Propecia Half Dose

[bob13]

this forum is to depressing.
too much bad info,
it's just too much. Time to move on.

What good is trying to do something for yourself just to hear
your gonna get cancer or ED.

Nah this is not for me.

[Glawre]

Man,
The examiner story is pretty damning. I may stop taking the medicine as this is not the first time I have heard this same information and from other articles.The facts are I do have side effects and everyone I know taking the medicine has side effects. Propecia is effective in restoring hair as I used it years ago. I thought half a dose may be the answer for me. Merck had listed the side effects in their original clinical study as less than 2% of men taking the medicine experienced side effects and most reported these went away. I noticed that the original Propicia/Merck website has been pulled down. This I am sure is because of pending legal action. Oh well, hair is over rated

[StressedToTheBald]

Man,
The examiner story is pretty damning. I may stop taking the medicine as this is not the first time I have heard this same information and from other articles.The facts are I do have side effects and everyone I know taking the medicine has side effects. Propecia is effective in restoring hair as I used it years ago. I thought half a dose may be the answer for me. Merck had listed the side effects in their original clinical study as less than 2% of men taking the medicine experienced side effects and most reported these went away. I noticed that the original Propicia/Merck website has been pulled down. This I am sure is because of pending legal action. Oh well, hair is over rated

It became official now. Its very serious and its backed by 2 top university studies, one from Boston, the other from Washington. Both are casting new light, fully exposing the hazards of propecia. Dr. Traish and Dr. Irwig are talking about permanent ED, cancer, depression, and percentages of side effects presented by Dr. Irwig are outstandingly higher than ones presented by Merck ! And they say its just top of the iceberg. With all these new findings, its a completely new legal situation.. lawyers are preparing for first class lawsuits.. damaged patients will be pressing charges all over the place.. the ultimate insult coming from Merck, they've shut down their own website and put a small notice in the bottom - saying all damaged should report their complaints to FDA.. so much of taking the blame ! they know once the news starts rolling, everyone will find out and not only that they'll loose money because no one will buy propecia ever again, but they'll also have to pay damages and settlements to all those people whose lives are ruined as a result of propecia.

[Glawre]

Ive been taking a half dose for 6 years , it works.

Question on the half dose you have been taking for 6 years. Have you seen a big difference? Has it been effective. What about side effects.

Thanks for the feedback.

Gary

[25 going on 65]

Man,
The examiner story is pretty damning. I may stop taking the medicine as this is not the first time I have heard this same information and from other articles.The facts are I do have side effects and everyone I know taking the medicine has side effects. Propecia is effective in restoring hair as I used it years ago. I thought half a dose may be the answer for me. Merck had listed the side effects in their original clinical study as less than 2% of men taking the medicine experienced side effects and most reported these went away. I noticed that the original Propicia/Merck website has been pulled down. This I am sure is because of pending legal action. Oh well, hair is over rated

The examiner story is nothing to worry about. Dr. Irwig conducted his "study" by ranking 71 members of propeciahelp.com on the Arizona Sexual Experience Scale. In fact Spencer Kobren covered that story a year ago.
There isn't currently scientific evidence that finasteride causes permanent impotence or anything of the sort. I generally would advise against reading pop media articles about hair loss treatments.
Also, there are lawsuits against all kinds of drugs on a regular basis. They mean nothing in themselves. You often see lawyers advertising on television about a particular kind of medicine; it's how some of them make a living.

The rate of side effects for finasteride is quite low (though I agree it may be higher than 2-3%), and those that come up often resolve on their own while continuing the medication. I have been on 1.25 mg for over a year and I'm fine.
If you experience side effects on this drug, you can try a lower dose (.5 mg is a fine place to start).
Finally, don't take StressedToTheBald seriously. He's the resident troll on The Bald Truth at the moment, and probably won't have his account for long.

Good luck.

[Glawre]

The examiner story is nothing to worry about. Dr. Irwig conducted his "study" by ranking 71 members of propeciahelp.com on the Arizona Sexual Experience Scale. In fact Spencer Kobren covered that story a year ago.
There isn't currently scientific evidence that finasteride causes permanent impotence or anything of the sort. I generally would advise against reading pop media articles about hair loss treatments.
Also, there are lawsuits against all kinds of drugs on a regular basis. They mean nothing in themselves. You often see lawyers advertising on television about a particular kind of medicine; it's how some of them make a living.

The rate of side effects for finasteride is quite low (though I agree it may be higher than 2-3%), and those that come up often resolve on their own while continuing the medication. I have been on 1.25 mg for over a year and I'm fine.
If you experience side effects on this drug, you can try a lower dose (.5 mg is a fine place to start).
Finally, don't take StressedToTheBald seriously. He's the resident troll on The Bald Truth at the moment, and probably won't have his account for long.

Good luck.

Thanks. I appreciate the feed back

[Glawre]

Thank you. I appreciate the feed back. How your results?

[25 going on 65]

Thank you. I appreciate the feed back. How your results?

