Finasteride/Propecia = Castration ?

[Yaz89]

Shampoo. Of course medications can have side effects. But my issue with fin is that the benefit/risk analysis in my mind is that for what is fundamentally for cosmetic purposes and not for medical reasons it should not be on the market if there is a risk that it can cause permanent harm, no matter how small. Also, Merck weren't honest with you and didn't conduct a proper safety evaluation of its product and also didn't reveal until years later that sexual dysfunction may not resolve (as one example of their duplicity). I would be happier if it was a level playing field, but it is not. Despite not having side effects now, side effects can occur on cessation, much like SSRIs. This is education, not scare mongering.

 

Erectile Dysfunction and Low Sex Drive Inadequately Reported in Hair Loss Drug Trials for Men: Northwestern University News

 

Here my two cents. I have been on fin for nearly 3 years now. I am an healthy 27 year old. Before starting fin I had erection problems. Three years down the line and on fin, I still have erection problems. Erection problems I still have to do this day. By taking cialis pills its all fine. No other sides at all such as member shrinkage, aged skin. I strongly believe fin has kept me looking like a 21 year old. People cannot believe I am nearly 28. I think it is wrong to blame the usage of fin causes certain sides; there are millions of men out there who take fin; every med has its own share of problems. My father had cardiac problems. The pills he takes improves his quality of life even though they give him sides such as muscle weakage and soreness.

[Mikey1970]

I have been on FIN for 2.5 years. Still enjoy morning wood & sex three times a day if the lady is up for it.

Only depression in recent times was hair loss related. When I acted upon that I felt a lot better.

My experience with FIN has been very good & imho the fears are a beat up.

[Scotsman]

Here my two cents. I have been on fin for nearly 3 years now. I am an healthy 27 year old. Before starting fin I had erection problems. Three years down the line and on fin, I still have erection problems. Erection problems I still have to do this day. By taking cialis pills its all fine. No other sides at all such as member shrinkage, aged skin. I strongly believe fin has kept me looking like a 21 year old. People cannot believe I am nearly 28. I think it is wrong to blame the usage of fin causes certain sides; there are millions of men out there who take fin; every med has its own share of problems. My father had cardiac problems. The pills he takes improves his quality of life even though they give him sides such as muscle weakage and soreness.

 

Well, it is funny that many men report penile shrinkage. If that side happened to you I don't think you'd be happy. As I said, I appreciate that medications have side effects, but this is a cosmetic product, not something to make us more healthy. You yourself have admitted erectile difficulties on the drug. But for some of the persistent side effects there are no solutions currently, which is why we are seeing suicides. I repeat, this is not a medication to take to keep you alive, it is to keep your hair. The potential side effects are a lot more upsetting than hair loss, and the current leaflet does you a disservice as it doesn't tell you of all the sides that you could experience. I wouldn't be quite as upset if Merck laid their cards on the table from the outset and were honest, but they weren't and still aren't. I took propecia in good faith and I myself was happy with the fact that I held on to my hair, although I didn't spend my time hanging out on sites like these when it was working, which I find a bit strange. I was living my life. Premature ageing and a diminished dick is not a price worth paying for keeping my hair, and since you care about your appearance like we all do, this is a lot more upsetting than a bald head. Trust me.

[Scotsman]

I have been on FIN for 2.5 years. Still enjoy morning wood & sex three times a day if the lady is up for it.

Only depression in recent times was hair loss related. When I acted upon that I felt a lot better.

My experience with FIN has been very good & imho the fears are a beat up.

 

Your personal experience means nothing. I too was in your position. Your experience does not negate the negative experiences of others. I don't understand how that is so hard to grasp. And you are not out of the woods yet. If you stop then you may experience unwanted sides. Something Merck has failed to tell you.

[Yaz89]

You yourself have admitted erectile difficulties on the drug.

 

Please read my post again. I ALREADY had erectile problems years before I started on fin. I have been on fin for 3 years and I have NOT experienced worse off erectile problems whilst using fin. I still have morning wood. It is only during sex; the same experience BEFORE starting fin

[Shampoo]

this is a cosmetic product, not something to make us more healthy.

 

It does make many of us more healthy.

 

I am much more mentally healthy saving the hair I have by using propecia.

 

If I looked like this I would not be as mentally healthy.

 

 

Balding leads to depression, stress, low self esteem, and anxiety

which can all lead to health problems and suicide.

Propecia certainly can help be a part of preventing those dangerous health problems.

 

Botox and many cosmetic medications and procedures

can have side effects and even lead to death....

so under your logic "ban them all" because they might not work for you?

 

the current leaflet does you a disservice as it doesn't tell you of all the sides that you could experience. I wouldn't be quite as upset if Merck laid their cards on the table from the outset and were honest, but they weren't and still aren't.

