Wow... to start I thank all you guys for your replies! To respond to so many posts will be difficult, but I will try the best I can.
First off.... I still basically have a full head of hair. The reason I began propecia and rogaine at such a young age was 1- I must have experienced my first "shed" to whatever degree..... and 2- my mother's father was bald bald BALD at a very early age.
The only real side effects that I've experienced is my testicles do hurt when (not to get too personal) they are "manipulated" in some way. I actually never realized that propecia might have been the culprit in regards to that until recently. Also, I do suffer from libido fluctuations from time to time, but it's hard to say if propecia is what's doing it or not. Much of it is probably due to the time of year.... I certainly get hornier during the spring time and less so at this time of year.
About 5 months ago, I started experiencing alot of itchiness on my scalp. First on the right side of my temples and then the left. Now I have receded before in this manner, but only VERY slight.... and only I would notice. This time around it's gone way far back, but only thinned slightly on the right side and it's starting on the left as opposed to all the hair being gone from the area.... tho not much more needs to thin before people will notice.
The most irritating issue is that it's happening in the front too. I still have hair there, but if I pull it back I can see that it's clearly thinned a bit.... and the quality of the hair is not as strong for sure. Maybe this is a shed that will return you think? I don't know.
On a whim I purchased Revita shampoo and used it twice. After reading some posts about how it made men shed significantly and some men never had it come back, I threw the bottles away. I hope I didn't do any damage by using it twice and now not planning to use it again.
I mainly feel a difference in the quality of my hair in these regions. My hair feels weaker and is thinner, but only really if you look at it closely.
I have considered this dutasteride, but I've heard that it can cause horrible side effects so I'm very apprehensive about trying it. I have absolutely no plans on going for a hair transplant at this time. For one.... I don't need it yet at all. 2- I would probably wait until I see where my hair loss takes me so I'm not left with strips of hair surrounded by bald spots.... that's just not a good look! lol.
Thank you cassin for that link..... I have bookmarked it and will give it a read. I plan on going to my dermatologist on wednesday to ask him what he thinks about everything..... he's "family" after all and will definitely sympathize as he always does. I'm particularly curious about asking him if my 2 days of revita use without plans on continuing will have caused any real damage.
Maybe this is just a larger shed than I've ever had before and it will return. or maybe it won't. Maybe it'll stop. I've just never experienced a thinning like this in all the years I've taken the meds and it freaks me out. It certainly doesn't help that it's been freezing here in NY and I can feel the cold on certain parts of my head which reminds me all too often about what may be happening.
I feel like a whiny child, bitching and moaning about my hair loss when there are so many men who are WAY further along than I am. I'm just exceptionally vain (which is stupid I know) and I don't ever want to be bald! I don't like things I can't control lol
Alas.... that's my rant for now.... again.... I thank all you guys for your replies and support. It definitely has made me feel a bit better about things. I guess whatever will happen will happen and I'll learn to deal with my fate whatever that is, but right now... I'm pissed.