Imraan's story: saw palmetto in a multivitamin

Imraan took a common multivitamin containing saw palmetto. Moral Medicine says he then developed symptoms that overlap with those of post-finasteride syndrome (PFS).

Imraan is a board-certified anaesthetist. He says that despite his medical training, he had no idea at first that a supplement marketed for prostate health could be connected with what followed.

If a supplement never seemed a likely cause to you either, his account may be worth hearing.

What followed, and what has it meant for his career?

What Imraan describes

• Sudden sexual dysfunction.
• Severe insomnia.
• Emotional blunting and anhedonia (the inability to feel pleasure).
• Cognitive impairment and intolerance to some foods.
• Deep changes to his overall quality of life.

He says the sexual dysfunction came first and the rest followed quickly.

In the interview he talks about what this has meant for his career and his future. He is concerned about how little awareness and research there is of post-drug syndromes.

He also talks about what he believes doctors owe their patients: real informed consent. He says more research into these conditions is urgently needed.

Thank you to Imraan for telling this story. This interview was recorded by Moral Medicine, who have filmed more than ninety of these conversations.

If this is your story and you would rather it was not here, write to contact@sidefxhub.com. We will take the page down within 48 hours, and you do not have to tell us why.