I Really Can't Decide If I Should Keep Taking Finasteride

[kenny1999]

A quick note about my background - I first took 1mg Finasteride 6 years ago and I stopped after the first month because of feeling decreased in sex drive. I took it again 3 years ago for 1-2 months and then I stopped again for the same reason. I took it again 1 year ago for a longer period and then I quit it again.

I've been doing a lot of research on Google, I am trying to find an answer to comfort myself and persuade myself to continue taking the medicine.

I am 34 only, my hair loss is not very advanced, but not very initial either. The "sides" are full of hair and the "center" is very very less now. I can still "hide" a little bit with the hair on both sides, but when I push away the hair it's very very obviously bald and I feel so bad.

I really can't decide. I understand the risks of Finasteride and I am worried about it. I also understand that a bald man could be a sexy man too. I go to the street, I can see many bald men and I perfectly understand that it's so common and nobody will discriminate it. I understand all of that. However, I just feel so bad from time to time when I look at the mirror or selfie with my mobile phone.

FDA says it's safe. Doctors say it's safe. But there are plenty of legends on the internet and forums saying that is NOT safe. I really don't know. I really can't decide...between the risks and my anxiety about my hair loss, what should I choose?

Take the risks to grow back some hair and be happier about the hair but feeling worried about the future?

Don't take any risks and let the hair loss continue and feel so bad when looking at the mirror?

 

[kenny1999]

anyadivce

 

[kenny1999]

I took 1mg Finasteride for several months in the last few years.
I was benefited from the drug because a co-worker who never pleased anybody told me that he found me grow back some hair and asked why after taking the drug for two months and I did not tell anybody I took it.

However, I also felt that my orgasm ..and erection was not degraded. Orgasm wasn't very intense, and erection was not very good, not hardest as I did.

A warning that increased risk of prostate cancer also makes me feel worried and anxious every day I take the drug

 

[Retinoid]

I would take a lower dose. Take .25mg Ed for a month or so and increase to .5mg. Do not take 1mg/day. This is probably an unnecessarily high dosage for a lot of people. Also do not over analyze the side effects. If you have a tiny decrease in libido it may be because you are more focused on this and are not actually suffering from it. If you are truly suffering from a decrease, you have to decide if having a higher libido matters more than hair for you.

 

[kenny1999]

Hi all. Back to the forum after a year, is there any more advice? Please...

 

[kenny1999]

I would take a lower dose. Take .25mg Ed for a month or so and increase to .5mg. Do not take 1mg/day. This is probably an unnecessarily high dosage for a lot of people. Also do not over analyze the side effects. If you have a tiny decrease in libido it may be because you are more focused on this and are not actually suffering from it. If you are truly suffering from a decrease, you have to decide if having a higher libido matters more than hair for you.

Thank you for your advice. You are right, but I am not able to tell if the decrease in sex drive was actually due to the medicine or just placebo

 

[Charlie Foxtrot]

Thank you for your advice. You are right, but I am not able to tell if the decrease in sex drive was actually due to the medicine or just placebo

Mate, we are even less likely to know if the sides are real or placebo. Yes the sides do exist, but it’s also very much possible that your mentality is causing these sexual sides. Like Retinoid says, take a lower dose, go live your life and evaluate down the line. If you still experience sides, it’s time to look for something else or acceptation. Because placebo or real sides, outcome is still kind of the same and very unpleasant either way.

Good luck!

 

[Thomas Aquarius]

Yes, Retinoid and Foxtrot are voices of reason here. Not much more to add that what they wrote. I do have my own experiences with Finasteride and decided to get off for good some time ago, but each has to make his own decision. Lower dosage is probably a good place to start, but if you continue to have any sides you should think seriously about discontinuing altogether.

 

[kenny1999]

Yes, Retinoid and Foxtrot are voices of reason here. Not much more to add that what they wrote. I do have my own experiences with Finasteride and decided to get off for good some time ago, but each has to make his own decision. Lower dosage is probably a good place to start, but if you continue to have any sides you should think seriously about discontinuing altogether.

May I know, why did you quit Finasteride?

