Propecia losing effectiveness. Can I switch?

[Meddller]

I have been on Propecia for 8 years and it's been good to me (maintained). Recently, it appears it's effectiveness is wearing off. I was wondering if anyone has experienced the same effects with propecia losing it's effectiveness and switched to a different DHT blocker that helped? ie. I know if you cut Proscar into quarters you get a higher dosage than the 1mg of Propecia. Does anyone have any suggestions? Much appreiciated.

 

[nydheart]

You could try Dutasteride. It is another internal DHT blocker that people have used.

 

[el_duterino]

I was on the same boat 3 years ago, finasteride stopped working after 6 great years.
Switched to dutasteride and it has maintained very well since then, very happy with the results. I take 0.5 mg a day, Avodart. Nothing else, no topicals are needed as I started early enough.
dutasteride is just a more powerful and more stable DHT blocker due to its long half life. I would strongly recommend that you do the switch soon, you won't be disappointed if you are a good responder to DHT blocking drugs.
Don't worry about all the negatives comments about dutasteride on this board, a lot of positive feedback never gets written because people are satisfied.

I only had problems at the hairline and diffuse thinning overall.
Good luck

El Duterino

 

[Meddller]

Thanks for the responses.
El Duterino, did you experience a shed when you switched? Did you just keep maintaining or did you grow any hair back? I too am a diffuse thinner and my hair hasn't gotten too bad but it's definitely more noticeable. I will be happy to maintain what I have. I take it I need a prescription?

 

[el_duterino]

I did not have any shed. Those drugs will not "regrow" hair, I think people have the wrong expectations. finasteride and dutasteride will at best maintain hair or/and thicken existing thin hair and are to be taken as soon as thinning is noticed.

 

[bigblackattack]

8 years is a long time for enjoy success. Other than maintaining the hair you had, did you notice your hair thicken up in those years overall?

 

[Meddller]

Bigblackattack, I never noticed my hair improve but it definitely maintained for a solid 7 years. At the time I really never thought Procpecia could regrow hair so I wasn't really looking for regrowth. It wasn't til I started reading posts on this forum that I found out it could regrow hair. That being said I never experienced a shed either. Again, this could be because I wasn't aware of shedding and wasn't looking for it. Either way Propecia was good to me until it started losing it's effectiveness.