Fin users - How did you get past your fear?

[Superstar]

This is for Fin users. How did you get over your fears of side effects, life long commitment, etc to start taking it?

I've had some since last October, but I haven't been able to bring myself to take them yet. Meanwhile, I'm watching my hairline continue to go, and it's really torturing me mentally/emotionally.

I'm to the point where I want to start it, but I can't bring myself to open the bottle.

How did you guys do it?

Also, if you did take it, do you regret it, or was it a great decision?

[UK_]

crapshoot.

[ryan555]

I took fin when it first came to the market. By the time I was 30, half of my friends were taking it. Everyone on the hair loss forums were taking it (there were many fewer people on these forums because with propecia not as many guys were going bald). You pretty much never heard of anyone complaining about side effects. Then propeciahelp came online and people went in to hysterics on the forums. Now the Internet is flooded with people who will tell you how dangerous the drug is (most have never taken it) and guys are once again going bald and spending their lives obsessed with their hair loss. Even some of my adult friends who have taken it for years are suddenly questioning the drug ("it must be giving me side effects since there is so much bad press about it").

From my personal experience, I took it for 14 years without issues and had to stop it three years ago for a health issue unrelated to the drug. Although I was sure I would be a neuter after reading propeciahelp, my hormone levels reverted back to their original levels within a week, just as the literature said they would. And a recent independent follow up study of the drug showed pretty much the exact same incidence of side effects that Merck reported almost 20 years ago. I even consulted with one of the leading doctors who treats PFS when I stopped the drug and he admitted there was a huge psychological component to the fear abut the drug and while he does believe that this drug can cause real serious problems for certain men, the percentage is tiny (well under 1% of users will experience any actual persistent symptoms).

I am NOT saying that PFS doesn't exist or that all these problems are made up. But read these forums and note how many whackos are on here and then ask yourself if this is where you want to get your information. A huge number of these guys (but certainly not all) are experiencing psychological symptoms. I suspect also that there's a certain element of wanting you and everyone else to go bald by not taking fin if they can't take it, or are too afraid to take it.

Try the drug. Start with a very small dose if you're concerned and if you are in the small percent of guys with bad side effects then you'll be right back where you started. And be prepared to accept some minor sides (I had reduced body hair) - all drugs have side effects but it can be much better than spending your life obsessed over hair loss. Also realize that your chances or experiencing side effects are greatly increased due to your anticipation of side effects. And if you do start on the drug and tolerate it, for Gods sakes stay of the forums and stop reading the hysteria.

[StuckInARut]

Just pop a pill brah, that's what I did and it's worked out fine for me thus far. If you start to experience any serious sides (ie: anything sexual or brain fog) then simply discontinue use. At the very least if that happens you can say you tried it just wasn't for you unfortunately.

[clandestine]

I decided ***** it, I would likely not be in the percentile experiencing sides, small that it apparently was.

After around a month, and it was undeniable my chest was very sore and swollen. After getting off, the gynecomastia persisted. Apparently within the *****ing percentile.

[ravegrover]

I remember taking the pill in my hand and thinking, such a small pill, what could it possibly do to harm me. That was over 15 years ago. I did not experience any side effects and, without it, I'd be a NW7 right now.

Most of my friends take Fin and no one has sides. I remember one of my buddies was in dilemma too, then said, I am not getting layed anyways since I started to lose hair so might as well take pill and possibly grow hair.

Go for it and don't think about sides... Just monitor improvement of your hair. Good luck..

[Jcm800]

Are you still on it ravegrover?

[ravegrover]

Yes

[Superstar]

Thanks for your informative posts guys. I really enjoyed reading them all, especially yours Ryan. Very detailed and definitely calmed my nerves down.

I planned on doing only .25 mg maybe 2 times a week, 3 times max. I figured such a low amount a few times a week should really cut down on any possible sides?

I'm fortunate that at 33, I still have a good amount of hair. My big problem is my hairline and I think it's gotten worse from wearing my hair longer and pulling it back the last few years, it's especially getting bad on the right side. Also, I have some thinning in my crown, on the left side, which has been there for a few years now.

I've been on Spencer's show a few times, he even did an interview with me about a year ago, because I had a bad hair transplant 4 years ago next month, and it left me with terrible head pains for quite awhile. He actually got me a full refund for that bad surgery. Some of you may recognize my story from the show.

Hardly any of the hair from the surgery regrew, the only noticeable ones that did was on the right side of my hairline and I'm 99.9% sure that hair is falling out now too.

As far as sexual sides go, I don't have high sexual desire anyway. I have a very bad back, where my injury is kinda connected to "down there" and it's not uncommon for me to get in the mood so to speak, once to twice a week only. So, because of that, I'm not sure that I could gauge any sexual sides?

My big worry is I know that Fin has openly said that it can cause depression and I'm currently dealing with that. About a month ago, my doctor told me I have major/severe depression, and while I'm not taking anything for it, even though he wants me to, I'm concerned the fin could make it worse.

It's just quite intimidating to know that if you start a drug, you gotta do it for the rest of your life. Say I'd start tomorrow and live to be 80, I'd have to take a pill a few times a week for around 50 years. That's a tough commitment to make. However with that being said, mentally/emotionally and physically I'm having a very hard time seeing my hair fall out and I need to stop it.

