My Finasteride Story so far...

[stan]

I had a brief stint with 0.25mg fin ED a few years back. It went fine for a week or two, then the sides hit me. No erections, and I think I can relate to the shrinking issue as well. I had an injury at the time, completely unrelated, but I was able to blame my issues off to that towards my sexual partner. She didn't make a big deal out of it, but was kind of baffled anyways. I played it cool but in my head I was pretty concerned. It took a while for my erections to return after I quit, I learned my lesson and swore to never touch that stuff again! I remember asking my first derm for Propecia, and he refused, saying he would have no part in chemically castrating a young man over a few strands of hair. He was more right than I could comprehend at the time..

sorry it didnt work for u, try topical AA maybe?

[Desmond84]

Hey guys, I'll try and keep an eye on this section of the forum from now on Feel free to post any questions you have.

As far as the burning sensation in your urethra goes, it's a common adverse effect I experienced as well. It's related to finasteride shrinking the prostate. As prostate is in direct contact with your urethra, its shrinkage leads to release of inflammatory cytokine that makes the penis quite sensitive specially when you are passing urine. However, finasteride can only shrink the prostate to a limited size; your prostate then maintains this size and the sides subside. This generally takes 6-12 months. For me, the burning sensation continued for the first 6-7 months. After 6 months it slowly subsided and 12 months later it did not happen ever again.

With regards to dose, I'm taking 0.25mg TWICE A WEEK on Monday & Thursday. I've been on this dose for 2 years now and have maintained my hair at baseline with no more adverse events to report.

It's definitely worth while to try and micro-dose as I did if you're struggling with sides.

We just need to hang in there and maintain the hair we have till CB-03-01 comes to market.

Cheers guys

[stan]

Hey guys, I'll try and keep an eye on this section of the forum from now on Feel free to post any questions you have.

As far as the burning sensation in your urethra goes, it's a common adverse effect I experienced as well. It's related to finasteride shrinking the prostate. As prostate is in direct contact with your urethra, its shrinkage leads to release of inflammatory cytokine that makes the penis quite sensitive specially when you are passing urine. However, finasteride can only shrink the prostate to a limited size; your prostate then maintains this size and the sides subside. This generally takes 6-12 months. For me, the burning sensation continued for the first 6-7 months. After 6 months it slowly subsided and 12 months later it did not happen ever again.

With regards to dose, I'm taking 0.25mg TWICE A WEEK on Monday & Thursday. I've been on this dose for 2 years now and have maintained my hair at baseline with no more adverse events to report.

It's definitely worth while to try and micro-dose as I did if you're struggling with sides.

We just need to hang in there and maintain the hair we have till CB-03-01 comes to market.

Cheers guys

Des i love you, no homo lol. Thanks man. i think i ll wait, its much better than the initial month though . btw can you plz elaborate why cb is being touted so much? i mean there are no studies, anecdotal report or at least some before after photos. Thanks!!

[Desmond84]

Hahahaha thanks man

CB-03-01 is an androgen-receptor blocker. The beauty of it is, it's only active locally where you put it. Once it enters the bloodstream, it breaks down to inactive metabolites and is rapidly excreted, hence no sides. So pretty much, it blocks DHT binding to androgen receptors on our DP cells and sebaceous glands thereby preventing miniturisation.

Cosmo pharmaceuticals did conduct a study and it proved to be more powerful than all our anti-androgens and finasteride! Albeit it was in a small group of patients and they used ionopheresis which will not be possible for a commercial product. Nevertheless, it proved extremely potent and its mode of action is quite sound, hence the big following it gets.

Cheers my man

[Swooping]

Hahahaha thanks man

CB-03-01 is an androgen-receptor blocker. The beauty of it is, it's only active locally where you put it. Once it enters the bloodstream, it breaks down to inactive metabolites and is rapidly excreted, hence no sides. So pretty much, it blocks DHT binding to androgen receptors on our DP cells and sebaceous glands thereby preventing miniturisation.

Cosmo pharmaceuticals did conduct a study and it proved to be more powerful than all our anti-androgens and finasteride! Albeit it was in a small group of patients and they used ionopheresis which will not be possible for a commercial product. Nevertheless, it proved extremely potent and its mode of action is quite sound, hence the big following it gets.