You're welcome.
My results have been good. I was about a NW2 with quite a bit of diffuse thinning; I have maintained and improved my hair all over my head, and in the crown. My hairline and temples are holding but I have not seen any regrowth in those areas. (To my knowledge, it's near impossible to regrow temple hairs once they fall out, unfortunately.)
There are 2 or 3 spots that are still a bit thinner than I would like. We'll see if they improve in the next 6-8 months, but I get the feeling I'm near the peak of this drug's results.
I also use 2% ketoconazole shampoo, but not minoxidil.

[Glawre]

You're welcome.
My results have been good. I was about a NW2 with quite a bit of diffuse thinning; I have maintained and improved my hair all over my head, and in the crown. My hairline and temples are holding but I have not seen any regrowth in those areas. (To my knowledge, it's near impossible to regrow temple hairs once they fall out, unfortunately.)
There are 2 or 3 spots that are still a bit thinner than I would like. We'll see if they improve in the next 6-8 months, but I get the feeling I'm near the peak of this drug's results.
I also use 2% ketoconazole shampoo, but not minoxidil.

Thanks again. I hate to be personal but what about side effects?

[25 going on 65]

Within the first six months on the drug, I noticed a slight change in the texture of ejaculatory fluid. This has reverted over time, but I don't think it's 100% back to the way it was.
I'm not positive if it's from finasteride because I have very inconsistent, and often unhealthy, lifestyle choices (plus I am on a couple other medicines). I wouldn't be surprised if it was a mild fin side effect. If that's the case, though, it has been worth it to me.
It's also possible that I have less frequent morning erections, but I'm not sure about that one. (And the other medications I use can cause this as well.)

Otherwise, so far so good. I have a normal sex life and haven't seen any other changes.

[StressedToTheBald]

Half dose or not, propecia is hazardous.
It will very soon get banned officially or the risks and warnings will be upgraded to highest health hazard levels, in order to include all hidden risks - permanent erectile dysfunction, impotence, prostate cancer, depression, etc.

In the meantime, I see some doctors are becoming aware and say if they knew of these newly discovered hazards, they would never had prescribed it in the first place.

[2020]

half dose or not, propecia is hazardous.
It will very soon get banned officially or the risks and warnings will be upgraded to highest health hazard levels, in order to include all hidden risks - permanent erectile dysfunction, impotence, prostate cancer, depression, etc.

In the meantime, i see some doctors are becoming aware and say if they knew of these newly discovered hazards, they would never had prescribed it in the first place.

go away!!!

[25 going on 65]

Glawre,

Please do not worry about StressedToTheBald's fear mongering. He is way out of line; I have started reporting his spam posts on a regular basis.

Do feel free to ask any questions you come up with. I don't mind if they are personal.

[Winston]

Half dose or not, propecia is hazardous.
It will very soon get banned officially or the risks and warnings will be upgraded to highest health hazard levels, in order to include all hidden risks - permanent erectile dysfunction, impotence, prostate cancer, depression, etc.

In the meantime, I see some doctors are becoming aware and say if they knew of these newly discovered hazards, they would never had prescribed it in the first place.

This person is single most misguided person on the forum. I’m usually quite tolerant when it comes to people’s opinions, but I am starting to believe that he might be a well disguised spammer associated with one of the anti-Propecia agenda websites. He is not providing good advice to new members of the forum and I’m shocked that he does not understand that both Beta-Sitosterol and Saw Palmetto can cause loss of libido and impotence. Persistent sexual sides effects have been reported by men taking these herbs for Prostate enlargement. To promote these herbs and sterols as a safe alternative to Propecia, is not only irresponsible, but completely wrong. This is not a matter of opinion, it is a fact! Anything that lowers DHT can cause sexual dysfunction in some men and sexual side effects from these natural products have been reported for many years.

[NotBelievingIt]

It's also possible that I have less frequent morning erections, but I'm not sure about that one. (And the other medications I use can cause this as well.)

Everyone (well, obv not females ) has erections at night. Having them when you wake up is the same sleep cycle as remembering dreams. It all depends on when you wake up in the cycle.

Therefore it is also quite possible you are not sleeping as soundly and/or not waking up during or at the tail end of a REM sleep session.

...To promote these herbs and sterols as a safe alternative to Propecia irresponsible, but completely wrong.

Some people would prefer to put something from nature in their body that messes with hormones, rather then something made in the lab. S.P. is clearly a far less potent 5ar inhibiter then Finasteride - and it is that potentcy that is the cause of the effects and their "longevity", due entirely to each persons own sensitivity to lower 5ar conversions in their endocrine system. Its quite possible someone whose hair is sensitive to DHT, but not overly, is "over-dosing" with Finasteride and causing more problems the necessary by inhibiting that much DHT and 5AR. Is it necessary to decrease it by 70% for all cases? Sure thats the best hair result, but is it the best result for the total well being? *shrug*

Mercks ultimate failure is not following up on *why* side effects were seen in some men and not others. Of course, doing that with every drug would add millions to the cost of development, so they simply do not do it unless the sides are very serious - I mean life threatening serious.