Stopped Taking Propecia After 18 Years Of Use

[avocado67]

I had been on finasteride for 18 years. It halted hair loss and kept me at Norwood 3 for at least 15 years, but I have noticed that hair loss is now slowly creeping in and I'm at Norwood 4. I was also on minoxidil for 12 years, but stopped since it was too much of a hassle.

I had major side effects (brain fog, sexual performance, and decreasing sperm count) from finasteride and I believe the sperm count is getting worse over the last few years.

Since March 2019, I tapered off finasteride. In that 6 month period I have experienced further hair loss, but nothing dramatic (I'm still at Norwood 4). The brain fog is completely gone - it's actually amazing allowed myself to be in a pseudo vegetative state for over 18 years! The sexual side effects have also significantly been reduced. I'm also now back on Minoxidil.

As stated earlier, I was expecting more hair loss after 6 months of terminating given that my dad is a Norwood 7 and my eventual destiny.

My older and younger brother are at Norwood 6 and I would have expected to be there after terminating finasteride for 6 months.

Anyone else have a delayed hair loss after stopping finasteride?

 

[Derelict]

I would give it another 6 months then see where you are at.

 

[Derelict]

Damn your sick, he just said he was a complete vegetable for 18 years and you come and encourage him to give it 6 more months... Damn your stupid, i thought your more than those trannies but i guess your the same also, unbelievable!

I meant give it another 6 months of being off finasteride to see where his hair is at. If it will recede more etc

 

[avocado67]

A moderator from this forum has in it's profile bio that he strongly believes that finasteride has actually permanently changed the way his hormonal profile acts and that could maybe be a good thing for some, i mean if it just slows down the hair loss from it's natural state and does not alter other body functions, but i don't know exactly i just stumbled upon it when i read a thread which i can't remember where it is exactly... He is not the first person anyways that i see saying that, but nobody knows exactly!

I highly doubt that. I suspect I'll be at Norwood 7 within 2 year. As such, I'm getting my first FUE in Dec. I'll probably get a couple more as the hair continues falling out.

Be grateful anyways that you managed to get reversal of sides after 18 years and that you didn't get stuck with them for life... And pay attention to your body cos i heard a lot of stories of people who went off finasteride after years, the body reverted to it's natural state, more or less and after a couple of weeks, months for some, they suffered a "crash" as they said and developed persistent and permanent sides, not even being on the drug anymore... I don't want to scare you or to say that it's gonna be your case also and nobody knows exactly what happened to those people either, but monitor your body closely, try to stay healthy and let your body heal and revert to it's natural state... !

There is nothing I can do now about my 18 years of finasteride use. I don't know how old you are, but I'm now old enough to block out the 'noise' from others. I posted my experience for those that wanted information from a long term user that's now off finasteride. I'm in exceptional shape for my age and eat a very clean diet, but I really don't think that is a mitigating factor in recovery.

And your the perfect example of people who are willing to risk a lot for hair, being a vegetable for 18 f*****g years, with all kind of sides, from mental and sexual ones and who knows how many more than you didn't notice and you still went on with the treatment. I'm not here to judge you because i know that it's frustrating but for f*** sakes, it's unbelievable for my brain to comprehend how people can actually accept this kind of things, they are more f*****g absurd and damaging than hair loss itself is.

Good luck, i hope you recover well and get to keep the hair you have for as much as you can!

I had brain fog within a week of first starting finasteride, but, even after a few weeks, you think it's normal. I started taking finasteride in my early 30s and at that time, I was paranoid about being bald. Now at 51, I don't care as much. Everyone has their own reasons and those reasons change with age and experience.

 

[avocado67]

Damn your sick, he just said he was a complete vegetable for 18 years and you come and encourage him to give it 6 more months... Damn your stupid, i thought your more than those trannies but i guess your the same also, unbelievable!

I may have used a bit of hyperbole, but I definitely had brain fog and I would say it decreased my cognitive ability by at least 20% - that, in itself is f*cking serious.

 

[avocado67]

I meant give it another 6 months of being off finasteride to see where his hair is at. If it will recede more etc

I truly believe hair loss will continue till I'm Norwood 7. As stated in an earlier post, I'm getting my first - probably not last - hair transplant in Dec.

 

[Dennis1775]

I truly believe hair loss will continue till I'm Norwood 7. As stated in an earlier post, I'm getting my first - probably not last - hair transplant in Dec.

