Finasteride and Depression

[blowdry]

I quit after two years of the drug. The first year I took 1 mg a day and eventually retained water weight of 15 pounds. Also orgasms didn't feel as good and peeing was not as strong. I then reduced the dose to .5mg and then to .5mg every other day. My weight dropped 8 pounds but still had the other symptoms. In May after I had prostratis I stopped. 6 weeks of Cipro and I have gotten better but not 100 %. I was told that the drug softens the prostrate and could congest the seminal vessels. Its been four months since I quit and hope to return to normal soon. Who knows. My weight returned to normal and my body feels better. Digestion feels better too.

[EpilepticSceptic]

I've been taking the drug for over 11 years now. I have no brain fog, no depression, and no erection problems. I am in the majority and you are in the minority.

 

I have a photographic memory and graduated at the top of my class as a philosophy major at a very difficult jesuit university. My IQ has been measured in the 140 range, both before and after finasteride use. NONE of my mental faculties have been hindered in any way from finasteride use; and if this were the case then someone like myself would DEFINITELY be acutely aware of it.

 

Clueless ? Hardly, my friend. I'm just one of the more fortunate people and you are one of the less fortunate -- it's really that simple!

 

And concerning depression being a phenomenon related to post-modern industrial culture and the rampant apathy that inevitably accompanies it, if any one of us here were to find ourselves stranded on a deserted island would we really have the time to be depressed ? Or would we be too occupied with the overwhelmingly challenging task of mere survival ?

 

Think on that one! It's something that I wrote extensively about in college.

[Spanker]

I bet if we took a poll on here, I'd say at least 15% of the men suffer some sort of side effect.... Blood tests don't lie my friend, sorry. That medication messed up my thyroid.. You don't develop a thyroid problem at age 23.. sorry. Especially when no one in your family, on either side has had a problem. I'm not trying to say the medication is horrible. It does a lot of good for people who don't have any side effects. I've even recommended it to people. The people on the site are legit, and so are their stories.. I live it everyday. It's hard for a lot of ppl to wrap their head around if they don't have any side effects from it.. so I really dont think you can talk or should have any input on the situation.

 

Does not think that I should have any input on the situation?

Bwahahaha. So what your saying is that if someone does not have a problem with Fin, then the should keep their mouth shut. Someone has to speak for those that do not have problems.

 

 

Example: Pizza Hut makes 1,000,000 pizzas and 3 percent are cold when they are delivered. That is 30,000 cold pizzas.

 

Pizza Hut will get 30,000 calls about cold pizza, but how many calls will they get about their warm delicious pizza? Very few if any.

 

Your problem may well have been triggered by fin. My buddy was diagnosed with Graves Disease at 25 which is a thyroid problem. I don't think he took any medicines.

[brentipold]

no thyroid problems in my family on either side... also many other ppl on that board have thyroid hormone issues... coincidence? I don't think so....

[Spanker]

To be honest, I have had depression and mood swings lately(more mood swings then just depression)....but I may also be going through a potential divorce....I am receeding a losing my looks(guess it is just getting older)....I have recently completed career and educational goals so I do not have the goals to look forward to like I once did.....I have never blamed it on fin....but I will keep it in mind and consider it...:confused:

[garet]

As I was the creator of this thread, I will clarify my original points.

 

1) I never said finasteride was bad. I said that finasteride has been linked to depression in a small percentage of people.

 

2) I said that i was depressed nonstop for 2 weeks, but the depression disappeared after I stopped taking fin. I was not experiencing any crisis or difficult personal situation that might naturally lead to depression, nor was I on any other medication.

 

3) I said stopping fin probably wouldn't effect my hair loss much anyway because most of my hair loss is a receding hairline.

 

On Merck's own Propecia website, it states

 

"There is not sufficient evidence that PROPECIA works for receding hairlines at the temples." See link to the Merck Propecia page below.

 

Hair-loss Treatment Results

 

If fin works for you and you don't experience the side effects, keep taking it. I just wanted to know who else experienced bad depression as I did. Even If I don't take it, I still may get a HT but I need more time to consider it.

