Long Ago Member Update

Grantspots

Established Member
Reaction score
1
Greetings gentlemen - it's been almost 2 years since I've posted. Thought I might drop by, say hello and give you all an update.

A little history - I spent almost a year here (2002/03) researching and discussing the various methods used to combat hairloss. I'd had transplants in my temple regions back in the late 80's and my hairloss had progressed to the point where I needed something else. I was 42 when I came here and really enjoyed the comraderie of the forum

Like a lot of you, I got on to a regimen of what I coined the "FinMinNiz" cocktail and religiously worked it. The initial impact - 3 months - was an immediate stoppage of hairloss and over the next 6 months, it became quite clear that the hair I still had was much healthier and stronger. This gave me the appearance of more hair, which is obviously what we all strive for. That was the good news.

After a year or so, I started questionning the side effects of taking finasteride and how, although it hadn't affected me too greatly in the past, I was becoming more emotional and moody. After another couple of months, I decided to stop taking finasteride to see if it helped.

It did. And when I started feeling better, I turned my attention and time to getting back in shape physically. So I re-discovered road cycling, a passion I had given up years ago when I got married and had kids. I lost 20 pounds and started feeling much better about myself.

Nowadays, I do nothing about my hair and I've fallen back slowly to where I was 3 years ago. I'm considering starting again so I figured I'd come back here to see what progress, if any, there has been. The key thing is that I am happy and in a good place both physically and mentally.

Thanks for letting me tell my story - good luck to all of you.

Jerry Grant
 

MidnightFlyer

Established Member
Reaction score
0
Yeah, one of the benefits or hairloss, if you could call it that, is that we begin to pay attention to our overall health. As a result, things like green tea, and losing weight, and exercise, are all things that we use to try to get healthier so that we'll grow hair. You might say that some of the side effects of hairloss is developing a healthier lifestyle.
 

Axon

Senior Member
Reaction score
9
Good to hear from you again Grant. Everything is fine on my end, heading into...sh*t, 3 years on Finasteride now in September. Total maintenance. No sides that I am aware of.
 

Greg1

Experienced Member
Reaction score
0
Grant, I really think what you stated is stellar stuff!

"The key thing is that I am happy and in a good place both physically and mentally. "

That is a great deal of wisdom that comes out of the fire of your experience as a fellow hairloss sufferer. It's a comment that I take seriously and with a sound mind. Thanks Grant and welcome back to the forum.
 

drinkrum

Senior Member
Reaction score
1
Welcome back, Grant. By the way, do you think it was finasteride that gave you the extra weight or was it just the better mood that going off it put you in that lead you to work out?

D.
 

global

Experienced Member
Reaction score
7
Welcome back, unfortunately things haven't moved on too much since you left re: treatments.
 

Petchsky

Senior Member
Reaction score
13
I remember reading your messages about two years ago...welcome back. :D
 

md2002

Established Member
Reaction score
21
Interesting that you say you have mood swings from Propecia. I think I have the same side effect which is why I switched to Propecia every other day. Now I am back to everyday again. I also think Propecia may have lost it's effectiveness at this point , after 6 years. I am now going to 1/4 proscar everyday to see if that helps, if not. Time to start the dreaded topicals. I say dreaded because I don't look forward to applying stuff on my head everyday.....
 

Grantspots

Established Member
Reaction score
1
Thanks guys for the kind words.

Somebody asked about the weightloss. It's simple really - I went from 185 to 165 real quick when I gave up alcohol completely and channeled the time and energy I was spending with it to a healthier hobby. It's been 3 years and although sometimes I still have a craving, I'm never unhappy with that decision in the morning.

Regarding the finasteride and the mood swings - I think it had more to do with dealing with my ever growing personal stresses as opposed to being induced by the drug itself. (I'm 44 with a wife, kids, mortgage, debt, career issues, aging parents, yadda yadda - EVERYTHING) But I knew from everything I'd learned that the finasteride wasn't helping, so I chose to take a break. Quite honestly, it was a lot easier to be focused on my hair when the rest of my life was going well.

Like now - I'll think I'll lurk for awhile and consider starting another regimen. I've been fortunate in that I've always been gradual in my hairloss, so getting used to it emotionally was gradual as well.

//jerry
 

Odelay

Established Member
Reaction score
7
Run! Run as fast as you can away from your computer! Don't get sucked back into the abyss of posting again, it will kill independent George, I mean Grandspots!

No better treatments are on the market it's the same old, same old!

Now run back to your wife and kids and don't fall for the luring call of the hair loss forums for they have destroyed many a member!
 

Lizzad

Experienced Member
Reaction score
0
Yo Jerry, give dutasteride a try, it seeems to be getting good reviews recently. :freaked:
 
Top