Afraid of Propecia

[norc]

I want to start FIN this January 1, 2011. This is to give time for answers on my posts here. My Dad has MPB. But I noticed a while ago that his vertex is now thinning. I am afraid I might reach this point as well. I am thinking on FIN seriously now. I am quite convinced from the heart. Just need a little motivations from others. Just hoping the sides are really not permanent and tolerable. To go or not to go?


thanks

[Jcm800]

I want to start FIN this January 1, 2011. This is to give time for answers on my posts here. My Dad has MPB. But I noticed a while ago that his vertex is now thinning. I am afraid I might reach this point as well. I am thinking on FIN seriously now. I am quite convinced from the heart. Just need a little motivations from others. Just hoping the sides are really not permanent and tolerable. To go or not to go?


thanks

Hi, did you decide to give it a go afterall?

[bluewater]

I am 61. Not certain how long I was on Prop. I wasn't keeping track of the time since I wasn't concerned about the side effects. It has been 3-5 years. I was taking 5mg every other day, skipping the weekends. This is what the doc said to do and told me that he was doing this as well. It did a great job of maintaining the hair that I had, then again as far as I know it might have stayed that way anyway. I noticed a decrease in volume relatively soon after starting. Since I was in my 50's and not wanting any additional kids I didn't think anything of it. My drive stayed strong. Opportunities for sex were infrequent due to my wifes disinterest. Over time, years, I noticed my erections were weaker and my spontaneous erections went away. I thought it was due to age.

I stumbled upon this site about a month ago and started to really get educated about the side effects. My doctor low balled them. I don't believe he was being deceptive. I think he was just repeating what he knew and what information was available. I stopped using a month ago. It took a couple of weeks and I sweated those out, but now everything appears to be normal. Volume, spontaneous erections through out the day and early morning have returned. Still not as hard, but that could be age related.

I was amazed at how much had changed and how little I noticed it or mistook it as part of the aging process. I have read here that the changes can be subtle and take time to materielize. I would have to agree that that was my experience. My dilemma now is what to do with the treatment. I have cut the 5mg pills in half and have considered taking that 3x's a week, which is slightly above the 1mg per day dose that is recommended. Are there any recommendations for me from the physicians and contributors to this site for me?

I am a little leery about starting again. However I am relieved knowing that the side effects took years to show up enough for me to notice them and they reversed fairly quickly.

I workout regularly. I ran 808 miles in 2010 and visit the gym several times a week. I eat smart and try to take the best care of myself I can. My hair , while not perfect is important to me. I feel for each and every one of you out there having to cope with hair loss. I hope my experience with Prop can help someone.


Thanks

[Spex]

Try not get scared off the drug - millions use it with no issue. Try it and see if you have any issues short term - However if you expect to get sides YOU WILL.

The mind is a powerful tool

[Jcm800]

The dilemma for me personally is place my trust in Propecia or Trx2?- can only afford one

[bluewater]

If you read my message. I have used the drug for 3-5 years. I didn't expect any adverse reactions and I got them anyway. No drug is perfect. Including this one. I am just sharing my experience. I am not making a definitive statement about the safety of the drug.

[Spex]

Very few experience sides in my opinion after years of speaking and liaising with patients. Men who avoid the drug due to the few scare stories in my opinion are potentially missing out on saving their hair.

I am not pro pro all singing all dancing the drug, just trying to give both sides of the story as all you will ever hear about is the scare stories.

Think how many are out there using the drug no issues at all Too many to count.

I personally 10+ years on the drug - secret to my success.

[bluewater]

"Very few" is not a definitive. It is a term of generalization. And you are entitled to your opinion. Your opinion however is not fact. And I don't agree with you that "as all you will ever hear about is the scare stories". I didn't hear ANY negatives until I found this site which is an open forum contributing objective real life experiences. My doctor said that it is a widely used drug by millions of people over many years and few experience any negative effects. I trusted that, but in my case, it wasn't true. Again, I am only relaying my personal experience, which happens to differ from yours. I am happy that your experience was more positive than mine was.

[norc]

Hi, did you decide to give it a go afterall?

not yet...still reading more and more informations....

just talked to my doctor though. i asked if there are some procedures/test i can do for baselining on my hormones before i get into the drug...I didn't get a good answer. Though she assured me once I stop the drug, effects will really get out of my system as time goes by.....

Very few experience sides in my opinion after years of speaking and liaising with patients. Men who avoid the drug due to the few scare stories in my opinion are potentially missing out on saving their hair.

I am not pro pro all singing all dancing the drug, just trying to give both sides of the story as all you will ever hear about is the scare stories.

Think how many are out there using the drug no issues at all Too many to count.

I personally 10+ years on the drug - secret to my success.

This is a good point actually......I am realizing that I might be missing the potential of keeping my hair...but i want to take this very carefully also and I understand it is not that simple...

[Jcm800]

I totally understand your concerns, I'm in exactly the same position. Still have a fair amount of hair, and think it'd be wise to start meds and try to save it, but naturally I have concerns for my health. What if I was an unlucky guy and got man boobs or depression etc, it'd screw me right up.
Then again, I could be like Spex, and have good results and no sides, it's Russian roulette as far as I can tell.