Can you cycle finasteride to maintain effectiveness?
- Thread starter eBOW
- Start date
Britannia
Senior Member
- Reaction score
- 3
If I were going to cycle treatments (which I did consider) I would use Finasteride 1mg for 24 months, followed by Dutasteride 0.5mg everyother day for 24 months, followed by a theoretical topical DHT inhibitor for 24 months. After which the cycle would start over, or if HM is available I would opt for that.
chewbaca
Experienced Member
- Reaction score
- 1
cycling? any basis for cycling? I wish to point out that no one knows how one develops propecia tolerance, It may be in 2 ways:-
1) Somehow the body itself develops a dose dependance tolerance for propecia
2) As u know, Propecia blocks only 70% of DHT and the remaining DHT which is left may buld up over time to levels potent enough for male pattern baldness effects revert to default level even though Propecia may still continue to inhibit DHT. And another thing, it is how fast/how much the body eleminates the remaining DHT build up over time which is not blocked by propecia thru other means ( sebum, sweat, Waste discharge) before it gets to the scalp.
I think the 2nd case is more possible because of the research fact which states propecia is not dose dependent. Usually the body develops a tolerance for dose dependent medications making the drug ineffective unless dosage is increased over time.
1) Somehow the body itself develops a dose dependance tolerance for propecia
2) As u know, Propecia blocks only 70% of DHT and the remaining DHT which is left may buld up over time to levels potent enough for male pattern baldness effects revert to default level even though Propecia may still continue to inhibit DHT. And another thing, it is how fast/how much the body eleminates the remaining DHT build up over time which is not blocked by propecia thru other means ( sebum, sweat, Waste discharge) before it gets to the scalp.
I think the 2nd case is more possible because of the research fact which states propecia is not dose dependent. Usually the body develops a tolerance for dose dependent medications making the drug ineffective unless dosage is increased over time.
tomsmith
Established Member
- Reaction score
- 0
So Bryan, If one were to suddenly notice that the good effects that one was experiencing on Propecia quickly seemed to dissipate is there anything that person could do?
Thats the position I'm in - 3 1/2 years on Propecia with just slow recession, very good maintenance. Last month or two my old greasy skin/scalp, and libido have returned. Worse still, my hair is thinning, which I have never experienced until all these things came back.
Is there any point in trying Dutasteride? Is that it? Have my genes dicated that my testosterone/DHT levels will stay this way forever no matter what?
Many thanks.
http://public.fotki.com/tomsmith316/tomsmith/
Thats the position I'm in - 3 1/2 years on Propecia with just slow recession, very good maintenance. Last month or two my old greasy skin/scalp, and libido have returned. Worse still, my hair is thinning, which I have never experienced until all these things came back.
Is there any point in trying Dutasteride? Is that it? Have my genes dicated that my testosterone/DHT levels will stay this way forever no matter what?
Many thanks.
http://public.fotki.com/tomsmith316/tomsmith/
chewbaca
Experienced Member
- Reaction score
- 1
tomsmith said:
It could b a seasonal shed. Let me explain. Before male pattern baldness staed for u, your hair has a shedule that an xxx amnt of hair to shed and xxx amount to keep. so it worked hand in hand to create a head full of hair.
when male pattern baldness started the cycles got messed up. So this natural order of things got messed up too. Whn u start on propecia, u are already starting on a messed up cycle tp coorect your DHT problem. the shed could be due to ther reasons like weather, diet, sickness ect. All this is happening on the messed up cycle which gives the impression if things getting worst
Dave001
Experienced Member
- Reaction score
- 0
damnthis said:
Why? To minimize drug tolerance by allowing androgen receptor sensitivity and enzyme activity in the hair follicles to return to baseline (either partially or fully). There is of course no way to know for sure what the rate of recovery is.
There are also reasons that such an approach could backfire, however. Consistent use (i.e., not cyclical) is the safer approach.
I beg to differ. I've been on finasteride for 7 years now. I had incredible success for six years. Impressive re-growth with perfect maintenance. Derm was impressed. After two years on the drug I'd totally stopped thinking about hairloss and stopped frequenting sites like this. I thought I'd won.
Over the course of the past year, hairloss has spontaneously and AGGRESSIVELY resumed. I'm talking no visible hairloss to noticeable diffuse thinning and destroyed hairline in the space of less than one year. The hairs I lose go from thick and pigmented at the tips to progressively more transparent and thin at the base. My regimen hasn't changed in 7 years changed. I never miss doses. I added Nizoral 2% about six months ago, but loss is stil progressing like crazy. If this isn't tolerance, I don't know what it could be.
Both my Derm and HairLossTalk.com member "Weepy" have some extremely interesting theories on androgen receptor upregulation that I won't butcher here, so Weepy, if you read this, please explain the pharmacogenics behind finasteride tolerance.
Take it from me, tolerance is very real.