To the veterans-Vortex is going to stop proscar-why inside

[VoRteX]

Hey guys,

Just thought I'd update you on why I'm going to stop proscar.

No, I havent had any "major" side effects yet. However, I have felt uneasy about taking an internal hormonal modulator since the beginning. My male pattern baldness has been a slow progression for several years and although I've probably lost 40% of my density, I still have mostly good coverage. I'm hoping that stopping proscar wont cause a huge shed because I'm going to continue using nizoral, minoxidil, spironolactone, and I may add a copper peptide/SOD(prox-N)

The choice to go topical is mainly because I'm concerned about future side effects. I have very little body hair as it is, so I'm fairly sure my DHT levels are naturally low. That would mean my follicles have to be very sensitive to DHT(my dad was chrome by age 25, I'm 31) so ANY DHT is probably going to continue my slow balding process.(this is all speculation)

Another reason is that I've been on a major health regimen for 6months. I've lost ~50lbs and gained quite a bit of muscle(up to benching 250lb free weight flat bench) I tend to store fat on my chest(overweight gyno) which wont totally resolve till I get down to my goal weight and lose around 40 more lbs(yes I had 90-100lbs total to lose, I was a lardass :freaked2: ) I'm really concerned that over time, finasteride might make my chest fat worse which I REALLY dont want!

I've seen many posts from people that have been on finasteride for several years and admitted they have had some mild estrogenic side effects. Sure, they're probably in the minority, but I'm not willing to take the risk. Especially since I'm pretty sure that already having low DHT puts someone in a higher risk category.

Last but not least, I'm worried about long-term impotence. I hate to say this, because it sounds paranoid but I'm just being honest. We have a couple posters here that have suffered this side effect and I'm just not willing to risk it. Even if its only a .001% chance. I was having sex with my gf last night and I just couldnt get that "super hard" hardon that I get sometimes. Sure, thats normal in that I dont always get "super hard" but just the fact that was worried that it could be a finasteride side effect is enough. I was thinking about that more than the sex!

So anyway, just wanted to let you guys know. I'm hoping the topical only regimen will maintain for me, I'll keep you posted on results.

I'm going to continue on proscar for a couple more weeks tapering off. I'm going to take my normal .6mg/day and just skip days more frequently until I'm totally stopped.

 

[HairyN]

good call man...i never started finasteride for some of the same reasons...little to no body hair and compromising the future of my manhood just wasnt worth it

especially with OSH101, RU and maybe HM, HC and other types of therapies on the horizon

 

[Guest]

Good luck Vortex.

BTW-if you tend to look a bit heavy in the pecs, I would suggest very careful training to minimize that effect. For example, I would not be doing heavy benches as they tend to bulk that area up.

Feel free to chat with me more on this issue.

:lol:

 

[kindabaldingontizop]

hey vortex good luck with everything. one question though, why not stick with the finasteride' until you can really identify a problem with it. from all the post ive ever read, seems like its been working great for u. secondly, i hear this "little to no body hair" reference made alot with conjunction to using propecia and how if you have little to no body hair the risks are heightened, can you clarify this or state the science.

are you out there brucelee.... looks like this is something you could probably explain.

 

[Guest]

hey vortex good luck with everything. one question though, why not stick with the finasteride' until you can really identify a problem with it. from all the post ive ever read, seems like its been working great for u. secondly, i hear this "little to no body hair" reference made alot with conjunction to using propecia and how if you have little to no body hair the risks are heightened, can you clarify this or state the science.

are you out there brucelee.... looks like this is something you could probably explain.

Well, the whole body/head hair issue is up for grabs. Lots of theory but no studies that I know of.

But if Vortex has lost confidence in the safety of finasteride, I can see why he wants to try a diff. approach.

Everyone has to find their own path!

 

[Guest]

Yeah, good luck, bro. Sounds like you've given it a lot of thought. If it comes down to it, it aint worth your piece of mind let alone your pecker.


Keep us in the loop, I plan on dropping finasteride once I get my loss under control and then damn the torpedoes with topicals only as well.

 

[VoRteX]

Bruce, check your PM

one question though, why not stick with the finasteride' until you can really identify a problem with it. from all the post ive ever read, seems like its been working great for u. secondly, i hear this "little to no body hair" reference made alot with conjunction to using propecia and how if you have little to no body hair the risks are heightened, can you clarify this or state the science.

are you out there brucelee.... looks like this is something you could probably explain.

I have no hard evidence to make my case for quitting finasteride. This is mainly a personal health decision. I have been very health concious since the first of the year. Hell, I'm 31, I'm not getting any younger. Also, working in the medical field is a daily reminder of how easily people can screw their lives up by making poor lifestyle choices. I used to do drugs, overeat, be sedentary etc. This is not to say that finasteride is even close to being as harmful, but its still an unneccessary poison to add the to body which can have marked effects on the endrocrine system(besides its ability to regrow hair)

My own personal speculation is that people with extremely high testosterone/DHT probably stand to have the least side effects from finasteride since they already have a surplus and a significant drop may have a less severe effect on hormonal balance. Conversely, someone like me who might have "low normal" DHT(no proof, but I hit puberty late, cant grow a full beard, and have little body hair- strangely I can build muscle easily) might more easily have issues. DHT is an estrogen antagonist - additionally free testosterone aromatizes to estrogen.

So, it stands to reason that if you already had low DHT(low estrogenic antagonism) and you lowered that DHT further, you would have LESS estrogenic antagonism and MORE Testosterone which would further aromatize to more estrogen.

How good has finasteride worked for me? Well I cant really say. My last submitted pics seemed to show some very decent crown density improvement, but I cant say if this is from minoxidil and nizoral or if the propecia helped a bunch. I'm just not willing to take the risk. However if I start to look like Kojak 2 weeks after quitting finasteride, I might restard :laugh:

http://www.hairlosstalk.com/discussions ... light=pics

 

[Guest]

Bruce, check your PM

...However if I start to look like Kojak 2 weeks after quitting finasteride, I might restard :laugh:

http://www.hairlosstalk.com/discussions ... light=pics

Who loves ya baby? :laugh:

 

[chieftain]

Vortex good job on the weight loss and with improving your health one way(weight loss) you really shouldnt decrease your health the other way..(proscar) screw your hair,, shave it and get a tan..with your size in muscle you would look like a bad mo fo..Van Diesel II

 

[drinkrum]

Everyone has to find their own path!

How zen Bruce ...

D.

 

[Guest]

Everyone has to find their own path!

How zen Bruce ...

D.

Wasn't it!

:laugh: