my finasteride results so far-9 months

[jamesst11]

9 months on fin so far and here are my personal results, bullet by bullet point

- lost about 30% of my already thin hair
- horrible insomnia (yes, because of fin)
- increased sebum and oily skin
- horrible, random mood swings (nope! never had this before. I was always very calm and collective, my ENTIRE life)

so, this is f*cking great.... you all praise and promote this drug like you are reps for Merck. While literally 50% of every single case I read online is entirely negative. What gives? I am really getting sick of this sh*t. I am f*cking exhausted that every single one of your responses to "I am starting to lose my hair", is "get on fin asap"... Like, so many have said before, this drug is f*cking russian roullete... do people really compromise their libido for such a sh*tty f*cking drug? REALLY?

[jamesst11]

Oh yeah, and let me add... it's great that it feels like there are red ants crawling under my scalp and burning my flesh, this is f*cking awesome... all f*cking day. I love that!

[BaldingEagle]

Really sucks you're having a bad reaction, but let's not act like there is a single drug that doesn't cause reactions in some. Many are even fatal.

I've been on finasteride about 2.5mons now and I've had mild fatigue, strange feeling in prostate area and lower libido. No erection problems, just crave sex less.

I have also used rogaine for a year. I now am getting new hairline regrowth since 2mons adding fin and its visible enough for me to want to keep it.

Personally for me: I don't identify as a bald guy so I tolerate mild sides to keep my NW2.

I hate the idea of hormone therapy but in actual reality as far as drugs go this is far from one of the more dangerous ones.

You reading negative reports online is also heavily biased. People with positive results are far less likely to take the time to post.

I'm not a doctor, nor do I claim to understand exactly what's happening on your scalp. In my own opinion it seems plausible that when you inhibit a powerful androgen like DHT, some people's bodies react by overly sensitizing the androgen receptors.

Again I'm not a doctor, my opinion comes from personal research and an interest and masters degree in molecular biology.

Cheers

[Vic]

We live with our choices James. That's how we learn and grow. If I were in your shoes I'd start using a derma roller over the scare from the hair transplant. With time it will get better, maybe even to the point you can shave your head.
I'd drop Fin like a bad habit after month 12. You've put yourself thru 9 months of dealing with that chemical. Might as well man up and deal with 3 more and hopefully get some results.
Don't dwell on the past, learn from it.

[jamesst11]

Hey man! I have my masters in molecular bio too! (even though I know very little about follicle function in general)... I was kinda drunk and pissed when I wrote this, and I can't take it down. I don't regret posting it so much, because I do believe that this is a really primitive, horrible drug, despite the fact I continue to take it! haha... what did you do your research on in grad school?

[Not giving up]

Hi James, I've followed your case closely for a while now bud.

Let me say I think what is happening to you is actually pretty strange, because I have all the same symptoms to you but I'm not on fin. I too accelerated my loss and gained all these symptoms through a drug, but mine was anabolic steroids. I took testosterone for 4 weeks back in March of this year. Before that time I had zero loss. Within the four weeks, I began massive diffuse shedding, burning and itchy scalp, with the ant feeling also, and I've had bacne and oily skin too and sebum.

The reason I find this strange is because my hairloss due to test is obvious (although I didn't know it at the time.) Test = raised DHT = hairloss. But with you, fin should lower DHT. You appear to react differently, as if you're on roids speeding up your loss. It's like your body gets lowered DHT from fin and then fights it?

Who knows, altering hormones is clearly dangerous either way.

[jamesst11]

Hi James, I've followed your case closely for a while now bud.

Let me say I think what is happening to you is actually pretty strange, because I have all the same symptoms to you but I'm not on fin. I too accelerated my loss and gained all these symptoms through a drug, but mine was anabolic steroids. I took testosterone for 4 weeks back in March of this year. Before that time I had zero loss. Within the four weeks, I began massive diffuse shedding, burning and itchy scalp, with the ant feeling also, and I've had bacne and oily skin too and sebum.

The reason I find this strange is because my hairloss due to test is obvious (although I didn't know it at the time.) Test = raised DHT = hairloss. But with you, fin should lower DHT. You appear to react differently, as if you're on roids speeding up your loss. It's like your body gets lowered DHT from fin and then fights it?

Who knows, altering hormones is clearly dangerous either way.

Yes, this seems very accurate. I believe my body is counteracting the drug by producing more T and increasing the amount of androgen receptors.. this would explain the diffuse loss and the sensations in my scalp. I will give it another 3 months and see what happens. Even though I am now half bald, at least the feelings are definitely decreasing with frequency and the hair loss has slowed, a bit. I have been through A LOT in the past 2 years with my scalp. HT, serious knee injuries and surgery and horrible depression and anxiety. I am hoping that perhaps because my hair cycles were SO f*cked up with to begin with, having encountered 1.5 year of constant TE, that maybe there is just a lot of "remodeling" being done and synchronizing of the cycles and it will start to get better... who knows. You're right though vic, I have been dermarolling the scar and applying emu oil and kelocote and have been TRYING to mentally prepare myself of the prospect of being bald. It's hard, bet hell... I have a handsome face, a muscular build and dark skin, so perhaps I will look good.

[JohnMPB]

Make sure your scalp is in a healthy state. From my experience An inflamed, itchy, red, sore scalp is not conducive to helping to keep hair. Whenever I have scalp inflammation I notice much more shedding. You may want to see a derm if you can't alleviate your scalp issues thru medicated shampoos like nizoral or tgel.

[Mpbman]

Sorry to hear that James.

Have you tried cutting the pills in half and maybe taking 0.5mg for a while? It could help with the side effects and still slow down hairloss.

[jamesst11]

yeah, i just started taking 1mg EOD... and I am going to slowly ween myself off of it. Nothing is worth this constant anguish and anxiety. I give up. F*ck hair loss. Just F*ck it. I am done. Time to start a new life bald.