Is finasteride side effect all "pyschological"?

[Bhl]

I tried finastride about 10 years ago, for the duration of 2 years or so.

I had a bit of decreased sexual drive, and on some days my head would feel like "blank.." and get the sort of "brain-foggines" where I can't think clearly. After I stopped, these problems didn't surface again for 10+ years till now. 

I'm considering going back on it.. and I was just talking to a eugenix consultant where he suggested it's all psychological (where if we worry about side effects, more likely we get the side effects, so positive mindset is more important).

What do you guys think?

[Alfred]

No of course it is not psychological! This guy is an ass

[John1991]

You may be more likely to get sides if you focus and worry about sides, but that doesn't mean it's all psychological.  Also, how many times can this same question - or a variant of it - be asked?  I mean it's virtually a daily occurrence on this forum where someone asks about fin sides.  People need to read the literature and use common sense.

[BurnieBurns]

Finasteride side effects are not all psychological. Nocebo is real too but that does not mean they're mutually exclusive

[rambo man]

I personally think the side effects are real and not all psychological.

However I also think that a lot of them are also psychological. 
 

The reported rate of side effects I recent years of people

just stating they got side effects is higher that what was in any trials. I think there are certain people that read the side effects then take medication and imagine the side effects because they are expecting side effects. Not to say people don’t get them because they do but I think if people didn’t know what the side effects might be before hand we would have much less people on here saying they have them

[civic]

It's not psychilogical, it is a hormone altering pill, everyone's system responds differently. When i 1st took it in 2008 or 09, there was not much fear mungerring regarding it, there was no reddit or any other mainstream social media like quora & i still experinced sides, & had to quit it.  I believe after 2013 they officialy made them aknowldege the various sides that previously were not on label.

[Doron Harati]

I had Finasteride Propecia pills on my 20's and it decreased my sexual drive as well, as a coordinator I can tell that many paitents over the years complaint to me about these side effects, I am using now topical Finasteride mixed with Minoxidil without any issues.

[John1991]

7 minutes ago, rambo man said:

I personally think the side effects are real and not all psychological.

However I also think that a lot of them are also psychological. 
 

The reported rate of side effects I recent years of people

just stating they got side effects is higher that what was in any trials. I think there are certain people that read the side effects then take medication and imagine the side effects because they are expecting side effects. Not to say people don’t get them because they do but I think if people didn’t know what the side effects might be before hand we would have much less people on here saying they have them

This

[NARMAK]

No, it's not all psychological and to say so is complete and utter tosh. Yes, there are people who do have a nocebo effect and we know this because of the sugar pills given to the clinical study group who were classed as placebo and still claimed side affects. Our minds can manifest negative things is what that tells me and influence outcomes. 

If that wasn't true, think about why even placebo groups see sometimes positive results when they have absolutely no intervention of medication etc. 

Generally i'm a proponent of medication for hair loss and that includes Finasteride/Dutasteride. However, i do acknowledge there are risks associated with them and you can see some side affects as being acceptable such as a lower libido etc. but brain fog shouldn't be a permanent fixture for you. 

[Gatsby]

I see the side effects as falling into two camps. One is the nocebo group and the other is biologically real. Either way it can affect people. 

[Mike10]

It is all BS from the consultant

[sunsurfhair]

The fact that Eugenix stated that is extremely scary. It’s been proven over and over and over again that the people who did get hit mild moderately or severely definitely have real side effects, damaged, PFS, etc. It’s not even a question. 
 

https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2022-09-18/ty-article-magazine/.premium/israeli-victims-of-propecia-speak-out-i-woke-up-into-a-nightmare/00000182-f42d-d694-a98a-ff6d6ba00000

 

[sunsurfhair]

22 hours ago, rambo man said:

I personally think the side effects are real and not all psychological.

However I also think that a lot of them are also psychological. 
 

The reported rate of side effects I recent years of people

just stating they got side effects is higher that what was in any trials. I think there are certain people that read the side effects then take medication and imagine the side effects because they are expecting side effects. Not to say people don’t get them because they do but I think if people didn’t know what the side effects might be before hand we would have much less people on here saying they have them

You’re right! Merck itself acknowledges the side effects are real! It’s not even a question I can’t believe people still even argue over this! The only things that’s true is some men luckily do not get major sides and if they do they are either unaware, chalk it up to age or something else, or are fine w the sides. 

[sunsurfhair]

21 hours ago, NARMAK said:

No, it's not all psychological and to say so is complete and utter tosh. Yes, there are people who do have a nocebo effect and we know this because of the sugar pills given to the clinical study group who were classed as placebo and still claimed side affects. Our minds can manifest negative things is what that tells me and influence outcomes. 

If that wasn't true, think about why even placebo groups see sometimes positive results when they have absolutely no intervention of medication etc. 

Generally i'm a proponent of medication for hair loss and that includes Finasteride/Dutasteride. However, i do acknowledge there are risks associated with them and you can see some side affects as being acceptable such as a lower libido etc. but brain fog shouldn't be a permanent fixture for you. 

I’m proud of how you’re positioning yourself now this is wiser and better

[TheGreatPretender]

I am an advocate to Finasteride but I do agree that its not ALWAYS psychological, howeaver I feel like MOST of it actually is. 

There are several variables in play when it comes to Side Effects that sometimes its really hard to attribute them 100% to the drug, what you can do is stop for X amount of time to determine if that fixes watheaver issue you have or not. The drug should only work while you take it, once you stop its effects will slowly wear off.🙂

[Mike10]

Most of times sides are real. that is what I think

[NARMAK]

1 hour ago, sunsurfhair said:

I’m proud of how you’re positioning yourself now this is wiser and better

But to me, this is how i've always felt about the medication. I don't really think my position on it had changed tbh but if wording it this way has made it clearer for people, all the better.

