Senior Member thanatopsis_awry Posted February 20, 2008 Senior Member Share Posted February 20, 2008 I will start w/ my question: if you start experiencing some of the less desireable effects of propecia, could you (i.e. do people know some good, effective routes) to combat that by taking something or somethings to compensate? Perhaps not even having to reach to the level of the viagras of the world, as I don't know if I could find it in me to sleep at night knowing I'd be a 22yrold with MPB, an HT, and a viagra user....I can deal with 2 out of the 3, I think. Anyways, to be honest, I tried my best to deny it initially, and chalk it up to varience and other stuff....but, I too have noticed some "malfunctionings" and "irregularities"-- Especially once I get this sweet crib on a beach in a few months, it will be of the utmost necessity that this gets sorted out. I don't think I am willing to stop taking the propecia, so I am in need of finding a viable route to combat this "side effect"!! ----------- *A Follicles Dying Wish To Clinics* 1 top-down, 1 portrait, 1 side-shot, 1 hairline....4 photos. No flash. Follicles have asked for centuries, in ten languages, as many times so as to confuse a mathematician. Enough is enough! Give me documentation or give me death! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wheredidmyhairgo Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 Hey, understand your pain about Propecia. I had similar experiences. I did some research and put together a group of products that work really well and don't use propecia the drug... but rather a herbal alternative. Check it out if you are interested at www.wheredidmyhairgo.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member notgoing2gobald Posted February 20, 2008 Senior Member Share Posted February 20, 2008 BLIMIE!!! That sucks Than!!!! your too young to have to even worry about this. have you discussed this with Feller? I mean, Im just curious how "risky" he would view someone of your age stopping the medication after already having gone through with the ht... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member thanatopsis_awry Posted February 20, 2008 Author Senior Member Share Posted February 20, 2008 I know man....I'm mortified, but haven't really confronted it YET; but, I do need find a resolution as this really must be resolved within like 2-3months time at a maximum. As mentioned, no way I am taking viagra, and I don't think I even need such potency lol -- comical...but, I would definitely be wiling to start up treatments of something else if it works. Haven't discussed it w/ Dr. Feller; I have to call his office anyways tomarrow, so maybe I'll broach the subject, or just PM him (more discreet and direct). I dunno about stopping propecia...I'm very very reluctant. ----------- *A Follicles Dying Wish To Clinics* 1 top-down, 1 portrait, 1 side-shot, 1 hairline....4 photos. No flash. Follicles have asked for centuries, in ten languages, as many times so as to confuse a mathematician. Enough is enough! Give me documentation or give me death! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member notgoing2gobald Posted February 20, 2008 Senior Member Share Posted February 20, 2008 this is what worries me as well. Are these our choices: BALD & NO SEX ------ OR HT & NO SEX???? those are some really $hitty options! I know most docs REALLY encourage you to take meds if your going to have a ht. I haven't even heard of too many cases where guys go under the knife and DON'T take meds. Anyone know of a case? Would love to hear from a doc on this one... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member jst Posted February 20, 2008 Regular Member Share Posted February 20, 2008 hey man, i know what you're talking about with the propecia. unfortunately, i find myself in the small group of men who just can't take it. i tried at both the 1mg and .5 mg levels, and my body just cna't take it. i denied it for a while, but the truth is, between hair and libido, its not even a contest. you should definitely talk to dr. feller. make sure you have no other medical issues that may be the cause. if you're on 1mg a day, he may recommend cutting the dose in half (a lot of doctors do) in order to still retain a lot of teh benefit, while maybe the side effects will subside. the point is, do your research, talk to the doc, and then make the decision that is right for you. if you had a hair transplant, then you and your doctor should have talked about what would happen if you lost more hair, as the TRUTH about propecia is that it will not work forever. Good luck man. and yes, they will do hair transplants on guys who are not on propecia if they're of a proper age (certainly not before 24-25) and using rogaine. its a cost-benefit thing. if you can be improved even at the risk of shock loss and are willing to accept that you will need more transplants and may not get the coverage you'd hope for, then doctors are willing to give you the chance. once again, propecia does ont work forever, and patients should know that. eventually down the line, you will lose that hair eventually, albeit hopefully not for many years. i'm 23, and