Finasteride and Sexual Dysfunction: What Users Say

• JBa...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• March 24, 2020

Finasteride for Androgenetic Alopecia "I have PFS (Post-Finasteride Syndrome). I cannot sustain an erection during sex, suffer from genital anesthesia and/or numbness, have muted/blocked/pleasureless orgasms when I masturbate, and suffer from brain fog, memory loss, and thinking at times. I have low testosterone, extremely high FSH, low cortisol, low vitamin D, adrenal issues, and pituitary problems as a result of being on Propecia on and off for years. I've been off of Propecia for a year. Although I've had shockwave therapy to remove penile scar tissue and improve nerve damage and had testosterone replacement therapy, my sexual functioning and cognitive issues persist. Oh! And I became infertile on Propecia too. Fortunately, I had enough sperm left to have a baby with my wife via IVF. Stay away from this toxic and poisonous medication! It will potentially destroy your life."

• JBa...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• March 24, 2020

Finasteride for Androgenetic Alopecia "I have PFS (Post-Finasteride Syndrome). I cannot sustain an erection during sex, suffer from genital anesthesia and/or numbness, have muted/blocked/pleasureless orgasms when I masturbate, and suffer from brain fog, memory loss, and thinking at times. I have low testosterone, extremely high FSH, low cortisol, low vitamin D, adrenal issues, and pituitary problems as a result of being on Propecia on and off for years. I've been off of Propecia for a year. Although I've had shockwave therapy to remove penile scar tissue and improve nerve damage and had testosterone replacement therapy, my sexual functioning and cognitive issues persist. Oh! And I became infertile on Propecia too. Fortunately, I had enough sperm left to have a baby with my wife via IVF. Stay away from this toxic and poisonous medication! It will potentially destroy your life."

• Lif...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 7, 2019

For Androgenetic Alopecia "I took this drug for only 4 days in May 2019. I had mild hair thinning and went to a dermatologist who recommended it. I had done research beforehand and knew about finasteride already, and how for some men the drug could have serious side effects, but decided to listen to a doctor who assured me it was safe. It’s not, and I had to learn the hard way. This poison has completely ruined my life. I’ve completely lost my sleep and have total insomnia, no libido, ED, brain fog, fatigue, anxiety, and depression, penile tissue changes, muscle wastage, and weakness... The list goes on. I’m not making this up, this drug should be avoided. I’m 23 years old, I was healthy before I took this. There is no reason to believe this drug won’t mess your life up. Please avoid it. I don’t even feel like the same person and regret my decision every single day and am having trouble adjusting to this new life. I hate myself for taking this risk."

• cal...
• September 1, 2013

For Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia "Taking finasteride for 9 years for Benign Prostate Hyperplasia, urinary issues improved by about 50%. Total loss of erections, seminal ejaculate near zero, greatly reduced libido, though this may partly be due to age. This is okay compared to my previous condition of frequent urinary incontinence, especially when on the road or when sleeping."

• Ala...
• September 15, 2021

For Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia "Was prescribed this along with Flomax for BPH. Initially, urine flow improved after a few weeks, but I began to have sexual issues - poor erections at first, then, on rare occasions, when I managed that, no semen came out. Finally gave up, and I am on Cialis for BPH with a herbal supplement, saw palmetto. Everything back to normal. Finasteride never again."

• Joe...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 16, 2019

For Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia "I started this medicine and used it for several weeks. I immediately noticed strong sexual side effects. I started to do research on the side effects and determined that the side effects are downplayed by both the manufacturer and the doctors that prescribe them. My side effects were a complete lack of interest in sex, along with considerable erectile dysfunction, not to mention startling and disturbing ejaculation problems. I am a normal guy with an active lifestyle. This medicine is poison and I stopped taking it. It even affected my mental masculinity after suffering these symptoms. Please stay away from this venom. If you do further research you will find many stories like mine. Just use the minoxidil and that is all you can do."

• Joe...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 16, 2019

For Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia "I started this medicine and used it for several weeks. I immediately noticed strong sexual side effects. I started to do research on the side effects and determined that the side effects are downplayed by both the manufacturer and the doctors that prescribe them. My side effects were a complete lack of interest in sex, along with considerable erectile dysfunction, not to mention startling and disturbing ejaculation problems. I am a normal guy with an active lifestyle. This medicine is poison and I stopped taking it. It even affected my mental masculinity after suffering these symptoms. Please stay away from this venom. If you do further research you will find many stories like mine. Just use the minoxidil and that is all you can do."

• ArI...
• May 11, 2011

Finasteride for Androgenetic Alopecia "At the tender age of 25, I noticed that my hair was beginning to thin. Not wanting to look like my dad or brother, I got a prescription for Propecia. So far, it's been working. In fact, if I miss a dosage, I'll notice little bits of my hair fall into my keyboard or the pages of a book I'm reading! Yes, this medication is expensive. My insurance won't cover it at all. (Funny that they cover Viagra, though). The only side effect is that I do notice a slight decrease in my sex drive - but honestly that's probably good. Keeps me out of trouble."

