jr1986

What part isn't right? I doubt it was placebo effect. I mean I've no placebo effect with the topical I'm making?

Think minoxidil is 30% ethanol, 50% proplyne glycol, and 20% water so maybe I should adjust mine accordingly..

After a month of oral fin I stopped due to sides, mainly brain fog, which was horrible. Even after cutting my dose back to nearly nothing I still got it. Anyway, after watching YouTube videos and reading forums I decided to make up a solution with the finasteride tablets I have. Currently crushing two 1mg tablets and dissolving in 6mls of 96% ethanol, 2mls distilled water, and 4ml propolyne glycol. I'm applying 2ml every night to my scalp, mainly in the temples and crown. This is equivalent of 1/3 of a mg applied to my scalp every night. It's coming 3 weeks and I've no sides what so ever, which is good but makes me wonder if it's doing any good at all. There are lots of people adding finasteride to minoxidil or making a stand alone solution like me. Just wondering if this has any potential to help or is it a waste of time. I mean they say pregnant women shouldn't even touch a tablet, so surely a solution with alcohol will absorb into the scalp? Thanks 😊

Thanks. I guess if you were nw5 at 30, and still nw5 at 35 then you might conclude you have reached your final nw and might consider a transplant without meds. But if you are receeding to nw3 with vertex thinning at 35 then you may have a long way to go.

Seems its often talked about as an age when people might consider a ht without meds, or that balding slows down after 35. Or that if your balding after 35 it's not aggressive. I've read posts and blogs by hair surgeons stating that after 35 rapid balding is unusual. But is there any truth in this? I mean I'm heading for 37 with most of my hair but I do have thinning, surely there's nothing stopping me going to nw 5, 6 or even 7 at a rapid pace. Thoughts?

Just thought I would report back here as it's been 4 weeks since I started. It appears I am quite sensitive to finasteride unfortunately. The main problem I am having is brain fog. My intention was to start fin at a low dose and titrate up, however its been more like titrate down! I ended up right down to one 1/8th of a 1mg pill every second day, which is a very low dose and I'm surprised I got sides. Tuesday just past I was hit with brain fog again, and it pretty much made me feel like a zombie for the whole day. I havnt taken any since as I'm trying to figure out what to do. On top of the brain fog, my semen has turned very wattery which proves I'm not imagining side effects. Although as i understand it, brain fog is not caused by lower dht but by the blocking of neurosteroids in the brain. Libido is also down, but eq seems quite good.

I got pretty numb down there after starting on 1/6 of a 1mg pill every day. Felt pretty lifeless but did have sex in an okay way. I cut back to 1/5th of a pill every 2nd day and that seemed to help. On day 12 got floored with brain fog, like nothing I've felt before. That's a week ago and only really better now but I've got slight tinnitus since then. I'm still taking it ever 2nd or 3rd day but I'm down to 1/8th of a pill which may in fact be pointless but would build up if things calm down. Numb feelings down there have gone. Like you I was a bit shocked by the sides. What would they be like if I'd started 1mg every day? I dread to think. Fin is powerful stuff, and tbh the affect on the brain is making me question the whole thing.

Should someone who experiences brain fog quit? I got it on day 12 and it wasn't nice. I've since cut my dose even lower. But I've got slight tinnitus since that day, which is definitely real.

I think people should listen to their body. When I was 22 I started experiencing bad insomnia which was very unlike me at the time. I could sleep all day through an air raid. Went to 2 gp's, did some blood tests which were normal. Told me it was in my head, one suggested reading a book about how to sleep. Family told me I was overthinking. Year later went back to 3rd gp. He got bloodwork done again and put me for ecg. Then I got a call saying to come in for a Lyme disease test. He had noticed a blip on my heart beat on the graph. It came back positive. 3 courses of antibiotics and 8 months later I finally returned to normal. Lyme disease can cause sleep problems. It wasn't in my head at all

I really didn't want to use it, but I thought given im older and slowish rate of los, a low dose might not be too bad. I certainly don't view dht as a trash hormone like some. I'm a bit surprised to be one of the "3%" that got sides. If I can't make it work orally or topically I'll just have to banish it from my thoughts.

