Aplunk shedding post-dutasteride(with pics)?

[Guest]

Aplunk asked me to post this for him after numerous attempts because his internet is shaky or whatever. So I'm making this post for him, in his words:

Hi all,
I snapped these pictures after I got back from running. I'm almost 6 months into Proscar, having switched from Dutasteride, which I was on for 14 months. Before that, I was on Propecia for 10 months.

I'm on Rogaine foam and Proscar now. And I've said this a million times... I've SWITCHED from Avodart to Proscar because of COST. Period. No questions. Avodart was great... I wrote long, detailed posts about it. But it was expensive. Please don't ask why I switched.

Have a look at these pics. Tell me if you think I've lost density. I've noticed considerable and increased shedding lately. It may have been stress from finals, or from my weight loss. In any case, just tell me what you think.

Current Pictures (About 6 months on Proscar):

http://img501.imageshack.us/img501/4200/img2927yb9.jpg

http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/1714/img2928ru2.jpg

http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/2301/img2929cu5.jpg

http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/4549/img2930od4.jpg

http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/1904/img2931rx1.jpg

http://img501.imageshack.us/img501/7210/img2932no3.jpg

http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/1821/img2933am9.jpg

http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/9865/img2934nj2.jpg

Pics on dutasteride (roughly 10/14 Months -- I am using these ones because they're about the same length, hair-wise, as the ones above):

http://www.hairlosshelp.com/websites/ga ... lery24.cfm

 

[youngbaldie]

Yes, there is noticeable shedding in the crown area. If dutasteride was working for you, I would get back on that as soon as possible.

Good luck to you whatever your decision.

 

[Guest]

gotta echo young baldie. i see some diffusion going on now across the top of th escalp headed back toward the crown.

i know taht avodart is expensive, but man, honestly, if you can't afford it, you can;'t. but if there's any way that you can, cutting costs, eating beans and rice till you finish school, find a way to get back on it if at all possible.,

 

[vipergts]

Aplunk, are you still on the topical spironolactone? Any benefits of using it at all? The 5 percent is a pain to apply.

 

[barcafan]

crown looks pretty blasted.

 

[Sean68]

maybe. or it could be the way the lights shining on it but you know your own hair and if you think youve lost some then youre probably right but
still looks pretty thick to me.

 

[Aplunk1]

Thank you, again, Jayman, for posting on my behalf.

I wrote a long post yesterday, but it must not have sent. I appreciate all of your suggestions and comments.

After taking a break and just re-examining these photos, I feel that I'm:

1) Undergoing a shed of some sort, most likely a post-dutasteride one.

2) My results are dwindling, and male pattern baldness is taking its natural course.

I'd like to believe it's the first one, but I've never felt finasteride to be adequate for me. Jayman, I'd really like to get on Avodart, but I can't even afford health insurance, much less afford repairs on my car, rent, or even a decent supply of food. Genuine Avodart may be out of the question. However, I might be able to take Dutas 2-3x per week. Do you think that might boost my results? Should I continue taking Proscar with it?

I figure that I'd likely ween into Dutas, in combination with Proscar, for the first few weeks... Likely, I would take 2 capsules of Dutas weekly, and finish up the remainder of my Proscar, eventually dropping finasteride completely.

I do feel that I'm miniaturizing, and I DO feel that I've shed quite a bit. However, any shedding (visually) is amplified by the length of the hair, at least, such is the case with me. I think that, when my hair reaches this length, that the shedding may just be more obvious. I'm just rambling...

 

[Aplunk1]

Aplunk, are you still on the topical spironolactone? Any benefits of using it at all? The 5 percent is a pain to apply.

Sorry brother, I'm not on spironolactone 2% or 5% anymore. The 5% is a hassle, but it really does the job. I might consider getting back on that.

 

[Guest]

Yo, sry to say it, but your hair has gotten worse, hairline appears to be the same, but you have definetly gotten thinner on top of your head, most visible at the crown.

 

[CCS]

dutasteride sheds are more gradual then finasteride sheds because of the half life, so you won't see it all at once.

I do see thinning in the proscar pics, but could not find your dutasteride pics on that page to compare to, so maybe could be the flash.

Avodart every third day is a lot stronger than proscar every day. So that may be the cost effective alternative.

 

[Nick4441]

As dutasteride has long half life you can take it every foew days correct?

So doing it that was it would not cost more than Propecia.

I'm considering switching to dutasteride but I would not take it every day certainly not to start as I would be concerned about sides for a few weeks as my sides with Propecia were high and I had to reduce dose.

 

[IBM]

You're losing track. As i remember your results with dutasteride were great. Make an effort to go back to it.

 

[hair today gone tomorrow]

dutasteride sheds are more gradual then finasteride sheds because of the half life, so you won't see it all at once.

I do see thinning in the proscar pics, but could not find your dutasteride pics on that page to compare to, so maybe could be the flash.

Avodart every third day is a lot stronger than proscar every day. So that may be the cost effective alternative.

i dont think taking avodart 2x a week would be that much stronger than taking PROSCAR everyday...I think the dht inhibition would be somewhat similar. Maybe a littler more inhibition with dutasteride.

 

[Guest]

However, I might be able to take Dutas 2-3x per week. Do you think that might boost my results? Should I continue taking Proscar with it?

nah id just drop the proscar and take dutas 2-3 times a week or EOD if possible. Just get it from inhouse and take it like MWF or whatever.

 

[hair today gone tomorrow]

id prob still take the proscar on the dutasteride off days....just to be sure the dutas isnt fake.

 

[Aplunk1]

I'm still shedding VERY badly. This amount of hairfall is something that I'm not used to seeing. Now, I WISH I could go back to only 20+ hairs daily...

1.5 to 2 months of intense shedding have gone by...

Is there any chance of this shed diminishing shortly? Or will the lack of dutasteride in my system make this shed last a loooong while?


Here are the newest pics from the shed:

http://www.hairlosstalk.com/discussions ... highlight=

The ones in this thread are about a month old, with a long haircut to help mask the thinning.

 

[klink]

Keep us posted.