Ateam505 Story -(22 / Diffuse Thinning -PICS!)

[ateam505]

Hello All,

I am 22, turning 23 in May. I have been been noticing my hair loss since about late 2006, at age 20 and it more than likely started a bit before that. I once had extremely thick hair but over the past couple of years it has been thinning and receding.

I have thinning actually all over my head. I feel that it isn't DUPA but my hair is overall thinning. I have pretty good recession in the temples, thinning on the top and some thinning in the crown. I've been able to see through the crown for a while but I always wanted to believe it was just a cowlick...now I'm pretty convinced it is thinning. I also have some thinning in the sides. I never used to be able to see through my scalp until about september last year but now I can pretty much always see through my scalp, especially if I am under lights it's very bad.

I normally don't let my physical appearance bother me too much but I have an extremely odd shaped head - although there is probably nothing I can say to prove that to you all. I have a cone head with a giant dent at the top.

As far as genetics are concerned my Dad is 56 and is a thick Norwood 2.5. My Mother's side however is a different story - her father was a complete Norwood 7 and even my Mom has thinning hair...obviously I got hair loss genes from this doomed side of the family.

I've definitely let my hair loss bother me for quite some time now - the last two years and it has been bothering me even more of late. Finally, a couple weeks back I said screw this I need to do something. I setup a doctors appointment, which I had today and I was prescribed propecia.

I've definitely done my research on hair loss over the last two years so I feel I know my stuff. I want to start just with propecia for now and see how things are doing. Based on that I may decide to throw in Nizarol and/or Rogaine.

I am going to take my first dose of propecia tomorrow. I am definitely nervous as hell but I am hoping it will all be worth it.

I truly hope to at least maintain and I would love to thicken up a little bit.

I've posted some pictures as my baseline before pictures. I have a bunch more for my purpose but these will work for this thread.

Anyways, please feel free to chip in any last minute advice or comments or to just wish me luck!

 

[ateam505]

Re: Ateam505 Story -(22/Diffuse Thinning -PICS!

Even though no one has responded (I'm not offended or anything!) I'll give an update. This is a site for learning and the more updates people on treatments can give the better for others.

I started taking 1 mg propecia per day last Tuesday 4/14/2009. The first few days I had a major increase in libido and some breast pain. Both have since gone away. On sunday though I felt incredibly weird the whole day. I felt kind of nervous and in pain, I kept grimacing the whole day, my body felt overly sensitive. It felt like a really bad hangover but without the stomach pain. And I learned the meaning of brain fog. The next day most of the pain and sensitivity went away but I still had the brain fog - very badly, I could barely concentrate on simple things at work. Luckily that went away after a couple of hours and I haven't had the dreaded brain fog since. Knock on wood! If that were to keep up I would be considering quitting right now - I would not want to go through that everyday.

I've felt pretty normal since Monday and hopefully everything stays that way.

Overall sexual function is still fine...no problems getting an erection but semen is a little bit more watery.

I have noticed a slight increase in shedding so hopefully that is a good sign.

Anyways I'll wait for a month to pass for my next update.

 

[bjl51]

Re: Ateam505 Story -(22/Diffuse Thinning -PICS!

Hey Ateam505,

I feel your pain with the hair loss. I am in about the same situation that you are in. I am also a diffused thinner with a receding hairline.

I began Propecia and Nizoral 2% shampoo on 04/14/09. I also just started taking Rogaine foam on Monday 04/20.

I wouldn't give up on Propecia yet I think you should try it for at least 2 weeks and see how you feel then you can also try reducing the dose if you are still having side effects.

If you want to check out my story forum here is the name:

Bjl51's Story - ( 25 ) Starting the BIG 3 - BASELINE PICS

You can also check out my profile with pictures the link is below.


Good luck!

 

[ateam505]

Re: Ateam505 Story -(22/Diffuse Thinning -PICS!

Best of luck to you too! I'll definitely keep updated on your progress since we started finasteride on the same day - even though you're on the big three. Frankly I don't want to take the commitment of having to do rogaine and nizoral everyday but also I'd like to see how I respond to just the propecia.

I'm not planning on quitting propecia though, I was just saying if the brain fog/uncomfortable feeling continued every day I would be considering quitting - luckily that has since stopped so I'll definitely keep going.

 

[Jokerman]

Re: Ateam505 Story -(22/Diffuse Thinning -PICS!

Nizoral is very important and you don't have to use it everyday. 3 times a week is enough. Speaking from personal experience and from what I've read, nizoral is essential for regrowth on propecia.

You're hair is just starting to slightly thin so I definitely wouldn't consider minoxidil at this time.

As for the sides, you gotta remember that your DHT levels are going to take a huge hit and your body has to adjust to the changes. You'll probably feel out of whack now and then, but that doesn't mean you won't get better.

 

[BodyDysmorphic]

Re: Ateam505 Story -(22/Diffuse Thinning -PICS!

dont let him scare you

i cant believe he wrote that :thumbdown2: :shakehead:

maybe he wants sympathy or something

i think he will recover and his "shed" hair will come back thicker IMO

cheers mate

 

[king-]

Re: Ateam505 Story -(22/Diffuse Thinning -PICS!

get ready for some shedding THAT MAY NEVER COME BACK .... ive been shedding for 5 months and I now FOR THE FIRST TIME CAN SEE MY SCALP...Before the meds my hair was thick... take a look at my story ... pretty f****ing sad !!!

