QUESTION

[notgoing2gobald]

I know alot of guys on here take propecia (as I have read the posts) and I was considering taking it. But, I recently read a post where this guy showed a propeciahelp forum and I read about alot of guys who had serious sexual side effects even after discontinuing use. Some guys complained that they: went limp, others were numb downstairs, couldn't enjoy an orgasm, one even went so far to say that keeping your hair isn't worth being castrated. Are these cases extremely rare? Has anyone ever heard of someone having permanent side effects from propecia?

 

After only five minutes of reading that webpage, there is no way Im risking my sex life over the possibility of slowing my hairloss.

Any thoughts?

[notgoing2gobald]

I know alot of guys on here take propecia (as I have read the posts) and I was considering taking it. But, I recently read a post where this guy showed a propeciahelp forum and I read about alot of guys who had serious sexual side effects even after discontinuing use. Some guys complained that they: went limp, others were numb downstairs, couldn't enjoy an orgasm, one even went so far to say that keeping your hair isn't worth being castrated. Are these cases extremely rare? Has anyone ever heard of someone having permanent side effects from propecia?

 

After only five minutes of reading that webpage, there is no way Im risking my sex life over the possibility of slowing my hairloss.

Any thoughts?

[youngsuccess]

I can only speak from my personal experience: I have not experienced side effects, sexual or otherwise while taking Propecia. I think that the silent majority of people do not have these adverse reactions, or they do in fact subside when the medication is stopped.

 

However, there are those who experience these side effects, and some do claim that they seem to be long lasting or permanent. I can't imagine that people make this stuff up, so the possibility of extreme side effects should be considered.

 

I will say though that I wouldn't assume that just because it's easy to find negative Propecia testimony online that it makes it a regular occurance. Of course people who have had these horrid experiences are going to be more outspoken about it, and I guess they should. But, people bitch about everything on the internet, so it's not like it's hard to dig up.

 

I would hate though to recommend Propecia to someone and than have it turn out that he fell into the unlucky 2% category. Perhaps the percentage of those who experience the side effects is higher than what Merck is reporting.

 

Regardless, if someone has to convince you that the drug is worth the risk, then it probably is not for you. It is after all an elective medication. Most of us understood the potential for side effects and were eager to proceed with treatment. If your gut is telling you not to take it, then trust your own instincts and judgment.

[Bill - Seemiller]

notgoing2gobald,

 

Propecia side effects are real. However, CalvinMD on another post answered this very well.

 

The bottom line is...

 

You can't believe everything you read. Whereas some people may have very real and lasting side effects (something to seriously consider), the majority of people who experience side effects stop having them upon stopping the medication.

 

Personally, I haven't experienced any side effects, but it certainly CAN happen.

 

Calvinmd's post below

 

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Propecia (Finasteride) isn't harmless but it's also rarely ever as bad as the cases on websites like that. There are people complaining about all sorts of medications on those sites and claiming all sorts of stuff was caused. (I remember one guy claimed that Propecia turned him GAY.) Read enough of that stuff and you can scare yourself away from taking meds that you've already been tolerating fine for years.

 

 

I won't bs you, the Propecia side effects are real. And they're probably a lot more common than the 2% figure the maker claims it to be. But just from hanging around the hair-loss web community and talking to others, I find it most common that the negative effects quickly reverse themselves as soon as the drug is discontinued. Most guys in the hair loss community seem to feel the stuff is a valid option that should be on the market, although they'd also like to quit it as soon as something better comes in the future.

 

 

The cases of the SERIOUS stuff (irreversible sides, wiener shrinking, etc) are still extremely rare. The manufacturer says they don't exist but I tend to believe that at least a few of them do.

 

In every one of those cases that I can recall, the guys readily admitted that they felt plenty of warnings. You almost always read that they felt serious side effects right away, but stayed on the drug for months after their bodies were already telling them they should probably quit the stuff.

 

 

It's all a risk. Just like most everything else in life.

 

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Bill