As soon as I can afford to do it im gonna make an appointment with a urologist. The 5% minoxidil was a generic brand that I had bought from Kmart. The 2% was the off brand that walmart sells.
I hate to keep repeating it, and you dont know HOW BAD I wish this was the case, but this is NOT a psychological issue. During the time this all started happening I was happy, stress free, etc. The only thing different in my life was the minoxidil. I still get very turned on mentally and still have the drive for sex, but achieving and maintaining rock hard erections is very difficult now. Its gotten to the point that Im having difficulty even masturbating when im aroused cause it wont stay hard usually. Another big indication that this isnt psychological (and even my doctor said) is that I NO LONGER EVEN WAKE UP WITH ERECTIONS.
You know, after I got off the stuff and finally made the connection to the minox, I still didnt stress out too bad. And this was because I figured that hey, i must of applied too much of the 5%, the minox probably got in my bloodstream, but since im off it now this terrible side effect will eventually go away. So, I just waited it out and didnt think about it a lot because, like i said, you get off something and side effects should go away...right? Well, after about the 3rd/4th month I started worrying--I knew there was something very wrong. And what made me worry even more is reading on a few different forums of other people with the same problem and theyve been off it for years.
Not to get to graphic but it has made my penis feel like its not getting a lot of blood to it, like a numbed, lifeless feeling. Also, one of my testicles has gotten slightly smaller.
Before using the 5% every single day I would wake up in the mornings with a very firm hard erection--so hard that I would literally sit on the toilet a few minutes and wait for it to go down so I could urinate. Its been 7 months since Ive woken up with an erection. My doctor told me that he read about the possibility of rogaine causing ED, but hasnt came across any literature stating whether sexual disfunction will cease over time. He actually did prescribe me viagra after the visit and I took it for a week. It helped, but barely. I should also mention that I am in good shape and fit.
And now I am extremely depressed and sad. To some people they would just let it go, but you dont understand my life almost revolved around sex. That was one of the main activities I enjoyed the most in life. This has come as a trauma to me. The thing that bothers me the most is that I essentially did this to myself. If I would of not freaked out so bad about my thinning hair I would of never gotten on the minoxidil. I should of just let nature take its course. Ironically when I was on the 2% it did help me grow some hair back. Now my hair is the least of my worries
I appreciate your response and supportive words. Again, I really wish this was all just psychological..you dont know how bad I wish that. But its more than evident that it isnt. I guess my only choice is to wait it out and hope that things get better. I will see a urologist when I can but im not having much hope that one will even be able to do anything for me.