Trebor's story - (with pics)

[Trebor]

9.16.06

Hello. My name is Trebor... and I am suffering from hair loss.

This is my story.
I am 33 years old and I have had thinning hair since my mid 20's. However just this past 6 months it has accelerated BIG time. This year I suffered a ton of stress. I wrecked my car... lost my fiance... lost my apartment... spent 3 months in jail and while imprisoned I decided to quit smoking which I have done since I was in second grade.
:bigcry:


My diet.
I think I am in fair health but it has declined this year. While in jail I was forced to eat a lot of starchy foods and ramen noodles. I have been a vegetarian since I was about 13 years old, and I do know from personal experience that this fact alone has helped me greatly. Since I stopped eating meat I stopped suffering from oily skin and acne, plus I will say without scientific fact that I believe it helped slow my hair loss down until now.

Exercise.
I have not exercised much in my 20's but while I was locked up this year I started a regime of walking, push ups, sit ups and curling with a large water bag made by my fellow inmates. I am about to join a gym and begin cardio and some weight lifting.

Shampoo.
When I first started to do something about my hair loss was this year before I got locked up. It was thinning but not nearly as bad as now. I read through this forums and decided to start with a better shampoo. I got Jason's thick to thin and Aveda's abundance. I absolutely loved both of these shampoo, especially the Aveda which I am about to order more of. This is the only thing I really do. I did just buy some Nioxon treatment but I did not get the cleaner... oops. I had to use some crappy stuff in jail.

The help I need.
I would really appreciate it if the ones on this board who KNOW WHAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT would help me build a regime I can do. I do not shower every day and would prefer to NOT. Because of this I do not really want to use Minoxidil but if I have to I will. I would like to start taking a pill but I am very unsure which to go with. I also would like to start a daily vitamin, but once again I am not sure what to go with. I have no problems using some topicals... just not one I HAVE to use everyday. I need advice on WHAT to use and WHERE to get it from.

I will keep this thread updated and I promise that I will post my success and/or failure regardless.

I just bought a new hat so I am ready... Lets do this.

:freaked:

 

[Guest]

Trevor,

You should start with finasteride. You have a choice of that or dutasteride but I would start with finasteride to prevent your loss from progressing further. You can switch to dutasteride later if the finasteride stops working for you.

You have a choice of Propecia or Proscar. Propecia is the 1 mg form of finasteride prescribed for hair loss, and Proscar is the 5 mg form of finasteride typically prescribed for benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Propecia you can just take 1 mg a day of, and Proscar you can cut into either 4 or 5 pieces, so you'll be taking either 1.25 mg a day or 1 mg a day. There's virtually no difference in effectiveness between 1.25 mg a day and 1 mg a day.

Now as for where to get it, you have a few options for where to get it. You can get your dermatologist to prescribe Propecia for you, but that's expensive. It will run you upwards of $700 a year. Or you could ask your dermatologist to prescribe you Proscar to save you money, and you can cut the pills yourself with a pill cutter into 4 or 5 pieces. That will run you around $270 a year. There is a generic Proscar available in the United States right now for around $230 a year. No generic Propecia available yet in United States pharmacies that I know of.

If you don't want to go the doctor route, then there are TWO reputable pharmacies online that I know of that don't require prescriptions.

These sites, in addition to carrying brand name Propecia and Proscar, also carry cheaper generics made in places like India that are just as effective.