 

Ok....fair enough....update the pamphlet and move on.

almost all drugs commercials I see on TV these days state

all the HORRIBLE possible consequences of taking that particular drug.

it's almost comical..."this drug can lead to heart failure, kidney failure,

liver failure, breathing difficulty, joint pain, vision loss, blah blah "CMA"

[Scotsman]

You are perfectly comfortable linking hair loss with despair but don't give equal weight to the psychological harm propecia can inflict. All medications can cause side effects, but unlike most other medications which are intended to keep you healthy, the side effects leaflet for propecia is suspiciously scant. You may believe that propecia makes you healthier. I would agree that psychologically at the moment it does, although hanging round hairloss sites when it appears to be working is rather strange. My argument would be that you are gambling with your health to keep your hair.

 

Ultimately it comes down to this: are you perfectly happy that the cost of you keeping your hair is that some men will have their lives ruined or ended? You can quibble with causality all you like, but the body count is accruing just for men to keep their hair. Because that is what's happening. Psychological distress over hair loss does not trump permanent physical, cognitive, and sexual side effects in my opinion, no matter how rare, or not. Men need to know the risks. Don't bite the hand trying to give you a heads up here.

[Rashid36]

I'm trying to get confident with fin at 0.5mg but when i read up i don't want to go upto 1mg and sometimes I stop it all together then i start to take it again at 0.5mg it's been about 3 weeks and no sides.

 

I have suffered alot of stress which has affected my labido i hope fin does not make it lower or worse?

[Shampoo]

You are perfectly comfortable linking hair loss with despair but don't give equal weight to the psychological harm propecia can inflict. .

 

I no doubt realize Propecia like almost all medication does not work for everyone. It can cause side effects like almost all medication and all cosmetic medications and all cosmetic procedures.I do agree patients should be warned clearly that in a small group of the over-all patients taking propecia there can be serious side effects.

 

although hanging round hairloss sites when it appears to be working is rather strange. My argument would be that you are gambling with your health to keep your hair.

.

 

I find hair loss fascinating and enjoy learning more about it each time I visit this hair loss forum. I enjoy offering suggestions to people new to this because people helped me when I started investigating hair transplants.This site helped me find one of the best hair transplant clinics in the world. So now in your mind people that "hang around" this site are strange? Because you say so? And maybe can't comprehend that people with good results still enjoy discussing a topic. Happy people can discuss results just as easy as people that are angry about something. Many people are motivated by more than anger and frustration. Hair-loss is an on-going battle that never really ends. Hair-loss solutions are on-going projects of chasing the illusion of density, so I don't find it strange that some like to help others, and keep up with the latest trends in FUT/FUE/SMP/Etc...

 

Why do feel the need to demean others that arrive at a different conclusion? Is that another crusade? Why not "2EachHisOwn?" Why do you need to control people? Supply the facts and let people decide how they want to live their life, what legal FDA approved medications they want to take, and how they spend some of their day. Don't like Propecia? Don't take it! But don't try to take my rights away because you think you know better.

[Scotsman]

I'm trying to get confident with fin at 0.5mg but when i read up i don't want to go upto 1mg and sometimes I stop it all together then i start to take it again at 0.5mg it's been about 3 weeks and no sides.

 

I have suffered alot of stress which has affected my labido i hope fin does not make it lower or worse?

 

I'm sure you will be fine. I personally was only making the point that side effects can happen and then may not resolve, but on the most part you can only go with your own experience. The most important thing is to manage your stress first as worry is self-defeating. Take care.

 

P.S. Sorry to bang on here, but guys will come on and offer you complete reassurance, which is impossible to give. They can only say that you will probably be fine, but fin can have the potential to do what you say. Saying otherwise would be offering you reassurance but without any substance to back their categorical denial of any potential for harm.

[Scotsman]

But don't try to take my rights away because you think you know better.

 

I don't have the power to take away your rights. It's on the market. Fair dos. But you do have the right to be better informed about what you're taking. Don't put the fact that its FDA approved as some gold standard as to its safety. The point is there are unknown risks to taking this medication with no current solutions. I wouldn't stop you smoking, but it can still do you harm. And tobacco companies have spent quite a bit in their history protecting their brand and what harm it does. A stretch, I agree, but no less valid for it.

[Mark2010]

Being "FDA approved" means very little in terms of safety.

 

Just look at Merck's Vioxx drug which killed over 60.000 People.

 

That drug was also "FDA approved".

[Scotsman]

Why do feel the need to demean others that arrive at a different conclusion? Is that another crusade?

