My experience with Propecia - must read for young worried candidates

[22able]

I started Propecia in May this year after panicking over side effects from everything i'd read on the internet but growing desperate to do something about my hair loss. My doctor gave me a prescription and at first I started taking a quarter pill just to see how my system adjusted, started taking half a pill about 2 months in and now i'm on the full dose just past 5 months. My doctor told me about the side effects and here in the U.K with NHS I feel like our doctors are more honest because we don't have to fork out every time for an appointment.

For any young readers or those skeptical about this drug here is my experience. I don't work for anyone. I'm a university student and I just wanted to retain my hair/grow more back if I could.

There's far too much fear mongering and media attention behind this drug.


Side effects: The only side effect i've experienced is the watery semen. IMO this is the only side effect that will probably affect a large proportion of the users. You're more than likely to get it. Because the reduced DHT in your system is linked to the consistency of semen due to reduced prostate size. I've had zero of the bullshit experiences such as brain fog etc. I made a bet with myself to crack one out every day to ensure that the drug wasn't affecting my sexual abilities. It hasn't. And I am SERIOUSLY the kind of guy who gets so paranoid from reading coverage about stuff like this drug. There is an adjustment period - you're changing hormone levels in your body and everyone will react differently.


The fact is, anyone getting the crazy side effects is probably in the same percentage of folk who get crazy side effects from
blood pressure tablets etc or the guy that ends up growing a 6th toe. A very small minority. It may knock your libido slightly, but mine was already knocked prior to the drug just because I had such low self confidence. Now I am feeling slightly better.

In terms of visible results, I started using Rogaine just over a year ago and had a little regrowth but not much. Since starting propecia i've actually noticed hairs on my already (slightly) receded hairline springing back up. My hair doesn't fall out when I run my hands through it or if i rigorously run my hands through my hair in the sink. I'm feeling very positive about this because i've only been on the full dosage for less than a month and because rogaine was working for me before Propecia, I think I should (hopefully) be able to grow back some of what I lost.

My advice to anybody considering Propecia: do it. Do it now otherwise you'll be me wishing you'd started this sooner. I was ignorant of hair loss when I was younger because I assumed it only happened to people as they got much older. If you start propecia with just a receding hairline you will probably hold onto your hair for another decade (if it works). It never occurred to me that i'd be losing hair from the age of 18 (now 23). I promise you that you will not get stupid side effects unless you fool your mind into thinking you have them.

I never post on here and like to avoid the forums now that i've started taking medication. I will post if/when i've had a full year of the medication to see if there any improvements. Oh and that's another bit of advice. Stay OFF the forums. The people enjoying their lives are the ones who seeked medication or help and carried on as normal. Trust your doctor, not the keyboard warrior suggesting non-clinically proven treatments.

My hair before and after about 5 months of Rogaine ONLY use, taken around January this year (pic on the right - started last sept) my hair is severely parted here to show the extent of loss. If I comb it forward I get full coverage but it is noticeably thin on the top. Could anyone tell me what pattern my hair loss is btw??! I don't see many pics of others with similar types:





Questions for anyone reading this:

I've been losing hair since age 18 fairly slowly. I still have hair all over my head but it is a lot thinner on the top. I don't have largely noticeable recession at my temples because my loss pattern seems strange. Does this mean I should hopefully benefit more from the medication than someone who is losing their hair quicker?

Feel free to message me if you have any questions although I'm hardly on so may not reply for a while.

[crafter]

i don't think your hair loss looks 'strange' - there is set patterns on how you will lose it, everyone is different, i guess some might say you have diffused hair loss, but you still have a goof forelock ( middle front). Looks like u have regrwoth, if u can keep what u have then i think u could get good coverage with a transplant.

good luck and keep us updated.

[Notcoolanymore]

Good thread. People on the fence trying to decide whether or not to start on fin need to read this. You already have good regrowth. Hopefully you keep it up.

[capitan]

This is just my opinion, but you should really buzz it down to a .5 maybe a 1 at the stage you're at. All that thick hair on the sides is not flattering man.

I see regrowth anyways, congratulations. You're right about young guys and Fin, it's really our only option.

Besides Dutasteride

[Notcoolanymore]

Cap, telling it like it is again.

[22able]

This is just my opinion, but you should really buzz it down to a .5 maybe a 1 at the stage you're at. All that thick hair on the sides is not flattering man.

I see regrowth anyways, congratulations. You're right about young guys and Fin, it's really our only option.

Besides Dutasteride

I don't wear my hair like this. I took those pics to show the extent of the loss. My hair is quite short at the moment. I also don't suit the buzz look at all but losing my hair has prompted me to get working out more and looking after myself. Do you think those images show regrowth or could I maybe have parted it more to look closer to the photo on the left?

Note: front looks it might be thinning a bit despite using propecia and rogaine..which is a bit odd..

[skipstah70]

There's far too much fear mongering and media attention behind this drug.

Hate to disagree with you, but just because you haven't experienced any horrible sides(yet), you shouldn't try to minimize the very real problems that many suffer from taking propecia.

If anything, there is not enough fear about taking this drug, because the full scope of it's impact on the endocrine system simply isn't fully understood!!

[chrisis]

I get lots of emails from guys whose lives have been devastated by this drug.

Take it at your own risk.

[Jazz1]

Iv had sides major sides, I always know how to mind control and kick start things back and carry on . Word advice if you get sides DO not stress it will make things worse! It's a kind game to relax think very dirty and have some horny goat weed . Iv had major sides when I started and 8 months later, thanks to my girlfriend who use to sell vigra knows how the mind works .

[yeahyeahyeah]

Iv had sides major sides, I always know how to mind control and kick start things back and carry on . Word advice if you get sides DO not stress it will make things worse! It's a kind game to relax think very dirty and have some horny goat weed . Iv had major sides when I started and 8 months later, thanks to my girlfriend who use to sell vigra knows how the mind works .

That is not a way to live.