Using Propecia for 10 yrs

[propecia10yrs]

I have been on Propecia for almost 10 years (started taking in early 1998). It has worked very well for me. I wandered onto this site looking for information about generic finasteride after watching the price go from $120 to $180+ for 90 pills (WTF!?!).

While searching through this site, I was surprised to see how many people discussing the side effects, problems, etc from Propecia. I did not experience any changes except more hair. I recall within a few months of starting Propecia in 1998 (I was 26), that I could feel a difference in the affected areas of my scalp. At the time, I was able to tell where I was going bald by a different sensation on my scalp...this went away within a year on Propecia. I have not fully recovered my complete hairline in the front (and never will), but the crown of my head and anywhere where I had even thin hairs came back fully after a few years.

Anyway, I suppose I am a bit of a guinea pig since I started on Propecia right after it became available (for hair loss) in the US. I could not be happier with it except for the price.

So...can anyone direct me to a more economical source of finasteride?

Thanks!

 

[ps1freak]

that's very motivational, thanks for sharing!

did you say it took more than a year for the small hairs to become terminal again? i am at 1 year mark and had decent gains, but there are some areas where i wish it could thicken up..just alil more. i know i sound greedy...

 

[bubka]

wow, you story is very similar to mine, with the sensation where you were losing, i equated mine to wearing a tight hat on, it was kind of painful to move the scalp in the effected areas, been using propecia since 2000

a lot of guys get a script for proscar, which is the 5mg dosage of finasteride (the active ingredient in propecia) and cut the pill into 4ths for about 1.25mg dosage

proscar is now generic so it is even cheeper, about $70 cash will last you 4 to 5 months, depends if you skip a day now and then...

 

[propecia10yrs]

ps1freak - I recall noticing continued improvement for at least 2-3 years. Stick with it if it seems to be working for you but don't expect miracles.

bubka - As far as the sensation in the scalp, before Propecia I KNEW where I was going to be bald just by tugging on the hair. The feeling of a tight hat is accurate. The follicles in the impacted area were getting pretty beat up by DHT, I suppose. The sensation within the defined male pattern baldness area subsided steadily after a few months of Propecia until I could no longer identify my "balding line".

I'll talk to my doctor about writing a prescription for Proscar. I'm guessing that it may push the ethical bounds for him but it doesn't hurt to ask.

 

[RaginDemon]

thanks for the feedback man, very helpful indeed.

 

[seeves]

Propecia10years, you wouldnt happen to have any pictures throughout the years that would give us a good idea of how well you have maintainted would you? Good to hear about your success man.

 

[Dogs3]

hey man thats a great story, ive only been on it 3 and 1/2 months and i'm looking forward to having it help maintain my head of hair. Goes to show again how forums can screw with your mind after reading tons and tons of accounts of side effects 95% of which are in peoples heads.

 

[ginner]

Thanks for posting. It's great to hear that results can continue for a decade!

I just wanted to ask, have you used any other treatments on top of Propecia?

 

[propecia10yrs]

I used Rogaine from around 1993 until 1998. Maybe it helped maintain some but I was still losing the battle. After experiencing great results with Propecia, I stopped researching what else was new. Unless something revolutionary is developed, I don't imagine trying anything else. I feel for you guys that are in your teens and 20s and dealing with this. It was pretty stressful time for me. Be thankful there are more options now.

Anyway, thanks to those who informed me about the generics and the more cost-effective options for Propecia. I won't be checking in anymore.

 

[MPBWarrior]

I used Rogaine from around 1993 until 1998. Maybe it helped maintain some but I was still losing the battle.

just to clarify, rogaine (minoxidil) doesn't maintain hair, it simply tickens it and spurs a little growth, all of which will be washed away by DHT if finasteride or dutasteride isn't taken.

 

[evildude]

that's such a bogus argument. finasteride doesn't stop the balding process either. at best, it delays it with about 5-10 years. so both minoxidil and finasteride will eventually give in to the process.

 

[bubka]

that's such a bogus argument. finasteride doesn't stop the balding process either. at best, it delays it with about 5-10 years. so both minoxidil and finasteride will eventually give in to the process.

huh, i guess, all the regrowth and continual maintenance that i have had is magical then for the last 8 + years

 

[Bryan]

that's such a bogus argument. finasteride doesn't stop the balding process either. at best, it delays it with about 5-10 years. so both minoxidil and finasteride will eventually give in to the process.

Finasteride at the very least greatly slows the progression of male pattern baldness in most men, and may stop it completely in some of them. That's more than minoxidil does, which aparently doesn't have any direct effect at all on the progression of male pattern baldness, just an indirect one.

 

[Dogs3]

Bryan, would you suggest using both finasteride and minoxidil simultaneously?

 

[Cassin]

Bryan, would you suggest using both finasteride and minoxidil simultaneously?

My name is not Bryan but absolutely.

 

[phish]

i remember dr proctor stating that anti androgens make minoxidil build up less tolerance therefore work longer. so I guess its safe to assume finasteride can help minoxidil work longer.

 

[evildude]

that's such a bogus argument. finasteride doesn't stop the balding process either. at best, it delays it with about 5-10 years. so both minoxidil and finasteride will eventually give in to the process.

Finasteride at the very least greatly slows the progression of male pattern baldness in most men, and may stop it completely in some of them. That's more than minoxidil does, which aparently doesn't have any direct effect at all on the progression of male pattern baldness, just an indirect one.

maybe, but it (minoxidil) gives the appearance of slowing down hairloss and isn't that the point of it all? to appear non-balding? whether you actually slow down the male pattern baldness process or not, makes little or no difference.

finasteride, according to studies, will first increase hair count, then steadily decrease over the next years. minoxidil, will give dormant follicles a boost, which in turn will, in most who use it, lead to "more hair". or at least the appearance of more hair. then, as the balding process continues, you'll lose more and more ground. different mechanisms, but the end result is the same. only difference is that finasteride probably works better in the long run, but that was never relevant to my point in the first place.

 

[evildude]

that's such a bogus argument. finasteride doesn't stop the balding process either. at best, it delays it with about 5-10 years. so both minoxidil and finasteride will eventually give in to the process.

huh, i guess, all the regrowth and continual maintenance that i have had is magical then for the last 8 + years

well, for every story like this, there are those who had little or no success. after five years, on average, haircount drops below baseline.

 

[phish]

that's such a bogus argument. finasteride doesn't stop the balding process either. at best, it delays it with about 5-10 years. so both minoxidil and finasteride will eventually give in to the process.

huh, i guess, all the regrowth and continual maintenance that i have had is magical then for the last 8 + years

well, for every story like this, there are those who had little or no success. after five years, on average, haircount drops below baseline.

where do you get your numbers that hair couts drop below baseline? the propecia 5 year study had 90 percent maintaining or regrowth at 5 year mark, also the graph at 5 years is still above baseline by a good amount and thats with the non responders being entered into the equation. So the hair counts on the graph most certainly would be even higher if you didn't factor in the 17 percent that don't respond to the drug. I don't think propecia will work forever either at holding the average person above baseline but should slow hair loss in majority of people for years, even if they do dip below baseline after 5 years there is still benefit to taking the drug because its still slowing the process.

 

[Bryan]

Bryan, would you suggest using both finasteride and minoxidil simultaneously?

Sure, if you want the maximum amount of possible hair regrowth. Of course, in that case, you'd also want to use other agents, too, like SODs and various other things.