PFS, PSSD and PAS patient stories We are not statistics.
Behind every side effect report is a person whose life changed.
Written accounts
In their own words
From patients' own accounts, and from interviews recorded by Moral Medicine.
Patient Stories Amanda's story: 6 years on Lexapro Amanda, a nurse in the United States, was prescribed escitalopram at 22 and took it for 6 years. Read more → 
Patient Stories Andy's story: 13 years after citalopram Andy was prescribed citalopram at 23. He describes symptoms that have lasted more than 13 years and go far beyond sexual dysfunction. Read more → 
Patient Stories Anthony's story: 11 pills of sertraline Anthony took 11 pills of sertraline (Zoloft) for mild insomnia. Within days, he says, he felt emotionally numb. Read more → 
Patient Stories Ardalan's story: nearly 10 years on finasteride Ardalan took finasteride for almost 10 years. Around the fourth year, he says, cognitive symptoms began, and they got worse after he stopped. Read more → 
Patient Stories Cael's story: mild anxiety, then 6 drugs Cael was prescribed antidepressants for mild anxiety as a teenager. Moral Medicine says he now lives with PSSD. Read more → 
Patient Stories Charlotte's story: 7 years on antidepressants Charlotte stopped citalopram after years on it. She describes severe withdrawal symptoms, and a long period of changes to her medicines. Read more → 
Patient Stories Chirag's story: the crash in July 2024 Chirag stopped finasteride and thought he was recovering. In July 2024 his health collapsed. Read more → 
Patient Stories Cornelia's story: 3 weeks of mirtazapine Cornelia took the antidepressant mirtazapine for 3 weeks in 2020. She describes symptoms that have not gone away. Read more → 
Patient Stories Daryl's story: 13 years, and little support Moral Medicine says Daryl has lived with PSSD for 13 years. In this interview he talks about what it has done to his life. Read more → 
Patient Stories Elliot's story: Accutane at 17 Elliot took Accutane for a short time at 17. Moral Medicine says he has been living with Post-Accutane Syndrome since. Read more → 
Patient Stories Francis's story: a nurse practitioner on PSSD Francis is a nurse practitioner. He talks about nine years of PSSD, as a patient and as a medical professional. Read more → 
Patient Stories Imraan's story: saw palmetto in a multivitamin Imraan, an anaesthetist, took a multivitamin containing saw palmetto. Moral Medicine says his symptoms overlap with those of PFS. Read more → 
Patient Stories Jade's story: spironolactone for hair loss Jade, a teacher, took spironolactone, an anti-androgen prescribed to women for hair loss. Read more → 
Patient Stories Jevin's story: first prescribed at 11 Jevin was 26 when this interview was recorded. His first prescription came at 11, and Moral Medicine says he has lived with PSSD for 15 years. Read more → 
Patient Stories Jorge's story: restarting SSRIs Jorge restarted SSRIs such as sertraline and escitalopram several times. He describes brain fog, sexual dysfunction and numbness. Read more → 
Patient Stories Joseph's story: isotretinoin at 13 Joseph, from France, took isotretinoin for acne at 13. He says severe anxiety began months after the course ended. Read more → 
Patient Stories Katie's story: 14 years after Prozac Katie was prescribed Prozac at 21 and took it for 3 years. She has had the symptoms for about 14 years. Read more → 
Patient Stories Konrad's story: 10 days of finasteride Konrad used topical finasteride for 10 days. He describes something almost nobody can see. Read more → 
Patient Stories Kyle's story: after stopping finasteride Kyle took finasteride for a short time. He says his body changed in the months after he stopped. Read more → 
Patient Stories Lucas's story: finasteride at 18 Lucas took finasteride for hair loss at 18. He is 37 now, and has had the symptoms for 14 years. Read more → 
Patient Stories Marko's story: 3 days of finasteride Marko took finasteride for 3 days, noticed symptoms and stopped. The next day, he crashed. Read more → 
Patient Stories Matt's story: emotional numbness on Rexulti Matt asked his psychiatrist for help and was prescribed Rexulti. Years of emotional numbness followed. Read more → 
Patient Stories Matt's story: 3 years on finasteride Matt took finasteride for 3 years without a problem. He has not felt an orgasm since he was 24. Read more → 
Patient Stories Matt's story: topical dutasteride Matt used topical dutasteride for about eight months. He says his sexual symptoms kept getting worse for months after he stopped. Read more → Show all 61 stories
Patient Stories Max's story: 1 month on sertraline Max was prescribed sertraline in 2018 and took it for about a month. Years later he lives with PSSD. Read more → 
Patient Stories Miriam's story: 2 courses of isotretinoin Miriam took two courses of isotretinoin (Accutane) for mild acne. She describes dry eyes, bone loss, hair loss and other symptoms. Read more → 
Patient Stories Nathan's story: 2 half doses of finasteride Nathan took 2 half doses of finasteride. He describes a crash within hours that left him bedridden. Read more → 
Patient Stories Opressor's story: 6 years after citalopram Opressor was prescribed citalopram, an SSRI. He says the emotional numbness and sexual dysfunction that followed got worse after he stopped. Read more → 
Patient Stories Pablo's story: a crash after 7 years Pablo took finasteride and then dutasteride for nearly 7 years. Then he stopped, restarted, and collapsed. Read more → 
Patient Stories Patrick's story: 1 dose on restarting Patrick came off escitalopram (Lexapro) after years without trouble. One dose on restarting changed everything. Read more → 
Patient Stories Rafael's story: 18 pills of finasteride Rafael took 18 finasteride pills around New Year 2020. He says his life has not been the same since. Read more → 