I would beg you to leave a comment on my post sir!! Thank you

Is it worth the sides? I am 21 years old and on avodart The only way for me to stay out of that third world country and live in london is this.

https://www.hairlosstalk.com/intera...asteride-is-it-a-poison-or-life-saver.125036/

 

[telogen]

Do you look older, younger or about your age? Just wondering if finasteride may affect the aging process

 

[avocado67]

Do you look older, younger or about your age? Just wondering if finasteride may affect the aging process

I started taking finasteride in my early/mid 30s and around the age of 37, a lot of people thought I was in my late 20s. I'm actually now 52 (and been off finasteride for 7 months), and some of the people I play sports with think I'm in my early 40s (one even thought I was in my 30s), but that could be because I'm extremely fit, muscular, and color my hair?

 

[telogen]

I started taking finasteride in my early/mid 30s and around the age of 37, a lot of people thought I was in my late 20s. I'm actually now 52 (and been off finasteride for 7 months), and some of the people I play sports with think I'm in my early 40s (one even thought I was in my 30s), but that could be because I'm extremely fit, muscular, and color my hair?

Interesting, that's my experience too. People i know who have been taking finasteride over many years also appear younger then their actual age.
Makes sense as dht have an inflammatory effect on the body.

 

[NYK155]

I've been on finasteride for 3.5 years and recently took a month break. I will be 50 soon and like others, I have noticed the mental fog has lifted as well. I can actually communicate and have rational thoughts. I've only been off for a month. I have had huge amount of thinning even while on finasteride. I'm not ready to go bald yet so considering going back and angry at myself for even considering it. My thought is hopefully I can find a dosage, schedule that will be better and keep mental cloud lifted and slow the loss that is coming.

 

[INT]

Interesting, that's my experience too. People i know who have been taking finasteride over many years also appear younger then their actual age.
Makes sense as dht have an inflammatory effect on the body.

Well it is likely to think that people who use finasteride tend to be more vain and therefore take better care of themselves.

 

[mvalley]

I've been on finasteride for 3.5 years and recently took a month break. I will be 50 soon and like others, I have noticed the mental fog has lifted as well. I can actually communicate and have rational thoughts. I've only been off for a month. I have had huge amount of thinning even while on finasteride. I'm not ready to go bald yet so considering going back and angry at myself for even considering it. My thought is hopefully I can find a dosage, schedule that will be better and keep mental cloud lifted and slow the loss that is coming.

This was my experience after 4 years of taking it. I looked back at my pictures and it really peaked in effectiveness about 2 years in. Over the past year it was losing effectiveness and the side effects were getting worse so I made the call and dropped it. I'm off looking at other solutions like eucapil, RU, oral minoxidil, etc.

 

[avocado67]

I've been on finasteride for 3.5 years and recently took a month break. I will be 50 soon and like others, I have noticed the mental fog has lifted as well. I can actually communicate and have rational thoughts. I've only been off for a month. I have had huge amount of thinning even while on finasteride. I'm not ready to go bald yet so considering going back and angry at myself for even considering it. My thought is hopefully I can find a dosage, schedule that will be better and keep mental cloud lifted and slow the loss that is coming.

It's taken me over 6 months off finasteride to see the mental fog disappear.

 

[avocado67]

This was my experience after 4 years of taking it. I looked back at my pictures and it really peaked in effectiveness about 2 years in. Over the past year it was losing effectiveness and the side effects were getting worse so I made the call and dropped it. I'm off looking at other solutions like eucapil, RU, oral minoxidil, etc.

Finasteride really made a huge difference and I got back a lot of hair, but after about 9 years or so, it was not as effective, but still somewhat effective. I've been off for about 8 months and I've not lost a lot of hair, but expect to get to my brother's hairloss level (Norwood 6) in about 12 months.

I'll keep the thread posted...

 

[avocado67]

I just wanted to provide an update....

It's been 9 months since I've stopped taking finasteride. My hair loss has been minimal. A hair transplant surgeon I've been speaking with tells me that at my age, 52, the hair loss will not be the same as a younger person that has stopped taking finasteride. Still maintaining Norwood 4, but expect to be Norwood 6 or 7 in the near future.

I can also report that my brain is sharper than ever and I believe it's all related to the stoppage of finasteride.

 

[NSix]

A hair transplant surgeon I've been speaking with tells me that at my age, 52, the hair loss will not be the same as a younger person that has stopped taking finasteride.

meaning?

 

[avocado67]

meaning?

hair transplant Doctor says my hair loss will be minimal given my age, while a younger person (20 to 40s) will experience more hair loss given their hormones/testosterone at their age.... not sure I believe it, but I hope he's right because finasteride has helped me hold at NW4 for over 18 years.

I actually had a FUE hair transplant (3300 grafts) a few days ago to restore the hair line, and i'm concerned that if I do end up going to Norwood 6 like my dad and brothers, I'm not going to have enough donor hair to get proper coverage....