Senior Member zenmunk Posted September 15, 2011 Senior Member Share Posted September 15, 2011 Everyone's welcomed to chime in, but I'd especially appreciate some insight from docs and HT vets with extensive knowledge/experience with propecia. I've been taking propecia almost every day for 13 years. I'll be 39 next month. For the most part it has halted my hair loss. I'm still a Norwood 2.5 - 3. If I wasn't seriously considering FUE to restore my hair line (~1300 grafts), then I'd just shave down if the propecia stopped working or if I decided to stop taking the meds for some other reason. I like having that option. However, once you get a HT, then you're pretty much committed to the meds for life if you want to give yourself the best chance of maintaining the native hair around the transplants. No one can predict the future, but we can hazard an educated guess. What do you think the odds are that propecia will continue to be effective long-term considering the long-term success I've already had with it, and why do you think so? Why might it not be effective in the future? Please try to support your opinion with as much science and/or specific experience as you can. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Big It Up Posted November 14, 2012 Regular Member Share Posted November 14, 2012 This is a great question. I have been on it for over 10 years and am 48 now. Do I keep going or stop taking it? I only went on it cause Shapiro and Rose suggested I do when they worked on me. Experience: 6 HT to date.......wish this forum was around in the 90's! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member chrisdav Posted November 14, 2012 Senior Member Share Posted November 14, 2012 Zenmunk, I would love to know that answer to that question, as I am sure a lot of others would to. 2 poor unsatisfactory hair transplants performed in the UK. Based on vast research and meeting patients, I travelled to see Dr Feller in New York to get repaired. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member jobber1900 Posted November 14, 2012 Regular Member Share Posted November 14, 2012 i doubt there have been many studies done over that long period to give a definite answer. anything said otherwise by anyone would be a best guess then. if there has been a long enough study / research on this i would be keen to know as well. i will be following this to check on any updates Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Big It Up Posted November 15, 2012 Regular Member Share Posted November 15, 2012 Sure would be nice to know if all that money we are spending every month after 10 years is worth still spending. I may shoot an email over to Shapiro since he is my prescribing doctor. For me it hasnt grown any hair but may have help keep whats left naturally.......and thats not much. LOL Experience: 6 HT to date.......wish this forum was around in the 90's! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member 21YearsAndScared Posted November 18, 2012 Regular Member Share Posted November 18, 2012 "you're pretty much committed to the meds for life if you want to give yourself the best chance of maintaining the native hair around the transplants. " Do you say that in terms of shock loss, or just progressive loss from natural MPB? I'm asking as a potential HT recipient Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Big It Up Posted November 18, 2012 Regular Member Share Posted November 18, 2012 No shock loss, just good old MPB. My last HT was 10 years ago. Experience: 6 HT to date.......wish this forum was around in the 90's! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member aaron1234 Posted November 19, 2012 Senior Member Share Posted November 19, 2012 I think the best way to get an idea would be to conduct a survey of those who have been on the drug for over ten years - asking them if it has stood the test of time. However, zenmunk I get your point about wondering whether if it has worked well for ten or more years will it continue to maintain the hair over another 10-20 years. I don't think we'll ever know for sure.... the best we'll ever have is the anecdotal evidence from a survey of Fin-vets. I've been on it for about 6 and a half years. I am still losing hair, but it's minimal at best. I know I would definitely be a NW6 (maybe worse) if not for Fin. