Propecia - how common are the side effects?

[punkrocker]

I was told in my initial consultation that it is recommended I begin a course of propecia for so many months before surgery, and, I think, to continue that afterwards, so hair loss does not continue,

 

But I've read some awful reviews about propecia: loss of libido, testicular pain and, most alarmingly, erectile dysfunction, which, in some cases has been permanent!

 

It seems a great deal of men have suffered with these side effects, so I can't see how taking propecia can be worth it.

 

But I also agree it may not be worth having a hair transplant without propecia if my hair simply continues to recede or the newly transplanted hair isn't strong enough.

 

Thoughts?

[KO]

They are uncommon. Some get them, but it's not the typical experience. The only way to know is to try...

[Spanker]

I think it's uncommon and a good deal of sides are a placebo effect. That said, if you are one to get sides, how common it is doesn't matter. Studies (double blind) show that sides are just above placebo. I usually don't recommend a transplant for anyone under 35 or so that is greater than a nw2 that is not on fin.

[punkrocker]

I'm 27 NW3, so would you say a transplant for me would be unwise?

[punkrocker]

And is finasteride an alternative to propecia?

 

..oh, just realised they're the same thing.

 

But basically, would you say it would be fine for me to have a hair transplant after a course of propecia at age 27 and nw3?

[pkipling]

I would go ahead and give the Finasteride a shot. Only way to know if you have side effects is to give it a go. I know for me personally, I haven't experienced any of the side effects and it seems to have helped prevent some shock loss as well after my transplant. So if you're a NW3 and willing to give the meds a shot, I don't see why you couldn't get a transplant.

 

What was your doctors opinion on doing the transplant without the propecia?

[KO]

And is finasteride an alternative to propecia?

 

..oh, just realised they're the same thing.

 

But basically, would you say it would be fine for me to have a hair transplant after a course of propecia at age 27 and nw3?

 

Finasteride is the name of the drug, propecia is the brand. I think if you stabilize your hair loss with meds, and have enough donor, you can get surgery.

[punkrocker]

 

What was your doctors opinion on doing the transplant without the propecia?

 

The consultant told me she thought it would be unwise to begin without already having been on Propecia for a number of months, and that she thought it very likely the surgeon would say the same, although I haven't actually met him yet. And also she said because of my age it's not unlikely my hair loss will worsen in the near future, and so propecia would be used as a kind of maintenance.

[harryforreal]

Definitely get on finasteride. I never had any problems with it. The only problem I ever had is when I moved to NJ and a dumb,young, arrogant doctor in NJ thought I didn't need to be on it because of "potential long term side effects" and I didn't really seem to show significant hair loss. 5 years later my hair had receded enough for me to look into having a hair transplant - oy vey, what a pain in the ass! Wish I would have walked out of that dumb doctor's office and gone to another doctor to get my original prescription refilled and never had the hair transplant - certainly would have been cheaper.

 

In my opinion there's too much talk about "potential side effects" which is not substantiated scientifically/statistically. Any side effects of finasteride stop if you stop the drug, so just try it. It's a better option than loosing your hair and then trying to get it back with surgery - far better option I think.

[punkrocker]

Okay, thanks for the advice. I will seriously look into this. Does anybody know how to obtain propecia in the UK? I assume you can't get it on the NHS, but can I get a prescription from my GP?

[MusoInOz]

Hey punkrocker!

 

Nice to meet you, how old are you mate? I only ask because you mentioned a rep advised that your hair is unlikely to progress any further? Although if you are in your "twilight years"(I couldn't really voice that property) it does not mean further loss may be encountered. I have an uncle, thick head of hair until last year at age 55 started severly thinning and is now investigating his options.

 

Getting back to the potential side effects discussion, there is now way to know how your body will react. The listed sides possible are mostly uncommon and the general effects IF they were to occur will subside, I was once in the same boat and concerned of the same issues.

 

Unsure how you go about obtain a prescription in the UK, maybe one of our UK natives can chime in on this?

 

Online is also an option mate, I use several reputable online vendors should you need any advice PM or email me sir

 

Regards,

 

Mike.

