+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 18
  1. #1
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Minneapolis, Minnesota
    Posts
    3

    Default Before & After 1 year - Finasteride (generic propecia)

    Okay...

    I started taking Finasteride in early 2011....I took that for a year. These are the side effects I noticed.

    -enlarged breast tissue (gynecomastia), hate it!

    -Low libido, having issues with staying "hard" and the worse one, not feeling the same amount of pleasure when ejaculating.

    -I also noticed body changes like, a little weight gain, and a hard time losing weight but that might just be age, not sure.

    Now, I am not sure if Finasteride lowers your testosterone levels, but it does feel like that. I did not notice that much of a difference, only faster hair growth but even when taking it I was still losing hair, so I am not sure if I should continue the treatment or not. What do you guys think? Do you guys think the generic brand of propecia (Finasteride) is less effective than Propecia? and is there alternatives?... besides the surgical ones of course.

    I did not use Minoxidil even though it was recommended along with the Finasteride treatment. I stopped taking Finasteride for about two months now...I know you will lose the improvements if you stop taking it. I just don't know what to do at this point because of the side effects. Even though I know...the weight and sexual issues will not go away, I feel they're permanent.

    The two first pictures are from March 2011, the other two are current.

    Thanks!
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version

Name:	IMAG0014.jpg

Size:	93.8 KB
ID:	17266   Click image for larger version

Name:	IMAG0015.jpg

Size:	94.3 KB
ID:	17267   Click image for larger version

Name:	New Image.jpg

Size:	97.2 KB
ID:	17268   Click image for larger version

Name:	IMAG0031 (2).jpg

Size:	87.1 KB
ID:	17269  

  2. #2
    Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Posts
    80

    Default

    Your hair seems to be a bit longer in the newer ones so its a little hard to tell how much it has helped, but i think it has some. It is hard for me to say.

    I feel propecia has not given me any side effects..but in 5 years when something better comes out maybe I will feel so much different when i get off Propecia and realize all along it was messing me up. But I didn't have the sexual sides you do.

    NOW I started adding some Avodart and within one month of 2X weekly grew awesome puffy fat nipples. Can still get rock hard and ejaculate a lot of fluid (the more common side effects) so Its like all the side effects went to my tits. Terrible.

    I think Minox would help you...if you stayed on propecia, added minox, and used topik i could see it looks a lot better.

    I don't think generic is going to be any different than name brand. I switched to propecia cuz a doctor wanted me to...load of crap though I am going to get back on fin I believe.

    If you really experience what you consider to be bad sides, and say you're still losing your hair, then it isn't worth taking.

  3. #3
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Posts
    1,046

    Default

    Looks like the fin is working for the hair. Shame that it does seem to have some sides for some people. I'm not a propecia hater but I can attest to the whole puffy nipple gyno thing. Didn't notice the other effects though I have to say. That's why I chucked it because I was getting that straight off the bat. Was your nipple kind of tender too? Thankfully I'm fine now. I don't think you need to worry about lasting effects if you decide to give up.

  4. #4
    Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Posts
    50

    Default

    Good pictures. This is where I buy the generic without a prescription http://your-excellent-tablets.com/ and I had good results too.

  5. #5
    Senior Member Artista's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Chicago,Il. (the best city in the United States)
    Posts
    2,105

    Lightbulb

    Hi Arian. Those photos DO show an obvious IMPROVEMENT to your hair !! Sorry you have experienced sides

  6. #6
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Posts
    16

    Default

    Regardless of hair length, it's quite obvious that there's a good improvement. I'm sorry about the sexual sides though. But why do you believe they're permanent? Remember that the psychological factor in obtaining an erection is very important. If you keep thinking about how you're not able to get it up, then you won't get it up. When I was not on any medicine at all I actually had this problem, although my mind was a bit disturbed about my receding hairline instead.

    If the medicine caused those side effects in you then I would discontinue use if I were in your place. Obviously your body can't tolerate it then. Do realise though that you will then continue going bald; so you might want to consider other medicines. Another option that a few have had success with is switching to a lower dose, but not much research has been done on that.

