Balder / Journalist - some questions

[jhaydee]

Hi guys,

I'm new here, although I've been a lurker for many years. I'm 24 and I've been on Finasteride and Minoxidil since I was 18, I'd say I'm a NW2 having been a NW1. Balded a little over the last six years, but not as bad as I think I would have done otherwise. All my friends joke it hasn't made a difference but I noticed a change in my hairline and all my family were rapid balders (bald by 23) so I didn't want to take the risk.

I've never experienced any of the sexual side-effects of balding, but I know from reading here that a lot of people do. When I first started using them i had mild ball-pain, but I persisted and it disappeared. I've never been to the doctors about balding, mainly because I wouldn't be able to afford the prescription in the UK and I have quite bad social anxiety and I'm just not able to talk to a total stranger about something which gives me so much anxiety anyway. One of the ways I justify taking unprescribed medication is that if I was to go bald, it would shatter my already fairly ropey self-image, so it's best just to buy the pills every 6 months and avoid thinking about it. I know it's bad. But i imagine there are lots of guys in a similar situation?

Anyway, that's my story. But that's not entirely the reason I'm here. I do some work as a journalist / essayist and I've been thinking that finasteride and having read some of the horror stories, as well as the positive stories, online I think it would be something that's really interesting to write about. There's definitely a human interest thing about it - because to me there's something really emasculating about balding, it's self-image shattering; and to avoid it people are willing to put up with some horrific side effect, I know I probably would be.


So my questions really are this, could anybody link me to some of the studies on the prevalence of side effects? Would anybody be willing to share their story of the negative side-effects with me (especially where it was irreversible) ? How prevalent do you think use of unprescribed finasteride is? Has anybody had any really positive stories they'd be willing to share, in which it's turned their life around?

I'm going to be honest, the negative side-effects are going to be of more interest to me and also the prevalence of people taking it unprescribed because it seems dangerous - (I know, I'm a hypocrit). But I know from personal experience that sometimes it's worth taking the risk, I couldn't stand to lose my hair so young.

Thanks

- J

 

[benjt]

Isn't a journalist supposed to approach a matter without any preference for any stance on an issue?

Anyway, regarding studies, there are a plethora of them. They usually report between 5 and 18% incidence rate. A meta-study conducted statistical analysis and came to the conclusion that sexual side effects are very likely underreported. Incidence rate is thus probably closer to 18% in reality. Not surprising, assuming that many docs will refuse to give you a description if you tell them about side effects.

 

[jhaydee]

Isn't a journalist supposed to approach a matter without any preference for any stance on an issue?.

Where'd ya get that idea? I mean to be honest my opinion is that Finasteride is risky, Dustaride more so; but those who take it are judging the reward outweighs the risk. That opinions pretty much one I've picked up from hanging round on here...

Got any links through to the studies? - would be nice to have a read, don't wanna jump to conclusions.

 

[benjt]

Neurosteroidal effects of finasteride: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jsm.12269/abstract

Low quality of side effect studies, including probable underreporting of side effects: https://archderm.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=2212246
Important quote:

Funnel plots were asymmetric with a bias toward lower odds ratio for sexual adverse effects, suggesting systematic underdetection.

Here are some numbers regarding incidence rate of side effects on finasteride: http://www.rxlist.com/proscar-side-effects-drug-center.htm
The interesting part is sexual impotence being reported as high as 18.5%. While this value is for 5 mg dose, finasteride's dose response curve is logarithmic. The difference in DHT inhibition between 1 and 5 mg daily is very low (around 10%). If effects differ only by 10%, side effects very likely do not differ much either.

I couldn't find the study now, but there was one for finasteride at 1 mg daily (the recommended dose, by the way) which reported impotence at 18 or 19% for 1 mg as well.