Loss in first few months. A few questions.

[samian]

I'm 26, and losing hair slowly for 2 years at least. Was a pretty solid NW2 4 months ago. I started fin 4 months ago, had a big shed about a month after starting, but I think it subsided slightly. Not really any of the signs of reflexive androgenicity that people talk about, however I had some sexual sides for the first month, and they have gone completely now (makes me feel suspicious). Started rogaine a month ago, have being having a MONSOON of a shed since like 3 days after I started it. I mean my hands are just caked in hair in the shower. Must be losing more than 200 hairs/day in the shower alone. A lot of these hairs seem to be pretty short (less than an inch, my hair is quite a bit longer).

Today, my hair unquestionably looks worse than 4 months ago, it looks pretty thin in the whole of the NW3 region, but also some slight thinning is visible all over the top (I can't be 100% sure that this is new or if I'm just more critical now). I've started using concealers on my temples, because I just wasn't prepared for this kind of rapid change.

First of all - what's the outlook from here? Do many people have a visible dip in the first few months which stabilizes? I realise that I need to wait, but it is seriously preying on my mind all day long at the moment.

Second - is it worth sticking it out with the rogaine? It makes me itch like crazy, and MIGHT be the cause of this horrifying shed.

With regards to fin, is it usual to experience fairly bad sides, and then they just disappear completely? Feels suspicious to me...

Finally, if I do have the fabled reflexive androgenicity - how could I get evidence? I have no acne, oily skin or libido changes to speak of. I didn't do bloodwork before, would there be any point in doing any now?