I have been on Propecia 0.25mg for 4 months and....

[Petchsky]

Hey Mew,

I know you hate propecia, but if you did take it, how would you do it? EOD? mon-wed-fri?

I'm looking to get of it in the future, did you do anything to prevent the hairloss after you used finasteride, or were you to preoccupied with the side effects you encountered?

 

[Mew]

I know you hate propecia, but if you did take it, how would you do it? EOD? mon-wed-fri?

I don't hate the drug itself as it has its uses -- for androgen deprivation for prostate cancer and BPH in old men.

Rather, I hate Merck -- the lying scumbag company that lied about the true risks and mechanisms of action of their medication, and the rare possibility of permanent changes to one's body, sexuality, overall health and hormonal profile, despite discontinuation.

That said, I would never touch it again knowing what I and others know now. HOWEVER -- since you specifically asked me, and based on the graph mentioned in my previous post, if someone is hellbent on taking this medication despite all else, I would:

- take as little as possible (0.125mg, an 8th of a 1mg pill)
- take it once a week, or at most every 5 days to try and reduce flatlining of DHT surpression

The problem for those with side effects seems to arise from the DHT surpression first and foremost, so it goes without saying that the more you surpress DHT and the longer it remains surpressed, the more likely you are to experience side effects with increasing severity. Conversely, it also therefore goes without saying that the less you surpress DHT and thus the possibility of side effects, the less likely you will have success in halting your hairloss.

It's a very delicate balance and because Finasteride is so powerful even at microscopic doses, it's very difficult for many to find the "sweet spot" in terms of these tradeoffs. As an example, before I knew any better I was taking 1.25mg of Proscar (5mg quartered) daily because it didn't "sound like much" to me and I figured I'd never get side effects anyway... little did I know back then about how potent the drug truly is, irregardless of dosage.

I'm looking to get of it in the future, did you do anything to prevent the hairloss after you used finasteride, or were you to preoccupied with the side effects you encountered?

Why are you looking to get off Finasteride?

The only thing I have used post-finasteride for "hairloss" is Nizoral 2% and Head & Shoulders Zinc Pyrithione shampoos.

That said, after my whole Finasteride ordeal and the ongoing permanent problems I have been left with, I could really care less about losing my hair anymore. Hairloss pales in comparison to the devastating health problems people have been left with since taking finasteride, which really puts things in perspective about what's important in life -- being a healthy, virile, powerful, strong, energetic, witty, sharp, horny and funny man (prior to finasteride); or being the emotionally flat, physically weak, sexually inept, fatigued, brain fogged, chemically castrated, libidoless shell of a person these people have since become (after taking finasteride) -- all for the sake of trying to keep a few hairs on one's head for just a little while longer.

Given the choices, in my opinion the risks of androgen deprivation therapy for cosmetic purposes are simply not worth it. I had to learn my lesson the hard way that vanity has a price (in this case, my health and physical, sexual and mental wellbeing as a fully functional male organism) and that there is more to life than just hair. Hairloss is a part of life, trying to treat a cosmetic problem with systemic, hormone altering drugs is just asking for trouble as I and many others have, and continue, to find out.

Bottom line: in my opinion, if you're looking for a solution to a cosmetic problem, get a hair transplant and stick with topicals.

 

[Petchsky]

Thanks for your reply.

I've been on finasteride for 7 years now and i guess you could say i was lucky in the fact that aside from an initial testicle pain and watery ejaculate i remained side effect free for probably 5 years, and last the two years, although i didn't notice for a good while, mainly due to being out of a relationship for an extended period of time, i am now feeling the effects of the drug. My erections are alot weaker, i find it difficult to maintain an erection without direct stimulation, and it is now affecting my sex life. I plan to do what you mentioned, get a transplant and use topicals, but in the meantime, until my transplant matures at 12 months i want to stay on finasteride and i am currently using Progesterone Cream, supplements, and have even bought v**** for the first time in my life to temporarily control the negative side effects from finasteride.

Merck, like all pharmaceutical companies are absolutely bastards, who if people, would be the kind to sell out their own family to earn an extra buck.

