"Shedding" for nearly seven months...time to stop?

Neuro

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I starting using finasteride one year ago and then stopped temporarily in May. Since then, I have experienced massive shedding from my crown. Is it likely that I have hyperandrogenicity now and that stopping finasteride would stop this reaction?
 

Neuro

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No problems before. I stopped because it was too expensive and thought I'd try shampoos and such. I only had a receding hairline without much loss in density.
 

SnowRider22

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Wait so your not currently taking finasteride? When you get off finasteride, all the hair you gained and/or held on to will shed.
 

Neuro

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No! My question is: Should I stop using it? Seven months straight of shedding with finasteride use.
 

JDW

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If it is too severe for you to cope with then I'd say yes.
 

Neuro

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I am 18, a freshman in college. I was upset about a receding hairline a year ago. If I knew that one year later I'd had diffuse thinning on my crown, I would never have started finasteride. I am afraid to stop using it since the condition might just get a whole lot worse. I don't know how to confirm that I have developed hyperandrogenicity as a response to finasteride. Without any other explanation for this, finasteride probably is causing this. Based on familial pattern, I am destined to start balding early but slowly, not this rapid thinning. So, if I have hyperandrogenicity, will stopping finasteride use stop this thinning or only exacerbate it?
 

JDW

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as sm1234 says on there "you know your hair better than anyone else"
 

charlieparker

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neuro- i was on propecia for nearly 2 years before it started working. My shedding was the same up until around the 1.5 year mark, when it increased. It lasted for maybe a month or so then returned to normal shed. Now, nearly 2 years after starting, my hair does not fall out. I haven't experienced this since the onset of male pattern baldness 3 years ago. I dont' see a single hair in the shower, on my pillow, or in the sink. I advise you to continue finasteride for 2 years, and try to forget about your current situation. See where you after the 2 year mark. Think of it like investing in stocks. You can't toss your money around based on daily fluctuations, you invest in the long term. Keep your investment in propecia for 2 years minimum. It's worth it.. definitely the best product available to us for fighting male pattern baldness.
 

charlieparker

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i have to disagree with JDM. You don't know your hair at all. I was certain after almost 2 years that propecia wasn't working. I was convinced in my mind that there was no chance for me. I kept taking the pills out of desperation and when I least expected it, my hair stopped coming out. Don't act rash based on gut instincts, just try to put your hair out of your mind for a while, and keep doing what ur doing.
 

sphlanx2006

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While there are people who did not respond on finasteride, there are NO people who lost more hair DUE to finasteride. So keep this in mind. While you are on propecia, there are 2 cases. Your hair is either better or the same as it would be without propecia. The fact that you are still thinning means that you maybe not be a responder, or that your hairloss is really agressive. Why not adding rogaine and nizoral?
 

JDW

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the thing is I lost so much in such a short space of time that it would be impossible to think that it is anything other than an adverse reaction to the tablets. This isn't gradual loss but a massive shed which lasted a matter of weeks and battered me beyond belief. Dr. Lee suggested to me that even if I stayed on finasteride and somehow recovered from it that I would run the risk f=of this mass shedding becoming a regular occurence.
 

Neuro

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I suppose I'll just stick with it. I hate having to use all of these things (now minoxidil, saw palmetto, tretinoin) just to keep my hair on my head when almost everyone else my age is carefree. I think if I never started to worry about a receding hairline, I would not be in this predicament. That's what angers me the most, but I can't seem to grasp that what's done is done.
 

FlashDance

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I agree

JDW...I have been following your posts...I am in much a similar predicament.

I am 25 years old, had some recession most of my college years, but it wasn't progressing. I started 1 mg finasteride as a precautionary step and with slim hopes that it would some how regrow some of my temples. Well, this was in June 2006. I have recently stopped taking it after having major shedding (and I know it was caused by the finasteride because it was only the top part of my head shedding which has 1.5" hairs and I was losing over 100 a day - far more than the "daily" amount of usual shedding).

