Just for a bit of balance: I’m 48M, been taking Finasteride 1mg (Propecia) for hair loss for nearly 20 years. It’s allowed me to keep my hair (mostly!) but crucially, I’ve not had any nasty side efforts despite the horror stories out there about Finasteride. I also have a clean diet and exercise regularly so maybe that helps. Maybe I’m in the minority here but I’m a long term user of finasteride and don’t have any regrets.
Been off of the Flowmax for about three weeks now and after having not been able to finish for the whole time I used the drug, I am back. I'm 66 but my body still wants to be 40... Thank you for providing such an excellent, life changing service..
I’m surprised no one is talking about cialis , which besides being for Erectile disfunction can help enormously with enlarged prostate , urologists are recommending it now
My feeling, as someone who takes both medicines, if you are on them, it is usually because you are almost certainly a senior with enlarged prostate and difficulty in urinating. At my age, I find it more important to be able to pee than it is to have sex. So any side effects I might have from taking these medications is beside the point. The point is that I'd rather be able to pee.
@@Dulcimerist Yes Cialis is reported to help with BPH. Side effect- now you are ready. Going bald. Well, would rather have a nice head of hair than a nice woody. So maybe combine finasteride with Cialis and you can enjoy the best of both worlds.
It is refreshing to see a physician such as yourself acknowledge how long finasteride can affect a person even after they stopped using it. For me it was 4.5 years.. it is insane how this is even still available for prescription.
I am so glad you are willing to put this information out for us to partake. It seems the male side thinks we should just deal with the side effects as it will help regardless. Too bad we don't have more doctors taking time to inform patients. Bless you and thanks.
I wish more doctors prescribed Tadalafil to treat enlarged prostate issues, since that actually improves performance. Even the prostate medications Doxazosin and Prazosin aren't known to cause side effects discussed in the video, and may even improve performance.
Finastride is wonderful! It stopped my hair loss, shrank my prostate, lowered my PSA, and got rid of my back hair. The only thing is that I shoot blanks now. I've been married for 19 years, so I don't care. I only regret I didn't start on it earlier.
Finasteride doesn’t shrink enlarged prostate , it works by enlarging the width of the piss tube . It Tamsulosin that shrinks enlarged prostrate . The two working together , that enables enlarged prostrate sufferers to regain a decent piss flow & get a better nights kip.
I was prescribed both of these and noticed both these effects almost immediately. Fortunately quit taking and am back to normal function a month later. I wish my doctor would have told me about these side effects.
Hello Dr, your content and the way in which you present it is very educational to non-medical people such as myself. I have been a fan for many months and this is the first time I have commented but i feel as if you need to know that there are many people who really appreciate what you do and how you do it. Hope that you and your husband and children are doing well. Thanks again.
I’ve sat for years now, but it hasn’t been for any health reasons. When I stand over a toilet and I begin to pee I have no idea which direction it’ll go! So I eventually got tired of having to mop up after myself and decided to just sit and forget about it. Life’s good!
Hello Doctor. I've been suffering for BPH for more than 20 years now (I have nearly 120 cc of prostate volume!). I was advised at age 48 (I'm now 70) that I would've been submit to surgical intervention shortly. However I've taken dutasteride immediately since then, initially combined with Tansulosin, then quickly replaced with alfuzosin, to avoid the very unpleasant side effect that the ejaculation almost disappeared. After 23 year of continually following this treatment, I now have a normal life (I only have to avoid to hold the urge to urinate for too long) and more important my sexual life is perfectly satisfactory. I'm extremely happy of the actual regime.
I had BPH too. Drugs were an ineffective bandaid. I got the roto rooter (TURP) surgery. My only regret was waiting as long as I did. Yeah I ended up with retrograde ejaculation. So what. I was long past the age of wanting another child. Now I can pee like a Russian race horse. TURP is NOT a surgery to be feared. Not at all.
@@Actaeon2ndI hear the aquavlation procedure where the prostate is minimized by removing part of it with water pressure may have less side effects including retrograde ejaculation
Thank you. I am age 69 and have been prescribed this with little advice. I recently stopped the Tamu... Stuff because of all the things you described. Now I'm getting improved function and a sense of normalcy. Thanks for the mental health boost
The biggest side effect of Tamsulosin for me, is lowered blood pressure, a known side effect she didn't mention. I kept getting light headed when getting up and keyed in on the time frame as when I started that medication. My BP had fallen to an average of 110/67, and that is what caused my problem, I think. I was also on Lysinopril, and discontinued that helping me quite a bit.
It's not considered a "bad" side effect which is probably why she didn't mention it. I am on it for enlarged prostate but also because of the added benefit of lowering blood pressure.
@@k3grappler Lysonopril is a first generation ace inhibitor BP med. Get your doc to write you a second generation like Diovan. No more of manhood robbing problems and work out all you can
I was on it for about two weeks and it made my BP go all over the map. I had very low BP (90/60) and very high BP (165/142) within hours of taking the damn pills. I felt absolutely miserable but gave it a week as my doc said it might take me a bit to adjust. I tracked my BP a few times a day and if I climbed the stairs (I'm pretty fit and regularly hike up large hills and mountains), it would go through the roof and if I laid down, it would fall. When I told my Doc, she said it is known to lower BP but she'd never heard of it raising it so advised me to half my dosage for two weeks and continue to track. It continued to bounce all over and I could barely do anything without feeling like I was going to have a heart attack. It also made me want to go the bathroom about 4 times a night and multiple times during the day (my wife usually calls me a camel as I usually only urinate 2 times a day even after drinking litres of water). At the end of two weeks she advised me to drop it and suggested other meds and I said NO way. I'll live with slow pees. Horrible stuff.
Dr. Malik, I just wanted to thank you for sending along all the information in your videos to help US, especially men, who don't talk about problems so easily to their own Doctors. You certainly have created a terrific forum to enlighten men so they can feel comfortable with male problems they may have. You're a great Doctor who cares about people. Thank you, again... 🧐👍
Been on finasteride to arrest hairloss for decades. Quickly found the 1mg/day dose caused bedroom problems. Initially cut back to 1mg Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Have been doing fine for decades taking 1mg Mondays and Fridays. Maybe even once a week is enough to keep hair? Never tried pill cutting to reduce dose. My advice for hairloss: start with 1mg/day dose and cut back if needed in event of side effects. Don't try dutasteride; half-life is so long that if you suffer side effects, you'll likely be suffering for months after stopping. Oh, also know you have to be off finasteride for 30 days and off dutasteride 6 months to give blood. This is why so many men have dropped out of blood drives. Yeah, wanna help people but also want to keep my hair.
@@blueband8114 To each their own. As for me, will be keeping my hair. Been coloring my hair for decades too. Thought about letting it go grey now in my 60s, but younger wife said just keep doing what I'm doing. She's right. Grey isn't my color.
I started off with just 0.25mg and had bad sides. I slowly increased to 0.5mg after 6 months, and then after 1 year started doing 1-1.25mg, but most sides are now gone and finasteride kinda stopped working as effectively as before.
While it’s not a sexual side effect, your patients on tamsulosin and other selective or non-selective alpha blockers need to be cautioned to tell their ophthalmologist if they are on OR HAVE PREVIOUSLY been on those medications. There are measures that cataract surgeons need to take to avoid serious complications. Interestingly the problem often persists months or years after the last dosage of these medications.
I've been on both for over a decade. Something else I found out after starting Finasteride, you can't donate blood anymore. I was told that it wouldn't be safe for a woman who was pregnant or could become pregnant. I had been a frequent donor before that.
Been taking saw palmetto for over 25 years for enlarged prostate with my doctor's approval, and it's worked for me with no side effects. I would suggest trying it first before using these drugs, as there is nothing to lose.
I was on Tamsulosin and had all of those side effects! I told my Urologist that I had no sex life because of the side effects so I was taken off Tamsulosin and started taking (Cialis) Tadalafil 10MG for BPH and I'm so happy , not only do I have a amazing sex life back , also my BPH symptoms have greatly improved. Thanks so much Dr. Rena Malik for the great videos and info you are sharing with everyone.
I can attest to this. I was put on finesteride at a very young age (37) because of high PSA readings and a growing prostate. I finally stopped taking it at age 55, but I was left with sexual dysfunction - probably the long duration. Note that I had no major issues for almost the first 15 years. I'm now also taking Tamsulosin and it causes pretty bad reverse/retrograde ejaculation. I appreciate this info. I'll ask my doctor to switch it to one of those others. I'd recommend that men totally avoid finesteride (Proscar and Propecia). You didn't talk about outcomes, but evidence about reduction of risk of prostate cancer is pretty murky.
