Finasteride - is it just not working for me

[PatientlyWaiting]

What would you suggest then?

What has worked for you?

The first time I took finasteride was the Propecia brand. It worked for me immediately, in weeks it slowed down my hair loss rate, and in 1 month it stopped it completely. I went on and off Propecia from 18-21 due t financial issues, and every single time I went off it, the hair shed came back, and it would once again and again take just 1 month to stop the hair loss every time. So that worked for me. Right now i'm on Dr Reddy's 5mg cut in to 1/4ths and I got the same exact reaction, hair loss slowed down in weeks, stopped in a month. After 3 years however, my hair loss started again, but not as bad as pre-fin, just a bit of hairs on the shower, like 10-15 per shower. Then I added dutasteride once a day at 0.5mg and it stopped it, but that's a different story.

I suggest you just keep reading on the hair loss forums. Maybe the guys in this thread are correct and you have to give fin 12 months to see what it would do for you. But personally I was always under the impression that the 12 months were to see if you are gong to get any thickening and regrowth. Personally, I don't think it should take more than the first 3 months for fin to at least slow down the rate of your hair loss, but that's only because that's what has always happened to me.

[WarLord]

I suggest you just keep reading on the hair loss forums. Maybe the guys in this thread are correct and you have to give fin 12 months to see what it would do for you. But personally I was always under the impression that the 12 months were to see if you are gong to get any thickening and regrowth. Personally, I don't think it should take more than the first 3 months for fin to at least slow down the rate of your hair loss, but that's only because that's what has always happened to me.

This is also something that I always wondered. If an anti-hairloss treatment works, it should work within 2-3 months (the length of the telogen phase). This always happened in me with topicals, but I have no idea, how it is in 5-AR blockers. Apparently, they can regrow hair very quickly, within 6 weeks, so they should work very quickly as well. However, my experience tells me that these drugs can take you on a wild ride full of incessant sheds. I started to take fin in late June 2012 and currently, after 10+ months, I am also in a worse state than at the beginning, because hair in my temples detoriorated. This is a shocking result, considering that I started from a stable state, after 15,5 years on minoxidil.

In any case, I wouldn't recommend to waste time on fin for 1+ year. That guy should have added dut a long time ago.

[SpeedTheCrowsNest]

So considering it is like what 6 months for me is there any harm in converting to Dut already (or adding it?)

Also what is the best place to buy it?

And if I started to add Rogaine to the mix (because my worst loss is at the front/hairline) would it be too early to do so?

[WarLord]

So considering it is like what 6 months for me is there any harm in converting to Dut already (or adding it?)

Also what is the best place to buy it?

And if I started to add Rogaine to the mix (because my worst loss is at the front/hairline) would it be too early to do so?

Why to wait with the addition of dutasteride? You can start with 1-2 capsules a week. This could make a substantial difference. And if you see that it works, you can add another capsules and then drop fin completely.

But first of all - I repeat it over and over again: Measure your DHT and testosterone levels! Otherwise you won't know, what is happening in your body.

Start minoxidil, only if you were not satisfied with the results. It is a life-long commitment that needs everyday's discipline. Not many men are endowed with it.

[SpeedTheCrowsNest]

Why to wait with the addition of dutasteride? You can start with 1-2 capsules a week. This could make a substantial difference. And if you see that it works, you can add another capsules and then drop fin completely.

But first of all - I repeat it over and over again: Measure your DHT and testosterone levels! Otherwise you won't know, what is happening in your body.

Start minoxidil, only if you were not satisfied with the results. It is a life-long commitment that needs everyday's discipline. Not many men are endowed with it.

Have been thinking I need to sort the test out for a while, can my standard GP do it or do I have to go elsewhere?

[PatientlyWaiting]

This is also something that I always wondered. If an anti-hairloss treatment works, it should work within 2-3 months (the length of the telogen phase). This always happened in me with topicals, but I have no idea, how it is in 5-AR blockers. Apparently, they can regrow hair very quickly, within 6 weeks, so they should work very quickly as well. However, my experience tells me that these drugs can take you on a wild ride full of incessant sheds. I started to take fin in late June 2012 and currently, after 10+ months, I am also in a worse state than at the beginning, because hair in my temples detoriorated. This is a shocking result, considering that I started from a stable state, after 15,5 years on minoxidil.

In any case, I wouldn't recommend to waste time on fin for 1+ year. That guy should have added dut a long time ago.

Yeah, I never heard of that. I don't think it's such a good idea to wait 12 months to see if Fin is going to slow down your hair loss.

At 8-12 months i'm expecting more like noticeable thickening of current hair or new hair growth.

I suggest to get on dutasteride. If you are afraid of sides, just use 2x a week like Warlord suggested.

[SpeedTheCrowsNest]

Yeah, I never heard of that. I don't think it's such a good idea to wait 12 months to see if Fin is going to slow down your hair loss.