Nice one. Are you on finasteride as well?

My hair isn't that bad. Didnt want to get dependent on it thats all. I think I'd respond well to fin alone if I could take it. Not giving up yet, but if I do I'll look at minoxidil.

Thanks. I'm looking at making it up with distilled water, ethanol and propylene glycol, which I think is in minoxidil. Not ready to start minoxidil yet though. I did actually test dissolving fin in 50:50 alcohol and water and they vanished pretty fast, I only cut them in half and added. Is that your video? You reckon it's a good way of inhibiting scalp dht? Thanks again

Attempting to find a dose that works, or going to look at topical fin.

I'm over 2 weeks on it before noticing wattery semen

How is wattery seamen nocebo?

So thought I'd give another update if anyone is interested. Last Thursday got hit pretty hard with brain fog. Not a pleasant feeling, it cleared somewhat the next day but I decided to skip 2 days and took 0.2mg yesterday morning. Once again I developed a hazy feeling, and even today I felt off. Since last Thursday when I got hit hard, I had very slight tinnitus which was only really noticeable in a quite room. Didn't even know this was a possible side effect but I found numerous anecdotes of it online. I hope its something that will clear if I stop. Tonight I also noticed my seamen has become more wattery, not terrible but noticeable. The drug is clearly having an effect on my body even at a very small dose. I'm quite surprised actually. Erection quality is fine, libido might be down a bit hard to say. Scalp feels amazing, no more irritation. I actually think I'd respond very well to the drug over time. I know fin can affect neurosteroids in the brain and cause problems such as brain fog. It's not really somthing I want to have to deal with or put my body through. Since I seem to be sensitive to fin, I'll either have to lower the dose or I'm thinking of moving to topical. Will keep you updated.

Are you saying he won't bald quickly due to his age? Thanks

I was trying to start with 0.2 every second day. Seems my body doesn't e even like that. Brain fog again today but not as bad as last time. Not sure I should continue or not. I don't particularly like these symptoms

Seems pretty random. My dad was nw5 by 35. I'm nw2 at 36 with some thinning in the temples. I'm way ahead of him and I'm actually ahead of my maternal grandfather at the same age, although he never had vertex or crown loss Used to think it was a good sign but not so sure But my dad and maternal grandad both had mainly frontal loss first. So it follows that mine is at the front, rather than the crown.

I've been microdosing basically for 2 weeks, 0.2mg every second day. I understand this is nothing but I had intended to increase. Couple of days ago I got hit with brain fog about an hour after taking it and persisted most of the day. Felt dazed and exhausted. I'd say I'm still not 100%. I skipped today and was planning to try tomorrow but I'm a bit hesitant. Being like that was not healthy. Im thinking one more shot and if I get hit again I'm going to have to stop. Disappointed as my scalp has felt great

Has anyone made their own topical? Would crushing a finasteride tablet and adding it to distilled water work? I see others on reddit making it up with distilled water and alcohol. I found alcohol was irritant on my scalp when I made zix with it but thinking of making a solution with just distilled water. I guess the worst that can happen is it won't work. Thanks 😊

If you pull hairs from your crown are you seeing any low quality hairs coming out? Thin, wavy, curly hairs can sometimes indicate miniaturisation.

I wasn't aware that dutasteride had less side effects but its not a drug I've read much on so you might be right. Yes seems oral is the most effective and easiest, you will just have to try and see. If you get sides that you don't like you can stop. I am not sure if you can continue with saw palmetto at the same time as an oral 5ar inhibitor. Perhaps someone else can clarify.

Finasteride is a less powerful 5ar inhibitor than dutasteride and most people start with fin. Given your age and hairloss I think many would say taking fin every second day or mwf would be sufficient. Also my preference was to start on a low dose and work up, my opinion is its less of a shock to the body. Most recommend reaserching first. I did a lot of reading and in the end I was no better off. There are both positive and negative accounts of finasteride. There are possible side effects, poorer sexual function, ball ache and brain fog seem to be the most reported. There's also a good chance you won't experience any sides at all. Your other option is to look into topical finasteride which may carry less side effect risks. Currently looking at this myself as I have experienced some sides on oral.