Finasteride and Hematospermia - to stop or not to stop taking finasteride
Posted , 11 users are following.
In 2015, I had a very enlarged prostate and a high PSA. Through medications, things returned to almost normal. I'm 53 and in decent health with no other health issues or medications. I should also note that I live in Cambodia and have limited access to high-quality care other than going to Bangkok.
Last September, I started having hematospermia (blood in semen; very bloody). The Cambodian urologist prescribed a few medications, but nothing seemed to work. I eventually read an article about Proscar and that it can be effective for treating hematospermia.
I started Pronor 5 mg (generic finasteride) in late December. After 2 months, the hematospermia cleared up. My semen has been "clean" since early March. I am still taking Pronor.
The side effects have been a very low libido, difficulty in getting an erection, very small ejaculation and, I think, an increased sense of apathy and lack of enthusiasm to do anything.
I emailed my other urologist in Bangkok (more skilled than Cambodia) and he said that I could stop taking the Pronor, though I haven't been back to him for an exam.
My worries with stopping the Pronor is that the enlarged prostate will come back and I may, again, have increased problems with needing to urinate frequently and during the night and the blood in the semen, like before.
And, will the side effects I'm having now, go away?
I suppose that there is no way of knowing other than stopping to see what happens. Presumably, everyone reacts differently to having side effects and stopping medications
I'd appreciate any thoughts and best options by others.
Thanks
Andrew
0 likes, 37 replies
dennis47445 andrew61251
Posted
Andrew. I used to take avodart and doxazosin. After having a TURP done, I stopped both medications and all I do now is CIC. The selfcathing is the best! I suggest that you do the same, given your young age as compared to me being 68 years old. If you are only 53 years old, by doing CIC, I believe you can save your bladder from getting worn out by having a bladder, that doesn't empty completely. By doing the CIC, your bladder, will have a chance to regain it's elasticity.
I wish I knew about self-catherization. I would have done it long ago. It's the best feeling to have an empty bladder, and not having to think about "where's the next restroom."
zdzislaw dennis47445
Posted
Doesn't CIC make your penis sore? It does for me. Just a little, but libido down.
dennis47445 zdzislaw
Posted
The fastest, doing CIC, for me was 3 seconds from point of entry to penetrating the bladder. It was kind of a game for me, to see how fast I could do it. This one time I did it, I started bleeding, not really bad, but bleeding none the less. I thought to myself, that's enough for speed...this is foolish! Now I go really slowly. I take my time, and make sure there is no pain or the slightest discomfort. So my answer to your a question, is that I have no pain at all. My suggestion to you is to go really slow. If you feel any kind of pain, however slight, just stop, wait a few seconds or more, then proceed again. Good luck!
rogcal andrew61251
Posted
Andrew, you make no mention of having had a PSA test carried out. I would be concerned that the presence of blood in your semen could be indicative of something sinister.
If you have had a PSA a test carried out as well as a DRE and you have been told that nothing sinister lurks within, then please ignore the above.
The only advice I can offer on how to proceed is limited to continue with the Finasteride on the basis that it is designed as a long term treatment rather than as and when required. When you stop blocking the uptake of Dihydrotestosterone (DHT), your prosate will begin to enlarge again and with that will come all the symptoms i.e. nocturia, frequency and retenton which will inevitably lead to other issues such as increase in UTIs, bladder stones and even kidney damage in cases of severe retention.
One last thought, have you given any thought to a natural DHT blocker such as Saw Palmetto? I used it for over 8 years when my prostate began to enlarge and was very effective for all except the last year when I had to begin taking Dutasteride when the enlargement began to have some setious consequences for me and even then it slowed it down only slightly and only surgery in the form of a HoLEP finally resolved all my problems.
At your age I would hope you are a long way from surgery but please in te meantime don't consider that as your symptoms have cleared up all is well, stay with the androgen blockers and with luck you will have at least a decade of relief before the inevitable and unstoppable evil of old age has more of an affect on your prostate and your other bits and pieces.
Good luck.
andrew61251 rogcal
Posted
Hi,
Thanks for the reply. In 2015, my PSA was through the roof (over 40). When the hematospermia started last September 2016, my PSA was over 7, but as I went back for follow-up exams it kept dropping. The last test is was about 4. The TRUS was basically normal (some cysts) and the cancer antigen was negative.
I'd like to try something more natural like the saw palmetto, but I'm not sure if I can simply switch to it with the finasteride still in my system. Plus, I can't get it here unless someone ships a supply to me.
Living in Cambodia and not having access to a reliable doctor, consultation and health insurance is a problem. I sent my urologist in Thailand my records/tests from the hematospermia. He seems like a competent doctor. When I emailed him that the hematospermia stopped, he told me that I could stop the finasteride.
It seems that I can continue on it, and have the side effects of low libido, little ejaculation and general malaise. Or, stop and wait for it to clear my system and see if the other problems come back (enlarged prostate, urinary problems, hematospermia). Not a great choice.
Thanks again for the reply
hank1953 andrew61251
Posted
How did you manage to bring your PSA down from over 40 in 2015 to 7 in 2016 ? Hank
andrew61251 hank1953
Posted
Hi,
The 2015 episode was a super-enlarged prostate and I couldn't urinate. It seemed it was due to an infection. I was prescribed some antibiotics and other medicines and the problem cleared up. The PSA dropped to less than 10 within a few months. Things basically returned to normal for more than a year until the hematospermia last September. Even with the hematospermia, my PSA was 7 and kept dropping, but it is still above normal.
hank1953 andrew61251
Posted
Waffalobill hank1953
Posted
Finasteride can cause false PSA readings. They use that rule of thumb to cut your reading in half when on it. I personally don't trust this. To me it's like a guess. I don't believe it could be the same for everyone.
alan1951 andrew61251
Posted
"I suppose that there is no way of knowing other than stopping to see what happens." My friend, you have apparently answered your own question. If you are going to take a hiatus from finasteride, do keep in mind that 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors have an extremely long half life. That is why, if you'll read other posts in this thread, a lot of guys are now taking these drugs (finasteride and dutasteride) intermittently, and with equally efficacious results. It's going to be a balancing act with you, if you do decide to take a break, and here's what I mean by that; the hematospermia may eventually recede over time ... but the BPH may eventually exacerbate over time. Finally, it a simple bias I have. Whatever else is going on with you may not be related at all to the drugs you're taking. Wishing you the best.
andrew61251
Posted
Thank you for all the replies.
For now, I am going to stop the finasteride (after 5 months). The hematospermia that I had cleared up after 2 months on the finasteride, and I took it for 3 months longer.
I'll monitor and see how things go.
I'm more inclined to try something like saw palmetto and/or pygeum in the future if any symptoms come back that affect me adversely (problems urinating, hematospermia).
I may just try to take saw palmetto or pygeum as a continuing preventative measure, though I'm uncertain if the finasteride in my system will affect using these supplements.
andrew61251
Posted
After only a few days off finasteride, I've been having problems needing to get up at night to urinate. I didn't change any dietary/drinking habits.
When I was on the finasteride for the past 5 months, I never got up once during the night.
The first few nights, it was only 1 time, but last night I got up 4 times.
I started the finasteride again this morning. I guess the low libido and low ejaculation are "better" side effects than having to get up at night multiple times.
When I can get the pygeum/saw palmetto I will try again to stop the finasteride.
Andrew
hank1953 andrew61251
Posted