Finasteride: Side Effects Mitigation
I have a plan. I don't know if it'll work, but it's better than no plan.
I have suffered from a trio of side effects from Finasteride when I was taking it recently for an enlarged prostate.
I took the stuff for 10 weeks, stopped for 4 weeks, and am now back on the original dose.
The three side effects I got were
(1) Increasingly low mood
(2) Arthralgia - aggravation of arthritis in my fingers
(3) Gynaecomastia - breast tissue growth. In my case quite a lot of growth!
I originally stopped taking it because of the low mood.
I didn't realise it was causing the problems with my arthritis, or the breast tissue growth until after I'd stopped taking it.
The absolutely most serious side effect, in my view, is the potential for low mood, leading to depression. The information sheet warns about suicide and suicidal ideation. Therefore it's vital to both try and prevent this starting, and to be watchful for it starting.
My plan for this is to attempt to do regular exercise, and to keep busy. It's very easy, particularly as autumn begins, to sit inside and brood. I must avoid this.
My wife is watching and on board with the signs of low moods starting.
As regards arthralgia - I've decided to try to proactively take pain killers in advance of pain starting. I have prescribed co-codamol so I will use much less than the prescribed dose alongside paracetamol.
Gynecomastia? Well I'm doing my best to come to terms with it. If the new prescription of Finasteride sets off another growth spurt then it's just 'more of the same' I suppose. I'm resigned to having breasts but it doesn't mean I like it!
So, being watchful, taking painkillers, and carrying on carrying on!