Survey: Finasteride Users on this forum (one big Finasteride Thread)

[baldesswonder]

I found propecia 1mg was all I needed to stop all hair loss wish I had taken pictures cause i feel i might have gotten some hair regrowth. This is where I buy the generic without a prescription http://easy-to-use-pharmacy.com/ and had no problems.

[3rd time]

Started finasteride a few months before my first HT. The product itself worked very well for me. I noticed my hair was thicker, looked better and halted any further hair loss.
I noticed side effects from the third week but at the time continued to use it and give it a chance. I had read that side effects can subside as you continue with it.
At about the 6 month mark I could not maintain an erection, had no interest in sex and was suffering from anxiety. I was very upset that I had to stop taking it. Even though I was close to an NW6 I still noticed that within a year of stopping my native hair on the sides continued to recede lower. Making my first hair transplant look like an island of hair which needed to reconnect with the sides.
It took well over a month for the sexual sides to completely subside. My sperm was a lot healthier and got my libido back.
6 years have passed and recently had my third Ht. My doc suggested I give fin another try at a much lower dosage for me twice a week. Again 2 weeks into it I noticed the same side effects. Tried an even lower dosage after that and still no luck.
Im so upset that my body cannot tolerate even a small dosage. I really believe that even 1/4 twice a week can do wonders for a lot of people as it stays in your system for a long time. This was confirmed by my doc.
I do believe the product works well but for me it's not worth the the sides. I can only hope something better comes along in the future that will help those people who cannot tolerate even a small dosage.

[baldozer]

I got on proscar several months after I realised I was losing hair, which was actually further into the balding process than most guys probably are when they notice. I'll never understand how I missed it for so long. I'd say I was a NW2. Just recession at the front.

Anyway, I think my hairloss accelerated a bit after I started taking it. Up until then it had been very gradual and then I noticed some fairly rapid thinning (still only at the front) over the following months. That stopped, however, and I'd say that things have remained unchanged ever since. I would conservatively designate myself a NW2A. The younger guys in the other forums might call me a NW3.

Started December 2005, proscar 1.25 mg (roughly) per day. No other medications or products at all.

No side effects to speak of. I do notice itching and can feel small, zit-like things in my hairline if a skip a few days.

Personally I think that the anti-finasteride hysteria which lurks around some areas of the internet must be responsible for a lot of unnecessary balding in the guys who choose to listen to the loud minority over the mostly silent majority.

The thing is that hair doesn't serve any useful purpose other than cosmetics, so for some people keeping your hair while potentially destroying your hormonal balance isn't worth it.

[35YrsAfter]

The thing is that hair doesn't serve any useful purpose other than cosmetics, so for some people keeping your hair while potentially destroying your hormonal balance isn't worth it.

Here is a quote from an LA Times article:

"Skin cancer of the scalp is not as common as on other areas of the body. But it poses its own set of challenges. "The problem is that the hair can obscure a skin cancer so that the diagnosis is delayed," says Dr. Ronald Moy, president of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Although those with thick hair have less to worry about — the hair acts as a barrier to the sun and protects the scalp — those with balding or thinning hair are more susceptible to developing skin cancer. "Skin cancer is very common on the scalp in thinning individuals — males and females — since it usually stands out to get direct sun exposure," says Dr. Paul McAndrews, clinical professor at the USC School of Medicine."

I personally believe that a full head of hair can offer some protection from sunburn that can lead to Actinic Keratosis which can later become skin cancer. On the other hand, doctors who once thought Melanoma was related to sun exposure are seeing it on patients in areas that were not exposed to the sun. Doctors are divided on the issue of sun exposure. Some will tell you to avoid all sun exposure while others say limited exposure is healthy. I personally believe that limited sun exposure is healthy. Some doctors believe that ingredients in some sunscreen products cause cancer. Studies prove that a low fat diet will improve Actinic Keratosis and in some cases eliminate the red scaly patches.


35YrsAfter also posts as CITNews and works at Dr. Cole's office
www.forhair.com
Cole Hair Transplant
1045 Powers Place
Alpharetta, Georgia 30009
Phone 678-566-1011
email 35YrsAfter at chuck@forhair.com
Please feel free to call or email me with any questions. Ask for Chuck

[gillenator]

Glad to see many of you having effective results with low dose finasteride. Although it will never completely stop hair loss, it can however slow down the progression of MPB in many men including myself. I started it in 1996 before Propecia was approved by the FDA. So low dose finasteride can buy us time and it really is a matter of personal choice.

I do want to caution many of the men who are losing their hair to first get examined and properly diagnosed for MPB by a licensed physician experienced in treating genetic hairloss. There are qualified derms who treat MPB, medicinally speaking.

There are many internet sites where you can just go online and buy finasteride but you owe it to yourselves to first be properly diagnosed.

[Keyu33]

Who here has used finasteride vs natural? This ebook looks interesting http://www.hairgrowthcure.com ?

[sleepybp]

Hey Guys !
I am 32 years old and have been on propecia 1mg daily for 3 months now.
In the beginning, between weeks three and week 8 of taking the pill I noticed some increased shedding (I currently only am thin in the front and front corners of my head).
But after getting into the second month and third month I can see that my hair is growing in thicker now than before I ever started propecia. My hair density is improving slowly and covers my scalp better in the front.

