Experiences with NHS GPs and hair loss treatments

[Kirby]

After my experience the other week (which I'm shell shocked from still, and which may force me to give up battling hair loss), I'm wondering if GPs working on the NHS are told to discourage the use of hair loss treatments. Perhaps what I experienced is the usual from NHS GPs?

I'm asking here, if anyone from the UK has spoken to their NHS GP in the past about hair loss treatments (well, finasteride, mostly), please list your experiences here: have they given their blessings (with prescription and blood tests)? Or you've had the same sort of negative experience that I did, or even worse?

 

[J.Harrison]

There's *alot* of UK posters here, and your story is the first I've heard about an anti-finasteride agenda.

If I couldn't get it above-board, I would just get it off the internet. I bet >50% of people here do.

 

[jgray201]

When I was about 18 I went to my NHS GP about hair-loss, he wasn't a complete tosser like yours but he told me that both Propecia and Regaine did not work. I was simply told to "deal with it".

 

[Quantum Cat]

most NHS GPs will write a private prescription for Propecia if they're sure you're balding. Some are even prepared to prescribe generic 5mg (mine did) to save you money.

it appears that GPs have wildly different knowledge of Finasteride and male pattern baldness in general. It isn't an NHS/private thing - just depends on the individual GP - they're not specialists

GPs are not allowed to prescribe male pattern baldness hair loss treatments on the NHS for cost reasons (it's considered 'cosmetic' and therefore unimportant :jackit: ). This may be a reason for the general lack of knowledge about male pattern baldness treatments they have. But there certainly isn't an anti-Propecia agenda -that's just paranoid. Many docs are perfectly happy to prescribe it privately

 

[Kirby]

There's *alot* of UK posters here, and your story is the first I've heard about an anti-finasteride agenda.

If I couldn't get it above-board, I would just get it off the internet. I bet >50% of people here do.

I can find ways to get finasteride semi-illegally but what do I do about getting the blood tests the dermatologist recommended? I can't afford to see the dermatologist again because it was private and I can't afford private medicine, I cannot get the blood tests or finasteride from my NHS GP because he refuses, so no access to the vital blood tests.

 

[Quantum Cat]

can you save up and afford to see the private derm once a year? If so, he can do the liver function test for you, since that seems to be your biggest concern, and at the same time prescribe you the finasteride. Your GP doesn't even have to know

did Dr. Ashcroft get back to you?

 

[IrishFella]

How much are private blood tests in the UK? If it's anything like Ireland you're looking at £25 for a private blood test. FBC, liver, kidneys, etc. I always thought the NHS was similar to the HSE (Ireland) but it seems there is much more of a "stranglehold", for a lack of a better word, on patients in the UK.

Sorry I can't help.

 

[Quantum Cat]

I've never gone private for anything, but yeah I'm sure you can get pretty much anything medically done privately including blood tests if you're prepared to pay for it. Kirby contact some private clinics and see what they charge for LFTs

 

[Kirby]

can you save up and afford to see the private derm once a year? If so, he can do the liver function test for you, since that seems to be your biggest concern, and at the same time prescribe you the finasteride. Your GP doesn't even have to know

did Dr. Ashcroft get back to you?

No.

The dermatologist I can save up to see once a year.

The dermatologist can't do the blood tests,he told me to inform my GP immediately of taking finasteride so I can get the blood tests. NHS GPs sanction blood tests, not private dermatologists. The dermatologist said I need blood tests ASAP and every 12 months.

 

[Quantum Cat]

look here's an example of a clinic who do private discreet blood tests for all kinds of things.

It's Harley street so it isn't cheap - but there must be some in your area which will probably be cheaper. And you'll only need to get it done once a year at most

http://www.freedomhealth.co.uk/medi...od-testing-service-online-doctor-service/193/

 

[Ruel Fox]

The main issue I've found with NHS GPs is their wildly differing knowledge/attitude on the subject. When I first noticed my hairloss I went to see my GP; he explained to me all about finasteride/minoxidil (which he knew a great deal about) and although on balance recommended going bald gracefully as a cheapest/safest option, was happy to prescribe and admitted he probably would try the products if he were in my situation.

At that stage I passed but a year or so later (by which time I'd moved to a new city) my hairline had rapidly deteriorated so I went to see my new GP with the intention of getting a finasteride prescription (private prescription of course). My new GP was aware of propecia but flatly refused to prescribe or refer me to a dermatologist as he said it was too risky.

I started getting finasteride from another source and some pretty serious sexual side effects ensued. Concerned that these were sticking around a little after I'd quit the drug, I decided to go the doctor. By now, I'd moved to a new area of the city and had yet another new GP. She'd never even heard of propecia and gave me a school teacher esque talking to for taking a drug that she wasn't aware of and is not prescribed on the NHS. She also dismissed my request for a hormone test and said the only appropriate course of action for a healthy young male quite suddenly experiencing the symptoms I was describing was for her to refer me and my partner to Relate, a service which provides sexual/relationship counselling!

 

[Quantum Cat]

The main issue I've found with NHS GPs is their wildly differing knowledge/attitude on the subject. When I first noticed my hairloss I went to see my GP; he explained to me all about finasteride/minoxidil (which he knew a great deal about) and although on balance recommended going bald gracefully as a cheapest/safest option, was happy to prescribe and admitted he probably would try the products if he were in my situation.

At that stage I passed but a year or so later (by which time I'd moved to a new city) my hairline had rapidly deteriorated so I went to see my new GP with the intention of getting a finasteride prescription (private prescription of course). My new GP was aware of propecia but flatly refused to prescribe or refer me to a dermatologist as he said it was too risky.

I started getting finasteride from another source and some pretty serious sexual side effects ensued. Concerned that these were sticking around a little after I'd quit the drug, I decided to go the doctor. By now, I'd moved to a new area of the city and had yet another new GP. She'd never even heard of propecia and gave me a school teacher esque talking to for taking a drug that she wasn't aware of and is not prescribed on the NHS. She also dismissed my request for a hormone test and said the only appropriate course of action for a healthy young male quite suddenly experiencing the symptoms I was describing was for her to refer me and my partner to Relate, a service which provides sexual/relationship counselling!

:facepalm:

this really sums up the ignorance of so many doctors out there. It's scary how variable their knowledge and attitudes can be. I have a feeling it extends to medical areas outside hairloss too.

Let this be a lesson: always get a second opinion, or a third. And doctors can often be wrong - don't take what they say as gospel.

what were the side effects you got btw?

 

[brian]

My GP was helpful, advised me to use both rogaine and proscar cut in to 1/4's. Even when I was skeptical about the generic brand proscar he explained the only difference between propecia and proscar was the price you pay for the brand name. Is there another GP you can find?

 

[Ruel Fox]

:facepalm:

this really sums up the ignorance of so many doctors out there. It's scary how variable their knowledge and attitudes can be. I have a feeling it extends to medical areas outside hairloss too.

Let this be a lesson: always get a second opinion, or a third. And doctors can often be wrong - don't take what they say as gospel.

what were the side effects you got btw?

Much weaker erections, much great stimulation needed to achieve even these filmsy erections, loss of all morning/spontaneous erections, loss of libido (although this followed the former issues so I don't know if this was just down to the physiological effect of my erections being an absolute embarrassment), smaller amount of semen (which would dribble rather than spurt). Shame because it was doing wonders for my hair. I'd recommend anyone to give it a try though; I'd say I'm almost completely back to normal now and wouldn't have wanted to live the rest of my life wondering whether I could have saved my hair (without complications) if I'd taken it, so don't regret it.

 

[Primo]

Jeeeeaaah!!! Just picked up my private proscar prescription from the local gp this morning. I get almost an 8months worth supply of 5mg finasteride tablets for less than £25! Great value for a broke bastard like myself!

Before I was paying almost £15 a month for a month's worth of finpecia, which is still a lot cheaper than propecia, but it was still almost bankrupting me lol + it's generic, so ultimately you can never be absolutely 100% sure about the quality, even though its probably fine and I've had good results so far.

Felt so surreal and weird talking to this doctor in person, having a knowledgeable discussion with him about the pros and cons of finasteride, side effects and the vanity of hairloss, the kind of stuff I would normally only get to discuss properly with you fine people over this forum!

Ayway he wasn't patronising at all which i was happy about, as thats what i was dreading, but he did however raise some very interesting points about long term 10+year safety of finasteride (and minoxidil)

Apparently the 2% side effect profile that Merck brag about is not "safe" by any means in medical profession terms, and according to thisexperienced Dr, any pharmaceutical drug with 2% sides is considered high risk.

A low risk or relatively "safe" pharmaceutical drug explained the dr would be side effects for 1 in every 10 000 or 0.0001% incidence as opposed to the 2% we have with finasteride.

He told me he could understand taking it for a few years, as a means of slowing down hair loss and as a way of accepting male pattern baldness more gradually, but advised against staying on it long term 10years+ as there simply isn't enough data out there to suggest the drug is safely tolerated over a lifetime.

