Quitting Propecia after ten years... need help.

[drybone]

Do NOT quit this drug suddenly after that long of usage. My experience was that after almost 14 years, I quit (because of the new warnings and studies) and after about 8 weeks things got really bad and have continued now for 1 1/2 years. I believe that when you have lowered your DHT levels for that long, when you stop the medicine your androgen receptors are overwhelmed and killed/silenced by the massive flood of DHT. This of course is just my theory but what I have experienced is fact and I wish I had not stopped the drug suddenly. I am even considering going back on it in an effort to restore my health until something is found out about how to treat this syndrome. My body has systemically reacted as if I have no testosterone, yet when I raise my testosterone I get even sicker!!!

After consulting with your doctor, would it not be prudent to do what is done with most other drugs?

If you used fin for 14 years , without side effects to boot, then maybe you should 'ween' yourself off it instead of going straight cold turkey.

Perhaps half dose for 3 months then another half dose of that for 3 more months. Let your body adjust. Its like anything else. If you take any medication for 14 years your body will adjust to it and you will need to taper off it.

I hope everything goes well for you.

[drybone]

To Tur kand Have Hope:

Have either of you seen a doctor about your sexual side effects? It seems odd that you would go so many years on finasteride and only start seeing side effects recently, unless it's from some kind of cumulative effect.

Its even stranger that they both have few posts and all of sudden both show up to worry about the same issue for the same length of time.

After 10 years of use lol...............It just dawns on you NOW? And you come to an internet forum seeking help ? Not a doctor ?

After 10 years you know nothing about this product you have been ingesting for a decade???????

lol

I just cant take it anymore. Its a gong show.

[blakes33]

Hi guys...

The sides were always there, usually just a softer erection and less vitality. Lately, it's been worse. I've been off for a week and a half, and I'll let you know the degree to which my libido returns. I don't believe the sexual sides were the only effects. Like I said, I was on it for 10 years, and was always torn about it. I need to let my body recover, and hope for the best.

Thanks for the info about Saw Palmetto. I'm still not sure I should try it. if ANYONE has any additional suggestions, please let me know.

As for minox. I had major shedding the first month, but haven't had a problem since. Been about two years. Does it work? Who knows.

Sean

Do NOT quit this drug suddenly after that long of usage. My experience was that after almost 14 years, I quit (because of the new warnings and studies) and after about 8 weeks things got really bad and have continued now for 1 1/2 years. I believe that when you have lowered your DHT levels for that long, when you stop the medicine your androgen receptors are overwhelmed and killed/silenced by the massive flood of DHT. This of course is just my theory but what I have experienced is fact and I wish I had not stopped the drug suddenly. I am even considering going back on it in an effort to restore my health until something is found out about how to treat this syndrome. My body has systemically reacted as if I have no testosterone, yet when I raise my testosterone I get even sicker!!!

[GuyFromUK]

There is a big discussion on it in the Cutting Edge / Future Treatments section of this forum.

It still a very new product but it seems like people are doing well on it. If people continue to post good results on it over the next year then I am going to consider coming off fin and trying it instead.

[mpb47]

Have you read the thread in the "Cutting Edge" section of the forum on a new product called Keratene Alphactive Retard?

It claims to be able to reduce DHT without any side effects by working in a different way to propecia.

I was initially skeptical of this product at first but there have been some small studies showing it does reduce DHT, and a few people who have just started using it are claiming initial results from it without any sides.

It does also seem to be backed up by a bit of science and is approved by a variety of hair transplant doctors.

If you are definitely quitting propecia then I would give this product a go. You have nothing to lose and it might help you keep your hair.

Does it really have no sides & actually works? This sounds too good to be true.

[Soxfaninfl]

Hi guys... I haven't been on here in awhile. I'm quitting Propecia after ten years. The sexual sides are too much and I'm worried about long-term damage. I even went down to half a pill per day, but the side effects persist.

While Propecia didn't totally eliminate my loss, I definitely feel it slowed it down. I'm 34, and freaked out about the loss increasing rapidly now that I'm quitting. I use Nizoral and Rogaine as well. Anyone have any "damage control" reccommendations for me, while I detox from Propercia.

Sincerely...

Have you always had the sexual side effects or have they come on these past few years? What side effects are you having?

[GuyFromUK]

Keratene Alphactive Retard and Saw Palmetto aren't the same.

Saw Palmetto doesn't work for hair loss.

Keratnee Alphactive Retard apparently reduces DHT, works for hair loss, and doesn't have the same sides as Fin

[akai]

I've read that Saw Palmetto reduces both forms of DHT. Even if it does reduce enough DHT to help with hairloss wouldn't it have the similar side effects as some people have with finasteride? "Natural" doesn't always mean safer unfortunately.

