NHS Doctor Told Me to Stop Taking Finasteride, Denied I had Hair Loss

[Quantum Cat]

I don't think it's necessarily vital to get blood tests done while taking finasteride unless you experience any unusual sides. I recently had a liver test done which came back fine, but my Dr said it is pointless getting hormones like testosterone tested, since they fluctuate all the time. I don't know if he's right.

Kirby, we've given you all the advice we can - you know where to get legitimate finasteride if you want it. If you're not happy with your bonehead GP then change him (you've already changed GPs four times (!) in the past so you must know how to do it)

The stress and anxieties are a huge problem and it sounds like you need more help than just given a few valiums. Are you being seen by any therapists or mental health professionals? If not, ask to be referred. If your Dr just fobs you off with more meds, then you don't have to accept that. Call a mental health helpline or charity and ask them for advice

book another appointment to see the private derm, as he sounds like he was competent, and explain the situation to him. And if you do continue with finasteride, try not to stress about side effects, because if you convince yourself you'll get them, you probably will.

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National Health Service, which apparently is notorious bad in England.

this is bascially a myth. The NHS is (mostly) perfectly fine and competent, just a bit slow and beuracratic sometimes. Obviously you get the odd bad doctor, but you do in the private sector too. At least the NHS isn't motivated by profit.

There are misconceptions about the American health care system that people in the UK have: like paramedics will leave you dying in the street if they find out you don't have health insurance so can't afford to pay for your treatment. I assume (hope) that's a myth...

 

[J.Harrison]

paramedics will leave you dying in the street if they find out you don't have health insurance so can't afford to pay for your treatment.

Paramedics/EMS are operated by the city government and are funded by taxes (like fire and police). They could care less if you are insured or otherwise.

 

[Kirby]

Kirby, just ask that private dermatologist if he can refer you to a NHS GP that he knows that is pro-finasteride and believes its a good treatment for hair loss. Are you not allowed to pick your own GP NHS doctors? Your health care system is so different than in the US.

That's not a bad idea, unfortunately the dermatologist was over two hour's drive away, so wouldn't know of any GPs in my catchment area! Here we can apply to chose a surgery, then get whichever GP in that practice/surgery has free spaces (http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/1095.aspx?CategoryID=68&SubCategoryID=158). So it is pot luck - might be in exactly the same position, perhaps worse.

I notice so many posters on this forum live in the UK. I find that very interesting. I wonder if there is a higher prevalence of young men balding in the UK vs the US? I am curious how many forum members on here are from the UK vs US. I guess I am going to create a thread on that just out of curiosity?

TBH, I think it's because the treatments aren't commonly known about here. Prescription drugs can't be advertised here, for example. Possibly.

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I don't think it's necessarily vital to get blood tests done while taking finasteride unless you experience any unusual sides. I recently had a liver test done which came back fine, but my Dr said it is pointless getting hormones like testosterone tested, since they fluctuate all the time. I don't know if he's right.

I don't know either - however the dermatologist said explicitly, get the tests regularly if you want to stay using finasteride. to treat hairloss. He warned me very strongly of the risks of not informing my GP and getting the test - it was the first thing he mentioned about the drug. If he hadn't said anything like that, I probably ouldn't have even posted about the GP issue, and just not told him about taking finasteride and went merrily on my way.

The stress and anxieties are a huge problem and it sounds like you need more help than just given a few valiums. Are you being seen by any therapists or mental health professionals? If not, ask to be referred. If your Dr just fobs you off with more meds, then you don't have to accept that. Call a mental health helpline or charity and ask them for advice

I don't get any help, no. I don't have a diagnosed mental health condition, just general anxiety problems, so am not classed as being 'bad enough' mentally. Last time I was referred to a specialist was in 2005, and all the specialist did was spend 15 minutes telling me there was nothing their services could do to help me. Writing to my local MP on and off for the following year asking for help nudging the NHS trust to give me help didn't get anywhere...

I have to stress again, controlling my hair loss is a big part of controlling my anxieties - I don't want to be beaten by the "baldness bullies" and their shave your head, pump iron mentality. I am not being brainwashed into believing baldness is "OK" and inevitable!

book another appointment to see the private derm, as he sounds like he was competent, and explain the situation to him.

I'd do that if I could afford it. Blew all my Christmas money, the appointment. I'm not sure if that would change matters with my GP - he seemed to think the dermatologist was a grade-A unethical quack. He (the GP) did say after reading the letter from the dermatologist "I am disregarding this diagnosis and treatment plan". Honestly, I'd be seeing the derm. again ASAP if I could afford it and I thought it would convince my GP.

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****, can't even get an email response or another letter from the dermatologist without paying for another consultation which I can't afford. My hair loss battle is soon to end

 

[Quantum Cat]

apart from liver, what other tests did the derm say were important to have regularly?

 

[Kirby]

No, just "liver function test".

