My Big 3++ story...Month 11 update! Coming close to one year

[gh05]

Re: My Big 3 story...Month 6 update!

I hate to say it because of how strongly i feel about my own hair loss but is it time to reconsider taking finasteride? Stomach problems and lower libido...if it were me i would buzz or cut my hair short to hide the thinning and put my health first.

I've never tried finasteride mind because I'm so cautious of the effects that pretty much everyone seems to get. I could swear that even using nizoral 2% has lowered my libido!

 

[WillNotLetItHappen]

Re: My Big 3 story...Month 6 update!

I hate to say it because of how strongly i feel about my own hair loss but is it time to reconsider taking finasteride? Stomach problems and lower libido...if it were me i would buzz or cut my hair short to hide the thinning and put my health first.

I've never tried finasteride mind because I'm so cautious of the effects that pretty much everyone seems to get. I could swear that even using nizoral 2% has lowered my libido!

I can deal with the 0.5mg quite ok. I cannot let my hair go at this point. I hate to say it but it is way too important to me. I have to keep it as long as possible because I know that the effect the drug may have on me is better than the effect of a bald spot could have on me. May be a bad attitude but I'm not ready to let go yet.
Stomach is ok at that, 1mg is just too much for some reason. Libido is another problem but everything works. It is low but has been the past two years.

I'm just not willing to change something that seems to work. I'm just impatient too much I guess. And I want to keep a diary because memories tend to be blurry after a while. I can definitely say I haven't been sides-free. But sides are acceptable if there are any at 0.5mg for me.

Your mind can play tricks on you.

 

[gh05]

Re: My Big 3 story...Month 6 update!

Fair enough. It's just that you said you had a partner - for me, hair loss is much worse because I'm single...I think if I had a partner then I would rather concentrate on why my libido wasn't right. You said it was already low before but suggest that it is even worse now with finasteride. What's the point in looking a certain way if you can't enjoy yourself? Would your partner hate it if your hair was short?

Just the way i think about it. Good luck either way though.

 

[WillNotLetItHappen]

Re: My Big 3 story...Month 6 update!

No I have been single too for the last three months. Doesn't mean that you can have a partner every once in a while.
I don't think most women care about hair as much as we do. And I definitely wouldn't start or stop treatment only for a girlfriend or someone else but me only.

Honestly these questions are hard to answer for me really. I definitely do this for my own self-confidence because my hair always meant a lot to me. I feel better with my hair. And it is the process of letting go that I find hard to accept. I already went past the stage of denial but I'm far away from just accepting it and stopping treatment considering how much success some people on here have. If there is any chance of saving or keeping it, I want to make sure I took it.

finasteride itself is a topic of its own, everybody has to take the decision themselves. People come here with the same questions over and over again because it is indeed difficult. Everybody would love to find an all natural, sides-free treatment that works magically. It just doesn't work that way. If you want to keep your hair finasteride is your first choice, and there are risks with that. That's the way it is - you can do it or not! Both is fine.

I can say that I don't enjoy myself much now, also as far as the ladies are concerned (even though there is plenty of opportunity) - but I don't know if that has much to do with finasteride. Good luck to you too!

 

[WillNotLetItHappen]

Re: My Big 3 story...Month 6 update!

Just when I thought things might work and have been down to 30-40 hairs while shampooing...next days 100+ hairs.

This is the seventh month. Things should be working by now. If anything I think it's worse. There isn't much else I could do than wait and hope things turn around. Haven't really stopped shedding like some people. Just consistently lose 70-80 hairs while showering and now 100+.

Maybe .5mg isn't enough... so frustrating. :shakehead:

 

[gh05]

Re: My Big 3 story...Month 6 update!

hey, well yeah i understand your reasoning and you put it well.

just out of interest how do you manage to count the hairs accurately?? my hair is so fine anyway that i can barely see them if they fall out. Is that how you noticed you were balding in the first place - by seeing loads of hair fall? like is it obvious when you have a shower how much hair you lose?

I've always read not to count hairs and to just check progress by taking pictures because some people just lose more hair than others naturally anyway.

 

[WillNotLetItHappen]

Re: My Big 3 story...Month 6 update!

just out of interest how do you manage to count the hairs accurately?? my hair is so fine anyway that i can barely see them if they fall out. Is that how you noticed you were balding in the first place - by seeing loads of hair fall? like is it obvious when you have a shower how much hair you lose?

I've always read not to count hairs and to just check progress by taking pictures because some people just lose more hair than others naturally anyway.

