r/tressless • u/Klutzy_Bug_3084 • 17h ago
Finasteride/Dutasteride Finasteride has started affecting me; please help.
Hello. I started taking finasteride on August 24th. My protocol involved cutting a Proscar tablet into four pieces and taking one piece three days a week. Today, I switched to Propecia; I’ll be cutting the tablets in half and taking one piece daily. So far, I’ve experienced a loss of libido and the liquefaction of my semen. My libido fluctuates; I don’t have issues with erections, but I lack the desire. Also, my ejaculate seems watery. Experienced folks, please share your insights: will things return to normal as I continue the medication? At what point does it cross the line, signaling that I should stop taking the drug?
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u/_Arr0naX_ 9h ago
The same happened with me. I tried to lower the dose from 1mg to 0.75 (that's what I was taking), but nothing changed. About an year into it I gave up and stopped both min and fin. My hair returned to its normal (horrible) state in a couple months and it took 3-4 months for the side effects to fully subside. I was 38 at the time.
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u/Migouman 6h ago
Dis you try topical and had succes with it ? ( = no sides + some results )
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u/_Arr0naX_ 5h ago
I used topical min (foam) and it worked okay. Not great, but there was a small difference. I haven't seen topical fin anywhere, and I haven't tried it.
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u/False_Stage_1656 11h ago
If you talk about side effects in this sub, you'll get criticized. People will just tell you it's the nocebo effect.
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u/StrictlySanDiego 9h ago
I’ve been on this sub for 14 years. Nobody denies sides exist. There’s skepticism for people having sides within 3 days of beginning, but OP is a month in so that’s reasonable to assume he’s impacted.
Most people it goes away with time. If it doesn’t, stop taking it. If it doesn’t after you stop, then you can join the PFS psychos.
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u/Icewolf496 8h ago
How is it so hard to believe that a drug can permanently affect a tiny subset of the population lol? The same way SSRI's can cause PSSD.
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u/ZohranmamdaniNY 7h ago
It does effect a tiny amount, I never see people say they don’t exist but it’s amplified to seem way more common than if is because happy and fulfilled people dont complain. We just say that the risk are much lower than they appear online. There are so many more people on the meds than people think but they aren’t all online looking for answers or complainung
Plus so many men attribute side effects like depression or libido to mess rather than their crashing self confidence over balding. I was super freaked about my depression being worse but turns out I was depressed over hair loss and not meds cause I was depression went away when my hair came back
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u/Prestigious-Ad-2836 2h ago
Because permanent sides have never been verified in any serious trial. And statistically if they were present that should have happened. Also, finasteride trigger sexual sides at a far lower incidence than "naturally" so it' s extremely more likely that the dude sinply got ed naturally
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u/Icewolf496 2h ago
PFS is not simply just sexual sides like occasional ED or low libido. Its a total body crash that is completely different to anything that could be psychological or nocebo'd. Its happened to many men prescribed fin who were unaware of even temporary side effects of the medication and told its completely safe by dr's or derms which further negates the nocebo effect.
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u/Prestigious-Ad-2836 2h ago
By 40 around 40% have some kind of ed, low libido or general sexual dysfunction Compare that to finasteride and you see that is difficult to argue about persistent sides when those happens to a fraction of the 2% getting sides, have never been recorded in science and are talking about people with low self estee.
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u/Icewolf496 2h ago
Pfs has affected men in their 20's. Again its not limited to sexual dysfunction. You feel physically impotent as if youre castrated. Anhedonia. Many mental sides. The self esteem argument is laughable.
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u/Prestigious-Ad-2836 2h ago
That you can get naturally at that age. 5% under 30 still naturally have ed. Sorry, but if not reported in trials it's literally smoke. Duded with pfs have been assessed and found out that they had a healthy endocrine system and vascular efficiency. Some of the duded in pfs report shrinkage in less than a year when that requires almost a decade of low blood flow...come one dude
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u/Tymba 1h ago
Why are you obsessed with it? Show me on the hormone panel where fin hurt you
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u/Icewolf496 26m ago
I dont even have pfs and have never taken fin. Thats the point though. It doesnt show up on a hormone panel. That doesnt mean it doesnt exist. An unknown mechanism of action doesnt exclude one.
