Propecia and Mood ...

[Bismarck]

Never heard about such side effects before (except from Dutasteride) but I think it's quite interesting:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/...ve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12433001&dopt=Abstract

I've the impression that Merck doesn't tell everything...

BIS

 

[Resultsnottypical]

mood

I believe it may be a small minority, but anytime you take a drug there are possible side-effects. I was only on Finasteride for about five weeks, but I noticed a sharp decrease in my will and motivation. I wouldn't say I was depressed, but I was NOT myself. I was very careful to look at other possibilities in my life and there weren't any.

This does NOT mean I am saying that everyone, or even a large minority will suffer from this. However, to me, given that I have a very high sex drive, and am very aggressive compared to other males that I have known, it does seem POSSIBLE that anything that alters a significant chemical in my body which MAY BE THE FOUNDATION OF THOSE CHARACTERISTICS, may also have an effect on those attributes in a negative manner.

Propecia is clinically tested, and safe. I do not dispute that. That does not mean it will not have undesired consequences on any particular person, any less than the pill does for women.

I am in total agreement with HairLossTalk.com's philosophy on logic when it comes to these studies (as well as overwhelming evidence, scientifically based). I do know that five times the dose has been studied and used for years in this case...however, OTHER aspects of this drug, just as with the pill for women, have not really been looked at. In this sense, I believe long-term effects, and studies regarding them, are in their infancy.

 

[Cassin]

All I know is, I don't want to lose my hair. It depreses the hell out of me. Right now I have great success and it's because of MERK. Thanks to that litte pill I have my hair still............

That makes me happy. So it's my little pill of pure joy.

 

[Resultsnottypical]

agreed

I think that is a very good point. Also, in my case, and as in the study, it is also possible that mood swings like this, could go away, or be lessened by dose.

I know there are a lot of parallel debates about dosage levels for finasteride. Just as with the pill for women, it was found years later (thru further study) that the dosage could be lowered and still be effective.

Just because there has been an extensive study showing that 1mgs is effective, doesn't mean that later studies won't show varying dosages work. The mood angle, and psychological effects haven't seemed to have been studied much yet, so, there may be more on the way.

Again, it is an effective drug, and very much worth it, if you ask me, because male pattern baldness is depressing enough. But if you think that you can take a drug that has a systemic effect on your body and horomones WITHOUT any side-effects, you are kidding yourself.

It's all about trade-offs. And for some, luckily enough, there doesn't seem to be ANY downside to taking the 1mg. Millions I am sure.

 

[The shedder]

I agree with the possibility of side effects, cause I am experiencing them. I have been on finasteride for 5 months and also feel tired, irritable, foggy, spaced out, etc. I guess its a price to pay for aesthetics ha!

 

[Resultsnottypical]

studies

what I don't like, is that some people think that just because there have been studies on propecia and proscar as it relates to its original medical purpose, that there could not be a possibility of long-term consequences. That simply isn't true based on long-term studies of other previously "safe" drugs.

After years of the pill for women, it was determined that the dose was too high, and that there was indeed a link between the pill, smoking and increased cancer (that is the pill's fault, obviously, but there was a high correlation). Other drugs like thalydimide (sp?) were found later to have severe consequences to the unborn.

We may indeed find out years later, that there are a sizeable number of individuals who have "negative" side-effects due to 1 mg per day.

None of this should scare people off, but it is ridiculous to think that a few studies of a few thousand people reflect every possible outcome for even a small minority of users.

 

[avri]

Hi,

Excellent point, Bismarck! Which brings us to another very interesting finasteride study, suggesting it may be the Propecia we need to cut to 1/5's, not the Proscar:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/quer ... s=10495374

It appears that the 0.2 mg dose is equally effective in fighting male pattern baldness.


avri

 

[Guest]

I can't wait to chop my next proscar into 25 pieces, 5 was way too easy, I need a new challenge...now where did I leave that electron microscope.


:freaked: :freaked: :freaked: :freaked: :freaked:

 

[Healthy Nick]

Looking back on it now, I did get depressed while on Propecia. I had never been depressed before that either. This is interesting. I never associated the two because depression usually has a million differant potential explanations. However, being that I had never gotten depressed in the way like I did while I was on Propecia, it appears that it could have definitly been propecia related.

 

[The shedder]

does anyone have any experience with side effects due to propecia that subsided after continued use? Because some sites say the side effects are generally "reversible", but that could also mean that the users get used to the side effects, not that they go away.....

 

[The shedder]

does anyone have any experience with side effects due to propecia that subsided after continued use? Because some sites say the side effects are generally "reversible", but that could also mean that the users get used to the side effects, not that they go away.....

 

[Kevin fretwell]

Well, you have the increased testosterone and muscle builders who use steroids have been known to be irritable and such due to the high levels of testosterone .What I'm saying is if your hair is making you a little bummed out then the increased test will amplify that .

 

[Kevin fretwell]

I think I have an unusually responce from the finasteride .I have always had an occasional fit of mild shakes due to diabetes but I realized that I haven't had any since a few weeks into finasteride .Odd but welcomed

 

[Zax]

Hmm, guaranteed depression without finasteride because of looking at my hair falling out at record speed, or a chance of depression with finasteride and a chance to slow down the baldness. To me, this is a no brainer.

Though, unlike other people, I have honestly become more awake and aware after starting Propecia. I use to be tired 24/7, and now I can stay awake without feeling like I need sleep all the time.

 

[The shedder]

Yea I thought I had a heightened mood when I started propecia then my energy level sank soon enough. Yea I will also stick with it because I worry less about my hair knowing i'm doing something about it.