Beginning of gyno, what are my options? (besides give up)

[sighingallday]

Hi everyone. I am 22 and have been taking finasteride 1.25 mg 5 times a week for about 4-5 months. Things were going really, really great, I pretty much regrew all the hair I lost. I was happy for the first time in a long time. However, I've started developing minor gynecomastia in my left nipple (right now its just puffy so still very early and minor.) If you're coming in to tell me it's nocebo don't bother. I also had sexual side effects, but I could still get hard and masturbate so that wasn't a big worry. Prior to the results from finasteride, I was deeply, deeply suicidal. Frankly, I can't go back. Even this has brought me back to an anxious depressive spiral. So even though I have one of the side effects that people suggest you stop taking it, I need to keep my hair. Did anyone have symptoms of gyno and continue taking finasteride? Did it progress or stay minor? Did you do anything to counter act it?

I've stopped finasteride entirely for about 5 days now and I plan on restarting in a month or so if/when my gyno subsides. Right now, my game plan is to switch to .25 oral finasteride every 3 days and a topical solution of .008% or something of that caliber, along with taking zinc and IC3 to hopefully reduce my estrogen. Hopefully this will be enough to maintain my hair without the systemic side effects. I'm going to get baseline blood levels and then test again in a month or so to see if my estrogen is out of range. If I still have high estrogen, I plan on taking a very very low dose prescription aromatase inhibitor to keep it in check. I'll also probably experiment with topical dutasteride, RU, Zix, etc. but I really want to exhaust my options with finasteride first since I know it works. I know this sounds like a lot, but like I said, I can't go back to the state I was in while losing my hair. If I develop gyno, I'll get the surgery. So I'm looking for any similar experiences, advice, or insights.

Thank you!

 

[crikey1980]

Hi fella, you're lucky you've found something that works which is good.
If I was you I would keep taking the finesteride and get gyno surgery if that's possible.
Good look pal.

 

[crikey1980]

Gotta agree with pegasus, I think you start taking anti estrogens sort of thing, you are counter acting what you are actually trying to acheive.
Side effects unfortunately are gonna happen when treating hairloss.

 

[JohnSmith21]

Are you sure you have gyno? Don’t take estrogen blockers. finasteride is a long term thing, and taking an estrogen blocker long term is a bad idea. You sure your not just fat? Post a pic

 

[sighingallday]

This is trouble. One pill makes you bigger, one pill makes you smaller. If you start down that road you'll be going back and forth until your hair is shredded. There are other ways to battle early gyno. Lose weight and exercise. Use a topical AA like RU.

I already am fairly skinny and workout often so I don't think this will help. I may try topical AA, but I also don't think the side effects should be that severe if I were to take a dose once a week or so and monitor my estrogen.

 

[sighingallday]

Are you sure you have gyno? Don’t take estrogen blockers. finasteride is a long term thing, and taking an estrogen blocker long term is a bad idea. You sure your not just fat? Post a pic

Lol I'm very skinny and have an athletic build.

 

[sighingallday]

Gotta agree with pegasus, I think you start taking anti estrogens sort of thing, you are counter acting what you are actually trying to acheive.
Side effects unfortunately are gonna happen when treating hairloss.

I know it's not an ideal solution but considering my options are fairly limited.... I would have to wait for the gyno to develop for 2 years to have it surgically removed. You think I should just let it happen? Lol I'd rather not contribute to my body dysmorphia that I was trying to solve with finasteride. I think a dose of an AI once a week or so may keep my estrogen in range without crashing it.

 

[crikey1980]

Hi no you don't have to wait for gyno..... You can remove the glands under the nipple in a pre emptive strike..... Bodybuilders do this.
If you are getting good results with finasteride then I feel this should be your aim save up for gyno surgery which is a hell of a lot cheaper than a hair transplant and a lot more straight forward.

 

[Derelict]

Hi no you don't have to wait for gyno..... You can remove the glands under the nipple in a pre emptive strike..... Bodybuilders do this.
If you are getting good results with finasteride then I feel this should be your aim save up for gyno surgery which is a hell of a lot cheaper than a hair transplant and a lot more straight forward.

Just like hair transplants you need to find a good surgeon though, gyno surgery gone wrong can leave your chest looking deformed.

 

[Derelict]

I know it's not an ideal solution but considering my options are fairly limited.... I would have to wait for the gyno to develop for 2 years to have it surgically removed. You think I should just let it happen? Lol I'd rather not contribute to my body dysmorphia that I was trying to solve with finasteride. I think a dose of an AI once a week or so may keep my estrogen in range without crashing it.

Stay away from AIs(like letrozole) if you value your hair, try ralox for a month or two, if no results try tamox, which is still bit bad for your hair but nowhere near as bad.