Journey starting now, need advice!

[Jfols]

I came to this site to seek advice with regards to health and options I have, I have, after 18 months on finasteride, decided to let balding run its cause, and sooner rather than later, i will shave. However I am keen to avoid this 'post finasteride syndrome' crash. Has anyone here taken and then quit, this drug? How long did it take for you to experience problems or for existing ones to cease. I have had low libido in recent months, maybe stress, maybe finasteride! I dont know wether to stop straight or ween of slowly? Many thanks for any advice, in advance!

[TheSlyBear]

I don't have any personal experience to relate, but if it were me, I'd get off that sh*t immediately.

[EN4CER]

Personally,  i'd seek professional medical advice.

[Cave Dweller]

Are you taking it for an enlarged prostate or just to try to combat baldness?

Given its primary purpose, I immediately would make an appointment and consult the doctor who prescribed it for you.

If you were using it for the baldness alone, I don't see why you would want to continue nor why the doctor would see any reason to advise you to stay on it - especially if you are starting to show the side effects.

[-Doug-]

I'd definitely seek medical advice soon!

[Jfols]

Purely for hairloss the doctor that prescribed it, was put through to me by my trichologist and consultation was done by phone.  I have contacted trichologist, awaiting reply, but from what I've read , doctors know very little about discontinuing this drug and possible problems!

[Cave Dweller]

My personal, non-medical, opinion is that the sooner you get off that stuff, the less chance there will be of the side effects becoming permanent. With all the stories I have read on the web about guys who destroyed their manhood by taking it, I cannot fathom that there is no data available regarding how to stop using it.

I remember all the anxiety you expressed a while ago about health issues that statistically go with MPB, Jfols, so I really am sorry that you are going through this.

[Blitzed]

Statistics show that Finasteride (aka Propecia) may induce non-reversible sterilty in males in as little as six weeks. Okay, that's a very low figure but at 18 months you must not only quit but ask your doctor for a T cell count in your sperm. Not only will Finasteride chemically castrate you but effectively induce ED and, studies have also shown, Viagra and similar drugs aren't particularly helpful. Yes, they will assist you in achieving an erection-remember, all of this is dependent on your own degree of arousal so...if you are turned on by fire plugs or cracks in cement, you're in luck. Most of us are not and require varying degrees of stimulation.

That physicians still prescribe this as a "vanity" drug, without telling their patient in very direct language what some of the effects may be, do a grave dis-service. Drugs that are used in an "off the box" situation may have disastrous side effects such as described above. However, if you do have problems with your prostate, this is THE drug to take. Too many men will avoid it just because of the side effects. This is just like not having a therapeutic orchiectomy to cure testicular cancer. (They're doing wonderful things with plastics these days and, post surgery, you can, with a little help from your Urologists, come back looking like the proverbial horse.)
Stop taking that drug now.

Again. S

[Jfols]

Thanks for the replies guys, I have researched but one thing I learned from my anxiety as cave said, was the Internet scares you. I am aware of the possible long term problems, but the vast majority of men return to normal upon upon quitting. This is what I want to ensure!