I’m just new (5-6 months) to this medication but I also noted the Retrograde Ejaculation side effects. Kind of alarming 😮 and I don’t think I can keep taking it. I’m seeing my family doctor to get off/ change it ASAP.
@@all4onejerzyd.344what type of prostatis u have ? By the way , ayurved medicine is the best option. There is no side effects of them . & Do cure of disease.
@@sanjaykumarmeena7887 I am interested in any of ayurvedic research but I doubt anything is better than these drugs or surgical procedures. I saw a lot of problems with all these drugs. Had to call an ambulance for my father due to Tamasolun as he started shaking up badly and couldnt't be controlled. He is a normal guy no health problems but doctor prescribed him these meds and he had side effects with all of them
@@TheManFromKansas you have orgasm but there is no ejaculate. The semen enters the bladder instead of exiting the penis. Also called a dry orgasm by some.
I recently underwent the rezum procedure for my bph. I have been on finasteride and doxazosin for a number of years and wanted the procedure because I believe the drugs have seriously affected my mojo. I am about a month out from the rezum procedure and still on the drugs. Hopefully, when I heal, I will be off the drugs and things can get back to normal. Of course , being 73 may mean that a return to "normal" may be a dream lost to time.
@@paulbedder889 I had the Rezum procedure. I would NOT recommend it. They took out the catheter too soon, i couldn't pee and ended ujp in the emergency room. Also, retrograde ejaculations. The penis should go INTO something. Don't put something inside the penis. .. That is, the device they use to perform the Rezum procedure.
Wish I had known about this before the doctor told me I should use BOTH and had nothing to worry about. I've seen both the issues you describe and its been nearly 9 months since ending these 2 meds after having a TERP procedure.
Did the ability to ejaculate return after you stopped taking this drug? Maybe I missed something but it seems that Dr. Malick didn't cover whether normal functioning resumes when the drug is discontinued but she addressed that in detail when discussing the other class of drugs that she opened the video with.
@@kikovazquez7277 yes it returns on e u stop taking it. Say if u stop today then depending upon the dose ur taking the normal ejaculation returns within 2 to 3 days.
@@YourNEBOSHguide thank you! I have experimented with stopping it for one day 2x when I anticipated sex was going to happen. That wasn't enough but it did show a small improvement.
Took Tamsulosin for a few years. My orgasms were "dry." Nothing at all. Also, it gave me short-term memory loss. I stopped and things went back to normal pretty quickly.
I was prescribed Tamsulosin for BPH and experienced both a decrease in semen volume and extreme delayed ejaculation - sometimes 30 seconds after orgasm. My doctor switched me to daily 5 mg Cialis and my problems have corrected. Fortunately!
My doctor prescribed me Cialis under the alternate brand name Adcirca, and my insurance covered it. This medication has been a huge help for my BPH issues.
Important info. Glad I found it. I was just prescribed these meds and I think I will pass on them. I'm finding that having prostate massage seems to be helping a lot.
Amazing video!! I was left in the dark about side effects and now suffer from all the side effects you mentioned. It’s so bad I won’t date anymore, 5 years or more so far, I am 63 so not so much trouble as it could have been. Bob England
I’ve been on Finasteride for 2 years, and I’ve been just fine. I won’t lie though, first 4 months the libido was on and off. But everything stabilized afterwards. I got a full hat of hair and can’t be happier. One thing I will say is that Finasteride is not a one size fits all solution. I truly believe that 1mg a day is way too much. I personally think micro dosing is the way to go…As for post Finasteride syndrome. I think that’s bullshit. Finasteride gets depleted out of your system in just 30 -60 days. The individuals that suffer from PFS most likely have other underlying conditions.
Thank you for this. I was on finasteride 1mg for 2 years for hair loss. I am now still experiencing horrible side effects a year after stopping. Sharing this information is crucial.
@@Texa8 in my head! Is dry skin, tinnitus, muscle loss, penile changes in my head wouldn’t be in my head. Wish it was would be a lot easier to overcome. My testosterone has continued to decrease month on month to now in a level of a man in his 50s when I’m 30. Not in my head.
I've been on Tamsulosin & Finasteride for over 10 years. I've discovered, that when I've had a lot of water to drink during the day, semen volume is increased. I have experienced some loss of libido, but I think that my weight could be more responsible.
Finasteride was terrible - it dried me up and eventually I was unable to have an orgasm. My male urologist switched me to Tamsulosin. That caused "retrograde" ejaculation, and vague, pathetically weak orgasms. These urologists should put themselves on these meds and see how they like it. I opted for a prostate artery embolization procedure to shrink my greatly enlarged prostate. My urologist knew about the PAE procedure, but never told me about that option. I came across it while web surfing.
It's all about making money the patients are like Guinea pigs if they give you the medicine to cure you there is no more money to make off you keep you messed up so their bank accounts have a regular deposit
I have been on Finanistride (sp) for about 8 years and at the age of 86, I’m sexually active with hardly any loss of libido…it’s a low dose of 2.5 mg once daily. I attribute the slight loss of libido and reduction in fluid released due to age and not the drug.
Thank you so very much for this information. I've just tried tamsulosin for the second time. I had all the side effects you talked about plus. My plus was dizziness, headaches with pain levels of 9 out of 10. One less than kidney stones and almost fainted. I stopped taking it the other day and called my doctor who never called me back. That is why I'm thankful. 🤗
I am also facing same issue, i took one medcine yesterday night and facing all the side effects. How many days it take you be fine after stoping this medecine.
@@satyamkumar8263 about a month. I'm taking Saw Palmetto in its place. I have to take more than what the bottle recommends and it is working good for me. No side effects.
Thank you once again Dr. Rena! I have been on Tamsulosun for quite some time. I dealt with the side effects you mentioned and just assumed it was something I would have to live with. I am going to ask for the lesser one you suggested. Lesser side effect one that is.
I was prescribed Finasteride by a doctor at the hospital due to on going problems with enlarged Prostate. I asked if there were any side effects and was told there maybe a reduction in ejaculate, at my age I was not worried about that, what he did not tell me were the worsted ones. I took them for about two weeks then stopped because I was suicidal, which was extremely worrying . I told my local doctor to keep them in the loop. My condition, I still have but try not to worry about it. I am nearly 80 yrs old this episode happened about 3 yrs ago. Have you done a vid on explaining PSA test?
If you're having side effects with any medications you're prescribed, talk with your doctor about trying other options. You have a right as a patient to have all options discussed with you, and to have a say in what goes into your body. Other prostate medications include Tadalafil, Doxazosin, and Prazosin. There are also other medications. A good doctor will work with their patient to find what works best for that individual.
@@mikearmando Some of those herbs, such as saw palmetto, can cause ED, sexual dysfunction, and other issues such as interference with anticoagulants. Natural doesn't always mean safe. Herbs are still considered to be medications.
@@Dulcimerist LOL ! I used to pee 3x per night, not anymore. I have taken 3,000mg of Saw Palmetto per day for 5 years. It took a few weeks to take effect. I have the energy and sex drive I had as a teenager and I am 55! Saw Palmetto is a life changing miracle for me. You have to take a lot, my dose works out to 39mg/kg. You HAVE TO take it with food. Every year my doctor asks me, "What are you doing, to keep so healthy and happy ?". Over the counter vitamins doc.
So grateful for this video. A urologist suggested I start taking flomax. I was too ashamed and self conscious to do so. Now I'm incredibly grateful I didn't.
I use to take Finasteride. All the side effect spoken about it this youtube occurred with me. I stopped 6 months ago and still have the side effect. Thank you for the valuable information. I was not told about the side effects when that medication was prescribed.
Thanks for this! I was prescribed Tamsulosin to help pass a kidney stone last year. Didn't notice any side effects, but also was not warned by my doctor (and who reads the paperwork the med's come with? You need a medical degree to understand them. If you can read the small print.) I will refuse this next time and ask for a better alternative (and will research it!). Does one really need a medical degree to be a patient these days? Love your channel and your forthright manner! Your patients are very lucky!
I've been on Tamsulosin (Flomax) for about two years now. From the start, I experienced retrograde ejaculation, reduced ejaculate volume and weak orgasms. By trial and error, I discovered that if I went off Flomax for two to three days, the sexual side effects subsided for as long as I was off the medication. This might not work for everyone, but it works for me.
I was prescribed flomax....it was a disaster. After a short time on cialis I had to stop because my other meds changed to include nitrates. Next I had the Urolift surgery, and after recovery the results are outstanding. Total relief from the bph symptoms and 1 less medication to take.
