Hi all,
This is my first forum post on here... was hoping for some advice from anyone experiencing a similar problem or anyone with any insight at all.
So I noticed a few years ago that I was thinning out on top and I suddenly starting getting that itch that many on here seem to know all to well. The itch was unbearable at times but I dealt with it and the thinning for quite some time.
So about 1 year and 8 months ago I decided to give finasteride a go and began taking 1mg daily. After 2-3 months the itch subsided and also started using Eucerin dry scalp shampoo and a conditioner. The finasteride and shampoo fixed the itch and had little in the way of sides that I couldnt deal with.
As for hair loss - I believe it has slowed down but pretty sure it didnt stop. Had a couple of months of shedding about a year into finasteride and to be honest I had decided last year that an FUE hair transplant was going to happen and have begun saving.
Then about 2 months ago I noticed a lump on/under my right nipple and thought nothing of it. It got larger and about 2 weeks ago managed to see a doctor and they immediately said it could be gynecomastia. So I immediately stopped the finasteride. Then over the next week after stopping, my nipple/breast decided to constantly throb and it swelled up more, so now I have quite a swollen nipple most of the time. Hospital confirmed the other day that it is gyno and am now awaiting blood test results.
Obviously this is not great and I know that it may not go away on its own. But my dilemma is now that I have stopped taking finasteride which is likely the cause of the gyno although I had very little sides for about a 18 months. So the itch seems to have returned which really bothers me and the familiar scalp irritation as well, although not yet quite as bad as it was before finasteride.
So I looked into alternatives such as Saw Palmetto but it seems these still affect hormones so could in theory make gyno worse? Also considered maybe dropping Finasteride dose to 0.25mg or 0.5mg, maybe every other day just to reduce the itch but I believe this would be a bad idea while I have gyno? Not sure if why stopping finasteride suddenly made gyno worse.
Will quitting finasteride mean my hair loss will speed up again in the next few months? What other options could there be out there. I have heard of people monitoring their oestregen and taking supplements/medication to prevent this becoming too high while on finasteride but it sounds risky?
Can anyone lend some advice... as you probably are aware many doctors are pretty useless when it comes to knowledge on male pattern baldness.
Thanks in advance. Dan.
This is my first forum post on here... was hoping for some advice from anyone experiencing a similar problem or anyone with any insight at all.
So I noticed a few years ago that I was thinning out on top and I suddenly starting getting that itch that many on here seem to know all to well. The itch was unbearable at times but I dealt with it and the thinning for quite some time.
So about 1 year and 8 months ago I decided to give finasteride a go and began taking 1mg daily. After 2-3 months the itch subsided and also started using Eucerin dry scalp shampoo and a conditioner. The finasteride and shampoo fixed the itch and had little in the way of sides that I couldnt deal with.
As for hair loss - I believe it has slowed down but pretty sure it didnt stop. Had a couple of months of shedding about a year into finasteride and to be honest I had decided last year that an FUE hair transplant was going to happen and have begun saving.
Then about 2 months ago I noticed a lump on/under my right nipple and thought nothing of it. It got larger and about 2 weeks ago managed to see a doctor and they immediately said it could be gynecomastia. So I immediately stopped the finasteride. Then over the next week after stopping, my nipple/breast decided to constantly throb and it swelled up more, so now I have quite a swollen nipple most of the time. Hospital confirmed the other day that it is gyno and am now awaiting blood test results.
Obviously this is not great and I know that it may not go away on its own. But my dilemma is now that I have stopped taking finasteride which is likely the cause of the gyno although I had very little sides for about a 18 months. So the itch seems to have returned which really bothers me and the familiar scalp irritation as well, although not yet quite as bad as it was before finasteride.
So I looked into alternatives such as Saw Palmetto but it seems these still affect hormones so could in theory make gyno worse? Also considered maybe dropping Finasteride dose to 0.25mg or 0.5mg, maybe every other day just to reduce the itch but I believe this would be a bad idea while I have gyno? Not sure if why stopping finasteride suddenly made gyno worse.
Will quitting finasteride mean my hair loss will speed up again in the next few months? What other options could there be out there. I have heard of people monitoring their oestregen and taking supplements/medication to prevent this becoming too high while on finasteride but it sounds risky?
Can anyone lend some advice... as you probably are aware many doctors are pretty useless when it comes to knowledge on male pattern baldness.
Thanks in advance. Dan.
