I took finasteride for 1 year. Saw significant regrowth (2 cm) and sustaining. It only took a few months after starting to regrow over 4 years of slow recession. Needless to say I was floored.
(I was also using rogaine 2x a day 5% and Nizoral)
I had what I consider significant loss of libido and little sexual desire for anything from cuddling to sexual intercourse with my GF (who I am very attracted to). I never had significant ED or anything like that. Very low volume and quality of semen throughout. Looking back the libido and loss of desire had put a huge strain on my relationship and I did feel like it would be safe to say I was blunt to romantic feelings for the most part.
The scary thing is that I went to the DR and brought some of this up to my DR who is also an endo and he took my testosterone.
Base testosterone readings from a few years back:
25 years old:
Total Testosterone: 830
The results while on finasteride were:
29 years old 6/1:
Total Testosterone: 215 (250-1100) Low
Free Testosterone: 12.9 pg (35-155) Low
Reallllyyyy scary stuff. I quit immediately and came back 1 week later off the drug and it was this:
6/8:
Total Testosterone: 627 (250-1100)
Free Testosterone: 60.8 pg (35-155)
FSH: 6.6 (1.6-8)
LH: 2.9 (1.5-9.3)
Estrogen: 99.1 (60-190)
TSH: .67 (.4-4.50)
Obviously that drop in T seemed to be related to Finasteride…
No symptoms at all. I feel absolutely 100 percent. Sex drive is super high and high mood. Feel absolutely amazing. Never really noticed any symptoms other than low libido though. No brain fog or depression or anything. Might never have noticed had I not felt low libido.
I had just thought studies show is supposed to raise testosterone if anything due to less being converted to dht. Not sure how it would lower it so badly.
That’s the thing about drugs, side effects can go in either direction. Some people have the opposite reactions to drugs. While Klonopin increased my libido most claim the exact opposite, as far as Finasteride is concerned, some see a doubling of testosterone (worst cases of PFS) and you saw a decrease.
Also Finasteride causes Suicide, 5 to 10 Men in the U.K who took it for Balding killed themselves literally"
They said it actually SHRUNK their penis size overall size of it. Literally shrilleved it up, and said also one man his LIBIDO went to 0. he said it was Numb dead as a door nail. here is video to it. Terrible stuff for some guys. Paul's Propecia (Finasteride) Suicide Story/ Propecia Side Effects - YouTube Propecia aka Fina watch it. It’s Terrifying stuff bro Propecia Syndrome.
Just got blood work done to check up. Need to stop get SHBG done but still not showing symptoms.
Test total: 856
Free Test: 71
Things look like they got better even from there.
Reference ranges for free natural test seem all over the board. Is there a dedicated range that you all go off? 71 is middleish but still may be considered low?
If you are one of those who needs Free T near the top of the ranges, you will have symptoms. All of these ranges go to low in my opinion.
Labcorps ranges go down to 6.8 pg/mL, we know the majority of men experience symptoms at or around 10 pg/mL.
These ranges exists because people score at the bottom and the top, those people naturally at the top may indeed have problems in the midrange ranges. Then there are those closer to the bottom who have no symptoms hence the ranges.
From what I understand, finasteride lowering total T doesn’t even make sense. Maybe there is something else at play? Either way, it is amazing that you bounced back in a week. Good on you.