Hi all, I've been a lurker on the forum for at least a year but have been waiting until I had something to contribute.
male pattern baldness began for me at 16 years old and crept up on me very slowly. I'm now 20, with heavy recession around the temples (about a 2 on the Norwood scale) and severe thinning on top.
I began with 2% Minoxidil 18 months ago - definitely saw a shed/ could convince myself I saw some progress after that.
I became impatient after 6 months when I realised nothing was really happening. This was when I switched to 5% minoxidil. Again, it has been a year now, and though I'm sure I would have much less hair without minoxidil, it's not preventing the process.
I'd always thought long and hard about trying out Finasteride. I was worried for the side effects and wanted to try everything topical I could before ingesting drugs.
I've been on Finpecia now for 3 months and I'm definitely seeing side effects. There was a small shed at first, and I can clearly see new hair coming through. The new hairs are between 5-10mm at this stage and have been thickening for some time.
When I first took the pill, I noticed that I felt different, and not in a good way. I feel as if there's a barrier between my brain and my eyes, as if everything I do is slightly hazy. It's difficult to describe, but it's like feeling tired all of the time.
I'm sleeping terribly, requiring a lot more each night than I ever used to need, and it's a lot harder to feel motivated once I do get out of bed. I'm also experiencing severe mood swings like I've never had before. I've always been a placid character and friends now comment that I'm not acting myself. Colleagues continually ask me what's wrong, and comment that I looked stressed. Taking the pill every other day helped somewhat, but I still find a horrid burst of anxiety around 9 hours after I take the next dose.
I hate what finasteride is doing to me. It's getting in the way of my studies, my job and it's breaking down relationships with some of my closest friends. I am, however, completely obsessed with the idea of growing my hair back.
I don't know if I can take this much longer, yet I have no idea how I could ever stop.
male pattern baldness began for me at 16 years old and crept up on me very slowly. I'm now 20, with heavy recession around the temples (about a 2 on the Norwood scale) and severe thinning on top.
I began with 2% Minoxidil 18 months ago - definitely saw a shed/ could convince myself I saw some progress after that.
I became impatient after 6 months when I realised nothing was really happening. This was when I switched to 5% minoxidil. Again, it has been a year now, and though I'm sure I would have much less hair without minoxidil, it's not preventing the process.
I'd always thought long and hard about trying out Finasteride. I was worried for the side effects and wanted to try everything topical I could before ingesting drugs.
I've been on Finpecia now for 3 months and I'm definitely seeing side effects. There was a small shed at first, and I can clearly see new hair coming through. The new hairs are between 5-10mm at this stage and have been thickening for some time.
When I first took the pill, I noticed that I felt different, and not in a good way. I feel as if there's a barrier between my brain and my eyes, as if everything I do is slightly hazy. It's difficult to describe, but it's like feeling tired all of the time.
I'm sleeping terribly, requiring a lot more each night than I ever used to need, and it's a lot harder to feel motivated once I do get out of bed. I'm also experiencing severe mood swings like I've never had before. I've always been a placid character and friends now comment that I'm not acting myself. Colleagues continually ask me what's wrong, and comment that I looked stressed. Taking the pill every other day helped somewhat, but I still find a horrid burst of anxiety around 9 hours after I take the next dose.
I hate what finasteride is doing to me. It's getting in the way of my studies, my job and it's breaking down relationships with some of my closest friends. I am, however, completely obsessed with the idea of growing my hair back.
I don't know if I can take this much longer, yet I have no idea how I could ever stop.