Did my doctor screw me over?

[salvation]

I went to see my doctor this week and we talked about my hair loss concerns.

(I actually went in 2 years when I had early signs of hairloss but had another doctor see me as my doctor was away on maternity leave, the doctor said "I don't see anything here, and essentially shrugged me away.)

So during the appointment this week She said the only thing was Rogaine.

Then I said I would like to try finasteride, so she looks it up on her phone and says "oh hey, you taught me something new today" and started to read about it...

So she wrote me a script for 1mg for 3 months. (is this long enough?)

I requested a Testosterone and DHT test but she said those tests don't have any meaning, basically saying that no matter what your results are it has nothing to do with your health etc.

I said that's fine but the DHT is what causes the hairloss and I would love to get that checked and she shut me down for that.

Soooooo....

Should I talk to someone else?
Is she right about the testosterone tests?

PS. I'm 30 and live in Canada.

Would really appreciate some help here as I'm not getting any from my doctors.

[Dan26]

Hey man,

I think it's a good idea to get some baseline hormone tests done. For a couple reasons.

1) Months down the road you can retest and see if fin is doing its job.
2) If you were ever to suffer adverse sides, having baselines is helpful for a doctor devising a treatment plan for you.

I'm in Canada aswell, and had my DHT tested before and after while on fin and dut. The results made no sense, so I did some digging.

Apparently some labs use a methodology for DHT testing that is inaccurate. Basically they use the same assay for DHT as they do for other steroid hormones like Testosterone, but DHT concentrations in the blood are way smaller than Testosterone concentrations so the sensitvity/error will give you inaccurate readings for DHT, but accurate readings for Test.

In my case, DHT results I got made no sense, but my Testosterone did rise slightly which seems right. Either way I wouldn't read to much into the tests unless you go to an endo/urologist and they know what they're doing and order the proper tests for you.

And apparently DHT is a specialized test and hard to get in a lot of countries (also expensive), yet here in Canada it was only $40 which does not seem right.

DHT does not dissolve well in water (and blood) so most DHT circulates in the blood as a sulfate or glucuronide metabolite (DHT-g).

So that would be the best test to get (DHT-g), and would probably only be ordered for you if you had prostate issues.

Still worth a try to get the DHT tests from your GP/derm, but I wouldn't read into them to heavily.

Cheers bro.

[Buster]

So she wrote me a script for 1mg for 3 months. (is this long enough?)

I'm in Canada too. My doctor started me off on 3 months as well, it's just to see if you wish to continue after 3 months is up, and then you'd have to go back to see them to get an additional prescription. The last time I saw my doc I asked him for the 5mg instead of the 1mg, you split it into fourths or fifths and it's so much cheaper. He also gave enough to last about 9 months.

[burtandernie]

I hope if we ever see a new topical that we can buy it OTC without having to see a doctor for it. I realize your probably going to see a doc once in a while anyways, but I dont like being tied into going to one just to get refills on something like propecia

[Tortoise]

Generally speaking, I would expect far fewer female doctors to know much about specific male health issues, as well as male hair loss and the treatment options. I saw a female doctor last week who had no clue and eventually said that she didn't want to prescribe anything because she had no experience and wasn't prepared to take the risk. I respected that.

As far as tests... I've heard it's not a bad idea to get a PSA test as a baseline before starting fin or dut, and then PSA tests every year or more (depending on your age), because fin and dut can mask symptoms of prostate cancer and the chance of prostate cancer generally increases as men grow older. I've also been told it is a good idea to get a blood test to check liver functioning each year if you're on fin and dut.

[goldbondmafia]

Dan26,

Are you in Ontario? I did a DHT test in early Jan and it cost me $80 for whatever reason. Still waiting to see if my insurance will cover it or not...

[Notcoolanymore]

I think it is sad that you had to tell your Derm about fin. 3 months isn't enough of a prescription. When I got my prescription it was for a year, which is plenty of time to see if it is working or not.

[salvation]

so does this mean with a 1mg script I can't get the 5mg proscar and cut it in 5?

if not what do I have to get in canada, propecia?

[Dan26]

Dan26,

Are you in Ontario? I did a DHT test in early Jan and it cost me $80 for whatever reason. Still waiting to see if my insurance will cover it or not...

Yes bro Im in Toronto. It cost me $40 and pretty damn sure it aint covered by my insurance, i never looked into it, but I don't see why insurance would cover bloodtests, usually you have to rely on OHIP for that and anything not covered you pay out of pocket. Let me know though if your insurance ends up covering it.

Also, what was the lab that did your test? I believe the main ones are gamma, CMS and LifeLabs, so it probably depends on which lab.

I did gamma which was $40, but pretty damn sure they use an inaccurate methodology and I may try and get it done at another lab. First I'm gonna call and ask them what method they use.

Btw let me know your result man I'm very interested to see what it is!

[Tortoise]

I wouldn't trust a doctor that gave me a script for a whole year on any medication I had never taken before. They'd have to be pretty dodgy to do that. At least after 3 months you can go back and discuss how well you're tolerating the medication.

[PatientlyWaiting]

It sounds like the same experience I have had every time with primary physicians and dermatologist. MPB is really not a concern for doctors, it seems like that's something they are not trained for. In med school or where ever they went to school, the professor probably had a 3 minute chat about hair loss and said okay that's it, on to the next topic. That is how it feels.

[Notcoolanymore]

I wouldn't trust a doctor that gave me a script for a whole year on any medication I had never taken before. They'd have to be pretty dodgy to do that. At least after 3 months you can go back and discuss how well you're tolerating the medication.

I see your point. Maybe he didn't have concerns about the drug? Maybe he was relying on it's 20 year history of safe use? Maybe he just thought I had common sense and would stop taking the drug and give him a call if I did get sides? I don't know about anybody else but I don't care what the drug is or how long I am prescribed to take it, but if anything goes wrong I am on the phone asap to ask questions.

Either way I still see your point, but according to some guys they have gotten sides within a week. So 3 months might actually be a long time to wait before going back and asking questions.

[goldbondmafia]

Yes bro Im in Toronto. It cost me $40 and pretty damn sure it aint covered by my insurance, i never looked into it, but I don't see why insurance would cover bloodtests, usually you have to rely on OHIP for that and anything not covered you pay out of pocket. Let me know though if your insurance ends up covering it.

Also, what was the lab that did your test? I believe the main ones are gamma, CMS and LifeLabs, so it probably depends on which lab.

I did gamma which was $40, but pretty damn sure they use an inaccurate methodology and I may try and get it done at another lab. First I'm gonna call and ask them what method they use.

Btw let me know your result man I'm very interested to see what it is!

Same with me. I did mine at lifelabs at Finch and Bathurst and it was $80 WTF. I remember you told me before yours always cost $40 I don't get how mine is so much more expensive. Im going to call my doctor tomorrow to try and set something up hopefully my results are back very soon and ill let you know. I wonder if ill have lowered DHT since my first test which I did 6 weeks after starting fin!

[Dan26]

Same with me. I did mine at lifelabs at Finch and Bathurst and it was $80 WTF. I remember you told me before yours always cost $40 I don't get how mine is so much more expensive. Im going to call my doctor tomorrow to try and set something up hopefully my results are back very soon and ill let you know. I wonder if ill have lowered DHT since my first test which I did 6 weeks after starting fin!

ahahh no way man, that lab is 2 seconds from me but i went to the one in my derms office instead, and its a gamma lab...

it could be $80 because that lab does the test properly, gamma uses a test method which is inaccruate for DHT.

im actaully gonna call lifelabs and try and find out which test method they use for DHT, and if its the correct one ill probably get another DHT test done and do it there