At 8-12 months i'm expecting more like noticeable thickening of current hair or new hair growth.

I suggest to get on dutasteride. If you are afraid of sides, just use 2x a week like Warlord suggested.

To be honest I am having no sides from fin now, I did for a while but none at all for a few months now...

Where's the best place to source dut from online?

Thanks for your advice.

[secrethero89]

To be honest I am having no sides from fin now, I did for a while but none at all for a few months now...

Where's the best place to source dut from online?

Thanks for your advice.

we are in the same boat. everybody say that "stick with it" but i can't bear seeing my thinning hair on the mirror. it sucks!

I dont believe any treatment anymore.

[WarLord]

we are in the same boat. everybody say that "stick with it" but i can't bear seeing my thinning hair on the mirror. it sucks!

I dont believe any treatment anymore.

It is too premature to give it up. If fin doesn't work (and I always warn others that this probability in young men is substantially higher than as often advertised), you can try topical RU+minox or dutasteride.

[SpeedTheCrowsNest]

I thought i'd give it a few more months. However, I am still losing the same amount of hairs on fin as I was before I started taking it. Adding minoxidil has made very little difference too, I just have some small hairs growing on the hairline but in 3 months these haven't developed from that stage.

I still kind of have a full head of hair (the hairline is not in good shape) but it is just a lot thinner at the front/at the centre of my scalp. It isn't a usual pattern of hairloss.

I am not sure whether to add dut or not. I am only 25. I don't want to make things worse than they are.

If I do add it, where should I buy it?

[WarLord]

I thought i'd give it a few more months. However, I am still losing the same amount of hairs on fin as I was before I started taking it. Adding minoxidil has made very little difference too, I just have some small hairs growing on the hairline but in 3 months these haven't developed from that stage.

I still kind of have a full head of hair (the hairline is not in good shape) but it is just a lot thinner at the front/at the centre of my scalp. It isn't a usual pattern of hairloss.

I am not sure whether to add dut or not. I am only 25. I don't want to make things worse than they are.

If I do add it, where should I buy it?

I can tell you that finasteride didn't work in me at all. My DHT levels were low, but still within the range of adult men (around 30 ng/dl). And eventually, I was losing hair on finasteride+6% minoxidil+Nizoral. I thought I was done. But the mere addition of dutasteride changed everything dramatically. My DHT started to fall down very quickly. At 7 ng/dl, the trend reversed and I started to see vellus hairs in temples.

I wouldn't recommend finasteride to anyone. Well, it was a breakthrough at its time, but today, the use of finasteride has no rational basis. It is a very unreliable drug with a very wide range of efficiacy. In some men, its effect is pathetic. In contrast, dutasteride works more or less with the same efficiacy in virtually all men.

[Dan26]

^^^importance of dual inhibiton type1 and type2 5a

still is best to start with fin it is enough for some

[Sanchez123]

I thought i'd give it a few more months. However, I am still losing the same amount of hairs on fin as I was before I started taking it. Adding minoxidil has made very little difference too, I just have some small hairs growing on the hairline but in 3 months these haven't developed from that stage.

I still kind of have a full head of hair (the hairline is not in good shape) but it is just a lot thinner at the front/at the centre of my scalp. It isn't a usual pattern of hairloss.

I am not sure whether to add dut or not. I am only 25. I don't want to make things worse than they are.

If I do add it, where should I buy it?

How is your situation now??

[Sanchez123]

I thought i'd give it a few more months. However, I am still losing the same amount of hairs on fin as I was before I started taking it. Adding minoxidil has made very little difference too, I just have some small hairs growing on the hairline but in 3 months these haven't developed from that stage.

I still kind of have a full head of hair (the hairline is not in good shape) but it is just a lot thinner at the front/at the centre of my scalp. It isn't a usual pattern of hairloss.

I am not sure whether to add dut or not. I am only 25. I don't want to make things worse than they are.

If I do add it, where should I buy it?

How is your situation now??

[imsupercereal]

I'm a 22 year old male with a light complexion and very fine reddish-blonde hair, been thinning since 17. I started applying minoxidil foam 1.5 years ago (Aug '17) twice a day, and then moved to once a day roughly a year ago. Rate of hair loss for this first year was the same as before I started treatment. 6 months ago (June '18) I added 1.25 mg generic proscar to my regimen, and since then my hair loss has gotten noticeably worse; I now have diffuse thinning all over the top of my head, in addition to hairline recession. I also have had pretty consistent right testicle ache since taking the drug (0/10-3/10 on the pain scale), and my body hair/facial hair have gotten slightly thinner. I added jojoba oil and vitamins K2 and D a few weeks ago, and I've also been using Nizoral 3-4 times a week for a year. Any suggestions? Worried I might have Reflex Hyperandrogenicity, which would suck ass.