So thinking about propecia..

[Gatsu]

Hey!

 

Im one of these guys that's starring at it, know i need to take it to keep my hair but are to afraid. I have read so much shit and i don't know if its just a smal percentage that suffers horrible side effects. I dont know how many people across the world that takes it so it doesn't say much.

 

I know that it has been countless threads about this but i just need your advice here.

 

Im thinking i might start and worst case i just quit?

 

I have done 2 HTs with a total of 3500 grafts (dense packing in the hairline and some in the crown) Im 29 soon to be 30 and i have a full thick head of hair now. But looking at my grand fathers both are bald and my uncles have all had HTs. No one in my close family have a naturall full head of hair. It's just a matter of time before the genetics comes and kick me in the balls to take all the hair away.

 

Today im using Regain Pure Shampoo and takes naturall supplements such as Ashwaganda and Rhodiola, Biotin ,Vitamin B5,Omega-3 , Vitamin D and NOURISH Hair Growth Support Vitamins. Im drinking home made green juices every day that are suppose to help agains hairloss and overall living a healthy lifestyle.

 

Thank you!

Mattias

[Wwiizzkkiidd24]

to be fair you can get all the arguments from both sides of the coin but at the end of the day it's your body and you're the only one that can decide weather you want to take it or not. you might not get sides, most don't but some do as you know. it's a tuff one for sure!

 

just wondering how is the shampoo working for you? I haven't heard much about it.

[mahhong]

I agree with the above. Fact is millions of men take Propecia and seem to do just fine. There are some who get side effects, and some who have claimed quite severe and persistent side effects (as your research has probably told you!). Nobody really knows exactly how Propecia will affect each individual or what the long-term effects might be.

 

I think you just have to decide whether you want to give it a go and, if you find it causes any problems you're not comfortable with, like you say, you can always stop. There are men out there who have been on the drug for years, some 20 years or so, without apparent incident.

 

It's a really tough one and I'm in the same boat as you. I'm deciding whether to try the drug again as I tried it briefly a few years ago and got what I felt were mild sexual side effects (they stopped when I stopped taking the drug). The truth is, though, I don't know whether these were more psychological than biological - I was aware of the possibility of side effects and this did cloud my judgement.

 

I find it interesting from a strictly impartial perspective that the number of reported side effects have rocketed over the last few years, in line with the increased fear and online discussion associated with the drug - from a statistical perspective there is almost certainly a sort of placebo effect, where the increased discussion of the drug on forums such as these have made a lot more men scared about the drug and feeling very nervous when trying it. With that having been said, I would not dismiss the concerns entirely and it does appear that some people have been genuinely quite negatively effected by the drug, it would be unfair to dismiss everybody who has had a negative experience.

 

It's a very tough decision. You are statistically unlikely to experience any side effects from the drug, that much is true. The possibility is there that you will, however, so it comes down to personal judgement. Not a particularly useful answer, I know, but unfortunately there really isn't a clearer one.

[starscream]

I'm 29 years old and I've been taking finasteride 1mg everyday for the past 10 months. I was also very scared like you when I started. The first two days, I felt weird - it was as if my thoughts were a bit clouded. Because I had read so much about the side effects, from time to time I would get worried if I was starting to face any sides. But after a week or so, taking the pill became a routine and I suddenly stopped thinking about it. I've been fine since.

 

Sides - none. Libido - perfectly fine (I have a feeling my libido has increased!). Hairloss condition - Honestly, I don't know if it has had any effect on the hair loss yet, but I haven't had any "wow, I've suddenly lost so much hair" moments for a while.

[Bill - Seemiller]

Gatsu,

 

I do agree that the vast majority of people who seem to use Propecia do not experience side effects. However, it is hard to ignore some of the stories that are on the Internet about post finasteride syndrome. There are many who feel that this is a fictitious condition but there seem to be enough stories out there where we have taken it very seriously. That said, it still seems like it's only a small percentage who are affected but it's certainly something to think about and research before deciding to use it.

