Finasteride & Liver Enzymes (Alkaline Phosphatase)....

junior_senior · Aug 18, 2004

Alright, so i went to see my family doctor to get a regular checkup; I inquired about finasteride and all that jazz while I was at it. My doctor told me he wouldn't prescribe propecia without getting my liver and kidneys checked first. So I went and got a blood and urine test. The tests revealed that one of my liver enzymes (Alkaline Phosphatase) is irregularly high, and that he wouldn't put me on finasteride unless we find out why it was so high. (which sucks for me, cause i just wanna get on the pill already).

I'm a university student, and this is my summer off, so I drink alot with my friends. Alcohol was one of our predictions for the enzyme being high.

Another prediction, however, was from this "hair root supplement" that im taking. It consists of: Silica 75mg, Fo-ti 150mg, kelp 150mg, nettle 115mg, and SAW PALMETTO 10mg. I've been on this supplement for 3 years now, and it i supposedly supposed to inhibit DHT. (I've taken it in accompanyment with a hair root formula, and shampoo and conditioner). I think over the years, it has greatly slowed my hairloss, but it is not a permanent solution. Thus i've been looking into Finasteride....but now i cant get it (yet?).

I'm located in canada (if that changes anything as far as medical procedures go and doctors prescribing stuff). But has anyone been turned down for finasteride from their doctors? Has everyone here taken liver and kidney tests before commencing on the drug?

Anyone ever taken saw palmetto and their liver enzymes f*** up??

Anyone??

asolof · Aug 18, 2004

Under contradindications and precautions it says "Caution if liver function abnormalilties because it is extensively metabolized in the liver".

I think many doctors would prescribe it without doing the tests, but considering how long you plan to take it (your entire life) maybe it's not such a bad idea to find out beforehand whether or not there is a problem.

Perhaps you should stop drinking liver poison?

I hope the cause for your liver enzymes elevation is not serious.

asolof · Aug 18, 2004

By the way, alkaline phosphatase can be elevated by both liver and bone disease. Your doctor can order more tests to determine which is causing the elevation.

You say you are a university student. If you are an adolescent and are still growing, your alkaline phosphatase level may be normally elevated. Sometimes the laboratories group the normal values into age groups that end up giving spurious results.

For example, if you are still growing late into adolescence, but the laboratory has grouped your age group's "normal results" with a majority of people who are no longer growing, your personal alkaline phosphatase value would appropriately be higher than that of the group as a whole.

junior_senior · Aug 19, 2004

Has anyone taking finasteride over a a substantial period of time taken a blood test and found their alkaline phosphatase enzymes were too high?

Anybody who's been on finasteride for a long period of time experience any liver/kidney problems??

let me know...