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andy22

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  1. Hi, I don't mean to damper your mood, but I had this and it never subsided. I can distinctly recall the first day it happened (about 2 weeks after taking) and honestly I had no idea propecia could cause such a thing and was worried it was something more serious like cancer (so it wasn't psychological). After a month or two it seemed to have subsided partially but come 5 months later was still lingering practically daily. Next, I realized how the drug was altering my libido and have since stopped the drug. It has been about a week and the pains seem to be diminishing. I've heard that for some it shows up and disappears relatively quickly. For me, however, it lingered and if your's does too (maybe more than 2-3 months) I'd consider altering your dosage/getting off it. I got off it about a week ago, I figure now I only have one worry (my hair) rather than 2 worries (my hair and my health). Good luck, Andy
  2. Hey guys...I've posted a few times asking for advice and just when I thought I was in no need for any more advice life tosses me a curveball.. I have been on finasteride for about 5 months and am now considering my options... One of the only side effects I had almost immediately was some pain in my balls but I thought it was a small price to pay to *hopefully* keep my hair. But now, the aches are still there (on and off, but lately more on), and I've come to realize that other sides *seem* to be showing themselves (no sponatenous boners, very slight difficulty in getting a boner). I really could live with the sides if they remained like this (although aching balls gets really annoying really quickly), but I'm more afraid of the sides possibly getting worse. I do think that finasteride has been helping in this short time period (really only have a slight receding hairline and what seems to be an ever-so-slightly thinning crown (you really can't tell at all, and I'm not 100% sure that is, in fact, thinning (looks as though in certain lighting)). So, what would your advice be? I am considering lowering the dosage to .5/day, then .5EOD if the sides still seem apparent after a month or so. Also, other than the aches, there is a possibility that some of this could be psychological...but certainly is physiological to a degree as well. So, would you recommend decreasing my dosage before giving up or cutting it cold turkey? I know its ultimately how much I value my hair vs the possibility of side effects, but any opinions would be welcomed. Also know that any advice given would not ultimately sway my decision one way or another, so feel free to offer any opinions. Thanks for any advice shared...it will be much appreciated.
  3. Hey guys...I've posted a few times asking for advice and just when I thought I was in no need for any more advice life tosses me a curveball.. I have been on finasteride for about 5 months and am now considering my options... One of the only side effects I had almost immediately was some pain in my balls but I thought it was a small price to pay to *hopefully* keep my hair. But now, the aches are still there (on and off, but lately more on), and I've come to realize that other sides *seem* to be showing themselves (no sponatenous boners, very slight difficulty in getting a boner). I really could live with the sides if they remained like this (although aching balls gets really annoying really quickly), but I'm more afraid of the sides possibly getting worse. I do think that finasteride has been helping in this short time period (really only have a slight receding hairline and what seems to be an ever-so-slightly thinning crown (you really can't tell at all, and I'm not 100% sure that is, in fact, thinning (looks as though in certain lighting)). So, what would your advice be? I am considering lowering the dosage to .5/day, then .5EOD if the sides still seem apparent after a month or so. Also, other than the aches, there is a possibility that some of this could be psychological...but certainly is physiological to a degree as well. So, would you recommend decreasing my dosage before giving up or cutting it cold turkey? I know its ultimately how much I value my hair vs the possibility of side effects, but any opinions would be welcomed. Also know that any advice given would not ultimately sway my decision one way or another, so feel free to offer any opinions. Thanks for any advice shared...it will be much appreciated.
  4. I feel your pain. I recall a few months back you and I were both considering adding finasteride to our regime. Well, its been about 5 months on it and I'm considering stopping. Originally, the side effects were minimal (some testicular pain) but now it *seems* as though its becoming harder to get aroused, etc. Which brings me to a question: did anyone here who experienced some sexual side effects with finasteride stick with it and use viagra/etc to assist with the 'other' problems?
  5. I know this question was beaten around a bit but I couldn't find any relatively recent information on the subject. I was browsing around at askapatient.com and found something that concerned me somewhat. The reviews about Propecia seem to be startlingly negative. Many have noted several, quite severe side effects to the drug and also noted that the effects didn't necessarily stop after quitting Propecia. What should we make of these 'first hand accounts'? Of course, we really don't know who is actually making these posts, their intentions, and whether the psychological factor of taking a drug is having an effect. From what I have gathered from this forum, however, it seems like the side effects were more manageable and less common. Here's a quick link to the reviews (I don't like linking other websites but for ease of researching I see no problems with doing so here): http://askapatient.com/viewrating.asp?drug=20788&name=PROPECIA
  6. I know this question was beaten around a bit but I couldn't find any relatively recent information on the subject. I was browsing around at askapatient.com and found something that concerned me somewhat. The reviews about Propecia seem to be startlingly negative. Many have noted several, quite severe side effects to the drug and also noted that the effects didn't necessarily stop after quitting Propecia. What should we make of these 'first hand accounts'? Of course, we really don't know who is actually making these posts, their intentions, and whether the psychological factor of taking a drug is having an effect. From what I have gathered from this forum, however, it seems like the side effects were more manageable and less common. Here's a quick link to the reviews (I don't like linking other websites but for ease of researching I see no problems with doing so here): http://askapatient.com/viewrating.asp?drug=20788&name=PROPECIA
  7. I think monsena was referring to the idea of taking 1mg every other day...what were the comparative results with those who took 1mg daily. I believe there was a post somewhere with some scientific data that suggested that .2mg and 5mg taken daily reduced DHT in the scalp by an essentially equal amount.
  8. andy22

    HELP!