• Dan...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 17, 2019

For Androgenetic Alopecia "I took finasteride for 6 months. It works for making your hair thicker (after 3 months) and it does regrow a lot. I mean it, it works and it is amazing! The trade-off... you lose your sex life and an unbelievable depression comes with it. They say 4%ish of men have these side effects. Don't believe it. It is a lot more than that. Some never recover. I recovered after 2 weeks of stopping. It sucks losing your hair. I wear a hat everywhere, my self-image and confidence are shot, it's depressing. I feel ugly, embarrassed, and ashamed of myself. But that is nothing compared to the horror you will feel being sexually broken, lack of interest in sex, shrinkage on your testicles and penis, and dry orgasm. If the only thing you have to look forward to is going as Capt Picard on Halloween, at least you are still a functioning man. Hopefully, this drug and its dosage can be better refined one day as to not produce the side effects. Until then, stay away from this."

• Dan...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 17, 2019

For Androgenetic Alopecia "I took finasteride for 6 months. It works for making your hair thicker (after 3 months) and it does regrow a lot. I mean it, it works and it is amazing! The trade-off... you lose your sex life and an unbelievable depression comes with it. They say 4%ish of men have these side effects. Don't believe it. It is a lot more than that. Some never recover. I recovered after 2 weeks of stopping. It sucks losing your hair. I wear a hat everywhere, my self-image and confidence are shot, it's depressing. I feel ugly, embarrassed, and ashamed of myself. But that is nothing compared to the horror you will feel being sexually broken, lack of interest in sex, shrinkage on your testicles and penis, and dry orgasm. If the only thing you have to look forward to is going as Capt Picard on Halloween, at least you are still a functioning man. Hopefully, this drug and its dosage can be better refined one day as to not produce the side effects. Until then, stay away from this."

• Dep...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 11, 2020

For Androgenetic Alopecia "Let me start off by saying that I realize everyone has different reactions to drugs, but here is my experience. I used generic finasteride for 6 weeks, and although it helped my hair, the side effects were unbearable. This drug is straight poison to my body. I have extreme brain fog and memory issues, zero sex drive, numb penis, low semen volume, softer erections, smaller penis and testicles overall, very bad depression and anxiety. I genuinely feel like this stuff has caused brain damage that hopefully will reverse itself. I’m still suffering side effects even after being off it for 3 weeks."

• Dep...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 11, 2020

For Androgenetic Alopecia "Let me start off by saying that I realize everyone has different reactions to drugs, but here is my experience. I used generic finasteride for 6 weeks, and although it helped my hair, the side effects were unbearable. This drug is straight poison to my body. I have extreme brain fog and memory issues, zero sex drive, numb penis, low semen volume, softer erections, smaller penis and testicles overall, very bad depression and anxiety. I genuinely feel like this stuff has caused brain damage that hopefully will reverse itself. I’m still suffering side effects even after being off it for 3 weeks."

• Dam...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 24, 2020

For Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia "I started having some effects on urinating frequency in a few weeks, but it seemed to have sexual side effects. Nevertheless, I decided I would give it at least 6 months. During the 4th month, my symptoms practically disappeared. Flow increased and frequency decreased. It has given me my former sexual self back. Improved sensitivity during sex and I began having strong orgasms, something I had not had for several years. Semen is clear, but so what? I am 68 years old. I will see the doctor in a month and find out how long I will need to take this drug. This medicine has actually worked wonderfully for me. The first medicine, Flomax, sucked badly though! I am so happy that I won’t have to do surgery."

• Fre...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 26, 2020

For Androgenetic Alopecia "WHAT I WISH I HAD KNOWN before taking this drug: 1. Sexual side effects are common: 20% of men, says the Head of Urology of St. Louis Hospital in Paris. I believe it's 100%, see my next point. 2. This is not a drug you can 'try and see how it goes'. First, my side effects came so gradually... 'this must just be a natural fluctuation'... 'Is it just in my head?'... 'Oh wow, I'm half impotent now, at age 36, I guess it wasn't in my head.' 3. The side effects do NOT go away after quitting (it's been several years for me), and there is no known cure. 4. What is at stake, besides 'ED': less desire for your partner affects the affection/quality of your relationships and happiness. The drug damages your brain chemistry/regeneration (hello, depression and early Alzheimer's). And then, of course, the fact that sex/masturbation don't bring me all that much pleasure anymore."

• Anonymous
• November 8, 2015

For Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia "Been using Finasteride for 9 months. Still get up every 2 hours at night to pee. No erection, sex is impossible. Penis looks like it is smaller and different shape. Would not recommend this drug to anybody. Probably going to quit, there has to be something else other than this drug. No sex drive at all."

• Anonymous
• November 8, 2015

For Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia "Been using Finasteride for 9 months. Still get up every 2 hours at night to pee. No erection, sex is impossible. Penis looks like it is smaller and different shape. Would not recommend this drug to anybody. Probably going to quit, there has to be something else other than this drug. No sex drive at all."