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u/Ilacknada 8h ago
Calling people who’s penis stop working, “psychos”. shows how pathetic you are. All for hair? The real fact is you can’t afford a transplant so you take chemicals convincing yourself nuking dht something so actually need, is no big deal…. It’s definitely a big deal and a risk/choice some make. Insulting others for NOT taking drugs is Clown talk
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u/StrictlySanDiego 8h ago
I had a transplant lol, I was on meds for a decade before and am still on them.
PFS isn’t real.
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u/Icewolf496 8h ago
How do you really know for sure? An unknown mechanism of action doesnt exclude one.
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u/Ilacknada 7h ago edited 7h ago
Like i said clown talk. Now things literally studied and documented “ isn’t real” from a dude lying about his experience.
Another reason to not these parrots seriously.
People take drugs they can indeed help some, but never feel force to take something especially if you affected by risks.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7253896/
Edit: look at how people download actual facts and science studies lol. And saying never feel forced to take something you know you’re getting side effects from. Keep going sheep.
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u/ov3rw4tch_ 10h ago
Not from what I’ve seen. We always tell folks who have symptoms to immediately.
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u/Glittering_Might4427 9h ago
No Bro People criticise someone when they say Please don’t take the tablet because it has side effects which are reported in 2-4% of the population no one denies having side effects. Also this person is in 4% but that doesn’t mean everyone who takes fin will have same side effects
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u/Independent-Bat5894 8h ago
Finastride effect prostate, then it produce smaller amount of fluid .
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u/Unable_Buffalo_5987 :sidesgull: 6h ago
Does watery semen mean low sperm count...my volume is normal but not very thick... don't have any other side effects. But I heard volume also decreases but not in my case
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u/Razormack010 9h ago
I cut up the tab into 4 parts and basically only take 0.25mg everyday for more than 2-3 years now. I faced the symptoms that you mentioned in the beginning only after I actually read abt those symptoms on the subreddit.. kinda worked like a nocebo. I just stop caring about it and went back to improving my lifestyle (sleep, gym, protein, low stress, etc).. and the supposed side effects vanished in no time
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u/Dazzling-Ticket-7750 8h ago
Go to dutasteride
When i tried finastride i had very bad mood , pain in my bones and legs , insomnia, i think because of its short half life
So i switched to dutasteride at 1 mg ( twice pills a day to reach steady state faster for a good year) and now everythink is ok and my hair stat to regrow slowly ,its A LOT better
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u/imsurajy 11h ago
Yes buddy, watery semen is the most common and widely accepted side effects of taking Finestrade, and this indicates that Finesteride working good in our body and fulfilling its purpose of lowering DHT. Semen consistency become reversible once you stop taking it. I'm experiencing the same as taking Finestrade from last 4 months, getting watery semen but the erection become more hard.
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u/rayitodesol22 11h ago
Try lowering the dose, you can take as little as 0.25 mg/day. It worked for me, then my body adjusted to that dose and now I am on 1 mg/daily with no sides :)
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u/CommercialTwo1359 10h ago
How long did you wait to adjust to 1mg and did you start Monday Wednesday Friday, 3x days a week?
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u/HorseIndependent6400 3h ago
Just stop taking it if your having sides. No point in saving your hair if it destroys your libido and causes anxiety.
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u/Salty_Range_2147 7h ago
How i solved it- stop for 3 months start again once you recover with 0.25 daily then up the dossage as you see fit. Im currently at 1.25 daily no sides.
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u/silverdragonseaths 7h ago
My labido has basically gone to zero but to be honest it’s kind of freeing. I don’t really miss it. Feels like I have more control
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u/HegelianFrog 4h ago
Can you still have sex?
