Interesting! If it is down to prolactin, then is there anything we can do to get back into normal range? Or maybe it just takes time?
I've read that there is quite a safe drug called 'Dostinex', that is used to lower prolactin very effectively. From my brief investigation, it seems quite safe. However, i won't be putting any more drugs into my body for a while. If my libido doesn't improve within 6 months or so, i'll take action. I'll be seeing a urologist in the meantime to get some pathology and other checks done. I'll see what they suggest.
Originally Posted by chrisis
If you want to chat away from the forum then my email address is: 19chris83@gmail.com. You can either email or add me on Facebook, if you have it
Sorry, i still haven't set up a FB account (yet), but i'll save your email address. I just rang my derm and he is away for the next six weeks at a conference, so i'll see him when he gets back. A HT rep once told me they also do propecia injections directly into the scalp. They have to be repeated monthly, but it's not something i would ever consider. I had anesthesia injections into my scalp during my FUE surgery last year, which was not a nice experience.....OUCH !!!. Ain't going through that monthly
Hello Folly and Chrisis. I really glad you guys had good experiences with Spex and the Doc. If I can ever help with answering and questions feel free to hit me up at any time.
@Folly. It's really interesting what Dr. Feller said about you and FUE. Such a shame you didn't know this before though man. IS there anything you can do about this as far as compensation from your previous doc? At least you don't need many grafts. If there is one thing I am 100% sure about as far as my whole HT experience it is that my FUT scar is pretty amazingly thin and virtually unnoticeable.
To both of you guys, I am really sorry to hear about your finestride side effects. Damn. It's strange as I personally thought that I would be a candidate to have sexual side effects from fin. When I was about 22 or 23 I was (Incorrectly) prescribed ant depressants even though I wasn't depressed (Very bad NHS GP). I started taking them and my sex drive was annihilated. Completely destroyed. I just gave them up and within a few months it returned to normal. Due to this I thought that I would definitely have bad side effects from propecia but even with that underlying anxiety I never got any at all.
I really hope this works out for you guys.
If I can ever help with answering and questions feel free to hit me up at any time.
Cheers mate. You're a legend !!
Originally Posted by spreadlocks
@Folly. It's really interesting what Dr. Feller said about you and FUE. Such a shame you didn't know this before though man. IS there anything you can do about this as far as compensation from your previous doc?
Well, i have had about 40-50% growth, but i was told by mt HT surgeon before my surgery to expect 90% growth. I had a virgin scalp and followed all post op instruction AND MORE. I was taking protein, minoxidil, biotin, vitamins, excercising....all that good stuff. Dr. Feller said it is very unlikely that i am one of those people who doesn't grow well from a HT, because i've had a reasoable amount of growth....it's just very patchy. Now, every HT surgeon/rep i have met has voiced considerable worry/anger about the fact that i only had one tech working on me for about 16-17 hours. It wasn't even that big a case (1,250 grafts). Dr.Feller told me that he has 6-8 techs working on such cases and the patient is back in his hotel room by lunch time. I turned up at the clinic at 8 am and left THE NEXT DAY at 2 in the morning !!! Madness. If i knew what i know now about HT, i would have left the clinic when i found out that only 1 tech was working on me. So in my opinion and in the opinion of every HT surgeon i have met, THIS is the reason for my poor results.
I'm going to ask my HT surgeon to estimate what growth i've had and then i would like to be refunded for what didn't grow, so it can go towards my repair. I'll let you know the outcome.
Originally Posted by spreadlocks
At least you don't need many grafts. If there is one thing I am 100% sure about as far as my whole HT experience it is that my FUT scar is pretty amazingly thin and virtually unnoticeable.
Your scar makes me feel very confident about strip surgery. Really looking forward to seeing your hair in 2-3 months. We're gonna have to get you an afro comb bro !!
Sorry to hijack this thread but Im in a similar position to yourself with regards to contemplating a HT without propecia usage. I am comfortable with needing more than one procedure in the future, as without propecia I know I will continue to lose hair. Just wanted to ask you your opinions on the above as you seem to be a fairly knowledgeable guy on here
Hi Guys, thanks for sharing your experiences and I'm sorry to hear about your negative experiences with propecia.
I'm am extremely concerned that you guys are thinking of going ahead with a procedure without taking propecia.
I went on propecia age 26 with no side effects. Reading about it (such as this thread) and just generally taking a drug daily made me scared so I came of it at the age of 27 and went in for a procedure convinced like you guys I wouldn't lose anymore if I was on other meds. 6 months later transplanted hair grew but I lost in other areas. Like a fool went i for another procedure after 8 months and 8 months later in the same position. Then went in for a third one and 8 months later in the same position. I realised I was screwed for life and went on propecia again and had one more procedure to fix me and no loss since. I am fixed for now and I'm writing this to you nearly three years since my last procedure. Let me tell you there isn't 3-4hoirs that go by on any day where I dnt wonder about the future and how screwed I am if this stops working.