Patient Stories Ryan's story: 2 weeks of Lion's Mane Ryan took Lion's Mane for about 2 weeks. He describes symptoms that carried on long after he stopped. Read more → 
Patient Stories Sam's story: not warned about finasteride Sam started finasteride for hair loss. He says he was never warned about what could follow. Read more → 
Patient Stories Stefan's story: Accutane at 15 Stefan took Accutane for a short time at 15. Moral Medicine says he has been living with PAS for almost 19 years. Read more → 
Patient Stories Stephen's story: 6 days back on Lexapro Stephen took escitalopram for 15 years without trouble. He restarted it for 6 days, and everything changed. Read more → 
Patient Stories Sumair's story: 4 doses of finasteride Sumair used topical finasteride 4 times, at 21. The burning started almost straight away. Read more → 
Patient Stories Taha's story: 3 years of a retinoid cream Taha used a topical retinoid cream for nearly 3 years. The symptoms have not gone away. Read more → 
Patient Stories Thammika's story: a marriage after finasteride Thammika talks about what a partner's illness after finasteride did to a marriage, and about the part of it that is rarely seen. Read more → 
Patient Stories Tim's story: nearly 17 years on finasteride Tim took finasteride for a prostate problem for nearly 17 years. He says he was not warned what it could do. Read more → 
Patient Stories Victoria's story: about 3 months of Lexapro Victoria took escitalopram (Lexapro) for about 3 months as a student. She says everything began to change after she stopped. Read more → 
Patient Stories Shaun’s Story: The Unseen Struggles of PFS Shaun’s journey with Post-Finasteride Syndrome highlights severe effects, underscoring the need for awareness and informed health choices. Read more → 
Patient Stories Noah - How SSRIs and 5AR inhibitors devastated my life Noah shares his struggles with PSSD and PFS, revealing severe impacts from SSRI use. Read more → 
Patient Stories Benjamin’s 14-Year Battle with PSSD Benjamin shares his 14-year journey with PSSD, discussing severe impacts after Cymbalta, shedding light on this rare condition. Read more → 
Patient Stories Carlos’s Struggle with PFS Carlos shares his struggle with Post-Finasteride Syndrome, revealing severe, lasting side effects after finasteride use. Read more → 
Patient Stories Damon's Story With Post-Finasteride Syndrome Damon shares his ongoing battle with Post-Finasteride Syndrome, revealing severe effects after just one finasteride pill. Read more → 
Patient Stories Grant’s Journey with Post-SSRI Sexual Dysfunction (PSSD) Grant shares his struggle with Post-SSRI Sexual Dysfunction after Lexapro, revealing lasting impacts on his life. Read more → 
Patient Stories Interview with Rosie, PSSD Network President Rosie, PSSD Network President, shares her journey with PSSD, discussing severe impacts and the fight for awareness. Read more → 
Patient Stories Jaren's Experience Taking Finasteride Jaren shares his journey with Post-Finasteride Syndrome, revealing severe, lasting side effects from finasteride use. Read more → 
Patient Stories Jonathan’s Experience as a PSSD Patient Jonathan shares his experience with PSSD, a condition with lasting physical, neurological, and sexual effects after SSRIs. Read more → 
Patient Stories Marshall's Story With Post-Finasteride Syndrome Marshall shares his journey with Post-Finasteride Syndrome, highlighting severe impacts and a path to recovery. Read more → 
Patient Stories Michael's Struggle with PFS After Using Finasteride Michael shares his journey with Post-Finasteride Syndrome (PFS) after using Finasteride and Dutasteride, revealing lasting impacts. Read more → 
Patient Stories Miles' Experience with Post Finasteride Syndrome Miles shares his journey with Post-Finasteride Syndrome, revealing lasting effects and raising awareness on PFS risks. Read more → 
Patient Stories Nick’s Struggle with Post-SSRI Sexual Dysfunction (PSSD) Nick’s story highlights the severe, lasting impact of Post-SSRI Sexual Dysfunction, affecting both him and his loved ones. Read more → 
Patient Stories Post Finasteride Syndrome - 1 Pill Destroyed Sam’s Life Sam’s story reveals the devastating impact of Post-Finasteride Syndrome, with severe lasting side effects. Read more → 
Patient Stories Gary's Experience with Topical Finasteride Gary’s experience with Post-Finasteride Syndrome highlights severe, lasting side effects from finasteride use. Read more → 
Patient Stories Sam's Story With Post-Finasteride Syndrome Sam shares his struggle with Post-Finasteride Syndrome, highlighting the severe impacts and urgent need for PFS awareness and research. Read more → 
Patient Stories Sawyer’s Battle with PFS After Using Topical Finasteride Sawyer shares his struggle with Post-Finasteride Syndrome after topical finasteride use, revealing lasting side effects. Read more → 
Patient Stories The Silent Struggle of PFS: Ryan’s Story Ryan shares his journey with Post-Finasteride Syndrome, detailing severe symptoms and the urgent need for PFS awareness and research. Read more → 
Patient Stories Connor's Story: Finasteride, My Health and My Career Read more → 
Patient Stories How Propecia Ruined Chris' Boxing Career Read more → 
Patient Stories Alex's Story With PFS Read more → Video stories
Moral Medicine
The Moral Medicine team films patients telling their own stories. We help their films reach further.
Former U.S. Army Sergeant’s Life Destroyed by Finasteride
He stopped the drug 2 years ago. The nerve and brain symptoms never went away. He explains how long it took to find the cause.
Man’s Fitness and Sexuality Damaged By Topical Finasteride
Bryce used finasteride on his skin, the form people are told is safer. The side effects stayed after he stopped.
Post Finasteride Syndrome – Man’s Been Suffering For Over 20 Years
Ryan stopped finasteride more than 20 years ago. He still has physical, sexual and nerve symptoms.
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