What is finasteride really doing to our bodies?

[Nickie]

I think it's naive to believe that you can just pop this pill along with whatever else you take daily, go on with your regular life, and not expect some changes.

What's this pill REALLY doing to our bodies? And, is it significant enough that some users may benefit from not using this pill.

Tell ya one thing, I can definitely FEEL it "working" or feel some sort of effects, whether its a "blur" mental fog feeling, or other things.

Is this all safe? Even the side-effects?

I can't see how anything that produces noticeable effects that are on the negative side such as this mental fog, or sexual side effects, or even something that plays with your testosterone/estrogen levels can be a safe drug.

Are the testosterone/DHT/estrogen fluctuations so minor that they should completely be overlooked, or does all of this pose some sort of a risk?

Don't want to freak out, but just wondering because I "feel" the effects of the pill.

And I've ruled out mental, or that it's all in my head, because I've been off and on this drug since 2001. I can't seem to take it too steadily because of it's strange side-effects.

I'm not allergic to it, I don't even know if such a thing exists. Maybe I'm a sensitive reactor or whatever.


But if you guys can rule out anything serious, (even though you're not doctors), I guess I'll just keep popping on my merry way.

 

[antonio666]

I beleive it has no effect on the long term health of the body,but also beleive it has no effect on hair,uselees drug

 

[Nickie]

well if it had 0% effect on hair, I doubt it would still be here :-D At the very least, 90% and more of users would be posting negatives.

which they're not.

 

[frontal]

I think it's naive to believe that you can just pop this pill along with whatever else you take daily, go on with your regular life, and not expect some changes.

What's this pill REALLY doing to our bodies? And, is it significant enough that some users may benefit from not using this pill.

Tell ya one thing, I can definitely FEEL it "working" or feel some sort of effects, whether its a "blur" mental fog feeling, or other things.

Is this all safe? Even the side-effects?

I can't see how anything that produces noticeable effects that are on the negative side such as this mental fog, or sexual side effects, or even something that plays with your testosterone/estrogen levels can be a safe drug.

Are the testosterone/DHT/estrogen fluctuations so minor that they should completely be overlooked, or does all of this pose some sort of a risk?

Don't want to freak out, but just wondering because I "feel" the effects of the pill.

And I've ruled out mental, or that it's all in my head, because I've been off and on this drug since 2001. I can't seem to take it too steadily because of it's strange side-effects.

I'm not allergic to it, I don't even know if such a thing exists. Maybe I'm a sensitive reactor or whatever.


But if you guys can rule out anything serious, (even though you're not doctors), I guess I'll just keep popping on my merry way.

Good question.
I was wondering the same.

Finasteride contains (Propecia, Proscar and Fincar) is to cure prostate problem.

I also wonder what that has got to do with hairloss.
How does it work.

This might help.

http://www.dermatology.org.my/hairloss/modern.asp

Medical Treatment (Prescription Medicine)
Finasteride 1mg
Male pattern hair loss is a medical condition and it is the most common form of hair loss in men. Finasteride 1mg is the most recent therapy approved by the US FDA and many countries worldwide (including Malaysia) for the treatment of male pattern hair loss. Unlike the cosmetic products, finasteride 1mg is a prescription medicine that has been scientifically proven to prevent male pattern hair loss and restore hair follicles to their normal size.
Finasteride 1mg is the only medicine indicated to treat a major underlying cause of male pattern hair loss by reducing the serum and scalp DHT levels through inhibition of the 5 alpha-reductase enzymes. Finasteride 1 mg

Finasteride 1mg has been proven to :
• Prevent the continued shrinkage of existing hair follicles.
• Enlarge hair follicles to produce visible results.

Clinical studies in more than three thousand men comparing finasteride 1mg and placebo (non-active pill) established that the benefit of hair loss prevention could be observed after three to six months on finasteride 1mg. In the same studies, most men with male pattern hair loss who are not treated continue to lose hair.

Increased hair counts have been demonstrated with continual use of finasteride after 1 year of treatment. Visible benefits continued to improve during the second year of treatment. A response to finasteride may be seen after four months, but men should be encouraged to continue the treatment for at least 24 months before evaluating it. If successful, the treatment should be continued as the balding process continues when treatment is stopped.

 

[UK1]

I beleive it has no effect on the long term health of the body,but also beleive it has no effect on hair,uselees drug

It must be frustrating knowing nothing about anything..

 

[Pondle]

Frontal, benign prostatic hyperplasia and male pattern baldness both have the same root cause - DHT. It causes the prostate to grow and scalp hair follicles to progressively miniaturise.

By reducing the level of DHT, the prostate can be induced to shrink and scalp hair induced to grow.

As for long term effects, don't be worried. finasteride has proven to reduce the risk of prostate cancer. Men with natural 5AR deficiency can live just fine.

 

[frontal]

Thanks

Frontal, benign prostatic hyperplasia and male pattern baldness both have the same root cause - DHT. It causes the prostate to grow and scalp hair follicles to progressively miniaturise.

By reducing the level of DHT, the prostate can be induced to shrink and scalp hair induced to grow.

As for long term effects, don't be worried. finasteride has proven to reduce the risk of prostate cancer. Men with natural 5AR deficiency can live just fine.

Thanks.
God help us..hehe

 

[LulzKiller]

This thread is made of stupid.

 

[walker8476]

Have you ever wondered what microwaves and cell phones are doing to our bodies?

