finasteride stop working at 3+ years -- any long-term user?

[mattam]

Hi,

I have been on finasteride for about 3+ years with good initial results during the first 2 years (maintaining and thickening). But at this 3+ year mark, it just seems like finasteride totally stopped working.

As mentioned, I was first on Propecia for 2 year w/ good result. I stopped for about 6 months and started shedding like crazy so got back on it again. The come-back results was more than amazing....got back all the hair in just 4 months with hair thickening as well.

However, at the peak of 'recovery'...something happened and it just seemed like finasteride stopped working suddenly. I started shedding like crazy again while still on it. I shedded for 5 months and then it stopped, but just for 1 month, then it started shedding again, and it has been 5.5 months now and stiil losing hair.

Anyway, want to see if anyone has similar experience with long-term use of finasteride. I know that Merck's 5-year clinical study show hair count declining after 2-year peak. But supposedly 90% at least maintained what they had when they started 5 year ago.

My question: is rest 10% the group of people that the drug didn't work at the beginning (thus no results at year 5). Or, is the 10% the people who had good results at the beginning but start losing again.

My second theory is I may be getting fake finasteride..though I bought it from a respectable pharmacy (it was right about when I left the US that I start the shed)..

Anyone has information about how to detect fake Propecia?

sorry for long post. Would like to hear any other experiences as well...

 

[The Rock]

why did u stop in the first place, i mean that couldnt' have been good, andi dunno about the fake finasteride mabye u should get a real prescription if that bothers u and maybe add minoxidil........my 2 cents

 

[ACT10Npack]

You should of gotten on Proscar and then up the dose to 2.5 from 1MG. I heard that finasteride is dose depend. Which means over time you need to up the dose to maintain the hair. It's normal for the body to get used of the drug and then stop working. These is why drug addicts up the dose to get the same high over time.

 

[juststarting]

You should of gotten on Proscar and then up the dose to 2.5 from 1MG. I heard that finasteride is dose depend. Which means over time you need to up the dose to maintain the hair. It's normal for the body to get used of the drug and then stop working. These is why drug addicts up the dose to get the same high over time.

Uhm, i think this is incorrect? I remember reading that the number of receptors blocked is the same on a variety of dosages. Adding more won't help. It's simply that finasteride addresses one cause of male pattern baldness, there are still many others that scientists are trying to elucidate.

 

[drinkrum]

You should of gotten on Proscar and then up the dose to 2.5 from 1MG. I heard that finasteride is dose depend. Which means over time you need to up the dose to maintain the hair. It's normal for the body to get used of the drug and then stop working. These is why drug addicts up the dose to get the same high over time.

Very incorrect. Read my earlier posts. Finasteride continues working until the day that you die. The reason hair loss might recur even with finasteride treatment is that your body changes (genetics) and your underlying male pattern baldness accelerates. Upping the dosage probably won't do a thing, because even at the 0.20 mg level, you're inhibiting the 5-AR II isozyme almost as much as with the full 5 mg pill.

Here's a link to my earlier posts: http://www.hairlosstalk.com/discussions ... hair transplant=#119574

For future reference guys, please don't make claims that are not based on any type of research or at least indicate that you're not sure about what you're saying, because it will lead a ton of newbies astray.

D.

 

[mattam]

ACT10Npack

Thanks for the suggestion...though I read on Merck's and a few other website which suggests that upping dosage does not help blocking more DHT. Anyway, I am also a bit scared about side effects of higher dosage.

But if you have website w/ clinical study on dosage variation, would appreciate if u can let me know.

BTW, you result looks great.

 

[mattam]

....hair loss might recur even with finasteride treatment is that your body changes (genetics) and your underlying male pattern baldness accelerates.

Upping the dosage probably won't do a thing, because even at the 0.20 mg level, you're inhibiting the 5-AR II isozyme almost as much as with the full 5 mg pill.
D.

Drinkrum. Thanks. 3 questions:

1) I understand that hair loss can recur while on finasteride because of genetics and male pattern baldness acceleration. I guess what I don't understand is why so sudden and severe, especially when I had really great results going for 5 months after stopping for 6 months. For the genetics, I would expect the it to be more gradual.

Or I guess that's the mystery of hair loss

2) Just curious why do people get prescribed 5mg finasteride for enlarged prostate. If 0.20 mg blocks as much DHT as 5mg then why is the larger dosage prescribed?

3) Do u know of any studies on how environmental factors can impact hair-loss gene expression. (i.e. diet, stress, exposure to UV, etc.) I.e. a study of identical twins under two different environments (say both not in finasteride) and what are differences in male pattern baldness progression of the two.
Thanks...

 

[drinkrum]

....hair loss might recur even with finasteride treatment is that your body changes (genetics) and your underlying male pattern baldness accelerates.

Upping the dosage probably won't do a thing, because even at the 0.20 mg level, you're inhibiting the 5-AR II isozyme almost as much as with the full 5 mg pill.
D.

