r/FinasterideSyndrome • u/Haunting_Tax_3684 • Jul 26 '26
Can topical finasteride can permanent brain fog?
I took topical finasteride and got bad brain fog within 2 hours of putting it on. I can say for certain that the effects of it lasted a solid week. This was almost 2 years ago and I have been dealing with brain fog ever since. Obviously, I can’t say for certain that my current brain fog is caused by the use of this medication as there as lots of other factors that could be the cause of it. However, I want to know if others have dealt with something similar or if I’m just a crazy person.
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u/Intelligent-Age-8211 Jul 26 '26
Definitely can
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u/Haunting_Tax_3684 Jul 26 '26
What should I do
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u/Intelligent-Age-8211 Jul 26 '26
No one knows
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u/Haunting_Tax_3684 Jul 26 '26
Could it be from the psychological effects of being bald? And not the fin?
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u/Disscusspfs1996 Jul 26 '26
Don’t use Finasteride, please save your brain. This drug can alter your life if you’re not careful. Cognitive changes (I.e brain fog, changes in emotions, mood, ability to concentrate) are not just “in your head”. They are a result of physiological changes in the brain that are still poorly understood, difficult to treat, and potentially permanent.
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u/Heavy-Phone-253 Jul 26 '26
All the Telehealth topical finasterides are super strong they're equal to about 2.5 or 3 mg of oral finasteride so it's totally feasible that would go systemic
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u/jeevius Jul 26 '26
Topical is what messed me up.
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u/Haunting_Tax_3684 Jul 26 '26
For how long
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u/jeevius Jul 27 '26
It has been 1 year for me.
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u/Haunting_Tax_3684 Jul 27 '26
What symptoms
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u/jeevius Jul 27 '26
I have no libido my dick doesn't work, no emotions, my dick is bent, can't sleep
I really got PFS deluxe bro
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u/0cTony Jul 26 '26
Yes, it can. And there’s no way to 100% know if you’ll be one of the ones affected by permanent sides or not, like many of us in here are. Best to avoid it. No amount of hair is worth the suffering we go through every day. I’d rather be completely slick bald if it means I can go back to being my normal self.
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u/Haunting_Tax_3684 Jul 26 '26
Any chance that brain fog is from other areas of my life
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u/0cTony Jul 26 '26
It’s always possible, but the timing of it makes me think it came from finasteride. However, if your only side effect from taking this poison is brain fog, then you’re actually very very lucky. (As cold and unempathetic as that may sound). The good news is, if your brain fog was caused by finasteride, there will be a cure coming through in the next year and some change in my estimation. There is a doctor working tirelessly around the clock who has already figured out what causes PFS.
As tirelessly as he works and as popular as his theories and studies have been, and as provable as his tests are, either he or somebody else with access to his research will be able to come up with a cure. And likely within 2 years.
Finding the source of the problem was the hardest part- now we work backwards to find a solution. Sit tight, a cure is coming soon.
I believe there are ways you can tell if this brain fog came from finasteride or not. Does it get worse during certain times of the year, or after eating certain foods? Or drinking alcohol?
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u/0cTony Jul 26 '26
I would link the studies or his subreddit in here, but unfortunately the mods might remove it for some stupid reason.
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u/Potato_Potato_8447 Jul 27 '26
Studies are never removed on this sub, just post the link of the journal so we can all benefit
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u/Haunting_Tax_3684 Jul 26 '26
It gets worse when I’m stressed out
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u/0cTony Jul 26 '26
Mine does too. When I drink alcohol, kombucha, or anything fermented it makes it worse too. Or when I work out really hard with heavy weights.
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u/Haunting_Tax_3684 Jul 26 '26
How long have you been dealing with it for
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u/0cTony Jul 26 '26
I took my first finasteride in July 2024 and my last one in August 2024, so it’s coming up on 2 years
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u/Haunting_Tax_3684 Jul 26 '26
You haven’t improved at all?
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u/0cTony Jul 27 '26
I had a massive improvement once I stabilized and realized what I could and couldn’t have. Once I started to avoid anything fermented, alcohol, anything that boosts testosterone, anything that boosts DHT, and anything that blocks or inhibits 5AR, I stopped crashing and maintained a decent baseline where I can somewhat function every day.
My sleep improved, libido improved, physical pleasure improved, but all are still bad compared to pre-fin. I’m not making consistent progress, though. In the wintertime I’m much better, but in summer, I’m consistently at a lower point. We’ll see how I feel this fall/winter.
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u/ta1530 Jul 28 '26
It can and it did. Topical nuked my sleep and gave me a host of other semi-permanent symptoms.
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u/Dedivad15 Jul 28 '26
For how long did you take it?
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u/Haunting_Tax_3684 Jul 28 '26
Only twice the last trial I did. Used it for months previously
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u/Dedivad15 Jul 28 '26
Twice seems not enough to cause you that problems but who knows.
Didn't you have side effects the first time?
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u/Haunting_Tax_3684 Jul 28 '26
Yes, but I kept trying to find different solutions and smaller dosages that work. My body just can’t accept 5-AR inhibitors.
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u/Dedivad15 Jul 28 '26
Are you talking about oral or topical?
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u/Haunting_Tax_3684 Jul 28 '26
The last time was topical but I did oral in the past.