Here are the two pharmacies that have been found to be reputable by people on this forum and others:

http://www.inhousepharmacy.com

http://www.unitedpharmacies.com

If you want branded Propecia(1 mg), you can get it at these links:

http://www.unitedpharmacies.com/Propeci ... s_p_8.html

http://www.inhousepharmacy.com/hair-loss/propecia.html

If you want branded Proscar(5 mg), you can get it at these links:

http://www.unitedpharmacies.com/Proscar ... s_p_9.html

http://www.inhousepharmacy.com/hair-loss/proscar.html

If you are willing to try an Indian generic of Propecia(1 mg) which will save you a ton of money, here is a good one available at both sites. It's called Finpecia:

http://www.unitedpharmacies.com/Finpeci ... p_343.html

http://www.inhousepharmacy.com/hair-loss/finpecia.html

If you want to try an Indian generic of Proscar(5 mg) and save you even more money than the generic Propecia, because you will be cutting the pills yourselves with a pill cutter, go to one of these links:

http://www.unitedpharmacies.com/Fincar_ ... p_346.html

http://www.inhousepharmacy.com/hair-loss/fincar.html

Here are some estimates for prices:

A year's supply of branded Propecia will run you a bit over $700. A year's supply of branded Proscar will run you about $270 from a US pharmacy with a doctor's prescription. A year's supply of generic Proscar from a US pharmacy will run you about $230. That takes care of the various versions of finasteride available from US pharmacies.

As for online,

You can get a year's supply of branded Propecia for a bit over $700 as well. You can get generic Proscar somewhere in the $200s at the two sites.

You can get generic Propecia(Finpecia) for around $150 a year from United Pharmacies including shipping. You can get generic Proscar(Fincar) for around $80 a year from United Pharmacies including shipping.

So it comes down to your budget. If money isn't an issue then you can go to your Doctor, get a prescription, and get some US Propecia. Or you can use one of the sites above and save up to 80% on your finasteride.

Use Nizoral shampoo every 3 days and leave it in your hair for 5 minutes before rinsing. Follow it up with a good conditioner. You can get Nizoral 7 oz bottle at your local pharmacy or supermarket in the US for 15 bucks. Use a teaspoons worth each time so the bottle should last you about 2 and a half months or so.

I would use the Rogaine if I were you because it's your best shot at regrowing some hair. I doubt that Propecia will regrow much of anything for you, but it should maintain your hair fine so that you don't get any worse for awhile. You do have to use it every day, twice, but if you want some of the hair back that you lost it's your best shot. You can also save money on Rogaine by buying the generic brands.

If you don't want to do that then I guess you could try Folligen spray every other day which is a copper peptide solution. You can get that from the store here on the website.

 

[IBM]

.

 

[Guest]

yep. i'd say most people on here get their finasteride without prescription.

 

[Cassin]

Re: Trebor's story - (sad story with pics)

Interesting story.

Anyone who truly want's to turn their life around mid stride when things aren't going right most certainly need to hit rock bottom first. If you keep working at your life and if you remember that you hit rock bottom when you feel a little complacent, you should do fine.

If you forget you hit bottom, don't realize it, or it didn't scare the sh*t out of you, your screwed.

Speaking from experience here. Rock bottom sucks but I am so thankful it happened to me. A few of my long time friends have hit rock bottom to, some have done well, some still haven't picked themselves up years later. :!:

I just bought a new hat so I am ready... Lets do this.

Ditch the hat if your thinking this is part of dealing with this problem. It will become an OCD anchor. Who wants to become dependant on that?

Good luck dude. I have a feeling your gonna do alright.

PS. You left your toilet seat up.

 

[Trebor]

Cassin,
Hey man. Thanks for the words. It was you that I got the advice to try Jason and Aveda and I thank you very much for that. I have been using over the counter crap for years and never realized how much better it could be... until now.

As far a hitting rock bottom... yes I have hit it recently... hardcore, but I am not really the type to become depressed. As a matter of fact I consider what has happened to me just a sucky outcome from a series of events, but I do not believe in Karma. For the most part I make the best out of anything bad, and that is exactly what I am doing now. All of the things in my life are in my control and soon... I will be where I want to be. If anything... this past year has just opened my eye to a lot of insights that are stolen from everyone of us sooner or later. The only reason my Post title says sad was because I was being sort of sarcastic but the admin changed it on me. Anyways...