 

[Hans Gruber]

I beleive it has no effect on the long term health of the body,but also beleive it has no effect on hair,uselees drug

well antonio ,that makes you an idiot......you chat so much sh*t then hand out advice like this,if you dont know the facts then keep your mouth shut til you do

 

[OverMachoGrande]

What finasteride does is grow hair and must work pretty good for this post to be going as well as it is. Good Luck

 

[dolomick]

if you really want to hear some scary stuff go to http://www.propeciahelp.com
a bunch of people who have stopped propecia and are still having side effects. hormones are complicated, and finasteride messes with them. a little knowledge can be dangerous, after having sexual side effects i am off it.

 

[Pondle]

if you really want to hear some scary stuff go to http://www.propeciahelp.com
a bunch of people who have stopped propecia and are still having side effects. hormones are complicated, and finasteride messes with them. a little knowledge can be dangerous, after having sexual side effects i am off it.

I think the operative phrase is "a little knowledge". Some guys out there have serious issues with depression, paranoia, and frankly, limited intelligence... guys, correlation is NOT causation. The worst examples of the paranoiacs blame everything from flu to the Iraq insurgency on the "evils" of finasteride. :roll:

 

[dolomick]

True enough. I was really referring to human's limited knowledge of the human body though. It reminds me of the Simpson's episode where it was the future and Flanders was blind from having lasik surgery - "it worked great for ten years and then everyone went blind". I feel science is at a point where doctors have just enough knowledge to be dangerous. In another 50-100 years we will understand so much more about human biology we will no doubt look back and laugh at the treatments being used today. I'm still wondering what to take to replace to finasteride though?

 

[Axl15]

you take acceptance dolomick

 

[Paul December]

You guys are so lucky not to be Women!
If you worry so much about a tiny dosage of finasteride, what would you do if you were on something like "the pill" or hormone replacement?! :shock:

 

[dolomick]

You guys are so lucky not to be Women!
If you worry so much about a tiny dosage of finasteride, what would you do if you were on something like "the pill" or hormone replacement?! :shock:

Maybe you'd worry too if you couldn't keep an erection at age 29 when you're trying to have sex with a new girl that you really like - I've been off finasteride two weeks and the difference is like night and day. Furthermore, I don't appreciate your useless, insensitive, condescending post. :evil:

 

[Paul December]

You guys are so lucky not to be Women!
If you worry so much about a tiny dosage of finasteride, what would you do if you were on something like "the pill" or hormone replacement?! :shock:

Maybe you'd worry too if you couldn't keep an erection at age 29 when you're trying to have sex with a new girl that you really like - I've been off finasteride two weeks and the difference is like night and day. Furthermore, I don't appreciate your useless, insensitive, condescending post. :evil:

Dude, you may want to explain yourself a bit before you get so defensive.
I fail to see how my post was "useless, insensitive, condescending"
I am pointing-out that women take medications that alter/influence hormones to a far-greater-degree. Possibly men are psychologically more sensitive because it is so novel to us. IMHO the many alarmist posts here attest to this fact. Honestly, I don't know your specific situation, and you did not explain it in this thread...so lighten-up.

 

[Pondle]

You guys are so lucky not to be Women!
If you worry so much about a tiny dosage of finasteride, what would you do if you were on something like "the pill" or hormone replacement?! :shock:

Maybe you'd worry too if you couldn't keep an erection at age 29 when you're trying to have sex with a new girl that you really like - I've been off finasteride two weeks and the difference is like night and day. Furthermore, I don't appreciate your useless, insensitive, condescending post. :evil:

So you were having sexual side effects for 8 years? And now you're relying entirely on Rogaine? Man, that's in no way a long term solution. Low response rate, and a very modest and extremely temporary growth boost.

I don't see a viable alternative to an internal 5ARI drug, unless you want to slather on the smelly sprio everyday.

 

[dolomick]

Dude, you may want to explain yourself a bit before you get so defensive.
I fail to see how my post was "useless, insensitive, condescending"
I am pointing-out that women take medications that alter/influence hormones to a far-greater-degree. Possibly men are psychologically more sensitive because it is so novel to us. IMHO the many alarmist posts here attest to this fact. Honestly, I don't know your specific situation, and you did not explain it in this thread...so lighten-up.

What more needs explaining, finasteride gave me ED. I'm sorry you fail to see how your post was condescending - basically you were saying men who wonder about screwing with the human endocrinological system (the point of this thread) are hypochondriacs, hypersensitive or alarmist.

As I'm sure you know many women can't deal with birth control because of the side effects... the point of this thread was to discuss what finasteride does to our bodies, and you come on and say "be glad you're not a woman" - not a very good addition to the topic at hand IMO. People on this board who don't experience the side effects seem to be very insensitive to how bad the sides suck, and often dismiss the person experiencing them as 'alarmist' and it pisses me off, sorry. I read a 17 page thread with zenbaldy stating he wasn't going to take propecia and he had to defend that decision for about 8 pages - ridiculous - live and let live, please.

To Pondle - the sides started in the last year or so, but I wasn't dating so I lived with it. If you look at my regimen it says I am looking to improve it, the reason I came to this forum. So far Eucapil, spironolactone, Revivogen, and Crinagen are all topical DHT inhibitors that I am considering. Someone mentioned that Bryan had a post talking about how one could reduce the finasteride dose by some amount which I can't remember and still get somewhere around 80% of the benefits. I haven't found that post but I may consider that route as well.