When should you start dutasteride?

[mafpe]

Dutasteride seems to be a solution when finasteride isn't cutting it, and rather than upping the finasterude doaage, it seems that many would instead advocate to using dutasteride.

I want to ask the members here what they think about it, and when and if someone should switch to DUT from fin, and what to expect, such as risk and possible shedding.

(I'm on topical fin at the moment if that matters)

[NARMAK]

12 minutes ago, mafpe said:

Dutasteride seems to be a solution when finasteride isn't cutting it, and rather than upping the finasterude doaage, it seems that many would instead advocate to using dutasteride.

I want to ask the members here what they think about it, and when and if someone should switch to DUT from fin, and what to expect, such as risk and possible shedding.

(I'm on topical fin at the moment if that matters)

Dutasteride only user here. Completely skipped over Finasteride as a starting point.

I do think anybody trying to take Dutasteride probably should use a loading protocol of 2-3x a week, see how they get on and then increase in order to help level the body out and adjust to the 90% or so body serum DHT reduction they'll end up with when they're eventually on 0.5mg everyday. I personally went to max dosage off the bat, it wasn't probably the most advisable thing and i did preserve on it to push through sides until i levelled out maybe within 3-4 months. 

Overall though, my reasons were if DHT is the main cause, i wanted to be as aggressive as possible trying to save my hair that might be borderline and also stop from slipping ground for as long as possible from then on. 

DHT blocked by Finasteride can be solid but if you can tolerate and afford it for yourself and want to be even more aggressive in DHT blocking, then Dutasteride is the next logical step. It's definitely not for everybody and particularly in oral form if you having issues with Finasteride, it will likely be worse. So maybe you can try topical but for me, oral versions are easier to adhere to. 

[LookMaxx]

I used 0.2-0.5mg finasteride every other day for two years, near the end of 2 years I would take it after 3 or 4 days ( twice a week ) because I didn’t care or would forget. Maintained hairs well and had thickening as well. I am quite surprised people say fin doesn’t work when I took it so low dose and infrequent and my hairloss is aggressive yet it worked, I lost so much hair in just 40+ days that I am fin free.

I don’t consider dutasteride an option. No way. Maybe topically but there has to be large scale double blinded placebo controlled randomised proper trials that show dutasteride doesn’t get absorbed into bloodstream at all.

 

 

 

[mafpe]

3 hours ago, NARMAK said:

Dutasteride only user here. Completely skipped over Finasteride as a starting point.

I do think anybody trying to take Dutasteride probably should use a loading protocol of 2-3x a week, see how they get on and then increase in order to help level the body out and adjust to the 90% or so body serum DHT reduction they'll end up with when they're eventually on 0.5mg everyday. I personally went to max dosage off the bat, it wasn't probably the most advisable thing and i did preserve on it to push through sides until i levelled out maybe within 3-4 months. 

Overall though, my reasons were if DHT is the main cause, i wanted to be as aggressive as possible trying to save my hair that might be borderline and also stop from slipping ground for as long as possible from then on. 

DHT blocked by Finasteride can be solid but if you can tolerate and afford it for yourself and want to be even more aggressive in DHT blocking, then Dutasteride is the next logical step. It's definitely not for everybody and particularly in oral form if you having issues with Finasteride, it will likely be worse. So maybe you can try topical but for me, oral versions are easier to adhere to. 

i see... the simplest way to think of DUT is like fin on steroid then. to be honest, i don't know how much side i am experiencing, i don't have a problem with the usual side effect, as in i am capable of doing things and don't think it affects me much. but as i am getting older over time, i am worried that it might trouble me in the future. what do you suggest? should i give DUT a try, or perhaps only if i see significant loss which means fin doesn't work anymore? i used the topical since i'd like to minimize the side effect as much as i can, but there isn't any topical dut sold here.

1 hour ago, LookMaxx said:

I used 0.2-0.5mg finasteride every other day for two years, near the end of 2 years I would take it after 3 or 4 days ( twice a week ) because I didn’t care or would forget. Maintained hairs well and had thickening as well. I am quite surprised people say fin doesn’t work when I took it so low dose and infrequent and my hairloss is aggressive yet it worked, I lost so much hair in just 40+ days that I am fin free.

I don’t consider dutasteride an option. No way. Maybe topically but there has to be large scale double blinded placebo controlled randomised proper trials that show dutasteride doesn’t get absorbed into bloodstream at all.

yeah man, i think one of the reason i lost abit more ground before this is because there was probably around 2 years which i am off the meds. but at that time, my age is still pretty young so the thinning/  loss isn't immediately noticeable.

topical studies in DUT does give so many different result, with the theory that the molecule size wouldn't let it get into the system, but other studies showing that the blood content is affected meaning it does go systemic. i suppose DUT is fairly new compared to fin and the fear of higher side probability puts off many people.

mixed feeling on these sides tbh, one of the reason we want hair is the sexual or general appeal since mostly we'd be more desirable, but at the same time, crippling our sexual function is pretty much counterproductive, and would be depressing and stressful, at the same level of getting bald.

[NARMAK]

4 hours ago, mafpe said:

i see... the simplest way to think of DUT is like fin on steroid then. to be honest, i don't know how much side i am experiencing, i don't have a problem with the usual side effect, as in i am capable of doing things and don't think it affects me much. but as i am getting older over time, i am worried that it might trouble me in the future. what do you suggest? should i give DUT a try, or perhaps only if i see significant loss which means fin doesn't work anymore? i used the topical since i'd like to minimize the side effect as much as i can, but there isn't any topical dut sold here.

yeah man, i think one of the reason i lost abit more ground before this is because there was probably around 2 years which i am off the meds. but at that time, my age is still pretty young so the thinning/  loss isn't immediately noticeable.

topical studies in DUT does give so many different result, with the theory that the molecule size wouldn't let it get into the system, but other studies showing that the blood content is affected meaning it does go systemic. i suppose DUT is fairly new compared to fin and the fear of higher side probability puts off many people.

mixed feeling on these sides tbh, one of the reason we want hair is the sexual or general appeal since mostly we'd be more desirable, but at the same time, crippling our sexual function is pretty much counterproductive, and would be depressing and stressful, at the same level of getting bald.