have put off having a hair transpalnt becuase i cannot take propecia. this is a choice i've made. its not ideal, but its the hand i've been dealt. once again, good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member KamCal Posted February 20, 2008 Regular Member Share Posted February 20, 2008 Thana, Please keep us posted if you come up with a solution as I, too, having some side effects with Fin and would not like to quit it since it has stopped my hair loss. Are you taking the med every day? Have you thought about lowering your dosage. Maybe taking it every other day? I am doing some research. Maybe I'll switch to EOD regime if the sides persist. Keep us posted. KamCal 3664 Grafts with Dr. Hasson - Oct. 5th, 2007 My Hair Loss Weblog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member its752 Posted February 20, 2008 Senior Member Share Posted February 20, 2008 thana, I just read a post yesterday--thank god for you because some member had said that after extensive research he did on finesteride concluded that taking it every other day was still controlling his hair loss and cut out his side effects. He also had blood work done verifying his DHT levels were staying about the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member notgoing2gobald Posted February 20, 2008 Senior Member Share Posted February 20, 2008 Man, a lot of guys seem to have side effects from it! wanthairs just posted that he started having it too. maybe it is more common than many think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member thanatopsis_awry Posted February 20, 2008 Author Senior Member Share Posted February 20, 2008 Its, very interesting.... jst, thx for the good words -- it is indeed quite the predicament as you know. I will begin researching a counter-regime and start my own personal trials and will keep the forum posted; I will also strongly look into taking it EOD as mentioned. ----------- *A Follicles Dying Wish To Clinics* 1 top-down, 1 portrait, 1 side-shot, 1 hairline....4 photos. No flash. Follicles have asked for centuries, in ten languages, as many times so as to confuse a mathematician. Enough is enough! Give me documentation or give me death! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member JoDirt Posted February 20, 2008 Senior Member Share Posted February 20, 2008 I once had a consult with Dr.Pak,he told me propecia can either lower ur sex drive or kick it into rabbit gear? Is this true? I think it does the rabbit affect on me. This was before my consult with me, then I was thinking damn maybe thats why i'm like a jackrabbit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member JW Posted February 21, 2008 Regular Member Share Posted February 21, 2008 I posted this on another thread but but I will repeat it here because it is also relevant to the discussion here. I have been taking Propecia for about three years. I have been taking it everyday. It has worked great as far as my hair. It stopped my hair loss and it regrew considerable hair in the crown. Unfortunately, I have recently been experiencing some minor sexual side effects that I am worried may increase in severity. I have been thinking of modifying my Propecia usage to taking 1 mg. every other day or taking a half of tablet (i.e. .5 mg) every day to try to eliminate these sides. However, I am concerned that if I switch to 1 mg. every other day or a half a tablet each day, I will start losing hair. I am between a rock and a hard place. I don't want to risk losing any hair but I would like to eliminate these sides. Can someone explain in more detail why taking Propecia every other day is just as beneficial to the hair as taking it every day? I am trying to think through this logically. In that regard, Propecia lowers the DHT levels in the blood and in the skin. Are there studies that show that taking Propecia every other day lowers DHT levels in both the blood and skin by the same percentage as every day usage of Propecia? Here is the other thing about Propecia and sexual sides that I do not understand. Lets's start with the premise that sexual side effects from Propecia such as loss of libido, erection problems, etc. occur because Propecia lowers DHT in the body. It has to be the reduction in DHT that causes sexual side effects. If the sexual side effects from Propecia occur because daily use of Propecia lowers blood levels of DHT by let's say 65% and if every other day usage of Propecia results in the same reduction in DHT levels, i.e. 65%, how can every other day usage of Propecia eliminate the sides? It would seem only logical to me that if every other day usage of Propecia eliminated the side effects that is because every other day usage does not suppress as much DHT, and, as such, the greater levels of DHT in the blood are what make the erection stronger, etc. In other words, if every day usage of Propecia and if every day usage lowers DHT levels by the same amount, what is it about the every other day usage that eliminates the sexual sides? What am I missing here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member notgoing2gobald Posted February 21, 2008 Senior Member Share Posted February 21, 