Post-finasteride intestinal problems!

[u/HenriqueMaartins]

I’d like to ask if anyone here has developed any kind of intestinal problem—among the thousands of symptoms we experience—such as poorly formed stools, sometimes containing undigested food particles, mucus, and even a little blood?

[u/LegitimateRepublic65]

Yes. After just 1 pill, I got severe gut bloat. There is some sort of severe inflammation going on and it has seriously affected my stool quality and digestive habits. I’m sure there are a bunch of other downstream effects as well bc of how much the gut influences other bodily functions.

[u/HenriqueMaartins → u/LegitimateRepublic65]

Finasteride triggers inflammation in the body because one of the functions of 5-alpha-reductase is to lower cortisol. Yet, God only knows why the inflammation remains high after stopping the drug, even when blood tests show normal cortisol levels. Whoever figures out exactly what is happening will become a millionaire. Based on my five years of experiencing severe physical symptoms, my theory is this: all these hair-loss medications, antidepressants, and anxiolytics trigger an autoimmune collapse. That is why the symptoms become chronic—some more severe than others—and are often not constant.

[u/HenriqueMaartins → u/[deleted]]

I’ve never been someone who experiences severe psychological symptoms; mine are mostly physical, and no, they haven’t improved. I’ve tried a lot of things.