He told me there are countless other new pharm drugs out there like finasteride which suffer from the same problem in terms of completely unkown long term safety profile and it is only when a "large cohort of young effected men" come out together in public, many, many years after the drug had been introduced, that these long term issues get raised and fully taken account of by the medical profession. Sounds to me like. finasteride is is only slowly beginning this process now.

Interesting points anyway.

 

[Quantum Cat]

sounds like your GP is one of the good ones, Primo. did you ask him about DHT's functions in the body and the effect that suppressing it might have? I'm interested to hear professional opinions on that.

I guess I always intended to take finasteride for as long as it worked for me, but I know it's a relatively new drug and therefore there is some unknowns about its long term use.

Just because there isn't the data doesn't mean it isn't safe long term, just that's there's a question mark over it. I don't think we can put much faith in the current lawsuits and sporadic claims of devastating permanent effects though. It's hard to distinguish the number of people genuinely negatively affected by finasteride, and those that are jumping on the 'let's sue Merck' bandwagon - particularly as there's money involved and the uninformed hysteria that the internet and media fuels

How large is this 'large cohort of effected men' really, in relation to the number taking finasteride? We just don't know for sure, reliably

add to that the difficulty of quantifying the main reported side effect - libido/impotence problems - which can have numerous causes both physical and psychological... and we're still not much the wiser. An obvious physical side effect like gyno is much easier to pin down

 

[Kirby]

Jeeeeaaah!!! Just picked up my private proscar prescription from the local gp this morning. I get almost an 8months worth supply of 5mg finasteride tablets for less than £25! Great value for a broke bastard like myself!

Before I was paying almost £15 a month for a month's worth of finpecia, which is still a lot cheaper than propecia, but it was still almost bankrupting me lol + it's generic, so ultimately you can never be absolutely 100% sure about the quality, even though its probably fine and I've had good results so far.

Felt so surreal and weird talking to this doctor in person, having a knowledgeable discussion with him about the pros and cons of finasteride, side effects and the vanity of hairloss, the kind of stuff I would normally only get to discuss properly with you fine people over this forum!

Ayway he wasn't patronising at all which i was happy about, as thats what i was dreading, but he did however raise some very interesting points about long term 10+year safety of finasteride (and minoxidil)

Apparently the 2% side effect profile that Merck brag about is not "safe" by any means in medical profession terms, and according to thisexperienced Dr, any pharmaceutical drug with 2% sides is considered high risk.

A low risk or relatively "safe" pharmaceutical drug explained the dr would be side effects for 1 in every 10 000 or 0.0001% incidence as opposed to the 2% we have with finasteride.

He told me he could understand taking it for a few years, as a means of slowing down hair loss and as a way of accepting male pattern baldness more gradually, but advised against staying on it long term 10years+ as there simply isn't enough data out there to suggest the drug is safely tolerated over a lifetime.

He told me there are countless other new pharm drugs out there like finasteride which suffer from the same problem in terms of completely unkown long term safety profile and it is only when a "large cohort of young effected men" come out together in public, many, many years after the drug had been introduced, that these long term issues get raised and fully taken account of by the medical profession. Sounds to me like. finasteride is is only slowly beginning this process now.

Interesting points anyway.

The dermatologist I saw said ten years is the 'safe' mark to take finasteride and I should not intend to take it for longer. (No I CAN'T ask for detail why he said, that I can't afford to pay to see him again) I think in or before ten years time, finasteride will be obsolete anyway. I CAN'T wait until then though I am already too thin on top balding to look normal.

Dr Ashcroft didn't respond and I NEED to get legit finasteride prescription and blood tests but Dr Ashxrofy can't help me get blood tests in NHS

Honestly I want to kill myself just now I'd rather die than go bald

- - - Updated - - -

How do I get the proper NHS blood tests or a GP who lets me take finasteride and a NHS dermatologist appointment

- - - Updated - - -

I NEED THE NHS BLOOD TESTS I DON'T WANT TO DIE BALD! NO ONE IS HELPING! I NEEF TO KNOW WHAT TO DO!

 

[Bowser]

I think it may be easier in this situation if your GP is also balding. He is probably much more likely to know about and be sympathetic about the treatments that are available!

 

[Quantum Cat]

Kirby, if you want I can try to find a phone number for Dr. Ashcroft. It might also be worth contacting Spex (Dr. Ashcroft is his GP) as he is very knowledgable about male pattern baldness and finasteride also.

as for the blood test - it looks like you won't be able to get an NHS one without changing your GP. But why not get a test at a private clinic? You can afford that once a year? I don't see how that would be any different or any worse than a test on the NHS. It's exactly the same thing, you just have to pay for it.

 

[Kirby]

Dr Ashcroft cant get me the blood tests the NHS is forcing me to go bald