what exactly is ball ache...

[big3nme]

Hey, since switching from finpecia to fincar last week I have been having ball ache on and off for the past few days and weak erections and it kind of worries me but I will hold out for now.

I was just curious as to what the hell the ache actually is? (I actually always wondered the same thing about headaches). What is happening down there that is causing the 'pain' (wouldn't really call it pain but cant think of a better word).

Now that I seem to be experiencing sides from finasteride (just over 3 months on it) I am looking into a) lowering dosage in hope of sides going away and b) possibly getting off it. I haven't looked too much into topical spironolactone but does it provide the same benefits as finasteride? Are there the same side effects? As common? Whats the consensus there?

Thanks for any input.

 

[MrBastard]

Getting weaker erections? Get off the drug imediatly and start again on a lower dosage when it is back to normal. Dont do a lower one to see if it "might" get better as my can kill it completely then... better safe than sorry when it is about your junior

 

[Timmysee]

I can't answer your question about ball ache, but headaches are usually caused by an increase or decrease in pressure in the skull or irritation to the pain receptors in the skull. It's the arteries, veins, nerves and muscles that actually ache most of the time, as the brain itself has no pain receptors in it.

 

[big3nme]

i had ball aches and weaker erections within the first month, but now, after 2 months, i am back to normal. just something to think about before you quit. studies have shown that sides tend to disappear if you stay on the drug.

Thanks for your input. I have read on here that most sides seem to go away with time. Im just not sure what to do because I had taken 3 months of finpecia from inhouse with no ball ache and my libido had seen its ups and downs but I had thought it had finally 'stabilized.' I switched to fincar after my 3 months of finpecia was up and this last week I have had ball ache pretty much every day and decreased libido. I guess its possible my finpecia was fake?

Im not sure if I should do what MrBastard recommends (stopping until im back to normal and trying again at lower dose) or just go to a lower dose and ride it out for another month to see if sides fade.

It really sucks this happened because I was starting to see some success. I was also on minoxidil for 5 months with nizoral and just recently added retin-a.

Can't decide what I should do.. damn this.

 

[bigjohnson]

dont quit!! chances are the finpecia was fake! get real finasteride from a reputable pharmacy not china, and then well allow your body time to adjust.

 

[Ende]

I recommend you get off the drug immediately. Make an appointment with your GP, do blood work where you check at least LH, FSH, testosterone, estrogen, prolactin and SHBG, and take it from there. Your testosterone/estrogen ratio is probably screwed, and you risk secondary hypogonadism, among several other problems related to excessive estrogen level, by continuing. I'm not trying to scare you. I've been there myself.

As for your question about ball ache I'm not excactly sure, but I know they shrink when you experience that aching. Shrinking means less stimulation by LH/FSH, and they produce less testosterone. Reduced libido and softer erections are the first signs of excessive estrogen.

 

[big3nme]

Well I didn't take it last night and woke up with decent erection. Something that hasnt happened in a while. I feel like one day off is definitely too short for any changes so makes me lean towards it being mostly psychological.

No ball ache today yet either, but its still early. I think I'm going to stay off it for a few days and see how I feel. If I feel 100% in a couple of days then I think I'll venture back on it at a low dose.

I would like to go to a GP and get a real prescription and some blood work but I don't really have one. Not sure how I even go about that.

Finally, is being off finasteride for a couple days...maybe week or two.. going to hurt my progress much?