I catch them in the sink with these little net things - don't know what they're called. I know it is silly and I didn't do this in the beginning. But you know where desperation gets you. I definitely noticed my balding about 2 years ago when I styled my hair in the back after a haircut. Didn't do anything because a dermatologist told me to use Regaine. Stupid.

Then last year I noticed a lot of hair in my hands when I styled it. And a lot when washing them. I went to another dermatologist and well...

Now 6.5ms on Propecia and minoxidil, and my hairline is filling in. My vertex though, I think it is worse. And I must be in the middle of a shed. Losing lots more of hair than lately. I'm kinda desperate. Don't know if I can at least maintain or if it is just going to proceed without the Propecia working. Sucks, I want to post positive things here.

My hair is very thick in diameter so no problem spotting it in the sink. Has always been like that. Miniturized hair is mixed in with normal hair I lose.
Good luck to everyone.

 

[gh05]

Re: My Big 3 story...Month 6 update!

just out of interest how do you manage to count the hairs accurately?? my hair is so fine anyway that i can barely see them if they fall out. Is that how you noticed you were balding in the first place - by seeing loads of hair fall? like is it obvious when you have a shower how much hair you lose?

I've always read not to count hairs and to just check progress by taking pictures because some people just lose more hair than others naturally anyway.

I catch them in the sink with these little net things - don't know what they're called. I know it is silly and I didn't do this in the beginning. But you know where desperation gets you. I definitely noticed my balding about 2 years ago when I styled my hair in the back after a haircut. Didn't do anything because a dermatologist told me to use Regaine. Stupid.

Then last year I noticed a lot of hair in my hands when I styled it. And a lot when washing them. I went to another dermatologist and well...

Now 6.5ms on Propecia and minoxidil, and my hairline is filling in. My vertex though, I think it is worse. And I must be in the middle of a shed. Losing lots more of hair than lately. I'm kinda desperate. Don't know if I can at least maintain or if it is just going to proceed without the Propecia working. Sucks, I want to post positive things here.

My hair is very thick in diameter so no problem spotting it in the sink. Has always been like that. Miniturized hair is mixed in with normal hair I lose.
Good luck to everyone.

where do you get those 'nets' then? I'm actually curious to see how much hair i lose per shower just because my hair shafts are so thin that i have to look closely to see anything.

cheers

 

[WillNotLetItHappen]

Re: My Big 3 story...Month 6 update!

This is what I'm talking about. Sorry English isn't my native language...


Better don't start counting :whistle:
As you've said: it's important what stays on your head not what's in the sink...but well...

 

[Going2beBald?]

Re: My Big 3 story...Month 6 update!

Since you have been on finasteride, have you used 0.5mg / day ? I'm asking because 0.5mg/day is all I can use for next 8 months and if it seems to working for you I hope it will work for me also.

 

[WillNotLetItHappen]

Re: My Big 3 story...Month 7 update!

Since you have been on finasteride, have you used 0.5mg / day ? I'm asking because 0.5mg/day is all I can use for next 8 months and if it seems to working for you I hope it will work for me also.

Yes for the most part I have been on .5mg of finasteride in the last half year. Has it worked for me? I think I have maintained for the most part, maybe slightly lost ground in the back. I think I have also seen some thickening in the front, it is crazy thick and don't think it has been like that before. But I will need to give it more time.

Will it work for you? Statistics say 0.5mg is about 80% as effective as 1mg. Chances are good. But - nobody can speak in absolutes here. It is very subjective, it depends on how aggressive your hairloss is (you are much younger than me) and how sensitive your follicles are to DHT for all I know. I strongly believe it is your best chance to see success (even if it is just maintaining). I will continue to experiment with my dose and hope to someday go up and tolerate 1mg.

Good luck and keep the faith!

 

[WillNotLetItHappen]

Re: My Big 3 story...Month 6 update!

Month 7 completed.

* I've been back to 0.5mg again due to sides and slowly go up to 0.75mg again. Balls ached for a prolonged time when I was at 1mg and continued to do so when I cut back. Now that is gone and I feel very good. My stomach is still upset though. It seems to always be a balancing act for me. But finasteride is my best shot at keeping what I have. And I will not give up.

I'm still very consistent, only experimenting with the dose of finasteride a bit.

My regimen is currently:
finasteride 0.5mg - 0.75mg
minoxidil foam AM
minoxidil liquid PM with a dermaroller.
nizoral 2% and Tea Tree Shampoo alternating
Vit B complex, Fish Oil.

I will add Grape Seed Extract and Curcumin. Why? Because I wanna see some damn results.

* As for results: I definitely see hair along my hairline that wasn't there in years. And I mean years. At least 3-5 years! And it seems to sloooowwly turn black and fill in. My front in general is crazy thick, it must have thickened now. I can pull off Elvis, it's awesome.

