Recovery Log - Going to Beat This

[SS7]

Hello all,

Glad to be a part of this forum full of such determined people. Hoping we'll all recover soon enough.

Took Finasteride for almost a month (1mg EOD) back in September when ED hit just once, dropped it, two weeks perfectly fine then crashed with pretty major ED, all the usual crazy mental sides. WILD despair and anguish followed before I found Cdnuts and this amazing resource. Realised, as most do, there's no 'cure' and despite the literature with this 'medicine' you may well not recover after two weeks.

From the despair I was in during October I've progressed to a point where I can face a day at work now. Libido is 10% from, like -10%, if we say it was 100% before PFS, erections getting a little better.

Started the protocol back in early November with a 5-day fast - only area I'm slacking in is the cold showers; I'm up to getting warm, lathering up, rinsing off cold. If it wasn't winter I'd be braver. The fast was a surprise, for a whole day afterwards I felt back to normal!

Current herbs are Tribulus, Tongkat, Ashwa, Butea, Mucuna Pruriens, Pine pollen, Catauba bark, Muira Puama, Horny Goat weed. Herb rotation showed very little, and I started with only 5 iirc, but 5a-DHP and Pansterone from idealabs definitely gives me enough to get through the day and sleep just enough. Used to hit the gym regularly, so keeping that up, HIIT replaced regular running/cardio which I must admit I have found extremely difficult to get into! I'm switching it to mornings pre-work, and I'll see if that helps.

Paleo diet I adjusted to fine, still use NO-Xplode preworkout 4xweek.

Erections are a tiny bit better. They're a bit like 6-7/10 compared to my pre-fin state, but they used to 'drop' at first and they don't do so as dramatically now. I had strange aches and pains in November, which seem to have stopped now.

It's VERY soon in, but I'm starting an R-Andro cycle. 100mg this week, 200 next, 300 week after, then 400 for a bit. I'm aware this is VERY VERY early to consider this, but I'll drop it if I feel negatively. So far, little bit of improvement.

If you come here from Google and read this, streaming in tears at the life Finasteride just took from you, breathe and be calm. Believe in this and apply yourself, and you will improve, slowly maybe, until you're better. There'll be ups and downs whatever you take and try, there just will, but apply yourself to this and the only variable is time - you'll heal with this protocol and enough of it, I'm certain.

Have some good things I've learned which HAVE made a difference. I don't want to sound like a veteran PFS sufferer, but I've learned a little:

- I *MUST* admit the first couple of days applying the regimen I was the most sceptical of any sceptic - breathing exercises to cure THIS? What sort of retarded hippy-nonsense is THAT?? HERBS?? Complete garbage... And yet it's really REALLY not. The breathing exercises I've found almost *alarmingly* good for what I'm assuming to be cortisol. Work month to month, don't take anything crazy, develop some patience. This might take a few years to undo, just be prepared for that.

- Belief in getting better and determination do seem to make a difference. The only 'trend' I've really read on people getting better is becoming physically fit - the rest (to my inexperienced mind) is down to luck and time, but consistently the recovery stories come from people who apply themselves.

- Be selfish with your time. You need to be, you just do. Family and relationships need to support you now. Avoid stresses if you can. Take time off sick, take holidays.

- Order that bathmate BECAUSE WHEN YOU GET BETTER you'll be happy it's the same/bigger. Suck up the pride and do it, it's a piece of "medical equipment" for you now, so to speak, not a fetish object.

I've taken comfort in Cdnuts' recovery story, a few others, RickTheRuler has a great current thread and possibly the best attitude on the planet - will be watching this guy especially beat it.

So, that's me. Any comments or criticisms or indeed anything of the sort happily received. I'm glad to be among you all whilst we mend ourselves.