if finasteride and minoxidil don't work for me.....

[jimmyjames]

.... is there anything else i can try?

I've pretty much given up on these two products because of side effects. I've tried different brands, lower doses, every other day, and still I get side effects.

I've used Tricomin before, but I don't have much faith in it to do much on its own. I'm almost ready to give up here, so any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[jh]

If you stay away from the *proven* treatments, it is hard to know your odds of success, but you don't need to give up.

For DHT inhibitors you can try: oral dutasteride (which falls under the proven category), topical spironolactone, topical finasteride, topical dutasteride, and/or revivogen which are all fairly easy to find or make.

For hair growth you could try Dr. Proctor's NANO shampoo or prox-n, tricomin or folligen.

Hang in there.

 

[JohnnySeville]

.... is there anything else i can try?

I've pretty much given up on these two products because of side effects. I've tried different brands, lower doses, every other day, and still I get side effects.

I've used Tricomin before, but I don't have much faith in it to do much on its own. I'm almost ready to give up here, so any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks.

As far as DHT, try topical spironolactone and/or Revivogen. In replacement for minoxidil you can consider Apple Poly topical. None of these items should cause sides and they may do the trick.

 

[Guest]

What were the side effects you got from finasteride and from minoxidil?

I had sides from minoxidil during about weeks 3-6. Really horrible itching. I bought some pyrithione zinc shampoo (Head and Shoulders), zinc supplements (apparently supposed to help), and soaked my head in Jason Natural 85% Aloe Vera Shampoo/Conditioner twice a day to help with the itching, which it did. Eventually these side effects just went away. I also started back up on the essential oils at night in which Jojoba oil would have a soothing effect on the scalp as well.

If these are your sides on minoxidil maybe you could just attempt to stick with it until they subside?

I'm assuming you tried 0.25mg of finasteride EOD and that brought on sides? Were you getting loss of libido or gyno? I believe if you stick with it the libido issues will also subside. There appears to be some ways to get around the gyno sides too here via other medicines. I guess it all depends on how badly you want your hair.

You could also try the dutasteride option as well. I would use it at most every other day.

If you can't reduce DHT you should try to block it at least with Saw Palmetto Extract and Beta Sitosterol supplement (the B.S. is very cheap at a health food store). Apple Poly is a good topical as well. Cu Peptides, EMU Oil 2x per day. There's still options, do not give up. You may not have to on the Big 2 either if your minoxidil sides were like mine and if dutasteride will work for you.

 

[Jm0311]

he was trying .25 of finasteride EOD? and that STILL brought on sides?

if i was him if i saw a drastic drop in my libido i wouldnt even wait for them to subside.

as far as the Gyno thing.....can you explain more on that im interested...i havent heard much of that...what do u mean?

does saw palmetto do anything?

 

[jimmyjames]

Thanks to everyone who replied. The past three weeks have been tough, especially watching all of my minoxidil dependent hair fall out. Damn.

As far as specifics go, finasteride gave me libido problems even at a small dosage. My doctor pretty much told me to drop it.

I was having lots of success with minoxidil and spironolactone, then after 3 months, I started getting a tightening sensation in my chest when I took deep breaths. Then I started noticing it all the time, so I dropped it entirely for a couple of weeks. Then I tried with another brand at lower doses, but still the same thing.

So this is my new plan: I'm going to use Tricomin only for a couple of weeks to let my body and my scalp settle down. Then I might try the new Rogaine foam, but to tell you the truth, I'm not too optimistic.

 

[Guest]

Peptides on their own probably won't do much.

Oh! Why don't you go on Spectral RS?! It has everything in Spectral DNC BUT the minoxidil: http://www.divineskin.com/transitpage02.asp

As I said in my last post, get some EMU Oil 2x/day as well, and some internal Saw Palmetto.

 

[jimmyjames]

Thanks FairTax!

I've actually never heard of Spectral -- is it new and are people on sites like this saying good things about it? And why do you think Spectral RS is better than Tricomin?

Sorry about the many questions, but I really am curious.

Thanks again.

 

[jimmyjames]

And, sorry, but I've got one more question: why do use both Rogaine and Spectral DNC if Spectral contains everything that Rogaine has?

