Post: #26

There have been reports of permanent sexual side effects. Hard to say if these are caused by Propecia and, if so, how many people are affected. In any case, people should read up on the stories so they are aware of the worst case scenario before they take the pills.

Post: #27

(09-30-2012 10:13 AM)Lemmo Wrote:  There have been reports of permanent sexual side effects. Hard to say if these are caused by Propecia and, if so, how many people are affected. In any case, people should read up on the stories so they are aware of the worst case scenario before they take the pills.

Or don't. There was a study out there that found that the percent of men who experienced loss of libido doubled if they were informed that it was a possible side effect. I was deathly afraid I'd lose my libido when I first started, yet my erections were better than ever, so I quickly stopped worrying.

It also depends on your age - the younger you are, the lower your risk. That's true even of non-propecia users though.

I'd seen Nizoral mentioned on hair loss forums, but from what I saw, it wasn't held with the same regard as finasteride and minoxidil. But there is some promising research, plus I have some dandruff anyway, and the administration regime for it is pretty damn easy - 1-2x a week as shampoo, in the shower. I never got on Rogaine because I knew I couldn't trust myself to do it often enough. Plus it's not as good for treating loss at the hairline, if it works at all there.

Post: #28

I think the sexual side effects are a decrease in your testosterone. For guys who suffered permanent side effects, I'm guessing you could counteract it with testosterone medication. Hair loss is caused by DHT (a form of testosterone), so any medication that stops/reduces it will involve something with that hormone unless we make some sort drug that blocks DHT receptors in our hair. I went to the shop to get some Minoxidil/Rogaine and found out on the package that it said it's ineffective for frontal hair loss. Since I only have frontal hair loss right now, I skipped getting it then. Some internet searching found out it can actually have an effect so I'm going to try it out now.

Post: #29

I have been taking the kirkland signature brand of rogaine since 4/20/2012 so a little over 5 months. In the beginning I had my head shaved but I let it grow out and it is definately is a pain in the ass to put in every morning and night.

Since the rogaine is only suppose to stimulate new growth you will still keep losing hair that is where propecia/fin come in.

I have been contemplating finesteride/propecia for the last two years and just as soon as I get enough courage to go get a script for it I hear some horror story and it scares me away from it again.

So far I haven't really had any results with the rogaine but I am using it on the frontal top of my head where it says it is not suppose to work eeven though it has for some. I will keep up the regime for another 5 months or so and if after a year I dont notice any results I plan on quitting.

Post: #30

I've been using Propecia since 2007 and can definitely say it works. Don't know why you guys are paying $80 for the original when you can pay +- $20 for the generic Finpecia (R175 here in ZA)

Post: #31

propecia works wonders but it has definitely fucked with my ability to get quality wood and libido to a certain extent

Post: #32

you can use it 3-4 monts per year, it's enough to get results...the main weapon against baldness is nutrition, lifestyle and oligo-elements.
Check the posts of a guy called Prague on immortalhair:

http://immortalhair.forumandco.com/spa/Prague

Post: #33

"propecia works wonders but it has definitely fucked with my ability to get quality wood and libido to a certain extent"

"I've been using Propecia since 2007 and can definitely say it works."

again, this is the main point i was trying to make, really, the only point.

i am incredibly skeptical of stuff overall, and i am sure most of us on this forum and most of us red pill takers are, and really, people in general in this marketing age, so i just want men to know that really i think in most cases, IT FUCKING WORKS.

THEN everyone can weight the risks vs the benefits, etc., but that's for later.

Post: #34

I have been thinning all over the top of my head since I was 21. I am scared of taking propercia due to the side effects. I think i am going to take rogaine instead. Has anyone here been using rogaine for over 5 years?

Post: #35

(10-01-2012 12:45 PM)Tornado Wrote:  I have been thinning all over the top of my head since I was 21. I am scared of taking propercia due to the side effects. I think i am going to take rogaine instead. Has anyone here been using rogaine for over 5 years?

Since there is alot people worrying about side effects, I will share my own experience and opinion of taking the other option.

Tornado - I was in the same boat as you at 21. I tried ignoring my hair loss and styling my hair slightly different, but looking back now at pictures, my hair was looking REALLY stupid. At the same time, I was still scared of the sexual/hormonal side effects of using Propecia or Rogaine and always on the fence about starting it. My gf at the time was really pushing me to start using it (she dumped me soon after anyway) and my receding hairline was always in my thoughts.

As the OP mentioned, Propecia and most other products are for slowing down or preventing additional hair loss, not bringing you back to your 16-year-old hair. Watch those hair restoration commericials closely. Sure, the "after" pictures have dramatically more hair than the "before" pictures, but do they really look GREAT? The after "picture" usually shows a smiling guy with a considerably smaller bald spot than before or a combover that is still ugly, but not painfully ugly.

