Hello everyone,
Here is my log since starting finasteride. I will try to continuously update it for myself and anyone who may be able to learn from it. I really need to figure out what's going on with me and hope you guys who have been through this can assist me.
I started finasteride 2 years ago and at first felt really good on the drug and had no symptoms other than increased libido, energy ,etc. I gained muscle mass and my hair came back. I was feeling great. As time went on, around the 6 month point, I started to become numb or depressed (I didn't think much of this at the time). Then, I had some weird issues swallowing, like GERD, but it went away. Oh, and I stopped getting minor colds or flus. Over the first year summer, I finally got hit with what appeared to be a herpes flare up. I had neurological effects from it like headache and stiff neck, fever, almost like meningitis, with mouth ulcers. I basically had to stay in bed for 10 days with massive fatigue but I eventually improved. Two months later I experienced an episode of what was like depersonalization, and following this episode I had massive twitches all over my body but mostly in my calves. I freaked out and rushed to neurologists and doctors but they didn't think it was anything. Eventually, these too subsided for the most part (I still get them occasionally) and I continued on the drug.
I believe I acquired some autoimmune disease because besides recurring episodes of inflammation and neurological symptoms, I also have weird signs like pale-yellowish skin, bad dandruff, graying hair, and overall fatigue. Recently, I have gotten the classic "brain fog," and am dizzy all the time. It was this brain fog that convinced me that my issues were finasteride related and that I should begin tapering off. Often at night my limbs go completely asleep like there is nerve compression.
Over the years my blood tests remained pretty much normal until recently, and they are all over the place. My bilirubin is typically elevated (diagnosed with Gilberts but nobody has proved this with the enzyme test, so I am skeptical). Ceruloplasmin is low (0.19) so I thought I had Wilson's disease, but my 24hr. urine copper was pretty much nonexistent. My blood tests have been fluctuating immensely, from only 5 days ago having excess white blood cells and red blood cells (hematocrit/hemoglobin elevation, polycythemia?), to now having anemia of both RBC and WBC with high MCV and high lymphocytes. My B12 level is also high (926).
I am beginning to think I have a blood or liver disorder. My Grandpa has myelofibrosis and that is partly genetic. I wonder if finasteride could trigger polycythemia, which leads to myelofibrosis, or whether I can have some kind of leukemia. At the same time, the most recent lab shows anemia, in which case I may have hemolytic anemia? Idk which lab result is more reflective of the true state. I should mention that I have reddish hair and have always suspected some kind of copper excess. I will try to get the hair tests and more lab results soon but I am in a foreign, third world country which makes this all the more difficult and distressing.
Here are my most recent labs. Prior to this the only odd thing to note was elevated bilirubin and low ceruloplasmin/urine copper. I still have to get hormones tested but I have been spending so much money on these that I decided today to only get the most basic bloods done. Hopefully when back in the USA I can get them because insurance will cover it.
June 2: My CRP was also high, indicating inflammation or infection.
June 8 labs:
Here is my log since starting finasteride. I will try to continuously update it for myself and anyone who may be able to learn from it. I really need to figure out what's going on with me and hope you guys who have been through this can assist me.
I started finasteride 2 years ago and at first felt really good on the drug and had no symptoms other than increased libido, energy ,etc. I gained muscle mass and my hair came back. I was feeling great. As time went on, around the 6 month point, I started to become numb or depressed (I didn't think much of this at the time). Then, I had some weird issues swallowing, like GERD, but it went away. Oh, and I stopped getting minor colds or flus. Over the first year summer, I finally got hit with what appeared to be a herpes flare up. I had neurological effects from it like headache and stiff neck, fever, almost like meningitis, with mouth ulcers. I basically had to stay in bed for 10 days with massive fatigue but I eventually improved. Two months later I experienced an episode of what was like depersonalization, and following this episode I had massive twitches all over my body but mostly in my calves. I freaked out and rushed to neurologists and doctors but they didn't think it was anything. Eventually, these too subsided for the most part (I still get them occasionally) and I continued on the drug.
I believe I acquired some autoimmune disease because besides recurring episodes of inflammation and neurological symptoms, I also have weird signs like pale-yellowish skin, bad dandruff, graying hair, and overall fatigue. Recently, I have gotten the classic "brain fog," and am dizzy all the time. It was this brain fog that convinced me that my issues were finasteride related and that I should begin tapering off. Often at night my limbs go completely asleep like there is nerve compression.
Over the years my blood tests remained pretty much normal until recently, and they are all over the place. My bilirubin is typically elevated (diagnosed with Gilberts but nobody has proved this with the enzyme test, so I am skeptical). Ceruloplasmin is low (0.19) so I thought I had Wilson's disease, but my 24hr. urine copper was pretty much nonexistent. My blood tests have been fluctuating immensely, from only 5 days ago having excess white blood cells and red blood cells (hematocrit/hemoglobin elevation, polycythemia?), to now having anemia of both RBC and WBC with high MCV and high lymphocytes. My B12 level is also high (926).
I am beginning to think I have a blood or liver disorder. My Grandpa has myelofibrosis and that is partly genetic. I wonder if finasteride could trigger polycythemia, which leads to myelofibrosis, or whether I can have some kind of leukemia. At the same time, the most recent lab shows anemia, in which case I may have hemolytic anemia? Idk which lab result is more reflective of the true state. I should mention that I have reddish hair and have always suspected some kind of copper excess. I will try to get the hair tests and more lab results soon but I am in a foreign, third world country which makes this all the more difficult and distressing.
Here are my most recent labs. Prior to this the only odd thing to note was elevated bilirubin and low ceruloplasmin/urine copper. I still have to get hormones tested but I have been spending so much money on these that I decided today to only get the most basic bloods done. Hopefully when back in the USA I can get them because insurance will cover it.
June 2: My CRP was also high, indicating inflammation or infection.
June 8 labs:
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