Finasteride

[Bladerun]

Hi

Has anyone had any experience with Finasteride? Just been prescribed these meds and after reading some negative comments online am considering putting off taking it and managing these symptoms as long as I can!

[Hidden]

We are all different with different medical histories and so our responses to any meds may also differ. Therefore if you have doubts about any meds you have been prescribed you should discuss with your prescribing health professional. And certainly no one on here should support you making your own decisions about medication doses, especially if based on something you may have read online.

[Bladerun in reply to Hidden]

Hi

I think your reply will apply to the vast majority of people posting on this site. You state the obvious. This site in my experience is full of people who will ultimately and probably will always take the advice of their GP. People don’t post on here asking for advice!!! They just want to know if anyone has heard of or have had experience of certain health situations or medications that are new to them in the same way perhaps one would talk to a friend who has been prescribed certain medications! Yes we’re all different! Again you state the obvious! And no one certainly with my experience will read anything online and believe it to be 100%!accurate!! Dear me the online community is full of people who believe the earth is flat and the moon landings didn’t happen. This site wouldn’t exist if not for individuals who are new to certain meds and experiences and are just looking to run things past the rest of the community! Please refrain from posting only the obvious!

[Hidden in reply to Bladerun]

Thankyou for your response to my post. There are several points you have made and I thought they deserved comment. First I do not share your view that people don't post on here asking for advice, indeed there was one such recent post with a heading 'Advice for coming off Meds....' . In my view asking for advice and the experience of others are the two principle reasons why people post on here, and in the main is why this site exists. Next what may be obvious to me and perhaps yourself may well not be so obvious to others and that certainly applies to the validity of factual information to be found on the internet, and extends to comprehending that our personal medical and life circumstances are unique and our responses to medications may be different. So when someone posts with a query about medication whatever that may be, and further states they are 'considering putting off taking it', my advice is as noted in my original post, and I shall continue to provide the same advice, and in so doing will be following forum guidelines as I understand it, in spirit at least, on the understanding that my comment will be hopefully considered and taken on board with any other posts that are made. But of course whether people choose to follow what I have suggested, or indeed anyone else who has offered up their own experience or advice, is entirely up to them.

[Mart25]

The previous reply was naturally cautious because the rules of this forum prohibit offering anything that looks like medical advice and posts/replies can get removed by the moderators if we cross the line! Maybe I can help. Firstly, I'm not sure this heart forum is the best place for your post because finasteride is (sorry, but I'm stating the obvious) for treatment of enlarged prostate and the urinary problems associated with that. I have taken finasteride (5mg once per day) for about 8 years. It helped me a lot. My flow was better. My feelings of needing to pee urgently improved. I had no side effects that I could detect. I also have heart problems and needed bypass surgery 2 years ago (which is why I'm on this forum) and my history of finasteride hasn't affected my heart treatment.

[Bladerun in reply to Mart25]

Thank you very much. I do take your point and the point of the previous reply. Your experience of Finasteride is helpful to me and much appreciated. I already take Ramipril 2.5 mg and lacipidine 2 mg for BP which is why I’m on the forum. My Lacipidine was reduced as I was getting dizzy spells after rowing and cycling ; my GP checked BP and was low! I didn’t want to experience the same dizzy spells with Finasteride! But as the previous poster says we’re all different and I’ll just follow GP advice.

[Mart25]

Thanks. I have monitored my blood pressure rather irregularly for over 25 years and I did not detect any change when I started finasteride.

[Class52]

I started on Finasteride end of November have mild aching balls okay in the day but 3am trying to sleep very difficult. More importantly I’m now totally unable to become erect or have an orgasm. I’m 70 had a good inning so maybe I should just be happy with my memories. The web states I could loose my libido unfortunately it’s still there maybe that will arrive soon if I could lose that it might be better. Still getting up in the night too many times but I understand it can take 6 months for Finasteride to work. I also take Tamsulosin which probably hasn’t helped my ED either.

[Bladerun in reply to Class52]

Thank you for the reply it’s much appreciated. I asked about the water/steam ablation treatment or Rezum ( which comes with its own issues ie possible catheter insertion )which some health trusts offer but the specialist said that mine wasn’t bad enough! So hey ho take Finasteride oh by the way your likely to lose your libido!

[Class52 in reply to Bladerun]

thanks for your reply especially your last sentence on libido any idea on how long that takes? If that happens I’ll be happy at present it’s so frustrating. I bought a pump which works but too artificial and no orgasm. My wife got tired of trying masturbation too

[Bladerun in reply to Class52]

I don’t know how long sorry. Perhaps try what my specialist suggested, which was to Google it!!! Yep , Google it! Unreal

[Bladerun in reply to Class52]

I should also add that I haven’t started the medication yet!

[Hidden in reply to Bladerun]

I have been on Tamsulosin for some time and found it not particularly effective for my symptoms. So the specialist just prescribed Finasteride which after researching I have decided not to take. I don’t want to risk losing my sex life. I have in the last 3 days been taking Prostasan ( from Holland and Barret) and although normally highly sceptical this appears to be working wonders with my BPH symptoms. Early days yet I suppose but this does seem to be helping more than the Tamsulosin ever did and with no side effects. Not cheap but certainly worth trying