Hey,
25 year old white male. Been taking the prescribed dosage of propecia for just over 3 months now. At the inception I was determined to stick it out, but I'm on the fence as to whether or not I should just drop it altogether.
Reasons:
1. skin rash on hand/face. Never had a rash in my life, anywhere. I'm not an alarmist, but this thing on my wrist has been there for over a month. Derm told me he's never heard of anyone getting a rash due to propecia, yet the box says skin rash could be sign of serious risk condition. To his credit, he's the same derm who's never heard of anyone shedding or losing hair due to propecia! I know, I need to drop this idiot.
2. Aging/puffing/sagging of face. I look all round and old. I quit for 2 weeks and my face slimmed down. (started up again because I started sheding more).
3. acne. My skin is loking real rough right now
4. "Mind fog" can't remember sh*t, walk around in a haze. Diziness, especially within 2-3 hours after taking pill, feel like I'm sleepwalking/dreaming. Can't get excited about anything. Feel like I'm watching my life go by on TV.
5. The way I feel about taking this drug. I'm fundamentally opposed to ingesting a hormone altering drug. I'm also opposed to taking this drug indefinitely. I'm 25 years old, am I supposed to take this drug everyday for the next 65 years? That's absurd. This is a hormone altering drug, by the time I'm in my 50's I will have been taking this drug for more than half of my life I'm not saying I'll grow a vagina but there will DEF be consequences.
And last but certainly not least:
5. Hairloss. 4 months ago I had a full thick head of hair with the beginning indications of temple recession. never lost a single hair on top of my head. In three months, my hairline has receeded 1/2 inch and my temples have receeded 2 inches back and at least 1 inch up (into the top of the head). Additionally the hair on top and at the vertex has consistently been diffuse thinning since 3 weeks into the start of treatment.
Now let me say this, Propecia-induced hairloss is the LEAST of my concerns right now. Two months ago it was the biggest of my concerns, but now with my mood changes, the intense mind fog, the aging on the skin and face, the rashes are all weighing me down.
Bottom line, I think I'd rather just have the haiross, and feel great otherwise. If I'm going to be losing my hair anyway, at least I don't have have all these other side effects and pay $70/ month for the privilage.
I quit Propecia for 2 weeks recently and felt amazing. I was full of energy, I could concentrate my sex drive was through the roof, the rash on my wrist began to go away. I got back on the drug because I started to go through a shed. I don't know though, I think I might be able to handle one last shed, if it means I can have this horrible drug, that I've always felt major regret about taking, of my back for good.
Any 1st hand experience on quitting. How much hair do you think I'd lose?
