If I had it all to do over again here is what I would do. First off, I'm 47 and did not start "thinning" until I was about 44 ( very lucky)?? Its never easy, no matter the age. I started on finasteride 1.25 MG ( 5 mg cut into 4). If I were you I would cut them into 8ths, so .60mg. and give that a try. It will not be such a shock to your system. But this is only my opinion!! I lost a lot of hair when I started finasteride. on 1.25mg ( shedding??/?) I'm not sure since I never saw hair in my comb/brush. it just looked way thinner, But i wear my hair long so nobody else would notice.Currently 6 months in I loose about 11-16 hairs in the shower, but the first 6 months were terrible, I lost a lot of density. Month 7 things seem to have stabilized and I'm seeing hair grow back In places I have not seen in 2-3 years. I'm not so sold on the fact that once its gone its gone? Some places are better than base line, some not.