* The vertex is my problem area. I'm still freaking out occasionally. There are days where I think it is all disappearing and days like today where I think there is some change. At least I seem to maintain more or less. We will see. I will not post pics.

* Shedding. God damn it. The worst part of it. I seem to be in a shed. Lose 100+ hairs consistently while washing hair lately. Always seem to lose hair. Even in my best days I have lost 30 while shampooing. Never below, most often above it, at a rate of about 70-80. Is it weak hair shafts making room for stronger ones? Or is it my hair just moving out for good. I don't know. Only time will tell. I look at SE Freak's or RSR39's story for motivation. They lost a lot of hair but also improved faster...

* No irritation whatsoever. That's awesome. Good sign I think.

* I work out more again. I feel very good with my training.

Wish me luck. Month 8 to come. :woot:

 

[WillNotLetItHappen]

Re: My Big 3++ story...Month 7 update!

Still shedding heavily. :sobbing: I find hair again everywhere and lose a lot when washing hair.

But - hair looks good lately. No problems covering things up and the front and top is ridiculously thick. It surely hasn't been that thick in years...

 

[maximiliandreams]

Re: My Big 3++ story...Month 7 update!

I wish you luck !

 

[WillNotLetItHappen]

Re: My Big 3++ story...Month 7 update!

I wish you luck !

Thank you!



Still shedding.

 

[Going2beBald?]

Re: My Big 3++ story...Month 7 update!

It's nice to hear you are doing okay. It was such a good news when you said you could see hairs on the area where they haven't been in years that totally gives me a hope with my frontal area

Do you think is there any difference about the applying between foam and liquid, I'm going to buy a 3 month supply of foam tomorrow and planned to buy liquid after a month. I just can't afford both 3month packs at once.

At the moment I'm just afraid that I'm applying foam somehow wrong and it won't go into my scalp on the areas where I have a lot hair :S

 

[dboty]

Re: My Big 3++ story...Month 7 update!

What's crazy (and I'm sure this has been covered before) is that when your hair's dry I don't notice any male pattern baldness. I thought you switched heads there for a second haha. Anyways man gl.

edit: I should also add that I think you're making progress, no reason to give up right?

 

[goingon24]

Re: My Big 3++ story...Month 7 update!

Looking at your pics, your hair is currently similar to mine except my fronts thinning and my backs fairly ok. The hairline is about roughly the same as yours though so I hope I can just restore that and hold on to it.

Im going to be on the same routine as you soon so I can compare my thread with yours to see how we're both doing. Age is 24 so i shouldv started a couple years ago but didn't have the balls to until seeing where my hair was going to end up in afew years.

 

[Chris87]

Re: My Big 3++ story...Month 7 update!

Just curious how has your libido been? I'm 25 and i tried going on finasteride (.5mg) for a month over a year ago but quit due to sexual sides. I've been thinking about trying to go back on it again (generic version this time from inhouse) and riding out the sides if I get any like you did.

 

[WillNotLetItHappen]

Re: My Big 3++ story...Month 7 update!

It's nice to hear you are doing okay. It was such a good news when you said you could see hairs on the area where they haven't been in years that totally gives me a hope with my frontal area

Do you think is there any difference about the applying between foam and liquid, I'm going to buy a 3 month supply of foam tomorrow and planned to buy liquid after a month. I just can't afford both 3month packs at once.

At the moment I'm just afraid that I'm applying foam somehow wrong and it won't go into my scalp on the areas where I have a lot hair :S

Thank you for the kind words! Yes I truly think there is hope for the frontal area too. IMHO it depends on how aggressively you lose it there though. I haven't really lost much in the front but I'm amazed at how much is still coming back and it is moving forward about 1/4 inch or so and thickening in the front. I literally get more hair along the (juvenile) hairline that I lost at maybe 23-24, so 10 years ago. I don't know yet if those hairs will become full terminal hairs but it looks like it at the moment. There will be no temple loss if that hair were to grow terminal :whistle:

I'm not a big fan of the foam. I consider the liquid more important but applying it before work is simply no option so I use the foam. Don't know if it does much for me though. If I had to chose between the two, I'd definitely go for the liquid (Kirkland will do, and that is cheap). Having said that, be prepared to hate using it cause it leaves your hair look really bad for a few hours :woot:

I rub the foam into the scalp on the area I use it. Some of it will stick in your hair but you will notice your scalp to be moist. I don't think you can do it wrong, you'll be fine! Don't overanalyze it, just use it as directed. Good luck!!