 

[kenny1999]

Mate, we are even less likely to know if the sides are real or placebo. Yes the sides do exist, but it’s also very much possible that your mentality is causing these sexual sides. Like Retinoid says, take a lower dose, go live your life and evaluate down the line. If you still experience sides, it’s time to look for something else or acceptation. Because placebo or real sides, outcome is still kind of the same and very unpleasant either way.

Good luck!

Hi, thank you again for your advice.

Are you still taking Finasteride?

A Chinese I know, he is younger than me, probably around twenty-five, he claims that he is taking Poscar (5mg Finasteride). He claims that he has more hair growth after changing to 5mg daily (he used to take 1mg).

My feeling about him is that he is not lying to me.

He is real hero to me because he dares to take 5mg Finasteride daily while I don't even dare to take 1mg

In fact, do you know when Proscar was first approved by FDA to cure enlarged prostate?

 

[Charlie Foxtrot]

Hi, thank you again for your advice.

Are you still taking Finasteride?

After a really long consideration process I got my derm to prescribe me some. That was only a couple days ago and still have to pick up the prescription, so I’ll be starting any day now. Going to start at 0.5mg and see how I’m doing from there on.

 

[kenny1999]

After a really long consideration process I got my derm to prescribe me some. That was only a couple days ago and still have to pick up the prescription, so I’ll be starting any day now. Going to start at 0.5mg and see how I’m doing from there on.

Oh, your reply is so quick, I edited my reply to you. Hope you will look at it again

 

[Thomas Aquarius]

I quit due to side effects, and I will never take it again. Not everyone has problems with the drug, but if you do, then you need to ask yourself what you value most in life and then make a decision.

 

[kenny1999]

I quit due to side effects, and I will never take it again. Not everyone has problems with the drug, but if you do, then you need to ask yourself what you value most in life and then make a decision.

Yes, I totally understand that proper sexual function is hundred times more important than my hair.

However, I always found two different extreme opinions after years of my research on Google. Some will say "I just regret not taking it earlier" or like "I have been taking it for 20 years and no single side effect, it only affects very small amount of people", a recent opinion I found that is very convincing to me is that --- Many people want to frighten you and you will click on their youtube videos to see how bad Finasteride could be and earn your click-rate or advertisement something... Why don't you just simply keep a peace of mind and
trust the FDA's label peacefully??

I really can't decide.... I am not trying to look for support...

If I trust FDA totally, I won't hesitate taking this drug.
If I don't trust them totally, I really can't think of the probability of the risks that will happen.
Russian Rolette I 'll be able to tell the probability. Close to 50%. But how likely is the risk of
Finasteride? I really can't think of.....

How long did you take the medicine and how did you know you are affected not because of placebo?

 

[Thomas Aquarius]

I get it...I truly do. And you are going about things the right way by researching and reaching out, trying to make the most informed decision you can.

I started finasteride at 26 and dropped it when I was 29. I had experienced sides (sexual sides), which in turn had affected my mental health. Not to the point of permanent depression or suicidal thoughts, but many many periods of frustration and mild depression. Like you, I researched and heard that it is safe and very few experience sides, but I think we all know now that side effects and their rates are always grossly under reported. On the other hand, as you noted, the very worst cases get the most attention and do not accurately reflect the user population as a whole. I think I stayed on finasteride for as long as I did due to fear of losing my hair, but also the belief that the sides would disappear once the drug was discontinued (another lie told by docs and drug companies). I experienced sides for many years after discontinuing, and still believe the drug has caused me permanent issues, though they are much less considerable now than before. Either way, it isn't worth it to me and I will never swallow that pill again. I've actually become very skeptical of any drug/meds since then and hesitate to even take a pain reliever now.

All you can really do is listen to your body. If you believe you are having issues with any drug, then try lowering the dosage or looking into alternative approaches. I have maintained a great deal of my hair without finasteride.

 

[Charlie Foxtrot]

Oh, your reply is so quick, I edited my reply to you. Hope you will look at it again

Yeah sure mate, not a problem.

I’m not an expert on this, but as far as I know taking 1mg inhibits only a bit less DHT than 5mg. I heard that in a country such as Japan they even sell at a 0.2mg dose because that’s an appropriate dose to counter hair loss in a lot of cases. If you wanna know more about this, just google the flat dose-response curve of finasteride.