 

I'm sorry about that. It probably is a wee bit of a crusade as I've been personally stung, but those that were stung weren't dealt a fair hand. I would have said fair dos myself if I'd known the risks when I took the medication in 2000ish. I can understand your concern for hair. It's just that it is now further down my own list of concerns since fin damaged my appearance in other ways. And regarding conclusions, if it wasn't for some crusaders the fin users would be even more in the dark and the warning leaflet wouldn't have been updated by the fda warning of possibility of permanent sexual sides. Us bleaters only want guys to have the facts we wished we had ourselves before taking it. It's then up to you.

[Shampoo]

Being "FDA approved" means very little in terms of safety.

 

So the FDA isn't perfect?

Wow...was unaware of that.

You think we should ban that too?

[Shampoo]

Us bleaters only want guys to have the facts we wished we had ourselves before taking it. It's then up to you.

 

Fair enough Scotsman....I agree.....there should be full disclosure and there should have been for you when you started taking it.

[pkipling]

Regarding the initial question about castration and hair loss, all I know is that Varys from Game of Thrones was castrated at an early age, and he is super bald. Debunked! :cool:

[Mark2010]

Regarding the initial question about castration and hair loss, all I know is that Varys from Game of Thrones was castrated at an early age, and he is super bald. Debunked! :cool:

 

The actor your talking about actually has hair in real life.

 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conleth_Hill

 

He maintains a full head of hair when he is on hiatus from Game of Thrones, which he is required to shave during filming.[5]

[pkipling]

The actor your talking about actually has hair in real life.

 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conleth_Hill

 

That's a fun GOT fact right there.

[Spanker]

Wow, he has a nice head of hair.

[un13]

i've been on finasteride for a year , then dropped it for 5 years, then started again 3 years ago . Nothing major changed really. Its like with any hormone medicine. Some people have harsh sides ,some mild, some don't have any . Now you can close this topic.

[Al - Moderator]

Scotsman:

People teasing me about my bald spot at 16 years old was not a cosmetic problem. You could MAYBE argue that the bald spot itself was cosmetic, but the problems and issues it caused me were not. Being turned down for the prom at 17 years old because I was bald is not cosmetic. Stinging pain on my head at the hair roots when I try to my comb hair as it's coming out in clumps at 16 years old was not cosmetic. Trying to date someone my age at 19 and having her think I'm as old as her father is not a cosmetic issue. Being told to stop trying to "rob the cradle" when the women are the same age as me is not cosmetic. Having women 25 years older than me trying to date me because they think I look good for 45 (when I'm 20) is not a cosmetic problem. I could go on and on, but you get the idea.

 

Stop thinking that hair loss is simply a cosmetic issue that doesn't affect anyone. The simple fact that men are taking finisteride to fix it should be proof enough that they feel it's a problem. If people like you would stop pushing our medical issue aside as if it doesn't matter because you feel it (we) are not important enough then maybe we wouldn't feel so ashamed of it or so depressed about it or so suicidal. Maybe we should start blaming you for the suicides and not the finisteride.

[Al - Moderator]

http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/uploads_user/156000/155582/11094.jpg

 

That is me at 22 years old. You have no idea what you are talking about if you think having a full head of hair vs being bald didn't change everyones interactions with me. I wore a hairpiece for a while at that time. I can tell you that people treat you differently if you have hair at that age or if you don't. Depression is not from finsiteride. It may get worse when they are on finisteride but that is due to the feeling that there is no hope left when it doesn't work as well as they wish it would. It's not due to the finisteride itself. I am positive of this as I've been through it my entire life.

[Mark2010]

http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/uploads_user/156000/155582/11094.jpg

 

That is me at 22 years old. You have no idea what you are talking about if you think having a full head of hair vs being bald didn't change everyones interactions with me. I wore a hairpiece for a while at that time. I can tell you that people treat you differently if you have hair at that age or if you don't. Depression is not from finsiteride. It may get worse when they are on finisteride but that is due to the feeling that there is no hope left when it doesn't work as well as they wish it would. It's not due to the finisteride itself. I am positive of this as I've been through it my entire life.

 

Finasteride does cause depression I know because the worst depression I ever experienced in my life was while I was on finasteride.

[Al - Moderator]

Finasteride does cause depression I know because the worst depression I ever experienced in my life was while I was on finasteride.

 

Every medication affects your body. If they didn't they wouldn't work. If there's a side effect that you notice and don't like, you stop taking it. That is with any medication. Why are you guys so against finisteride? Why aren't you against all medications?

[Mark2010]

Every medication affects your body. If they didn't they wouldn't work. If there's a side effect that you notice and don't like, you stop taking it. That is with any medication. Why are you guys so against finisteride? Why aren't you against all medications?

 

 

The problem with finasteride is that for a percentage of people the side effects do not go away after they stop the drug in fact the side effects can actually get worse.