that develop during or after finasteride exposure and persist after discontinuation (box 1). Its Monday, which means its time for a poll! My hypothesis is that finasteride can cause brain damage which needs to be reversed. 100% agree. 5 Common Medications That Can Cause Erectile Dysfunction: MedShadow, June 9, 2019. NOTE: We only request your email address so that the person you are recommending the page to knows that you wanted them to see it, and that it is not junk mail. People kill themselves after taking [finasteride]I had a colleague who took his own life 15 years ago, so I know it happensand so many people with the same symptoms cant be wrong. However, the side effects of a medication usually go away when you stop taking it. Bookshelf Bookshelf Based on data of this study, I will strong[ly] recommend to my patients [that] using finasteride has the probability of suicidehigher than 22% than no use. We aimed to determine the type and frequency of symptoms in men having long-term sexual and non-sexual side effects after finasteride treatment.The most frequent sexual symptomswere loss of penis sensitivity (87.3%), decreased ejaculatory force (82.3%), and low penile temperature (78.5%). Emerging post-marketing reports of persistent depression and sexual side effects have led to growing concerns about the safety of 5-reductase inhibitors and prompted product labeling changes in many regulatory jurisdictions. Cannibus is my only vice, so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Keywords: Patients treated for male pattern hair with finasteride show, after discontinuation of the drug, altered levels of neuroactive steroids in cerebrospinal fluid and plasma: Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, February 2015. Kratom vs kava: the best one for feeling amazing! Dont let any man you know take that poison! These findings may prove crucial to understanding the neurochemical mechanisms of FINs neuropsychiatric side effects. Agreed. Balding? Our analysis indicates that, nonetheless, [PFS] is clearly a problem that is important to the general public that warrants intervention. Please note: your email address is provided to the journal, which may use this information for marketing purposes. Maksym et al., Post-finasteride . Definitely see this. FOIA 2022 Oct 26;12(11):1567. doi: 10.3390/biom12111567. Completely. So thats all gone in many men, just because of finasteride. Androgen Receptor (AR) Gene (CAG)n and (GGN)n Length Polymorphisms and Symptoms in Young Males With Long-Lasting Adverse Effects After Finasteride Use Against Androgenic Alopecia: Journal of Sexual Medicine, November 2016. I just want to make sure i dont make any mistakes. There are feared side effects [from finasteride] that include sexual dysfunction in men, some of which can be very serious. Health care professionals should keep themselves abreast of these potential signals and, accordingly, conduct a full evaluation and a detailed, personalized risk-benefit assessment for patients before each prescription of finasteride. [F]inasteride is associated with common adverse health effects in women with long-term treatment for androgenetic alopecia, such as irregular menstrual cycle, aromatase disorder, high cholesterol, heavy menstrual bleeding and induced DNA damage. [E]very day I receive more and more emails from young men whose lives have been changed by finasteride. Finasteride: NOT a benign drug. In the last decade, concerns have emerged around finasteride, a drug used for treating male-pattern baldness and prostate gland enlargement. An observational retrospective evaluation of 79 young men with longterm adverse effects after use of finasteride against androgenetic alopecia: Androlog, Jan. 13, 2016. These observations encouraged the present systematic review of the research literature pertaining to changes in mood and possible increases in suicidal ideation and behavior in association with or following treatment with finasteride This systematic review of reports concerning adverse psychiatric effects of finasteride treatment supports the conclusion that such treatment is significantly associated with risk of clinical depression, as well as high rates of sexual dysfunction and evidence of increased risk of suicidal ideation and perhaps of suicidal behavior. Acufene Annals of Medical and Health Sciences Research, January 2022. Post-finasteride syndrome wasnt reported in clinical studies, but it has been reported since the drug was approved. In a key investigation undertaken at Baylor College of Medicine under Dr Mohit Khera, Howell et al. Aim: To determine whether (CAG)n-rs4045402 and (GGN)n-rs3138869 polymorphisms in the androgen receptor (AR) gene are implicated in PFS. Thanks man, much appreciated. We probably dont have the precise data wed need to answer that. Post-finasteride syndrome (PFS) has been claimed to occur in men who have taken oral finasteride to treat either hair loss or benign prostatic hyperplasia, independent of age, dosage, or indication. Prolactin is a bugger when it comes to mood and cognitive function. Hi, no I dont have insomnia. Do tests to see pregnenolone, progesterone, testosterone, DHT, thyroid (TSH, total and free T4 and T3, rT3), estradiol, estrone-sulfate and cortisol (both blood and 24h saliva). It shows a much higher signal in comparison with other drugs used for alopecia or suspected to affect mood Im surprised the FDA has not done these simple comparisons to explore safety signals for finasteride. Theoretically, you are going to block the production of hormones that serve very important behavioral purposes. With a greater concentration of receptors, the organ becomes more sensitive to testosterone and at a certain point, paradoxically, that sensitivity may shut down. New evidence shows link between finasteride and suicidality Finasteride blocks the metabolism of testosterone. In 2012, the FDA asked pharmaceutical manufacturers to update finasterides package insert. You can send me an email at menelite101@gmail.com with your labs (and any addition info you might deem relevant) so I can take a look. Post-finasteride syndrome | The BMJ 2019 Dec;22(4):250-259. doi: 10.1080/13685538.2018.1548589. NCI CPTC Antibody Characterization Program. I think androsterone and allopregnanolone, or topical DHEA and progesterone would be good options. Delusional disorder of the somatic type; Dutasteride; Finasteride; Histrionic personality disorder; Post-finasteride syndrome. To date there are no predictive factors for the risk of