Please help me, should I take Finasteride?

[El Nino]

You really need to ask yourself do you want to take medication for what could be 30-40 years. Would it be worth it long term for more hair or would it be better to plan something around having less hair. Pick up at least 10 books on the pharmaceutical industry and learn how studies are performed and some of what goes on. Once you have obtained that education than make a decision with the additional information you are now armed with and if it seems right than proceed.

Often times those that are taking medications will encourage others to do the same. They might be doing this without even consciously knowing it but people tend to form groups. So in order to be part of the group and for everyone to feel good about what they are doing they all need to be doing the same thing. So if your group drinks heavily, overeats, uses heroin whatever chances are they will unconsciously encourage you to do the same. This is why sometimes you have to drop long time friends or those that are not good for you in order to move forward unless of course you can think outside of the group while still being part of the group.

The point here is that the more people tell you to go ahead and take the medication the more likely you will and the more that tell you to use caution the more likely you will use caution. Really the best approach is to pick up those 10 books and find out for yourself.

Board member topcat made this extremely valuable post which I thought deserved it's own thread on the BTT.

I hope you don't mind me doing this TC.

[8868alex]

It's always a personal choice and that's how it should be. There is nothing wrong with people providing positive accounts of their experience on Propecia (or any drug for that matter) as it may provide a point of reference for those debating whether or not to obtain a prescription. The irony is that TC mentions inadvertent influence, yet the anti - drug stance here is fairly evident. Is this not a manifesto in itself? just food for thought.

I remain respectfully sceptical of such a declaration but don't deny the validity of the perspective. However, anyone who overly advocates OR condemns usage should equally be viewed with a jaundiced eye.

Of course, this is merely my opinion!

[8868alex]

And I would certainly be interested in reading these sources for posterity

[Pentarou]

There's no chance that people will be still taking finasteride in "30-40 years". Medical advances with MPB are unfortunately slow, but not THAT slow.

[drybone]

First of all, we need to frame this never ending debate that actually is not a debate at all.

We find out on forums like these that these meds are avail. We then ask other members what they think. We then make our own decisions to approach a doctor.

In the end, our doctor or dermatologist can give us an expert medical opinion. Most usually to discuss our hair loss and potential side effects.

Just like with any meds, there are always side effects. The side effects for Finasteride are usually very low . But some guys had a terrible time of it and they quit as soon as they realized it.

And I agree, 30 years from now Finasteride will be considered useless by the new medical standards.

Newer, safer forms of DUT or RU will emerge . Big hopes for Histogen as well.

[Pentarou]

I've never gotten the whole 'fin is for life' attitude. As if there won't be improvements in medicine eventually.

However, I do think people need telling straight. If you want to save your hair and hold off baldness, you need to take finasteride (or Dutasteride), simple as, end of.

[drybone]

I've never gotten the whole 'fin is for life' attitude. As if there won't be improvements in medicine eventually.

However, I do think people need telling straight. If you want to save your hair and hold off baldness, you need to take finasteride (or Dutasteride), simple as, end of.

I wish I had started it at 25 but it wasnt even approved until I was 32 and at that age I was still able to style my hair in a way that hid any hair loss.

Only by age 42 was I then unable to deny noticeable hair loss in the front.

I wish Fin or DUT was avail when I had most of my thick hair.

[25 going on 65]

I have generally found topcat to be a very legit poster, I appreciate him participating on BTT.

Anyway I agree with the guys saying today's oral DHT inhibs will be unnecessary in 30-40 years. However I personally am 100% willing to take dutasteride for the rest of my life, if for some reason I needed to to keep my hair. I made the same decision about fin when I started it almost 3 years ago
I understand there will probably be consequences if I do this....it is a value judgment that people need to make for themselves.

[drybone]

I have generally found topcat to be a very legit poster, I appreciate him participating on BTT.

Anyway I agree with the guys saying today's oral DHT inhibs will be unnecessary in 30-40 years. However I personally am 100% willing to take dutasteride for the rest of my life, if for some reason I needed to to keep my hair. I made the same decision about fin when I started it almost 3 years ago
I understand there will probably be consequences if I do this....it is a value judgment that people need to make for themselves.

What kind of sides have you experienced on the DUT?

[25 going on 65]

What kind of sides have you experienced on the DUT?

Not really any sides at 3+ months. I felt like my sex drive increased a bit....could just be psychological or a coincidence.
I tolerated fin just fine so I did not expect to have problems on dut

[El Nino]

Thanks for your all your opinions guys.

I take it all of you are currently ingesting either Finasteride, Dutasteride or both.

It seems you have formed a nice little group to reassure yourselves that what you are doing is ok.

If you are happy taking it then there is no need to justify your decision to anyone, just keep on popping those pills.

Good luck.

[drybone]

Thanks for your all your opinions guys.

I take it all of you are currently ingesting either Finasteride, Dutasteride or both.

It seems you have formed a nice little group to reassure yourselves that what you are doing is ok.

If you are happy taking it then there is no need to justify your decision to anyone, just keep on popping those pills.

Good luck.

If you had side effects then by all means tell us your story. I dont , nor anyone should begrudge your experience.

However, that being said, this isnt some competition to 'win' nor to have the right to brainwash others.

What we cant have is someone coming along and telling others that Fin is simply great no matter what and there can be no side effects and you will regrow all your hair back to rival what you had at 18.

And we cannot have guys coming on here telling us all that Finasteride will cause our dick to 'fall off' , . Zero chance of ever fathering children, our sex drive will go to crap, our dongs will shrink at least 3 inches, our hormones are permanently trashed blah blah.........

Just tell your own personal experience. Dont make blanket statements for everyone else. If an actual PHD doctor comes on here, then let them make their expert opinion.

[El Nino]

If you had side effects then by all means tell us your story. I dont , nor anyone should begrudge your experience.

However, that being said, this isnt some competition to 'win' nor to have the right to brainwash others.

What we cant have is someone coming along and telling others that Fin is simply great no matter what and there can be no side effects and you will regrow all your hair back to rival what you had at 18.

And we cannot have guys coming on here telling us all that Finasteride will cause our dick to 'fall off' , . Zero chance of ever fathering children, our sex drive will go to crap, our dongs will shrink at least 3 inches, our hormones are permanently trashed blah blah.........

Just tell your own personal experience. Dont make blanket statements for everyone else. If an actual PHD doctor comes on here, then let them make their expert opinion.

Correction, you don't have any side effects that you are aware of yet, at this precise moment in time.

Like I said earlier, you don't have to justify your decision to anyone, just keep on popping.

During my five years on Finasteride I never made one post trying to justify my decision on the internet.

If you were happy taking it then you wouldn't be trying to debate with me now.

[El Nino]

who said that?..

[Zao]

I'm not here to justify my Propecia use, I just think that people should be made aware of both the positive and the negatives. I've been on it for almost 14 years and it has literally changed my life. I've had no negative side effects and at this point, I feel the benefits outweighed the risks associated with taking it. I guess it's possible that I will feel differently if find out it was the cause of some illness, but then again poor eating habits or just plain genetics can get you sick too.