[Mike10]

In also think Narmak has come a long way. A more objective view now. Propecia remains a controversial treatment where many health authorities in Europe have issued warning letters.

[Eugenix Hair Sciences]

Greetings of the day, 

Finasteride is a topic of debate; we do say there are psychological side effects but not limited only to it. Please do watch the video, Dr. Bansal has cleared mentioned the side effects.  
 

 

[DHT]

6 hours ago, Eugenix Hair Sciences said:

Greetings of the day, 

Finasteride is a topic of debate; we do say there are psychological side effects but not limited only to it. Please do watch the video, Dr. Bansal has cleared mentioned the side effects.  
 

 

Some Great advice. 

[general-etwan]

Not all psychological but some of it can be. The cases where it is not, and is truly a chemical alteration causing undesirable side effects, are few and far between, however. In the first few months I started taking finasteride, I concede there were days where I felt brain foggy; however it was not every day and it was easily attributable to other issues in my life like sleep issues, life fatigue, etc. At the end of the day it is a hormone-altering drug; but in the vast majority of people that equation can be embraced without any significant side effects since DHT is far less important than testosterone in adult men. But if you're feeling seriously mentally out of it every single day, or have any other constant issues, definitely don't force yourself to live that way.

[sunsurfhair]

2 hours ago, general-etwan said:

Not all psychological but some of it can be. The cases where it is not, and is truly a chemical alteration causing undesirable side effects, are few and far between, however. In the first few months I started taking finasteride, I concede there were days where I felt brain foggy; however it was not every day and it was easily attributable to other issues in my life like sleep issues, life fatigue, etc. At the end of the day it is a hormone-altering drug; but in the vast majority of people that equation can be embraced without any significant side effects since DHT is far less important than testosterone in adult men. But if you're feeling seriously mentally out of it every single day, or have any other constant issues, definitely don't force yourself to live that way.

DHT – Positive Effects

 To understand DHT’s androgenic properties, consider the following.

• Male Development – Physical and sexual development in the human male is DHT-dependent. DHT is responsible for the growth and development of the penis, the prostate, and the testicles. It not only helps with sex differentiation during fetal development, it also supports the changes that occur during puberty and adulthood.
• Libido – A healthy sex drive is supported by DHT. Men with optimal levels of the hormone report a far stronger drive than men with lower levels.
• Prostate Health – It seems that men with balanced levels of DHT may have fewer prostate health issues.
• Cognitive Function – One study indicated that administering DHT to men between the ages of 34 and 70 resulted in memory improvements. The androgenic properties of the hormone encouraged the retrieval of stored memories as well as the archiving or new ones. Low/lower levels of DHT were linked to a decline in cognitive function in elderly men.
• Blood Sugar Management – Higher levels of DHT help to reduce the risk of diabetes by controlling sugar levels and preventing hyperglycemia. DHT can improve insulin sensitivity, support efforts to lose weight, and may provide adjunctive support in treating diabetes.
•  Cardiovascular Health – Men with coronary artery disease may benefit from higher levels of DHT since lower levels of the hormone have been shown to actually increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. It may be a simple association – higher levels of DHT might lower the mortality associated with heart disease.
• Stroke Risk – Researchers followed a group of men for six years and learned that higher levels of both DHT and testosterone seemed to lower the risk of stroke. 
• Depression – In one study, men who used finasteride, a drug that blocks 5-AR and, thus, generate lower levels of DHT, had higher rates of depression than a control group. DHT may well be necessary to support mental and emotional health.
• Anti-Aging – Higher levels of DHT, testosterone, and estradiol seem to slow the decline associated with aging. Lower levels of all three hormones brought about cellular changes seen in the elderly. Higher levels were associated with “younger” cellular function.
• Bone and Skeletal Health – Along with estradiol, appropriate levels of DHT support and maintain bone density in men.

DHT – The Downside

The DHT story is strongly, but not universally, positive. The drawbacks of DHT must be considered.

• Baldness – Hair loss is probably the number one DHT – negative in the minds of most men who are involved in testosterone therapy.  Studies have shown that higher levels of DHT are linked to an increase in male-pattern baldness. In women, elevated levels of DHT can actually lead to male-like patterns of hair growth.
• Cancer – DHT is critical for the normal development of the prostate, but high levels of the hormone have been associated with prostate cancer risk. However, studies on DHT and prostate cancer are contradictory.
• Acne – Inflammatory acne flares have been linked to DHT.

[Westview]

Definitely NOT psychological!! 

I had a mild case of PFS but luckily my case cleared up a few months after I stopped taking FIN.

But for a very unlucky few PFS can stay with them for the rest of their lives, even if they quit taking the pills.

There's a whole forum devoted to these pharma victims: https://forum.propeciahelp.com/

[Westview]

If you dont know what PFS is, here's more info: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7231981/

[ciaus]

On 10/7/2022 at 4:58 PM, Bhl said:

I tried finastride about 10 years ago, for the duration of 2 years or so.

I had a bit of decreased sexual drive, and on some days my head would feel like "blank.." and get the sort of "brain-foggines" where I can't think clearly. After I stopped, these problems didn't surface again for 10+ years till now. 

I'm considering going back on it.. and I was just talking to a eugenix consultant where he suggested it's all psychological (where if we worry about side effects, more likely we get the side effects, so positive mindset is more important).

What do you guys think?

 

That's quite the trolling topic title you picked, way to stir the pot. Maybe its getting harder to bump older topics with older user accounts?

You say yourself in your post the eugenix consultant told you that you're more likely to get side effects if you worry. That's been proven in medical trials, where guys not even part of the groups given the drug started reporting side effect symptoms. And that's not just finasteride, but all drugs in general. Its called the Nocebo effect. But you probably know all this already.