Clarifications about Finasteride - Your opinions/expert advice?

[Ramez]

Hello everyone,

 

This is my first post here but I'm a regular visitor to this forum. I am 25 and considering starting Finasteride to maintain my native hairs. However, I have some questions that I would really appreciate if any forum member/expert/doctor can reply to:

 

1- How is it possible that Finasteride causes side effects for some people and doesn't for others? I mean it is doing the same hormonal function (lowering DHT ...) on both types of these people. So how come one is affected and the other is not? Is there any explanation to that?

 

2- I know this sounds stupid, but as a young man, it is very important for me. Let's say I take Finasteride. I know it may lead to ED, but can this also lead at a later stage to me not being able to have kids? (infertility)

 

3- For those who took Fin. and experienced sides to the extent that they had to stop, are you back to normal (similar to before you started this medication on a sexual, physical level etc...)

 

4- How do I cut the Propecia tablets and where do I store them? (since I might want to start with a low dosage)

 

Apologies for the questions and if they may sound a bit silly. Would love to hear what you have to say.

 

Thank you in advance.

Edited October 28, 2016 by Ramez

[baldbeard]

Hi ramez in brief

1. how your body metabolizes drugs is unique to you it will affect certain receptors more in some than others therefore may have more side effects in some than others.

2. from the latest research its been reported in a small number of cases, and for those affected it can lasted for several weeks after stopping it too. dose not mention it being permanent though , but some users have apparently reported it . Its a difficult one to call as sex is very much in the mind , so if you stress about ed or performance then the fact that your stressing over it can cause it ..

3. only been on fin 3 weeks no sides yet

4.amazon sell a pill cutter with built in storage , works great for me .

hope this helps

bb

[Ramez]

Hi ramez in brief

1. how your body metabolizes drugs is unique to you it will affect certain receptors more in some than others therefore may have more side effects in some than others.

2. from the latest research its been reported in a small number of cases, and for those affected it can lasted for several weeks after stopping it too. dose not mention it being permanent though , but some users have apparently reported it . Its a difficult one to call as sex is very much in the mind , so if you stress about ed or performance then the fact that your stressing over it can cause it ..

3. only been on fin 3 weeks no sides yet

4.amazon sell a pill cutter with built in storage , works great for me .

hope this helps

bb

 

Thanks for the help baldbeard!

 

Anyone else who can give their opinion/experience?

[Bill - Seemiller]

Good questions and I understand your concern. There's really not an easy way to explain why some people experience side effects and other people don't. But ultimately, it comes down to body chemistry and physiology and how we react to certain medications. What's also just as bizarre is that finasteride helps to maintain hair in most people but some exceptional few experience significant amounts of regrowth, what lucky individuals. For me, I've concluded that it just didn't work for me. It didn't do anything. I actually thought it was working to help maintain my existing hair for years until I decided to stop using it all together. Let's just say that I'm not a real huge fan of taking any medication long-term. That's a personal choice, not because I had any side effects. That said, years later and I haven't lost any additional hair. Thank God but, I guess I used finasteride thinking that it would have helped, however, it did nothing for me.

 

So other than providing the answer that body chemistry and physiology is what causes some to react different than other, perhaps a physician or a chemist can answer more specifically.

 

Best wishes,

 

Bill

[Ramez]

Good questions and I understand your concern. There's really not an easy way to explain why some people experience side effects and other people don't. But ultimately, it comes down to body chemistry and physiology and how we react to certain medications. What's also just as bizarre is that finasteride helps to maintain hair in most people but some exceptional few experience significant amounts of regrowth, what lucky individuals. For me, I've concluded that it just didn't work for me. It didn't do anything. I actually thought it was working to help maintain my existing hair for years until I decided to stop using it all together. Let's just say that I'm not a real huge fan of taking any medication long-term. That's a personal choice, not because I had any side effects. That said, years later and I haven't lost any additional hair. Thank God but, I guess I used finasteride thinking that it would have helped, however, it did nothing for me.

 

So other than providing the answer that body chemistry and physiology is what causes some to react different than other, perhaps a physician or a chemist can answer more specifically.

 

Best wishes,

 

Bill

 

Thanks for the feedback Bill. So I understand that while you were on Finasteride, you did not experience any side effects?

[Melvin- Admin]

I took proscar when I was 21 years old, I didn't know about the drug one of my best friends who had gotten an HT just gave me it because I was noticing my hairline receding. I experienced side effects.

 

I just want to reiterate that I was not aware of the side effects I didn't even bother to look it up, needless to say I went to the dr because of the side effects and he asked me what medications I was taking and I told him proscar 1.25 mg, he gave me the list of side effects and told me stop taking it, I returned to normal it took a few months, I state that I wasn't aware because many guys dismiss side effects as "nocebo" which is when you trick yourself in to believing you have side effects, this may be true with a small portion of men, but side effects are indeed very real.

 

Why some men experience side effects and others don't? I think it depends on your DHT levels in your body, let's say you have low/normal levels of DHT then you suppress that essential hormone even further, you will undoubtedly experience side effects, no body ever has their DHT levels checked which I think they should if they're going to take a drug that suppresses that hormone, you want to make sure you stay within healthy normal ranges, if I was taking finasteride I would regularly get blood work to check my T levels DHT levels and estrogen levels. If one hormone is off then your bodies balance is off and that I believe causes side effects. Why some men never return to normal is a mystery, I really wish they would research that further, I think it's Mercks obligation to research and perhaps find out the mechanism as to why that happens.

[Over-Rated]

Why some men experience side effects and others don't? I think it depends on your DHT levels in your body, let's say you have low/normal levels of DHT then you suppress that essential hormone even further, you will undoubtedly experience side effects, no body ever has their DHT levels checked which I think they should if they're going to take a drug that suppresses that hormone, you want to make sure you stay within healthy normal ranges, if I was taking finasteride I would regularly get blood work to check my T levels DHT levels and estrogen levels. If one hormone is off then your bodies balance is off and that I believe causes side effects. Why some men never return to normal is a mystery, I really wish they would research that further, I think it's Mercks obligation to research and perhaps find out the mechanism as to why that happens.

 

With all due respect, I don't think it matters what your DHT levels or T levels were at, previous to beginning finasteride treatment.

 

I know this guy, 27 yr old bodybuilder who uses healthy doses of Testosterone injected as well. He is huge, 6ft2 230lbs, etc. High T levels and everything. Within 4 weeks of using fin @ 1mg/day, he was unable to get a normal erection. To this day he must use PGE1 injected into his penis for adequate sex with his partner. Nothing else works.

 

Fin seems to be more of a russian roulette than a calculated risk by getting before/after bloodtests... in his case, it did absolutely no good.

[Rashid36]

Well it's been about 5 months i been on fin 0.5mg it's not simple to tell if any sides are connected to fin as i have had low labido due to life events.

 

I have seen alot more improvement to my hair when i added fin with min, will post some pic soon.

 

Regarding tests i wonder which ones should be done ?

 

It would have to be over some time to see if and how much by the levels have changed.

 

Also i read the dose is 1mg everyday but then i read 0.5mg would only stay in your body for a few hours, so how is it worked out?