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it keeps doing the job. Dr. G: 1,000 grafts (FUT) 2008 Dr. Paul Shapiro: 2,348 grafts (FUT) 2009 ~ 1,999 grafts (FUT) 2011 ~ 300 grafts (Scar Reduction) 2013 Dr. Konior: 771 grafts (FUT) 2015 ~ 558 grafts (FUT) 2017 ~ 1,124 grafts (FUE) 2020 My Hair Transplant Journey with Shapiro Medical Group Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member thecricketer90 Posted November 20, 2012 Regular Member Share Posted November 20, 2012 guys i am on finasteride 1mg and minox 10% no side effects yet. little nervous if the drug is working Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member thecricketer90 Posted November 20, 2012 Regular Member Share Posted November 20, 2012 forgot to tell!! been on it for 10 days Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member jsnw Posted November 20, 2012 Regular Member Share Posted November 20, 2012 I started Propecia when I was 27, I'll be 42 next year. My dad and grandfather were bald in their mid 30's or so. Never had any sides from it. I can say that over that period most of my hair held up fine. I receded in the front a bit but nothing that ever really alarmed me. A couple years ago, not sure exactly when, I started getting those thoughts in my head. Is this really working for me, do I need to spend $90 a month, I've been on this for 14 years or so should I keep taking it, etc. One of the biggest mistakes I've made in my life was deciding to try to reduce the amount I was taking. Gradually over a year or so (again I don't know exact times) I reduced my dosage down to 1mg a week. I don't know exactly when it started to happen but I can tell you I lost half of the hair on the top of my head, my crown went from looking nice to pretty much bald. DON'T MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE I DID. It obviously was doing wonders for me I just didn't realize it, or I had forgotten about it. I've since gone back to 1mg per day and started Rogaine. Keeping my fingers crossed it comes back but it's not looking good so far.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member aaron1234 Posted November 20, 2012 Senior Member Share Posted November 20, 2012 Wow, thanks for the warning jsnw! I will say that you don't need to be paying $90 a month anymore. You may already know this but many men get their finasteride in the form of generic Proscar (Finasteride 5MG) and cut it into fourths - so roughly 1.25MG daily. $9 every three months for me from Walmart. Dr. G: 1,000 grafts (FUT) 2008 Dr. Paul Shapiro: 2,348 grafts (FUT) 2009 ~ 1,999 grafts (FUT) 2011 ~ 300 grafts (Scar Reduction) 2013 Dr. Konior: 771 grafts (FUT) 2015 ~ 558 grafts (FUT) 2017 ~ 1,124 grafts (FUE) 2020 My Hair Transplant Journey with Shapiro Medical Group Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member jsnw Posted November 20, 2012 Regular Member Share Posted November 20, 2012 Thanks for the tip aaron1234, I thought Proscar was something people were using overseas. I'll definitely look into to it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member Spanker Posted November 20, 2012 Senior Member Share Posted November 20, 2012 You wont know for about six months. Take some good photos now, some at 6 months, 12 months and every year after if you want. It will give you a good indication if it is working. Basically, if your hair does not get worse, it is working, if it gets better, it is working great. You may experience a little shedding when you start for the first few months, but that means it is probably working. You need to give it six months to a year to really know. I am an online representative for Dr. Raymond Konior who is an elite member of the Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Physicians. View Dr. Konior's Website View Spanker's Website I am not a medical professional and my opinions should not be taken as medical advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member thecricketer90 Posted November 21, 2012 Regular Member Share Posted November 21, 2012 guys does finasteride help young people who have history of NW 7's. yep i am on this track fearingly. coz for the coming 2 years i cant see transplant happening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Member zenmunk Posted December 2, 2012 Author Senior Member Share Posted December 2, 2012 Superstorm Sandy displaced me from my home for about a month. Just got back. Was a surprise to discover this many replies to an old thread like this. Thanks, guys. Yeah, I suppose there is no way to know for sure how long fin will keep working. I can say one thing for sure, though. jsnw is 100% correct! I tried a little experiment recently. After 14+ years on 1mg fin every day I decided to try 0.5mg every day for three months. I took good photographs every month from many angles to document progress. I am confident that I have lost some hair in that time. Not much, but some. I went back on 1mg per day about a month ago and I plan to stay on it until/unless the day comes that I just don't give a shit anymore. You are really taking a chance if you stop or reduce dosage. It may work for you, but it may not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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