- Reaction score
- 18
Here's my background: I'm a 19 year-old male, diffuse thinning with some temple recession, who has been on finasteride for the past 15 months. Recently I've been experiencing mild muscle weakness/numbness on the right side of my body and went to my family doctor. After nothing out of the ordinary showed up in the tests, he concluded that this is a side effect of finasteride. Apparently, muscle weakness is listed with the medication as a potential, albeit rare side effect.
I'm not sure what to do. It took a while for me to notice any effects from finasteride but the past few months (coincidentally when my muscle weakness/numbness started) I no longer see hairs all over my pillowcase or in the shower and it's been very reassuring. Even just the act of taking finasteride once a day and knowing I'm doing all I can in this fight has greatly alleviated my anxiety towards balding over the past year so much so that I hardly ever think of it, and have been able to really focus on my academics and social life. I haven't had any sexual side effects aside from an increased sex drive in the first weeks. My hair is by no means perfect now and my hair loss is still occurring, but overall I think taking finasteride has had a positive effect.
I'm not entirely convinced the muscle weakness/numbness is coming from finasteride as I had the same symptom a while before starting that was not attributed to anything that eventually went away on its own. Nevertheless, I am concerned for my health, yet, on the other hand, concerned about the past 15 months of hair loss catching up to me and effectively being bald by my 20th birthday if I stop treatment now. What are my options if I do stop finasteride? I understand I'm fighting a losing battle at my age, but would just like to extend my youth a little longer. FWIW shaving is not an option with my body type and not something I'm considering until I'm established in my goal career.
I'm not sure what to do. It took a while for me to notice any effects from finasteride but the past few months (coincidentally when my muscle weakness/numbness started) I no longer see hairs all over my pillowcase or in the shower and it's been very reassuring. Even just the act of taking finasteride once a day and knowing I'm doing all I can in this fight has greatly alleviated my anxiety towards balding over the past year so much so that I hardly ever think of it, and have been able to really focus on my academics and social life. I haven't had any sexual side effects aside from an increased sex drive in the first weeks. My hair is by no means perfect now and my hair loss is still occurring, but overall I think taking finasteride has had a positive effect.
I'm not entirely convinced the muscle weakness/numbness is coming from finasteride as I had the same symptom a while before starting that was not attributed to anything that eventually went away on its own. Nevertheless, I am concerned for my health, yet, on the other hand, concerned about the past 15 months of hair loss catching up to me and effectively being bald by my 20th birthday if I stop treatment now. What are my options if I do stop finasteride? I understand I'm fighting a losing battle at my age, but would just like to extend my youth a little longer. FWIW shaving is not an option with my body type and not something I'm considering until I'm established in my goal career.
