Stopping Finasteride. Advice Needed.

[adamjc1980]

I have been taking Finpecia for apprpox. 3 months and am thinking of quitting due to sides, (numbness down below, loss of libido and softer erections), my question is what can I expect in terms of hair loss after taking for 3 months, acceleration etc.? Also should I look to reduce the dose gradually after only 3 months or just quit.

It's a shame really because I do think it's working, in terms of less shedding and better texture, but I cannot stand the sides.

 

[ldk13]

It takes several months to really see results from finasteride so the shedding couldnt be much worse than before.

If you are experiencing nasty side effects then yes of course stop taking it! I have never used finasteride before so I cant tell if you should slowly come off, or quit right away.

 

[blondguy]

Stick it out. I have been on multiple long term medications in my life and side effects happen, and they often come and go. Also specifically with propecia is very common to see more side effects at first and have them phase out by themselves later on.

You are VERY LUCKY to see any positive results, and should keep at it, as ultimately doing so will probably increase/stabilize your quality of life.

 

[Jyn]

First off, I wouldn't ignore side effects like that so you should do something about it. Rather than totally stopping, why not try taking half a pill instead to see if that helps with the sides? Someone posted a link to study showing 0.05mg was just as effective as 1mg at reducing DHT. At half a pill, that's 0.5mg so you're still taking more than the dosage from that study. You can further try splitting a pill into quarters if the sides persists.

BTW here's that post I was talking about: www.hairlosstalk.com/interact/showthread.php/59348-Anybody-tried-0-05-mg-finasteride-(Merck-dosing-study)

 

[andrew lincoln]

I'm considering quitting myself, I just can't ignore the side effects any longer and it's starting to scare me, I'm thinking of giving spironolactone a shot or maybe ru.

 

[whitegold]

I have been on finasteride for years and the sides are starting to catch up with me too. I am also looking for alternatives that will at least help me keep what hair the finasteride has helped me maintain.