Hormonal Profile After 8 Months On 0.5mg finasteride Ed

[getting_back]

Hi guys,
as the title says I'm on medication (finasteride 0.5mg ED, Min foam 5% topical 2x1ml ED) for 8 months. For the last 2 months I'm having trouble and therefore searching for advice. All the time I'm sleepy, sometimes dizzy and it simply doesn't feel right. Not sure if this feeling is called brain fog. Long story short, here are the results of my hormone test:

Obviously my test is way too high, but this is not how I feel. Estrogen wasn't tested but this might be my problem.

Any advice is very appreciated.
How did your hormonal profile change while on finasteride? How did you counteract those sides?

Thank you

 

[AnxiousAndy]

Hi guys,
as the title says I'm on medication (finasteride 0.5mg ED, Min foam 5% topical 2x1ml ED) for 8 months. For the last 2 months I'm having trouble and therefore searching for advice. All the time I'm sleepy, sometimes dizzy and it simply doesn't feel right. Not sure if this feeling is called brain fog. Long story short, here are the results of my hormone test:
View attachment 93438
Obviously my test is way too high, but this is not how I feel. Estrogen wasn't tested but this might be my problem.

Any advice is very appreciated.
How did your hormonal profile change while on finasteride? How did you counteract those sides?

Thank you

You got the wrong blood results. You're supposed to get DHT.

 

[Retinoid]

Wow your testosterone is really high and your LH is on the lower end, so your testicles are very efficient. Your SHBG is pretty high too so you will want to test free testosterone as well. Test estradiol and DHT as well and TSH, free T3 and T4. You may just naturally have high testosterone. Finasteride will lower DHT so that less T converts to DHT but only about 5% of T converts. The free testosterone could be normal with the higher SHBG so that you do not really feel the effects of the high testosterone.

 

[getting_back]

Thank you for the detailed answer. Due to serious sides (depression, brain fog...) I'm off of Fina now for 7 weeks. As newer studies showed 5a r has impact on neurosteroids. I think this has hit me hard. I want to do now again a hormonal profile that includes all important parameters.

Do you think 7 weeks is enough time to get my hormones back to normal? Or should I wait longer for my test.

After this I'm thinking about microdosing topical finasteride (0.05% or lower) and hope to get hold of the sides. Another option might be CB.

Which way to go? What do you think about it?

 

[Heinrich Harrer]

Total T doesn’t mean sh*t. Your shbg is elevated. Your free T will be low, which is why you feel like sh*t. Take tests and include free T, TSH, prolactin and e2. Free T is pretty much total T decided by shbg.

 

[getting_back]

Thank you for your input. Never heard of prolactin. Why is this important? Is the list below sufficient for a full hormonal profile? Is Progesteron needed?

 

[Heinrich Harrer]

Thank you for your input. Never heard of prolactin. Why is this important? Is the list below sufficient for a full hormonal profile? Is Progesteron needed?

Yes, all three. Add allopregnanolone too. Mind that DHT value doesn’t mean much either (they are blood values and you can’t know how much is on your scalp etc). Mine was 48 with a 0-90 range before starting finasteride and it was 45 after two months of 1mg/day but I had massive regrowth nonetheless. Prolactin lowers T and does a bunch of other things, affects sleep too (vivid dreams etc). Your LH and FSH are very low to have such T levels, never seen that before on normal folks who don’t take steroids. I’m confused actually.

 

[itchymadscalp]

lol ... you cannot ask whatever you want to a docteur ...
"Please Doctor, a blood test for t3, t4, prolactin, allopregnanolone, dht, ..., and don't forget the coffee". It doesn't work like that. At least in France and Sweden :/

 

[Heinrich Harrer]

lol ... you cannot ask whatever you want to a docteur ...
"Please Doctor, a blood test for t3, t4, prolactin, allopregnanolone, dht, ..., and don't forget the coffee". It doesn't work like that. At least in France and Sweden :/

Well, I think he can and should ask for them but doctors can’t write them all down so he can have them at reduced price. They can only write a certain number, the rest he will have to pay out of his pocket as if he had no insurance. Correct me if I’m wrong.

 

[reyl]

Wow your testosterone is really high and your LH is on the lower end, so your testicles are very efficient. Your SHBG is pretty high too so you will want to test free testosterone as well. Test estradiol and DHT as well and TSH, free T3 and T4. You may just naturally have high testosterone. Finasteride will lower DHT so that less T converts to DHT but only about 5% of T converts. The free testosterone could be normal with the higher SHBG so that you do not really feel the effects of the high testosterone.

Conversion rates vary from what I've seen it's more like 10-15% converts to DHT.

 

[Retinoid]

lol ... you cannot ask whatever you want to a docteur ...
"Please Doctor, a blood test for t3, t4, prolactin, allopregnanolone, dht, ..., and don't forget the coffee". It doesn't work like that. At least in France and Sweden :/

Are you sure? In the US we do it all the time but we have private insurance.

 

[random phone charger]

@Retinoid : You're sooooooo lucky then !

Just a quick question, is there difference between unbranded finasteride? I'm ordering from ForHims because it's a modernized approach to routinely taking a medication while young; don't have time.

 

[itchymadscalp]

@random phone charger : I don't know Forhims.
"Don't have time" ? Time for what ?
Finasteride is finasteride, branded or unbranded. But I don't think I'm qualified to give the best answer.

 

[random phone charger]

@random phone charger : I don't know Forhims.
"Don't have time" ? Time for what ?
Finasteride is finasteride, branded or unbranded. But I don't think I'm qualified to give the best answer.

Time to go into a medical professional office to be accessed for androgenetic alopecia; then prescribed finasteride. I would like to have a recurring order coming straight to my front door, from the likes of my own home.

This message has been proudly brought to you by.
www.forhims.com

Lol

 

[Retinoid]

Time to go into a medical professional office to be accessed for androgenetic alopecia; then prescribed finasteride. I would like to have a recurring order coming straight to my front door, from the likes of my own home.

This message has been proudly brought to you by.
www.forhims.com

Lol

Most people nowadays do not take Propecia (brand name). The active ingredient will be the same in generic vs brand though the fillers and quality of active ingredient will differ.

 

[random phone charger]

Most people nowadays do not take Propecia (brand name). The active ingredient will be the same in generic vs brand though the fillers and quality of active ingredient will differ.

Thanks

 

[Heinrich Harrer]

Why is this dude’s test double the normal range with almost zero fsh and lh? Why why why why.

 

[Trichosan]

If you had the correct other blood values done ,you can calculate your free testosterone here:

http://www.issam.ch/freetesto.htm

How is your libido and EQ?

 

[Trichosan]

Why is this dude’s test double the normal range with almost zero fsh and lh? Why why why why.

Good question. Endogenous T shutting down LH? Then how does T keep being produced?

 

[getting_back]

Why is this dude’s test double the normal range with almost zero fsh and lh? Why why why why.

This is the question... I stopped finasteride almost 2 months ago and want to do a baseline profile soon. I found a labor that can do all checks but not the DHT one. There are no labors around that do DHT. Is this different in your country?