Dutasteride Sides - Looking For Some Advice

[Greg Winter]

I started finasteride when I was 22 after noticing I was losing hair in my crown. It definitely helped me maintain what I have (in combination with minoxidil and Nizoral), but I started losing progress and switched over to dutasteride (0.5 mg per day) back in October 2018. By January 2019, I noticed very sensitive (and puffy) nipples (bordering on gyno), and some ball ache, but kept taking the dutasteride, hoping the sides would disappear.

By February, I started having some issues maintaining erections, my libido drastically dropped, and I was no longer getting morning wood. I have completely stopped dutasteride and recently went to get some blood tests done. This is what they found:

Prolactin: 17.2 ng/mL (normal range is 4.0-15.2)
Estradiol: 57.2 pg/mL (normal range is 7.6-42.6)
Dihydrotestosterone: 5.5 ng/dL (normal range is 30-85)

My testosterone levels were fine. I met today with a hair transplant surgeon and told him my concerns around dutasteride. He suggested if I were to get a transplant (and stay off dutasteride/propecia), I'd likely need at least 1-2 more transplants to keep my hair looking normal.

I was wondering if others in this group had thoughts on dutasteride/propecia alternatives? Maybe once my bloods get back to normal, I could try propecia at a lower dose and keep getting regular blood work done to make sure nothing gets out of whack. Happy to hear other's thoughts, and appreciate the help!

 

[shidoin]

I started finasteride when I was 22 after noticing I was losing hair in my crown. It definitely helped me maintain what I have (in combination with minoxidil and Nizoral), but I started losing progress and switched over to dutasteride (0.5 mg per day) back in October 2018. By January 2019, I noticed very sensitive (and puffy) nipples (bordering on gyno), and some ball ache, but kept taking the dutasteride, hoping the sides would disappear.

By February, I started having some issues maintaining erections, my libido drastically dropped, and I was no longer getting morning wood. I have completely stopped dutasteride and recently went to get some blood tests done. This is what they found:

Prolactin: 17.2 ng/mL (normal range is 4.0-15.2)
Estradiol: 57.2 pg/mL (normal range is 7.6-42.6)
Dihydrotestosterone: 5.5 ng/dL (normal range is 30-85)

My testosterone levels were fine. I met today with a hair transplant surgeon and told him my concerns around dutasteride. He suggested if I were to get a transplant (and stay off dutasteride/propecia), I'd likely need at least 1-2 more transplants to keep my hair looking normal.

I was wondering if others in this group had thoughts on dutasteride/propecia alternatives? Maybe once my bloods get back to normal, I could try propecia at a lower dose and keep getting regular blood work done to make sure nothing gets out of whack. Happy to hear other's thoughts, and appreciate the help!

You can take arimidex or aromasin eod to stop the sides. Puffy nipples is not gyno. Gyno is a hard lump. Most likely your having some water retention. By taking finasteride/dutasteride according to a transplant surgeon for a year or more prior to surgery will help with shock loss that can be permanent

 

[Greg Winter]

Thanks, going to talk to endocrinologist about an aromatase inhibitor. Once my bloods get back to normal, I'd like to get back on finasteride but maybe at a smaller dose (0.5mg a day maybe)?

 

[shidoin]

Thanks, going to talk to endocrinologist about an aromatase inhibitor. Once my bloods get back to normal, I'd like to get back on finasteride but maybe at a smaller dose (0.5mg a day maybe)?

Your being paranoid by reading these forums! Your only hope to save your hair is 5ar inhibitors. You have bloodwork Before starting? Whose to say you weren't way off before starting the drugs. You have no baseline. Just man up and take it! If your waiting for a miracle cure it's not going to happen.