development of post-finasteride syndrome and no known treatment for the disorder. Chiriac G, Cauci S, Mazzon G, Trombetta C. Andrology. There are numerous hormonal and nonhormonal treatment options for men with PFS. But that does not mean you have to live with all the symptoms for that long. A group of Italian researchers gave finasteride to rats and noticed that the number of androgen receptors in their brains went up. My yardstick for treating any patient is, what would I do if this were my own son? The Wonderhair Pill, May 2016. Propeciahelp.com - Discussion forum for Post-Finasteride Syndrome : October 27, 2021, Statement (via Twitter) to research colleague: October 27, 2021. They have flat emotions. Its really important that they get the appropriate counseling. Please enable it to take advantage of the complete set of features! Punk?. The Drug that Banishes Baldness Can Ruin a Mans Love Life: Daily Mail, July 22, 2019. Do not take finasteride for hair lossDo not take finasteride for any purposeFor many years, Public Citizens Health Research Group has classified both [Proscar and Propecia] as Do Not Use because their benefits do not outweigh their adverse effects. Thanks for citing our work [Dr. Faysal]. Well, SSRI drugs almost never only inhibit the reuptake of serotonin, but they often also increase allopregnanolone, decrease serotonin receptor sensitivity, block certain serotonin receptors, release dopamine and histamine, etc. These drugs are poison. Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) is a substance naturally produced in many cell types in our bodies, including in very high concentrations in our brains. After discontinuation, dysfunctions may remain, worsen or resolve. Even if you take just a little finasteride, it can actually drop your DHT so low that men become impotent. Finasteride blocks the glutathione production leading to mycotoxin build up if you were living or working near mould and not knowing it. Finally, therapeutic strategies, [such as] neuroactive steroid treatment, able to relieve or to cure this condition are also urgently needed. What exactly is Post-Finasteride Syndrome? They have muted orgasms, reduced volume of ejaculate, reduced penile sensation If it is 1.4 percent [of finasteride patients who experience persistent sexual dysfunction] and there are several million people on this product, youre looking at 300,000 men rendered impotent by a hair-loss drug. shrink penis. It is important to note that many clinical studies suffer from incomplete or inadequate assessment of adverse events and often limited or inaccurate data reporting regarding harm. The .gov means its official. Ongoing Concerns Regarding Finasteride for the Treatment of Male-Pattern Androgenetic Alopecia: JAMA Dermatology, November 2020. J Urol. [O]ur results showed that [finasteride] treatment affected the expression of a number of accumbal proteins involved in key functional processes, such as regulation of GABAergic neurotransmission, as well as steroid and pyrimidine metabolism. Psychiatric Comorbidity Related to the Therapy of Male Androgenetic Alopecia Independent of the 5-Alpha Reductase Pathway. The effect of finasteride on dry eye disease, Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, Playing with your sex hormones with Propecia use can play with your sex life, Statement (via Twitter) to medical colleague, Risk of Depression Associated With Finasteride Treatment, Investigation of Suicidality and Psychological Adverse Events in Patients Treated With Finasteride, Statement (via Twitter) in response to Jagan Kansal, MDs tweet, Thoughts on propecia in young guys causing decreased libido, possibly permanent?, Response (via Twitter) to the top 20 adverse reactions to finasteride filed with the FDA, Taking Propecia or Proscar to Prevent Hair Loss is Associated with Depression, Anxiety, and Sexual Problems, Response via Twitter to the Karolinska Institutet study Association of 5-Reductase Inhibitors With Prostate Cancer Mortality, Response (via iCliniq) to the mother of a 23-year-old male whose dermatologist prescribed finasteride, Treatment options for androgenetic alopecia: Efficacy, side effects, compliance, financial considerations, and ethics, Post-Finasteride Syndrome: An Underestimated Phenomenon, Challenge to fellow health professionals via Twitter, Post-Finasteride Syndrome: Efforts to explain persistent symptoms are undermined by poor long term data on harms, Reaction (via Twitter) to publication of the study Investigation of Suicidality and Psychological Adverse Events in Patients Treated With Finasteride, in JAMA Dermatology, Successful Finasteride Treatment Can Lead to Permanent Problems, Statement (via Twitter) in response to a study titled Investigation of Suicidality and Psychological Adverse Events in Patients Treated With Finasteride, Expanding (via Twitter) on a study published in JAMA Dermatology he co-authored, titled Investigation of Suicidality and Psychological Adverse Events in Patients Treated With Finasteride. In 2017, the European Medical Agency recommended adding warnings of potential risk of suicidal ideation to product information for finasteride. Androsterone both allopregnanolone and androsterone are potent GABA agonists, so might substitute to a degree for each other. It is essentially a masculinizing hormone and may have an effect on sexuality Women present low levels of Androstanediol glucoronide naturally, since they produce little testosterone. I suffered PFS till 4 years with many problems: What is the post-finasteride syndrome? - YouTube In 8 PFS Success Stories (Cures & Treatments) : r/FinasterideSyndrome - Reddit The Impact of 5-Reductase Inhibitor Use for Male Pattern Hair Loss on Men's Health. 2022 Oct 27;10(11):2725. doi: 10.3390/biomedicines10112725. I am doing a High sensativity blood panel soon, would you be able to also look at my blood work to see what could be the problem with everything i am experiencing?Thanks. The use of Finasteride (Proscar) for the prevention of cancer is limited since it only prevents the harmless type of prostate cancer (the SKY Stage.) The .gov means its official. A Letter Regarding Finasteride: SouthBayRetina.com, May 2021. I think its important to be educated about the potential side effects. Epub 2021 Oct 21. This site needs JavaScript to work properly. Also do you recommend an androsterone supplement, I havent heard of that option so far. He Became Depressed and His Sex Drive Disappeared. [W]e also need to stop prescribing finasteride.