Propecia users claim drug causes memory loss, ED, suicidal thoughts - New York Post

Steve went from optimistic to morose,” Kathlene Kenney said of her son, who took his own life in 2014, at age 42.

Stephen had been taking Propecia for four years; in 2013, three years after stopping, he participated in a Baylor University study about the side effects of the drug — and, according to his parents, recognized them in himself.

Doctors doing the study at Baylor said that his problems were finasteride-related,” said his dad, Bob Kenney, referring to the generic name for the drug.

While Merck has stated that Propecia has been safely prescribed in millions of instances, some deal with brutal downsides — including depression, erectile dysfunction and a loss of sex drive, and thoughts of self-harm.

“Side effects began with erectile dysfunction, then I had brain-fog and memory loss.

Almost seven years after he stopped taking it, the IT worker said, he still has a problem with ED and continues to think about killing himself.

A spokesperson for Merck, the company that introduced finasteride for preventing hair loss, marketed as Propecia, told The Post, “As the innovator of Propecia, Merck continues to stand behind its safety and efficacy when used according to the label.

Irwig, who specializes in endocrinology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, “Men under the age of 40 who use finasteride for alopecia are at risk for suicide if they develop persistent sexual adverse effects and insomnia.” However, the study of six suicide victims added, “Further research is needed to establish whether finasteride has a causal relationship to suicide.”.

In a statement to Reuters, Merck said that “the scientific evidence does not support a causal link between Propecia and suicide or suicidal ideation and these terms should not be included in the labeling” for the drug.

Dave said that, within a month of taking finasteride, he experienced insomnia, tinnitus, panic attacks, blurred vision and erectile dysfunction.

At his lowest point, he scrawled a sort of suicide note on the prescription label of his finasteride: “This s–t ruined my life.

Unfortunately, Stephen Kenney, who took Propecia from 2006 until 2010, did not have that moment of turn-around

“Steve was a policeman and a workout addict; suddenly, during his first year of taking Propecia, he started getting vertigo and dizziness when he ran,” dad Bob told The Post

When he also developed erectile dysfunction and depression, mom Kathlene said, “Steve feared that he would not be able to get married and not be able to have children

Thinking back on it, Kathlene said, “Our feeling toward the drug company is not good