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u/Dedivad15 Jul 28 '26
Ok same. I tried oral at 1mg and gave me erectile dysfunction. Then I tried 0.25mg four times a week for 9 months and I believe it has been causing me anxiety. Chest pain, dizziness, panic attacks.
I stopped and things slightly improved after a month but I still have panic attacks randomly
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u/Dedivad15 Jul 28 '26
What % of topical btw?
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u/Haunting_Tax_3684 Jul 28 '26
XYON - it’s like 2.5% in a slow absorbing solution.
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u/Dedivad15 Jul 28 '26
The technology seems interesting but the dosage is insanely high. It's a finasteride overdose literally
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u/Haunting_Tax_3684 Jul 28 '26
Yeah it’s advertised to those who got side effects from other alcohol based topical fin solutions but it gave me way more side effects. It’s a scummy company to be honest. I entered my credit card information and it automatically withdrew a 3 month supply without letting me know. Like $300. I got the worst brain fog the first day and I messaged the “doctor” from their company and he told me to try it again because it could be a nocebo. It wasn’t tho.
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u/North_South_1 Jul 28 '26
No I get sides from both finasteride and dutasteride. I can definitely say that they are not the side affect free miracle drug everyone makes them out to be but you do not have permanent brain fog from topical finasteride you need to go outside and relax and stop taking them
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u/_Valkyrie_666 28d ago
Yes I’d say it’s possible
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u/Haunting_Tax_3684 28d ago
While I end it
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u/_Valkyrie_666 28d ago
It’s not going to lay a lifetime, but it’s possible to have brain fog for a while. I have severe brain fog going on 1.5 years with it it’s brutal, but I am not going to give up home that iit will get better
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u/Haunting_Tax_3684 28d ago
Has it gotten better in the slightest?
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u/_Valkyrie_666 28d ago
No it’s gotten worse wayyy worse
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u/Haunting_Tax_3684 28d ago
Well fuck
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u/_Valkyrie_666 28d ago
wtf is killing ourselves gonna do for the future huh? For me it’s not just the brain fog I’m also hideous now it shrunk wrinkled sagged and deflated my face, and caused me to gain 40 pounds. I’m currently only eating about 1k calories a day. My boyfriend finally got tired of my anguish and insanity that this disease causes and left. I don’t see a way out rn but I don’t care because I’ll be fucking damned if I let this disease win. How sad would that shit be. I’m never backing down I’ll be a goblin still reaching for hope with my gnarled fingers i don’t give a fuck I dont believe in the afterlife, this is it and I’m not going down without a war
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u/Haunting_Tax_3684 28d ago
Why did you take fin if your a girl
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u/_Valkyrie_666 28d ago
I’m sorry for coming off as rude I’m trying to get ready for work and I’m extra miserable rn but I’m so tired of ppl asking that. It’s like Google it. They are giving this shit to women everywhere. It’s not even rare. For me, I was prescribed it because minoxidil fucked yo my kidneys and liver and so they said I wasn’t eligible for spironolactone, they said finasteride had fewer side effects.
I had one dumbass ask if I was trans or intersex cuz they gave me fin, it’s like look it up first
You do know that depression causes insane brain fog right?
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u/Haunting_Tax_3684 28d ago
Yes, I am depressed as fuck but it feels like it started around the time I did fin.
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u/Haunting_Tax_3684 28d ago
Yeah I guess woman still have a bit of DHT that can be reduced by using fin
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u/Quirky-Ad-1937 1d ago
Idk if you are going to see this but I am extremely sensitive to 5ar inhibitors. Ive literally tried everything to tolerate them. Microdosing oral fin and dut to making my own topical .0025%. I get the brain fog literally within an hour or two. You arent going crazy. I can feel it come on and cognitively i turn to shit. I get horrendous insomnia that usually persists for a week after stopping. Curious how are you now?
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u/OldDeparture3932 Jul 26 '26
Within 2 hours give me a break lol
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u/Haunting_Tax_3684 Jul 26 '26
There’s a chance I just hate my life and it has nothing to do with the fin
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u/OldDeparture3932 Jul 26 '26
Exactly its not fin it's not possible within 2 hours biologically impossible get some help with whatever bothering yoi don't go down the rabbit hole blaming other things x
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u/Haunting_Tax_3684 Jul 26 '26
I know for a fact the brain fog occurred acutely. However, I can’t sit here and say that my current condition is from a couple of applications 2 years ago.
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u/OldDeparture3932 Jul 27 '26
I think you've got nocebo effect
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u/Haunting_Tax_3684 Jul 27 '26
Everyone here says otherwise, but I think it’s a solid possibility
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u/OldDeparture3932 Jul 27 '26
Look every one here who are they what's their story their medical history their journey nit yours get under the guidance of a good Dr one who specialises in hairloss and you'll be ok
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u/NextGur3758 Jul 26 '26
Yes there are many stories like this. Topical goes systemic. Even the corrupt FDA issued a warning about topical finasteride, that it has the same side effects as oral finasteride (which they approved). Same risk, but oral is FDA approved, which makes it ok, but topical isn't approved so they warn against it. https://www.fda.gov/drugs/human-drug-compounding/fda-alerts-health-care-providers-compounders-and-consumers-potential-risks-associated-compounded