I'm 30 years old, I've had thinning hair since I was 18. I was on Finpecia for 2 1/2 years as well as minoxidil 5% topical. I can't say it regrew any hair, but it definitely kept a lot of it from falling out. I have recently stopped taking finasteride and I wanted to tell my story in hopes that it helps any one else who may be experiencing symptoms:
Recently I was running out of Finpecia and went to get it online at inhouse pharmacy. They no longer carry it. While doing research on where to get it next, I stumbled across articles about Brain Fog that I'd never seen before. After redirecting my research to people's experiences with brain fog on Finasteride (propecia/proscar/finpecia) I learned that this is a serious problem and many of the unexplained symptoms I've been experiencing over the last few years matched these other people's testimonies. I guess I was so worried about the obvious side effects of Finasteride (impotence) that I never thought my brain fog was attributed to my hair loss medication. Never experiencing impotence, I religiously followed my regimen.
For the past couple of years, I began thinking I was hypoglycemic because I would get confused easily if I hadn't eaten properly or I would have a hard time coming up with otherwise simple solutions. Easy words would get stuck on the tip of my tongue and I'd have trouble participating in conversations without getting tripped up speaking. I began speaking less because I was embarrassed to start a story and not be able to properly articulate what I was trying to convey. I used to tutor SAT math, and found it mentally straining now to do mundane math problems in my head. Also I was tired... a lot. I barely had energy or the will to do anything outside easy, menial things.
I have been off both finpecia and minoxidil topical for about 3 weeks now and I feel great. I get up every morning and I jog. I haven't felt the desire to go running in years. I find myself speaking up more and not having any difficultly accessing my vocabulary. I no longer stutter or get tripped up. Even at night when I was falling asleep on the couch, I'm now looking for things to do around the house. I seem to be able to remember things a lot easier now. I am also waking up with an erection every morning for the past week. I thought I was getting older and that's why I was no longer getting morning wood, but I can only assume the finasteride was having some effect there too even though I've had a pretty healthy sex life. I'm not mentally frustrated that much anymore and my quick wit seems to have returned. Not being frustrated and tired all time has put me in an all around better mood. My wife even noted that.
If I knew I'd be suffering from this mental cloudiness and chronic fatique, I'd never have started taking these pills for something as superficial as the hair on top of my head. It has really caused some problems in my life, but thankfully I realized I had SOME problem, I just didn't know the cause. I began eating healthier thinking it was hypoclycemia, which gave me a little more energy and probably had other great health effects too. That may be the only positive thing to come out of this experience. But I feel great now, and wouldn't trade this feeling for any amount of hair on my head.
I'm going to continue with my healthy eating, light exercise, and taking Nioxin Intensive Therapy Recharging Complex as my multivitamin. I will also continue to shampoo with Nizoral 1% and alternate with Aveda shampoo followed by Nioxin System 2 conditioner. If my hair loss progresses, then so be it. Please comment if you have experienced any of these lesser known side effects. I hear dutasteride is even worse for brain fog.
Recently I was running out of Finpecia and went to get it online at inhouse pharmacy. They no longer carry it. While doing research on where to get it next, I stumbled across articles about Brain Fog that I'd never seen before. After redirecting my research to people's experiences with brain fog on Finasteride (propecia/proscar/finpecia) I learned that this is a serious problem and many of the unexplained symptoms I've been experiencing over the last few years matched these other people's testimonies. I guess I was so worried about the obvious side effects of Finasteride (impotence) that I never thought my brain fog was attributed to my hair loss medication. Never experiencing impotence, I religiously followed my regimen.
For the past couple of years, I began thinking I was hypoglycemic because I would get confused easily if I hadn't eaten properly or I would have a hard time coming up with otherwise simple solutions. Easy words would get stuck on the tip of my tongue and I'd have trouble participating in conversations without getting tripped up speaking. I began speaking less because I was embarrassed to start a story and not be able to properly articulate what I was trying to convey. I used to tutor SAT math, and found it mentally straining now to do mundane math problems in my head. Also I was tired... a lot. I barely had energy or the will to do anything outside easy, menial things.
I have been off both finpecia and minoxidil topical for about 3 weeks now and I feel great. I get up every morning and I jog. I haven't felt the desire to go running in years. I find myself speaking up more and not having any difficultly accessing my vocabulary. I no longer stutter or get tripped up. Even at night when I was falling asleep on the couch, I'm now looking for things to do around the house. I seem to be able to remember things a lot easier now. I am also waking up with an erection every morning for the past week. I thought I was getting older and that's why I was no longer getting morning wood, but I can only assume the finasteride was having some effect there too even though I've had a pretty healthy sex life. I'm not mentally frustrated that much anymore and my quick wit seems to have returned. Not being frustrated and tired all time has put me in an all around better mood. My wife even noted that.
If I knew I'd be suffering from this mental cloudiness and chronic fatique, I'd never have started taking these pills for something as superficial as the hair on top of my head. It has really caused some problems in my life, but thankfully I realized I had SOME problem, I just didn't know the cause. I began eating healthier thinking it was hypoclycemia, which gave me a little more energy and probably had other great health effects too. That may be the only positive thing to come out of this experience. But I feel great now, and wouldn't trade this feeling for any amount of hair on my head.
I'm going to continue with my healthy eating, light exercise, and taking Nioxin Intensive Therapy Recharging Complex as my multivitamin. I will also continue to shampoo with Nizoral 1% and alternate with Aveda shampoo followed by Nioxin System 2 conditioner. If my hair loss progresses, then so be it. Please comment if you have experienced any of these lesser known side effects. I hear dutasteride is even worse for brain fog.