How long before results?

[Lovely]

Hello Dr. Redmond,
I am currently taking Ocella (Yasmen 28) three months on,4 days off since January 2007. Since April 2007, I also take Spiro 100 mg per day (I did take 200 mg at first but dropped just a month ago to 100 because my heart began to hurt 20 or so minutes after taking) and as of September this year, I am also taking 2.5 mg of Finasteride. The beginning results of just taking the pill for three months straight did not improve my hair loss. When I did include the Spiro in April, within 60 days i did notice a great improvement; less hair falling out and some areas were less dense. Then around June my hair began to shed so quickly I thought the Spiro had something to do with it and I stopped for a month. I began to take the Spiro again in July and then added the Finasteride in September. My hair in the front is terrible. You can see my scalp and my crown. I am not sure if I should continue or? I will keep taking the Ocella since it has helped greatly with my PMS. Dr. Redmond, how long should I continue with all three medications if so far my hair seems worse? I was incouraged in April when my hair began to grow back but then to be devastated a few months later with a overwhelming shed.
Thanks for your time

[Geoffrey Redmond, MD, FACE]

Originally Posted by Lovely

Hello Dr. Redmond,
I am currently taking Ocella (Yasmen 28) three months on,4 days off since January 2007. Since April 2007, I also take Spiro 100 mg per day (I did take 200 mg at first but dropped just a month ago to 100 because my heart began to hurt 20 or so minutes after taking) and as of September this year, I am also taking 2.5 mg of Finasteride. The beginning results of just taking the pill for three months straight did not improve my hair loss. When I did include the Spiro in April, within 60 days i did notice a great improvement; less hair falling out and some areas were less dense. Then around June my hair began to shed so quickly I thought the Spiro had something to do with it and I stopped for a month. I began to take the Spiro again in July and then added the Finasteride in September. My hair in the front is terrible. You can see my scalp and my crown. I am not sure if I should continue or? I will keep taking the Ocella since it has helped greatly with my PMS. Dr. Redmond, how long should I continue with all three medications if so far my hair seems worse? I was incouraged in April when my hair began to grow back but then to be devastated a few months later with a overwhelming shed.
Thanks for your time

Hair changes slowly -- that's why we do not need haircuts every day. In general, if treatment will be effective it takes 2 to 4 months to see slowing of shedding and generally 9 mos or longer to begin to see regrowth. It is important to realize that if shedding slows down to normal and hair is not thinning progressively, this is a good response and one should stay with it, assuming there are not significant side effects. If things are not better by 4 mos, changes in treatment should be considered.