Sharing Success+sides Story - Decade Of finasteride

[HairOnYourHeart]

Hey guys,

First off, cheers to all of you, we're all super different, but share common experiences, past or ongoing, of the anxieties that accompany male pattern baldness, and I think it's really cool we have a place to talk about this stuff.

I started thinning around the temples, front, and crown at 19, but caught it early and, after a stressful few months, started on a regimen of finasteride and minoxidil. A few more months of shedding and crying later, my hair thickened up, and aside from slight recession around the temples, managed to keep a thick head of hair for the last decade.

Two weeks ago I noticed a sudden drop in libido and a loss of sensitivity in my penis. The skin feels rubbery, and ejaculating is a chore. I figured the years of sides-free finasteride use had caught up with me, so I've discontinued the use of the drug to see what happens (I've heard to expect some kind of crash?).

My plan is to continue with minoxidil (and maybe try some of the non-androgenic alternatives I've seen on this board), but I'm also working to emotionally cleave myself from my wavy auburn locks. I've rocked the prettyboy look for long enough, and am planning to shave it all off for my 30th birthday this fall. Go for a more masculine, dominant look, right. Part of why I'm writing this is to psych myself up!

Anyway, anyone here have any experience going off finasteride? The only constant I've noticed is that everyone reacts differently, but any encouragement/warnings are still welcome.

Thanks for taking the time, guys. Hope you remember enjoy some of the things in life hair can't buy!

 

[Bagels]

Congrats on 10 years of not worrying about hairloss. There are plenty of threads on people taking certain vitamins, diets, etc to beat the low libido after quitting finasteride. Most revovle around keeping up the Test/DHT and lowering Estrogen. Maybe it would be wise to have your Doctor run baseline labs to see where your problem is

 

[g.i joey]

f*** ya, I was having this convo today, if I can keep my hair till 30 and there's no available effective alternative treatments (6 years) then I'm just gonna say f*** propecia and cut it.

Also, imo it's worth it to taper off the drug for about a month or so, until you're taking .25 mg every other day, at that point just stop. I've heard of people getting Pfs but never heard of someone tapering off the drug and getting Pfs, seems worth a shot to me. Good luck brah!

 

[Grasshüpfer]

Try ru58441. Check @whatevr s thread also.

 

[kj6723]

f*** ya, I was having this convo today, if I can keep my hair till 30 and there's no available effective alternative treatments (6 years) then I'm just gonna say f*** propecia and cut it.

idk man, I'm going to be 30 in a year and a half, and I don't see myself being okay with hair loss any time soon

 

[HairOnYourHeart]

Also, imo it's worth it to taper off the drug for about a month or so, until you're taking .25 mg every other day, at that point just stop. I've heard of people getting Pfs but never heard of someone tapering off the drug and getting Pfs, seems worth a shot to me. Good luck brah!

Thanks for the advice. I looked up some tapering strategies and will try this. For what it's worth, for the last couple of years I had already moved to taking finasteride only every other day. Hopefully it won't be devastating!

Congrats on 10 years of not worrying about hairloss. There are plenty of threads on people taking certain vitamins, diets, etc to beat the low libido after quitting finasteride. Most revovle around keeping up the Test/DHT and lowering Estrogen. Maybe it would be wise to have your Doctor run baseline labs to see where your problem is

Started looking into some of the vitamin/diet advice out there, and am upping my visits to the gym. I've never gotten any bloodwork done for androgen levels, but will look into it in the following weeks.

idk man, I'm going to be 30 in a year and a half, and I don't see myself being okay with hair loss any time soon

No one's ever really okay with it, but it's a choice I'm being forced to make. Pray you won't have to, but if that day comes, I hope you're in a good enough place mentally to be able to make it. You know, just because it's on my mind, I noticed so many happy, smiling bald/balding dudes today, with their kids or girlfriends or whatever, many of them probably in their 30s.