Drinkrum. Thanks. 3 questions:

1) I understand that hair loss can recur while on finasteride because of genetics and male pattern baldness acceleration. I guess what I don't understand is why so sudden and severe, especially when I had really great results going for 5 months after stopping for 6 months. For the genetics, I would expect the it to be more gradual.

Or I guess that's the mystery of hair loss

2) Just curious why do people get prescribed 5mg finasteride for enlarged prostate. If 0.20 mg blocks as much DHT as 5mg then why is the larger dosage prescribed?

3) Do u know of any studies on how environmental factors can impact hair-loss gene expression. (i.e. diet, stress, exposure to UV, etc.) I.e. a study of identical twins under two different environments (say both not in finasteride) and what are differences in male pattern baldness progression of the two.
Thanks...

1. I would just take finasteride for a longer period (a year) and then make any judgements. By going on and then off and then on again, your hair follicles don't know what to think. :lol:

2. With 5 mg, they're basically trying to saturate the 5-AR II isozyme as much as possible. At 5 mg, there is still more DHT blocked than at the 0.20 or 1 mg level, but the difference is very small. This difference is more important for a more serious condition such as BPH than for hair loss.

3. male pattern baldness is mostly genetic. That said, certainly some things in nature that can increase/decrease the substrate, testosterone, or in some ways affect the 5-AR II isozyme might, of course, influence balding. For instance, eating a diet rich in cholesterols (red meat, etc.) might affect balding by increasing the substrate as testosterone is created from cholesterols. A diet rich in soy, on the other hand, might have the opposite effect, since soy has been linked to estrogen. But, it is of serious contention, whether this would have a noticeable impact on male pattern baldness. If I were you, I wouldn't worry about these things (especially not stress or UV light). Just pop your Propecia and keep on truckin' as usual.

D.

 

[mattam]

Just pop your Propecia and keep on truckin' as usual.
D.

Drinkrum...thanks again for your comments. Are you a male pattern baldness sufferer yourself? You seem very knowledgeable. Are you in the research/medical community?

Just a couple of questions...if u don't mind...

- What's you opinion on Dutasteride? Is it being tested to treat male pattern baldness? Any initial results on its efficacy on treating male pattern baldness vs. finasteride? I heard it being called a "scary" drug here and there. Any basis on that claim and its side effects?

Thanks...

 

[drinkrum]

Just pop your Propecia and keep on truckin' as usual.
D.

Drinkrum...thanks again for your comments. Are you a male pattern baldness sufferer yourself? You seem very knowledgeable. Are you in the research/medical community?

Just a couple of questions...if u don't mind...

- What's you opinion on Dutasteride? Is it being tested to treat male pattern baldness? Any initial results on its efficacy on treating male pattern baldness vs. finasteride? I heard it being called a "scary" drug here and there. Any basis on that claim and its side effects?

Thanks...

Yes, I've been on finasteride for almost 5 years. I do a lot of research on the side about finasteride, etc. because I'm rather wary of anything I put into my body.

I've talked about my views on dutasteride at length. Click on my profile and see my earlier posts. Here's one, off-hand: http://www.hairlosstalk.com/discussions ... hair transplant=#119574

D.

 

[chewbaca]

3) Do u know of any studies on how environmental factors can impact hair-loss gene expression. (i.e. diet, stress, exposure to UV, etc.) I.e. a study of identical twins under two different environments (say both not in finasteride) and what are differences in male pattern baldness progression of the two.
Thanks...

I am a twin myself..yes my twin bro also has male pattern baldness but his is different from mine....only frontal thinning and temple loss.....mine is this and vertex a small part of it around 1 inch in diameter.. do not know why we exhibit different patterns...both of us smoke.....both us are not alchoholic and we eat the same food cooked in our house..but my bro is a easily dperessed person....could be his hair loss caused my mental disorder? BTw we both are asians (indians) and naturally we have a lot of fish, vegetables and soy products in our diet....plus spices like curries ect

anyone knows why we exibhit different patterns?....thought tht twins have the same genetic makeup?

 

[The Rock]

wait identical twins or fetrnal?

 

[chewbaca]

wait identical twins or fetrnal?

identical

 

[mattam]

chewbaca,

Interesting...

is it just the pattern that's difference? Or, degree of male pattern baldness acceleration (say for the same area) different also?

I don't know if this is possible -- purely a speculative hypothesis. Stress => accelerated aging => aging induces the onset of male pattern baldness more quickly (i.e. hair follicles before more sentitive to DHT more quickly).

Drinkrum,

thanks again for comments. So how are u holding up with 5 year on finasteride.

do u know minoxidil? is it worth trying on other areas other then vertex?

thanks....

 

[The Rock]

well this oculd mean there is something other than dht/genetics that cause different hairloss

 

[chewbaca]

Hi there.....I have already opened a thread on twins....i guess twins would be the best way to study hair loss to see if there are other factors involved as well......

http://www.hairlosstalk.com/discussions/viewtopic.php?p=121161&highlight=#121161