 

[Quantum Cat]

ask your GP for a LFT for other reasons not related to Finasteride. It's a very common test. Say your anxieties are turning you to drink heavily, and you're worried about the state of your liver.

Also you could try a walk in clinic -they might do LFTs for hepatitis and other STDs. I don't know but worth a try maybe

 

[Kirby]

...

 

[rudimentary]

What do I do? I want to return to the dermatologist but cannot afford the fees for private appointment at the moment.

Sounds like your doctor is a quack and a hack. Run for the hills.

 

[Kirby]

Sounds like your doctor is a quack and a hack. Run for the hills.

He has, until now, been the best GP I've ever had. He didn't have the problem of not 'believing in' certain conditions, for example.

Is this a universal thing with NHS GPs though? Are they explicitly TOLD to stop you treating your hair loss? I.. have no idea on that.

 

[Korean Wave]

I've been the victim to similar experiences. My doctor tell me there is nothing I can do - end of. I'm planning to see a dermatologist tomorrow, I may have to pay though, since it is very unlikely that my GP will transfer me to one. How much did it cost you to do it private? I feel I'm in a very similar situation as you. I'm diffuse and my temples are receding slightly. I know I have male pattern baldness, but there must be something else causing me to lose all my hair on top. My mother's side of the family all have diffuse thinning on the top of their head, possibly eliminating the chances of it being stressed related.

 

[Kirby]

Firstly, I'm sorry that I was so rough on some of you guys, really am. As you can see, I haven't taken all this very well. I still think I'm on a knife edge to whether I can continue treating hair loss (I already think it is a lost cause, it's only habit keeping me taking the remaining finasteride I have every morning) and the instability is the worst part.

I went to my GP for the third appointment in another futile attempt to get recognition of my finasteride usage, and access to blood tests. He again completely denied I had visible hair loss. All he did was measure my hairline from my eyebrows, just to the nearest centimetres, not even down to the exact millimetres, and told me to "come back in three months" if my hairline had risen. Err, from my observations, the hairline hasn't changed since early 2006 at least, my problem is the diffuse thinning down the middle of my scalp. I'm asolutely aghast at this. The National Death, sorry, Health Service is causing me enormous amounts of distress as it is preventing me from being able to treat a (admittedly cosmetic) problem which I know full well can be treated, if admittedly to only a limited degree. the psychological harm has been immense, I've been cutting and harming myself, become a social recluse, cut off all my social ties, don't bother exercising or eating properly any more, can barely stand my girlfriend's company any more (she also denies that I have hairloss, says the same old crap that I have "naturally thin patches") all needless, I'd have a good quality of life again easily if I was aloud to treat the hair loss and got some minor results.

Serious question: does anyone know how easy it is get the blood tests privately? I really can't afford private healthcare, but I have really no alternative in this case as there's literally no means for me to get the test (liver function test, as the private dermatologist called it) on the NHS as the GP has refused three times now. The private dermatologist warned me I needed the test yearly and told me to get them from my regular GP, but I assume that the tests might be available privately somehow.

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I've been the victim to similar experiences. My doctor tell me there is nothing I can do - end of. I'm planning to see a dermatologist tomorrow, I may have to pay though, since it is very unlikely that my GP will transfer me to one. How much did it cost you to do it private? I feel I'm in a very similar situation as you. I'm diffuse and my temples are receding slightly. I know I have male pattern baldness, but there must be something else causing me to lose all my hair on top. My mother's side of the family all have diffuse thinning on the top of their head, possibly eliminating the chances of it being stressed related.

The dermatologist appointment cost me £150, instantly blowing all my Christmas money, but it was worth it. The doctor knew ****loads about hair loss, checked out my scalp properly, did a pull test, described the pluses and minuses of treatments, discussed Dutasteride, briefly mentioned Dr Costarelis' studies, was objective but still made me feel optimistic. Most therapeutic experience I've ever had in my life. Would go again to track my progress if the cost wasn't such an issue. I found one of the few relatively local (as in two hours drive away) private dermatologists who didn't require a GP referral, as many private specialists do, so I was lucky.

Apparently nearly all NHS GPs will tell you hair loss is untreatable and refuse to give you access to hairloss treatments. The main, huge problem with the NHS is that it won't allow you access to specialists unless you're really ill or lucky. In many other European countries, you go straight to specialists in their public healthcare systems, there's no GP 'gatekeeper', or their role is far reduced. We have to put up with going to gatekeepers whose job is basically to deny you access to specialist services, whilst having very little knowledge of specific areas of medicine.

 

[WarLord]

I see that you really have a great healthcare system!

But first of all, you must measure your hormonal levels! I have been reading your posts for one year already, you are whining that finasteride doesn't work, but you still have no data on DHT and testosterone levels!!!

Personally I was wasting 8 months of my life on finasteride, until my blood results showed that the stuff was doing virtually nothing in me. You should have done some blood tests at the beginning of your treatment already.