Hello Ms. Malik, I would just like to tell people to please review the study conducted on 71 guys. As it has been scrutinized due to bias recall of patients, Study limitations include a post hoc approach, selection bias, recall bias for before finasteride data, and no serum hormone levels.
I have taken a couple of medications for BPH. The first time what I was taking (uroxitol?) wound up making me passing out as I was standing in a hallway in the middle of the night. The second one, and it might have Flomax, caused retrograde ejaculation. That was definitely something I didn't enjoy.
I used to take Finasteride, a Urologist put me on it and I didn't have an enlarged prostate. The problem in this country is that doctors just throw you on a pill and never look into healthy or other avenues of treatment. I stopped taking it after a few months, there was no point.
Been 'prescribed' Tamsulosin for a kidney stone that has been sitting in there for a year now. I' ve noticed all the side effects plus a weird one of 'night wood' while sleeping. But I've taken my last one today already. I drink plenty of water, 3 16fl oz bottles a day. Great page Doc, I've been following for about 6 months now.
Had more kidney stones in the last 30 years than I can recall. As soon as they make themselves known, to the ER I go. Don't know how anyone can can live with them. I still remember my first one in 1990.
@@johnmartin9823 Had only two so far and I really watch the diet so I don't get anymore. Had the last one roto-rooted out recently, not a lot of fun either but an evil necessity.
Never experienced that. Side effects are dependent upon the individuals body v the chemicals. I just noticed the ones I had after a few months of taking it. @@devshukla5377
My late husband was on both of these medications. He took Flomax for 8 years. He had almost zero sexual desire. Then they added Proscar and he took both for about a year and a half before having prostate surgery. He had almost no semen ejaculate for years even before that. He died less than 2 years after having 90% of his prostate removed. It was necessary because he got to the point where he couldn't urinate on his own and had to be catheterized a couple of years before that. It was terrible. He was 65 years old. I loved and miss him very much. He died 11 years ago. It was a very hard, bad experience.
@annwrog I'm so sorry to hear about your husband's passing and all the problems these meds caused you and your husband. I'm also a prostate cancer survivor but fortunately I didn't need my prostate removed. It's only been 1.5yrs since my treatment. The impacts of the treatment are sometimes worse than the disease. I hope you can move forward and find joy and love again your life.
Tamsulosin has another fairly serious side effect in many men. It prevents your pupils from dilating. It has affected me in that way. I'm 83 and facing cataract surgery. The surgeon will not be able to dilate my iris and they will have to use some kind of retractor to open it far enough to insert the new lens. Not insurmountable but add a little increased level of difficulty. Your eyes not being able to dilate also has an effect on night driving and overall night vision.
I took Alfuzosin for over 3 years . It helped a little. Side effects where mostly stuffy nose and made me tired . No longer need it after Turp surgery . I’m five months post op . Doing well . Still have some frequency but it’s manageable . Dr says I’m still healing .
Thank you so much Dr. Rena. I started having prostate problems about 6 months ago and yes, my doctor prescribed me Tamsulosin. I’m going to mention the other medicine and see what happens. Glad I saw this video!! Thank you again Always!!😮😮
I've been prescribed 1mg of finasteride to fight off hairloss & i've been taking half of each pill but haven't had any negative side effects after taking it for 6 months
Just curious...how old are you? In my experience the side effects are much more likely the older you are. I'm one of those guys with lasting side effects...two plus years.
Gave up fin for hairlloss last month (2 years of taking and decent results) stopped taking it and sex drive sky rocketed. Finasteride is like a lobster in a pot slowly cooking, however here your sex drive is gradually going lower and lower. Bin the fin, get a good head shaver and do some fkn pushups and you'll do fine 🙂
I’ve been on Fin for nearly 20 years. No issues I’m aware of. Very happy to still have my hair - bald would not work well for my head shape and ears that stick out.
69 years old. i took both of those drugs. had all of those bad side effects except for the ed. also lost body hair, chest, legs, arms. felt totally like i was becoming a woman. i quit them and the doc put me on alfuzosin, a bladder relaxer. well i started feeling better. the bad symptoms went away. still have difficulty urinating, but you get used to it. hoping to have the rezum surgery when i quit working. good luck to you.
Very informative Dr.Malik. I have been on Tamsulosin for about 10 years now and can relate to everything that has been discussed, including the cataracts that someone mentioned. My urologist has told me ( after the exploratory test ) that I am not a candidate for the urolift procedure. I would love to get off of the Tamsulosin.
Get off sugar and you will see a big difference. I was on flowmax for about 3 months. Hated it. The no ejaculation was horrible to me. After quite a bit of research here on UTube I discovered that sugar has a big effect on enlarged/inflammation. My main problem was soda, which I loved. Haven't had one in 3 years. After having VERY small amounts of sugar for 1 year. I now have a little in tea and coffee and I'm still ok. No problem during the day, but I still get up 1 to 2 times at night. Not a problem for me since I'm retired. Good luck...
As to hair loss; When I was 40 I developed a painful clicking in my elbow due to the repetitive motion associated with using a hammer. I did a little research and started taking a packet of animal gelatin twice a day. In about 3 months the clicking had disappeared but I continued the gelatin. in another 3 or 4 months I noticed a rapid increase of hair growth on my arms. I'm now 80 and for the past 15 years I have to take my beard trimmer to my arms every 3 years. I have a full head of hair and can distinguish some hairs caused by the gelatin? Take the gelatin with a little cold juice or it will taste like what it is!! Good luck!!
Interesting, I almost bought a shampoo with BHT blockers to help with my fine sparse hair. Had no idea of potential side effects. An ER doc recently suggested collagen supplementation to help my cardiovascular system.
I wish I had learned of this years ago. I took Tamsulosin for years and experienced everything you stated. Worse, I noticed over time I was losing my memory and my eyesight was going through some issues. Within three months I was to the point I could not remember street names or where they went, how to get home after I rounded the corner while walking my dog, where local businesses were located, etc. I started getting “double vision” where things like a full moon started getting ‘crescents’ above and below the moon itself. After several visits to a neurologist it was discovered this could be a side effect to using Tamsulosin over several years. I was on two other medications that have the same side effects as well. I was taken off these drugs and within months the vision got better. It has been three years since getting off these drugs and I have most of my memory back. My doctor stated everyone, male or female, needs to talk with their doctor about what they are taking long term as side effects are just now being discovered for many medications.
I'm glad to hear you are doing better now I have been having episodes with my vision every once in awhile and it starts with just a little wave in my vision and then gets worse and the only way to describe it is like the Arora borealis when you see a time lapse shot of if I am not taking any meds yet for bph but I'm taking to my Dr about the 3 she mentioned at the end of the video
Tadalafil, Doxazosin, and Prazosin are other options. If you're having side effects with the medications discussed in this video, talk with your doctor about trying other options. You have a right as a patient to have all options discussed with you, and to have a say in what goes into your body.
I had a very odd side effect with 5 mg finasteride intended to rein in PSA / prostate cancer. About six weeks after starting I developed very dramatic tooth sensitivity both top and bottom on left side. Prior to linking it to finasteride I consented to an expensive (no dental insurance) root canal on a bottom tooth. That helped but sensitivity problems persisted. I couldn't walk the dog in the evening. The cool evening air triggered the tooth pain. I stopped taking the finasteride. Less than three weeks later my teeth were back to normal. I have seen accounts online of people with even the much lower (1 mg) hair lose dose experiencing dental issues. I am refusing to take dutasteride too. Same mechanism of action so I would expect the same problems.
Thank you! I’ve been takingTamsulosin for 4-5 years. The side effects are as described. I had to start using Alprostadil (Caverject) to be able to get and maintain an erection. I’ll speak to my Urologist & discuss those other options.
Can you do videos on the various surgical or interventional treatments for BPH so that men do not have to suffer with the side effects of these meds. There are so many out there with Urolift, Rezum,and others. But it’s hard to tell which one is really effective and with least complications.
Last week I had a robotically assisted (partial) prostatectomy. My surgeon (urologist) took 80% of my prostate. Although I did not notice any issues with Tamsulosin (two years) nor Finasteride (three months), this video explains why my urologist is so keen on me discontinuing these drugs. He says that I shouldn't need another prostatectomy unless I live to 140. I am seventy now, so I guess I have the potential for another seventy years of freedom from urological issues. It helps to have a sense of humor when you deal with medical issues.
I recently had a holep Lazer op on my prostate.. Absolutely incredible little discomfort and rapid progress pee like a young man now. I was up and about in no time days not weeks only problem is I can't ejaculate any more but have full orgasm feelings and no sexual problems . What a relief to not be in constant need of the toilet
Currently age 70 PSA is .5 it has been for 30 years. Took FlowMax back in 1990 for 9 months, gave me a horrible nightmares so, gave it up and never really needed anything totally unnecessary.