 

Best wishes,

 

Bill

[Shadow of the EMpire State]

Gatsu,

 

There are many who feel that this is a fictitious condition but there seem to be enough stories out there where we have taken it very seriously.

 

There are simply too many statements by too many doctors to credit the idea that it's "fictitious."

[BaronVonHairline]

I hear you, OP. I am back and forth on prop/fin. I feel like, having researched this a lot, it's the only thing that really works. But those stories, however small the % of users they come from, are terrifying.

 

I'm personally also tempted to try it because I actually used it for several months when I was younger, and don't recall any side effects really. At that point I stopped just because I was only about 24 and I didn't like the idea of being on it daily for 30 or 40 years. I'm 36 now and after a long dormant period in hair loss, it's really picked up again.

 

I keep scouring these forums, probably like you, hoping to read something that will clarify the answer for me, but as some above have said, in the end, it's just a personal decision we gotta make for ourselves. To be fair, the chances of severe sides are really low. But having read of some of them, damn scary. And the other scary part is even if known sides don't occur, what do we really know about possibly messing with hormones and/or the endocrine system long term like this?

 

Also, I know it doesn't necessarily work this way, but in general, do you respond well to medications? I find I do and generally have never had major sides with any meds, whereas I've had friends who were always really sensitive to them--ie- seizures from anti-deps, nausea/vomiting/illness from pain meds, etc.

 

And to be fair, there are horror stories for lots of medications. A couple of years ago I was on Lexapro (anxiety/depression) for about 9 months before stopping. The only real side was I gained weight...a lot actually, about 30 pounds. It came off within a couple of months of stopping. Other than that, I was fine day to day, and only stopped because I didn't feel the meds helped. But there are forums of people who claim permanent cognitive problems, irreversible/long term brain issues, etc after merely a few days on the meds. There are similar stories about common antibiotics even.

 

The point being, I think maybe some people in general may just have a constitution more prone to adverse reactions to outside chemicals. I know this is an anecdotal opinion, and it would vary from med to med, but I think if your body is typically good at handling medicines, maybe you can take some comfort in that.

 

Any doctors or medical pros on here who want to debunk my above theory as utter nonsense, please feel free. My feelings on this are obviously anecdotal and I'd rather be proven wrong if I actually am.

 

Sorry for the mega-post!

[mahhong]

I hear you, OP. I am back and forth on prop/fin. I feel like, having researched this a lot, it's the only thing that really works. But those stories, however small the % of users they come from, are terrifying.

 

I'm personally also tempted to try it because I actually used it for several months when I was younger, and don't recall any side effects really. At that point I stopped just because I was only about 24 and I didn't like the idea of being on it daily for 30 or 40 years. I'm 36 now and after a long dormant period in hair loss, it's really picked up again.

 

I keep scouring these forums, probably like you, hoping to read something that will clarify the answer for me, but as some above have said, in the end, it's just a personal decision we gotta make for ourselves. To be fair, the chances of severe sides are really low. But having read of some of them, damn scary. And the other scary part is even if known sides don't occur, what do we really know about possibly messing with hormones and/or the endocrine system long term like this?

 

Also, I know it doesn't necessarily work this way, but in general, do you respond well to medications? I find I do and generally have never had major sides with any meds, whereas I've had friends who were always really sensitive to them--ie- seizures from anti-deps, nausea/vomiting/illness from pain meds, etc.

 

And to be fair, there are horror stories for lots of medications. A couple of years ago I was on Lexapro (anxiety/depression) for about 9 months before stopping. The only real side was I gained weight...a lot actually, about 30 pounds. It came off within a couple of months of stopping. Other than that, I was fine day to day, and only stopped because I didn't feel the meds helped. But there are forums of people who claim permanent cognitive problems, irreversible/long term brain issues, etc after merely a few days on the meds. There are similar stories about common antibiotics even.

 

The point being, I think maybe some people in general may just have a constitution more prone to adverse reactions to outside chemicals. I know this is an anecdotal opinion, and it would vary from med to med, but I think if your body is typically good at handling medicines, maybe you can take some comfort in that.