 

Cheers

[Danielkiwi]

And you are just PREJUDICED because of your own PERSONAL experiences with finasteride. This is completely obvious.

 

I've been taking the drug for over 11 years now. I have no brain fog, no depression, and no erection problems. I am in the majority and you are in the minority.

 

I have a photographic memory and graduated at the top of my class as a philosophy major at a very difficult jesuit university. My IQ has been measured in the 140 range, both before and after finasteride use. NONE of my mental faculties have been hindered in any way from finasteride use; and if this were the case then someone like myself would DEFINITELY be acutely aware of it.

 

Clueless ? Hardly, my friend. I'm just one of the more fortunate people and you are one of the less fortunate -- it's really that simple!

 

And concerning depression being a phenomenon related to post-modern industrial culture and the rampant apathy that inevitably accompanies it, if any one of us here were to find ourselves stranded on a deserted island would we really have the time to be depressed ? Or would we be too occupied with the overwhelmingly challenging task of mere survival ?

 

Think on that one! It's something that I wrote extensively about in college.

 

 

I think that ES makes some excellent points here and in his previous posts...i am sure living in the primitive society, where people are farming and working hard, there would be no signs of depression! there is just too much pressure and stress these days and we are constantly worrying about pleasing the society etc!!!..i am a lil stressed these days for some personal issues and it might be that propecia just pushed me over the hill or maybe, it is just my mind imagining...there is no definitive answer for this..but i can say one thing for sure...it is a good drug and helped thicken my hair....i gave it a shot and everyone considering a HT should...the problem with me was the sides made me feel like i have never before and it was definitely not worth it for me...i am just concentrating on living healthy at the moment and hoping everything falls in to place..but i atleast tried and will have no regrets!!!

[EpilepticSceptic]

 

3) I said stopping fin probably wouldn't effect my hair loss much anyway because most of my hair loss is a receding hairline.

 

On Merck's own Propecia website, it states

 

"There is not sufficient evidence that PROPECIA works for receding hairlines at the temples."

 

 

Garret,

 

Man, you still have ALOT to learn about HTs dude !!!

 

You were VERY wise to cancel your HT. Spend a few more years doing research (both on and off HT forums) and then you may be ready to take the plunge. IMO without finasteride you will wish you never stepped into the HT ring. You simply do not yet understand how important the bridge, rim and crown hair that you still have is for pulling off a successful HT. If that hair is lost (which the chances are likely 99.9% that it WILL be in the coming years if you do nothing) then you will forever be chasing a mediocre result at best. Do yourself a favor and try to meet with as many NW5/6 patients as possible and see what you think of their HT results. You might find yourself running for the hills once you've met with some of these patients!

 

As my results come in I find myself getting less and less interested in spending any time on these forums; a definite "disconnect" is beginning to form which is really where most of us want to be anyway. The reason ANY of us are here (and spend any time here) is because we are emotionally bothered by our hairloss. I've researched this stuff for over 5 years and I feel that many can benefit from my knowledge without having to spend as much time as I did. But most will probably have to learn the hard way anyway, which is OK by me.

 

As far as finasteride is concerned, I see it sort of like trying out for a professional football team. Some will have the toughness and willpower to battle through the rough stages in the beginning where the body is still adjusting, and others will give up because it is not easy and they want everything to come easily. Some will make the team and go on to have great success BECAUSE they endured the tough times, and others will just sit in the stands and watch and wish that they were one of the success stories. And the only difference between the two is that one had the willpower to face adversity, and the other just wanted everything to be easy.

 

IMO the only legitimate reason to quit finasteride (IF you REALLY are interested in having hair) is because of ED, gyno, or some other medically diagnosable condition. If you are with an attractive woman who is being sexual with you and you cannot get it up, then YES -- BY ALL MEANS quit the drug immediately!

