Jefff

Well when I first developed it I wasn't at 50lbs overweight like I grossly am now, so it was only hard breast tissue when you'd feel for it (and it was kinda painful too), but it wasn't really noticeable to the general public. Now that I'm a big fatso there's also fat there and it's definitely noticeable. I didn't have the money to do anything about it back then and even now it would be a burden to pay for. I'm hoping once I lose the 50lbs and tone up I'll be able to live with it. I know that I also read that if you stop the Finasteride in time that the Gyne. could be reversible, but I don't know what the time frame was (or if a time frame was even given). How long were on it before you developed a problem? Hopefully just coming off of it will be enough for you but if you need a great surgeon apparently Dr. Blau is the best. Off hand I don't recall but I think he's in White Plains NY, if that's possible for you to get to. He's got some good videos on Youtube.

Wow, 15 years?! I'm glad to hear that as I thought I was on it a long time at 7-8 years. Yeah, I got a lot of info from the website T-Nation. I read that the Androgel in particular does what you said... converts into a lot of DHT. Apparently the shots don't raise the DHT to any appreciable levels which is a big reason I'd chose the shots over the gel or cream. Thank God for the internet!

Thanks a lot for all the info jsnw. I don't think I even have a TRT Doc in my new area but I'll have to check some more. I'm hoping my regular Doc will just prescribe me with what I need if or when I decide to go on all of this but everything Ive read leads me to be skeptical about that. So do you take any Finasteride for any potential hair loss the T may cause?

Actually I did develop gynecomastia about 10 years ago... I'm almost positive it was a couple years before I started taking the Fin but it's been so long that it's hard to remember correctly. I drink and eat a lot of soy products which I understand may cause it. From what I understand/have read even if you go off the Fin it won't correct the Gyno (and like you said it's up to surgery to get rid of it which I haven't had the thousands of $$ for yet). Good luck on your case though... I hope coming off the Fin does correct it for you though. Please update the thread with your progress... I'd love to hear that you've had success coming off it (with your hair too).

Thanks again. I'm definitely planning on losing the weight... 50lbs is a lot of extra weight! Would you mind telling me how much you pay for a months worth of HCG? And was it difficult getting your Doc to prescribe it for you? I was really surprised to hear that you take it as Ive read so much about it being so difficult to get.

I know. I do need to lose 50 lbs which Im working on and am taking a bunch of vitamins, but other than that I don't know what else to do. Can you recommend anything?

Thanks so much for the detailed reply. Im sorry to hear about your disappointing results from stopping the Fin. It's funny that you mentioned your low Testosterone since this past December I was diagnosed with the same thing. Mine was a 219 on a scale from 300-800!! This is the reason I was thinking of taking a Fin. break... because I knew once I started the TRT I'd most likely need it so I just wanted to see how it went without it for awhile. How did you get your Dr to prescribe the shots? Are you doing IM or SQ? I know I can do the SQ but the IM scares me a lot... looks very painful and daunting. Everything I've read ( a lot from a Testosterone message board) says that using the Androgel will convert much more into DHT and obviously we don't want that to happen. Also, have you noticed any testicle shrinkage? Everything I've read also says that testicle shrinkage is pretty much guaranteed with any type of TRT unless you do shots of HCG (which apparently is very difficult or impossible to get a Dr to prescribe). I'm absolutely terrified of having my testes shrink as well as raising my DHT. I recently moved to another state so I've only seen my Dr. once so I haven't discussed any type of TRT with him, but I'm extremely reluctant to try any TRT because of those two reasons. I'd greatly appreciate any feedback you have on this, Thanks again jsnw.

Thanks for the input El Nino. I'm just terrified that if I stop the Fin I will start losing. :confused:

Howdy again. Well my father died at 78 with a full head of hair. My mother isn't balding. My fathers father also had full hair as did my mothers father. However, my mothers cousin was very bald and one of my fathers brothers was bald-ing. I have two older brothers who both have thinning hair - but they have a different father than I have. I don't know about their father though. So it gets confusing when I look at my relatives... I don't know who I should look towards. I have some immediate ones with excellent hair, but then there's that few that have a problem. :confused:

Thank you to you too. Again though, what a dilemma. It seems like Im stuck of this medication as the only way to know if it's working is to potentially lose hair.

Wow, thanks a lot for the quick reply! The problem is that I don't know if it has been helping me keep my hair or if I've just been keeping it naturally. I have almost a full head of hair and it doesn't seem to have changed at all since I started with the Fin. I suffer from BiPolar disorder and occasionally I experience times where I strongly think that I'm balding... this started when I was 19 and Im now 43. I probably don't have as much hair as I did when I was 19, but as I said I still have a full head of hair and if I was balding I think I would see some obvious signs by now. It, the mental illness, at times makes it so difficult to logically realize whats actually going on with my hair. I just wanted to take maybe a 3 month break from the Fin. but I certainly dont want to experience any rapid shedding/etc. And unfortunately the only way to know if the Fin. is actually helping me would be to stop it for awhile. Ugh... what a dilemma. Thanks again for the rapid reply!

I've been a daily user of Finasteride for approximately 7-8 years. I recently discovered that I have very low Testosterone and will probably have to go on Androgel in the near future. I'd like to take a break from the Fin. for a few months to see if it's actually helping me keep my hair (I still have almost a full head of hair). What can I expect to happen? Will I dramatically lose hair if it's been helping me keep it? And can I just simply resume taking it again after a few months when I want to (or need to when I get the Androgel)? Thanks very much for any help/advice.