[GuyFromUK]

Have you read the thread in the "Cutting Edge" section of the forum on a new product called Keratene Alphactive Retard?

It claims to be able to reduce DHT without any side effects by working in a different way to propecia.

I was initially skeptical of this product at first but there have been some small studies showing it does reduce DHT, and a few people who have just started using it are claiming initial results from it without any sides.

It does also seem to be backed up by a bit of science and is approved by a variety of hair transplant doctors.

If you are definitely quitting propecia then I would give this product a go. You have nothing to lose and it might help you keep your hair.

[mpb47]

Hi guys... I haven't been on here in awhile. I'm quitting Propecia after ten years. The sexual sides are too much and I'm worried about long-term damage. I even went down to half a pill per day, but the side effects persist.

While Propecia didn't totally eliminate my loss, I definitely feel it slowed it down. I'm 34, and freaked out about the loss increasing rapidly now that I'm quitting. I use Nizoral and Rogaine as well. Anyone have any "damage control" reccommendations for me, while I detox from Propercia.

Sincerely...

Make sure you stay on Rogaine- you may see lots of shedding but make sure you keep on it.

I was on propecia for about 4 years and the shedding started about 6 months maybe a little less after I got off of it. The shedding was severe and I thought I was done for...but I stayed on minox and hoped for the best.
My crown spot doubled in size, maybe a bit more but after about a year things stabilized and it started getting smaller again. Eventually I got back maybe 50% or so that propecia had given me.

Minox alone is certainly better than nothing. Over time you will most likely lose ground as I have, but it will mostly be a very gradual thing.

[Turk Durmac]

I was taking saw palmetto in tea form and to be fair I didn't notice any significant improvement. Toi be fair, it wasn't high doses nor long period of time.

I am now on beta sitosterol 480mg daily which is said to be 1000 times stronger than saw palmetto. Also I plan to include ganoderma lucidum with beta sitosterol.

While I am at all cost avoiding propecia, I am trying to find alternative replacement. Can't say if it will work, but in the months to come my bet & testing will be on beta sitosterol + ganoderma lucidum.

Study on beta sitosterol:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12006122?dopt=Abstract

Study on ganoderma lucidum:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16462054

http://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/bpb/29/2/392/_pdf

This is interesting. can anyone else comment on it? I'm willing to try.

[Turk Durmac]

Hi guys...

The sides were always there, usually just a softer erection and less vitality. Lately, it's been worse. I've been off for a week and a half, and I'll let you know the degree to which my libido returns. I don't believe the sexual sides were the only effects. Like I said, I was on it for 10 years, and was always torn about it. I need to let my body recover, and hope for the best.

Thanks for the info about Saw Palmetto. I'm still not sure I should try it. if ANYONE has any additional suggestions, please let me know.

As for minox. I had major shedding the first month, but haven't had a problem since. Been about two years. Does it work? Who knows.

Sean

[StressedToTheBald]

Does anyone out there get benefits from Saw Palmetto?

I was taking saw palmetto in tea form and to be fair I didn't notice any significant improvement. Toi be fair, it wasn't high doses nor long period of time.

I am now on beta sitosterol 480mg daily which is said to be 1000 times stronger than saw palmetto. Also I plan to include ganoderma lucidum with beta sitosterol.

While I am at all cost avoiding propecia, I am trying to find alternative replacement. Can't say if it will work, but in the months to come my bet & testing will be on beta sitosterol + ganoderma lucidum.

Study on beta sitosterol:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12006122?dopt=Abstract

Study on ganoderma lucidum:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16462054

http://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/bpb/29/2/392/_pdf

[blakes33]

Hi guys... I haven't been on here in awhile. I'm quitting Propecia after ten years. The sexual sides are too much and I'm worried about long-term damage. I even went down to half a pill per day, but the side effects persist.

While Propecia didn't totally eliminate my loss, I definitely feel it slowed it down. I'm 34, and freaked out about the loss increasing rapidly now that I'm quitting. I use Nizoral and Rogaine as well. Anyone have any "damage control" reccommendations for me, while I detox from Propercia.

Sincerely...

Turk - did you have side effects all along (to some degree at least) or only recently? It does seem to be the case that the guys who are having permanent irreversible damage have problems early on. Are your sexual side-effects brand new? What are they?

[25 going on 65]

To Tur kand Have Hope:

Have either of you seen a doctor about your sexual side effects? It seems odd that you would go so many years on finasteride and only start seeing side effects recently, unless it's from some kind of cumulative effect.