 

Any doctors or medical pros on here who want to debunk my above theory as utter nonsense, please feel free. My feelings on this are obviously anecdotal and I'd rather be proven wrong if I actually am.

 

Sorry for the mega-post!

 

I think you make an interesting point - some people definitely seem more sensitive to medication in general. Perhaps it's an anxiety/placebo thing, perhaps some people genuinely have much more delicate bodies and find messing with that equilibrium even mildly causes side effects.

 

I think you also make a good point about finasteride that puts a lot of people off - it's a lifelong drug. It's not something that's really worth taking for a year or even five or ten years (unless you are only looking for a temporary benefit, which is not the case for most men). The truth is it's a commitment for life, and I do sometimes worry that even if I didn't get side effects initially, how would I feel if I began to worry I was experiencing side effects 5 or 10+ years after starting the drug, perhaps after having a couple of hair transplants too?

 

It's a sensitive subject. I'm not a finasteride-basher, it's easily the best drug we have for hairloss and you possibly walk past men every day who are on the drug and doing just fine mentally and sexually. I understand the concerns of some men who feel hesitant about a major commitment to the drug though, and I hope one day in the not too distant future we have a better alternative for hairloss.

[BaronVonHairline]

 

The truth is it's a commitment for life, and I do sometimes worry that even if I didn't get side effects initially, how would I feel if I began to worry I was experiencing side effects 5 or 10+ years after starting the drug, perhaps after having a couple of hair transplants too?

 

 

Yeah, that's another thing. What if you take it, get some HT work, then decide down the line you want to get off prop for whatever reason? Then you've spent your donor supply on just the front or middle or wherever, and you're screwed.

 

I guess lots of guys use it hoping that it'll hold them over till that elusive 'cure' comes along, which always seems just a couple of years away, but if history is a lesson, is probably not really coming any time soon. I hope they prove my profoundly wrong any day now, but I remember when I went for my 1st HT consult like 12-13 years ago and the guy was like, "we think they're just a couple of years away from a cure now."

 

And here we are, a decade and change later, just a couple of years away.

[Rashid36]

If you got plenty of donor for the supply then you can get another ht if needed down the line but if not and you dont take fin then it would be much more risky...

[hopeisthebestthingihave]

I'm mind blown why individuals get Hair Transplants without trying fin for a few years to see if you get any side effects. IMO, individuals should be forced to take fin for 2 years before getting a hair transplant.

[BaronVonHairline]

I'm mind blown why individuals get Hair Transplants without trying fin for a few years to see if you get any side effects. IMO, individuals should be forced to take fin for 2 years before getting a hair transplant.

 

Well, though they may be rare, it's the potential for persistent sides after stopping fin that scares many away. There are horror stories out there.

 

And even if those don't occur, as mentioned in this thread, not everyone is comfortable with the idea of messing with hormones and the endocrine system for years or even decades. We really don't know what that might do over time. The body is extremely complex, and hindering a major hormonal process really might be a terrible idea. Or many men may never end up with issues from it. We don't know for sure. But I certainly don't find it 'mind blowing' that a certain % of guys are reluctant, or even plainly unwilling, to gamble with their bodies that way.

 

We don't have good studies of long term effects of these processes, so caution is understandable. Remember, there was a time when thousands and thousands of people smoked cigarettes because they were thought to be perfectly healthy. Seems pretty mind-blowing in retrospect.

[JON86]

Problem with this drug is that there are no long term studies done on what it does to you. I started taking it everyday had massive sides. Every person I know in person other than one has had really bad sides so the reports are bs. I cut the dose way down and have no sides but who knows what this is really doing to us? I have also posted many times that without taking meds a transplant for many is like throwing a bag of money in a fireplace. I still believe this but who knows what the cost is? My doctor warned me there are certain companies that sell the generic that should be avoided. The FDA in the United States is a joke. How many commercials do you see daily where lawyers are suing drug companies for screwing people up bad? All I know is when I was doing this drug daily I was in total tunnel vision. I drove 25 miles past where I needed to go and could not figure where I was at. I would maybe expect this while drinking or doing crack but a hair loss drug? This scared the hell out of me . I had blood work done drug was really taking a toll on my kidneys. Since I cut the dose no sides had another blood panel done and fine but who knows? It's a personal decision each person needs to make.