I was waiting for the answer! You discussed the lasting effects of Finasteride but not the Tamsulosin and RGE is my big concern. I just got off of Tamsulosin several weeks ago, had a failed Rezum procedure in February and an Aquablation procedure several weeks ago. Thanks for the informative vids!
@@katazack flow rate is great, Still getting up at night, RGE, But I think that was from the resume other than that two months in and doing OK, First week on me was rough, all good now though
My urologist gave me both medications for the last 3 years. Have no arise since last years and when I talk to him he said don't worry we will fix it later. My plan last month was 0.08
I was taking durasteride for a long while for BPH. It seriously decreased my climaxes and my seminal volume went to zero. It took at least 6 months after I stopped taking it to get some of that back and a full year to get it all back.
I have been taking Tamsulosin for over 30 years and the side effects, while noticeable, were not overwhelming. Just as Covid was emerging a urologist prescribed finasteride as a "better alternative". No warning of potential side effects was given, but the lesflet in the box gave a list of potential side effects, one of which was "problems getting an erection and less interest in having sex". Within two weeks I found that, though it did not make me impotent, I had lost interest in having sex. I made an immediate appointment to see mu family doctor and he told me to stop taking Finasteride. I returned to normal gradually over about a month.
Thank You Dr. Malik I had posted this issue some time back and couldn't reach you by the way you had requested. I've suffered with this for some time now and just didn't feel at ease about discussing it with my Dr. But I now know how to pose the question to her thanks to you and the info you have shared here. I have MS and it seems as if everything just gets lumped into that disease without further investigation! Very frustrating !
The biggest problem with Alpha Blockers, is the affect it has on blood pressure and the side effects regarding causing low blood. If I even miss a dose or am late taking it, my blood pressure goes crazy.
I am 78 and was on flomax for a considerable time! Two yrs. ago I had TURP surgery. For the past year I have taken a 5 mg tablet of Tafadadil twice a day. This medication has had a significant effect on more than just the obvious area. My recall has improved significantly (especially long term), my balance is like I am 30 yrs old and heart and lung function during cardio has improved immensely!
My Prostrate cancer was treated with Radio therapy, followed by Eastrogen. I was warned that the reaction would be, Over weight, which would be nigh -on impossible to get rid of. And Breast Growth. My sexual libido would also be reduced. All this came true. But I had extremely low readings (still do) for my annual tests, and 12years later, I'm still here. (82yrs old )
It’s all about trade off with Tams. Yes, sexual sides, and yes, increased ability to fully evacuate your bladder when nature calls. All relative to what is personally more important to your overall health. Sides can always be diminished by visual aids and safe ED meds during sexual activity, Free flow during urination is “gold” every day taking Tams.
Thank you for this video. I'm currently on tamsulosin and I'm having the side effects you mentioned, although my doctor did not warn me about them before prescribing. I had previously been on terazosin, but had strong allergic reactions to it (itching). Would the other alternatives to tamsulosin be likely to cause the same allergic reactions?
I stopped talking these medications because I suffered all of these side effects,my doctor rang me yesterday and asked how I was going on with them,I told him I had stopped taking them and why but he said he thought it might be a good idea to continue with them. I have bladder cancer and find it difficult to pee and when I do it stings like hell for a few minutes afterwards,I’m up at least four times a night going to the bathroom,I never get a full nights sleep and it leaves me continually feeling weak and tired and unable to do ordinary everyday tasks,I’m in constant pain whenever I move around from what feels like my left kidney area,they have tried putting a stent in between my bladder and my left kidney but couldn’t get it in,my doctor has put me on Oramorph to ease the pain when it gets really bad.
I'm a retired Physician, Biochemist. This gal has helped me more than my friends in Urology! Thank you Doctor! 😊
I don’t think she is to accurate many times! And most of her stuff is sexual in nature! I guess that’s for good ratings from men to watch her videos
You are Doctor?Than i´m Santa Claus.
Not a “gal” numb nuts.
@@richardfadle5921
Urologists treat sexual issues fruitcake. That's their PROFESSION.
Dr Strangelove, do you still recommend a ratio of 10 women for every man in the post Nuclear War Mineshaft Society?
Thank you for speaking slower and clearer than others Doctors I've listened to. 👍✝️
Just for a bit of balance: I’m 48M, been taking Finasteride 1mg (Propecia) for hair loss for nearly 20 years. It’s allowed me to keep my hair (mostly!) but crucially, I’ve not had any nasty side efforts despite the horror stories out there about Finasteride. I also have a clean diet and exercise regularly so maybe that helps. Maybe I’m in the minority here but I’m a long term user of finasteride and don’t have any regrets.
She need to get subscribers...so that is why she tell these horror stories.........
Been off of the Flowmax for about three weeks now and after having not been able to finish for the whole time I used the drug, I am back. I'm 66 but my body still wants to be 40...
Thank you for providing such an excellent, life changing service..
I’m surprised no one is talking about cialis , which besides being for Erectile disfunction can help enormously with enlarged prostate , urologists are recommending it now
My feeling, as someone who takes both medicines, if you are on them, it is usually because you are almost certainly a senior with enlarged prostate and difficulty in urinating. At my age, I find it more important to be able to pee than it is to have sex. So any side effects I might have from taking these medications is beside the point. The point is that I'd rather be able to pee.
Have they tried you on Tadalafil for BPH? Perhaps you're on nitrates, which is why they haven't offered it to you.
@@Dulcimerist wow you are good I’m now on tadalafil 😃
@@Dulcimerist Yes Cialis is reported to help with BPH. Side effect- now you are ready. Going bald. Well, would rather have a nice head of hair than a nice woody. So maybe combine finasteride with Cialis and you can enjoy the best of both worlds.
@@19MarkDavid Hair loss has not been reported for any of the currently approved PAH medications, including Tadalafil.
We have the same case, im thingking if there is better alternative in order to have sex with my wife...
It is refreshing to see a physician such as yourself acknowledge how long finasteride can affect a person even after they stopped using it. For me it was 4.5 years.. it is insane how this is even still available for prescription.
How long and at what dosage were you taking finasteride?
@@derrickg5612 Really short time, 3 months.. and if I remember, was 5 mg daily.
same
@@tired_of_everything0 How long did you take it?
@@derrickg5612 2 day
I sincerely appreciate your compassion and goodwill, Dr. Malik. thank you
I am so glad you are willing to put this information out for us to partake. It seems the male side thinks we should just deal with the side effects as it will help regardless. Too bad we don't have more doctors taking time to inform patients. Bless you and thanks.
Thanks appreciate you.
I wish more doctors prescribed Tadalafil to treat enlarged prostate issues, since that actually improves performance. Even the prostate medications Doxazosin and Prazosin aren't known to cause side effects discussed in the video, and may even improve performance.
Finastride is wonderful!
It stopped my hair loss, shrank my prostate, lowered my PSA, and got rid of my back hair. The only thing is that I shoot blanks now. I've been married for 19 years, so I don't care. I only regret I didn't start on it earlier.
man u sound dull..no ambitions and settled in mediocrity,,,,i can smell it,,,its the mind,,,it depresses us tbh
@batmanbillions just wait till you've been with the same woman for 23 years. Trust me, you won't care less about shooting blanks.
@batmanbillions what an amusing comment. Ahh. It made me laugh.
Finasteride doesn’t shrink enlarged prostate , it works by enlarging the width of the piss tube . It Tamsulosin that shrinks enlarged prostrate . The two working together , that enables enlarged prostrate sufferers to regain a decent piss flow & get a better nights kip.
@@maskedavenger2578 Finastride is prescribed for an enlarged prostate.
I was prescribed both of these and noticed both these effects almost immediately. Fortunately quit taking and am back to normal function a month later. I wish my doctor would have told me about these side effects.
I took finasteride 5mg for like 5 days and now have urethra and prostrate pain. Did you have the same? I’ve stopped for 2 weeks now.
Hello Dr, your content and the way in which you present it is very educational to non-medical people such as myself. I have been a fan for many months and this is the first time I have commented but i feel as if you need to know that there are many people who really appreciate what you do and how you do it. Hope that you and your husband and children are doing well. Thanks again.
I am a pharmacist, and I learned some new information today, excellent content.
I’ve sat for years now, but it hasn’t been for any health reasons. When I stand over a toilet and I begin to pee I have no idea which direction it’ll go! So I eventually got tired of having to mop up after myself and decided to just sit and forget about it. Life’s good!
