Honestly? With all due respect, I find it very irresponsible what you are doing. Some kid is going to read the first line of your post and is going to spread the word without bothering to read the rest. I'm sure you mean no harm and are open about your experience. However do you realize that a lot of the available scare stories happen just like this? You have not used the product as directed AT ALL. You used a double dose for one day apparently and then some topical. What on earth do you expect? You know full well that this is working on your DHT. You need to be careful, give it time and let it do its job. Best to start using it as directed, don't you think? Your willingness to experiment is appreciated and things like topicals may prove valuable further down the line, but now? Anyway, good luck - no pun intended.
C'mon, before typing out all that...- did you even read the thread so far ...because if you did, you wouldn't be talking about not using the product as directed.. Or did you not follow my conversation with the Folexen rep? Ok let me recap.
FYI, since you apparently didnt understand what I wrote/meant, let me clarify, the product is supposed to be used at DOUBLE my double dose itself daily. Thats right, 10 mg daily. I started at 2.5 mg, thats my 1 dose per day (1/4th of the Folexen dose), to see if I could take it. I could - but then 5mg was too strong for me. Of course, that's just me...you could be different.
Of course i know its working on DHT - the entire point is to see whether some of us can actually take the hit to DHT this product provides!
I made the topical from the product AFTER I crosschecked it with Folexen rep earlier in this thread - again, at levels below the 10 mg daily dose, translating to an effective dose much lesser than what the daily dose (4 pills, translates to) and then again saw sides persist! I have been talking of the topical approach all throughout - you would have known this if you had read the thread!!
FYI, the topical approach is logically sound, the Folexen rep clearly mentioned that - he noted that it would cross the skin as equol is a small molecule and even gave instructions on likely vehicles!
Net - if you go through my prior posts, you'd see I have been pointing out the effect of equol on DHT is well documented, and that DHT reduction is clinically shown to have significant effects on the prostrate (hence its widespread use for BPH) and even 5 mg (~20-30% reduction in DHT) should be enough to begin with.
Which is why I have been "low dosing" and using the topical approach.
You'd also see what I mentioned to zeros - I have been holding off on mentioning sides because:
a) I didn't want to influence his perception of the product
b) Having researched the topic myself, and with the effects of propecia well known, its well considered that there can be a "mental" link to our perception of sides, which is why I didn't post it before and haven't automatically dropped the product.
c)Different people react differently to DHT & its lack thereof. It could be that i am one of those who is very averse to any drop to DHT.
That is and was the point of experimenting with dosages! If you understand the product you'd realize that I have taken only 1/2 of the max dosage internally! And the topical approach (which has been discussed with Folexen earlier) actually keeps dosages low so as to minimize systemic sides!
Net, there is nothing wrong with such a conservative approach & as matter of fact, its far less risky than talking large doses of equol.
Which is why i haven't yet given up on equol. I am still thinking of the dosage at which I can get "some" protection with zero perceptible side effects. Net, I won't get the sort of advantage the Big3 give (NW5 to NW3 in 3-6 months) but at least some thickening, cessation of hair loss is better than left untreated, right?
My issue with sides, is hence likely to be useful to those who have had issues with finasteride as well. Those who can take finasteride and are not bothered with it, are not going to be bothered with Equol as well.
If you read the thread so far, Equol is actually safer than finasteride in that it binds DHT but does not muck around with Five Alpha R, so that advantage remains.
If you want to try this, go ahead. But if you have had a bad experience with finasteride, then its likely that Equol may not be a magic bullet. That too is true (unfortunately). Which is why I may have to drop the product if I cant find some low dosage level that corresponds to zero/no perceptible sides.
Hope this clarifies..you can PM me for any questions (it shows up in email so i may respond earlier...) and if I can help anyway, I will.
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Guys, thanks for sharing your experience but I dont get it. Why do you play with dosage? Just stick with 10mg daily and do not risk any extra. If I were in your place I would start with 5mg then a week after start with 10mg forever. Nothing more.
Cant speak for others...but my dosage levels are actually much below the 10 mg level, because I consider it very risky to take anything that can drop DHT by 40-50% (equol dosage is linear, 3 mg drops it by 10-15%). This is based on my own prior experience with finasteride, where 2-3 days of 0.25mg finasteride gave me bad sides (took several days to resolve). So I have tried 2.5mg, and then 5 mg...
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Disappointing to hear Aks. If it's causing major sides you should drop it.
I feel much better today after taking 2.5mg, my heart is racing a little but nothing like yesterday. It's also freezing cold.
I'll take 2.5mg tonight.
Best of luck bro!
The heart racing thing could just be plain old anxiety.