Thanks.

 

[Guest]

Double J,

I use them both but not redundantly. Check my regimen again carefully

Spectral RS is the same thing as Spectral DNC without the minoxidil. It has copper peptides though probably not as much as Tricomin so you could use both if you wanted to. Look at the Spectral DNC ingredients. Yes, a lot of people use it. Do a froogle.com search and Orbit US will have the best deal on it. I'd also recommend using the DS Labs' REVITA shampoo.

The best advice is to do some reading up on here. I still think you may be able to get away with both minoxidil and finasteride but I know I'd be very apprehensive to give it a try again if I had those sides, though I was able to push through the itchy/burny scalp sides by sticking with it. Not all minoxidil is the same either, perhaps you wouldn't have that issue with Spectral DNC's minoxidil? Have you tried 2% minoxidil? Maybe you could alternate Spectral DNC and Spectral RS (morning/night?) and see if the one a day application of minoxidil has any effect on you, then maybe you can eventually put it in for 2x/day after using it a few months without those same sides. Whatever you do you gotta be smart about it.

 

[jimmyjames]

FairTaxNow --

You've given me lots to think about - thanks a lot. Looks like there might be some hope after all!

I guess for now I'll stick with Tricomin alone (at least I'm 100% sure this product doesn't give me side effects) while I do some more research on Spectral. The price kind of scares me away, but then again, Tricomin is damn expensive too.

In a week I'll try the Rogaine foam to see if that gives me sides, too. If that doesn't work, I'll give Spectral DNC a try, and if that doesn't work, then maybe Spectral RS.

I hate buying all these products that I can't use -- such a waste of money. But, I guess that's the only way to find out....

And, yeah, I've tried 2% minoxidil and it gave me sides, too, although they were different from the ones I got with the 5%. minoxidil and I really don't seem to get along....

 

[Guest]

JJ,

I must not have been very clear, Spectral RS is everything in the DNC BUT the minoxidil. It has Copper Peptides in it as well just like Tricomin. So why would you go back to using 5% Minoxidil (Rogaine Foam) when you said it hasn't worked well for you? It would logically seem like the best route would be use the Spectral RS first, since it does not have minoxidil, and THEN try the foam or the DNC. Or at least using the minoxidil 1x day and then the Spectral RS the other application in the day. Just use less than the 10 sprays per application and it'll last longer than a month. Orbit US has it for cheap: http://orbitus-superstore.com/product_i ... ts_id=3044

Again, there IS NO MINOXIDIL in Spectral RS. If you're allergic to minoxidil, you will not have a problem with Spectral RS since there's no minoxidil in it. Just making sure you understand

Instead of Tricomin you could also consider folligen, Dr. Pickart says you can dilute with 50% purified water and still get good results from it.

 

[jimmyjames]

FairTaxNow --

I gotcha and I appreciate you taking the time to help me out. I just mentioned trying the Rogaine foam because although I've tried the Rogaine 5% liquid, I've never tried the foam. It's a long shot, I know, but maybe the absorption rate is somehow different and I won't get the sides. Definitely a long shot, but worth a try....

I'm definitely intrigued by Spectral RS, but I've got a couple of concerns.

1) It says right on their website that "When used alone, Spectral RS® is not meant for androgenic alopecia (genetic male pattern baldness)." I realize I might not have any other choice if my body can't handle minoxidil, but aren't they straight out saying it won't do much for me?

2) It seems like it would be a bad idea to eventually try and phase in minoxidil with Spectral RS because: "However, due to the use of nanosomes as a carrier agent users should exercise caution when combining Spectral RS® with minoxidil or other topical hair loss treatments. Since nanosomes greatly enhance absorption, they will also amplify absorption of other substances increasing the chance of side effects." If I'm already prone to minoxidil side effects, it seems like it would be a bad idea to use RS and minoxidil at the same time.

Once again, I don't have much to lose (except more hair! ), but those are my concerns.

 

[Jm0311]

can you dillute the tricomin?

 

[jimmyjames]

JM --

To tell you the truth, I have no idea. Tricomin doesn't seem that "powerful" (as far as hair growing agents go), so I'm not sure you'd want to. Why do you ask? Because of the price and making it last?