Personally i feel like if you can tolerate it and are losing ground  switching over makes sense. Again  it's about yourself as an individual and the tolerance you have to the medication imo. 

Also, i strongly feel that by the time most guys realise there's been a bit of lost ground, it's already a little late to save some hair which is why i've guess decided to be more aggressive with the treatment from the word go. Personally i feel like my body levelled out. 

As you get older, stress and age related issues affect you but imo too many people place them at the door of Finasteride rather than their own lifestyle changes and/or external situations. It has become a bit of a scapegoat 

Personally i am happy to continue using Dutasteride but i do think obviously if there was another treatment that did the same thing or better, i would have preferred to use that instead because i actually do appreciate the function of DHT. I'm just as a stage personally though where i'm willing to tolerate the sides for keeping my hair. I don't think there's any issues beyond the norm that would affect me performing "there" at my age either. 

[mafpe]

33 minutes ago, NARMAK said:

Personally i feel like if you can tolerate it and are losing ground  switching over makes sense. Again  it's about yourself as an individual and the tolerance you have to the medication imo. 

Also, i strongly feel that by the time most guys realise there's been a bit of lost ground, it's already a little late to save some hair which is why i've guess decided to be more aggressive with the treatment from the word go. Personally i feel like my body levelled out. 

As you get older, stress and age related issues affect you but imo too many people place them at the door of Finasteride rather than their own lifestyle changes and/or external situations. It has become a bit of a scapegoat 

Personally i am happy to continue using Dutasteride but i do think obviously if there was another treatment that did the same thing or better, i would have preferred to use that instead because i actually do appreciate the function of DHT. I'm just as a stage personally though where i'm willing to tolerate the sides for keeping my hair. I don't think there's any issues beyond the norm that would affect me performing "there" at my age either. 

i've lost ground when i was under heavy stress, in which the only thing that came back from it were baby hairs... which effectively mean that they are lost already. as of now, it's a bit hard to know wheter i have lost anymore, especially since i've just undergone an HT.

in my case, i don't blame finasteride, just that it did contribute to it, due to the... aching thing and i have no idea about the erection, since for my case it's mostly my own bodily function and mentality which dictates them. i remember still having morning wood despite taking the meds when i first started. like you said, it's more likely that it's due to other things as well that makes the side apparent aside from some very sensitive people who respond very harshly to the med.

i suppose i might change only when i keep losing ground, and i still have healthy sexual function, since otherwise switching would exacerbate my sexual health.

in a game like term, i'd think of the issue as 'little brother' have 100 HP in total, and when he has less than 65 hp, he cannot function well 😂, maybe ED yada yada .
once we get older, our body and lil bro gets weaker, which reduce it's max hp, and when we are under stress and life debuff, we lose some more HP.
consider the meds as a -10 hp when it's in effect, so basically you're fine with the meds as long as you're healthy, but once you hit less than 75 hp, the meds will cause a failure on 'lil brother' health check, leading to a failing performace.

[NARMAK]

46 minutes ago, mafpe said:

i've lost ground when i was under heavy stress, in which the only thing that came back from it were baby hairs... which effectively mean that they are lost already. as of now, it's a bit hard to know wheter i have lost anymore, especially since i've just undergone an HT.

in my case, i don't blame finasteride, just that it did contribute to it, due to the... aching thing and i have no idea about the erection, since for my case it's mostly my own bodily function and mentality which dictates them. i remember still having morning wood despite taking the meds when i first started. like you said, it's more likely that it's due to other things as well that makes the side apparent aside from some very sensitive people who respond very harshly to the med.

i suppose i might change only when i keep losing ground, and i still have healthy sexual function, since otherwise switching would exacerbate my sexual health.

in a game like term, i'd think of the issue as 'little brother' have 100 HP in total, and when he has less than 65 hp, he cannot function well 😂, maybe ED yada yada .
once we get older, our body and lil bro gets weaker, which reduce it's max hp, and when we are under stress and life debuff, we lose some more HP.
consider the meds as a -10 hp when it's in effect, so basically you're fine with the meds as long as you're healthy, but once you hit less than 75 hp, the meds will cause a failure on 'lil brother' health check, leading to a failing performace.

I love the RPG analogy to HP and potions lol

Honestly, it's all individual and some people feel perhaps like myself we run fine with 90% tanked body DHT. Could it run better with our DHT and we would be happy to do so? Of course! But there's no viable alternative treatments and that's why i always say sides people can tolerate that are acceptable to them. 

I know for a fact if i started losing my hair a lot more, that's going to cause a different stress and anxiety than had i been on medication and kept hair. So it's a challenge and people have a choice to make. Shave it off and go with the bald look or systems or get on medication, keep what you have and try for a HT. 

Personally the latter is more appealing to me as a current (well  prior Norwood 2) who got a HT and needs to wait for the 12th month results to see where i shake out but it wouldn't be far to say it looks Norwood 1 now or even in some eyes, they might say juvenile. 

[LookMaxx]

7 hours ago, mafpe said:

mixed feeling on these sides tbh, one of the reason we want hair is the sexual or general appeal since mostly we'd be more desirable, but at the same time, crippling our sexual function is pretty much counterproductive, and would be depressing and stressful, at the same level of getting bald.

That’s exactly it. You get the girl but if you can’t do much with that, what’s the point 😂