Take2's Story - (23 / and starting treatments)

[Take2]

Im 23, and have been slowly losing my hair for 4/5 years, I have been fortunate that the hair loss has been slow (I thought it was fast still I started viewing this website) I am currently at 2 in the Norwood scale.
After going through a denial phase, going to a dermatologist who just put me on Nizoral because of itching and just wishing it went away I have come to the reazlization that I better act now before it really gets bad.

edit: forgot to add, that I used Nioxin fopr about 6-10 months about 2 years ago, I dont think it helped, I just got on it again, but from the looks of it, here no one thinks it helps so anyone know a shampoo that may help a bit? I mean a regular shampooo and conditioner...

I have been searching the forums for some hours and have decided that I should use propecia and Nizoral, I will stay away from rogain because it seems if I get on it I will have to continue using it(correct me if I am wrong) forever.

I live in the US and was looking at avoiding prescription propecia and buying from online pharmacies that dont require them, I am also considering going to http://medicalwellnesscenter.com/(getting aprescription there) and buying the generic brand FINASTERIDE from rxusa.com, I would like some input on people that have tried either method of purchase and if the finasteride is exactly the same as the propecia, or if the propecia is better?
Also is the Nizoral that helps hair loss the over the counter stuff or is there a prescription Nizoral that I have to buy?

Also is the dosage for propecia 1 pill a day?

on a sidenote, why is a prescription needed for these treatments, whats the justification for it, its not addictive or that risky, or at least riskier than over the counter drugs, so I cant see why they would make it prescription only...

Thanks

ps. I would include pics if I had a digital camera, lol

 

[flimflam]

The typical dosage for finasteride is 1mg a day. This is one tablet of Propecia. You can save (considerable) money by buying Proscar which is a 5mg finasteride tablet and then cutting the tablet into 1/4s (1.25mg a day) or 1/5s (1mg a day, but difficult to cut). There's no difference between 1mg of Proscar and 1mg of Propecia, just the inconvenience of having to cut and store the pills.


There are two types of Nizoral; 1% ketoconazole and 2% ketoconazole. The general consensus is that the 1% stuff works just as good as the 2%. Over here in the uk, you can buy both over the counter in your local supermarket or chemist. I don't know about the US.

 

[Take2]

Are the risk of getting sideffects greater if I take the 1.25mg?

Also does Revivogen help at all ?

as for the americans on the board can you tell me if buying from RXusa.com is safe, or am I getting expired tablets or fake ones? lol

 

[Take2]

just to update, I started on Nizoral 1 week ago and just received my fincar from inhouse today, so about to start on fincar....

 

[RaginDemon]

Nobody really knows which finasteride is better? The generic ones are suppose to be just effective as Propecia.

 

[Take2]

Re: Take2's story

I have an update and some questions.

I have been taking fincar since mid may, I noticed my sex drive started going down around july and around mid August I noticed increased hair loss on the front and sides, this hair loss has continued throughout this time. I know that is how fincar works so I am not that worried but is it normal to have like 1 1/2 month of "fincar" hairloss?

Also my sex drive seems to have gone up a bit but I think that might just be my body getting use to the drug.

Finally I hardly ever split the fincar into 4 equal parts, but I imagine I almost always get over the 1 mg a day, will this affect the efficency of the drug? Also is it okay to take it once a day or does it have to be like once eery 24 hours?

Thanks

 

[RaginDemon]

Re: Take2's story

you will have to give it a yr to notice the difference.

 

[Take2]

Re: Take2's story - (23 years old and starting treatments)

you will have to give it a yr to notice the difference.

not to sound like an ahole, but could you answer my other questions or someone else?

thanks

also I am willing to wait the year but will hair just keep on falling for that year or will it stop and grow back?

 

[guru]

Re: Take2's story

I have an update and some questions.

I have been taking fincar since mid may, I noticed my sex drive started going down around july and around mid August I noticed increased hair loss on the front and sides, this hair loss has continued throughout this time. I know that is how fincar works so I am not that worried but is it normal to have like 1 1/2 month of "fincar" hairloss?

Also my sex drive seems to have gone up a bit but I think that might just be my body getting use to the drug.

Finally I hardly ever split the fincar into 4 equal parts, but I imagine I almost always get over the 1 mg a day, will this affect the efficency of the drug? Also is it okay to take it once a day or does it have to be like once eery 24 hours?

