25 years old, considering propecia---feedback greatly appreciated

[sportsfan12]

Hi all,

 

I just turned 25 and noticed thinning in the crown right when it started about 2 years ago. I went to the derm right away who told me use rogaine which I have been using since. It's difficult to gauge how well it's done since I don't know where I would be without it, but I'm assuming it has slowed the hair loss down. I have slight thinning on the crown/corners, but the majority is still here (for now) although the crown seems to be thinning more.

 

I'm an active guy, work out 4-5 times a week, work in sales so I am the face of my company/product and yes, I believe image is important. Losing my hair has been most difficult due to the fact that my brother who is 1 year older than me has jungle thick hair and my dad who is 62 still has just about all of his hair. Everybody on my dad's side (uncles/cousins) have plenty of hair- my mom has no siblings and her father died young, by looking at the few pictures that exist of him, I can deduce this is where my hair genes came from and it has really caught me off guard as I was always assuming i would follow my brother/father in terms of hair.

 

I went to a derm again last week who offered to write me a prescription for propecia- I asked him many questions including side effects and what he has seen in patients he has prescribed. He said there always is the potential for side effects, mentioned the studies that have came out relating to ED/sexual related symptons, and told me that if I experience any, I should just discontinue use and most likely be fine.

 

 

I really would just love to hear from knowledgeable users on here- the most relevant/recent studies and anything they can share.

 

I am going crazy and every day I look in the mirror, it kills me knowing there will continuously be less and less, especially with how young I am.

 

I have a fairly defined jaw and I can grow a beard easily but I am just not ready to give up and shave my head at this age. I used to do it for style but that's a little different than out of necessity. If this happened 10 years from now, I would be more accepting, but I am single and still in my freedom/partying years. I am fortunate to have some money saved up and I am absolutely fine with doing a HT when it gets to that point, but that means waiting for the hair loss to get significantly worse before I can even consider that.

 

Any objective feedback is greatly appreciated- in terms of sex drive/libido and all, I am completely normal- the propecia side effects are my biggest concern.

[ontop]

Hi

Meds should be your first option before HT.

 

Your Dr gave you some good solid advise & taking propicia will slow or halt your MPB & propicia test results shows that it works better on the crown.

 

Taking this drug so early in your life & for your MPB can only be positive.

See how things work out for you & like your Dr said if you get any sides then simply come off.

You won't see any gains for several months & the law of thumb is stay on it for at least 12mths & then if you wish in the future have a HT.

 

Best wishes.

[Gram]

Get on the fin/minox asap. While some here have voiced experiences w the potential sides of both, they are rare. I think most if not all of us wish we had started both years earlier than we did.

[sportsfan12]

Get on the fin/minox asap. While some here have voiced experiences w the potential sides of both, they are rare. I think most if not all of us wish we had started both years earlier than we did.

 

ive been on the minox since it started so ive got that down. its just boiling down to taking the propecia or not. i have an athletic/muscular build and the ability to grow a beard so I guess im just a little worried about messing up my body and discontinuing use and then being back to square one with less hair and potentially more problems.

 

im gonna chat with another derm just to see what they say- im leaning towards taking it but its just such a huge decision.

 

what really concerns me is the gynecomastia/ball shrinking/pain and anything sperm related as I want to have kids in the future. I know this is rare but it just spooks me a bit.

[sportsfan12]

Hi

Meds should be your first option before HT.

 

Your Dr gave you some good solid advise & taking propicia will slow or halt your MPB & propicia test results shows that it works better on the crown.

 

Taking this drug so early in your life & for your MPB can only be positive.

See how things work out for you & like your Dr said if you get any sides then simply come off.

You won't see any gains for several months & the law of thumb is stay on it for at least 12mths & then if you wish in the future have a HT.

 

Best wishes.

 

Correct- from a hair growth standpoint, it can only be positive. However what I am weighing here is potential long term effects. It's a huge decision and one I don;t want to regret- but at the same time, the only way to find out is by trying.

[ontop]

Yep I agree...

We only have 2 Meds

Also wnted to say is i see your from G.A so if you decide to go on Meds ask your Dr for a 30 day supply of FIN 5mg & have a 3mth refill Total 5mg 30 tabs x 3 = 90 Tabs of 5mg then cut 1 5mg tab in 4 pcs & takes 1.25 mg a day to start off with then if you feel your getting any sides then take 1.25 every other day....

This 3 mth supply should last you a good year or more & cost at walmart $27.00 for all 3 mths supply.

 

That's what I did & sure many other member do also.

Again take each day then if any sides drop your dose down & if your still feeling your having sides afer trial & error then simply say this is not for me.

 

Best wishes.

[sportsfan12]

Yep I agree...

We only have 2 Meds

Also wnted to say is i see your from G.A so if you decide to go on Meds ask your Dr for a 30 day supply of FIN 5mg & have a 3mth refill Total 5mg 30 tabs x 3 = 90 Tabs of 5mg then cut 1 5mg tab in 4 pcs & takes 1.25 mg a day to start off with then if you feel your getting any sides then take 1.25 every other day....

This 3 mth supply should last you a good year or more & cost at walmart $27.00 for all 3 mths supply.

 

That's what I did & sure many other member do also.

Again take each day then if any sides drop your dose down & if your still feeling your having sides afer trial & error then simply say this is not for me.

 

Best wishes.

 

im actually from CA not GA- not sure if that works here too.

 

Im in medical sales and i study clinical papers/adverse events all the time so that's why im taking this with extra precaution. Can you guys let me know whatever the most recent paper on propecia is?

 

I heard of the one study which look at post propecia sufferer's with symptoms from an online forum which i believe seems fairly biased since that essentially is the group that experiences AE's (the 2% or whatever # the package insert indicates" I think the study said like 80% of these guys had low libido and 80-90% had difficulty with erections but these are the very few who experience side effects so i think it can be taken with a grain of salt

[hadenough2014]

My crown started thinning about 3-4 years ago and I started on Rogaine a year later. I think Rogaine accelerated my crown loss and mid scalp as well. Almost like I shed and what I shed never came back. If I were to do it again, I would go on finasteride right away and skip Rogaine. Then again, I am 40+ and you are 25...starting fin at 40 is much different than 25. The side effect risks would worry me more at 25 than 40. But I would still probably try it and just be very mindful of signs of side effects.