Edited October 13, 2010 by EpilepticSceptic

[garet]

Garret,

 

Man, you still have ALOT to learn about HTs dude !!!

 

You were VERY wise to cancel your HT. Spend a few more years doing research (both on and off HT forums) and then you may be ready to take the plunge. IMO without finasteride you will wish you never stepped into the HT ring. You simply do not yet understand how important the bridge, rim and crown hair that you still have is for pulling off a successful HT. If that hair is lost (which the chances are likely 99.9% that it WILL be in the coming years if you do nothing) then you will forever be chasing a mediocre result at best. Do yourself a favor and try to meet with as many NW5/6 patients as possible and see what you think of their HT results. You might find yourself running for the hills once you've met with some of these patients!

 

As my results come in I find myself getting less and less interested in spending any time on these forums; a definite "disconnect" is beginning to form which is really where most of us want to be anyway. The reason ANY of us are here (and spend any time here) is because we are emotionally bothered by our hairloss. I've researched this stuff for over 5 years and I feel that many can benefit from my knowledge without having to spend as much time as I did. But most will probably have to learn the hard way anyway, which is OK by me.

 

As far as finasteride is concerned, I see it sort of like trying out for a professional football team. Some will have the toughness and willpower to battle through the rough stages in the beginning where the body is still adjusting, and others will give up because it is not easy and they want everything to come easily. Some will make the team and go on to have great success BECAUSE they endured the tough times, and others will just sit in the stands and watch and wish that they were one of the success stories. And the only difference between the two is that one had the willpower to face adversity, and the other just wanted everything to be easy.

 

IMO the only legitimate reason to quit finasteride (IF you REALLY are interested in having hair) is because of ED, gyno, or some other medically diagnosable condition. If you are with an attractive woman who is being sexual with you and you cannot get it up, then YES -- BY ALL MEANS quit the drug immediately!

 

(Useless personal insults removed and edited from content)

 

I have done a lot of research on HT's already, on and off HT forums and I will do a lot more. I will take my time before making any final decisions

 

With or without side effects, finasteride only works for some people. It is much less effective at dealing with my hair loss pattern (receding hairline) than it is with male pattern baldness (balding crown).

 

Don't give a lecture about "facing adversity" by dealing with the side effects of finasteride, which again, only works for some people in some situations.

 

I'm not on this forum because I'm "emotionally bothered by my hairloss". I'm here to find information and learn about other people's experiences. That's all.

 

Moreover, If you don't think depression (absolutely a medically diagnosable condition) is a serious side-effect, than you are deluded.

Edited October 13, 2010 by garet
fixed grammar error

[worried_about_hair]

As far as finasteride is concerned, I see it sort of like trying out for a professional football team. Some will have the toughness and willpower to battle through the rough stages in the beginning where the body is still adjusting, and others will give up because it is not easy and they want everything to come easily. Some will make the team and go on to have great success BECAUSE they endured the tough times, and others will just sit in the stands and watch and wish that they were one of the success stories. And the only difference between the two is that one had the willpower to face adversity, and the other just wanted everything to be easy.

 

 

EpilepticSceptic,

 

I dont think there is any bravery or courage involved in taking finasteride. I was not scared by the horror stories on the internet and took finasteride for 3-4 months. I didnt have any sexual side-effects but I went from non-balding Norwood 1 to early Norwood 3. My hair started falling out at ridiculous rate and it didn't stop as long as I kept taking the medication. Its been around 2 years since I quit finasteride but to this day my hair is oily and looks weak. So, in my case it was only sensible to quit finasteride. I didn't have any hair loss whatsoever for first 26 years of my life and suddenly I go from extremely dense Norwood 1 Brad Pitt type of hair to Norwood 3 in 3 months from starting finasteride. I bet even you would have stopped the medication, just like me. Any one would have. It was foolish of me to start the medication in the first place. I didn't need it at all.

[Bill - Seemiller]

Unless those responsible for flooding this thread with personal insults after my warning send me a private message assuring me they won't do it again, this thread is now closed for discussion. You've been warned.