Jimjams's Story - 32yo - UPDATED 17.11.11 - New to dutasteride

[jimjams]

Re: Jimjams's Story - ( Big 3 - up down UP.... then down again

Update

Hair continues to fallout, althought I must admit it is hard to see if its getting worse.... but it certainly feels that way. Somedays it feels and looks worse than others. Also, I think nizoral is bad on the hair, it goes very frizzy and the quality goes down hill.

Anyway, here are my latest pics. Hair is a little longer.

Current regime:

1mg Propecia per day
minoxidil on hair line once per day (head held back so drips across whole head
Nizoral twice a week
Loreal Mens thickening shampoo all other times

I am contemplating trying finasteride gel which you apply. I think it is time to try additional options. Then again, it still may stop falling out. I know these things can take quite a while. Stupidly for the first 6 mths I did not do it all seriously and was very sporadic. I have now maintained full consistancy for around 6mths.

 

[rotsen182]

Re: Jimjams's Story - ( Big 3 - up down UP.... then down again

good recovery congrats.. i think lately its been up up and away....

 

[jimjams]

Re: Jimjams's Story - ( Big 3 - up down UP.... then down again

looks good..... if i where you id add spironolactone or ru58841 , other then that its looks good

Thanks Irish and Rotsen.

Irish, what are the benefits of Spyro? I have read your story a couple times. I find the RU a very interesting prospect, especially seeing as how it maintained your hair in a big way but as soon as you ran out your hair basically fell out in a big way. Because it is not easily available and the chances of running out are quite likely I think I will wait on that one. But certainly I will look into Spyro.

 

[jimjams]

Re: Jimjams's Story - ( Big 3 - up down UP.... then down again

OK, well it has been nearly a year, so thought I would give an update on progress. For me, this is an up and down game but considering how bad I felt back in 2008 I don't think I can complain.

So, what's changed. Well I stopped taking Propecia and swapped for a generic finasteride from Dr Richard lees website, I am also using 2% ket (again Dr Lees) instead of the 1% nizoral, I have dropped the loreal as it was terrible on the hair and now just use normal thickening shampoos.

As you can see, I have dropped the minoxidil, I had moved from foam to liquid 5% but when looking at pictures my face looked swollen, so I did some research and I think it was water retention from the minoxidil. So, I am using Spyro instead now in the places where it is thinning, again Dr Lee's stuff so is non smelly.

How is progress going? Well there has been no regrowth, and I think I have slightly receded in the left temple, I will post some recent pics. Overall though, I go through days where the quality of hair is terrible, but to be honest I think everyone has bad hair days. Other than the left temple, I think I would be happy.

HOWEVER, and I keep thinking this lately. Is it possible that I am growing some hair back on the left temple, which makes it look thinner? Silly thing to say, but I am thinking that some hair is growing in front which gives it that more see through look, as looking at pics it is hard to see a difference, but it def looks more dense with hair down.

Where the hell is this bloody cure, 2011 and barely any progress in the last decade.... we can land on the moon, we can swap hearts and we can turn men into women.... but you can't work out how to stop losing hair! grrr.

Let me know your thoughts anyway, holding ground?

 

[jimjams]

Re: Jimjams's Story - 32yo - UPDATED 26.02.11

Quick update-

Am shedding pretty badly at the moment, every single time I wash my hair I am seeing about 20 - 30 hairs left in the bath. Hair is becoming harder to style to hide the left temple, when putting the hair up it looks pretty see through.

 

[irishpride86]

Re: Jimjams's Story - 32yo - UPDATED 26.02.11

yah, dont drop the rogaine.... stay on it, and finasteride, and spironolactone is a good add...

 

[jimjams]

Re: Jimjams's Story - 32yo - UPDATED 26.02.11

yah, dont drop the rogaine.... stay on it, and finasteride, and spironolactone is a good add...

Can't stay on the rogaine, water retention caused a very swollen face

 

[jimjams]

Re: Jimjams's Story - 32yo - UPDATED 26.02.11

Update:

Due to the closure of Dr lee's site I have now moved onto Finpecia, no longer using minoxidil but still using spyro and 2% nizoral from inhouse.

I have now decided to grow my hair longer as cutting it short was becoming difficult to style due to the left temple, the hairline is gradually receding back and quite quickly I might add. Basically, I can see my hairloss is going the same route as my dad's and full frontal hairloss is inevitable. Saying that though, my crown area is really starting to feel thin too so I think this upward hill battle is starting to be lost, although I did have a good run for a while there.

Really hoping some of these new potentials come up with something soon such as Bimatoprost, sounds promising.

Much love, a deflated Jim Jams.

 

[pawelg]

Re: Jimjams's Story - 32yo - UPDATED 26.02.11

Update:

Due to the closure of Dr lee's site I have now moved onto Finpecia, no longer using minoxidil but still using spyro and 2% nizoral from inhouse.

I have now decided to grow my hair longer as cutting it short was becoming difficult to style due to the left temple, the hairline is gradually receding back and quite quickly I might add. Basically, I can see my hairloss is going the same route as my dad's and full frontal hairloss is inevitable. Saying that though, my crown area is really starting to feel thin too so I think this upward hill battle is starting to be lost, although I did have a good run for a while there.

