Libido and Propecia — Is it a Gradual Problem?

I recently read that propecia can cause a VERY gradual decrease in libido over an extended period of time in some people , to the point to where its almost not even noticeable, eventually resulting in very low libido. Is there any truth in this? I would hate to take propecia for 8 months or a year with good results and then have to discontinue use due to loss of sex drive.

I really don’t know the answer to your question. We change as we age, so it might be impossible to distinguish the slow onset of libido problems from Propecia from what you may normally experience without it. My experience with libido problems relate to many factors. If we exclude the physical issues with ED, we can talk about the partner issue, which may come into play as well. For example, when some people have marriage problems, they may lose their sex drive. If the relationship problem comes on a year after starting Propecia, it is easy to blame the drug.

My general advice to a patient would be the following:

1. If you have libido problem, try going off the Propecia for a week or two. If it is induced by the Propecia, it should reverse.
2. You can always reduce the dose to half a pill (1/2mg instead of 1mg). A half a pill is still about 80% effective as a full pill and certainly has less side effects.

I think that you should not worry about what might happen in a year, just because someone else may have experienced it. That person is not you. Each person reacts differently to various medications. The benefits of taking it and knowing that it is working on your hair is better than what might happen down the road.