To those scared of finasteride

[theonelink]

PLEASE... for the love of God just get on it...

I'll give a little background on myself. I'm 22, in October i woke up one day and hair began falling... in my pillow, on my clothes, on my keyboard, just everywhere. I never gave balding a thought before this started, i was completely ignorant to it. I was a norwood 1 prior to this.

I went to the doctor, had all the tests done such as thyroid etc and all came back normal, the doctor told me it was likely to be genetic. He recommended regaine foam which I don't want to use because I can't commit to using it twice daily. I asked him about propecia, he said: 'if i were your age i wouldn't want to be messing with my hormones' and refused to write a prescription.

For the next 2 weeks my hair was still falling constantly... my hands were covered with them after shampooing - I never felt so **** in my entire life, I had long hair which made it appear much worse too, I was on the verge of crying.

After some more research online, I decided to get a script for propecia online from lloyds pharmacy (a genuine pharmacy in the uk), I sent them photos for a photo assessment and they agreed to prescribe it.

Now, I was shedding before I started treatment. I began the treatment in early October and my hairloss accelerated tenfold... I went from a norwood 1 hairline to 2 in a month and within the space of 2 months I'd estimate I had lost over 50% of total hair density in diffuse thinning pattern. The shed lasted from October until early January... I just rode it out.

Within the 6 or so weeks since the new year started... my hair has recovered remarkably. I shower everyday and scrub the **** out of my hair - literally trying to get hair to fall out and nothing. My hair is filling in everywhere, It's thicker, darker and looks MUCH healthier in general. You can see no signs of balding whatsoever, unless someone were to lift my fringe up and inspect my hairline they may find a norwood 1.5. This is after 3 months on finasteride...no sides whatsoever, things can only get better.

To all young men scared of finasteride please at least try it.

If you think you'll get sides then your mind will tell you you're getting sides when you're really not. The mind is a powerful thing... just take the pill, ride out any shedding and after reap the rewards. You NEED a dht blocker...

I'll upload a picture of my hair later so you can see. Thanks for reading

 

[CliffLee]

If I could go back in time, I would tell 24-year-old me (31 now) to start finasteride and minoxidil treatment immediately. I was initially put-off by the scare stories and the potential side-effects half a decade ago.

Two things to consider: 1) how would you feel if 2 years from now your hair got a lot worse? What about 5 years from now? If the answer is that you would be upset, then starting treatment now, may correct for you 2) have you properly assessed the risks from the drugs, based on actually conducted and approved research? If no, then you should.

finasteride and minoxidil are both powerful drugs, not to be abused or taken lightly. I understand the human nature (I am guilty of this myself) to post online and ask people if they encountered any side-effects; then making a decision based on the replies. The responses, however, are completely meaningless! Who cares if Joe Bloggs did or did not have adverse sides from the drugs, you may react completely differently. Look at the actual studies and determine for yourself whether you're willing to take the risks - every drug has potential side-effects.

I am a little rusty on the numbers (so feel free to correct me, those in the know) but the potential for sides in men were ~5% for those who experienced ED, libido loss etc - whilst the placebo group was at ~3%. Also, of those who suffered sides (non-libido), the majority recovered 100% soon after stopping, with some recovering post 1 month, fewer at 2 months etc. Do the maths but of those who suffered, only a tiny fraction had side-effects that were deemed permanent - defined as lasting up to 5 years. It is hard for me to rationalise that anyone who has suffered sides post the 5 year period, did not experience sides from the drug at an earlier stage but decided to continue regardless. You have to be sensible and listen to your body.

Apologies for the rant. My point is that I don't see any issues with people trying the drug (and other drugs, for that matter) and seeing if it works for them, monitoring any potential sides, but giving the drug a reasonable chance of success. Be rational. I personally transitioned on to finasteride (first week, one dose 0.5mg, second week, two doses 0.5mg and so and so fourth). No sides and going on to 3 months - touch wood! Try it, it may be the best decision you ever made. If you don't want to continue taking finasteride, you can simply stop. Your hair, however, will likely continue to worsen as you continue to age - I know mine did.

- - - Updated - - -

Sorry, I didn't actually fully read your post, whoops. I made an assumption, after reading the beginning, that you were worried about starting finasteride.

I feel better for my rant, none-the-less.

 

[theonelink]

If I could go back in time, I would tell 24-year-old me (31 now) to start finasteride and minoxidil treatment immediately. I was initially put-off by the scare stories and the potential side-effects half a decade ago.

Two things to consider: 1) how would you feel if 2 years from now your hair got a lot worse? What about 5 years from now? If the answer is that you would be upset, then starting treatment now, may correct for you 2) have you properly assessed the risks from the drugs, based on actually conducted and approved research? If no, then you should.

finasteride and minoxidil are both powerful drugs, not to be abused or taken lightly. I understand the human nature (I am guilty of this myself) to post online and ask people if they encountered any side-effects; then making a decision based on the replies. The responses, however, are completely meaningless! Who cares if Joe Bloggs did or did not have adverse sides from the drugs, you may react completely differently. Look at the actual studies and determine for yourself whether you're willing to take the risks - every drug has potential side-effects.

