Discussion
Now I've started my TRT journey, my biggest concern using it is the potential to go bald. I'm 37 with pretty thick hair although the sides at the front are starting to recede a little bit.
Rather prevent it going worse so been looking into Finasteride....those who have used it.....does it work? Any bad side effects??
Rather prevent it going worse so been looking into Finasteride....those who have used it.....does it work? Any bad side effects??
simons123 said:
Now I've started my TRT journey, my biggest concern using it is the potential to go bald. I'm 37 with pretty thick hair although the sides at the front are starting to recede a little bit.
Rather prevent it going worse so been looking into Finasteride....those who have used it.....does it work? Any bad side effects??
I use Finasteride for quite some time and I never had any side effects. It simply blocks hair from falling, but you won't recover what you have already lost. Therefore, you need to start taking it right when you start to lose hair.Rather prevent it going worse so been looking into Finasteride....those who have used it.....does it work? Any bad side effects??
HOWEVER, you will need to find a doctor that has extensive experience prescribing finasteride. The reason is that around 7% (AFAIR) of men can develop serious side effects, from depression to sexual impotence. My doctor requested many blood tests, initially every month, to check whether or not I was having any side effects. I also had to explain to her (a very attractive young lady, BTW) in details how was my libido and my erections.
Anyway, I had zero side effects, sometimes I even feel it raised my libido. I recommend you to get more than one specialized opinion because there are doctors who are totally against finasteride.
TUS373 said:
Better still..go for dutasteride. It has a superior mode of action to finesteride, but otherwise similar. You can Google the difference. Also available now as a generic.
Mmm interesting. Never heard of Dutasteride before. Had a quick Google and sounds good. Would this be prescribed by the doctor? Any side effects you had? I took Finasteride for a couple of weeks and had to stop. I suffered from really bad depression within a few days of taking it, so I use Regain now, and whilst it has only slowed hair loss I absolutely couldn’t keep taking Finasteride. I hope your experience is better as it really seems to work.
I just been prescribed Finasteride.
I was treated for Prostrate cancer (I was 55 at the time) 18 months ago (HDR Brachytherapy + 5 weeks of radiotherapy) - resulting in a PSA down from 33 to 0.04 - and am also on Prostap (hormone therapy) injections every 3 months for 3 years
But now struggle to pee - I'm on Tamsulosin to try and combat this.
This works to some extent but I still get bouts of 'blockages' where I can take 5 mins to pass a minuscule amount of urine, plus it stings.
I've had a camera up the hole that should never have a camera up and everything seemed fine.
Oncology now think my bladder capacity may be reduced and have now prescribed Finasteride - and said is this doesn't work then surgery is an option.
I've read about side effects of breast growth, sex drive loss, impotence (these 2 I've already got as a result of the Prostap) , depression and even suicide.
Obviously I just don't need the added complications on top of what I've already got and I'm thinking I can live with it - the pharmacy is most insistent I try it...!!
I need to speak to the prescribing doctor again, who did mention some side effects, but now I know more about it I need to hear what she says about it.
I was treated for Prostrate cancer (I was 55 at the time) 18 months ago (HDR Brachytherapy + 5 weeks of radiotherapy) - resulting in a PSA down from 33 to 0.04 - and am also on Prostap (hormone therapy) injections every 3 months for 3 years
But now struggle to pee - I'm on Tamsulosin to try and combat this.
This works to some extent but I still get bouts of 'blockages' where I can take 5 mins to pass a minuscule amount of urine, plus it stings.
I've had a camera up the hole that should never have a camera up and everything seemed fine.
Oncology now think my bladder capacity may be reduced and have now prescribed Finasteride - and said is this doesn't work then surgery is an option.
I've read about side effects of breast growth, sex drive loss, impotence (these 2 I've already got as a result of the Prostap) , depression and even suicide.
Obviously I just don't need the added complications on top of what I've already got and I'm thinking I can live with it - the pharmacy is most insistent I try it...!!
I need to speak to the prescribing doctor again, who did mention some side effects, but now I know more about it I need to hear what she says about it.
Fastra said:
I just been prescribed Finasteride.
I was treated for Prostrate cancer (I was 55 at the time) 18 months ago (HDR Brachytherapy + 5 weeks of radiotherapy) - resulting in a PSA down from 33 to 0.04 - and am also on Prostap (hormone therapy) injections every 3 months for 3 years
But now struggle to pee - I'm on Tamsulosin to try and combat this.
This works to some extent but I still get bouts of 'blockages' where I can take 5 mins to pass a minuscule amount of urine, plus it stings.
I've had a camera up the hole that should never have a camera up and everything seemed fine.
Oncology now think my bladder capacity may be reduced and have now prescribed Finasteride - and said is this doesn't work then surgery is an option.
I've read about side effects of breast growth, sex drive loss, impotence (these 2 I've already got as a result of the Prostap) , depression and even suicide.
Obviously I just don't need the added complications on top of what I've already got and I'm thinking I can live with it - the pharmacy is most insistent I try it...!!
I need to speak to the prescribing doctor again, who did mention some side effects, but now I know more about it I need to hear what she says about it.
