Propecia, The Good and the Ugly

[thinkingaboutit]

I know I will get attacked for saying this. I took Fin for couple of months, and it caused me a lot of issues. I thank god my problem resolved after a month or so after I stopped taking them. I am married, and I realised how important sex was when I had lost the ability for a while. I am pretty confident that they help reduce or stop hair loss. At the same time, they do have side effects for some men, like me. I am not claiming everyone gets these side effects, nevertheless it does happen. For me the scariest part was the fear that after I stopped taking the pills that my sex drive may not return. I believe I got off lucky.

I also realise that many people claim that it is completely psychological. You are entitled to your opinion. However, I tried to keep a very unbiased view on it, and I did try and not let other side effect stories effect me. I can only state my experience. I have had FUE and I use Regaine. I am very pleased with my result. By the way, I only started using Fin after my FUE, hoping to give it a mega boost, which it may or may not have needed. Anyway, that's my experience.

[kobefan234]

i take fin but i miss days often. sometimes i will go 2-3 weeks with out swallowing a finasteride pill

[ccmethinning]

i take fin but i miss days often. sometimes i will go 2-3 weeks with out swallowing a finasteride pill

And do you actually keep your hair?

[Notcoolanymore]

I would imagine missing that many doses would make it a waste of time to take finasteride at all.

[kobefan234]

And do you actually keep your hair?

I would imagine missing that many doses would make it a waste of time to take finasteride at all.

i buzzed my hair down to a number 3 all around. Something that is weird to me is when I pick at my sideburn area and pull hairs will come out with white stuff on the ends .

[kobefan234]

the place where I circled around the side burn is where my loss occurs. the side of the head also

[ccmethinning]

Kobefan, you look like a NW0 to me...

[kobefan234]

Kobefan, you look like a NW0 to me...

when i had semi long hair i would lose a innumerable amount of hairs everyday. my brush / comb would be filled with hairs. i buzzed it down to a number 3 all around because the loss was too depressing. truly devastating.

[joer1212]

Well, I am uniquely qualified to answer your question as this August will be two years off propecia after being on it for almost 4 years (1mg/day).

You will notice subtle shedding within 4 weeks. Nothing drastic but hairs will start falling off that you hadn't noticed before. Then towards the 3 month mark you start to notice small changes in hair quality. Only you will notice because you'll be looking at your hair uber close. After 6 months you'll be reminded about why you went on propecia in the first place as you'll find hairs on your bathroom floor, sink and around your home. After a year the biggest issue will be hair quality. You will still have the hair but lots will be entering the miniaturizing phase. Keeping hair long will be hard as will styling and you'll have to be creative with styling products. You'll long for the days of having thick healthy looking young hair.

Plus Side - after 3/4 weeks coming off you will feel like a raging bull and will have missed that having that feeling. I woke up one morning with a massive erection and felt very 'primal'...the feeling is unmistakable. Taking the medication definitely suppressed that. The feeling I had that morning is the only reason why I never went back on. I never want to lose that ever again (but I do want my hair back).

GRATITUDE

Now to everyone on propecia!...the one major mistake I made is that when I was on the medication I took it for granted. If you've been on it for a while go in the mirror, pass your hand through your hair and just be so grateful for how good your hair still feels and looks. The day may come when you will need to come off the medication so don't be like me who was never adequately grateful for what it did for me while on it.

And yes, coming off is really hard. I miss looking much younger than my age (i looked noticeable older with wispy, thin hair). Sometimes I even hate being in pictures. But I do feel more masculine and more handsome in a masculine way (if that makes sense). It's a real shame that of all the side effects medication could have this one effects something so deeply important.

Best of luck...whatever you chose will work out great.

I started noticing hair loss within 2 weeks of stopping Finasteride. I could only dream of going months without it.

[joer1212]

I know I will get attacked for saying this. I took Fin for couple of months, and it caused me a lot of issues. I thank god my problem resolved after a month or so after I stopped taking them. I am married, and I realised how important sex was when I had lost the ability for a while. I am pretty confident that they help reduce or stop hair loss. At the same time, they do have side effects for some men, like me. I am not claiming everyone gets these side effects, nevertheless it does happen. For me the scariest part was the fear that after I stopped taking the pills that my sex drive may not return. I believe I got off lucky.

I also realise that many people claim that it is completely psychological. You are entitled to your opinion. However, I tried to keep a very unbiased view on it, and I did try and not let other side effect stories effect me. I can only state my experience. I have had FUE and I use Regaine. I am very pleased with my result. By the way, I only started using Fin after my FUE, hoping to give it a mega boost, which it may or may not have needed. Anyway, that's my experience.

It's not psychological. The sexual side effects are very real.

[Notcoolanymore]

For some it is psychological, for some they are very real.

[MancBoy]

I've been on fin since end of July. Initially 0.25mg every monday and thurs but I used to notice sides on the last day of the 4 day break. So I moved this up to every 3 days and the sides went after a while. All through this though my shedding has stayed, I've never once had a shower where my hands weren't covered in hairs!!

I increased the dose to 0.33mg every other day and now finally to 0.5mg but still the shedding is insane!! Even sat at my desk at work I can run my hands through my hair and pull out 10-20 hairs!!

My query now is shall I move up to 1mg every other day or 0.5mg everyday? As I feel the current doseage isn't strong enough for me!!

I think topical fin would be best (if anyone in UK knows how to get) as atleast then the fin is getting to the right place!!

Thanks

[mpb47]

I started noticing hair loss within 2 weeks of stopping Finasteride. I could only dream of going months without it.

I have been off of it about 10 months now. Myself and others noticed it by 9 months or maybe a little sooner. I am considering going back on a very-very low dose. I was on a very low dose before and it certainly was working as the proof was when I stopped.