At 24, I finally said "FUCK THIS" and shaved my own head. I was sick of the jabs from my friends and family as well as the insecurity I had everytime I looked into the mirror. This might have been THEE most important point in my adult life as far as improving my confidence and reducing my fear of what others thought of me. There was no more lying to myself or obsessive worrying. I felt like a badass after taking the leap of faith and haven't looked back.

I'm 25 now and haven't paid for a haircut in 2 years, aside from when I travel for more than 5 days and forget to bring my razor. People still joke, but I can laugh at it now. Girls love touching my shaved head, including the ones I bang, who have been 21-27 recently. I might have been born with shitty hair genetics, but I've been blessed with a nicely shaped head

If you think hair products will give you the exact look you want, go for it. If you aren't worried about side effects, go for it. But if you're still going to be insecure about your hair if you do see some improvements, shave that shit, accept it, and take some of that stress off you're plate.

Post: #36

Good discussion here, and I can weigh in on both sides of the propecia pro's/con's...I started using propecia when I noticed some heavy shedding of the temples around 24, and despite reading that "propecia wasn't scientifically proven to protect the hairline at the temples", I tried it anyway.

It definitely worked. I saw small hairs coming back to life within a couple months, and over time it roughly stabilized my hairline. I ended up adding rogaine to the mix, and the two kept my hairline intact for 5 years. Though I had heard stories of people's libido suffering, I didn't think I was affected. I did have a couple periods of low libido during this period but just attributed it to stress.

Then, starting around November I had an extended time of low libido with almost no interest in sex, which led to indifference to going out and picking up, and of course that put me in quite the dry spell. As Winter was ending, my prescription for propecia lapsed, and when the doctor insisted I come in to renew I was too busy and put it off until my supply ran out. I was under the gun with project work and kept delaying making an appointment...and after a little over a month off the drug, I noticed a number of changes. My energy level was up, libido increased, I was more motivated to work out, etc. I got the fire to go back out, and soon broke the dry spell and been doing well since.

There's no certainty that the cause was propecia, but the timing triggered me to read up on more side effects. After reading 100 horror stories and looking back at all the times I had little drive despite being in good shape and healthy while on the drug, I haven't been willing to try it again. Having been off it now for coming up on 8 months, I have definitely seen hair loss start up, though I've been brushing up the hair care regime and I think I'll be able to re-stabilize using different treatments.

Anyway, here's what I know works for me from experience: propecia, rogaine, nizoral (though you can use generic shampoos with ketoconazole in it, no need to buy the brand name one), and I saw some limited benefits from using a hairmax laser comb back in the day. Using just generic rogaine/nizoral is definitely slowing but not completely stopping hair loss, so I'm looking for another treatment option to round up the regime.

While researching options, I read that the hairmax comb that gave me some small benefits but not enough to justify the hassle of using it is apparently underpowered for proper laser therapy. There's interesting reading on how to make a sufficiently powerful device yourself, and knowing that I'm a responder to the treatment from my experience with the hairmax, I'm working on making one now.

Post: #37

I've been on propecia continuously since early 2002, I think, when I noticed I was losing hair in the front. Genetically I should have no hair at this point. All men are bald in my family - both sides - essentially gone by early thirties, and right now I've got my full hair - essentially no change since I started propecia.

I haven't noticed side effects with erections/libido/performance. I can get erections easily, ejaculate several times a day if I feel like it, no issues. There has been no real change with erections since before I started it and it has been over a decade now. For what its worth, I was curious and had my testosterone (total testosterone) tested back in 2002 and I was on very high range of "normal". Maybe that's why I was starting to lose my hair, who knows.

I will say that I feel like my ejaculatory volume is slightly decreased from what it was when 10 years ago. Maybe because I'm 10 years older now than when I started or maybe it's the drug. I don't know.

A couple of friends of mine also took propecia, and told me they stopped because they felt it was affecting their erections. For now, I'm going to stay on it, but I will drop it immediately if I see it's becoming a problem.

Post: #38

Is there anything I could be taking or doing right now as a preventative to possible future hair loss?

I'm 28 and haven't noticed any hair loss and have always had pretty thick hair. My grandfather on my dad's side has a full head of hair but most males on both sides have some degree of hair loss, so I think it's likely it's coming at some point in the next 5 years.

Post: #39

(10-01-2012 04:29 PM)poutsara Wrote:  I've been on propecia continuously since early 2002, I think, when I noticed I was losing hair in the front. Genetically I should have no hair at this point. All men are bald in my family - both sides - essentially gone by early thirties, and right now I've got my full hair - essentially no change since I started propecia.

