finasteride and Anti-depressant Side Effects

[VT27]

I have a problem that I haven't seen posted here yet.

After my hairloss started I went on some antidepressants which I think was a good idea. They are probably something I will have to be on for the rest of my life and I accept that. The problem's not just being depressed about my hairloss, that just majorly pointed out the overall problem.

But, everything that works give me sexual side effects. Tried Propecia in the past but I don't think I gave it a fair trial. Had some ball ache in the beginning but couldn't evaluate it for sexual sides cuz I already had them!

After not doing anything systematicly for my hair for a long time I started on 5% minoxidil 2x per day, Tricomin, and topical 2% spironolactone. Its only been about a month but i see some small results and my scalp generally feels better which is great.

I want to give finasteride another try but I'm not going to take it if I have sexual sides. Now that my depression is not as bad, my doctor and I need to work on finding some new meds without the sexual sides. But if I start finasteride and that give me sides then I can't evaluate new anti-depressants. And if I'm still taking the old anti-depressant I can't see if finasteride gives me problems! Argh!!

So working with my Doctor, I dropped off the anti-depressant a few months ago. Gave myself some time to see that my dick could return to semi normal function (on the meds I could maintain an erection...but that's all just maintan forever lol) then started Proscar about 2 weeks ago. 1/4 tablet every day skipping the fifth day. Had some intial loss of libido which has gotten worse in the past few days. Had some minor chest ache this week but that seems to have mainly subsided. Sexual sides have gotten worse though, almost no interest and trouble getting an erection. I've got a thin frame but feel like a bloated puffy fat *** since my hair problems started 3 years ago. Whether its fat or water weight as a side effect of the antidepressants I don't know. Most likely change in metabolism, too much junk food as a crutch and me being a lazy f*cker. Anyway that makes it hard to tell if there's been any change in chest size.

How long should I take to evaluate side effects? I've seen 2 weeks to 3 months posted here. There is some need to get back on my regular meds as I've been more down than usual. I don't expect you guys to comment on whether this whole test is a good idea and don't worry I'm not a basket case here. I needed to do things this way to know if there was any point in my taking finasteride. And obviously I need to give it more than 3 months to see if it helps my hair, which I will if I don't get continuing side effects.

Thanks guys!

 

[mogadon]

my problem is, twice iv tried propecia, and twice iv had to come off,first time was on 3 months, and the sexual sides lasted all the way through, second time gave up after a month, as i could see the same thing was happening.

the trouble is people tell you also "ride it out" but unfortunately the sides for some people can never go away till you come off,meaning you could have them through out your whole time on finasteride, being 3 days, 3 months, 3 years, ect, even some people have no sexual sides at the start and then 'BANG' they can hit you a year down the line, even the moderator had to come off, cos of sides.

what im saying is that only 'YOU' can be the judge of how long your prepared to wait, for sexual sides to go away,i think if it lasts more than a couple of months or so, thats probably a good time frame to say f*** this, i was very gutted that i had to come off as i dont have as much confindence in my topical regime,(just started it) mainly because its not backed by science ect.

its very dissapionting i know, you could try a lower dose, or just an all out topical route, and hope the medical community come out with a cure soon, dreaming a bit i think, i just wish there was some super topical anti androgen, on the horizon.

i also have been on antidepressants, came off cos of, guess, sexual sides, but i think im gonna have to try another as im so f**king depressed,i dont even wanna get out of bed anymore, i have always had a negative depressive persona, and my hair loss was my nail in my depression coffin.

sorry cant be much help, may be some one will have better advice.

lifes a b**ch, then you loose ya f**king hair, then ya die!

(i think dying's probably the best part lol

good luck

ps.antidepressants dont cause waterweight, prozac actually can make you loose a couple of pounds, some can make you put on a bit, but most do not effect weight either way, by the way finasteride can cause extra water weight, due to the extra testosterone, that coverts to estrogen, but as you say might be you just being a lazy f**ker, ater all motivation is hard to come by when ya hair's falling out

 

[VT27]

finasteride Progress

Ok, just about at the three week mark now. Happy to say sexual side effects are pretty much gone! I hesitate to say there may even be an improvement.

Chest pain lingered around for a few more days. Wasn't too bad, felt like too many pushups. Chest size may have increased a little bit. I'm so un-toned at the moment that both "before" and "after" look bad. I've always had a bony chest so a bit extra might be an improvement if it looks better as my efforts at the gym progress. Since I mentioned the gym I also have to mention that I know the chest pain isn't from my workouts since I've only been running this week.

Like I said above, I took finasteride for about a year before and if my chest increased a bit it wasn't extremely noticable so I'm not too worried.

Another odd side that I haven't seen mentioned - the middle of my chest was a bit itchy. Effects on the hair folicles? People may argue with that theory but I certainly believe its possible. When my hairloss started there was diffuse loss all over my body. I can definately tell a difference. And for a long time (and still sometimes now) I was itchy all over, more often in areas with body hair. And my father who started loosing his hair in his 30's eventually lost all the hair on his legs. Around 50 he lost all the eyebrows. I pray I'm not headed in that direction, but its interesting since doctors have argued with me that body hair is not affected.

My skin had really started to improve the first few days on finasteride but unfortunatly it seems to be back to where it started at. Hopefully it won't get worse. Main problem is my shoulder and back which were clearing up amazingly fast in the first few days. Plus my skin just felt great all over.

No real change in my hair yet. Glad to see that lots of fine hairs seem to be coming in areas where there still was some hair. I can see these under incandescent light in my bathroom at home and I know they're there because I can see them move when I touch them. It can be very upsetting when I look at myself under harsh fluorescent lights in the bathroom at work and all the new hair is gone! Its not, but you really can't see it under stronger light. The few very fine hairs that were showing up at the very edges of whats left of my hairline seem to have been knocked out by the finasteride. If anythings gonna grow on the temples I don't expect to see it for awhile anyway. I'm hoping for a good response in the rest of the areas. I've been keeping my hair short for so long that I hadn't realized just how thin it had gotten until I started looking at pics on this site and thinking "wow you guys have lots of hair"