 

[Mew]

My erections are alot weaker, i find it difficult to maintain an erection without direct stimulation, and it is now affecting my sex life

I appreciate your honesty and openness on this subject, about admitting side effects from the drug... especially on this forum.

My advice, for what it's worth: If you are experiencing these issues, take it as a sign your hormones are getting thrown out of whack and things are obviously not right. Your body is trying to tell you something, please do the right thing and listen to it.

in the meantime, until my transplant matures at 12 months i want to stay on finasteride

I wouldn't worry about this too much, and I would not put my body through another year of androgen deprivation for this reason.

My experience: my hairloss did not begin to pickup again for a good 14 months after quitting Finasteride, so I wouldn't worry too much about staying on just to ensure your transplant grows in (which it will on its own anyway).

Anyway it's your health, your body and your choice, but if I were you I'd heed the advice of those who have experienced the same before you and stop before you get worse.

Merck, like all pharmaceutical companies are absolutely bastards, who if people, would be the kind to sell out their own family to earn an extra buck

Well, that's one thing we both can definitely agree on.

 

[Bryan]

Propecia would be doing something on the days you take it but not on the others.

False. It is the 5AR2 inhibition and thus, surpression of DHT which continues for days after even a single dose.

No, he's absolutely correct! Finasteride is pretty much gone after 24 hours. DHT stays suppressed for several days after the last dose of finasteride for a reason that's totally unrelated to the drug itself: the 5AR2 enzyme takes a while to regenerate.

 

[Mew]

No, he's absolutely correct! Finasteride is pretty much gone after 24 hours. DHT stays suppressed for several days after the last dose of finasteride for a reason that's totally unrelated to the drug itself: the 5AR2 enzyme takes a while to regenerate.

It's an issue of semantics and the way he initially phrased his first question, which may be a reason for the confusion as I wasn't clear enough in my original response about differentiating between 5AR2 inhibition/regeneration, and DHT surpression.

Yes, I am well aware 5AR2 takes a while to regenerate after taking finasteride. But the residual effect from taking a single dose of Finasteride lasts BEYOND the day one takes it, for this exact reason -- continued DHT surpression even days later from the initial 5AR inhibition (due to having to wait for 5AR2 to regenerate), exactly as the article I linked shows (and which you have also pointed out above and in the past, Bryan!).

That said, YES Finasteride (the drug itself) is pretty much metabolized and excreted after 24 hours -- but the residual effects of its mechanisms of action last much longer.

Basically I agree with you and we're both saying the same thing; I just worded it differently, or was not clear enough in my initial response.

 

[person]

You are a dominating duck aren't you? This forum is a give and take business, get used to it.

Is this guy a duck? His avatar has a duck?

 

[Bryan]

Basically I agree with you and we're both saying the same thing; I just worded it differently, or was not clear enough in my initial response.

Okay. It looks like you and I are on the same page!

 

[neuromet]

In regards to taking 0.25mg, or 0.5 mg...do all of you that do this simply cut the pill into 2, or 4...

I don't believe anyone answered this part of EasyEd's question. I am wondering the same thing...

 

[brandnew]

SO is it better to take .125 every day or .25 every other day?

 

[TheGrayMan2001]

SO is it better to take .125 every day or .25 every other day?

It's different for every person. I haven't read your posts so I don't know your circumstances but if you aren't having side effects don't take such a low dose, up it a bit to .5 or 1 mg.

 

[brandnew]

well i had sides on .5 every day

 

[brandnew]

i saw under your regimen that you use apple-cider vinegar... do you drink it or wash your hair with it?

 

[brandnew]

i would mix it with water and drink it about twice a week. I hear its good for your whole body and its cheap.

 

[Hemanth IN]

Reducing the dose to 0.5 mg or 0.25 mg may be associated with reduced chances of side effects. DHT is still inhibited at these doses, albeit not as effectively as a 1 mg dose. Studies have suggested that DHT inhibition at 0.2 mg is about 80 % the level of 1 mg pill. Just give a try after two months