Cheers my man

Wrong Desmond, RU58841 favours a stronger binding to the AR than CB-03-01 . Albeit not much, it does. I checked into ic50 values too, anyways here a quick summary;

CB-03-01 is approximately as active as cyproterone acetate (CAS 427-51-0)

When compared with the antiandrogenic compound cyproterone acetate, PSK-3841 (RU58841) exhibited a 20% increase in androgen receptor binding.

CB-03-01 won't be any better than dutasteride or RU58841 really in terms of effectiveness. The thing what is good about it is the devoid of systematic side effects (theoretically at least). Prevention is the best thing to do with androgenetic alopecia and it will be a good option for everyone cause all the other treatments do carry a side effect risk.

[stan]

Thanks!! any other study done by researchers other than cosmo? btw i was wondering do you know whether testoterone is directly involved in MPB?(apart form its conversion to DHT)

[stan]

[QUOTE=Desmond84;178070

As far as the burning sensation in your urethra goes, it's a common adverse effect I experienced as well. It's related to finasteride shrinking the prostate. As prostate is in direct contact with your urethra, its shrinkage leads to release of inflammatory cytokine that makes the penis quite sensitive specially when you are passing urine. However, finasteride can only shrink the prostate to a limited size; your prostate then maintains this size and the sides subside. This generally takes 6-12 months. For me, the burning sensation continued for the first 6-7 months. After 6 months it slowly subsided and 12 months later it did not happen ever again.




[/QUOTE]
Hey Des! Can you link me the original source where you read this, not that i dont believe you but i am on another forum and a few other people have asked the same question. it would be really nice. Thanks man!

btw can we do anything so that this sides fades more quickly. Thanks again .

[MancBoy]

Hi Desmond,

I saw this thread and have began taking Fin (0.25mg twice a week). I don't get sides except for the final day of the second break period (being a three day break) do you think this is because my DHT is rising back on that day?? I was thinking move to every 3 days??

My other query is did you see any temple regrowth?? I wish I'd started earlier but if I can regrow lost hair that would be great. I'm currently NW2 (moving quickly to 3) so any regrowth would be amazing!!

Thanks (my hope is to stick with this until CB 03 01)

[OrdinaryUser]

So taking Fin at such low doses, and optionally alternating days which to take it, can yield comparable results to one that takes 1mg every day? I know it's impossible to answer this as there's no clinical data out there for it, but what's the general efficacy for people on here that take lower doses? Do they merely maintain or are there some that experience some regrowth?

[Thinn]

Hey Desmond,

Thanks for this thread! I put off fin for a while, fearing side effects, but I'm now thinning pretty heavily and I knew if I didn't start soon I might as well get Andre Agassi's barber's info. I tried once a few months ago at 0.5mg MWF, and still got some sides. In desperation, I started again a few weeks ago with the same dosage, but I think the sides (predictably) are back again, along with a pretty heavy shed starting. I guess my body is just really sensitive to DHT levels.

I'm going to try the 0.25mg 2X per week, as honestly, I can't put up with the sides (or the shed) at a higher dose and this is my last ditch effort. I'll keep you posted on how it goes, just wanted to say thanks for the informative thread.

Hey guys, I'll try and keep an eye on this section of the forum from now on Feel free to post any questions you have.

As far as the burning sensation in your urethra goes, it's a common adverse effect I experienced as well. It's related to finasteride shrinking the prostate. As prostate is in direct contact with your urethra, its shrinkage leads to release of inflammatory cytokine that makes the penis quite sensitive specially when you are passing urine. However, finasteride can only shrink the prostate to a limited size; your prostate then maintains this size and the sides subside. This generally takes 6-12 months. For me, the burning sensation continued for the first 6-7 months. After 6 months it slowly subsided and 12 months later it did not happen ever again.

With regards to dose, I'm taking 0.25mg TWICE A WEEK on Monday & Thursday. I've been on this dose for 2 years now and have maintained my hair at baseline with no more adverse events to report.

It's definitely worth while to try and micro-dose as I did if you're struggling with sides.