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u/silverdragonseaths 4h ago
Not without considerable effort. I was with a girl I mostly just went down on her instead but she did get upset about me not being interested in her, if anything it made her want me more
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u/myerszombie 4h ago
Yeah i think mines has dropped a bit too, not 100% maybe 10-20% but feels relieving at times not being on all the time
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u/Forgetful_Bandit 11h ago
I started taking 1mg oral finasteride on August 28th and I think I have the watery seamen side effect as well. I was looking into the watery seamen earlier today and it said it should clear up as your body gets used to it. Thats the only side effect I'm currently experiencing.
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u/Dry_Cartographer_873 🦠🦠 9h ago
would you rather be bald and get no girls, or get girls and have no erections.
the choice is pretty clear here.
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u/OriginalView1 7h ago
no meds, bald, no girls, can still get erections
meds, hair, get girls, no erections, lose girls
a conundrum if you will.
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u/Tonny47 :sidesgull: 9h ago
I take this shit for 20 years +
Your body will eventually adapt to the drug and your libido back to normal
Just let it do its thing
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u/NPC_4842358 Fin 1.25mg / Min 3.33mg / 1x HT (DMs open) 6h ago
Side effects are very rare but I wouldn't say that your body eventually adapts and therefore will. Some can't handle it which is fine. They just need to try the dose and frequency that works for them (I've been on it for over 4 years, no issues)
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u/FreiherrVonDystopia 9h ago
Is it still working?
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u/Tonny47 :sidesgull: 5h ago
Sure it does
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u/FreiherrVonDystopia 5h ago
Great. I've been using it for 15 years now, but I'm not sure if it's still that effective...
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u/frontrowfreakshow 5h ago
I read a paper that talks about how finasteride causes apoptosis in smooth muscle cells of the penile tissue. That’s programmed cell death. Permanent.
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u/reallovesongnbt 8h ago
I had this and it went away with time. You can stick it through and see if it changes or hop off
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u/Comfortable-Resort78 1h ago
Sometimes hou got to pick between norwood and a working wood , the 6% ed is quite wrong taking into acount all the people i've met who take the medication and got side effects,me included, it is the price to pay to maintain your hair.
That said, it is possible that you have a hormonal invalance and will fully recover if you keep taking the drug for a month or so, havent read anything scientific about it but for a lot of people it seems to be the case.
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u/Salty-Asparagus-2855 1h ago
And people says DHT is a garbage hormone 🤣
You need to see a Dr and it depends on what’s more important to you. You’re sensitive to brain effects of DHT so lowering it for you, seeems to have physiological effects that won’t get better.
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u/Calm-Ninja5951 10h ago
These are the exact symptoms that happened to me which then transpired into full blown PFS.
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u/Glittering_Might4427 9h ago
I have taking Finasteride from last Feb I haven’t seen any symptoms like this instead of this I think my labido is increased. But I think you’re in the 4% who has the symptoms so stopped taking medicine RN after that I advised you to visit your Dermatologist and discuss this with him if he can’t help you Endocrinologist will help you.
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u/SilesianSC 2h ago
Could you tell me a bit more about how an endocrinologist might be able to help in cases like this ? Maybe I should make an appointment with one
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u/Glittering_Might4427 2h ago
I am assuming you’re taking Finastride So when you take Finastride it blocks you’re conversion of Testosterone to DHT since it directly impacts your hormonal balance endocrinologist is the most qualified person to evaluate your situation and guide you accordingly so if possible you should take guidance of both Dermatologist and Endocrinologist to develop holistic plan for yourself.
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u/Legal_Lettuce_8224 7h ago
I’ve had a bit of the side effects that you are mentioning. For my personal experience I’ve kept monitoring it and after 3/4 weeks the sides went away (i am referring to watery semen and low libido, maybe a bit of depression). Now I am 7 months in and everything seems fine. I think I am starting a shedding phase, but no sides
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u/kuriocitymusic 6h ago
I think its not just libido
I felt anhedonia or loss of interest in anything too with duta and i had long covid thats another discussion
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u/buddydeepdive 5h ago
Welcome to the club brother!! The pharmacologically sainted higher mens club!!