:thumbdown2:

Ryan

k its official your a f*****g idiot , for telling him that first off finasteride never causes hairloss , its you that wont wait a good 8 months and comes everyday whining and crying , your hair will grow give it time!

with that being said ateam505 goodjob with your regime update us every month

 

[king-]

Re: Ateam505 Story -(22/Diffuse Thinning -PICS!

i'm NOT trying to scare him away i just said get ready for a shed of hair that " MAY" never come back... I went back to my doctor and she said propecia SHOULD NOT make you shed as much as it did on me ... i mean look at my pics "IT'S SCARY" ... 5 months and no sign of stopping or regrowing ? are you kidding me ???? So I admit that i come on this form and whine about my problems but hey " this is a hair loss fourm" that's what its met for in a way .... so I may be, " DUMB" .. I prolly am but one thing is for sure is that im getting OFF the meds and we will see if my hair goes back to baseline ( WHICH WAS MUCH THICKER) ... so I wish this guy luck but if you look at my story its hard to press on and im dropping the meds... if my hair gets even worse ( which it may but then it should get stable since my hair loss WAS NOT THAT BAD before i started)... so i wish this guy luck but for me its is not going to work ... based on my first pic i dont even need the meds anyway ... NOW I DO but the propblem is the meds im trying to take are not helping INFACT they make it so MUCH WORSE ... 5 months and no improvmenet but going backwards to a starge that my hair has never been at... so we'll see i'll update you gusy in 2 months on my hair ( not that you care) ... but I DO WISH THIS GUY LUCK .. and sorry for all the greif i have caused you guys.
Ryan

lol its not that we dont care , or that i got anything against you , its just that your telling him prepare for what i gone through , and thats not the case your not patient anywayssssssssssss if you get of finasteride , goodluck bcz it will be worse dont do ittt

 

[ateam505]

Re: Ateam505 Story -(22/Diffuse Thinning -PICS!

irishpride86 - I have seen your thread and I have seen other situations like you. It's a possibility that I took into consideration before starting propecia. It sucks but it is a real risk and frankly one I'm willing to take. I have heard of other people whose hair was completely destroyed by finasteride but for every one in that scenario I've heard of 20+ who had great results with minimal/no side effects.

Sorry man, I do feel for you and I hope you are just shedding with regrowth in the near future. When I see your pictures I do agree with everyone else that you should hold out and stay on finasteride for at least a whole year but I know that's easier said than done.

 

[ateam505]

Re: Ateam505 Story -(22/Diffuse Thinning -PICS!

Alright, a month has passed by and here is my update.

The breast pain and general uncomfortable feeling is gone, long gone but now...I have sexual side effects. I am having trouble getting and maintaining an erection. No more morning wood, watery semen, no spontaneous erections. I sometimes used to get erections just talking to certain girls - it was quite annoying, maybe I don't have to worry about that anymore.

The sexual side effects and loss of morning wood began about two weeks ago, roughly two weeks into treatment. Since then, a week ago, I did have a random spread of a couple days when I was able to easily get an erection and was getting morning wood.

I'm pretty much considering quitting. I'd like to believe the sexual side effects would just pass me by but I'm wondering if it's even worth it to risk it.

It really sucks because I'm just starting to see a girl and I really want to have sex with her but I'm worried I won't be able to perform...ironic how stuff works out like that!

I have noticed a bit of shedding but nothing major yet.

Have the sexual side effects just passed by for anyone here? They are as bad as I thought they would be. I definitely do not want to sacrifice sexual function for my hair. When it all comes down to it the reason I started propecia was so that I can continue to attract girls in the first place - now I may have nothing to offer them.

I'd appreciate any input, I'm about 90% sure I'm going to quit. It isn't your guys job to convince me not to but if anybody has any input please chime in.

 

[muhu]

Re: Ateam505 Story -(22/Diffuse Thinning -PICS!

am I the only one that thinks the OP is not balding? his crown is really full...

 

[Boondock]

Re: Ateam505 Story -(22/Diffuse Thinning -PICS!

If you're suffering sides, and worried they're going to continue, then quitting is a legitimate option. Since there aren't many side-free and effective internals, your next step is to go for a topical regimen. Perhaps a mixture of minoxidil and some topical anti-DHTs.

 

[ateam505]

Re: Ateam505 Story -(22/Diffuse Thinning -PICS!

Hey all,

Just a quick update...as I said before the more information that's spread here the better.

I quit taking propecia a week and a half ago, Friday, May 15th.

Since then most of my sexual side effects have gone away - I can get and maintain an erection easily upon arousal and they are strong as they were before starting propecia. My semen is still somewhat watery but is thickining up.

However, I still am not getting morning wood nor any random/spontaneous erections during the day. I only get erections if I focus on getting one.

One thing that really sucks is that I have been waking up randomly during the night/early morning at around 5:00 or 6:00 am ever since I stopped getting morning wood (both on and off of propecia). It almost seems like my body is waking me up because something isn't right. This just makes me start to understand the importance of morning wood (excuse the non-technical lingo!) as my body knows something is worng.

I haven't noticed any major change in my hair, no thickening, no thinning. Still shedding as much as I did before propecia.

I know I am still losing my hair and I still do not want to! So, on that note I plan on starting propecia again in the future but at a lower dose or trying some other form of treatment.

I am going to wait until I feel I am completely over my propecia side effects - mostly my morning wood comes back then reconsider.

Anyways you'll probably hear from me sometime in the near future.

 

[ateam505]

Re: Ateam505 Story -(22/Diffuse Thinning -PICS!

im sorry but i would rather have hair than morning wood.

I would have thought the same thing a month or two ago but after doing some research I am starting to get the impression that morning wood, or nocturnal erections are important for penis/sexual health.

I would like to get a little more educated before I restart finasteride but I think the importance of morning wood is along the lines of the old saying "use it or lose it".

The fact that I have been waking up randomly during the night since losing morning wood really makes me believe that they are something that is necessary for proper sexual health.