We just need to hang in there and maintain the hair we have till CB-03-01 comes to market.

Cheers guys

[stan]

Hey Desmond,

Thanks for this thread! I put off fin for a while, fearing side effects, but I'm now thinning pretty heavily and I knew if I didn't start soon I might as well get Andre Agassi's barber's info. I tried once a few months ago at 0.5mg MWF, and still got some sides. In desperation, I started again a few weeks ago with the same dosage, but I think the sides (predictably) are back again, along with a pretty heavy shed starting. I guess my body is just really sensitive to DHT levels.

I'm going to try the 0.25mg 2X per week, as honestly, I can't put up with the sides (or the shed) at a higher dose and this is my last ditch effort. I'll keep you posted on how it goes, just wanted to say thanks for the informative thread.

Hi
what sides do you get?

[Thinn]

I got a few -

Libido definitely dropped.

I noticed that my penis is smaller and harder in a relaxed state.

It takes me longer to become aroused, and i've even had trouble finishing during sex.

No random erections in the morning or throughout the day.

Luckily I haven't noticed any gynecomastia or 'brain fog'.

[mpb47]

I went on .25 in July and got off Mid - late April due to libido drop and also being tired. I did not notice any issues till then and honestly not sure it was the cause. Tiredness is gone but libido is still low but better.

Have not noticed any dramatic shedding, but do notice hair in crown feels/looks thinner so my mpb is probably starting up again. If/when libido returns may try again, not sure at this point.

[Desmond84]

Hi Desmond,

I saw this thread and have began taking Fin (0.25mg twice a week). I don't get sides except for the final day of the second break period (being a three day break) do you think this is because my DHT is rising back on that day?? I was thinking move to every 3 days??

My other query is did you see any temple regrowth?? I wish I'd started earlier but if I can regrow lost hair that would be great. I'm currently NW2 (moving quickly to 3) so any regrowth would be amazing!!

Thanks (my hope is to stick with this until CB 03 01)

Wow, good on you. Wishing you some amazing hair brother

Yeah I used to get that too. Your body will reach steady state over the next few months and all these sides will be gone. I tried to overcome in the first few months by taking it exactly every 3.5 days. So I would take one on Monday morning and one on Thursday night. I found it a lot more tolerating this way.

As for regrowth, I probably reversed my hair loss to 6 months prior to starting fin. I had mostly lost hair in the temple region (the rest of my scalp was pretty thick) and a lot of it started growing back just about the 12 month mark and regrowth continued up to the 18th month. I plateued at the 18 month mark and have remained that way since. I've now been on fin for 26 months at very low doses and have no more sides to complain about.

I think taking lower doses may have given results a little bit later (12-18 months post-treatment) rather than sooner (6-8 months). Overall though, you can expect a similar outcome with either doses. Your body will probably tolerate the lower doses better.

Hope that helps. And keep me posted on how ur doing

[Desmond84]

So taking Fin at such low doses, and optionally alternating days which to take it, can yield comparable results to one that takes 1mg every day? I know it's impossible to answer this as there's no clinical data out there for it, but what's the general efficacy for people on here that take lower doses? Do they merely maintain or are there some that experience some regrowth?

Hi,

When I was trying to convince myself to take Finasteride, I came across the Phase 2 trial papers conducted by Merck back in the 90s. This was probably the most interesting study I had come across and TWO very important things stood out.

1) After a single dose of Finasteride, the plasma DHT levels plummeted for 3 days and then slowly started to rise again, reaching original levels after about 7 days. (This was the first sign that daily dosing is probably unnecessary and overkill. Merck was probably shilling with the dosing to sell more pills and jack up the prices)

2) Both plasma and scalp DHT levels were lowered by about the same amount at any dose above 0.1mg! This was really surprising and made me wonder if Merck just picked an arbitrary number (1mg) and decided to go with it.

Based on these data I chose the doses that I did and luckily for the last 26 months, Fin has completely halted my hairloss and provided some noticeable regrowth in the temple region...at minute doses I should add. So it definitely works and the reason why Merck never went for it is up for another lengthy discussion

These charts from their "Dose-range finding study" speaks a thousand words. Prepare to get your mind blown!