Hello Doctor. I've been suffering for BPH for more than 20 years now (I have nearly 120 cc of prostate volume!). I was advised at age 48 (I'm now 70) that I would've been submit to surgical intervention shortly. However I've taken dutasteride immediately since then, initially combined with Tansulosin, then quickly replaced with alfuzosin, to avoid the very unpleasant side effect that the ejaculation almost disappeared.
After 23 year of continually following this treatment, I now have a normal life (I only have to avoid to hold the urge to urinate for too long) and more important my sexual life is perfectly satisfactory. I'm extremely happy of the actual regime.
Thank you for sharing!!
I had BPH too. Drugs were an ineffective bandaid. I got the roto rooter (TURP) surgery. My only regret was waiting as long as I did. Yeah I ended up with retrograde ejaculation. So what. I was long past the age of wanting another child. Now I can pee like a Russian race horse. TURP is NOT a surgery to be feared. Not at all.
What are the side effects you experienced with Alfazosin? I was just recently prescribed. TIA
@@Actaeon2ndI hear the aquavlation procedure where the prostate is minimized by removing part of it with water pressure may have less side effects including retrograde ejaculation
Thank you. I am age 69 and have been prescribed this with little advice. I recently stopped the Tamu... Stuff because of all the things you described. Now I'm getting improved function and a sense of normalcy. Thanks for the mental health boost
now not eat more and the Prostata is ok???Omg Why you eat before???
May I ask is after you stoping taking tamdulusin. Is your erection improve?
The biggest side effect of Tamsulosin for me, is lowered blood pressure, a known side effect she didn't mention. I kept getting light headed when getting up and keyed in on the time frame as when I started that medication. My BP had fallen to an average of 110/67, and that is what caused my problem, I think. I was also on Lysinopril, and discontinued that helping me quite a bit.
I had the same thing happen to me. I am also on Lysinopril for high BP. Urologist took me off flowmax.
It's not considered a "bad" side effect which is probably why she didn't mention it. I am on it for enlarged prostate but also because of the added benefit of lowering blood pressure.
@@k3grappler Lysonopril is a first generation ace inhibitor BP med. Get your doc to write you a second generation like Diovan. No more of manhood robbing problems and work out all you can
I was on it for about two weeks and it made my BP go all over the map. I had very low BP (90/60) and very high BP (165/142) within hours of taking the damn pills. I felt absolutely miserable but gave it a week as my doc said it might take me a bit to adjust. I tracked my BP a few times a day and if I climbed the stairs (I'm pretty fit and regularly hike up large hills and mountains), it would go through the roof and if I laid down, it would fall. When I told my Doc, she said it is known to lower BP but she'd never heard of it raising it so advised me to half my dosage for two weeks and continue to track. It continued to bounce all over and I could barely do anything without feeling like I was going to have a heart attack. It also made me want to go the bathroom about 4 times a night and multiple times during the day (my wife usually calls me a camel as I usually only urinate 2 times a day even after drinking litres of water). At the end of two weeks she advised me to drop it and suggested other meds and I said NO way. I'll live with slow pees. Horrible stuff.
Dr. Malik,
I just wanted to thank you for sending along all the information in your videos to help US, especially men, who don't talk about problems so easily to their own Doctors. You certainly have created a terrific forum to enlighten men so they can feel comfortable with male problems they may have. You're a great Doctor who cares about people. Thank you, again...
🧐👍
Been on finasteride to arrest hairloss for decades. Quickly found the 1mg/day dose caused bedroom problems. Initially cut back to 1mg Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Have been doing fine for decades taking 1mg Mondays and Fridays. Maybe even once a week is enough to keep hair? Never tried pill cutting to reduce dose. My advice for hairloss: start with 1mg/day dose and cut back if needed in event of side effects. Don't try dutasteride; half-life is so long that if you suffer side effects, you'll likely be suffering for months after stopping. Oh, also know you have to be off finasteride for 30 days and off dutasteride 6 months to give blood. This is why so many men have dropped out of blood drives. Yeah, wanna help people but also want to keep my hair.
Live with hair loss. It's a natural process.
@@blueband8114 To each their own. As for me, will be keeping my hair. Been coloring my hair for decades too. Thought about letting it go grey now in my 60s, but younger wife said just keep doing what I'm doing. She's right. Grey isn't my color.
I started off with just 0.25mg and had bad sides. I slowly increased to 0.5mg after 6 months, and then after 1 year started doing 1-1.25mg, but most sides are now gone and finasteride kinda stopped working as effectively as before.
I was offered Tamosulin for my overactive bladder and the dr said " it might stop you ejaculating" glad I said I'm ok thanks
While it’s not a sexual side effect, your patients on tamsulosin and other selective or non-selective alpha blockers need to be cautioned to tell their ophthalmologist if they are on OR HAVE PREVIOUSLY been on those medications. There are measures that cataract surgeons need to take to avoid serious complications. Interestingly the problem often persists months or years after the last dosage of these medications.
I'm on Tamsulosin and did not know this, i'm going to be 79 shortly and just thought I was all dried up. Thanks for the insite.😵
I went on Flowmax and stopped it after a week due to the side effects I experienced, it took a couple of weeks for the side effects to go away.
Go natural it worked for thousands of years drugs are no better than a witch doctor
What were your side effects?
Like not being able to cum. That’s what happened to me. So I too stopped taking it.
No problem so far but what are disadvantage of sex
@@falltuid573 well if you like ejaculating then it’s not a good drug. It’s like playing baseball without the ball. Where is the fun in that?
The only problems I had with taking alpha blockers was hives and conjunctivitis. Stopped taking them and they cleared up reasonably quickly.
I've been on both for over a decade. Something else I found out after starting Finasteride, you can't donate blood anymore. I was told that it wouldn't be safe for a woman who was pregnant or could become pregnant. I had been a frequent donor before that.
Have they ever tried you on the prostate medications Tadalafil, Doxazosin, or Prazosin?
Wait...what?
yeah I wanted to donate plasma for extra income but found out I can't.
Been taking saw palmetto for over 25 years for enlarged prostate with my doctor's approval, and it's worked for me with no side effects. I would suggest trying it first before using these drugs, as there is nothing to lose.
What dosage and how many times a day do you take the Saw Palmetto?
@@sess122
The one I'm currently taking is 450mg and I take one with breakfast and one with supper. Works just fine for me.
@@chrislj2890 Thanks!
👍natural is definitely the way to go. The side effects of drugs long term are not worth it.
I was on Tamsulosin and had all of those side effects! I told my Urologist that I had no sex life because of the side effects so I was taken off Tamsulosin and started taking (Cialis) Tadalafil 10MG for BPH and I'm so happy , not only do I have a amazing sex life back , also my BPH symptoms have greatly improved. Thanks so much Dr. Rena Malik for the great videos and info you are sharing with everyone.
Are you doing 10mg a day or every other day?
@@sircefiro everyday, I take 10MG of Cialis. I also have changed my diet and lost weight. I have type 2 diabetes and CKD stage 2.
@@edh.9468 I'd like to try 10 a day but it's super expensive in NZ
@@sircefiro Same in canada. Almost $100 cad for 4 pills and no health insurance company here will cover Cialis.
@@daver6699 is that for 5mg? It's $240 nzd at best for 28
I can attest to this. I was put on finesteride at a very young age (37) because of high PSA readings and a growing prostate. I finally stopped taking it at age 55, but I was left with sexual dysfunction - probably the long duration. Note that I had no major issues for almost the first 15 years. I'm now also taking Tamsulosin and it causes pretty bad reverse/retrograde ejaculation. I appreciate this info. I'll ask my doctor to switch it to one of those others. I'd recommend that men totally avoid finesteride (Proscar and Propecia). You didn't talk about outcomes, but evidence about reduction of risk of prostate cancer is pretty murky.
I’m just new (5-6 months) to this medication but I also noted the Retrograde Ejaculation side effects. Kind of alarming 😮 and I don’t think I can keep taking it. I’m seeing my family doctor to get off/ change it ASAP.
@@all4onejerzyd.344what type of prostatis u have ?
By the way , ayurved medicine is the best option. There is no side effects of them . & Do cure of disease.
All what type of prostatitis u have ?
@@sanjaykumarmeena7887 I am interested in any of ayurvedic research but I doubt anything is better than these drugs or surgical procedures. I saw a lot of problems with all these drugs. Had to call an ambulance for my father due to Tamasolun as he started shaking up badly and couldnt't be controlled. He is a normal guy no health problems but doctor prescribed him these meds and he had side effects with all of them
@@sanjaykumarmeena7887l
I am on both of these medications, and I can tell you they should be marketed as a male contraceptive!
