Need advice on should I still be taking Dutas

[JoeySmith]

I've been taking Dutas (Dr. Reddy) for the past 6 months, along with Eucapil, MSM, and 5% minoxidil. (twice a day). The results have been very good.

Previous to Dutas, I was taking Propecia for a few years, but I was feeling that the Propecia was losing some of its effectiveness and I wanted to give Dutas a try.

The "good" is that my hair appears to be reacting well to the Dutas (especially in the crown and front). The "bad" is the side effects include much more moodiness, frequent urinations, and less libido.

Now, I'm willing to live with these side effects given the results, but I'm very concerned about potentially long-term effects of using this drug. I know this is an under-researched area, but I'd appreciate anyone's opinions who have weighed the pluses and minuses, who have done their own research with regards to potential long-term impacts, and can offer me any advice.

TIA!
Joey

 

[Aplunk1]

Although the long-term effects and efficacy haven't been studied in Dutasteride yet, I have weighed my own personal options in favor of using the medication. As you know, the medication is approved by the FDA, whereby in Phase I trials is was proven safe and effective in humans. I don't believe there will be significant impacts on long-term health. Just like in Finasteride, the side effects will diminish over time or after stopping treatment. Dutasteride is a treatment, not a cure, and I think that all the aforementioned implies that there will be no long-term side effects.

If you're experiencing these side effects, and you are willing to live with them for the sake of keeping your hair, then I think you should definitely stay on Dutasteride and see where it leads you. If the side effects are so bad, there are herbal supplements that can help you with minor headaches and libido problems.

In my experience taking Dutasteride, I always take my medication with a hot cup of Lipton's Green Tea. The antioxidant properties may have some benefits to taking the medication.

I hope this helps.

 

[tomsmith]

"In my experience taking Dutasteride, I always take my medication with a hot cup of Lipton's Green Tea. The antioxidant properties may have some benefits to taking the medication."

Do you mean that as in it could be helping to reduce the possiblility of side-effects?

If that's the case why are so many people (myself included) now drinking green tea as part of treatment if it could be negative? I never drank green tea when my results were best and now I've started I'm wondering if I should stop.

 

[Aplunk1]

I don't mean to sound like an a**h**, but I don't really understand what you're trying to say. Is your regime not working right now? Do you feel that green tea is making anything worse?

In all, green tea improves the overall condition of your body, thus providing for a better environment for any treatment. It's likely that green tea provides extra benefit for the treatment of hairloss as well. But that's just my opinion, and I have no concrete evidence to support this.

As for side effects, I don't believe green tea helps to lessen side effects at all. However, I do know that since I began taking Avodart, I've only taken it with green tea, and so far I haven't experienced ANY side effects.

 

[Jacky81]

Considering green tea: i take every day 0.5 liters in the morninc since 6 month - it did not harm "the rest" of my regime.

 

[Jeff71913]

Side Effects:

I have been taking Avodart for nearly 2 months now after taking Propecia for one year. I have had only two side effects: One-being greatly increased libido and Two-being that I am shedding on the back of my head. My hair is long and with Propecia I had very little shedding in the back. The effects with Avodart seem to be just the opposite, however I suspect and hope this will soon stop. The small hairs at the temples that I deveoloped with Propecia are becoming much longer and darker on Avodart and hair is beginning to develop further out onto my slick receeding temples since using Avodart.

 

[Jeff71913]

follow up:

It has been a few days since my last post concerning the usage of Avodart. I should mention that I had considerable hair growth on my back and shoulders, this hair has now thinned by at least 80% and is almost not even noticeable at this point. Another very interesting development is that large sun-spots that I have on my shoulders, due to intense sunburn many years ago, have greatly faded. Very interesting.

 

[Aplunk1]

I have only been on Avodart for about 1.5 mos, and my hairline has dramatically filled in. I attribute this to some other medications of course, but mostly the Avodart. I'm excited to see the next couple of months.

So your back hair is thinning? Do you have a problem with that, or... ?

I also noticed that my skin on my forhead is a bit thinner, and the acne on my body is clearing up.

 

[Jeff71913]

Body Hair Thinning:

I am very pleased to see any and all body hair thinning. The only hair that I want to keep is on my head and Avodart seems to be doing a good job in that regard.