Avodart

[Rozzy252]

Hi Guys,
just popping over from the women's forum for a bit to catch up on this end. I don't read as often since we've split into HerAlopecia.
Anyways, I was wondering for those who have tried avodart if you have seen any improvement at all. I've been reading great things about it so I thought I'd ask the pros myself. This is something I'm considering when the time comes for me to start medication. ( I can't until I have a baby). The only thing I'm reading in the research about females taking this medication is that its harmful if you are pregnant. But, I don't see anything saying its bad if you aren't prego. Sooooo, this is something I'm considering..... any input would be greatly appreciated....
Thank YOU.

 

[Thinning]

I dont think women have prostate glands so I doubt you will find enough of a distribution to determine what types of sides you may experience taking Avodart. I would imagine that its pretty risky since it affects hormones quite significantly. Probably about the same risks of side effects as guys taking birth control pills.

I havent tried Avodart but I have heard that it is significantly more effective than propecia, especially on the frontal hairline.

 

[Slartibartfast]

Hi Rozzy,

Not sure how good a spread of responses you'll get as there are still so few on this board taking Avodart, and even fewer who have done so for any length of time, but as I'm one of the veteran users (17 months and counting) I'll try to help.

But, before I launch into a run-down of my experience, could I ask why you're thinking of Avodart over Propecia? I had a sneak around the HerAlopecia site to read your story and a few posts but I didn't see this explained.

Slarti

 

[Rozzy252]

Hi Slarti,
thank you for your response. I thought there might have been a higher percentage of men on this medication but I guess I'm wrong. My reasons for wanting to take it???? Well, I'm still researching but I'm highly interested. I'm not hearing much of a positive response from the girls who are taking Propecia. Not a lot of results to share. There is one girl who is taking the Avodart and has had positive results. After researching the two medications (Propecia and Avodart) I like the fact that the avodart works on the DHT isoforms 1 and 2... whereas propecia only works on 1.
I still have a long way before I decide on which med I would like to take. It really doesn't matter about the fetal thing. I'm resolved to having at least one baby before I start the meds anyways. And whatever meds I do choose to take, I cannot be pregnant during the experience. SO, I thought, why not avodart....
But, I thought I'd ask the pros and that would be you guys!!!! So if you have any info to share that would be greatly appreciated!!!!

 

[Guest]

Rozzy252 (are there really another 251 rozzies on these boards?)

I suppose one advantage for you is that some of the possible side effects are negated by way of you being a lady, I mean teticular pain is not going to eat into your day much is it?

I like the fact that the avodart works on the DHT isoforms 1 and 2... whereas propecia only works on 1.

do you mean it only works on '1' of the two isoforms or that it only works on type 1.....?

a quote from the mighty Bryan

The bottom line is that the type of 5a-reductase in hair follicle dermal papilla cells appears to be almost exclusively the type 2 version. That's why finasteride works against hairloss, and why specific type 1 inhibitors haven't worked very well in either human or stumptailed macaque tests.

 

[Slartibartfast]

Hi again,
There aren't too many on Avodart as, rather than going straight onto it, we all tend to advise any newcomers to start off with Proscar, and possibly minoxidil, and wait at least a year before assessing their results - so only the poor responders like me dabble with the more experimental drugs.

I meant to say in my last post that I have a thread in the 'My Story' section with a rather wordy account of my hair loss battle. But, to save you from having to plough through all of that, I'll summarize it here;

I'm a diffuse thinner and about 3 years ago I started taking Proscar and using minoxidil at the front and crown, though from 8 months in it's been full scalp applications (I believe you know how much fun that is). I stuck with this regimen for 20 months and, with the exception of the front couple of inches where the thinning only slowed, my hair loss at first stopped and then, oh so slowly, reversed.
To try to save the front I dropped Proscar for Avodart, starting with one 0.5mg capsule every 2nd day, and for the first 6 months saw a gradual improvement in my hair's density - even at the front - before a progress destroying 2 month long shed came along, which was worst at the front (of course). During the next 6 months my hair slowly recovered and I was sure the hardest part was over, 14 months on Avodart and I could still see new hairs growing in at the front and the rest had improved to where even my trained eye couldn't see obvious thinning.
Over the next month however I became convinced that the progress at the front had stopped, so convinced, and concerned, that I just had to do something to put my mind at rest. So about 7 weeks back (well 52 days, but who's counting) I went to a daily dose and after only a month (way too soon for it to be affecting me) I get some tiny new hairs on an area of my left temple that has been hairless for years and so now I'm wondering if I needed to up my dose.

Well that's my fairly sketchy synopsis done, now I was curious, do you know how long any of the women you mention have been on Propecia for, also the one on Avodart, and if they've reported any side effects.

Slarti

 

[Slartibartfast]

a quote from the mighty Bryan

The bottom line is that the type of 5a-reductase in hair follicle dermal papilla cells appears to be almost exclusively the type 2 version. That's why finasteride works against hairloss, and why specific type 1 inhibitors haven't worked very well in either human or stumptailed macaque tests.

There is some ambiguity from saying that "type I inhibitors haven't worked very well". Implies a certain level of effectiveness, or are the Propecia beating results in the Avodart hair count studies down solely to a greater suppression of the Type II isoform?

 

[Bryan]

I include a little ambiguity in statements like that because I'm basically a cautious person, and NOBODY knows the exact answers to these highly theoretical issues with complete certainty. I always hedge my bets just a little by saying something like "haven't worked very well", as opposed to something emphatic and unequivocal like "haven't worked at all".

In my opinion, dutasteride works better than finasteride mostly because of its better inhibition of the type 2 enzyme, but I'll always leave myself a little wiggle-room! :wink:

Bryan