Hey guys,
I hope this isn't a huge word splurge, but I wanted to post an intro in my own thread instead of putting two separate intros in two different threads.

I am a 22 year old male from Arizona, and am very active (been lifting since I was in high school and usually lift 5-6 days a week with 2-4 days of MMA training [mainly Muay Thai and BJJ). I also look after my diet and eat a fairly whole foods diet (I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis at age 17 so I have had to lock down on my physical activity and nutrition to stay healthy and symptom free).

I believe February 16 I took 1mg of Finasteride and 5% minoxidil for about 6 days, after 6 days of experiencing headaches, brain fog, and weird libido issues as well as an extremely persistent strange obsessive/intrusive thought I decided to stop taking the medicine and do some research and I realized I was experiencing PFS. After I quit the pill and minox the headaches and brain fog have stopped but the same strange persistent intrusive/obsessives thought stayed which led to other symptoms down the line.

Now I am here, after browsing through many depressing and anxiety causing forums I saw someone say the "cdnuts protocol was debunked" and thought maybe some ideas have been created off of this protocol so I did some research and realized that the cdnuts protocol wasn't debunked and that they were just negative forums trying to drag everyone down - and have been ecstatic since finding this forum and TMO which have given me a breath of fresh air from the positivity and happiness I see on these forums from people.

I want to now list my side effects and current starting protocol so I can see the progress I make on this journey to recovery.

Current Sides:
Mental:
A single strong and persistent obsessive/intrusive thought (strongest side effect)
Consistent obsession/racing thoughts (usually about PFS or the above)
Depression (comes in spurts of usually a few hours to a day a couple times a week)
Sleep:
8 hours of sleep but waking up 3-4 times a night (usually awakening with the intrusive thought or the thought of PFS)
Didn't know this was a thing or symptom but waking up to music in your head in the morning lol (it's like I have a free radio in my head lmao)
Sexual:
Shrinkage
ED and libido issues
Ulcerative Colitis:
Caused me to flare up and exit remission

My symptoms are somewhat bad but from reading these forums I feel grateful that my symptoms are not as bad as others (others that have recovered as well!). On most days (usually days I hit the gym) I feel between 60-79.9%, other days (usually rest days) I can feel anywhere from 30-60%. I believe that I am having some good days due to the factors that I am young and have maintained a fairly healthy lifestyle (diet and fitness).

Current Protocol:
Ordered a ton of supps and went to walmart and bought a ton of fruits and veggies and supps today

Tuesday (3/23) - Starting 3 Day Juice Feast/Cleanse

After the juice feast I plan on resuming my current diet but removing 2 foods (protein bar and kodiak cakes pancake mix) as these two items are the only items I consume with gluten. Being diagnosed with Ulcerative colitis I usually meal prep and eat the same exact foods every day. Meat, veggies/fruits, and carbs (oatmeal, banza noodles [noodles made from chickpeas], and rice) all carb sources free from gluten.

Also after the juice feast depending on when my supps arrive I plan on implementing:
Daily (morning):
5mg Creatine Monohydrate
Herb rotation (7 herb starting protocol rotating daily)
-Ashwaganda, Butea Superba, Catabuaba Bark, Organic Schisandra, Organic Mucuna Extract, Goji Berry Freeze Dried Concentrate Organic, Tongkat Ali
Optimizing Brain Stack
-L-Theanine, Lion's Mane, Bacopa

Daily (at lunch):
10,000 IU of Vitamin D
10 pills of Chlorella
Pine Pollen (serving size as stated by Lost Empire)
Mesalamine (Ulcerative Colitis medicine)

Daily (at night for sleep):
Magnesium (400mg)
Glycine
Albizia (serving size as stated by Lost Empire)

Besides the supps I plan on implementing the cold shower therapy (weekly protocol of building up to 1 minute+), sunning 3 days per week (with the boys), adding 2 HIIT days with mobility work before and stretching afterwards (have a massage gun I haven't really used but will use it 2-3 times a week for myofascial release), also will abstain from porn and masturbation for as long as possible (this has been an issue in the past)

After I get used to this routine (probably after 1-2 weeks) I will add the breathing and meditation and potentially the pumping

If anybody at all reads this thank you! it honestly feels better after writing this all out and letting it go, this forum has been huge for the days where I feel down. Hoping that after consistent year round work that I can flatten that curve and go from 79.9% and 30% days to 80% 90% and 110% days!

As my name states I plan on improving 1% each day, some days I know I may take a few steps back but that just sets you up for 3 steps forward!