About 3 months after taking it, I got an itchy burning scalp accompanied by dandruff (all of which I have never had my whole life). I've been using Nizoral 1% and 2% and T/Gel extra strength which my Dr recommended. My dandruff has gone away, however my scalp seems to have lost a lot of feeling and I am still shedding. I do not think I will ever continue with it because 1) shedding is not listed as a side effect by Merck 2) in all Merck's studies a patient never increased hair loss, he simply continue at the same rate and 3) I have read that derms reccomend discontinuing the use of medications which cause effluviums. I don't see much regrowth now and I have been off it 2 months (I started in June, used for 4 months straight). Anyways, I am definitly going to keep in touch to post my results if I ever recover from it. My worst concern now is the numbness in my scalp which leads me to believe that I have premanently damaged my scalp somehow...anyways I will post again later!
 

sphlanx2006

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umdace said:
I have recently stopped taking it after having major shedding (and I know it was caused by the finasteride because it was only the top part of my head shedding which has 1.5" hairs and I was losing over 100 a day - far more than the "daily" amount of usual shedding).

What you have said, in no way indicates the shed was caused by finasteride. In fact normal shedding for ALL people is 50-100 hairs per day, so if your shedding was LESS than that, then it would not be consider a shedding :)

People, you have to understand that finasteride cannot cause hair loss. It may cause a shedding, although many doctors seem to disagree with this, but shedding is not like taking your hair roots out of your scalp. After a shedding hair WILL come back, either thinner, same or thicker. If you are still on the meds that caused the shed at first place chances say it will come back thicker. No matter how hard it is, the only way to success, is to stick with your treatments.

I am just insisting so much, because if you do not have side effects, finasteride can only do you good.
 

Neuro

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If you say finasteride cannot induce a "shed," then what explains my massive shedding for seven months after stopping and restarting finasteride use?
 

lunarjm

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charlieparker said:
i have to disagree with JDM. You don't know your hair at all. I was certain after almost 2 years that propecia wasn't working. I was convinced in my mind that there was no chance for me. I kept taking the pills out of desperation and when I least expected it, my hair stopped coming out. Don't act rash based on gut instincts, just try to put your hair out of your mind for a while, and keep doing what ur doing.

So after 2 years your shedding stopped or you started regrowing new hair or both?
 

JDW

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charlieparker said:
i have to disagree with JDM. You don't know your hair at all. I was certain after almost 2 years that propecia wasn't working. I was convinced in my mind that there was no chance for me. I kept taking the pills out of desperation and when I least expected it, my hair stopped coming out. Don't act rash based on gut instincts, just try to put your hair out of your mind for a while, and keep doing what ur doing.


Not acting rash man, the shedding whacked the sh*t out of my hair in a couple of weeks and it's continued to get worse to the extent where my whole top part of my head is visible when DRY and the front and temples have receeded. There's shedding, there's shedding and then there is this which is a f*****g harvest. Why on earth would I want to continue any longer...my hair loss hasn't changed much in years, I was looking for maintenance but now I've got precious little left to maintain.
f*** IT
 

lunarjm

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JDW said:
charlieparker said:
i have to disagree with JDM. You don't know your hair at all. I was certain after almost 2 years that propecia wasn't working. I was convinced in my mind that there was no chance for me. I kept taking the pills out of desperation and when I least expected it, my hair stopped coming out. Don't act rash based on gut instincts, just try to put your hair out of your mind for a while, and keep doing what ur doing.


Not acting rash man, the shedding whacked the $#iT out of my hair in a couple of weeks and it's continued to get worse to the extent where my whole top part of my head is visible when DRY and the front and temples have receeded. There's shedding, there's shedding and then there is this which is a f****ing harvest. Why on earth would I want to continue any longer...my hair loss hasn't changed much in years, I was looking for maintenance but now I've got precious little left to maintain.
f*** IT


JDW...I have to say you've given me pause in wanting to start finasteride. Freaking me out actually.
 
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