  7. #7
    Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    The Country of Frog Eater
    Posts
    36

    Default

    finasteride can't give you weight gain, i'm curious to see where did you find that reduced DHT increase weight ?

  8. #8
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Schrodinger's Box
    Posts
    910

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by verver View Post
    finasteride can't give you weight gain, i'm curious to see where did you find that reduced DHT increase weight ?
    It's not a decrease in DHT that will necessarily cause weight gain, it's an increase in estrogen levels as a result of increased testosterone levels because it is not being converted into DHT. Up-regulation of estrogen can cause an increase in belly fat and breast tissue. It's analogous to testosterone therapy, you have to use estrogen suppressors or your body will increase estrogen production as a result of increased testosterone levels which will result in the same side effects.

  9. #9
    Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    The Country of Frog Eater
    Posts
    36

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by greatjob! View Post
    It's not a decrease in DHT that will necessarily cause weight gain, it's an increase in estrogen levels as a result of increased testosterone levels because it is not being converted into DHT. Up-regulation of estrogen can cause an increase in belly fat and breast tissue. It's analogous to testosterone therapy, you have to use estrogen suppressors or your body will increase estrogen production as a result of increased testosterone levels which will result in the same side effects.
    it's highly unlikely that the low increase in estrogen resulting from lowerer level of DHT is responsible of weight gain
    in TRT the level of estrogen is much more higher to the point where it can cause gynecomastia, water retention, loss of sex drive...
    if estrogen level were high when on finasteride you would atleast experience one of these side effects before weight gain IMO

  10. #10
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Schrodinger's Box
    Posts
    910

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by verver View Post
    it's highly unlikely that the low increase in estrogen resulting from lowerer level of DHT is responsible of weight gain
    in TRT the level of estrogen is much more higher to the point where it can cause gynecomastia, water retention, loss of sex drive...
    if estrogen level were high when on finasteride you would atleast experience one of these side effects before weight gain IMO
    Not only does fin cause testosterone to increase to a degree, which will result in an up regulation of estrogen, but DHT is also an estrogen antagonist. It inhibits estrogen production in three ways: First, DHT directly inhibits estrogens activity on tissues by acting as a competitive antagonist to the estrogen receptor or by decreasing estrogen-induced RNA transcription.

    Second, DHT and its metabolites block the production of estrogens from androgens by inhibiting the activity of the aromatase enzyme.

    Lastly, DHT acts on the hypothalamus/pituitary to decrease the secretion of gonadotropins which decreases the production of the raw materials for estrogen production testosterone and androstenedione.

    All of this will result in increased estrogen levels, which will result in various degrees of side effects or none at all depending on the persons sensitivity to these changes.

Similar Threads

  1. generic propecia finasteride from emedoutlet
    By markjoetay in forum Men's Hair Loss: Start Your Own Topic
    Replies: 17
    Last Post: 12-14-2012, 07:56 PM
  2. Propecia to Generic Finasteride....Help!
    By oOKawaiiOo in forum Men's Hair Loss: Start Your Own Topic
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 04-27-2012, 07:43 AM
  3. From 5mg generic finasteride to 1mg Propecia?
    By coconutguy in forum Hair Loss Treatments
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 05-30-2011, 01:21 AM
  4. Generic Finasteride and Propecia?
    By chewytorch in forum Men's Hair Loss: Start Your Own Topic
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 02-28-2011, 10:38 PM
  5. Generic Finasteride and Propecia?
    By chewytorch in forum Hair Loss Treatments
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 02-25-2011, 10:30 AM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts

» IAHRS

hair transplant surgeons

» The Bald Truth

» Recent Threads

Benefits of Resveratrol for hair and health
05-05-2022 01:46 AM
Last Post By felixten
Yesterday 11:59 PM
1800 graft repair case results by Dr. Lindsey
03-27-2024 08:38 AM
Last Post By Dr. Lindsey
03-27-2024 08:38 AM
Navigating the German Job Market as a Kenyan Citizen
11-04-2023 06:31 AM
Last Post By Keegan212
03-27-2024 03:51 AM