[Blake Bloxham]

The manufacturers of Propecia claim 2% experience persistent sexual side effects. These, allegedly, resolve spontaneously after stopping the medication. Another large study in Japan noted side effects in 0.2% of patients. They claim the problems resolve after stopping the medication as well.

 

However, many finasteride users disagree. These individuals claim a much higher rate of sexual dysfunction and believe some of these side effects can be persistent or even permanent. Frankly, I try to stick with the objective evidence. However, the issue, in my opinion, requires further evaluation.

[punkrocker]

Hey punkrocker!

 

Nice to meet you, how old are you mate? I only ask because you mentioned a rep advised that your hair is unlikely to progress any further? Although if you are in your "twilight years"(I couldn't really voice that property) it does not mean further loss may be encountered. I have an uncle, thick head of hair until last year at age 55 started severly thinning and is now investigating his options.

 

 

 

Hey, actually I'm 27! And apologies if my statement was unclear but I was trying to say the consultant told me it was LIKELY my hair would continue to recede. This is why I'm pretty sure I'll have to go on propecia should I go for the procedure.

 

I believe my hair is already continuing, even only 3 - 4 months after the consultation. Which is why I'm now feeling I'll definitely go through with it.

 

I will first get back in touch with The Private Clinic to find out how I should proceed.

 

Thanks everyone for your advice, and I will continue to do research into the potential side effects of this drug before I agree to start taking it.

[Theodpliske8711]

I think that people should look at whether or not they have morning erections. I stopped a few months ago and in the last few weeks I noticed a huge upsurge in my libido as well as the return of morning erections. These are the two most notables. I also experienced weight loss, but I think that's just a correlation thing since my diet has improved. Still, the fact that I had a testosterone inhibitor in my body allowing estrogen levels to rise certainly may have played a part.

 

But I think the best determiner of side effects is to see how many men lose their morning erections. It's not a universal thing, not all men get them at some point and their degree varies. But if you had strong ones and suddenly lost them almost entirely, that's a sure sign. I could still maintain erections, and had relations and an active libido, but I would say that since stopping it's been a huge increase. Funny enough, I don't know if it's even a positive increase...

[Vpac]

You can buy it online from well known pharmacies in the UK - just google it. But it will be quite pricy. Otherwise you can go to your GP and explain your hair loss, tell him you want propecia and get a prescription of him which might be cheaper.

 

I'd recommend starting 1mg EOD, or even buying a pill splitter and go with 0.5mg EOD. The lower the dosage at the start the better. You want to reduce DHT, not totally kill it off.

[Number47]

Propecia is a drug that you have to take for life. As with any drug that you take for life side effects can appear at any given time even if you don't have them at the beginning.

 

One way to be safer is to try it for at least a year before committing to any hair transplant. If you have side effects from it then your hair transplant options become very very limited.

 

In my personal experience the side effects started 6 months after i started the drug. My advice to you is the same as others pointed out, try it and see for your self, i don't know if sides are rare i only know that if you get them the hairloss game changes completely for you and a rushed hair transplant relying on meds could turn into a very bad trap and a decision that you might regret the rest of your life.

 

So be careful and vigilant, hairloss is bad but a hair transplant that doesn't look good its 100 times worst especially if you are young.

[RanDave]

Hi,

I take Finasteride (finasteride is the active ingredient of Propecia). I do not suffer from any kind of side effects. It doesn't affect my sexual life. Think that the better way to find out if it works for you - is to try it.

As about where to buy: I buy it online. There is a great number of online pharmacies that deliver medications to UK.

[hadenough2014]

I happen to agree with Number47 on finasteride. If you must use it post-HT to ensure you never need another HT, then that is a bad plan. Side effects and nature can both derail that plan.

 

I believe the attitude towards fin is also age-dependent. For example, I have been on it since my HT 6 weeks ago, but I will not rely on it since I was already a NW5 and my 4000 graft HT went from hairline to almost the crown. If I have no sides and it helps me keep my crown from balding greatly, then that's great and I'll keep using it. If I get sides and have to stop using it and instead decide I want do another HT to help my crown a few years down the road, then I am prepared to do that. This is not the attitude I would have if I was 25, but at 40+ I have a different perspective.