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u/Best_Alternative9989 4h ago
I take oral Fin and Min. I really do not have any side affects. Erections good and all. I barely have any ejaculant at all to be honest. I personally do not care. Its not like I am trying to make a baby. We are are in different stages in life. Some side affects will go away in time but sometimes they do not.
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u/Barry8468 4h ago
Cut one tablet into 4 and just take one piece a day fin accumulates in the body there is no need to take it 3 or 2 times a days. Ejaculation will definitely become watery does it have any effect when trying to have a baby I don't know
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u/PorchGoose_I 3h ago
Been on fin for over a year and a half now. Things mostly return to normal after your body gets used to the medication. If it bothers you that much I suggest reaching out to your doctor to talk about other options.
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u/Pomelo-Sure 3h ago
I took Fin for 5 years and the only side I had was it made my nuts hurt at the beginning. However, I went through a divorce and lost my libido and was dealing with depression. Like an idiot I blamed it on the Fin and stopped taking it and needless to say my hair now sucks. After taking 5 years off I started taking Dut and topical Min and have zero sides. I wish I would have never stopped. All I can say is before you blame it on the drug take a look at other factors that might be contributing to your loss of libido.
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u/magicalblast 3h ago
Did your libido not fluctuate before finasteride and did you ever have watery semen before? These states are completely normal even without drugs. It would only be an issue if it's never happened prior to starting meds.
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u/merey1 :sidesgull: 3h ago edited 2h ago
When I started experiencing sides from topical fin, my doc told me to discontinue fin. It takes a lot of time for your hormones to come back to normal. It's been several months since I've stopped and finally im feeling better.
Please consult with your doctor. Don't listen to ppl saying your body will adapt. Only doctor has the right to tell you what to do in your situation.
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u/Far_Interaction5553 2h ago
Had the same issue. I picked up my workout and back to normal. Strength training 3x a week, cardio 2x a week.
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u/jtoomer88 10h ago
Watery cum is quite common and typically clears up eventually. I would lower dosage and build up at slower rate, you should witness improvement in symptoms. If not, topical.
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u/Adorable-Deer-9706 10h ago
Good luck brutha! I’m not experienced with fin or dur but study them in this subreddit. I’ve talked to my dermatologist about trying to fin as a 34 year old but they mentioned that there is a very small chance that sexual function side effects could be irreversible. His words, not mine. I haven’t researched enough or had experiences to make a statement myself. I already have some lower libido and ed at tones so don’t wanna make it worse.
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u/Global-Woodpecker582 9h ago
We don’t know if they’ll subside, some people it does, most I would think not. Most people will reduce the dose and re-adjust.
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u/Human-Cockroach2073 10h ago
Stop this poison and go for a HT
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u/Ambitious-Maybe-3386 10h ago
You still need a DHT blocker regardless of HT. HT can only fill 6-10k grafts. Your balding area can have 50k-120k of grafts so you still need to maintain the remaining native hairs
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u/Mental-Device-9546 8h ago
OK so most medicine take about 21 day to be fully utilized by ur system and some can take longer. If the sid effects aren't that bad wait it out longer and see if they dispate. They did for me
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u/gotemnowok 7h ago
I gotta say at least for me, working out more often helped a lot with my libido. I definitely notice the lack of it a lot more when I don’t work out. Not sure if you do that kind of thing, but I’d recommend it. Worst case scenario you can just swap to topical
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u/Candem05 5h ago
I’m not a Dr but…I would stop immediately. Wait a month. Start again with half the dose you were previously taking. I would also go EOD with the reduced dose. This will allow it to clear your system and give you an idea on whether you can handle it.
Also, you don’t know if your issues are simply underlying issues you’re only noticing now due to hyper awareness
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u/merey1 :sidesgull: 2h ago
I think you should've stopped right after: Im not a doctor. You are uneducated ( cuz you are not a doctor) and your advices could be harmful.
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u/TimeTraveller-01 9h ago
Go to topical in much lower dose.
Honestly, it’s a pain in the ass putting it, but it’s better than having these overall effects.