does lowering propecia dosage help?

[philippe]

i've been taking .625mg (i am cutting the proscar tablets into eight pieces) for about a week now and the shedding has def cut back. as far as libido changes are concerned i can't yet tell a big difference...i do, however, no longer feel as "brain foggy." it's hard to explain--i just feel mentally sharper (not like i'm doing advanced calculus all of a sudden but i just notice a difference in mental clarity). i will keep this up for the next few weeks and then start going every other day. i think this is a powerful drug and there are def people like myself who are very sensitive to it and 1mg is just too much. hope this gives hope to some out there that you can get by on less. i will update in another few weeks about changes/improvements to my libido.

[Morgan137]

Thanx philippe, keep us updated please, i am also considering to start fin, but i am changing my decision every other day and can not make any definite conclusion. And one question, can you tell is it available to cut it into 8 pieces and use it safely, i mean by the time the cutted one may debilitate? Did you research it ?

[philippe]

hey morgan, i did research the cutting of the pills and whether or not finasteride is distributed equally throughout. from what i was able to gather on various forums the pill is made in such a way that if you halved or quartered it (or cut it into even smaller pieces) the finasteride should be pretty equally distributed--i would not be too worried about slight discrepancies, i.e. one day you take .5mg and then next .6, etc. as with any other drug i can only suggest you try it and see how your body responds--everybody responds differently. i would give it a month (as far as sides effects go, etc) to see how you're feeling. you won't see and new growth for at least 4 months and you may experience a shedding period within that time which is pretty standard. not everyone sheds--i did and it's no fun but it's a sign that the medication is working. good luck.

[hkoros]

I had been using minox and other topical formulas for over 7 years and my temples kept receeding. Then my frontal third started thinning big time. At that point, I started taking propecia only once every 2 days (half dosage). My frontal third has since thickened considerably. It hasn't grown back the temples (don't think it will since those follicles are probably dead by now), but it thickened and saved existing native hairs. I wish I jumped on propecia much earlier, would have much more hair now. Other forums have said half dosage is almost as effective as full dosage.

[Morgan137]

Thank you for you detailed answer philippe and i wish side effects will go away for you! I am now really considering to start fin by cutting it to pieces, but will still wait until tomorrow to decide concretely

[sapcote]

what about halfing the dose of propecia for those who are experiencing side effects (testicular pain). I experienced testicular pain on and off for a few days after taking propecia for the last 11 days; i missed one day and would say the pain has lessened almost totally........does this suggest that i should just give up on the drug, as i am inclined to do, or should i give it another shot?

[philippe]

@sapcote--you've been on finasteride now for how long exactly? when did the pain start? it is a known side effect though i have not experienced it. i think halving the doage is a good idea to start with--you can always take the full 1 mg later if you see no improvement in your hair loss. i personally think .5mg a day is sufficient and you save some money! as for the pain, it's hard to say--is it terrible pain or just discomfort? just putting it out there: the mind is a powerful thing and people experience all sort of side effects whilst on propecia and then say they missed one day and all the side effects stopped on that one day--is it possible...sure, i guess so...but it seems unlikely and more a result of your mind telling you everything's ok...make sense?

[Spex]