I haven't noticed side effects with erections/libido/performance. I can get erections easily, ejaculate several times a day if I feel like it, no issues. There has been no real change with erections since before I started it and it has been over a decade now. For what its worth, I was curious and had my testosterone (total testosterone) tested back in 2002 and I was on very high range of "normal". Maybe that's why I was starting to lose my hair, who knows.

I will say that I feel like my ejaculatory volume is slightly decreased from what it was when 10 years ago. Maybe because I'm 10 years older now than when I started or maybe it's the drug. I don't know.

A couple of friends of mine also took propecia, and told me they stopped because they felt it was affecting their erections. For now, I'm going to stay on it, but I will drop it immediately if I see it's becoming a problem.

yeah but propecia wont affect your testosterone levels anyway...

it will stop the conversion of testosterone to DHT which is a by product of testosterone...DHT is responsible for hair loss but it is also needed for erections etc

that is my understanding anyway

Post: #40

Well, I thought about using it but got scared by the side effects. Besides, Propecia is so expensive (though finesteride is not)

anyway this has been my solution for the last couple of years.

shave grade 0 on the side, leave the top or trim it rarely (which is around a grade 3-4) and cover it with Dermmatch, works like a charm :-)

It looks like a receding hairline now than a bald spot.

Post: #41

I thought this thread was about this Propecia:

Post: #42

Propecia worked for me. Been on it for over a year now. The issue is that I do believe that my depression was worsened by it. Also, I have had somewhat weird side effects. I get muscle twitches more than before (though these are stopping) because of GABA effects. I gained a ton of muscle because of the 15 % increase in testosterone it gave me. Another odd side-effect which is quite worrisome is that, while I used to get sick every 2 months like clockwork with a cold, I just caught my first minor cold in 2 years! while this may sound like a good thing, I believe it may point to the fact that I either had an autoimmune disease (finasteride is an immunosuppressant) or, somehow I am so immunosuppressed by finasteride that I cannot catch colds! This can be dangerous.

If any of you are thinking of going on it, I have done a TON of research. I may even write a book on post-finasteride syndrome, so hit me up.

Post: #43

I got the worst side effects after I quit two months ago. In my last post /thread-54827...pid1703883 I said I will be restarting at the beginning of 2018, well I did and didn't stop because m body got used to this shit but the worst part started when i decided to stop because I began to get a lot of anxiety at night and sleep apnea.

Here are my symptoms.

September to October 2017: Started with low libido and and weird feeling when I had a boner, decided to quit when one day I was just starting my work out session at my home gym when suddenly felt super weak like if my body crashed, later the same night I presented my first sleep apnea (woke up super scared around 3:00 am becauseI couldn't breathe).

From October 2017-january 2018: I quit and felt "normal" in this period after a few weeks.

Restarted in February 2018 with lower dose (0.5mg): Had the same side effects as before but more manageable, over time I presented depression and suicidal thoughts(first time in my life) for around 3 weeks but I didn't stop the medication because I thought it was all in my in my head.
Later developed anxiety, insomnia, sleep apnea(had 5 episodes in this year), sometimes allusinations while I was falling asleep, my hair pubes went from black to brownish, also low libido but still could have an erection if I had stimulation. You may ask why didn't I stop? Well my hair looked amazing.

Stopped cold turkey in mid August 2018: My decision is because got tired of the sides although my body got used to finasteride. After three weeks I quit i started to get dizziness and sensation of a weak body , these come and go for days.

Post: #44

Finasteride blows donkey dick compared to RU58841 - which is a chemical compound that completely blocks DHT on the scalp without shutting down the rest of your bodies conversion of Testosterone to DHT. Who knows what type of damage finasteride does to the body by shutting down DHT conversion. On finasteride, the conversion to DHT still takes place just at a lower rate. Dutasteride works far better than Finasteride at blocking the conversion - but isn't FDA approved to be used for hair restoration. IF you want to save your hair and aren't scared of potential side effects (bitch tits, estrogen levels through the roof) then go ahead and run dutasteride with RU58841, this is guaranteed to stop the hair loss and you'll start seeing regrowth in about 3-6 months. There are ways to prevent the estrogen related side effects but you should be really careful if you are considering this course of treatment. Fucking with the bodies natural hormonal levels is dangerous so I would suggest regular blood testing (the sensitive estradiol test) at least every 6 months. Fortunately, finasteride and dutasteride both increase testosterone levels so that is one thing you won't have to worry about.

Post: #45

Anybody looked at FUE or FUT hair transplants? There aren't any nasty side effects, but it's expensive (like 4 to 10 grand). They've come a long way over the last 20 years. I still have all my hair, but I'm thinking that if I need to, I will go the transplant approach.