Meanwhile I'm on the BPH medication Tadalafil and have annoying erections all the time.
You got that right ...
I agree! I was on both till UROLIFT procedure but able to get off Finesteride. The retrograde ejaculate really sucks.
@@frankmcgowan3371 What is a retrograde ejaculate,? seriously asking
@@TheManFromKansas you have orgasm but there is no ejaculate. The semen enters the bladder instead of exiting the penis. Also called a dry orgasm by some.
I recently underwent the rezum procedure for my bph. I have been on finasteride and doxazosin for a number of years and wanted the procedure because I believe the drugs have seriously affected my mojo. I am about a month out from the rezum procedure and still on the drugs. Hopefully, when I heal, I will be off the drugs and things can get back to normal. Of course , being 73 may mean that a return to "normal" may be a dream lost to time.
Been considering the Rezum procedure. Have you had any complications or adverse side effects?
@@paulbedder889 I had the Rezum procedure. I would NOT recommend it. They took out the catheter too soon, i couldn't pee and ended ujp in the emergency room. Also, retrograde ejaculations. The penis should go INTO something. Don't put something inside the penis. .. That is, the device they use to perform the Rezum procedure.
Wish I had known about this before the doctor told me I should use BOTH and had nothing to worry about. I've seen both the issues you describe and its been nearly 9 months since ending these 2 meds after having a TERP procedure.
Turp
Ive never really been interested in Urology untill watching your channel. Your content is interesting and super addictive lol
It's not the Urology ,it's the doctor.
Gosh! I took Tamsolosin for more than a year, and I experienced all the side effects you had mentioned.
Did the ability to ejaculate return after you stopped taking this drug? Maybe I missed something but it seems that Dr. Malick didn't cover whether normal functioning resumes when the drug is discontinued but she addressed that in detail when discussing the other class of drugs that she opened the video with.
@@kikovazquez7277 yes it returns on e u stop taking it. Say if u stop today then depending upon the dose ur taking the normal ejaculation returns within 2 to 3 days.
@@YourNEBOSHguide thank you! I have experimented with stopping it for one day 2x when I anticipated sex was going to happen. That wasn't enough but it did show a small improvement.
@@kikovazquez7277 --since that part of the urethra being restricted due to prostate enlargement normal ejaculation too is likewise restricted.
@@kikovazquez7277you still on it? If not did everything go back to normal? Been on it two days and I’m stopping it right now
Took Tamsulosin for a few years. My orgasms were "dry." Nothing at all. Also, it gave me short-term memory loss. I stopped and things went back to normal pretty quickly.
I've been taking it about a week and my orgasm is dry also.
I was prescribed Tamsulosin for BPH and experienced both a decrease in semen volume and extreme delayed ejaculation - sometimes 30 seconds after orgasm. My doctor switched me to daily 5 mg Cialis and my problems have corrected. Fortunately!
Same here. Cialis and pelvic floor physical therapy also stopped my bladder spasms.
My doctor prescribed me Cialis under the alternate brand name Adcirca, and my insurance covered it. This medication has been a huge help for my BPH issues.
Cialis is the best for BPH.
I LOVE this Doc, I have never had such clear, concise and truthful information about Mens sexual health.
Important info. Glad I found it.
I was just prescribed these meds and I think I will pass on them.
I'm finding that having prostate massage seems to be helping a lot.
Amazing video!! I was left in the dark about side effects and now suffer from all the side effects you mentioned. It’s so bad I won’t date anymore, 5 years or more so far, I am 63 so not so much trouble as it could have been.
Bob
England
I’ve been on Finasteride for 2 years, and I’ve been just fine. I won’t lie though, first 4 months the libido was on and off. But everything stabilized afterwards. I got a full hat of hair and can’t be happier. One thing I will say is that Finasteride is not a one size fits all solution. I truly believe that 1mg a day is way too much. I personally think micro dosing is the way to go…As for post Finasteride syndrome. I think that’s bullshit. Finasteride gets depleted out of your system in just 30 -60 days. The individuals that suffer from PFS most likely have other underlying conditions.
Thank you for this. I was on finasteride 1mg for 2 years for hair loss. I am now still experiencing horrible side effects a year after stopping. Sharing this information is crucial.
Did u notice any improvements even if they're slight after one year of stopping?
I haven’t unfortunately
@@danf2644could it be in your head though? Do the blood tests show anything?
@@Texa8 in my head! Is dry skin, tinnitus, muscle loss, penile changes in my head wouldn’t be in my head. Wish it was would be a lot easier to overcome. My testosterone has continued to decrease month on month to now in a level of a man in his 50s when I’m 30. Not in my head.
Thank you Dr. for explaining. I’m taking Tamsulosin after a visit to the hospital with a kidney stone. I’m one of the 18% with a side effect…
How long were you on it?
I've been on Tamsulosin & Finasteride for over 10 years. I've discovered, that when I've had a lot of water to drink during the day, semen volume is increased. I have experienced some loss of libido, but I think that my weight could be more responsible.
Finasteride was terrible - it dried me up and eventually I was unable to have an orgasm. My male urologist switched me to Tamsulosin. That caused "retrograde" ejaculation, and vague, pathetically weak orgasms. These urologists should put themselves on these meds and see how they like it. I opted for a prostate artery embolization procedure to shrink my greatly enlarged prostate. My urologist knew about the PAE procedure, but never told me about that option. I came across it while web surfing.
It's all about making money the patients are like Guinea pigs if they give you the medicine to cure you there is no more money to make off you keep you messed up so their bank accounts have a regular deposit
what's the update on the procedure ? are you all good? thanks
I have been on Finanistride (sp) for about 8 years and at the age of 86, I’m sexually active with hardly any loss of libido…it’s a low dose of 2.5 mg once daily. I attribute the slight loss of libido and reduction in fluid released due to age and not the drug.
Thank you so very much for this information. I've just tried tamsulosin for the second time. I had all the side effects you talked about plus. My plus was dizziness, headaches with pain levels of 9 out of 10. One less than kidney stones and almost fainted. I stopped taking it the other day and called my doctor who never called me back. That is why I'm thankful. 🤗
I am also facing same issue, i took one medcine yesterday night and facing all the side effects. How many days it take you be fine after stoping this medecine.
@@satyamkumar8263 about a month. I'm taking Saw Palmetto in its place. I have to take more than what the bottle recommends and it is working good for me. No side effects.
I've been taking both for 25 years and have never had any problems (that I've aware of).
Thank you once again Dr. Rena! I have been on Tamsulosun for quite some time. I dealt with the side effects you mentioned and just assumed it was something I would have to live with. I am going to ask for the lesser one you suggested. Lesser side effect one that is.
I believe the content of this video. I had tamsulosin and i experienced decreased libido.
I was prescribed Finasteride by a doctor at the hospital due to on going problems with enlarged Prostate. I asked if there were any side effects and was told there maybe a reduction in ejaculate, at my age I was not worried about that, what he did not tell me were the worsted ones. I took them for about two weeks then stopped because I was suicidal, which was extremely worrying . I told my local doctor to keep them in the loop. My condition, I still have but try not to worry about it. I am nearly 80 yrs old this episode happened about 3 yrs ago. Have you done a vid on explaining PSA test?
If you're having side effects with any medications you're prescribed, talk with your doctor about trying other options. You have a right as a patient to have all options discussed with you, and to have a say in what goes into your body. Other prostate medications include Tadalafil, Doxazosin, and Prazosin. There are also other medications. A good doctor will work with their patient to find what works best for that individual.
@@mikearmando Some of those herbs, such as saw palmetto, can cause ED, sexual dysfunction, and other issues such as interference with anticoagulants. Natural doesn't always mean safe. Herbs are still considered to be medications.
@@Dulcimerist LOL ! I used to pee 3x per night, not anymore. I have taken 3,000mg of Saw Palmetto per day for 5 years. It took a few weeks to take effect. I have the energy and sex drive I had as a teenager and I am 55! Saw Palmetto is a life changing miracle for me. You have to take a lot, my dose works out to 39mg/kg. You HAVE TO take it with food. Every year my doctor asks me, "What are you doing, to keep so healthy and happy ?". Over the counter vitamins doc.
You take 5 mg Cialis.The Best.
So grateful for this video. A urologist suggested I start taking flomax. I was too ashamed and self conscious to do so. Now I'm incredibly grateful I didn't.
I use to take Finasteride. All the side effect spoken about it this youtube occurred with me. I stopped 6 months ago and still have the side effect. Thank you for the valuable information. I was not told about the side effects when that medication was prescribed.