David, I really appreciated your input and wish you'd stay/continue posting in this thread. I feel like Im trying to learn a new language in a hurry... it's so overwhelming.

Hey guys, Thanks a lot for the replies. I don't know what my free T results were as they weren't tested for. It's been a long time since I first developed the gyno. but I'm almost positive it began a few years before I began the Finasteride. I'm a vegetarian and I recall questioning whether or not my soy based diet may have caused it. I have been reading a huge amount on low T, etc, and I do recall reading that hydroceles and varicoceles could cause low T. Was that just incorrect info? Is there any chance that I could be prescribed something other than Testosterone to counteract something such as way too high Estrogen/estradiol levels (if that's determined)? Thanks again for the quick and helpful replies. Edit: My test results do say something for T4 and T3 if this means Testosterone (?): They're T4 12.11 and T3 1.54 if these mean anything?

I know, from everything I've read it sounds very low and I am very concerned. Do you know what exactly the underlying problem could be? I am having some testicle issues that I strongly wonder whether or not are causing my low Test. In early 2008 I was diagnosed w/ a hernia: I had/have a lump on my right testicle which the Urologist said was a hernia... however when I went for a sonogram the woman performing it said it was a hydrocele so I don;t know exactly what it is. I also have what I believe to be is a varicocele under my left testicle: It was not diagnosed by the Urologist but I don't even know whether or not to completely trust what he said to begin with. I stupidly haven't been for a follow up since then but am planning on seeing an Endocrinologist soon. I've read that hydrocele and varicocele can cause low Test and am hoping it's nothing more serious than that. Oh... and I should also mention that I developed Gynecomastia about 8 years ago which I still have... so something isn't hormonally right with me. Should I see a Urologist or would the Endocrinologist also be able to examine my testicles? Any insight or info you have would be greatly appreciated. Thanks a lot.

Today I got some blood test results and discovered that I have low Testosterone. My number was 219 and I'm 43 years old. I have no symptoms and feel fine though. :confused: Anyway, I really am terrified of taking any T replacement because I'm afraid it will cause hair loss. I've been taking 1mg/daily Finasteride for approximately 7 years now and I've had no hair loss issues all this time (and am desperate to keep it this way). If I end up taking T replacement will it increase my chances of losing hair or will the Finasteride continue to keep it under control (if in fact that's what's been preventing my hair loss)? I literally feel sick over having to make this decision. Thanks very much for any info/help.

Hey JB, Thanks for your input as well. Do you have any pics up anywhere to view? Good luck w/ that, it sounds like youre on your way to having some massive hair sprouting!

Hey L'A, Thanks for the reassurance regarding the strip excision... it really had me extremely worried. Yeah, I really do need to get a Dr to write me a prescription as Im constantly in doubt of my Argentinian proscar. I also cant understand buzzing your hair after a transplant, but to each is own I guess. Ive been to to True/Dorins website but I havent seen Rassmans baldingblog... Ill definitely have to check that out. Well Im off for now L'A... talk to ya later.

Hey Now L'Anonyme, Well you certainly answered all my questions and then some . Ive also been doing a lot of reading here so Im pretty sure I dont have any more questions right now, but thanks a million for all the info you provided and the chance to question you some more (Im sure you'll hear from me in no time ). I already had narrowed down my options to Feller or True after reading a million great things about both of them here... but Im pretty sure True will be the one I go to though (especially being that my hair is also shoulder length and I have no intentions of cutting it short- so shaving a very obvious portion of it would really, really suck...). I know it may sound crazy to some but for me getting a short haircut is just not something I could do (unless of course I had absolutely no alternative). So I take it you dont recommend proscar instead of propecia?? (OK here are some more questions already): -I already take klonopin for anxiety (which Im pretty much immune to by now) so valium, Im sure, would do nothing to ease me while getting sliced open while awake... do they offer any other type of sedation? Perhaps a shot/needle of something? Im unbelievably freaked out over the strip being removed while being awake... I just cant fathom the thought of having to hear and feel it even though I know it'll be numb. Was it terrible? Thanks again dude.

Howdy L'Anonyme, Wow, our pics really do look a lot alike!! Thanks very much for all the info. Your after pic looks really, really great... looks like they filled your frontal area in beautifully (exactly what Im looking for!). Im also glad to see that they didnt have to shave your head in front at all (I was very worried about that). Did Dr. True suggest shaving it, or explain why he didnt have to do so? So I have some more questions (if you dont mind answering some). I wasnt planning on consulting w/ them for about another 6 months as I need time to save more money... do you mind saying how much your whole procedure cost? Do you know if youll need to go in for any more transplants in the future? Were they able to predict what (if any) your future hair loss pattern would be? Well great luck to you with your soon to be new head of hair (Im so jealous! )! Jeff

Im far, far from an expert but from what I understand: Yes they are the same drug... propecia is 1mg of finasteride (the active ingrediant) and proscar is 5mg so people just split the pill into 1/4's. I got my proscar w/out a script from planethealthstore.com and it comes from Argentina (but manufactured in England). Its been said on this board that its not wise to get your meds from overseas but I still dont understand why, but it concerns me enough to where I want to get a legit prescription from a Dr and just get it filled here in the USA.

Thanks for all the replys and advice guys. I already started proscar a couple of weeks ago (although I got it from Argentina so Im concerned over it). I know my loss isnt all that dramatic, but Im really afraid of what the future will bring (especially since Im really upset with what Ive lost already). Kamin, I remember reading about your experience... do you have a link to your pics? Thanks again.

And heres the receeding temple area...

oops... heres the top.

And heres the view from the top