Starting Dutasteride After Finasteride

[tinyrobot]

Hi all,

Long time lurker first time poster. I’ve been on Minoxodil for 4-5 years. It did basically nothing and my hair was shedding like crazy in that time. 1.25 years ago I added finasteride and it slowed the shedding down a LOT. No visible side effects, but I still wasn’t completely halted. The hair loss rate had been reduced by about 50% and within my time on finasteride I can see I’m losing ground on my crown.

So today I’m starting dutasteride 0.5 mg/day as per the doctors recommendation. No loading dose and stopping finasteride. I will let y’all know how it goes at regular intervals mostly because every duta thread I read was incomplete. If I stop responding, it will mean duta has been working great haha.

In the meantime a couple questions. I think I will get decent results but what I’m most scared about is long term side effects. 5-alpha reductase 1 (which duta reduces) is present in brain tissue, and it must be there for a reason. Any research y’all found on that?

 

[tinyrobot]

After 1.5 weeks, a noticeable increase in shedding. This is very probably because I stopped finasteride. The resident (who knew nothing about dutasteride being a hair loss treatment until I shared research papers with her) told me it would fine if I stopped finasteride immediately because duta should kick in a week. I knew I shouldn't have trusted her because I clearly see all the research papers showing steady state concentration of duta only after 3ish months, how could it be fine in one week?? Anyway, restarted finasteride for at least until the end of this month.

 

[Yakitori]

Are you using both daily now then?

 

[tinyrobot]

Yes, it can take up to 4 months just to reach 95% of its maximum concentration in the bloodstream. See here https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2014202/. At a dosage of 0.5 mg/day it takes about a month and half to reach 70% of max concentration. This corresponds with what I've seen in the forum. For people who it worked for, seems to take 6-7 weeks to work. So I'll aim to take both duta and finasteride for about a month and half and then stop finasteride and see how it goes.

 

[tinyrobot]

At the 2 week mark, I had a day of MASSIVE shedding. It was as if I were not any medicine at all. I measured 40-50 hairs in the shower alone. The next day it slowed down a bit to 20-30 hairs in the shower and that's where I'm at right now at the 2.5 week mark. I hope things improve because right now it does not seem any better than just plain finasteride.

 

[tinyrobot]

1 month later, had a huge shed today. As always these days are disappointing. Just applying Rogaine I saw 15 hairs fall out. Let alone the hairs I didn’t see fall throughout the day.

I’m still hopeful because it’s only been 28 days. Also will continue with both duta and finasteride till the end of 2 months probably.

 

[arnoldd]

Its not sense to take both. Dutasteride take 6 months to reach the steady state and inihbit 94% of dht but after 2 weeks it inihbits 90%, while finasteride 65-70%.
You need to wait 6 months or 1 year to see the full effects however after 3-4 months you should to see some improvements. Some initial shedding could be normal , since it need to make fall the thiining hairs to make them more thick after a couple of months.

 

[AnxiousAndy]

1 month later, had a huge shed today. As always these days are disappointing. Just applying Rogaine I saw 15 hairs fall out. Let alone the hairs I didn’t see fall throughout the day.

I’m still hopeful because it’s only been 28 days. Also will continue with both duta and finasteride till the end of 2 months probably.

When you said you lost 40 - 50 hairs in the shower does that include towel drying after? I'm not a fan of dutasteride personally, but I hope you get good results. Keep us updated!

 

[tinyrobot]

Its not sense to take both. Dutasteride take 6 months to reach the steady state and inihbit 94% of dht but after 2 weeks it inihbits 90%, while finasteride 65-70%.
You need to wait 6 months or 1 year to see the full effects however after 3-4 months you should to see some improvements. Some initial shedding could be normal , since it need to make fall the thiining hairs to make them more thick after a couple of months.

Can you cite the research/article with this information? I’d be glad if this were the case. As you can see I cited my source above that showed I’m only at 70% DHT concentration after 2 months.

 

[tinyrobot]

When you said you lost 40 - 50 hairs in the shower does that include towel drying after? I'm not a fan of dutasteride personally, but I hope you get good results. Keep us updated!

Does not include towel drying as I don’t have a white towel and I’m too lazy to look carefully at it. I do comb my hair after and there’s usually only 1-2 hairs in my comb after I do that.

 

[AnxiousAndy]

Does not include towel drying as I don’t have a white towel and I’m too lazy to look carefully at it. I do comb my hair after and there’s usually only 1-2 hairs in my comb after I do that.

Doesn't sound too bad then. I personally lose in between 5 - 10 in shower then another 30 - 40 drying and combing so we are losing roughly the same. How do you feel on dutasteride? How's your libido? Does your scalp itch, etc?

 

[tinyrobot]

Can you cite the research/article with this information? I’d be glad if this were the case. As you can see I cited my source above that showed I’m only at 70% DHT concentration after 2 months.

I found the research here http://www.anagen.net/glaxo3.htm. I guess you were right but it’s after 4 weeks not two, and to be safe because of variability I’ll stop perhaps at the 1.5 month mark. I just can’t take any unncecessary loss .

 

[tinyrobot]

Doesn't sound too bad then. I personally lose in between 5 - 10 in shower then another 30 - 40 drying and combing so we are losing roughly the same. How do you feel on dutasteride? How's your libido? Does your scalp itch, etc?

It’s not terrible but it’s not ideal either mate. Would like to lose 0 hairs in the shower. Ok maybe 5 would be normal. My scalp itches on days I lose more hair like yesterday but otherwise it’s normal.

