Afraid to tell my girlfriend that I use finasteride

[Raymond92]

Hello, I would like to ask you what alternative methods are there to Finasteride that do not have side effects that would endanger my sex life.

So, I have been on Finasteride for six months, 1 mg three times a week. What I'm afraid of is always having to use a condom during intercourse, and how I'm going to tell my romantic partner that I'm on a drug like this, not to mention the risks if we want to have children.

I haven't noticed any side effects, my erection is fine.

In any case, I would prefer to switch to something that may not be as effective, but I don't have to stress about how I share this information with my romantic partner.

What are your views on this?

Edited September 14, 2021 by Raymond92

[Melvin- Admin]

If you ever want to conceive just stop taking it, I don’t see why it would be an issue with your partner, unless it’s giving you erectile dysfunction. Finasteride is the most effective medication. There’s topical finasteride and dutasteride, you might wanna give that a shot. 

[Raymond92]

Thank you @Melvin- Moderator

What I mean is that if I don't use a condom, there is a risk of getting pregnant. And I don't want to have every single act with a condom with my girlfriend.

And I also think about how a girl would feel about me being on such a drug. 

Does anyone here have any experience on how to tell such a thing?

My erection is fine, thank God. 

[Melvin- Admin]

3 minutes ago, Raymond92 said:

Thank you @Melvin- Moderator

What I mean is that if I don't use a condom, there is a risk of getting pregnant. And I don't want to have every single act with a condom with my girlfriend.

And I also think about how a girl would feel about me being on such a drug. 

Does anyone here have any experience on how to tell such a thing?

My erection is fine, thank God. 

What does using a condom have to do with finasteride? I’m genuinely confused. 

[Raymond92]

5 minutes ago, Melvin- Moderator said:

What does using a condom have to do with finasteride? I’m genuinely confused. 

I've read that if I'm on the drug, it changes my sperm, and if I accidentally get someone pregnant there's a chance that the baby will be born with a birth defect

[tot0101]

Can you remain on finasteride when trying to get your significant other pregnant? My dermatologist said you can. However, if she becomes pregnant then she cannot physically touch the pills. 

[Raymond92]

2 minutes ago, tot0101 said:

Can you remain on finasteride when trying to get your significant other pregnant? My dermatologist said you can. However, if she becomes pregnant then she cannot physically touch the pills. 

If I understand correctly, is it safe to get pregnant with finasteride in my body?Only after you stop taking it or physically remove it from the woman?

[JDEE0]

I agree with Melvin - the amount of misinformation around such a heavily researched and commonly prescribed drug on the internet astounds me. No offence to you OP, not having a dig at you, I just often wonder how it came to this point with peoples perceptions of fin. 

Number 1 - why are you afraid to tell whoever you're seeing that you're taking fin? I can understand not being comfortable enough to let someone essentially know that you have this insecurity around hair loss right away, but if you're getting anywhere near the point that having kids is potentially entering the picture, then it shouldn't be a big deal for her to know you take fin. Not that it's some big taboo issue in the first place...

Secondly, there is no risk. There is no real evidence that conceiving on finasteride causes any issues to the baby, but if you're planning on having one and you want to be extra cautious, then most people just stop until they get their partner pregnant, this is fine of course to do, but it's by no means necessary at all.

 

[Melvin- Admin]

7 minutes ago, Raymond92 said:

I've read that if I'm on the drug, it changes my sperm, and if I accidentally get someone pregnant there's a chance that the baby will be born with a birth defect

That is not true, it can only affect the baby if the pregnant mother ingests the medication. It doesn’t absorb through sperm.

[Raymond92]

@JDEE0 @Melvin- Moderator Thanks for the answers 

I understand, thank you for your reply. The medicine is effective, I can see the improvement. But anyway, it's really shocking how much information there is about it on the internet, perhaps a doctor's help is best in such cases. Now I am reassured that it has no effect on the baby through the sperm.

[JDEE0]

Just now, Raymond92 said:

@JDEE0 @Melvin- Moderator Thanks for the answers 

I understand, thank you for your reply. The medicine is effective, I can see the improvement. But anyway, it's really shocking how much information there is about it on the internet, perhaps a doctor's help is best in such cases. Now I am reassured that it has no effect on the baby through the sperm.

Yeah, it's always best to speak to a professional, ideally someone who has knowledge with the drug as your average GP probably doesn't know much of anything and will probably just refer back to their medical guide for information and be about as useful as us forum members who have looked at studies online. 

[Gatsby]

My main concern is that you are worried about your partner’s reaction to you being on a drug (be it for hair loss or otherwise). Any successful relationship should be based on values and open communication. If you don’t have this you have nothing. I’m just stating this not to have a dig at you at all. I’m stating this because I would want my girlfriend to feel that she can tell me anything. All the best.

[Raymond92]

1 minute ago, Gatsby said:

My main concern is that you are worried about your partner’s reaction to you being on a drug (be it for hair loss or otherwise). Any successful relationship should be based on values and open communication. If you don’t have this you have nothing. I’m just stating this not to have a dig at you at all. I’m stating this because I would want my girlfriend to feel that she can tell me anything. All the best.

You are right and thank you for your reply

[Britanium]

This is the place to get accurate/factual information regarding Fin. Good to see the above giving excellent advice 👌

[pkipling]

4 hours ago, Raymond92 said:

You are right and thank you for your reply

I'm impressed with your receptiveness to the responses here. I hope this leads to others not only being better informed about finasteride and its actual risks, but that it also increases healthy, open communication between you and your girlfriend. It's amazing how easy it is for all of us at various points to make things out to be bigger issues in our heads than they are in reality. I look back at how much shame and embarrassment I carried around about my own hair loss and subsequent hair transplant, and looking back, so much of the inner turmoil I experienced around it was self-induced. Once I started speaking openly and honestly about it, I was shocked and relieved to know that literally nobody cared the way I thought they would, and I was way more supported than I ever thought I would be.