Medical advice for terminating hairloss medication

[unk]

Hello. My name is James, i'm 23, from the UK. I'm a 6'0 Gemini, I enjoy long walks on the beach, and clear night skies. I graduated in biomedicine, and I am currently a strength and conditioning coach.

I've taken the big 3 for 18 months, with some but limited success. The year before starting medication my hair was falling out constantly. I lost I would say over 50% of my hair before I even knew what had happened. Looking back at photos, it was definitely incredibly aggressive, and I've no doubts at all I would be almost entirely bald had I not taken medication, or if I stop taking them now. Right now however I would guess that a majority wouldn't think twice about my shady looking hair, just that I certainly don't posses the hair or hairline of a Greek Adonis. That's fine by me, just enough hair to avoid judgement and shameful looks.

I am bound to medication daily, in fear of losing attractiveness. In fear of being crestfallen like I have a disease. In hope that I could hold on long enough for "the" treatment of hair loss.

They say that when the pro's no longer outweigh the con's, it's time for change. Well maybe I made that up, but it makes sense doesn't it. This is hair we are talking about. Some day I want to have libido for my wife. If you offered me a beautiful woman for thine own pleasure right now, I would condition that as long as she doesn't keep me up late, and gets herself home. I am a gentleman really, it's the finasteride talking. I swear.

For the record, I have no psychological conditions. I am fit and healthy, and have a vested interest in sport and medicine, perhaps more informed on bias than the average hair loss sufferer. I don't think you can tell me that 21 was an age at which you would expect my libido to go down anyway. I've always experienced side effects on the medication. They started when I started. They reversed when I stopped. They started again when I re-started.

This isn't about my experience on medication, or your differing experiences to mine. If you would, my question to you fellows, other than your welcomed general opinions on the matter, is:
Obviously tapering off very slowly is less risky than cold turkey. Any recommendations or anecdotes?

Thanks!

[BigThinker]

I think that if you get off the meds and lose your hair, you'll still enjoy a long, happy life.

Are your sides perfectly subtle as to be endurable, but just mildly bothersome? That's sort of the vibe I'm getting from your post.

[Aames]

Who in the hell cares about libido? If you can get it up, it doesn't really matter. If anything, you should be thankful that you are free from your biological urges and you can pursue other activities like admiring your hair/physique, playing video games, buying clothing, walking your dog, lifting things, etc.

[drybone]

I am going for one more transplant, but after that, swallowing down 1/4 of a freaking dot sized pill per day with my multi vitamin is virtually the same as not taking any medication at all.

For me its a no brainer. Its not like we have to go for chemo treatment every week or dialysis or have some kind of spinal tap.

I have not noticed any side effects in the slightest. Only a slight shed on the top of my head.

[unk]

I just learnt how to multi-quote hahaha, oh boy.

I think that if you get off the meds and lose your hair, you'll still enjoy a long, happy life.

Are your sides perfectly subtle as to be endurable, but just mildly bothersome? That's sort of the vibe I'm getting from your post.

Thanks man!

Being single, low libido is endurable, but it's not sustainable for ever. I foresaw a transplant x years down the line, and that would involve finasteride still, and future partners would come, and perhaps go, all whilst I have a poor libido.

Like I told you before, the testicle pain doesn't seem to happen any more, so the libido is the only issue.

I strongly suspect my dark circles around my eyes is a result of minoxidil, but I won't go on a limb and say that it is. During this process i've had some insomnia, and a food sensitivity test informed me I have moderate a intolerance to wheat, cow's milk, eggs, legumes - something I have not sorted out and could be affecting my health and appearance. I should mention for you guys, that i've taken nutrition courses, and the books that i've read on it, suggest that almost every one is likely to have some intolerance to one or more of: cow's milk, wheat, eggs, corn, peanuts or another legume. These grains and processed foods occurred in a minuscule amount of time in our evolution, but comprise 70% of our current diet. Sounds like quackery, but you would be surprised.

The side effects are just part of the shackles. I am yearning for emancipation. A life where I don't give a damn about my hair, where I don't have to apply minoxidil once my hair has dried from a morning shower. Wait for it to absorb for one hour, then apply dermmatch. Then wait for that to try, towel paint all over my towel, then hide my minoxidil and towel in a cupboard for tomorrow. A shaved head is rather cold though, surprisingly so in fact. That and being a bald man are the obvious downsides.

Who in the hell cares about libido? If you can get it up, it doesn't really matter. If anything, you should be thankful that you are free from your biological urges and you can pursue other activities like admiring your hair/physique, playing video games, buying clothing, walking your dog, lifting things, etc.