Post: #46

(10-22-2018 05:56 PM)ronny.mckinsly Wrote:  Finasteride blows donkey dick compared to RU58841 - which is a chemical compound that completely blocks DHT on the scalp without shutting down the rest of your bodies conversion of Testosterone to DHT. Who knows what type of damage finasteride does to the body by shutting down DHT conversion. On finasteride, the conversion to DHT still takes place just at a lower rate. Dutasteride works far better than Finasteride at blocking the conversion - but isn't FDA approved to be used for hair restoration. IF you want to save your hair and aren't scared of potential side effects (bitch tits, estrogen levels through the roof) then go ahead and run dutasteride with RU58841, this is guaranteed to stop the hair loss and you'll start seeing regrowth in about 3-6 months. There are ways to prevent the estrogen related side effects but you should be really careful if you are considering this course of treatment. Fucking with the bodies natural hormonal levels is dangerous so I would suggest regular blood testing (the sensitive estradiol test) at least every 6 months. Fortunately, finasteride and dutasteride both increase testosterone levels so that is one thing you won't have to worry about.

How does one get RU58841? It's topical, and it actually works for you?

Post: #47

(10-23-2018 10:28 PM)Trumps Intern Wrote:  

(10-22-2018 05:56 PM)ronny.mckinsly Wrote:  Finasteride blows donkey dick compared to RU58841 - which is a chemical compound that completely blocks DHT on the scalp without shutting down the rest of your bodies conversion of Testosterone to DHT. Who knows what type of damage finasteride does to the body by shutting down DHT conversion. On finasteride, the conversion to DHT still takes place just at a lower rate. Dutasteride works far better than Finasteride at blocking the conversion - but isn't FDA approved to be used for hair restoration. IF you want to save your hair and aren't scared of potential side effects (bitch tits, estrogen levels through the roof) then go ahead and run dutasteride with RU58841, this is guaranteed to stop the hair loss and you'll start seeing regrowth in about 3-6 months. There are ways to prevent the estrogen related side effects but you should be really careful if you are considering this course of treatment. Fucking with the bodies natural hormonal levels is dangerous so I would suggest regular blood testing (the sensitive estradiol test) at least every 6 months. Fortunately, finasteride and dutasteride both increase testosterone levels so that is one thing you won't have to worry about.

How does one get RU58841? It's topical, and it actually works for you?

You cant buy it. You have to make it.

Its bullshit: no pharma would give it that name and try and sell it. They will rebrand it if do.

Post: #48

Anyone notice a pounding heart when trying to sleep? Started taking propecia 3-4 months ago.

Got dr to write script as prostrate enlargement medication so insurance covers it. Comes as 5 mg tablets which I gently crush into roughly 1mg pieces. Makes a 6 month supply.

Post: #49

(10-23-2018 10:28 PM)Trumps Intern Wrote:  

(10-22-2018 05:56 PM)ronny.mckinsly Wrote:  Finasteride blows donkey dick compared to RU58841 - which is a chemical compound that completely blocks DHT on the scalp without shutting down the rest of your bodies conversion of Testosterone to DHT. Who knows what type of damage finasteride does to the body by shutting down DHT conversion. On finasteride, the conversion to DHT still takes place just at a lower rate. Dutasteride works far better than Finasteride at blocking the conversion - but isn't FDA approved to be used for hair restoration. IF you want to save your hair and aren't scared of potential side effects (bitch tits, estrogen levels through the roof) then go ahead and run dutasteride with RU58841, this is guaranteed to stop the hair loss and you'll start seeing regrowth in about 3-6 months. There are ways to prevent the estrogen related side effects but you should be really careful if you are considering this course of treatment. Fucking with the bodies natural hormonal levels is dangerous so I would suggest regular blood testing (the sensitive estradiol test) at least every 6 months. Fortunately, finasteride and dutasteride both increase testosterone levels so that is one thing you won't have to worry about.

How does one get RU58841? It's topical, and it actually works for you?

Google search it. It can be bought in a liquid form that can be applied topically to the skin. It works for me, but do your own research before making an educated decision on whether to use it for yourself. I'm just giving you the facts. It's not FDA approved although there were human tests done with it with positive results. Drug companies concluded the profits wouldn't be high enough bringing it to the market to justify it's formal introduction.

Post: #50

(10-26-2018 09:08 AM)Ten Feet Tall Right Now Wrote:  Anyone notice a pounding heart when trying to sleep? Started taking propecia 3-4 months ago.

Got dr to write script as prostrate enlargement medication so insurance covers it. Comes as 5 mg tablets which I gently crush into roughly 1mg pieces. Makes a 6 month supply.

This could be caused by increased levels of estrogen, but the only way to know for certain is blood tests.