Have they cleared up?
Side-effects are still present.
Sorry to hear that. There really should be more precaution with prescribing this stuff. Have the symptoms subsided at all are as they as bad as ever?
There has been some relief but the side effects are lingering. It's been over a year.
@@robinhuigen3256how long did you take fin for??
Thanks for this! I was prescribed Tamsulosin to help pass a kidney stone last year. Didn't notice any side effects, but also was not warned by my doctor (and who reads the paperwork the med's come with? You need a medical degree to understand them. If you can read the small print.) I will refuse this next time and ask for a better alternative (and will research it!). Does one really need a medical degree to be a patient these days? Love your channel and your forthright manner! Your patients are very lucky!
I've been on Tamsulosin (Flomax) for about two years now. From the start, I experienced retrograde ejaculation, reduced ejaculate volume and weak orgasms. By trial and error, I discovered that if I went off Flomax for two to three days, the sexual side effects subsided for as long as I was off the medication. This might not work for everyone, but it works for me.
Just be careful men. I was on Flomax and stopped after only a week , killed my pleasure very quickly.
Thanks for the alternatives to Tamsulosin! I really needed that and hopefully I can change without the continued side effects.
I was prescribed flomax....it was a disaster. After a short time on cialis I had to stop because my other meds changed to include nitrates. Next I had the Urolift surgery, and after recovery the results are outstanding. Total relief from the bph symptoms and 1 less medication to take.
How long was it to recover from the Urolift procedure?
Hello Ms. Malik, I would just like to tell people to please review the study conducted on 71 guys. As it has been scrutinized due to bias recall of patients, Study limitations include a post hoc approach, selection bias, recall bias for before finasteride data, and no serum hormone levels.
I have taken a couple of medications for BPH. The first time what I was taking (uroxitol?) wound up making me passing out as I was standing in a hallway in the middle of the night. The second one, and it might have Flomax, caused retrograde ejaculation. That was definitely something I didn't enjoy.
Old YT here but that Flomax and retrograde was a bummer. And I was not warned about this beforehand.
I used to take Finasteride, a Urologist put me on it and I didn't have an enlarged prostate. The problem in this country is that doctors just throw you on a pill and never look into healthy or other avenues of treatment. I stopped taking it after a few months, there was no point.
Your prescription probably got him the cruise to Alaska that year.
Been 'prescribed' Tamsulosin for a kidney stone that has been sitting in there for a year now. I' ve noticed all the side effects plus a weird one of 'night wood' while sleeping. But I've taken my last one today already. I drink plenty of water, 3 16fl oz bottles a day. Great page Doc, I've been following for about 6 months now.
Had more kidney stones in the last 30 years than I can recall. As soon as they make themselves known, to the ER I go. Don't know how anyone can can live with them. I still remember my first one in 1990.
@@johnmartin9823 Had only two so far and I really watch the diet so I don't get anymore. Had the last one roto-rooted out recently, not a lot of fun either but an evil necessity.
Kidney stone real lemon juice and water every day with 1 tablespoon of AVC with straw bye bye stone
Hi man, how long did it take for side effects like retrograde ejaculation ? Please help
Never experienced that. Side effects are dependent upon the individuals body v the chemicals. I just noticed the ones I had after a few months of taking it. @@devshukla5377
Wow! Thanks! Been taking Tamsulosin about a yr and have had most of the side effects. Will talk to my GP !
My late husband was on both of these medications. He took Flomax for 8 years. He had almost zero sexual desire. Then they added Proscar and he took both for about a year and a half before having prostate surgery. He had almost no semen ejaculate for years even before that. He died less than 2 years after having 90% of his prostate removed.
It was necessary because he got to the point where he couldn't urinate on his own and had to be catheterized a couple of years before that.
It was terrible. He was 65 years old.
I loved and miss him very much. He died 11 years ago.
It was a very hard, bad experience.
Medicine he took caused it rather than giving any relief.
@annwrog I'm so sorry to hear about your husband's passing and all the problems these meds caused you and your husband.
I'm also a prostate cancer survivor but fortunately I didn't need my prostate removed. It's only been 1.5yrs since my treatment. The impacts of the treatment are sometimes worse than the disease.
I hope you can move forward and find joy and love again your life.
@@opiesanThank you for your kind response.
Which hospital did you get treatment ? What treatment did you take ?which country ?@@opiesan
~ I take Tadalafil for BPH - helps with urgency and flow. I also find saw palmetto effective. No negative side-effects ...👌
My urologist prescribed 5mg cialis daily for urinary flow..it works and no side effects...20 mg is the usual dose for ED
Same .
The side affects for me is sometimes headache and a boner
I've been on these medications for years and never had a problem and I'm 73 years old
As usual, solid and easy to grasp information. Thanks, doc!
“Solid and easy to grasp” I see what you did there! 😆😂🤣👍🏻🍆
Thank you and good to know because I'm experiencing some of those symptoms.
Tamsulosin has another fairly serious side effect in many men. It prevents your pupils from dilating. It has affected me in that way. I'm 83 and facing cataract surgery. The surgeon will not be able to dilate my iris and they will have to use some kind of retractor to open it far enough to insert the new lens. Not insurmountable but add a little increased level of difficulty. Your eyes not being able to dilate also has an effect on night driving and overall night vision.
I'm on it can it cause double vision? My eyes are perfect in the morning but late afternoon with some fatigue it doubles.
I took Alfuzosin for over 3 years . It helped a little. Side effects where mostly stuffy nose and made me tired . No longer need it after Turp surgery . I’m five months post op . Doing well . Still have some frequency but it’s manageable . Dr says I’m still healing .
40 months to recover from taking Finasteride - how long to recover from Tamsulosin? Thanks in advance Dr. Rena!
Thank you so much Dr. Rena. I started having prostate problems about 6 months ago and yes, my doctor prescribed me Tamsulosin. I’m going to mention the other medicine and see what happens. Glad I saw this video!!
Thank you again Always!!😮😮
I've been prescribed 1mg of finasteride to fight off hairloss & i've been taking half of each pill but haven't had any negative side effects after taking it for 6 months
Just curious...how old are you? In my experience the side effects are much more likely the older you are. I'm one of those guys with lasting side effects...two plus years.
I’m at 36-year-old male. Have been taking this medication 1 mg for over one year now. No side effects. In fact, I feel like I have increased desire.
But you will
Gave up fin for hairlloss last month (2 years of taking and decent results) stopped taking it and sex drive sky rocketed. Finasteride is like a lobster in a pot slowly cooking, however here your sex drive is gradually going lower and lower. Bin the fin, get a good head shaver and do some fkn pushups and you'll do fine 🙂
I’ve been on Fin for nearly 20 years. No issues I’m aware of. Very happy to still have my hair - bald would not work well for my head shape and ears that stick out.
Hello respected Dr. Please can you tell us which medicine is best for enlarged prostate with least side effects? Will be grateful for early reply,🌹
69 years old. i took both of those drugs. had all of those bad side effects except for the ed. also lost body hair, chest, legs, arms. felt totally like i was becoming a woman. i quit them and the doc put me on alfuzosin, a bladder relaxer. well i started feeling better. the bad symptoms went away. still have difficulty urinating, but you get used to it. hoping to have the rezum surgery when i quit working. good luck to you.
Very informative Dr.Malik. I have been on Tamsulosin for about 10 years now and can relate to everything that has been discussed, including the cataracts that someone mentioned.
My urologist has told me ( after the exploratory test ) that I am not a candidate for the urolift procedure. I would love to get off of the Tamsulosin.
Get off sugar and you will see a big difference. I was on flowmax for about 3 months. Hated it. The no ejaculation was horrible to me. After quite a bit of research here on UTube I discovered that sugar has a big effect on enlarged/inflammation. My main problem was soda, which I loved. Haven't had one in 3 years. After having VERY small amounts of sugar for 1 year. I now have a little in tea and coffee and I'm still ok. No problem during the day, but I still get up 1 to 2 times at night. Not a problem for me since I'm retired. Good luck...
Thank you...
As to hair loss; When I was 40 I developed a painful clicking in my elbow due to the repetitive motion associated with using a hammer. I did a little research and started taking a packet of animal gelatin twice a day. In about 3 months the clicking had disappeared but I continued the gelatin. in another 3 or 4 months I noticed a rapid increase of hair growth on my arms. I'm now 80 and for the past 15 years I have to take my beard trimmer to my arms every 3 years. I have a full head of hair and can distinguish some hairs caused by the gelatin? Take the gelatin with a little cold juice or it will taste like what it is!! Good luck!!
