dutasteride and finasteride together

[TimEurope]

Hi!

I'd like to continue with finasteride (1-1.25mg/day), because my doctor said that some studies show that dutasteride isn't as good as finasteride. I don't take comment on that Doctor's opinion, but I'd like to ask following:

- If I continue with finasteride and start taking dutasteride once a week (0.5mg/week), do I take any risk or does it benefit me anyhow?
- How about the metabolism? Does finasteride and dutasteride together affect to each other somehow (in serum rising to dangerous level)?

Sincerely,

Tim from Europe
(Sorry my english...

 

[eddy2oo6]

I cannot answer your question, but I can say that I switched from finasteride 1mg to dutasteride 0.5mg.
After about 1,5 months because of a terrible shedding I went back on finasteride 1mg continuing dutasteride 0.5mg.
This went on for more than 2 weeks and at the same time I added topical antiandrogens.
Shedding decreased in these 2 weeks, so I left finasteride definitely.
I know directly of a guy who went on both finasteride and dutasteride full dose for 3 or 4 months whith (he says) no side effects. Anyway, I wouldn't swear about the "no side"...

By the way, which studies does your doctor refers for the "dutasteride isn't as good as finasteride"?
My last reference is Duta trials Phase II which states that 0.5mg dutasteride is superior to 5mg finasteride.

Personally, I wouldn't go on finasteride daily and dutasteride weekly.

 

[CCS]

I read a clinical study on 4 doses of dutasteride vs 5 mg of finasteride. I don't know if it was a second study done by someone else, or if it was the actualy phase II study whose details I had not seen before. dutasteride 0.1 mg grows as much hair everywhere as finasteride 5mg. higher doses of dutasteride grow more hair on the top and vertex than finasteride 5mg, but they grow less in the temples. Many people on this forum have noticed this themself, but others said that dutasteride grows more on the sides, which makes the temples look thinner by comparison. However, in the studies, they actually counted hairs and I would assume they measured the width, so this illusion would not apply to the study. It makes no since to me why higher doses of dutasteride would grow less hair in the temples, but I saw the raw numbers. Another user on this site said that while on dutasteride he regrew more hair on the vertex and top, but that eventually this spread to the front. dutasteride 2.5mg/day grows about 1.6 times as much hair as finasteride 5mg, which grows 1/0.83 times as much hair as finasteride 1mg. I don't know if that is on the top or over the whole head.

Taking both will of course grow more hair, though probably only 5% more. You have to take 5 times as much to get a 20% increase.

As for side effects, they should increase. Almost every person should get side effects from a low enough amount of DHT. I take that back, some might not, since some people are insensitive to androges. Your genetics will determine the minimum serum DHT concentration you need to avoid side effects. Your dutasteride and finasteride dose will determine your serum DHT concentration. 95% of men can handle a 90% serum DHT reduction without sides. If you can get down to 99% reduction, your genetics will decide. I doubt 1mg finasteride with 0.5 mg dutasteride will give you sides if the dutasteride or even the finasteride by itself did not.

 

[fallenfeather]

Very informative post there by collegechemistrystude.

 

[TimEurope]

Thanks to both of you.

I'd like to take both of drugs only for about 6-12 months. I'm a bit afraid that If I change to dutasteride too quickly (and leave finasteride totally) I will lose some hair at the start (6 month or so...).

Maybe it takes some time for dutasteride to work properly (as starting to use finast.)?

Hard to find the middle way all by myself. I was prescriped dutasteride (1/4 of 0.5mg per day).

(to "fallenfeather": I don't know what study did my doctor refer to)

 

[Jacky81]

In my opinion it makes no sence taking finasteride and dutasteride together. It is a waste of money! dutasteride does everything that finasteride does and even more.

 

[Shielded]

I've been using Dutasteride for around 6 months or so and I've noticed that my hair has become really really thick but it is not doing anything to grow new hair. I have recently started a regmin of:

0.5mg Dutasteride every other day
0.5mg-1mg Finasteride every day
5% Minoxidil twice a day

Finasteride is supposed to ruin your sex drive and your dick, but I've been using Dutasteride for 6 months or so and the stuff seems to make me more frisky so hopefully the dutasteride will counter the way finasteride hurts the drive for a nice little balance?

Btw, I decided to start taking both because Dutasteride is supposed to inhibit both DHT Type 1 and Type 2, but it has been concluded that it mainly inhibits DHT Type 2, whereas finasteride only inhibits DHT Type 1. If this statement is wrong, I can tell you that if Dutasteride only makes me MORE horney, it is certainly not doing its job properly lol.

 

[Thinning]

My take on the whole finasteride to dutasteride thing is that people switching are not "preloading" the dutasteride. dutasteride takes a while to build up in your system, so your blood DHT will surge for the first month you are switching to it, leading to a big shed or temple recession. If you preload the dutasteride ( i.e. taking 2.5mg ED for 7 days ) you should get your blood DHT down to finasteride type levels within the first 3-4 days. That should prevent the dreaded dutasteride shed.

It even makes sense to run the 1mg finasteride that whole pre-load weak to avoid the spike, or if you want to avoid the preload, just run 1mg finasteride for the first month you are on dutasteride, then stop the finasteride.

 

[Bryan]

My take on the whole finasteride to dutasteride thing is that people switching are not "preloading" the dutasteride. dutasteride takes a while to build up in your system, so your blood DHT will surge for the first month you are switching to it, leading to a big shed or temple recession.

There is no "surge" in blood DHT for the first month of using dutasteride. I have absolutely no idea where you got that idea.

If you preload the dutasteride ( i.e. taking 2.5mg ED for 7 days ) you should get your blood DHT down to finasteride type levels within the first 3-4 days.

Nope. You should be at finasteride type levels within just a couple days or so (three days, max) of taking dutasteride at the STANDARD DOSE of 0.5 mg/day.

It even makes sense to run the 1mg finasteride that whole pre-load weak to avoid the spike...

THERE IS NO EFFING "SPIKE". You need to start reading some of the published dutasteride studies.

Bryan

 

[Thinning]

There is no "surge" in blood DHT for the first month of using dutasteride. I have absolutely no idea where you got that idea.

From the DHT blood chart in the studies. Blood DHT evels do not normalize on dutasteride for 30 days. So if you drop the finasteride, your blood DHT levels will surge.

Nope. You should be at finasteride type levels within just a couple days or so (three days, max) of taking dutasteride at the STANDARD DOSE of 0.5 mg/day.

Wrong. See above. 30 days. See the study.

THERE IS NO EFFING "SPIKE". You need to start reading some of the published dutasteride studies.

Bryan

I think you should.

 

[Bryan]

Thinning, you're wrong on every count. Do some research, man.

Bryan