Really hoping some of these new potentials come up with something soon such as Bimatoprost, sounds promising.

Much love, a deflated Jim Jams.

dude, you got some nice hair going. but i really would not recommend dropping min. if youre reacting negatively, try another brand or something, but in the long run im pretty sure you cant do without the big 2. it would be a damn shame to let all that hair go

 

[jimjams]

Re: Jimjams's Story - 32yo - UPDATED 26.02.11

dude, you got some nice hair going. but i really would not recommend dropping min. if youre reacting negatively, try another brand or something, but in the long run im pretty sure you cant do without the big 2. it would be a damn shame to let all that hair go

Thanks for the feedback pawelg.

What other brands can I try? I hear some people mention kirkland... would it not have the same effect? I was not aware there was a workaround for water retention.

 

[pawelg]

Re: Jimjams's Story - 32yo - UPDATED 26.02.11

dude, you got some nice hair going. but i really would not recommend dropping min. if youre reacting negatively, try another brand or something, but in the long run im pretty sure you cant do without the big 2. it would be a damn shame to let all that hair go

Thanks for the feedback pawelg.

What other brands can I try? I hear some people mention kirkland... would it not have the same effect? I was not aware there was a workaround for water retention.

hmm thats a tough one. im not a big expert when it comes to min because i never had any sides from it, no matter whether it was foam or liquid, no matter which brand. but i have read on this forum, that there are different brands that contain different ingredients (apart from minoxidil of course), so that you can circumvent certain allergic reactions. maybe some of our fellow posters have a better knowledge of that. do you know what exactly causes the water retention? im sorry if its been mentioned already.
i heard good things of nanominox. they seem to use a different vehicle that also dries up in 10 minutes leaving no traces behind. but of course its alot more expensive.

 

[jimjams]

Re: Jimjams's Story - 32yo - UPDATED 26.02.11

Quick update:

I have now been taking Duprost (dutasteride) since about May, taking 0.5 every day, can't say I have noticed a massive difference although a couple weeks ago a girl commented on how lovely and thick my hair is. However I am dont think that is the case, in fact look at the pictures and see for yourself. Although my hair is significantly shorter it is hard to say what is normal now.

Current regime

-0.5g dutasteride everyday
-minoxidil on temples every now and then
-Nizoral every other day

Trying to grow my hair longer makes it look worse so i try keep it short, feels and looks thicker despite the pictures. However, under certain lights I can see my scalp and I hate it!

Currently I am going through a phase where my scalp always feels itchy and hairloss in the bath looks terrible, possibly about 80 - 100 hairs. I think it maybe a shedding phase, is it common to shed whilst on meds? I get the feeling it does grow back but presently I think I am right in the middle of a major shed, or at the end of as itching is subsiding.

Any views appreciated

 

[Thickerhairplz]

Re: Jimjams's Story - 32yo - UPDATED 26.02.11

Lookin at the pic your hair may have thinned a little bit. Possibly because you have dropped the minoxidil.

 

[jimjams]

Hi all,

Figured it was time to give you all an update as it has been around 10 months since the last one. In the last year I think I have been a bit more slap happy with my meds, I sometimes take 0.5 dutasteride and 1mg of finasteride together and other days I will just take finasteride and then sometimes just cut. I wash my hair more often with Nizoral and this originally felt like it was destroying my hair, felt like hay. Anyway, I started mixing between nizoral and Head and Shoulders for men and this has hugely helped. My head feels less itchy and actually my hair feels better and being honest looks a bit better. I have attached some pictures for you to assess, taken under a harsh flash. Considering I started this thread nearly 4 years ago I don't think I can complain, I hate to tempt fate but I think I have mostly maintained with just a little loss.

It is all very hard to work out really, some days it feels and looks better and other days it looks like cr*p! Hey ho, the cure is near.

Look forward to hearing from you good people.

 

[Night]

Looks good man, keep it up.

 

[Oriol]

I think you've definately improved. How much nizoral and minoxidil are you using now? Keep it up.

 

[jimjams]

Thanks for the feedback all.

Oriol, I only use finasteride and no minix, that stuff gave me severe water retention! I now take 1x fincar and 1x dutas, I wash my hair every other night with Nizoral. However, some days I just take 1 x fincar OR 1 x dutas as taking both everyday feels like overkill.

 

[jimjams]

Going through an epic shed, I think maybe I overdone the Nizoral and started taking finasteride more over dutasteride... also tried some spirol but that just makes my hair turn to ****. Any other options? I am getting on this Cetrizine bandwagon, will see what comes of that.

 

[jimjams]

So it has been a while since my last update, current regime:

1 x dutasteride every other day
1 x finasteride every other day (swap between the two basically)
1 x msm per day
1 x cod liver oil every day
1 x magnesium every other day
1 x zinc every other day

The result, well started losing my hair in 2007, took action in 2008 and has been a roller coaster... but although I still shed daily it is not all bad but still a little see through in areas. Let me know what you think.

 

[VarunS]

Looks really good! Can barely tell.