I have had a noticeable decrease in sexual drive that started around week 3 on the drug. I am still able to perform and have fun with the girlfriend but I do not get random erections in shower or in bed as I did before. I also feel like my erection is not as firm as it was before the drug.

Despite these side effects, I believe that they would subside if I had to stop taking the pill eventually. So I will continue to use, because what is the point of having a stronger sexual drive if I scare all the chicks away with my hairless head? LOL Come on guys you got to appreciate some humor on this forum

Also some notes to some angry posters out there:
1. To the man who got breast cancer and blames it on propecia, I wish you a healthy cancer free life. But you must be aware that in life, there are some men who will get breast cancer. Just as there are men who will get testicular cancer or have a heart attack. You cannot blame a drug for something occurring because you do not know if your genetic condition would have caused you to get cancer whether you were on finasteride or on tylenol pills. People get cancer every day...

2. This same logic applies to the poor man who experienced permanent erectile dystfunction while on propecia, and it remained after stopping the meds as well. Honestly, my heart goes out to you man, that is something no man deserves.... but there are also many men who suffer from ED naturally. They suffer from ED without having ever taking ANY hormone influencing drugs such as propecia. My point is, you could have been one of the unlucky ones that would have gotten ED regardless of whether you took propecia or not. Only long term statistical data can prove if there is a connection between propecia and permanent ED.

3. I saw a post about a guy who quit taking finasteride after month two because he said his hair looked worse than before he started it. As I have posted above, my hair looked worse in weeks 3 through 7 also. I have read that there can be an initial shedding stage and am thankful that I decided to go into month 3 to see very positive results that are better than before I ever started the pill.


In closing: Us fellow hair follicle challenged males should always make posts in the best interest of all men out there. Keep your information factual in stating your results and side effects while taking the drug. Do not prevent others from the potential benefit of 10 more years of hair that propecia might be able to give them by making wild accusations that cannot be proven.

[sleepybp]

Hey Guys !
I am 32 years old and have been on propecia 1mg daily for 3 months now.
In the beginning, between weeks three and week 8 of taking the pill I noticed some increased shedding (I currently only am thin in the front and front corners of my head).
But after getting into the second month and third month I can see that my hair is growing in thicker now than before I ever started propecia. My hair density is improving slowly and covers my scalp better in the front.

I have had a noticeable decrease in sexual drive that started around week 3 on the drug. I am still able to perform and have fun with the girlfriend but I do not get random erections in shower or in bed as I did before. I also feel like my erection is not as firm as it was before the drug.

Despite these side effects, I believe that they would subside if I had to stop taking the pill eventually. So I will continue to use, because what is the point of having a stronger sexual drive if I scare all the chicks away with my hairless head? LOL Come on guys you got to appreciate some humor on this forum

Also some notes to some angry posters out there:
1. To the man who got breast cancer and blames it on propecia, I wish you a healthy cancer free life. But you must be aware that in life, there are some men who will get breast cancer. Just as there are men who will get testicular cancer or have a heart attack. You cannot blame a drug for something occurring because you do not know if your genetic condition would have caused you to get cancer whether you were on finasteride or on tylenol pills. People get cancer every day...

2. This same logic applies to the poor man who experienced permanent erectile dystfunction while on propecia, and it remained after stopping the meds as well. Honestly, my heart goes out to you man, that is something no man deserves.... but there are also many men who suffer from ED naturally. They suffer from ED without having ever taking ANY hormone influencing drugs such as propecia. My point is, you could have been one of the unlucky ones that would have gotten ED regardless of whether you took propecia or not. Only long term statistical data can prove if there is a connection between propecia and permanent ED.

3. I saw a post about a guy who quit taking finasteride after month two because he said his hair looked worse than before he started it. As I have posted above, my hair looked worse in weeks 3 through 7 also. I have read that there can be an initial shedding stage and am thankful that I decided to go into month 3 to see very positive results that are better than before I ever started the pill.


In closing: Us fellow hair follicle challenged males should always make posts in the best interest of all men out there. Keep your information factual in stating your results and side effects while taking the drug. Do not prevent others from the potential benefit of 10 more years of hair that propecia might be able to give them by making wild accusations that cannot be proven.

[buford]

I started taking fin about 5 months ago after hair transplant surgery. Started noticing side effects maybe a few weeks to month in. 3 months in, I reduced dosage from 1.25mg to half that (.625mg). It did not help. Now I am taking .625mg every other day for the last two weeks hoping the side effects will decrease, but they have gotten worse. I now can almost have no climax or ejaculation. The other problems are low sex drive, lower volume, less number of contractions, less distance shooting, more watery, a little ED as well. My question is: should I completely stop taking this now or give the .625mg every other day more time or come off by weening off? I read a lot of conflicting info on cold turkey vs weening. Thanks

[rudda]

Hi there. I'm just about to start taking 5mg finasteride. Pill cut in half and taken every other day as a lower dosage as advised by the surgeon who carried out my hair transplant. I'm 23 years old and my personality is very outgoing, confident and not too much does get me down. I have suffered quite a bit of hairless and seen the positives and negatives from taking this drug. I'm going to take this with a positive outlook as my surgeon believes that a lot of these side effects can be psychological. My sex drive is very high I must admit, almost always turned on so to speak. Any feedback from you guys would be amazing. Cheers.