I don't know if this helps but I have a pal with an enlarged prostate and he was initially prescribed Tamsulosin for 'weak flow'. It brought about the common side effects - erectile dysfunction and retrograde ejaculation. He was switched to Finasteride and doesn't get them and his flow is a lot better I'm told. Frequency is still the same though. So it may be worth the switch? He had a good head of hair to start with so he's not in syrup wearing territory but does comment that his hair seems thicker.I was treated for Prostrate cancer (I was 55 at the time) 18 months ago (HDR Brachytherapy + 5 weeks of radiotherapy) - resulting in a PSA down from 33 to 0.04 - and am also on Prostap (hormone therapy) injections every 3 months for 3 years
But now struggle to pee - I'm on Tamsulosin to try and combat this.
This works to some extent but I still get bouts of 'blockages' where I can take 5 mins to pass a minuscule amount of urine, plus it stings.
I've had a camera up the hole that should never have a camera up and everything seemed fine.
Oncology now think my bladder capacity may be reduced and have now prescribed Finasteride - and said is this doesn't work then surgery is an option.
I've read about side effects of breast growth, sex drive loss, impotence (these 2 I've already got as a result of the Prostap) , depression and even suicide.
Obviously I just don't need the added complications on top of what I've already got and I'm thinking I can live with it - the pharmacy is most insistent I try it...!!
I need to speak to the prescribing doctor again, who did mention some side effects, but now I know more about it I need to hear what she says about it.
I believe this drug is more expensive to prescribe hence most get started on Tamsulosin given the side effects don't affect everybody.
Armitage.Shanks said:
I don't know if this helps but I have a pal with an enlarged prostate and he was initially prescribed Tamsulosin for 'weak flow'. It brought about the common side effects - erectile dysfunction and retrograde ejaculation. He was switched to Finasteride and doesn't get them and his flow is a lot better I'm told. Frequency is still the same though. So it may be worth the switch? He had a good head of hair to start with so he's not in syrup wearing territory but does comment that his hair seems thicker.
I believe this drug is more expensive to prescribe hence most get started on Tamsulosin given the side effects don't affect everybody.
I was diagnosed with an enlarged prostate 8 years ago and initially prescribe finasteride. Within days I started to notice the side effects; Little Westberks was having trouble waking up & as a newly divorced man in his late 40s that was not an option.I believe this drug is more expensive to prescribe hence most get started on Tamsulosin given the side effects don't affect everybody.
didn't bother with Tamsulosin until 12 months ago when prostate issues had progressed significantly and I was waiting surgery.
haven't suffered with retrograde ejaculation, nor the suggested dizziness. As far as I was aware, erectile disfunction wasn't one of the side effects and was only associated with finasteride
Finasteride has a whole heap of quite unpleasant side effects, which may or may not impact you specifically.
As already mentioned, most people who take it do so to avoid unpleasant symptoms related to an enlarged prostate.
However, you want to take it purely for vanity reasons. Personally, I wouldn't (disclaimer, I do have a prescription for it, but having read up on the side effects I have chosen not to take it).
As already mentioned, most people who take it do so to avoid unpleasant symptoms related to an enlarged prostate.
However, you want to take it purely for vanity reasons. Personally, I wouldn't (disclaimer, I do have a prescription for it, but having read up on the side effects I have chosen not to take it).
Surely the point is that if the side effects are worse than the condition you are treating then you need to question whether taking the medication is worth it. Finasteride has some unpleasant side effects (inc depression and suicidal ideation, both of which I experienced whilst taking it), so you need to balance that against the benefits of taking it. I concluded that going bald a bit quicker was the lesser of two evils.
Edited by tim0409 on Sunday 3rd November 20:01
simons123 said:
Mmm interesting. Never heard of Dutasteride before. Had a quick Google and sounds good. Would this be prescribed by the doctor? Any side effects you had?
For someone not interested / concerned about side effects, you appear to be quite interested / concerned about side effects.omniflow said:
Finasteride has a whole heap of quite unpleasant side effects, which may or may not impact you specifically.
It does surprise me, reading one of the other threads on hair loss, that some look to take this drug purely for the side effect 'benefit' as an alternative to eventually wearing a syrup. Whether that keeps the prostate 'in check' mitigating any enlargement/flow issues before they arise I wonder?Armitage.Shanks said:
omniflow said:
Finasteride has a whole heap of quite unpleasant side effects, which may or may not impact you specifically.
It does surprise me, reading one of the other threads on hair loss, that some look to take this drug purely for the side effect 'benefit' as an alternative to eventually wearing a syrup. Whether that keeps the prostate 'in check' mitigating any enlargement/flow issues before they arise I wonder?westberks said:
my ex brother in law worked in fashion and was paranoid about the ageism in the industry and used Regain for prevention of male pattern baldness. This has finasteride but I'm not sure of the dosage. for him it was worthwhile, but when i took the prostate dosage i came off it within a couple of weeks due to the side effects.
Regain doesn't contain Finasteride, it contains Minoxidil.Gassing Station | Health Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff