longtermuser

Jotronic , would like to respond here and at the same time ask a question if you dont mind . Just hope this topic is still alive , I'll give it a try anyway. I've been using proscar for many years now . Started immediately after the FDA approval of the drug ,and when it was available in Europe , so that must be close to 20 years by now . Initially , let's say after a week of use I went through a severe shedding , it lasted for several months. Simultaneously my libido skyrocketed , probably my body reacted the way it suppose to . I did read about the initial shedding so I was prepared . I can say in all honestly the drug really , really worked for me . Hair was coming back on the vertex , and it was getting thicker all around. No influence on the front hairline though . And when I started to use minoxidil 5% ( 5 years ago) I could wear my hair on my shoulders again , which I actually did . Remember , we are talking about an age of 60 , yes .....60 years I cut the proscar in quarters , so 1.25mg daily .Worked fine until I decided to switch to a generic , Teva in this case . That started last year ( 2016) in April . During that summer I noticed some shedding ( and libido rising !) , which I blamed on the high temperatures where we were staying for the whole summer. I thought a normal cycle . You know , when it's warm every goes more energetic and I presumed also the hair cycles. I had that much hair that in the beginning I didn't notice the extend of the shedding . This summer , again 5 months of high temperatures , the phenomenon returned , but this time with a vengeance . By the way , during the winter of 2016/2017 my hair count never recovered completely , so I came into this summer with an already thinned head of hair . And a suspicion something wasn't right ! Now the shedding is scary , and again my libido is abnormally high for a guy my age ,.....I guess :-) . A few days ago I went to see my physician , asked him to take a blood sample and monday I'll know all about my testosteron AND DHT levels. Not sure what to expect , I did increase my daily Teva some weeks ago to one third of a 5mg daily , some days even half of 5mg , knowing that a generic is allowed to deliver up 20% less finasteride of the branded Proscar . So monday my DHT levels will tell if the Teva does what it's suppose to do . If they're good , meaning low , then I'm stuck with a problem , but then again , maybe this shedding is caused by the high DHT attack months ago due to low grade finasteride and high testosteron because of the tropical climate we where in again for an extensive period. As far as I know effected follicles go ' non active ' and the hair is ejected a few moths later. After reading this warning , and getting the result of the blood analysis in a few days I will most likely switch back to Proscar . My question is , should I do this cold turkey , or gradually take 1/3 of 5mg alternating days with Teva ( as a transition) so the shock isn't that brutal. Continue that for some months and then completely switch over to proscar again ? I hope jotronic get's a email warning of my message and I wish he could give me some advise here , would be appreciated . Thanks and regards