Connor’s Story: How Finasteride Devastated My Health and Career

My name is Connor, and this is my story with Post-Finasteride Syndrome (PFS). Finasteride, commonly known as Propecia, is a medication intended to treat hair loss, but for me and many others, it has led to severe and lasting health issues. This drug, taken for just six months, turned my life upside down and left me struggling with profound physical and psychological effects.

Before taking Finasteride, I was a thriving 29-year-old with a distinguished career. I worked in the music industry at the highest level. My dedication to health and a teetotal lifestyle contributed significantly to my success in this field. In my leisure time, I enjoyed running, boxing, yoga, and gym workouts, and I walked dogs through a ‘borrow my dog’ app for fun. I was content, fulfilled, and among the top tier of tour managers globally.

My life took a drastic turn after taking Finasteride for six months to address cosmetic hair thinning. Despite stopping the medication due to side effects, my health deteriorated rapidly. The physical effects were devastating: genital shrinkage, numbness, frequent urination, loss of strength, muscle composition changes, body twitches, severe fatigue, joint and muscle pain, irregular heartbeat, and daily headaches.

The cognitive impact was even more catastrophic. I had never experienced mental health issues, but post-Finasteride, I endured extreme panic attacks, severe brain fog, confusion, suicidal ideation, slurred speech, dizziness, cognitive impairment, short-term memory loss, anhedonia, visual snow syndrome, light and sound sensitivity, an inability to handle stress, depression, irritability, and a constant sense of dread. While some symptoms have lessened, most persist relentlessly. I have been trapped in this nightmare for five years.

Through extensive research, I discovered thousands of individuals suffering from similar debilitating symptoms, with whom I now communicate via online forums and WhatsApp groups. Emerging studies are beginning to uncover the biological and neurological changes caused by discontinuing this medication. I have included a link to a relevant study below:

‘Differential Gene Expression in PFS Patients’: https://www.pfsnetwork.org/science/differential-gene-expression-in-post-finasteride-syndrome-patients

Despite the medication leaflet advising to contact a GP for persistent side effects, my experience has been futile. My GP dismissed the possibility of persistent side effects, and even a professor of Andrology at a London hospital admitted over the phone that while he recognised the condition, he could offer no help. I procured this medication from Boots pharmacy online for a cosmetic issue. Had the warning stated ‘this medication may alter gene expression,’ I would never have taken it.

Finasteride has utterly destroyed my life. I am unable to work, and even basic tasks are a struggle. Every day is agonizing. I feel imprisoned in my own body for a crime I did not commit. I implore those with the power to help: we urgently need funding for medical research and a ban on this medication until its biological impact is fully understood. No more young men should suffer as I have, for the sake of pharmaceutical profits.

I leave you with a quote from Dr. Anthonei Csoka, Biogerontologist and Associate Professor in the Department of Anatomy at Howard University:

“PFS likely represents types of iatrogenic epigenetic damage previously unseen in human history. On the individual level, the consequences are catastrophic, and there may be population-level effects as well. Increasing our knowledge and understanding of these increasingly prevalent disorders is paramount.”

My experience with finasteride has been a nightmare, but by sharing my story, I hope to raise awareness and drive the search for treatments that could return us to normal. Let’s stick together, support ongoing research, and spread awareness about this devastating condition.