2008 Originally posted by JW: Can someone explain in more detail why taking Propecia every other day is just as beneficial to the hair as taking it every day? I am trying to think through this logically"... From my understanding, the half-life of Fin is 24 hrs, as a result taking it every other day would be just as effective as taking it every day with respect to lowering DHT levels. As far WHAT precisely causes ED when taking propecia, that Im not sure of. But, it would stand to reason that having less of it in your blood stream, yet enough to lower DHT by the same levels, would limit the potential risk for side effects. I would like to hear more on this as well; specifically what causes ED when on propecia. Someone recently discussed this on another thread as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member thanatopsis_awry Posted February 22, 2008 Author Senior Member Share Posted February 22, 2008 HT, I took propeia for about a year pre-HT...in retrospect I felt some sides during the first several months, but I didn't think the causility was strongly tied to propecia...for various reasons, the link wasn't that clear then, and it also wasn't as perturbing to me. I've yet to try lowering the dosage/going every other, though I'm going to explore that; I also don't plan on NOT taking propecia....at least not until I exhaust every option to counterbalance the sides *I may* be experiencing....it's always difficult to really say for certain, though I do beleive there to be link. ----------- *A Follicles Dying Wish To Clinics* 1 top-down, 1 portrait, 1 side-shot, 1 hairline....4 photos. No flash. Follicles have asked for centuries, in ten languages, as many times so as to confuse a mathematician. Enough is enough! Give me documentation or give me death! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member blowdry Posted February 22, 2008 Senior Member Share Posted February 22, 2008 Try .5mg a day. Give it a couple of weeks at least so your body can adjust. Personally, it took about three weeks after I switched to .5mg a day before I noticed a difference. Good luck..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member lara Posted March 27, 2008 Regular Member Share Posted March 27, 2008 Hi thanatopsis I might be experiencing some side effects as well though i am not completely sure about the same..Did you figure out any alternatives...or did your side effects do away Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member thanatopsis_awry Posted March 27, 2008 Author Senior Member Share Posted March 27, 2008 Rise2. Also, I am banking that some newfound follicles will put some pep in my proverbial step -- so, until I give that a fair shot, I won't be altering my dosage. I may or may not try out dosing it EOD; not sure, as I would hate to sacrifice any potency in combating MPB. ----------- *A Follicles Dying Wish To Clinics* 1 top-down, 1 portrait, 1 side-shot, 1 hairline....4 photos. No flash. Follicles have asked for centuries, in ten languages, as many times so as to confuse a mathematician. Enough is enough! Give me documentation or give me death! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bald Dude Posted March 28, 2008 Share Posted March 28, 2008 If the sexual side effects from Propecia occur because daily use of Propecia lowers blood levels of DHT by let's say 65% and if every other day usage of Propecia results in the same reduction in DHT levels, i.e. 65%, how can every other day usage of Propecia eliminate the sides? It would seem only logical to me that if every other day usage of Propecia eliminated the side effects that is because every other day usage does not suppress as much DHT, and, as such, the greater levels of DHT in the blood are what make the erection stronger, etc. In other words, if every day usage of Propecia and if every day usage lowers DHT levels by the same amount, what is it about the every other day usage that eliminates the sexual sides? What am I missing here? I don't believe you are missing anything. The FDA trials which approved propecia were done using doses of 1mg every day. That is the only officially approved dosage for treating MPB. From word of mouth, it appears that you may also get benefit at 0.5mg but I know of no studies confirming that. It is reasonable to expect the benefit at a lower dose would be somewhat less. It should be much greater than half the effect though since the DHT levels do not drop linearly with dosage amount. I remember reading that 1mg of Propecia drops DHT levels about 70-80% (I dont remember the exact number) as much as Proscar (even though Proscar is basically just 5mg of Propecia). Based on what I have read, I believe that both sexual side effects and hair retention are due directly to a decrease in DHT. There is no other reason. From my understanding, the half-life of Fin is 24 hrs, as a result taking it every other day would be just as effective as taking it every day with respect to lowering DHT levels. No, the half life is 6 hours. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finasteride Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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