I can get it up, and keep it up. It is however more of a self-induced process. I choose to maintain the pipes once maybe twice a week, rather than because I want to or should be. I've said plenty of times before that low libido doesn't bother me, and that it's pretty cool not to get spontaneous erections in a swimming pool, or around girl friends when they sit too close. but like I mentioned above in terms of sustainability, is it realistic for my life? Will I get 5,10,20 years down the line and think "why the f**k did I wreck my natural compass, potentially my hormones - my adrenals, potential relationships, all because I cared too much about my hair? Obviously if you ask people on this very forum, we are here because we care about losing our hair. That's not necessarily the norm, and the measures and lengths we would go to are certainly not the norm. I don't think this is something I should have to expose myself to.

I am going for one more transplant, but after that, swallowing down 1/4 of a freaking dot sized pill per day with my multi vitamin is virtually the same as not taking any medication at all.

For me its a no brainer. Its not like we have to go for chemo treatment every week or dialysis or have some kind of spinal tap.

I have not noticed any side effects in the slightest. Only a slight shed on the top of my head.

I agree, it's no trouble for me to take my multi, fish oils, finasteride. That's good man, I can see exactly where you're coming from, without side-effects it is a no-brainer.


On reflection, if I am truly willing to stop all medication, I should be willing to taper myself off minoxidil (because I hate it), and owe it to myself to investigate more than i've done before with lower, and more intermittent dosing. Perhaps I could be like drybone, if I were able to keep taking finasteride somehow but restore my libido due to a lower/infrequent dose.

[itsmyhairs]

Stop taking fin, keep using minox (which has no bad side systemic side effects).

Ignore Aames, he trolls these forums all the time telling guys they should castrate themselves to maintain their hair.

[drybone]

Stop taking fin, keep using minox (which has no bad side systemic side effects).

Ignore Aames, he trolls these forums all the time telling guys they should castrate themselves to maintain their hair.

Normally I would agree , but only if the symptoms fit it.

In this case he obviously hates his minoxidil. I would suggest dumping that.

As for the fin, he has some sides but I would try cutting down 1/2 the dosage and see if the sides disappear .

[unk]

Stop taking fin, keep using minox (which has no bad side systemic side effects).

Ignore Aames, he trolls these forums all the time telling guys they should castrate themselves to maintain their hair.

Yeah, not sure the jury is out on that one. Though it is definitely an option.

Normally I would agree , but only if the symptoms fit it.

In this case he obviously hates his minoxidil. I would suggest dumping that.

As for the fin, he has some sides but I would try cutting down 1/2 the dosage and see if the sides disappear .

Exactly. Minoxidil definitely has the inconvenience factor that finasteride doesn't. Though on that note, it is surprising how often you have to announce that you are taking finasteride for hair loss. In the past week I joined a new gym, got some immunisations, got some health insurance, some travel insurance. All of which I was a little embarrassed to have to mention it for contraindication/liability purposes.

The past 2-3 months was the first time I cut the dose of minox from twice daily to once daily. Now sometimes it's daily or every other day, depending on convenience. So i'll stick with that lowering regime, and finasteride too.

[Aames]

Stop taking fin, keep using minox (which has no bad side systemic side effects).

Ignore Aames, he trolls these forums all the time telling guys they should castrate themselves to maintain their hair.

When have I ever even mentioned castration as a potential treatment?

[baldozer]

When have I ever even mentioned castration as a potential treatment?

Castration would be better than taking finasteride I guess, less side effects.

[Aames]

Castration would be better than taking finasteride I guess, less side effects.

Hilarious. I shouldn't even be saying this because I know some moron will read into it like I support castration but, testosterone injections allow castrated males to perform sexually. You can't have kids, obviously, but you could castrate yourself to save hair and then just inject test when you wanted to have sex. The tiny spike in DHT a few times a week wouldn't make you bald, I don't think. But, ultimately, it's stupid since you wouldn't be able to build muscle or anything and life would probably suck without test most of the time.

[baldozer]

Hilarious. I shouldn't even be saying this because I know some moron will read into it like I support castration but, testosterone injections allow castrated males to perform sexually. You can't have kids, obviously, but you could castrate yourself to save hair and then just inject test when you wanted to have sex. The tiny spike in DHT a few times a week wouldn't make you bald, I don't think. But, ultimately, it's stupid since you wouldn't be able to build muscle or anything and life would probably suck without test most of the time.

You may even have kids by getting your sperms frozen before castrating yourself and then use the invitro fertilization method for producing a baby