Wake up Call

[Aeroes]

So I started dealing with hairloss at the start of my 20's(now 23) I've been in complete denial the whole time thinking that it would stop. I've been using Nizoral for 3 years. I took 2 tablets of propecia 1mg 2 years ago and suffered sexual side including ball ache and numbness down there, no libido, impotence took me months to recover. so obviously i stopped taking it.. My Hair loss has now caught up on me and my receding hairline is becoming more noticeable (as i mask it by layering my hair). I'm not sure what to do, do I take propecia at a lower dose say 0.25mg and hope to god I don't besides again or are there other options. I gotta admit getting side off two tablets was crazy , maybe i'm just extremely sensitive to it. Do I have any other options beside minoxidil?

Please help.

 

[psyhotria]

There's substances like RU, or OC, that you may consider. Also neogenic, and a host of other stuff.

 

[Mja017]

I wonder what kind of sides you would have experienced had you not researched finasteride online.

Not calling you a liar, just wondering if these sides aren't possibly psychosomatic. These seem VERY extreme for having only consumes two pills. The ball ache I could understand, I experienced intermittent ball ache the first few days but that went away quickly and was extraordinarily minor. The other sides you mention seem highly implausible after only two doses.

 

[Aeroes]

Your being fairly reasonable and I understand why you would question me. My problem was that I didn't do any research. My junk went numb it was very real. My testosterone levels were chopped in half when I decided to get a check up about it. It literally felt like a piece of meat that was cold and dead. Why do people get ball ache? It's such a shame there isn't a safer effective alternative.

 

[zzzzz]

RU + minoxidil is probably your only chance. Finasteride increases testosterone levels. If your testosterone levels were lower than it is because of some other reason, not finasteride.

 

[I.D WALKER]

If you're ever planning on revisiting finasteride try restarting it at lower dose (1/4 of the recommended dosage) and gradually dose up by slow and steady increments to the full dose. Sometimes this approach works in regards to minimizing adverse sides. I certainly understand why you might not ever want to touch finasteride. again, but I like to know all my options when it comes to my comprehensive health and hair loss maintenance. All the best.

Your being fairly reasonable and I understand why you would question me. My problem was that I didn't do any research. My junk went numb it was very real. My testosterone levels were chopped in half when I decided to get a check up about it. It literally felt like a piece of meat that was cold and dead. Why do people get ball ache? It's such a shame there isn't a safer effective alternative.

 

[Aeroes]

I really appreciate the advice. Can't get RU in Australia unfortunately. Why is everyone so protective over finasteride? zzzzz I had side effects not a psychosomatic episode. My junk went numb plain and simple. I'm a fit very healthy 23 year old non smoker. I had my testosterone tested before I took it and after..I'm feeling great now but it took a while to function again.

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Thanks I.D Walker appreciate your advice.

 

[I.D WALKER]

Thank you again for sharing. All the best.

 

[zzzzz]

I really appreciate the advice. Can't get RU in Australia unfortunately. Why is everyone so protective over finasteride? zzzzz I had side effects not a psychosomatic episode. My junk went numb plain and simple. I'm a fit very healthy 23 year old non smoker. I had my testosterone tested before I took it and after..I'm feeling great now but it took a while to function again.

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Thanks I.D Walker appreciate your advice.

you can have sides, but finasteride did not lower your testosterone. finasteride raises your testosterone

 

[Primo]

you can have sides, but finasteride did not lower your testosterone. finasteride raises your testosterone

:uglylol: It alters your Testosterone/Estrogen ratio, which results in lower relative testosterone if you like.... All that raised testosterone can't convert into DHT due to the 5-AR inhibiting properties of finasteride, so eventually some of it converts to estrogen instead, hence higher levels of estrogen in the body and more finasteride-related, estrogenic, low-relative testosterone side effects, e.g. impotence, man boobs, poor cognition, depression etc...

How badly the T/E ratio is affected and how serious the side effects are however, totally depends on the individual.

 

[Aeroes]

:uglylol: It alters your Testosterone/Estrogen ratio, which results in lower relative testosterone if you like.... All that raised testosterone can't convert into DHT due to the 5-AR inhibiting properties of finasteride, so eventually some of it converts to estrogen instead, hence higher levels of estrogen in the body and more finasteride-related, estrogenic, low-relative testosterone side effects, e.g. impotence, man boobs, poor cognition, depression etc...

How badly the T/E ratio is affected and how serious the side effects are however, totally depends on the individual.

Thank you sir. Finally someone with some sense, I appreciate your comment. It's quiet difficult when lots of people on this forum question side effects people get from a drug, which alters your bodies chemistry..It's psychosomatic, your imagining it etc. My junk went numb and my testosterone dropped. Glad it's back to normal, but my big question is if i took a dose such as 0.25mg is that as dangerous as 1mg?

 

[zzzzz]

Thank you sir. Finally someone with some sense, I appreciate your comment. It's quiet difficult when lots of people on this forum question side effects people get from a drug, which alters your bodies chemistry..It's psychosomatic, your imagining it etc. My junk went numb and my testosterone dropped. Glad it's back to normal, but my big question is if i took a dose such as 0.25mg is that as dangerous as 1mg?