• Sma...
• April 8, 2017

For Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia "Have been taking this med for about a year now. Urinary function is much better, but the side effects make me wonder if the benefits are worth it. My penis has gotten much smaller, no erections at all, and when I do ejaculate, the quantity is dramatically less than before and is now just a small amount of clear fluid. Will talk to my Dr. about options."

• Peg...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 26, 2018

For Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia "After 6 months of taking Finasteride, there has been no decrease in the size of my prostate, nor any benefit as to frequency of urination. My sex drive is almost nonexistent. When I do orgasm, nothing comes out. Keeping an erection has become harder. I have experienced tingling in the bottom of my feet, resulting in nerves firing in my calves."

• Jus...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 12, 2016

Finasteride for Androgenetic Alopecia "Complete brain fog, worse than anything you can imagine, literally can't get out of bed because of the brain damage that this drug induced on me. I feel completely, literally detached from the world now, not to mention even the less serious it caused, ED, no libido, head pressure, complete cognitive shift. Feel like I'm in a whole different world. NEVER TOUCH this drug EVER, EVER, EVER, unless you're old and have nothing else to lose and don't care about life anymore. I would trade this with ANY other disease just for my brain function to come back again. I feel like I'm in a coma, it's absolutely frightful, every day 24/7, it never leaves. Sexual sides are a joke compared to this."

• Pet...
• March 1, 2016

For Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia "Had severe prostate issues where I could not urinate. I had to have a tube and bag for 50 days until Finasteride started to work at 5 mg. I also took 2 pills daily of Flomax in an effort to shrink my prostate. Now after 9 months, I feel I can write a review. As stated, it was difficult times with surgery being the option if the medication did not work for enlarged prostate. Side effects are feeling tired, as well as the sexual issues mentioned by others, which are important, but it's so much better being able to urinate on my own. I will take them over the issue I faced."

• hlj...
• July 12, 2019

Finasteride for Androgenetic Alopecia "I took 5 pills from April 2-6. Over the course of those 5 days, I had worsening symptoms of brain fog, headaches, sleeplessness, suicidal ideation, ED/impotence, loss of libido, increased fat mass, and muscle weakness that didn't dissipate for a month and a half. Even now (July), I still have increased fat mass, increased tissue on the breast, peripheral edema (mild), and difficulty (mild) with erections. I'm not as focused or driven due to ongoing sleep difficulties (mild/moderate) and the intensity of these effects. Every day, I regret taking this drug. I took this drug without researching any side effects, I really regret not looking into possible side effects. Please be aware that the consequences could be extremely negative and persistent."

• Pur...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 7, 2023

For Androgenetic Alopecia "I took this medication for over a year and had insidiously slow, gradual sexual side effects until one day my penis and testicles went completely numb. For a year, doctors thought I was crazy, and I thought I had a spinal problem because I developed pudendal neuropathy from this drug. When I started it in 2020, I did tons of research, and PFS was not even talked about. About 5% of the studies showed permanent side effects. In the time I took it, countless studies were done showing how horrendous this drug is. Judge for yourself: well over 50% of these reviews are negative, and those are only the reported ones. This drug will change you as a person and will steal your humanity from you. Conveniently, I had to learn firsthand the side effects are permanent. Say goodbye to your manhood and sex/relationship FOREVER."

• Sim...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• April 1, 2023

For Androgenetic Alopecia "I used this for many years and didn't realize how bad the sexual effects are until I started losing women and confidence. The scandalous thing about this drug is the misreported risk of side effects originally given by Merck, who had the original patent on this med. They stated 2%, but the reality is a lot higher. I would be surprised if everyone on it isn't getting side effects, as a percentage may not even be aware of them. I experienced ball shrinkage, ED, loss of libido, and loss of confidence, and in all of this, nobody is sure if hair loss is stopped or reversed. Most people cannot tell if the hair is lost or gained because the process is slow, and unless we take photos daily in various lighting, most, if not all, of our perceptions are going to be unclear. What I'm saying here is that you can't really tell if you get your hair back unless a bald spot gets coverage, which I haven't seen."

• Big...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 22, 2018

For Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia "I've been taking finasteride for 3 months now. It works well in shrinking the prostate, but has definitely seemed to take away my libido, sex drive, and my erections are very weak. It is not solid in the morning when you have to go to the bathroom, which is normal for guys. I'm thinking that it's not worth taking the pill. It does work on shrinking the prostate, it is just that it takes your libido and sex drive away, which is very disappointing, very discouraging, and sad. I hear different professional opinions: some say it will come back when I'm off it, and some that I've read said it may take a very long time for things to get normal."

• Big...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 22, 2018

For Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia "I've been taking finasteride for 3 months now. It works well in shrinking the prostate, but has definitely seemed to take away my libido, sex drive, and my erections are very weak. It is not solid in the morning when you have to go to the bathroom, which is normal for guys. I'm thinking that it's not worth taking the pill. It does work on shrinking the prostate, it is just that it takes your libido and sex drive away, which is very disappointing, very discouraging, and sad. I hear different professional opinions: some say it will come back when I'm off it, and some that I've read said it may take a very long time for things to get normal."