dilemma dilemma dilemma

[konfusion]

I think I am not happy with my current regimen. I've been on Avodart nearly for a year now (10 months), it didn't turn out to be what I expected. There is still shedding, and the itch is there.
some days I don't take Avodart and the next day I lose so less hair in the shower. but this is crazy because since Avodart is a very potent drug, one day will not make any difference.
however, the thing that concerns me more is that I have not seen any kind of improvement during 10 months. maybe it's worse, I can't remember my hair back then. itch is still there, so what's my catch? I feel like a change. so I am thinking of going back to finasteride.
here's why: when I first started finasteride, I was too lazy to cut the proscar pills so I took the whole 5 mg daily. that was the time my hair was at its best. after 6 months or so I stopped using it. then another 3 months later, I started again because I felt something was wrong. this time I was cutting the pills into 4. then I stopped it for one more time (can't remember for how long) and then started again and continued using it until I finally switched to Avodart. however, during this time I gradually continued losing ground. so I think maybe my body was adjusted to the 5 mg dose and 1,25 was not enough.
now considering Avodart is not making any improvements, why continue using it? proscar is much safer and only time I saw some regrowth was when I was using 5 mg of finasteride.
my biggest fear of course, losing more ground. and I just spotted 3 new hairs (white, at the same time I'm going grey gradually) at my hair line. now I don't know if those are miniaturized hairs or healthy hairs, they are definitely thicker than miniaturized hairs on my corners.
for now, I will quit Avodart for one week, and see how the shedding is goes.
but has anyone switched back to finasteride from Avodart? what were the results?

[Kojak]

Yes I take Finasteride 1.25 mg daily and I briefly tried Avodart because I too was losing ground. I suffered from sides so after a month on Avodart I switched back to Fin. Unfortunately I continued to lose hair, so just this month I took the plunge and had a FUT procedure. Even though I was taking Finasteride for 15 years and using Rogaine once a day I was still noticeably losing hair. I think genetics plays a large part in what to expect. The drugs may help slow some of the loss, but in some people it's still inevitable that you will continue to lose hair.

[BigThinker]

when I first started finasteride, I was too lazy to cut the proscar pills so I took the whole 5 mg daily.

[konfusion]

thanks for the GIF. made my day.
anyways, now I think my itch is greatly due to the hair spray I use, I did not use it for 4 days result is so less itch.
but I am still having a hard time to decide, some of the people on the internet say that Avodart is bad for hairline, maybe they are right, during 10 months my hair line took some kind of a hit, also the front region is thinner.
but on the other side, some people say that it took multiple years for them to see improvements. but my hair overall feels very unhealthy and personally I don't expect my hairline to suddenly fill up if I keep it up for another 2 months.
maybe I should wait at least 2 more months and complete 1 year.

[BigThinker]

Ha, yeah, sorry. Was trying to inject a little humor, but I am legitimately stunned that you just popped 5mg of fin because cutting a pill twice every four days was an inconvenience.

That said, I also think its funny that people will say they took 0.00004 mg and instantly got sides while you were taking 5mg no problem. Makes me think the people taking micro, intermittent doses are full of shit. Just kidding -- I already thought that.

[konfusion]

I really don't have much fear about dosing, also I experienced that I never got much sides from it so it was easy for me to jump on Avodart as well. At 1 mg/day I still don't have many sides (only lowered semen volume, everything else is fine).
I only wish the drugs would work me, now I can never try 2,5 mg because it would mean a financial suicide for me, but oral spiro somehow started to look more convincing than ever.
I do not fear about the sexual sides of the drug, I am sure they will resolve (if any) after quitting it however there might be other serious issues such as hyperkalemia.
why would god damn avodart not work, I can't believe I have such aggressive mpb considering I am still NW1,5ish at 30.

[BigThinker]

I really don't have much fear about dosing, also I experienced that I never got much sides from it so it was easy for me to jump on Avodart as well. At 1 mg/day I still don't have many sides (only lowered semen volume, everything else is fine).
I only wish the drugs would work me, now I can never try 2,5 mg because it would mean a financial suicide for me, but oral spiro somehow started to look more convincing than ever.
I do not fear about the sexual sides of the drug, I am sure they will resolve (if any) after quitting it however there might be other serious issues such as hyperkalemia.
why would god damn avodart not work, I can't believe I have such aggressive mpb considering I am still NW1,5ish at 30.

Yeah, I've been fortunate to be side-free (mostly) as well.

NW 1.5 at 30? I definitely think hair matters at any age depending on the person, but 1.5 at 30 probably just makes you look like a mature young man. I'm like NW 2.5 at 25 -- feels bad, man.

[Aames]

Have you tried it topically in conjunction with oral use? That's my next plan of action if oral duta alone doesn't halt my loss. And as far as your pondering of upping the dosage, wouldn't you consider using generics to make up the difference? If you are more comfortable staying on 0.5 mg of genuine pharmacy Avodart, fine. But you could add another 2 mg via generics (or pure duta powder which I believe would be even cheaper).

[UK_]

It doesnt matter anyway, the difference between what 1mg and 5mg can inhibit is negligible.

[Aames]

It doesnt matter anyway, the difference between what 1mg and 5mg can inhibit is negligible.

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. I never understood why people play with dosages and dosing schedules so much.

[konfusion]

so Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday I did not use Avodart, it's Thursday today and my scalp feels more relaxed, my itch is reduced and I see less hair in the drain (but the same amount when combing, there is no change in that).
I am starting to get surprised, I always expected that the drugs stopped working since I had the terrible itch and continued hair loss while on them but I was expecting to itch to get worse if I don't use them but on the contrary it's getting better.
anyways 4 days off medication is probably not enough time and it can be a conicidence, however the truth is I am so much better in terms of itching at the moment.

[konfusion]

Friday 4th day off med, scalped itched for a couple of minutes last night still less itch compared to the old days, hairs found in drain: 1 (used to be a little ball of hairs in the drain) . still shedding same amount when combing.
I'll keep away from meds until at least monday to see if my scalp feels even better.
this is all confusing.

[konfusion]

so one week off the medication, especially for the last days I've been shedding very little in the shower, difference is unbelievable, it's like 90% improvement.
however the amount I shed when combing hair did not change.
so I am undecided at this point, what do you think, can it be possible that I am better off meds? it seems unlikely but here's my thesis: I had a very slow progressing mbp, maybe I could have mainted a full head of hair all my life. My maternal grandfather died with a full head of hair at 80-something and I look exactly like him, like a copy. when I first started meds in 2006 they helped at first but then my body upregulated AR receptors so I started to see increased thinning. because my shedding and itchy scalp started when I was on meds and it never disappeared despite increasing dose or switching to dutas. It seems to be more drugs I take, more I become susceptible to mpb.
It cannot be that the drugs are not working because I am having slight sides, not much to complaint about but I definitely have lower semen volume.
OR, maybe I am making it up, maybe I would have been slick bald without medication and they only helped to protect this much (this does not explain the suddenly starting and nonstopping itch).
I know there are guys who had a bad reaction to medication but I thought it happens just in a few months after starting fin or dut. I am not sure if that kind of reaction occurs after multiple years on meds.