The hat is not really a crux, I just want it to help during those possible shedding moments and besides its a nice hat, and it is hard for me to find hats I like.

PS. You left your toilet seat up.

HAHA. Good observation. I do that on purpose because I have no female to worry about right now and it actually feels great. So I do it to remind me of the fact that I can do what I want.


Jayman,
Wow man. What can I say but Thanks. I believe you should write something similar as a sticky for this site. That was really a good start to what I needed. So here is what I have decided from using your easy to follow directions.

Plan

Proscar
I am going to order generic Proscar because of cost, and I have not read anything anywhere that shows it is less effective than the others... please correct me if I am wrong. Are there any instruments out there that make dividing the pill easy?

Nizoral
I am going to run to the store tonight and start using this tomorrow. Since I am out of Aveda and Jason, this will work out well until I can order more. I do still have some Aveda conditioner as well.


Rogaine
For now I am going to hold off on minoxidil. The reason I have decided this is because the most important thing right now is to stop the hair loss... right? I can start this stuff anytime. Furthermore there is a slight chance that finasteride could regrow something. I have seen some success stories for some who have regrown with just the pill. I know it is slim but if it works I would like to find out.

Other Topicals
I could use some help here. From what I have read around the forums, there are things that could help stimulate hair growth. Such as Tricomin, copper peptides, ect...
What would be best for me and where should I get these?

Thank you so much guys. Lets hope this does some good.

 

[Guest]

Proscar
I am going to order generic Proscar because of cost, and I have not read anything anywhere that shows it is less effective than the others... please correct me if I am wrong. Are there any instruments out there that make dividing the pill easy?

It's not any less effective than the brand one. But order from one of the two pharmacies above to make sure you get the real thing and not a fake. I personally recommend InHouse but United is good as well. Just go with whatever's cheaper.

As for cutting the pill, just go to your local Walgreens and buy a pill cutter for five or six bucks. It is easier than using a knife and it should have compartments to store the pill pieces in. Only cut up one pill at a time because you don't want too much air moisture to get in them and ruin your pills over time. So cut one pill into fourths(or fifths or whatever you decide) and once you are done with that pill then cut up a new one.

Nizoral
I am going to run to the store tonight and start using this tomorrow. Since I am out of Aveda and Jason, this will work out well until I can order more. I do still have some Aveda conditioner as well.

Good idea. Make sure to leave it in your hair for 5 minutes after you lather it in and then rinse it out, to give it time to absorb.

Rogaine
For now I am going to hold off on minoxidil. The reason I have decided this is because the most important thing right now is to stop the hair loss... right? I can start this stuff anytime. Furthermore there is a slight chance that finasteride could regrow something. I have seen some success stories for some who have regrown with just the pill. I know it is slim but if it works I would like to find out.

That's not a bad idea. I am skeptical about how effective it will be but you certainly have nothing to lose by holding off on the Rogaine. It will be just as effective in a year if you don't continue to thin.

Other Topicals
I could use some help here. From what I have read around the forums, there are things that could help stimulate hair growth. Such as Tricomin, copper peptides, ect...
What would be best for me and where should I get these?

Thank you so much guys. Lets hope this does some good.

Tricomin and Folligen both contain copper peptides. Tricomin was tested in FDA studies and found to regrow hair. It is expensive and many people have found success with the cheaper Folligen.

You can even dilute Folligen to half-strength and use it once a day. Or you can keep it at full strength and use it at the recommend dose of every other day, I believe. That would not be a bad regimen but if you're going to hold off on the Rogaine I would honestly hold off on this as well, because you won't know whether it's the Folligen or the Propecia giving you the regrowth and Folligen may not give you any either.

Right now for you I'd just stick with 1.25 mg Proscar every day(one quarter of a 5 mg proscar pill) and use Nizoral every 3 days followed by any good conditioner. Aveda makes some good ones but they are expensive. Head and Shoulders is a good one that's cheap, but most of them are.