23, need advice!

[a_smith93]

Hey guys,

Long time lurker but first time poster. I am a 23 y/o male with a pretty good head of hair still, although recently my hairline has begun to recede at the temples and things are looking worse in pictures. I would be happy to keep what I have indefinitely and new growth would be awesome.

I have known I was experiencing hair loss since I was 18, and this is the first time I am going to do something consistent about it. When I was 18, I took finasteride for a brief time (6 weeks or so), but I realized that my hairloss wasn't dire yet and I was freaked out by the side effects. The main side effect I noticed was lower abdominal pain, especially when I had to pee and I was sitting in a car for a long period of time- not sure if this was my prostate or what. I still get this pain sometimes but it's not that intense.

I know what I need to do for my hair. Get on finasteride, continue using rogaine foam (I have been since early June), and start using Nizoral consistently. However, I am concerned about side effects with finasteride. I am prone to psychosomatic symptoms (I thought I was having vision changes when my friend was diagnosed with MS). I am also concerned about the physiological implications of reducing DHT in young men,

My libido is sometimes high and sometimes low now. I sometimes have nocturnal erections and sometimes don't. I have had rare issues with ED in the past, but I think these have been due to nerves.

If I get on finasteride, I feel like I will have "sides" and I will have no way of knowing if they are from finasteride, psychosomatic or both. Propecia help and the like are terrifying and I need to know if I am ****ing up my system permanently.

Should I keep a record of the way my libido is now before going on finasteride? Should I get hormone tests now so I can compare when I am on finasteride? Any suggestions or thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[2bald2young]

I didn't read the entire post but not much people are getting sides of finasteride and they are not even permanent so don't worry and Just see what happens (probably nothing).

 

[zzzzz]

just get on finasteride and forget about it. Live your life normally, if you get ED stop taking it. Sides are not permanent. It's not complicated

 

[Grammaton Cleric]

just get on finasteride and forget about it. Live your life normally, if you get ED stop taking it. Sides are not permanent. It's not complicated

No No No Not Today [video=youtube;C_0fyUYB3cA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_0fyUYB3cA[/video]
Sides DO NOT always go away http://www.pfsfoundation.org/
Also proof Merck lied about them http://i.imgur.com/qKSEtK5.png

 

[a_smith93]

No No No Not Today [video=youtube;C_0fyUYB3cA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_0fyUYB3cA[/video]
Sides DO NOT always go away http://www.pfsfoundation.org/
Also proof Merck lied about them http://i.imgur.com/qKSEtK5.png

With all due respect, I work in clinical research and that screenshot you presented is not particularly convincing. In fact, adverse sexual outcomes look pretty similar in the placebo and treatment groups. When I have had low libido or ED in the past, it has been due to nerves or stress.

 

[eenrak]

Pfs might or might not be real, who knows. Statistically speaking and when taking psychosomatic effects into consideration it is so freaking unlikely. The more likely event is that you get no sides at all, and your hair will flourish. Side effects, however, can be real but once again unlikely.
There are always people who will discourage you from taking any kind of modern medicine. Just look at the growing amount of people not getting their children vaccinated..

 

[Notcoolanymore]

This dude is going around and giving negative rep to anybody who recommends finasteride. He gave me negative rep on a post that was over a month old calling me a shill. Good thing he a "red bar" so his ratings mean nothing, just like they should. His only contribution to the forum are anti finasteride posts. This isn't propeciahelp or slybaldguys, guys come here to learn about growing hair. If you don't recommend finasteride what do you recommend to stop hair loss?

 

[dreamermerlin]

This dude is going around and giving negative rep to anybody who recommends finasteride. He gave me negative rep on a post that was over a month old calling me a shill. Good thing he a "red bar" so his ratings mean nothing, just like they should. His only contribution to the forum are anti finasteride posts. This isn't propeciahelp or slybaldguys, guys come here to learn about growing hair. If you don't recommend finasteride what do you recommend to stop hair loss?

May be Diffuser44 reloaded...

 

[a_smith93]

Thanks for the help everyone. I am going to try finasteride, will probably get some bloodwork done first. My main concern is that I will be so worked up/paranoid about the possibility of sides that I will find them even if they aren't there.

- - - Updated - - -

Here are some pictures by the way. I've definitely been shedding a bit from the minoxidil. The right temple looks awful :/ It was hard to take these photos but hopefully they will be encouragement in the future. As you can tell, I have a naturally high hairline and recession/thinning at the temples.



- - - Updated - - -

Hey guys, I have added pics above. Apologies in advance for the quality

 

[booghi]

I have pretty much the same situation as yours. I have thick black hair, usually short but curly when grows. 23 years old and mostly afraid of receding hair on temples!
I'm on Propecia since December I think, like you I was paranoid and always waiting for side effects lol. But then my finals started and then some other stuff and I totally stopped thinking/worrying about side effects till now. I have been taking it and had no side effects, but it really haven't had any effect in helping stopping my receding hairline neither!(I guess) I hope I get the result after a year or so...nothing so far. I wonder if it's because of the website I buy it from......but anyways, just go ahead and take it bro.

 

[zzzzz]

With all due respect, I work in clinical research and that screenshot you presented is not particularly convincing. In fact, adverse sexual outcomes look pretty similar in the placebo and treatment groups. When I have had low libido or ED in the past, it has been due to nerves or stress.

yes, I pointed out to him that placebo group was exactly the same yet he continues to post it. He can't even read studies correctly

 

[Mikazz]

yes, I pointed out to him that placebo group was exactly the same yet he continues to post it. He can't even read studies correctly

I personnaly believe that most people will at least get a small sexual side effect from finasteride. It may be small enough to not be percieve.

DHT modulate Nitric Oxide (NO). Less DHT = Less NO.

And NO is an actor in the erectile fonction. This is how v**** works: it stimulate NO production.

For the rest of it, it is about how your body will adapt to this change of environement.

 

[g31]

But if you get ED or low libido, should you stop immediately? Or maybe your body could get used to the side effects?

 

[Bhiwani]

Dear Smith,

First of all get rid (at least try to get rid) of stress in your life. get good head/hair massage by applying coconut oil mixed with aamla oil (indian gooseberry) let it soak for 3 to 4 hours then wash. repeat this once a week.

 

[Mikazz]

But if you get ED or low libido, should you stop immediately? Or maybe your body could get used to the side effects?

You don't want to mess to much with it. You may want to wait a little bit, but listen to your body. If you feel it harms you, you should stop.

If you have trouble with libido and ED, you can use MACA. It's the most scientificaly proven natural supplement to boost libido and helps with ED. But DONT use it to patch finasteride sides, it will only hide your problems.

 

[dutchdude]

With all due respect, I work in clinical research and that screenshot you presented is not particularly convincing. In fact, adverse sexual outcomes look pretty similar in the placebo and treatment groups. When I have had low libido or ED in the past, it has been due to nerves or stress.

So you "work in clinical research" and your only criticism is it "looks pretty similar to the placebo group." You do realize your experience has nothing to do with the study's results, don't you?

You need to actually pay attention to context. The screengrab brought your attention to "discontinuation due to Adverse Events" A Finasteride patient was still suffering from impotence even 6 months after quitting the drug. That does not "look pretty similar to the placebo group."

- - - Updated - - -

yes, I pointed out to him that placebo group was exactly the same yet he continues to post it. He can't even read studies correctly

No, the Placebo group was not "exactly the same."

If the placebo group was exactly "exactly the same" how many men in the Placebo group had developed impotence on drug and was still present 5+ months after discontinuation?