zenmunk

Thankfully, no nipple pain here. I've taken Propecia daily for 13+ years. I recently had a series of medical and blood tests done, because of my concern about the safety of long-term finasteride use. You may find the results interesting: http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/163746-those-considering-starting-finasteride-therapy.html

Very sorry for your situation, but "this too shall pass." I know it's a struggle, but keep trying to imagine a healthy, pain-free future. Meditate on it often. As we think, so we are. You will be OK, friend.

My hair loss was quite similar to yours when I started Propecia. That was 13+ years ago. My crown thickened up a bit, but the real value of the meds for me has been the preservation of my hair. I've held onto the vast majority of it. I think my hairline may have thinned out just a little bit. Hard to tell without pics to compare. Not too shabby considering all those years. So, you are definitely a candidate for finasteride at your stage of hair loss. Good luck.

trapps99, Your point is well-taken. Everyone is different. One must take finasteride at one's own risk. However, the reason for this post is to show that one can take finasteride daily for a very long time and be OK. Also, it's worth considering the possibility that some ex-fin users are mistakenly attributing symptoms from unrelated illnesses to finasteride use. Or, perhaps there is a synergistic effect between finasteride and some other health problems whereby finasteride is compounding the problems. Of course, psychosomatic illnesses are possible, too. A psychosomatic illness may be emotional or mental in origin but have physical symptoms. Psychosomatic illnesses are not imaginary. They are physical disorders in which both emotions and thought patterns are believed to play a central role, and usually develop when a person's disease-fighting ability is weakened due to stress. I'm not suggesting that finasteride use hasn't hurt a relatively small number of users. It may very well have. However, it's possible that some of those people are suffering from illnesses with other causative factors. zen

Bill, I've taken 1mg Propecia daily for 13+ years. I recently had a series of medical and blood tests done, because of my concern about the safety of long-term finasteride use. You may find the results interesting: http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/163746-those-considering-starting-finasteride-therapy.html Best, Z

As promised, I'm giving an update on my finasteride-related bloodwork: 1) I re-tested DHEA. I did the more comprehensive kind of DHEA test that requires fasting and a one week wait before results are in. I'm happy to report that the levels are now well within the normal range. I cannot say what accounts for the change. Perhaps my efforts to de-stress and change my lifestyle, as illustrated in an earlier post in this thread, have done the trick. Regardless, it's pretty clear that finasteride was not the culprit. 2) In an effort to be thorough, I also had the following blood tests done: - Progesterone: within normal range - Cortisol (am & pm): within normal range - Pregnenolone: within normal range So, combining the most recent blood test results with all of the tests I already had done, I think it's pretty safe to say that 13+ years of daily finasteride use hasn't caused adverse side effects (at least as measured by all of the above tests and my general sense of well-being). I didn't want to commit to a HT without committing to continued use of finasteride for as long as it keeps working for me. I couldn't do that unless I put myself through these tests to be as sure as I know how to be that finasteride wasn't hurting me on levels not easily observable. Even after this, there are no guarantees, but then again there are no guarantees in life, period. At least, I'm a lot more confident about the matter. On a side note, you may be interested to know that I had a full body scan (from neck to pelvis) done about 2 years ago, and the results were fine. I had it done for reasons unrelated to finasteride use. I mention this, because I know some people are concerned about the possible cancer risks associated with finasteride. At that time I had been on finasteride for about 11 years straight, so take it for what it's worth to you. I know all of this testing is subjective. I wasn't part of some controlled scientific study involving numerous people. It's only my personal attempt to see where I'm at. Also, I don't have bloods from my pre-propecia days with which to compare. Bottom line: results may vary, so take finasteride at your own risk. However, I hope the results of this experiment are somewhat encouraging to those of you who are on or considering finasteride therapy. Peace, Z

Well, what do you know about that! Yeah, I definitely missed the thread. Thanks for the info! I just shot an email to info@rahalhairtransplant.com asking if there are any more open slots. I look forward to that PM later on. Thanks again.

Thanks for the update, mattj. 6 month results are outstanding! Dr. Rahal really has a knack for creating soft and natural hairlines. The fact that he did it on a patient with wavy, coarser hair is quite impressive. Of course, this patient is very lucky as his physiology clearly cooperated. I've read that Dr. Rahal comes to NYC from time-to-time for consultations. Is he planning another trip to the Big Apple anytime soon?

Thanks for your input, Sean. By the way, your outdoor pics and video look great! Best of luck with your continued growth.

Thanks, Sean. I'll definitely let you know about the DHEA soon. I've read elsewhere to avoid punches which are 1mm or larger. I've given it a lot of thought too as I'm concerned with how obvious the scarring will be. Generally speaking, I'd say anything below .75 and you're starting to play with fire. You're right, I have fine, stick-straight hair, so .8 - .9 probably won't be a problem. On another note, did you ever consider having a smaller FUE session first, to see if the combination of your surgeon, techs and physiology would yield good results, before committing to a large session? I'm toying with that idea. Some on this forum refer to it as test patches. I know Dr. Feller does "postage stamp" sessions. I have a small, somewhat diffuse section in my frontal third just behind the hairline which needs strengthening. I was thinking I might address that area with around 200 - 300 grafts, then wait 6 - 8 months to see what's cooking. If yield was good and donor scarring wasn't bad, then I'd move ahead with restoring the hairline with roughly 1,000 - 1,200 grafts. What do you think?

Cool, I look forward to your update! Glad to hear that your labs are still normal. I've been checking mine roughly every 6 months for 13 years; the basics, not the more involved stuff I've done recently. You get used it. If your labs are stable after one year, then I think the odds are very good that they will remain that way (probably less than one year, actually). Funny that you mention the DHEA, because I was just thinking that I should go to my doctor to check it out. I'll post the results to my original thread as soon as I do. I was wondering what size punch(es) did Dr. Rahal use in your case?

Been quite awhile. I'll take a shot in the dark and ask the OP if he has any updates he'd mind sharing? Thanks.

Everything you said in the above quote about Dr. Bisanga seemed quite complimentary, but then you just decided against him without explanation. Would you mind elaborating a little more on why you didn't ultimately go with Dr. Bisanga especially after traveling to Belgium to see him? And, best of luck with the results from your procedure with Dr. Rahal.

Odds are BlondeDude had a really good result from month 4 onward and has moved on from the forum. If he didn't, we'd have probably heard about it by now. I hope he revisits this thread with updates, but don't count on it.

Thanks so much for documenting your donor, Sean! It really looks great! Granted, everyone's physiology is different. The combo of your physiology and Rahal's skill is formidable! Bottom line: your results further encourage those of us who haven't taken the plunge yet. Thanks again!

First of all, GREAT job with the video, Sean! Your documentation is among the best I've seen on this site, if not the best. So, thanks a lot for what you're doing for the community. Most importantly, your 5 month results are STELLAR! So happy for you! I really look forward to seeing your donor area with clip one. Thanks again for your willingness to post that. Best, Z

Thanks for the reply, Sean. Hope you enjoyed your trip. I really look forward to that feedback about your donor area when you've gotten around to documenting it. Best, Z

Sean, I'm considering FUE, too. I'll probably need 1300 - 1600 grafts to restore my hairline. I'm concerned with donor density post-HT. I've seen some pics of other FUE patients where extraction patterns created subtle rectangular outlines within which the density appears less than the hair outside of the donor area. Of course, the hair must be buzzed to a very short length to notice it. How is your donor density doing compared to how it was pre-HT? Any noticeable differences? Thanks, Z.

RockZ, I'm considering FUE, too. I'll probably need 1300 - 1600 grafts to restore my hairline as well. I'm concerned with donor density post-HT. I've seen some pics of other FUE patients where extraction patterns created subtle rectangular outlines within which the density appears less than the hair outside of the donor area. Of course, the hair must be buzzed to a very short length to notice it. How is your donor density doing compared to how it was pre-HT? Any noticeable differences? Thanks, Z.

Very close to settling on a doc. Gotta have a second consult and meet some patients in-person. Just waiting to retest for DHEA levels to see where I'm at. If all goes well with my bloods, then I'll feel confident to remain on propecia indefinitely and move forward.

Lookin' good, Sean! And, much more to come! Very happy for you!

Sean, I'm glad you've found my post reassuring. All I can say is everyone is different. What works for one person may not work for another. It all comes down to the willingness to experiment. It involves risk. How much risk will vary from person-to-person. I think that there is sufficient evidence that finasteride is a relatively safe drug for the majority of people. However, there may always be a smaller group of people who will suffer from having tried it. And, of course, it's possible some ex-fin users are mistakenly attributing symptoms from unrelated illnesses to finasteride use. I'm not completely out of the woods yet since my DHEA levels are a little low. It may or may not be related to finasteride. Given my stress levels over the past couple years I'd say odds are pretty good it's not finastride-related. I'm re-testing DHEA in 3 months and, if necessary, testing Pregnenolone, Progesterone & Cortisol levels. I'm being extra thorough. I'm not advocating that others follow suit. It's just what works for me to have some peace of mind while on the meds. Also, all this testing is HT-related. In the less-than-likely event that finasteride is causing me problems on a hormonal level, then I will discontinue use and not get a HT. For me, it's not worth getting a HT w/o meds. I'll definitely keep the community posted since there probably aren't that many members who have consistently been on the meds as long as I have, and it may be of use. All the best to you. Z

Sean, I've been taking propecia for 13 years. The following post may interest you: http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/163746-those-considering-starting-finasteride-therapy.html The only change is, instead of saliva, my doctor recommended blood tests for Progesterone & Cortisol (am & pm). If/when I get the tests done for Pregnenolone, Progesterone & Cortisol, I will update the above post.

I've been on propecia for 13 years. That's finasteride 1mg/day. I've rarely missed a day. I've experienced no observable sides (except a slight reduction in semen viscosity) - libido has not decreased and no ED. Also, I've maintained virtually all of the hair I had when I first started the meds. Recently, I went to my urologist to undergo a series of medical tests to see if I'm doing OK in areas where finasteride use may adversely affect my body in less observable ways. Although everyone is different, I thought you might find it interesting to view the results of a long-term finasteride user: - GU exam (Male Genitourinary exam): normal phallus and testes. - Ultrasound of testes: normal - Ultrasound of bladder: normal - Ultrasound of kidneys: normal - Urinalysis: negative for infection, flow normal Bloods: Liver function tests (LFTs): all within normal range Testosterone, serum: within normal range Testosterone, free: within normal range Thyroid profile: within normal range Estradiol, serum: within normal range Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH): within normal range Prolactin: within normal range Lutenizing Hormone (LH): within normal range Sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG): within normal range PSA: within normal range DHEA: slightly below normal range Semen Analysis: all normal So, DHEA is the only area of concern. Cortisol (stress hormone) and DHEA are like two ends of a see-saw - when one has long-term stress or anxiety, Cortisol spikes and DHEA levels fall. For the past 2+ years I've been under the greatest psycho-emotional stress of my life which may explain the decreased DHEA levels. I've started a program to reduce stress/anxiety - increased exercise, daily meditation, reducing caffiene intake significantly and a low-glycemic diet balanced in protein, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates like vegetables, eaten as smaller meals more frequently (5-6 small meals/day). I plan to re-test for DHEA in 3 months. If it's still abnormally low, then I will test for Pregnenolone (blood), Progesterone (saliva) & 4x per day Cortisol (saliva). I've read claims online that there is a connection between finasteride use and low DHEA, but I have no idea how scientifically accurate that is. I will ask my urologist if he's familiar with such a connection, but perhaps an endocrinologist would be a better doctor to ask. Of course, if anyone on the forum has valid scientific evidence regarding this connection, then I welcome your input. I'll keep the community posted with my progress.

Looks great! Please keep us posted with your progress.