Positive Propecia Effects

[chrisdav]

I thought it would be good to start a thread on this topic.

From my own personal experience, I have taken this drug for around 5-6 years now with great success and no side effects.

I am not disputing that there are cases where people have had bad experiences with the drug, but I do feel that the smaller number of these cases are unfairly overshadowing the success that has been experienced by the large majority of tens of millions of guys who take this drug worldwide.

It would be very good to hear from guys of all ages that take the drug, and whom have had positive response from it.

This can be in the form of regrowth of the native hair, signicantly reducing the rate at which the hair is lost, or halting it completely.

Any positive responders are welcome to comment. Any negative responders I can make a separate thread.

[Spex]

Finasteride has been without a doubt the secret to my personal success as it not only stopped further loss in the mid/crown region
but regrew and maintained significant hair in those regions. I wouldn't have the overall results i have today without it.

I have never experienced any side effects either and i have been on the
drug 1mg finateride in different forms ( Proscar cut up and now 1mg finpecia) for 13 years

I also fathered twins ( boy/girl) 5 years ago at first attempt and did not come off the drug at the time of conception.

Best
Spex

[d2001chen]

chrisdav
I am very interested i knowing the positive benefits members are having. The problem is people who benefit seldom share their experiences. I think it is a very good idea to start this tread.

[chrisis]

According to studies, 96% of people should suffer no side effects. The question is, how reliable is that figure? Do you trust it enough to promote the drug to another person who may suffer irreparable damage? Sounds like a lot to have on your conscience if it transpires you're wrong.

Claims that those who've had bad experiences "unfairly overshadow the success by a majority" can't be substantiated, especially by someone with no medical or scientific background. I mean, what exactly do you offer to back this up? Anecdotes? Gut feelings?

I say take the drug at your own risk and let people make an informed decision. You should at least be aware that drug companies lie to profit, and Propecia is a cash cow for Merck, generating $400m profit annually.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bad-Pharma-companies-mislead-patients/dp/0007350740

Doctors and patients need good scientific evidence to make informed decisions. But instead, companies run bad trials on their own drugs, which distort and exaggerate the benefits by design. When these trials produce unflattering results, the data is simply buried. All of this is perfectly legal. In fact, even government regulators withhold vitally important data from the people who need it most. Doctors and patient groups have stood by too, and failed to protect us. Instead, they take money and favours, in a world so fractured that medics and nurses are now educated by the drugs industry.

Patients are harmed in huge numbers.


Finally, the main issue is sexual dysfunction as a result of damage to the male endocrine system, not fertility. Even less relevant is fertility in terms of multiple births.

[chrisis]

Something novel for this thread. Facts.

"On September 30, 2004, Merck voluntarily withdrew rofecoxib from the market because of concerns about increased risk of heart attack and stroke associated with long-term, high-dosage use. Merck withdrew the drug after disclosures that it withheld information about rofecoxib's risks from doctors and patients for over five years, resulting in between 88,000 and 140,000 cases of serious heart disease.[2] Rofecoxib was one of the most widely used drugs ever to be withdrawn from the market. In the year before withdrawal, Merck had sales revenue of US$2.5 billion from Vioxx.[3] By the time it was discontinued in 2004, it had already caused an estimated 60,000 deaths worldwide."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rofecoxib

[Spex]

The problem is people who benefit seldom share their experiences.

I agree with you.

[chrisdav]

Chrisis,

I don't want to turn this into a debate.

I am simply asking of all the guys out there who do take finasteride to post up their positive experiences.

People need to make their own informed decisions on whether they decide to take the drug.

You can start a separate thead for what you have stated above if you like.

[chrisis]

There was a topic about positive Propecia stories in October....

Most people who posted were positive about Propecia. Does this need to be a bi-monthly circle-jerk?

There are plenty of positive stories about Propecia. The issue is that the number of men coming forward reporting side effects is not consistent with the numbers cited in studies. Rather than use this as an opportunity to question the validity and truth of the studies, we instead get this:

[chrisis]

I don't want to turn this into a debate.

Then you shouldn't have started with controversial statements.

I do feel that the smaller number of these cases are unfairly overshadowing the success that has been experienced by the large majority of tens of millions of guys who take this drug worldwide.

It is only right that people who disagree have the opportunity to respond.

[frankJ]

I've taken it, as Proscar since about 1995 or 1996. I've never had any problems that I'm aware of. I totally think the fear of sides are overblown. Reading these boards I've read a few post from panicking people who think they've done irreparable damage to they're sexual function after a single dose. This alone shows that the fear of finasteride sides is overblown.

It's true that the pharmaceutical companies are in the business to make money, but so are the attorneys who advertise to find people who claim to have sides from Propecia. The standards of evidence that the pharmaceutical companies have to provide to ensure the safety and efficacy of they're drug is far more substantial than what an attorney has to provide to win a judgement in a lawsuit.

[chrisdav]

I didn't know that thread existed.

Do you think the clinics that are recommended on here by Spencer Kobren whom prescribe finasteride to their patients would do so if they thought it was going to potentially harm a large proportion of them?

I think it would be nice to hear from the surgeons themselves.

[chrisis]

It's true that the pharmaceutical companies are in the business to make money, but so are the attorneys who advertise to find people who claim to have sides from Propecia. The standards of evidence that the pharmaceutical companies have to provide to ensure the safety and efficacy of they're drug is far more substantial than what an attorney has to provide to win a judgement in a lawsuit.

Did you really just ignore my post above about Rofecoxib?

Also, attorneys are getting on this fast. Drug sales are down, lawsuits are up. There is only one inevitable conclusion.

[chrisis]

Do you think the clinics that are recommended on here by Spencer Kobren whom prescribe finasteride to their patients would do so if they thought it was going to potentially harm a large proportion of them?

Even doctors with the best intentions rely on studies, but studies aren't always reliable especially when money is at stake; see Rofecoxib - one of Merck's drugs.

Propecia is acknowledged as one of the only tools against hair loss, but the reason it is so effective is because it modifies the male hormonal system, and in ways we do not fully understand. Therein lies the problem. It is a blunt tool for a cosmetic purpose, and the risks of side effects appear to be misrepresented. Chemotherapy is another blunt tool; pretty barbaric when you read up on it, but it is effective. In future it will be regarded a primitive option, but one of the few desperate available to us right now.

How desperate are you to keep your hair? We should all be free to roll the dice, but we deserve to know what odds we are up against.

[ChrisM]

To be completely fair here Chrisis has a right to his opinion as you do yours. And he is correct in that for every ten positive stories we get of Propecia reparing people's lives through restoring their hair miraculously we also hear horror stories about gyno and breast development and erectile dysfunction on a permanent or prolonged basis. In this way Propecia is like playing blackjack. The odds are there that you might gain back a lot of hair and maintain the hair you have and in some cases you might get back nothing for your efforts and in those others it jacks up your system and leaves you far worse that how you started.

I have taken it and I have lucked out so far over a 6 month period. Can I say the same year from now or five years ? Possibly..but I have my fingers crossed.

Now to answer your stated question my effect as been positive for six months since July and I have seen and felt hairs on my crown and vertex grow back from vellus to terminal hairs. It is not even and the scalp is showing through I am still an NW5 roughly but this gain was also attributed to Minoxidil and Nizoral acting in concert with Regenepure and Saw Palmetto at night time. I was surprised to see results so early.. and to be able to see my hariline for the first time in years having diffuse thinning on top of that.
It has been a delight to see my children notice my hair even as toddlers and I feel younger and vital as if additional hair is now rolling back my age. When I was bald people mistoook me as younger at least 32 years old as opposed to 41 years old. With the hair coming in that I am seeing filling in all over my crown and in my vertex it might push that back to 28-29 years old with a few grey and white hairs. My hope is that with my age the low testosterone and by conversion lower DHT will mean that the fight once won will shift back to my favor until something new comes along.

[frankJ]

Did you really just ignore my post above about Rofecoxib?

Also, attorneys are getting on this fast. Drug sales are down, lawsuits are up. There is only one inevitable conclusion.

O.K.
What's the inevitable conclusion?