    Again, I just wanted to point out that I am certainly not a reliable source of medical information. This is just a (partially) educated guess. Go see another doctor ASAP!
  9. andy22

    HELP!

    I'm in no way educated medically but the first thing I'd advise you to do is to get a second (and maybe 3rd) opinion. Also, even though it could be the hair loss medicine causing problems, I'm sure they would be forced to mention any sort of side effects that you're facing. So either A) you're the first documented case to experience these side effects (which seems to be highly unlikely) or B) something else is the culprit. Either way, I'd go see other doctors and start considering the alternatives immediately.
  10. And until then...loyal to finasteride and minoxidil I will be!
  11. You can purchase Nizoral over the counter at just about any drug store/supermarket (Walmart). My situation almost mirrors yours. I started taking propecia about 2.5 months ago and have begun taking Minoxidil today. Here's to hoping for the best! PS- Unless you're using Rogaine foam, I'd suggest purchasing generic Minoxidil which you can find at drugstores/Walmart/Meijer. Its essentially the exact same thing and a heck of a lot cheaper!
  12. Tbird, You're in luck; I too am 22 years old and began using propecia about two and a half months ago. I will say, the only side effect I have experienced is minor testicular aches, which seems to be subsiding as my body adjusts to the Propecia. As I understand it, this is a rare side effect that is only experienced by few. I have experienced ZERO effect in any other way. No low libido, ed, or anything like that. I think many others on this forum have been on the pill for quite a longer time with minimal or no side effects. I personally think you should give it a try. As much mental stress as losing your hair causes, I think the very small risk of any sort of side effects is worth it. Most will tell you that even if you experience any sort of side effects, they will subside after some time as your body adjusts to the meds (which I believe is the case for me). Research this forum like crazy because there is A LOT of very valuable information on it. Oh, and I would suggest complimenting rogaine with Propecia, not substituting it.
  13. Additionally, to prove a point that hair loss really is amazingly unpredictable, I thought I'd mention that I have 3 older brothers, aged 25, 27, and 29. So you'd think I'd be able to predict the pattern my hair would be heading, right? Not even close! My oldest brother is an NW6 and was pretty much bald by the time he was my age. My hair seems to resemble my next 2 oldest brothers who haven't really experienced any MPB as of yet...just a naturally receding hairline we inherited from my father (who is probably around an NW5). I, on the other hand, seem to fall somewhere in the middle. I have noticed that my hair is receding a little more than my next 2 oldest brothers (particularly just on that freakin right side!) and I'm 4 and 7 years younger! Plus, my crown is starting to thin a little but, as I said in my previous post, I'm hoping/guessing that's because of Propecia shed I've experienced. I'm trying to document my experience as closely as possible so that 5 years from now I can really help others experiencing early MPB (and hopefully give advice as to how to beat it!)
  14. Hey guys...I've posted a few times over the past couple of weeks because I'm really trying to win the fight against baldness and I've had a couple questions in the meantime! You guys are really great people, and I thought I would start this post (hopefully my last as far as asking for help goes!) by saying thank you...your advice has REALLY helped me out - more than you can imagine. To briefly describe my situation...I am 22 and have noticed a receding hairline (I'm an NW2) so I began taking Propecia March 1st. Recently I have noticed my crown starting to thin a little in what seems to be hair density, not shaft diameter. This would seem to make sense because since going on Propecia I have noticed quite a bit of shedding. So my question is, should I also add Minoxidil to my regimen? I have researched it quite a bit and I really want to give myself the best odds in maintaining the hair I have for as long as possible. I figured I'm already spending $50/mo on Propecia, so another $10/mo on minoxidil is no big deal to me. I'm also providing a link to some photos I took...I know theyre pretty small and somewhat difficult to assess but I'll just say that my crown is slightly thinning - hopefully because of Propecia shed as I hadn't noticed it thinning prior to taking Propecia (of course I never looked either, so who knows) and my hairline, particularly the right side - which you might be able to tell from the picture - is receding. So, would it be a good idea to begin using Minoxidil? I really want to avoid losing any more hair! Here's a link to some photos I took...notice the recession is greater on the right side (does this indicate the left is headed for more recession in the future?) https://oncourse.iu.edu/access/content/user/achiamop/Fi...lic_Files/AAAAAA.JPG
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