YOUR TEST DID NOT DROP FROM finasteride. The extra test that would not be converted to DHT stays testosterone. Some extra gets converted to estrogen, but not all of that extra test and then some, so it is impossible that finasteride lowered your testosterone. You can have sides but it is NOT because your testosterone was lowered. You can have sides from increased estrogen, decreased DHT, whatever. But finasteride raises test. If your test levels were lower than normal there is another reason. I am not talking about a ratio or DHT levels. I am talking about your testosterone levels measured in a blood test. finasteride raises you testosterone levels. From a actual medical study: Finasteride treatment led to a generally modest increase relative to placebo in serum testosterone, with the greatest increases occurring in men with low baseline testosterone levels. The physiologic significance of these changes in men with low baseline testosterone levels is unclear, but the associated reduction in BMI is intriguing and may be related, because BMI is known to be negatively correlated with serum testosterone levels in men. Personally I had tests prior to starting DHT blocker and my testosterone levels went up about 10% which is normal when starting finasteride. If you can show me a study that shows decreasing test on finasteride, or even give me a logical reason why your testosterone would decrease on finasteride, than let me know. Because what you are saying about finasteride lowering your test is 100% false. Yes .25mg is just as bad in terms of sides as 1mg. .25mg inhibits like 63% of DHT while 1mg inhibits like 68% of DHT. Virtually the same exact thing and there will be absolutely no difference in sides between the two.

 

[Dark Link]

Yes for the average user of finasteride tesotosterone increases between 9 - 20%. About the same amount of estradiol gets increased as well. No one can say for sure that eveyone's hormones are going to be effected the same way. This is an average number across hundreds of people. I for one think if you are drinking large amounts of alcohol and gaining weight can be dangerous why taking finasteride. Both alcohol and gaining weight lowers your testosterone and increases estrogen. Add that to the mechanisms of finasteride and you may see some of these bad side effects. Especially gynecomastia. Which is why I am no longer popping finasteride pills at the moment and am trying to lose weight.

Another thing to note is that both the increase in estradiol and testosterone are still considered to be in the normal range. Also dihydrotestosterone simply can't be converted into estrogen. It isn't really anti estrogen, just less estrogen will be created if more testosterone is being converted into it.

 

[abcdefg]

I think its plausible someone could get sides off 2 pills. I think a couple days is enough time to change your hormones around after taking it so why is it impossible to have sides? The problem is you have few if any alternatives. I would try a lower dose and just keep lowering it until you can stick with it. Nothing else works

 

[Aeroes]

I think its plausible someone could get sides off 2 pills. I think a couple days is enough time to change your hormones around after taking it so why is it impossible to have sides? The problem is you have few if any alternatives. I would try a lower dose and just keep lowering it until you can stick with it. Nothing else works

Thanks for your constructive advice. I just want to make sure that the sides aren't permanent, I don't want to lose my hair this young. Just scared the mechanisms that cause these sides are not permanent. It was pretty scary what i experienced. Rubbery Junk was scary as all hell. If only there was a safer option..

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YOUR TEST DID NOT DROP FROM finasteride. The extra test that would not be converted to DHT stays testosterone. Some extra gets converted to estrogen, but not all of that extra test and then some, so it is impossible that finasteride lowered your testosterone. You can have sides but it is NOT because your testosterone was lowered. You can have sides from increased estrogen, decreased DHT, whatever. But finasteride raises test. If your test levels were lower than normal there is another reason. I am not talking about a ratio or DHT levels. I am talking about your testosterone levels measured in a blood test. finasteride raises you testosterone levels. From a actual medical study: Finasteride treatment led to a generally modest increase relative to placebo in serum testosterone, with the greatest increases occurring in men with low baseline testosterone levels. The physiologic significance of these changes in men with low baseline testosterone levels is unclear, but the associated reduction in BMI is intriguing and may be related, because BMI is known to be negatively correlated with serum testosterone levels in men. Personally I had tests prior to starting DHT blocker and my testosterone levels went up about 10% which is normal when starting finasteride. If you can show me a study that shows decreasing test on finasteride, or even give me a logical reason why your testosterone would decrease on finasteride, than let me know. Because what you are saying about finasteride lowering your test is 100% false. Yes .25mg is just as bad in terms of sides as 1mg. .25mg inhibits like 63% of DHT while 1mg inhibits like 68% of DHT. Virtually the same exact thing and there will be absolutely no difference in sides between the two.

I know your pro propecia. I'm just stating what I experienced. I'm a fit healthy male, who had normal testosterone levels. My levels dropped to hypogonadal after I stopped my propecia, luckily they went up. I'm not the only one who has experienced this...Look i'm just sharing my experience. I got ball ache, followed by rubbery numb junk. It's gone now, but it took me a while to recover. Maybe my body freaked out about the reduction of DHT. I know propecia increases your T, but in my case I had a strange reaction to it. You can argue with me all day, but thats what I experienced.