Interesting, I almost bought a shampoo with BHT blockers to help with my fine sparse hair. Had no idea of potential side effects. An ER doc recently suggested collagen supplementation to help my cardiovascular system.
I wish I had learned of this years ago. I took Tamsulosin for years and experienced everything you stated. Worse, I noticed over time I was losing my memory and my eyesight was going through some issues. Within three months I was to the point I could not remember street names or where they went, how to get home after I rounded the corner while walking my dog, where local businesses were located, etc. I started getting “double vision” where things like a full moon started getting ‘crescents’ above and below the moon itself. After several visits to a neurologist it was discovered this could be a side effect to using Tamsulosin over several years. I was on two other medications that have the same side effects as well. I was taken off these drugs and within months the vision got better. It has been three years since getting off these drugs and I have most of my memory back. My doctor stated everyone, male or female, needs to talk with their doctor about what they are taking long term as side effects are just now being discovered for many medications.
I'm glad to hear you are doing better now
I have been having episodes with my vision every once in awhile and it starts with just a little wave in my vision and then gets worse and the only way to describe it is like the Arora borealis when you see a time lapse shot of if
I am not taking any meds yet for bph but I'm taking to my Dr about the 3 she mentioned at the end of the video
@@bert1450 were you asking me
Thanks for helping me. I will talk to my Urologist next visit. Changes are happening.
Tadalafil, Doxazosin, and Prazosin are other options. If you're having side effects with the medications discussed in this video, talk with your doctor about trying other options. You have a right as a patient to have all options discussed with you, and to have a say in what goes into your body.
I had a very odd side effect with 5 mg finasteride intended to rein in PSA / prostate cancer. About six weeks after starting I developed very dramatic tooth sensitivity both top and bottom on left side. Prior to linking it to finasteride I consented to an expensive (no dental insurance) root canal on a bottom tooth. That helped but sensitivity problems persisted. I couldn't walk the dog in the evening. The cool evening air triggered the tooth pain. I stopped taking the finasteride. Less than three weeks later my teeth were back to normal. I have seen accounts online of people with even the much lower (1 mg) hair lose dose experiencing dental issues. I am refusing to take dutasteride too. Same mechanism of action so I would expect the same problems.
Thank you! I’ve been takingTamsulosin for 4-5 years. The side effects are as described. I had to start using Alprostadil (Caverject) to be able to get and maintain an erection. I’ll speak to my Urologist & discuss those other options.
She didn't mention Tadalafil, another BPH medication. This treats BPH and also treats ED.
It was mentioned in another of her videos.
Had the Rezume proceedure for an enlarged prostate,and I'm very pleased with the result
I had Urolift
Can you do videos on the various surgical or interventional treatments for BPH so that men do not have to suffer with the side effects of these meds. There are so many out there with Urolift, Rezum,and others. But it’s hard to tell which one is really effective and with least complications.
Last week I had a robotically assisted (partial) prostatectomy. My surgeon (urologist) took 80% of my prostate. Although I did not notice any issues with Tamsulosin (two years) nor Finasteride (three months), this video explains why my urologist is so keen on me discontinuing these drugs. He says that I shouldn't need another prostatectomy unless I live to 140. I am seventy now, so I guess I have the potential for another seventy years of freedom from urological issues. It helps to have a sense of humor when you deal with medical issues.
I recently had a holep Lazer op on my prostate.. Absolutely incredible little discomfort and rapid progress pee like a young man now. I was up and about in no time days not weeks only problem is I can't ejaculate any more but have full orgasm feelings and no sexual problems . What a relief to not be in constant need of the toilet
thank you ALL stay safe
THANK YOU (once again!) for your concise, clear, and efficient sharing of your finds!
Currently age 70 PSA is .5 it has been for 30 years. Took FlowMax back in 1990 for 9 months, gave me a horrible nightmares so, gave it up and never really needed anything totally unnecessary.
I was waiting for the answer! You discussed the lasting effects of Finasteride but not the Tamsulosin and RGE is my big concern. I just got off of Tamsulosin several weeks ago, had a failed Rezum procedure in February and an Aquablation procedure several weeks ago. Thanks for the informative vids!
J
I really don’t want any
How is the aquablation working out? I'm seeing a doctor about one next week. I tried a urolift and a PAE (prostate embolization) without much luck.
@@katazack flow rate is great, Still getting up at night, RGE, But I think that was from the resume other than that two months in and doing OK, First week on me was rough, all good now though
@@tomfoolery5832 Great, glad to hear that. Hope you have continued success with it.
My urologist gave me both medications for the last 3 years. Have no arise since last years and when I talk to him he said don't worry we will fix it later. My plan last month was 0.08
I was taking durasteride for a long while for BPH. It seriously decreased my climaxes and my seminal volume went to zero. It took at least 6 months after I stopped taking it to get some of that back and a full year to get it all back.
How long were you on it?
I'm off it for 2 months and having significant ED. I wish I never would have taken it. Are you back to normal now ?
I’d like to quit tamsulosin but what do to to solve the the prostate pinching off the pee?
I have been taking Tamsulosin for over 30 years and the side effects, while noticeable, were not overwhelming. Just as Covid was emerging a urologist prescribed finasteride as a "better alternative". No warning of potential side effects was given, but the lesflet in the box gave a list of potential side effects, one of which was "problems getting an erection and less interest in having sex". Within two weeks I found that, though it did not make me impotent, I had lost interest in having sex. I made an immediate appointment to see mu family doctor and he told me to stop taking Finasteride. I returned to normal gradually over about a month.
Tamsulosin my experience... slightly reduced interest in sex... and major orgasm block, a 1/2 way orgasm, with little or no ejaculation.
Dr Malik what you are saying is not true pls stop lying
Placebo
@@tsegaigebremariam8683 What part of what she is saying not true? that is a broad statement you are making
Why is she lying…??? Please be more precise with your statement!
She definitely has helped me a lot,
more than my GP for sure !
I"ve been on Finasteride for about a year, and have had every single side effect the Doc mentioned.
Thank You Dr. Malik I had posted this issue some time back and couldn't
reach you by the way you had requested. I've suffered with this for some
time now and just didn't feel at ease about discussing it with my Dr. But I
now know how to pose the question to her thanks to you and the info
you have shared here. I have MS and it seems as if everything just gets
lumped into that disease without further investigation! Very frustrating !
The biggest problem with Alpha Blockers, is the affect it has on blood pressure and the side effects regarding causing low blood. If I even miss a dose or am late taking it, my blood pressure goes crazy.
I am 78 and was on flomax for a considerable time!
Two yrs. ago I had TURP surgery. For the past year I have taken a 5 mg tablet of Tafadadil twice a day.
This medication has had a significant effect on more than just the obvious area.
My recall has improved significantly (especially long term), my balance is like I am 30 yrs old and heart and lung function during cardio has improved immensely!
I took both of them after 2 years I slowly got palpitations that got quite bad stopped taking them and am now ok
I am on finasteride and I have all of these side effects. It’s a drag, but so is peeing 25 times a day.
My Prostrate cancer was treated with Radio therapy, followed by Eastrogen. I was warned that the reaction would be, Over weight, which would be nigh -on impossible to get rid of. And Breast Growth. My sexual libido would also be reduced. All this came true. But I had extremely low readings (still do) for my annual tests, and 12years later, I'm still here. (82yrs old )
Thanks Doc. You just hit the nail on the head.
Thank you finasteride for my morning wood back and feeling amazing. Propecia 1mg everyday
It’s all about trade off with Tams. Yes, sexual sides, and yes, increased ability to fully evacuate your bladder when nature calls. All relative to what is personally more important to your overall health. Sides can always be diminished by visual aids and safe ED meds during sexual activity, Free flow during urination is “gold” every day taking Tams.
Thank you for this video. I'm currently on tamsulosin and I'm having the side effects you mentioned, although my doctor did not warn me about them before prescribing. I had previously been on terazosin, but had strong allergic reactions to it (itching). Would the other alternatives to tamsulosin be likely to cause the same allergic reactions?
I stopped talking these medications because I suffered all of these side effects,my doctor rang me yesterday and asked how I was going on with them,I told him I had stopped taking them and why but he said he thought it might be a good idea to continue with them. I have bladder cancer and find it difficult to pee and when I do it stings like hell for a few minutes afterwards,I’m up at least four times a night going to the bathroom,I never get a full nights sleep and it leaves me continually feeling weak and tired and unable to do ordinary everyday tasks,I’m in constant pain whenever I move around from what feels like my left kidney area,they have tried putting a stent in between my bladder and my left kidney but couldn’t get it in,my doctor has put me on Oramorph to ease the pain when it gets really bad.