I am a little rusty on the numbers (so feel free to correct me, those in the know) but the potential for sides in men were ~5% for those who experienced ED, libido loss etc - whilst the placebo group was at ~3%. Also, of those who suffered sides (non-libido), the majority recovered 100% soon after stopping, with some recovering post 1 month, fewer at 2 months etc. Do the maths but of those who suffered, only a tiny fraction had side-effects that were deemed permanent - defined as lasting up to 5 years. It is hard for me to rationalise that anyone who has suffered sides post the 5 year period, did not experience sides from the drug at an earlier stage but decided to continue regardless. You have to be sensible and listen to your body.

Apologies for the rant. My point is that I don't see any issues with people trying the drug (and other drugs, for that matter) and seeing if it works for them, monitoring any potential sides, but giving the drug a reasonable chance of success. Be rational. I personally transitioned on to finasteride (first week, one dose 0.5mg, second week, two doses 0.5mg and so and so fourth). No sides and going on to 3 months - touch wood! Try it, it may be the best decision you ever made. If you don't want to continue taking finasteride, you can simply stop. Your hair, however, will likely continue to worsen as you continue to age - I know mine did.

- - - Updated - - -

Sorry, I didn't actually fully read your post, whoops. I made an assumption, after reading the beginning, that you were worried about starting finasteride.

I feel better for my rant, none-the-less.

that's what I'm saying, finasteride is doing wonders for me so far... if i get sides i'll stop. People shouldn't be scaremongering on here because I know some do and others believe it...at least give propecia a go.

 

[GoldenMane]

Couldn't agree more. I just don't get people who won't even try it. You can always quit if you get sides, but never trying it for fear that you will be in the small minority who do get side effects (that go away once you quit!) just seems ridiculous to me. I'm on minoxidil too, so it's difficult to say proportionately how much I can attribute my success to finasteride, but the combined results have been amazing, and have made me feel so much happier and more confident. If I didn't have finasteride I don't know what I'd do, as a fellow long haired dude, the prospect of shaving my head was just not an option, I could not accept it. Every dude should at least try it, you have very little to lose, and so much to gain!

 

[t.smith0987]

Honestly, I think its bark is worse than its bite. There can be side effects like any drug, and like any bad experience those who get them are much more vocal. That's not to say they don't have anything to be vocal about because it's awful if you get those long term or unmanageable sides but statistically I think it's safe enough you should not let the sides scare you from trying.

I'm not any kind of physician so don't take this as medical advice, but to me the percentage of irreversible sides is small enough that you play the same odds with any number of rare conditions, from any number of other prescription medications. If you're not comfortable taking that chance with finasteride there's nothing wrong with that and you don't have to explain yourself to anyone but I think Finasteride is made out to be much more of a monster when it's potential to be damaging is just as prevalent as any number of other medications that don't receive the same scare. Again, that's not to say that those who experience bad side effects are to be taken lightly but I think overall the risk is not as great as it is sometimes made out to be.

My personal experience, and admittedly I have not been on it long, I had mild side effects immediately after taking my first dose but I took a leap of faith on my doctor that they would likely subside and they did. I have not had any side effects since the first few days; unfortunately I have yet to have any results either but that's another story...

 

[abcdefg]

Yeah I agree with what he said above as a drug its easily as safe as most others and is one of the safer drugs out there its been in use for like 20 years. Propecia was without doubt a huge leap in terms of male pattern baldness and its importance is always ignored. Before propecia male pattern baldness was not treatable at all.

 

[Thor9]

Honestly, I think its bark is worse than its bite. There can be side effects like any drug, and like any bad experience those who get them are much more vocal. That's not to say they don't have anything to be vocal about because it's awful if you get those long term or unmanageable sides but statistically I think it's safe enough you should not let the sides scare you from trying.

I'm not any kind of physician so don't take this as medical advice, but to me the percentage of irreversible sides is small enough that you play the same odds with any number of rare conditions, from any number of other prescription medications. If you're not comfortable taking that chance with finasteride there's nothing wrong with that and you don't have to explain yourself to anyone but I think Finasteride is made out to be much more of a monster when it's potential to be damaging is just as prevalent as any number of other medications that don't receive the same scare. Again, that's not to say that those who experience bad side effects are to be taken lightly but I think overall the risk is not as great as it is sometimes made out to be.

My personal experience, and admittedly I have not been on it long, I had mild side effects immediately after taking my first dose but I took a leap of faith on my doctor that they would likely subside and they did. I have not had any side effects since the first few days; unfortunately I have yet to have any results either but that's another story...

Great post, very well put.

 

[TheHandsomeLurker]

Couldn't agree more. I just don't get people who won't even try it. You can always quit if you get sides, but never trying it for fear that you will be in the small minority who do get side effects (that go away once you quit!) just seems ridiculous to me. I'm on minoxidil too, so it's difficult to say proportionately how much I can attribute my success to finasteride, but the combined results have been amazing, and have made me feel so much happier and more confident. If I didn't have finasteride I don't know what I'd do, as a fellow long haired dude, the prospect of shaving my head was just not an option, I could not accept it. Every dude should at least try it, you have very little to lose, and so much to gain!

You and others make very good arguments.

That said, we just don't know what altered endocrine function (which is how finasteride works) will do to a person over thirty, forty years, and that's the concern.