Dermatologist

[itssomuchfun]

I've been to 3 dermatologists the last 3 years as I've been fighting hair loss. All of them have pushed Propecia right away and when I bring up side effects, both short term or long term, they either brush it off like "who cares" or they actually get a little annoyed that I'm suggesting they'd prescribe something that might cause long-term damage. Has everyone else had the same experience with their dermatologists? I want a doc who will actually be proactive if anything happens and will not just say "That's odd, I've never had a patient get ED from this drug, I guess you're unlucky and your dick will never be the same again."

I'm asking this because I'm at the point where bald spots are starting to show and either I shave in the next year and accept it or get on Propecia and try to safe/regrow.

[BigThinker]

How would you feel if someone unqualified came to your workplace and told you how to do your job?

Further, if you refuse finasteride, what in the hell do you expect the dermatologists to do for you? Pray your follicles back to life?

Maybe you should let them help you and stay off propeciahelp[dot]com

[itssomuchfun]

Ok, I can see how my email might be interpreted wrong, which is why I probably got the dipshit response from Bigthinker. I'll explain more clearly so that maybe I'll actually get an answer that addresses the question.

I have been to 3 different dermatologists over the last 3 years but that's because I've moved. I haven't been running around bitching at dermatologists. I'm always respectful. My words to all three doctors were along the lines of "but aren't there side effects? I even read about some long-term effect on libido and ED." I said it very calmly, as someone who is curious. I didn't get testy with them or tell them they were wrong. I asked a simple question.

My first dermatologist had me try rogaine, various shampoos, and finally oral minoxidil because my skin is very sensitive and he wasn't sure it was mpb at all. I never out and out refused Propecia. I've just been leaving it as a last resort as my body has never responded well to any medication I've taken for any ailment. So maybe I shouldn't have said ALL my dermatologists gave that as the first option. But the last two dermatologists have and seemed annoyed when I even mentioned it. Are they getting a lot of patients asking them this question and they're just getting tired of it? My newest dermatologist who I was seeing to remove a mole recommended Propecia when I brought up my hairloss. I said I was interested in hearing more. Then he responded testily when I asked about side effects.

I simply want to know if it is worth trying Propecia with a dermatologist who gets annoyed when you ask an honest question. I want to know that if someone does go wrong short-term or long-term, that he'll know what to do. Do you slowly discontinue use? If I experienced any long-term side effects would he recommend TRT?

[Dan26]

Ask your dermatologist for blood tests + hormone panel.

God forbid you are in the very small minority of men who have persistent side effects, at least you will have baseline measurements to refer back to if you need treatment ie HRT.

[macster]

Well, I mean...what can he tell you? There is nothing he can tell you that isn't out there in the medical literature.

Haha...Propecia users act like propecia is the only drug, or substance for the matter, with side effects.

Hehe, peanuts have side effects...deadly ones! But I still eat em

Propecia side effects occur in 1-2% of users. The side effects for continued users wear off after 6 months. That means that the side effect rate is more like .5%-1%.

If you get side effects, stop taking the drug and they will go away.

The deathly side effect thing you hear about on the internet is probably just hysteria. It has never been clinically proven to occur.

And if it is real, it is extremely rare. As rare as things like Reye's syndrome for aspirin.

And also, be aware that hypochondria is real. It is a real psychological disorder that many have.

(Except for Propecia users. It seems that one of the side effects of Propecia is immunity to hypochondria. You simply cannot get hypochondria if you are taking Propecia. It is impossible.)

[redy]

This is simple,

you either

-take propecia (finasteride) and try to keep your hair and supplement it with rogaine (minoxidil) and things like nizoral shampoos (keto) and vitamins/diet/etc

-don't take propecia and hope that the lesser things like rogaine and the above can slow down your loss or temporarily regrow it

-the experimental treatments (some are maybe even better than the above FDA methods, some aren't, nobody knows for sure really. But usually they are expensive and/or a hassle to make unless you're really into that stuff. To each their own). Most people do this who can't take propecia but are committed to stopping their loss.

-don't do anything and just accept the loss, or accept the loss after getting sides from propecia etc

...

That's really it unless you go the surgical route, which you still should supplement it with the above choices afterwards.

[mpb47]

This is simple,

you either

-take propecia (finasteride) and try to keep your hair and supplement it with rogaine (minoxidil) and things like nizoral shampoos (keto) and vitamins/diet/etc

-don't take propecia and hope that the lesser things like rogaine and the above can slow down your loss or temporarily regrow it

-the experimental treatments (some are maybe even better than the above FDA methods, some aren't, nobody knows for sure really. But usually they are expensive and/or a hassle to make unless you're really into that stuff. To each their own). Most people do this who can't take propecia but are committed to stopping their loss.

-don't do anything and just accept the loss, or accept the loss after getting sides from propecia etc

...

That's really it unless you go the surgical route, which you still should supplement it with the above choices afterwards.

+1

Hopefully better options will come around but for now that is about it.

[Notcoolanymore]

How would you feel if someone unqualified came to your workplace and told you how to do your job?

Further, if you refuse finasteride, what in the hell do you expect the dermatologists to do for you? Pray your follicles back to life?

Maybe you should let them help you and stay off propeciahelp[dot]com

Just because we might not like the way the point is communicated doesn't mean it is not spot on.