[BaronVonHairline]

Problem with this drug is that there are no long term studies done on what it does to you. I started taking it everyday had massive sides. Every person I know in person other than one has had really bad sides so the reports are bs. I cut the dose way down and have no sides but who knows what this is really doing to us? I have also posted many times that without taking meds a transplant for many is like throwing a bag of money in a fireplace. I still believe this but who knows what the cost is? My doctor warned me there are certain companies that sell the generic that should be avoided. The FDA in the United States is a joke. How many commercials do you see daily where lawyers are suing drug companies for screwing people up bad? All I know is when I was doing this drug daily I was in total tunnel vision. I drove 25 miles past where I needed to go and could not figure where I was at. I would maybe expect this while drinking or doing crack but a hair loss drug? This scared the hell out of me . I had blood work done drug was really taking a toll on my kidneys. Since I cut the dose no sides had another blood panel done and fine but who knows? It's a personal decision each person needs to make.

 

 

Just curious, if you don't mind sharing, what dose are you taking now? And I know you said you have no sides, but are you seeing discernible results in terms of hair maintenance or regrowth?

 

I've been considering trying fin, going daily for a few months to stop loss and hopefully get some new growth, and then cutting back to a partial dose, like 3 days a week, or something, and just seeing if there's a sweet spot where I can get good maintenance on minimum usage, coupled with other things such as certain shampoos, vitamins, et al

 

But I'm still uncertain, for all the reasons we've been discussing here with sides/long term/etc etc.

[Gatsu]

I decided to try it out. I started 5 days ago, 1mg generic fin every day.. Lets se how it goes .

[BaronVonHairline]

I decided to try it out. I started 5 days ago, 1mg generic fin every day.. Lets se how it goes .

 

Good luck! I'm still on the fence at the moment, but will admit I have moved from 'hell no' to 'ok, maybe' on fin. We'll see,

[JON86]

Just curious, if you don't mind sharing, what dose are you taking now? And I know you said you have no sides, but are you seeing discernible results in terms of hair maintenance or regrowth?

 

I've been considering trying fin, going daily for a few months to stop loss and hopefully get some new growth, and then cutting back to a partial dose, like 3 days a week, or something, and just seeing if there's a sweet spot where I can get good maintenance on minimum usage, coupled with other things such as certain shampoos, vitamins, et al

 

But I'm still uncertain, for all the reasons we've been discussing here with sides/long term/etc etc.

 

I originally was doing 1mg a day got sides so I quit. I cut the dose down to half .5mg 3 days a week let my body get use to it. I now take 1mg three days a week. My hair in the crown and vertex looks thicker and healthier than when I started.

[BaronVonHairline]

I originally was doing 1mg a day got sides so I quit. I cut the dose down to half .5mg 3 days a week let my body get use to it. I now take 1mg three days a week. My hair in the crown and vertex looks thicker and healthier than when I started.

 

Nicely done. Sounds like a good plan, and I'm glad to hear someone getting positive effects from a lower dosage.

[ontop]

I kinda agree that taking just 1mg every other day, should be sufficient enough & minimize sides.

for beginners I would say try & take say 1mg every 2 days & keep that dose for around 1yr then if its maintaining stick with that low dose.

if it don't maintain then up the dose to every other day.

 

I'm kinda thinking this 1mg a day is over kill & could be counterproductive also.

[Rashid36]

I kinda agree that taking just 1mg every other day, should be sufficient enough & minimize sides.

for beginners I would say try & take say 1mg every 2 days & keep that dose for around 1yr then if its maintaining stick with that low dose.

if it don't maintain then up the dose to every other day.

 

I'm kinda thinking this 1mg a day is over kill & could be counterproductive also.

 

 

I wonder how this 1mg is worked out for everyone as people are different?

 

I started 0.5mg then after about a month went upto 1mg for a few weeks but now i've gone back to 0.5mg for me i feel more comfortable with this and worry less about sides