So, that's why I decided to make this post and see how you all coped with getting past that big mental hurdle of starting it.

[Dan26]

Your decision to take it or not needs to be completely based off your own circumstances, expectations, what your willing to risk, side effects your willing to put up with if they occur etc..
Your situation is a little tricky, having depression. If it were dut you were considering, then no way should you be taking it. Fin on the other hand, has a smaller effect on type1 5ar which makes instances of mental side effects less, but perhaps that small effect on certain hormones/neurosteroids etc could effect you because your current mental situation. Definitely something you should consult with your doctor about and see what he/she has to say about taking fin while having depression or being prone to depression.
I mean, if someone had slight sexual dysfunction and was losing their hair, would that mean they should not take fin? Who knows? Perhaps the sexual dysfunction would not be worsened, the hair would be improved, and their mental state improved a long with it.
I wish I could offer a more scientific approach to taking the drug while having a pre existing condition the drug has been known to have a possibility of effecting. But it really seems like fin is quite unpredictable and you can never know for sure how it will effect you.

[ryan555]

Thanks for your informative posts guys. I really enjoyed reading them all, especially yours Ryan. Very detailed and definitely calmed my nerves down.

I planned on doing only .25 mg maybe 2 times a week, 3 times max. I figured such a low amount a few times a week should really cut down on any possible sides?

I'm fortunate that at 33, I still have a good amount of hair. My big problem is my hairline and I think it's gotten worse from wearing my hair longer and pulling it back the last few years, it's especially getting bad on the right side. Also, I have some thinning in my crown, on the left side, which has been there for a few years now.

I've been on Spencer's show a few times, he even did an interview with me about a year ago, because I had a bad hair transplant 4 years ago next month, and it left me with terrible head pains for quite awhile. He actually got me a full refund for that bad surgery. Some of you may recognize my story from the show.

Hardly any of the hair from the surgery regrew, the only noticeable ones that did was on the right side of my hairline and I'm 99.9% sure that hair is falling out now too.

As far as sexual sides go, I don't have high sexual desire anyway. I have a very bad back, where my injury is kinda connected to "down there" and it's not uncommon for me to get in the mood so to speak, once to twice a week only. So, because of that, I'm not sure that I could gauge any sexual sides?

My big worry is I know that Fin has openly said that it can cause depression and I'm currently dealing with that. About a month ago, my doctor told me I have major/severe depression, and while I'm not taking anything for it, even though he wants me to, I'm concerned the fin could make it worse.

It's just quite intimidating to know that if you start a drug, you gotta do it for the rest of your life. Say I'd start tomorrow and live to be 80, I'd have to take a pill a few times a week for around 50 years. That's a tough commitment to make. However with that being said, mentally/emotionally and physically I'm having a very hard time seeing my hair fall out and I need to stop it.

So, that's why I decided to make this post and see how you all coped with getting past that big mental hurdle of starting it.

Two points:

1) Nothing will lessen depression in a hair loss sufferer more than having their hair loss stop and even reverse.

2) no one plans to take propecia for the next 50 years. You have to take it for the foreseeable future, but I would be shocked if treatments have not advanced significantly over the next 10 to 20 years (and certainly 50). The trick is to save as much of what you have now until something better comes along.

[25 going on 65]

This is for Fin users. How did you get over your fears of side effects, life long commitment, etc to start taking it?

I've had some since last October, but I haven't been able to bring myself to take them yet. Meanwhile, I'm watching my hairline continue to go, and it's really torturing me mentally/emotionally.

I'm to the point where I want to start it, but I can't bring myself to open the bottle.

How did you guys do it?

5% chance of sides vs. 100% chance of balding. Obvious choice for me.
Some would say the % chance of sides is higher than studies have found & I think they might be right. However if there was a 50% chance of sides I would still take DHT inhibitors.
Actually if I experienced sides I would probably still take them.

Also, if you did take it, do you regret it, or was it a great decision?

It worked well for me

[Jcm800]

Two points:

1) Nothing will lessen depression in a hair loss sufferer more than having their hair loss stop and even reverse.

2) no one plans to take propecia for the next 50 years. You have to take it for the foreseeable future, but I would be shocked if treatments have not advanced significantly over the next 10 to 20 years (and certainly 50). The trick is to save as much of what you have now until something better comes along.

I agree, hairloss actually causes depression. But regarding finasteride, actually ceasing the treatment causes problems for many men? According to propeciahelp.com anyway. Pfs?

[ryan555]

I agree, hairloss actually causes depression. But regarding finasteride, actually ceasing the treatment causes problems for many men? According to propeciahelp.com anyway. Pfs?

There are forums on the Internet claiming that birth control pills cause long term problems, but the vast majority of women who take them are fine. Do "many" men have problems with finasteride? I don't think so.

[Jcm800]

There are forums on the Internet claiming that birth control pills cause long term problems, but the vast majority of women who take them are fine. Do "many" men have problems with finasteride? I don't think so.

Whatever mate, I wish you well on it, thinking about it myself, just read all that stuff and visited propeciahelp.com to often for my own good perhaps.