Thanks

1 1/2 month of shedding is normal i guess. i have never had any shedding so i dont know for sure. what ur doing is totally fine. dont worry about taking it after exactly 24 hrs have passed. finasteride decreases 5ar II levels for upto 3 to 4 days with a single dose. so ur fine.

 

[RaginDemon]

Re: Take2's story - (23 years old and starting treatments)

you will have to give it a yr to notice the difference.

not to sound like an ahole, but could you answer my other questions or someone else?

thanks

also I am willing to wait the year but will hair just keep on falling for that year or will it stop and grow back?

Nobody knows...thats the thing

everyone reacts to finasteride differently. If you look around, some ppl actually benefit from it and some experienced more hair loss after taking it.

It IS a risk you must take and it requires a yr to show the result.

GL

 

[Take2]

Re: Take2's story - (23 years old and starting treatments)

Month 8 of nizoral and fincar update:

Have not really seen any regrowth or stopped thinning.

I seem to start shedding at certain times, right now my left crown are has receded quite a bit (not the the right side), also nizoral has not really helped with the flaking. I am about to start using H&S beause the previous shampoo I was using was to oily.

After experiencing noticeable lack in sex drive(for the first few months), it seems it got back to normal, imo, my body adjusted to the medicine or it was just in my head.

Anyway I am still hopeful things will turn around by this summer.

btw, I still can cut the pills into 4 equal parts, lol, not sure if this matter that much but I think I get at least 1mg in every dose.

 

[lovemyhair]

Re: Take2's story - (23 years old and starting treatments)

I have been taking proscar quater tablet for little over a year and only now have I really started to maintain.
Now I hardly see any hair in my hands, no regrow for now but maintaining okay. My 2cents would be to give the meds a chance to work. Good luck.

 

[RaginDemon]

Re: Take2's story - (23 years old and starting treatments)

your sides actually stayed for couple months and went away? thats amazing lol

 

[Take2]

Re: Take2's story - (23 years old and starting treatments)

Its been 1 year and one month since I started taking fincar and the results had been sort of the same, no noticeable difference.
Except in the last 3 weeks I have noticed:
Increased shedding especially i the front scalp area and the last 2 weeks n increase in my sexual libido, I also have been under quite a bit of stress lately so that might not help things.

Im hoping that the shedding is the fincar kicking in after a year.
I still have 2 monts worth of pills but after that if I dont see improvement what should I do?

I am thinking of adding minoxidil and also revivogen to my nizoral/fincar regimen.

Thoughts?

 

[Take2]

Re: Take2's story - (23 years old and starting treatments)

In July/August of this year I switched from Proscar to finasteride, i saw no noticeabe changes except for the past months or so I have started shedding alot in my front scalp.

I will take finasteride till about january and febuary then swtich to dutas, i still continue on Nizzoral %1 every 3rd day might do it every 2nd, not sure if that would help...
I am alsogoig to start revivogen and if things dont improve by next summer ill add minoxidil as well...

Since I started taking proscar I had the anxiety and fear of losing my hair gone unfortanely I cant say the same now, and im starting to get nervous about this again... :shakehead:

 

[Fundi]

Re: Take2's story - (23 years old and starting treatments)

Although you're shedding, has your hair actually gotten worse since you've started or would you say...

a) Maintaining
b) Still losing but slowed in pace
c) Still losing at same rate
d) Still losing at an increased rate

?

 

[Take2]

Re: Take2's story - (23 years old and starting treatments)

Although you're shedding, has your hair actually gotten worse since you've started or would you say...

a) Maintaining
b) Still losing but slowed in pace
c) Still losing at same rate
d) Still losing at an increased rate

?

losing at the same pace I was losing before I got on fincar, which was slow... however recently I have seen shedding picking up pace

 

[Take2]

Re: Take2's story - (23 years old and starting treatments)

So its been a year and half since ive updated and unfortunately its not good news.

I started taking dutas around april of last year and have noticed no decrease in my shedding pace, the left side of my head has lost noticeably more than my right and now I am begging to shed in the front area as well... I used revivogen for at least 6 months with no noticeable effects so i have stopped using it...

I am thinking of adding minoxidil as my last chance but im afraid of the shed it might cause... if I had the money I would definitely start considering transplants...

 

[Take2]

Just started rogaine today after having it for liek a month, I am scared to start it because I dont want to always be dependant on it, and it seems once you start you must continue to maintain... Hopefully I regrow back a bit as the left side has receded quite rapidly recently (maybe dutas shed) I just had to act now...

 

[mpbsux20]

Didn't finasteride help you ? What category would you put yourself in the Norwood scale.