Libido is fine.

Are you on fina or duta? How long have you been on it?

 

[AnxiousAndy]

It’s not terrible but it’s not ideal either mate. Would like to lose 0 hairs in the shower. Ok maybe 5 would be normal. My scalp itches on days I lose more hair like yesterday but otherwise it’s normal.

Libido is fine.

Are you on fina or duta? How long have you been on it?

Haha I know right!! Zero hair fall would be great. I'm on 1mg finasteride ( 19 months but wasn't on it for 2 months ) and it didn't help me maintain. I'm also on oral minoxidil for 9 months at 5mg which gave initial regrowth then it all fell out a few months later and more I'm also on 25mg Androcur ( Cyproterone Acetate ) and 1mg oral estrogen and 1mg topical estrogen for 40 days. Shedding fluctuates from 100 to 200 hairs a day, right now I'm losing about 120 daily. My libido doesn't exist and my itch isn't as bad as it was before cypro but its still there. I do have some vellus hairs popping up but I don't know if they have grown since I noticed them.. By day 90 I hope my shedding will have stopped and I start to get some regrowth.

 

[arnoldd]

Can you cite the research/article with this information? I’d be glad if this were the case. As you can see I cited my source above that showed I’m only at 70% DHT concentration after 2 months.

Its written in the leaflet..


12.2 Pharmacodynamics
Effect on 5 Alpha-dihydrotestosterone and Testosterone

The maximum effect of daily doses of dutasteride on the reduction of DHT is dose dependent and is observed within 1 to 2 weeks. After 1 and 2 weeks of daily dosing with dutasteride 0.5 mg, median serum DHT concentrations were reduced by 85% and 90%, respectively. In patients with BPH treated with dutasteride 0.5 mg/day for 4 years, the median decrease in serum DHT was 94% at 1 year, 93% at 2 years, and 95% at both 3 and 4 years. The median increase in serum testosterone was 19% at both 1 and 2 years, 26% at 3 years, and 22% at 4 years, but the mean and median levels remained within the physiologic range.

 

[real kombo]

Can you cite the research/article with this information? I’d be glad if this were the case. As you can see I cited my source above that showed I’m only at 70% DHT concentration after 2 months.

Sir, I am begging you, BEGGING YOU, not to stop the finasteride with the dutasteride for AT LEAST a year, 18 months would be even better. Every success story I've seen on dutasteride was that dutasteride really shined around the 1-year mark, and just got better and better. Most of the horror stories I've seen have been absolute morons who were demoralized by the shed and quit in the 3-6 month mark. PLEASE TAKE IT FOR ONE FULL YEAR BEFORE ASSESSING RESULTS. I also recommend staying with finasteride until that time. Most people cannot comprehend that just because dutasteride enters the body earlier does NOT mean it affects hair just as fast. please pm me and let me know how it goes. Best of luck my friend.

 

[arnoldd]

Sir, I am begging you, BEGGING YOU, not to stop the finasteride with the dutasteride for AT LEAST a year, 18 months would be even better. Every success story I've seen on dutasteride was that dutasteride really shined around the 1-year mark, and just got better and better. Most of the horror stories I've seen have been absolute morons who were demoralized by the shed and quit in the 3-6 month mark. PLEASE TAKE IT FOR ONE FULL YEAR BEFORE ASSESSING RESULTS. I also recommend staying with finasteride until that time. Most people cannot comprehend that just because dutasteride enters the body earlier does NOT mean it affects hair just as fast. please pm me and let me know how it goes. Best of luck my friend.

The initial shedding is f*****g freaking, you are already desperate for the hair loss and you start to losing is even more..i know how it feels, its really important to have patient and stick with the drug until 4-6 months have passed

 

[real kombo]

The initial shedding is f*****g freaking, you are already desperate for the hair loss and you start to losing is even more..i know how it feels, its really important to have patient and stick with the drug until 4-6 months have passed

No! Not 4-6 months!! One full year, 18 mo ths even better. Some sheds don't even begin until the 4 month mark lol

 

[tinyrobot]

No! Not 4-6 months!! One full year, 18 mo ths even better. Some sheds don't even begin until the 4 month mark lol

Thank y’all for the words of wisdom. So you were both on finasteride and then switched to dutasteride. You also both went from losing on finasteride to regrowth or at least maintanence on duta after that 18 months on duta? Because I’ve been losing on fina .

I don’t think 1 year of fina is an option for me because my Doctor already said don’t take both and I’m just using the leftovers from the old prescription she gave. I will try asking though.

 

[tinyrobot]

Haha I know right!! Zero hair fall would be great. I'm on 1mg finasteride ( 19 months but wasn't on it for 2 months ) and it didn't help me maintain. I'm also on oral minoxidil for 9 months at 5mg which gave initial regrowth then it all fell out a few months later and more I'm also on 25mg Androcur ( Cyproterone Acetate ) and 1mg oral estrogen and 1mg topical estrogen for 40 days. Shedding fluctuates from 100 to 200 hairs a day, right now I'm losing about 120 daily. My libido doesn't exist and my itch isn't as bad as it was before cypro but its still there. I do have some vellus hairs popping up but I don't know if they have grown since I noticed them.. By day 90 I hope my shedding will have stopped and I start to get some regrowth.

Bro I’m sorry you have it so hard but mad props to you for sticking with that regiment. Let us know how it goes