 

[Kirby]

I see that you really have a great healthcare system!

But first of all, you must measure your hormonal levels! I have been reading your posts for one year already, you are whining that finasteride doesn't work, but you still have no data on DHT and testosterone levels!!!

Personally I was wasting 8 months of my life on finasteride, until my blood results showed that the stuff was doing virtually nothing in me. You should have done some blood tests at the beginning of your treatment already.

I've explained exactly why I can't get blood tests many, many times. As my GP refuses to acknowledge that I have hair loss, or that male pattern baldness can even be treated medically, I cannot therefore get access to blood tests! I even asked at the beginning about finasteride and blood tests a week after noticing I had hair loss. If your GP won't allow you something on the NHS, a medicine, treatment, consultation or procesure, you simply can't get it! I've always known full well that I need blood tests. You don't understand how our health system works in the UK.

 

[Admin]

Look online for blood testing web sites. Here in the states we have an outstanding one where doctors are not needed anymore. Thank God. You can order your own test and drive less than 10 miles to a draw station. Results are emailed to your personal email directly in a day or four. http://www.privatemdlabs.com

Power to the people.

 

[talmoode]

what's with your GP? sounds like he doesn't know **** about hair loss!! I have read that you've already changed your GPs a few times due to some personal problems but if I were you, I would keep changing until I have found a real good one..and it's not like you see your GP every day or something....so for me, it wouldn't matter if my GP was 5 hours drive away as long as he/she's good.
FYI, my GP is 2 hours drive away from where I live ..I have tried ohter GPs near by my house but they were not as good as my current one..Also I only see her every 6 to 9 months ..so how far she is from me is not an issue at all.

 

[Kirby]

@Admin, thanks for that. I'm going to do exhaustive research to see if similar services exist in the UK, which is still possible.

@talmoode ideally I would go and change my GP tomorrow (my current one is literally more ignorant of hairloss than any random who has just browsed this forum for 5 minutes) but the NHS has lots of restrictions on what you are allowed to do, unfortunately. You cannot choose a GP, only a GP surgery/clinic, and only within a certain geographical catchment area, and only so many times... It's terrible. I'd love to be able to do what you can in most other European countries, shop around for a GP who understands hairloss, or even go straight to specialists every time. If it was only a matter of phoning round all the local surgeries and saying, do you have a GP who prescribes Propecia?, I'd have been sorted over a year ago.

 

[FridgeFridge]

I believe you can actually change your GP within a surgery, a friend of mine has done this (well I assume she has as there is a GP there she refuses to see)

I had a quick look online and all it says is about changing actual GP surgeries (as in when you move home or location) but perhaps you can ask your surgery and it is a more low key thing, just say your uncomfortable with that GP, or you dont think you are getting the help required off them?

 

[talmoode]

..sorry thats no good but as FridgeFridge has suggested, maybe you can change your GP within a clinic? Where my GP works, there are 4 other GPs as well so if I was not happy with my current GP, I would go to the front desk and ask them if I could see other GP..also you should really put your foot down and do something about your uselss doctor. don't let anyone walk all over you!

 

[Kirby]

I tried that, no luck. Perhaps that was a surgery-specific policy? I know there was going to be a change in the law to allow you to chose your GP with more personal control. but I have no idea if that was implemented yet, or whether it'd help me with enough control. It's very command-and-control, the NHS. Problem is that my current GP is really laughably clueless about hair loss, but very good in helping me with my disability, which I've had terrible problems with getting recognition off in the past from GPs, and denied me access to help. Don't know what to do really - I'm not asking for much (basically a GP that understands health problems and is prepared to provide a male pattern baldness treatment and access to the essential blood tests), but it doesn't seem to be possible with the NHS unless I get really lucky. I don't like doing things non-legit with healthcare, because I don't like risking my health, and most importantly, I don't like forking out money for something I've already paid for anyway with tax and National Insurance.

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More: I do worry about something along the lines of what WarLord has been saying actually, I mean I've never had any visual improvements while on finasteride, literally none. I've stopped the visible shedding, and the continual itch, and the dandruff, so finasteride must work to some degree, I guess, but I've never had all this improvement and "thickening" I've heard so much from some finasteride users.

 

[Korean Wave]

@Kirby Could you let me know if you do find out if you can get blood tests privately? I am in the exact same situation as you where the doctor tells me to simply accept, even though I've stated that the fear of losing my hair is causing severe depression. I'm fed up with the NHS. They're making things worse as they're closing off so many paths to potential recovery. I've had my testosterone levels checked up (still waiting). I want a full hormone blood test, as well as another thyroid to ensure that my hair loss is 100% hereditary. At least then I know where I stand with the treatments.

I'm not going to bother with finasteride. I've tried it before, and it only seemed to improve the crown area. Instead I am trying dutasteride.