Patients, loved ones, clinicians and researchers share their stories with Post-Finasteride Syndrome

Matthew Johnson, 1985 – 2018. Matt was a talented artist and gifted writer. Matt’s symptoms included skin damage, extreme insomnia, fatigue, sexual dysfunction and numerous cognitive and physical symptoms. While Post-Finasteride Syndrome is an “invisible illness” for many, Matt’s skin was particularly affected and he chronicled these progressive effects which worsened significantly after he stopped Finasteride. He expressed a desire to protect others, and he courageously shared some of his experience in a public photo gallery, which garnered over 190,000 views and many messages of support, entitled “How Finasteride destroyed my skin“. Matt was bright, funny, thoughtful and well liked, both in his life and by his fellows experiencing this syndrome. He is another significant loss to the world.

Romain Mathieu, 1991 – 2016. Romain had suffered from a myriad of debilitating symptoms for over 3 years after ceasing treatment with finasteride. His mother, Sylviane, lamented witnessing her previously happy, healthy, intelligent son crying out in pain as he struggled to complete classes at a highly selective business school. Devastated by sexual dysfunction, extreme fatigue, depression, a failing memory, and impaired cognition, he expressed having a desire to live, rather than be left in this state to simply survive. Impotence left him unable to continue his relationship with his fiancé. On June 7, 2016, the prospective investment banker sealed himself in a tent and released carbon monoxide, ending his life. He signed his suicide note “Romain Mathieu, a victim of Propecia.” He was 25 years old.

John Pfaff 1973 – 2013. John was a family man and CEO of a technology company, based in San Francisco. In 2008 he was prescribed Finasteride (propecia) for hair loss. Whilst taking the medication he began experiencing drastic side effects, which progressed and worsened after he ceased using it. His wife began to notice extreme and unusual changes in both his physical state and his behaviour, considered highly out of character for John. He died after being hit by a train at a local station. John was 40 years old. His wife and family believe the effects of Propecia led to his suicide. John is survived by wife and two children.

Joe Stanley 1994 - 2023. Joe enjoyed playing piano, especially La Campanella (Liszt), feeding the homeless at the Jacksonville Soup Kitchen, and preparing and personally delivering handmade care packets to the homeless in downtown Jacksonville. He loved caring for his dogs, Rudy and Zeal, and was generous to both those who knew him and strangers alike. Joe suffered immensely from Post-Finasteride Syndrome for over 7 years before taking his own life, aged 29.

Conall Gould, 1995 - 2017. An intelligent young man with a passion for sport, Conall developed physical, sexual and cognitive problems following use of finasteride that worsened on rechallenge. He was forced to discontinue his mathematics degree owing to the cognitive symptoms of PFS. Despite a previously happy life, and reporting a severe adverse drug reaction to the MHRA, he was told he had a "delusional disorder" when he sought medical support. Conall was prescribed psychological drugs that worsened his symptoms. After years battling for improvement, he took his own life aged 21. Conall is survived by his loving parents and five younger sisters. Due to troubling inaccuracies in his medical records, they are fighting for justice for Conall and worldwide awareness of the dangers posed by finasteride to young men.

Daniel M. Stewart, 1976 – 2014. Daniel suffered from a range of debilitating and progressively worsening symptoms after taking just 9 pills of finasteride including extreme anxiety, cognitive impairment, insomnia, muscle wasting, penile tissue loss and pain. A well loved man and respected professor of Criminal Justice at the University of North Texas-Denton, he had previously served in the US Air Force from 1994 to 1998. He was previously in good health with no pre-existing mental or sexual problems. He died at his home in Denver, Texas, on the 12th of April 2014 after telling his family “I can no longer live in this nightmare. Finasteride has destroyed my mind and body”.

Randall Santmann, 1986 – 2008. Randy was a loving, popular young man and skilled programmer. He committed suicide after developing severe physical, mental and sexual side effects from taking Propecia. He was 22 years old. After attempting numerous forms of treatment for his severe PFS, he found no change in his condition. He sought support and was saddened that his problems were misattributed to being psychsomatic. In a series of moving posts, Randy described a heartbreaking loss of emotions and connection to others in combination with devastating cognitive decline, loss of sexual function, metabolic changes, pain and physical damage, which progressively worsened after resumption and cessation of Finasteride. Randall’s parents were distraught by the loss of their son, commenting that “he hated all the things that the drug had done to him. He hoped his family and friends would understand why he didn’t want to live anymore.”

Eric Carlos Rodriguez, 1983 – 2016. Eric was a 33 year-old financial analyst and member of a close family of 5 children. He looked forward to having his own family and home in the future. He was described as an intelligent man with an adventurous spirit, who enjoyed dating, dancing, working out and spending time with his friends. Eric suffered silently for 8 years from severe symptoms including cognitive problems, sexual dysfunction, genital pain, insomnia, and a feeling of “losing his humanity,” after taking Propecia to combat hair loss. He finally confided in his parents 10 months before he tragically took his life with a handgun after a brief stay in his family’s vacation home. His family firmly believes that the shame that comes with sexual side effects and depression prevents young men from seeking help and they are fighting to have Propecia removed from the market.

Paul Dixon, 1984 – 2015. Paul, a 31 year-old resident of Newcastle, UK, obtained a second prescription for finasteride in 2014 in preparation for his upcoming wedding photographs. Within months, severe headaches led him to discontinue the drug. Two weeks after stopping, his condition deteriorated rapidly, with development of what he described as “anxiety, crippling insomnia, brain fog, testicular pain, depression, dry mouth, panic attacks, and a zombie-like state.” He informed the prescribing clinic of his serious adverse reaction but was dismissed. In the weeks leading up to his suicide, he recounted enduring a progressively worsening state of physical and mental suffering for the sake of his loving fiancée and parents. He described not having slept in months. His brother stated Paul’s death and the preceding change in his once fun-loving, outgoing, happy, healthy and joyful personality was caused by finasteride.

Marc Turner, 1985 - 2022. Marc was a highly intelligent, caring and curious young man with a passion for sports. Marc took finasteride for less than 1 month and developed severe symptoms which persisted after stopping the drug. Marc was a fan of the Tennessee Titans, Toronto Blue Jays and Raptors. He loved his job with the City of Mississauga, Parks and Recreation and he will be deeply missed by his family, friends and coworkers. He had a passion for reading, music and meditation. Throughout his life, Marc actively participated in hockey, baseball, golf and more recently cycling, all of which he excelled in. After suffering from Post-Finasteride Syndrome for over a year, Marc ended his own life, aged 37.