8 months on dutasteride...

[ropcat]

Slarti-

Glad your results have been so good. What do you make of the discussion in various forums about the possible aging of skin and the presence of the 5-AR I isozyme in the myelin sheath of neural cells? And have you experienced any of the sides not mentioned in the dutasteride studies (mood and sleep irregularities, sleep problems, skin, etc.)? Thanks again!

 

[Bismarck]

From what I've read I would recommend not to use Dutasteride.
I think it is a dangerous drug in the long term perspective, but ah well we'll see.

bis

 

[Red Rose]

Bis, I agree - consider the role of DHT in the CNS as one example.

EDIT: the role 5AR-1 plays in the CNS

5AR-1 is thought to prevent neurological toxicity by catabolism of neurotoxic steriods. It also functions to convert progesterone to dihydroprogesterone (DHP) in the brain - a beneficial neurosteroid. 3-alpha-HSD (another enzyme in the brain) converts DHP to
allopregnanolone. Allopregnanolone is a neurosteroid which exhibits anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) and anticonvulsant activities through potentiation of the GABA(A) receptor.

So if you start feeling more anxiety or have seizures, stop taking
dutasteride and tell your doctor (and Glaxo).

 

[Bismarck]

Bis, I agree - consider the role of DHT in the CNS as one example.

DHT ? I think its not DHT.

That's the sh*t:

 

[Guest]

Ochem is cool

 

[ropcat]

Why didn't all this stuff get investigated during the Dutasteride safety trials? I'm not questioning you at all. But from my non-scientist's perspective, it seems like it would be obvious for the research team to figure out where 5AR-1 is present in the body, what its functions are, and what the possible consequences of eliminating it are. Did they not take into consideration the effects on chemicals in the brain and skin? That seems like a pretty serious omission, both by the corporate researchers and by the FDA regulators reviewing the safety profile.

 

[Guest]

Why didn't all this stuff get investigated during the Dutasteride safety trials?

Good point. I definitely don't trust the FDA farther than I can throw them, especially after reading every article in the Times that comes out revealing the various conflicts of interest between this government agency and the pharmeceutical industry. I mean, insider lobbyists affect every other form of gov, why would this one be immune? And, as the newspapers have been reporting, it isn't. However, o-chem may be cool, but I don't think anyone on this thread has any grasp of it whatsoever. (Anyone who's taken o-chem wouldn't have said that--unless they're a chemistry major.)

That being said, I would advise against taking dutasteride. It's bad enough one would have to take finasteride, a drug that's actually been approved for our balding needs--the FDA is less than air-tight in their approvals, and this one isn't even approved. Nor does it seem it ever will be. I take dutasteride, and wouldn't suggest it to anyone.

 

[ropcat]

Nate- Thanks, you're right. I was thinking the same thing about the FDA -- although I was also thinking that there might not have been as much influence exerted for Dutasteride approval since it wasn't planned as a staple drug or blockbuster money-maker like Vioxx. But who can tell?

I'm curious about your o-chem comment and your own comment about being on dutasteride. Can you refer me to a thread where you discuss your own experience/problems with dutasteride? I'll search o-chem because I hadn't heard of this before. Thanks!

 

[ropcat]

As of today I took my last propecia pill ever, and tomorrow I take the plunge into dutasteride. I'm pretty freaked about it, but it sounds like we have similar hairloss. I hope it works for me. I'm not on minoxidil, though, so I don't know if it's even possible I could have as good results as you. I hope more dutasteride users start posting their responses to this very frightening drug.

Nate- How have you been doing on dutasteride since you started it on February 18? Any side effects to relate?

 

[Guest]

Too soon to say. As of today I'll have been on it for 31 days, and I'm kind of waiting for at least three months before I extrapolate on my experience. I will say I got some headaches in the first couple of weeks, but that's been it--so far. I think it's too soon--way too soon--to tell whether or not this is going to be a painful and/or HAIRpful drug. Get it? HAIRpful?? Man, I slay me...

I'll keep dutasteride users posted in the future. I'm just as anxious about this drug as everyone else.

 

[ropcat]

No, I completely understand that you'd want to wait awhile before evaluating. But I'm wondering if the headaches were severe, and if they've now subsided. Also: if you're on a generic, have you considered what you'll do in the event of an Indian generic "clamp-down"? Just switch to Avodart and pay the big bucks? Good luck with early stages of treatment.