I want kids, they say you need to come of it when you are trying for kids so what will I do then?
My hair loss was really slow and steady until 27 then it became rapid
I'm pretty sure even spex mentions that a good percentage of this results are propecia and not ht
Another thing I want to point out is the expense and time out of work. For three of the procedures I stayed in another country for 8 weeks post procedure pretending to everyone I was on holiday living the high life (no one in the world knows iv had this done). I'm lucky that I am financially secure to be able to do this. Makes me worry how different it would have been if it wasn't for the money iv saved and the job I do which allows me to disappear when I need to
I dnt think my words will make much of a difference and you will probably both get it done anyway but I do think you are creating for yourselves bigger problems and although I dnt post often I just felt it necessary to share my experience with you
I've read that there is quite a safe drug called 'Dostinex', that is used to lower prolactin very effectively. From my brief investigation, it seems quite safe. However, i won't be putting any more drugs into my body for a while. If my libido doesn't improve within 6 months or so, i'll take action. I'll be seeing a urologist in the meantime to get some pathology and other checks done. I'll see what they suggest.
Sounds sensible! Yeah, let me know what you decide to do.
Originally Posted by spreadlocks
I really hope this works out for you guys.
Thanks spreadlocks!
Originally Posted by Jairus
Hi Chris,
Sorry to hijack this thread but Im in a similar position to yourself with regards to contemplating a HT without propecia usage. I am comfortable with needing more than one procedure in the future, as without propecia I know I will continue to lose hair. Just wanted to ask you your opinions on the above as you seem to be a fairly knowledgeable guy on here
Thanks
J
Dr Feller is not a big fan of Propecia, and he's one of the foremost experts on hair loss and transplant surgery. On that basis alone, I think having a HT without Propecia is possible, but it depends on the type of balding you have, the rate of progression, and whether you're happy to commit to this, as you may need further HTs as you suggest. It's a very tough call.
Originally Posted by morelocks
I dnt think my words will make much of a difference and you will probably both get it done anyway but I do think you are creating for yourselves bigger problems and although I dnt post often I just felt it necessary to share my experience with you
Good luck
Thanks for describing your experience morelocks. I am certainly not decided about what I'm going to do yet, and everything you've mentioned has crossed my mind for sure. I'm not as lucky with respect to being able to commit an indefinite amount of money for HTs and my job will only allow a few weeks of leave. I don't think my balding pattern is quite as rapid as yours sounds however, as much as it's difficult to predict. Dr Feller suggested I might need further work in 5-10 years. I think I could deal with that.
I dnt think my words will make much of a difference and you will probably both get it done anyway but I do think you are creating for yourselves bigger problems and although I dnt post often I just felt it necessary to share my experience with you
Hi Morelocks,
I totally agree with your concern, but what can we do ? Without propecia, fighting MPB is a nightmare, but that drug completely f#cked up my sexual function, so im screwed (no pun intended). Similar to you, my hair loss really kicked off at about 28, which was last year. The only person in my family (mum & dads side) with MPB appears to be my dad, who is a NW4. Thats going back to great grandfathers on both sides. I appear to be following my dads pattern. I've been receeding at the hairline since 17, but at a snails pace. But last year, my crown went from compete thick coverage to noticeable thinning (see pic). I'm lucky that i don't have advanced hair loss in my family (NW6 - NW7), so i should be ok with HT alone, but having to go back every few years will be a nightmare. I have started using rogaine on my crown and i hope that might help me to hold onto my crown for a while. I just hope my MPB develops slowly, like it did for my dad. Luckily, i believe it is moving very slowly. He thinned gradually from around the age of 30-45. He developed into an NW4 at 45 and has stayed that way since (he is now 65). I just pray some more treatments come down the line.
If i had advanced hair loss in my family, i wouldn't even consider a HT without propecia and i would just go and get a hairpiece. I'm only going ahead with the surgery because i'm confident there will be some better hair loss treatments available in around 10 years. But still.....it's a risk because i wouldn't be at all suprised if Finasteride/Minoxidil are still the only decent treatments available in 10 years. I wouldn't be suprised at all !!
I am not a doctor or medical professional and my words should not be taken as medical advice. All opinions expressed are my own unless stated otherwise. Always consult with your own family doctor prior to embarking on any form of hair loss treatment or surgery.
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