Update: 7 months off of finasteride

[Yardbird]

Well, as most of you know, I dropped finasteride about seven months back and have been using revivogen for 11 months (1.5 ml once at night) and nizoral for 10 months (3x a week). I can say that I'm starting to see a bit of thinning at the temples, and I'm not sure if I'm just in a shed (fall is the season for that, right) or if this means that revivogen alone won't cut it. I'm now considering getting on spironolactone 5%, but I'm really dreading the twice a day application on top of my revivogen application (damn it).

Still, this may be the only way to keep my hair, aside from trying dutasteride. I've actually given that a little thought too since some people, for example, Slartibartfast, had side effects similar to my own on finasteride, but had none whatsoever on dutasteride. Still, dutasteride scares me since it's so potent and takes so long to metabolize. I'm going back to America for a visit in about three weeks. I need to make some decisions on products within that time span, so any thoughts are welcome.
Thanks and keep fighting the good fight.
Yardbird

 

[cruiser]

yardbird, what were your sides on finasteride? i was on it for like a month and had SEVERE depression and sexual side effects. everyone told me to continue but it was much too scary for me. ive been off finasteride for a week or so now and feeling better but still have very low libido which scares the hell out of me since the Doctor said it should only stay in your system for 3-4 days after dicontinuing use :shock: how long did it take you to get back to normal?

 

[Yardbird]

Cruiser,
I had difficulty in getting and maintaining an erection. Since I'm still in my 20's, that was quite hard to accept and did even manage to bring me down a little bit. Get this: it took me 6 weeks to get over the side effects after quitting finasteride. At the 4 week mark, I was panicking, but my good buddy Cassin let me know that many people on this site needed 6 weeks to get back to normal after quitting finasteride because they had developed an estrogen level. I guess that's what happened to me.
Don't panick until at least 6 weeks.
I'm sure you'll be fine.
PS A month isn't a long time. I'd stay on finasteride for at least 3 months, just to see if the side effects abate. They might do so on their own.

 

[oni]

I would give the dutasteride a try. I have been on it close to 8mths now without sides

 

[Yardbird]

I'm just afraid it would take months to get that crap out of my system if I *did* have sides, not to mention that someone on here posted pics of gyno. Nightmares.....
:freaked2:
Have you grown any hair on it?

 

[cruiser]

i agree with yard bird, im stuck between a soft and a hard place (LOL) i really need a dht blocker but scared as hell to try dutasteride after the very bad sides on finasteride. what do you guys think about the topical dutasteride? i think jesus freak is tryinig it right now.

 

[Yardbird]

I think with topical dutasteride you'd risk the side effects, since the stuff would also be absorbed systemically, but you'd lose some of the effectiveness. This is similar to what happens with topical finasteride.

 

[Warrior101]

I'm just afraid it would take months to get that crap out of my system if I *did* have sides, not to mention that someone on here posted pics of gyno. Nightmares.....
:freaked2:
Have you grown any hair on it?

Can i see those plz??

 

[Yardbird]

Yes, just search for them. I think the poster was "Rill."

 

[Whoome?]

I agree with oni...

While I was on finasteride for over 9 months i was experiencing minor effects of ED...

But since getting on dutasteride i've been stiff as a steel pole.. hopefully thats gonna last

 

[Guest]

Well I got really scared the other night, for the first time in 8 months I experienced serious sexual side affects, ie, going soft half way through. I was gutted...

Thing is that I popped a pill about three or four hours before and it seemed to give me problems. Now I just pop it last thing when I go to bed to see how that helps.

 

[Yardbird]

I agree with oni...

While I was on finasteride for over 9 months i was experiencing minor effects of ED...

But since getting on dutasteride i've been stiff as a steel pole.. hopefully thats gonna last

Spidy, it's comments like those that make me really think of ordering the stuff.

 

[viceroy]

yardbird -- it seems like you could still play around with your topical regimen before jumping on dutasteride.

first, why not try a TWICE a day revivogen application?

also, adding 2% spironolactone into your rotation instead of the 5% may be a gentler transition into an increased topical approach. i've used both, and the 2% is so easy and painless and quick to apply that i hardly notice using it...

 

[viperfish]

yardbird -- it seems like you could still play around with your topical regimen before jumping on dutasteride.

first, why not try a TWICE a day revivogen application?

also, adding 2% spironolactone into your rotation instead of the 5% may be a gentler transition into an increased topical approach. i've used both, and the 2% is so easy and painless and quick to apply that i hardly notice using it...

I disagree with the revivogen twice per day. Yardbird has been consistently using revivogen 1/day for 11 months. I highly doubt using it twice per day is going to make any difference at all. The makers of revivogen call for 1/day application. They make the stuff and know what it takes to have optimal results. However, they also say that it could take up to 1.5 years to get those optimal results.

 

[viceroy]

the revivogen instructions say:

some users prefer to use 1 ml two times daily.

 

[jimmystanley]

hey viper, how's life with kevis going? i have kept the itching under control by keeping low dosage and clean scalp. scalp feels fine.

 

[Yardbird]

Thing is, when I'm applying topicals to help with my thinning hair and receeding temples, it doesn't make much sense to me to put something on my head during the day that will cosmetically take away from the benefits I may have achieved.
For example, minoxidil may give me a five year offset of growth, but *if* wearing it during the day makes my hair *look* five yrs worse than it would normally, I'd say that defeats the purpose.
So, using spironolactone is an option, but twice a day doesn't seem cool.

 

[Whoome?]

personally i think the best results are achieved either through an internal inhibitor, or minoxidil. Thats it...topicals are either to support the internals and minoxidil or your secondary option when all else fails.. So if all else fails or you need something else to polish up your regimen, than topical inhibitors should be considered.

 

[Yardbird]

For some reason, I have a feeling that you might be right about that, Spidy. I've been thinking the same thing.
Can't back it up, just a feeling.

 

[viperfish]

personally i think the best results are achieved either through an internal inhibitor, or minoxidil. Thats it...topicals are either to support the internals and minoxidil or your secondary option when all else fails.. So if all else fails or you need something else to polish up your regimen, than topical inhibitors should be considered.

Yup, there is no question that your best chance and best results will be obtained using minoxidil and finasteride and nizoral.


Jimmy,
No irritation to speak of. The best my scalp has felt in a long time. I still apply revivogen at night although alot less (.75-1 ml).