I hope your Asian friend did some proper research and didn’t start popping 5mg finasteride pills straight away. He might have had decent result/regrowth on a much lower dose and is taking more than necessary. If that’s the case, he’s rather being ignorant than a hero in my eyes.

There’s always going to be controversy on the internet, but at the end it’s all gonna come down to you. Are you willing to take the risk and have a chance at saving your hair. For me, that’s the case. I might find out that I get sides or this drug just isn’t working for me, but at least I can have some peace of mind, knowing that I actually tried to fight it with one of the best options possible. I’d figure that ones I go visibly bald, I’m gonna be so down about it that I owe it to myself to at least give it a shot.

Also don’t give in too much to all the negativity on the internet, we’re only a small majority out here and everyone’s body reacts differently to it. It’s no sugar pill and it can give you sides for sure, but it also brought tons of people a lot of hair and with that, joy.

Take care dude!

 

[Thomas Aquarius]

I cannot pinpoint the exact time I began to notice the sides. Initially, there were no issues and in fact my sex drive increased, which from what I gather is not unusual. But I'd say within 3-4 months, I began to notice the decrease in function and desire. There were times my penis felt numb or detached from the rest of my body. Mentally, I still desired sex but physically I could not perform. It was frustrating as debilitating at times, for sure.

 

[Thomas Aquarius]

After a really long consideration process I got my derm to prescribe me some. That was only a couple days ago and still have to pick up the prescription, so I’ll be starting any day now. Going to start at 0.5mg and see how I’m doing from there on.

Charlie Foxtrot, best of luck with your endeavor. I hope everything works out very well for you.

 

[Charlie Foxtrot]

Charlie Foxtrot, best of luck with your endeavor. I hope everything works out very well for you.

Thanks a lot man, I appreciate that. Fingers crossed!

 

[kenny1999]

I get it...I truly do. And you are going about things the right way by researching and reaching out, trying to make the most informed decision you can.

I started finasteride at 26 and dropped it when I was 29. I had experienced sides (sexual sides), which in turn had affected my mental health. Not to the point of permanent depression or suicidal thoughts, but many many periods of frustration and mild depression. Like you, I researched and heard that it is safe and very few experience sides, but I think we all know now that side effects and their rates are always grossly under reported. On the other hand, as you noted, the very worst cases get the most attention and do not accurately reflect the user population as a whole. I think I stayed on finasteride for as long as I did due to fear of losing my hair, but also the belief that the sides would disappear once the drug was discontinued (another lie told by docs and drug companies). I experienced sides for many years after discontinuing, and still believe the drug has caused me permanent issues, though they are much less considerable now than before. Either way, it isn't worth it to me and I will never swallow that pill again. I've actually become very skeptical of any drug/meds since then and hesitate to even take a pain reliever now.

All you can really do is listen to your body. If you believe you are having issues with any drug, then try lowering the dosage or looking into alternative approaches. I have maintained a great deal of my hair without finasteride.

Hey bro...

Thanks again for your advice. We are both the one of the unlucky group of men - who suffer pattern loss. My uncle who is 30 years older than me (60+) and he is still full of hair and no any loss (he doesn't have baldness genetics) .

No one would want to risk taking this medicine if they had a choice...

In fact, I have started and stopped taking Finasteride for three time in the last 7 years of time.

Every time I started taking it , it was because I feel SO upset when looking at the mirror. This was not only upset, it was a feeling of depression. Then I started taking it ....

Then I stopped it because I just felt so worried about the possible side effects.

In 2017, after I've been on this medicine again for less than two months of time, a friend of mine who doesn't normally lie, and he didn't know I took this medicine, he was wondering why I was having more hair......

I did not tell him I was on medicine and just waited to see if he would wonder again later and yes he asked me again why I had more hair after 3 months...

As time goes by, my worries and depression about further hair loss gone, it was like I forgot about the bad feeling about hair loss, but then I was getting more
and more worried about the possible side effects, then finally I stopped it again...

It's like a loop... depressed for one thing - start - worried for another thing - stopped....

When it's advertised that only 2% of patients are affected, I found another result
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1743609515337863

Looks like it says 20% of patients are affected.

20% is a number that I will not risk. but 2% is a number that I will....

It's a really really hard decision to me