I copy this post from Dr. Feller from another message board. Dr. Feller apparently does not agree with prescribing Propecia. I am not worried about the 2% side effects that are possible such as loss of Libido, but I am a little concerned about any potential long term safety effects. From reading these boards, I know many of you take Propecia. Do any of you have regular blood tests? Do any of your doctors warn you away? Anyway, here is the post from Feller who was asked why he did not prescribe medication for hair loss:


Dr. Feller
Accomplished Poster

Posts: 716
Joined: Dec 2002
Sunday November 13, 2005 7:16 PM


This was a strip case.

As for my views on dht blockers, I have written about this extensively before. In a nutshell, there is no question that there is SOME efficacy. However, in my 13 years of seeing hair transplant patients who claimed to be on dht blockers, only two have shown a cosmetically significant result, and this may have had nothing to do with the dht blockers themselves.

A second reason is that dht is produced in the body for reasons other than simply to make our hair fall out. Like so many other chemicals that the body produces, dht probably performs multiple other functions as well as acting as a chemical intermediary for many other biochemical processes.

I have talked with other hair transplant doctors who give these medications out liberally and they claim it is a "wonderful" drug. Perhaps it is, but their critiques are anicdotal and not scientific.

If a prescribed drug is WORKING for you AND you and your doctor feel it is safe, then continue to take it, but remember to actually follow through with the drug company's suggestion to do yearly blood tests to make sure it isn't affecting certain organs, particularly the liver.

Best of luck,
Dr. Feller

-------------------------
Feller Medical, PC
http://www.fellermedical.com
Great Neck, NY
(516) 487-3797

Your concerns are valid, especially when the full extent of DHT's role in the body is not yet fully understood. However, the side effects from Propecia dissipate pretty quickly due to its short half-life so if you were one of the unlucky 2% that experienced them, dicontinuing the medication should stop the effects pretty quickly after.

Some guys experience an initial few days or weeks' worth of side effects such as low libido, difficulty in maintaining an erection, etc. but many times the body adjusts and the side effects dissappear.

Do your research and consult your physician to determine the best plan of action to take. If you do decide to take Propecia, however, give it a fair shake before dropping it. Lack of sex drive is common in the first few weeks, but like I said, dissipates in most that continue the treatment. Supplementing with L-Argenine can also help in that department.

Good luck,

-Robert

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Some guys experience an initial few days or weeks' worth of side effects such as low libido, difficulty in maintaining an erection, etc. but many times the body adjusts and the side effects dissappear.

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I've been on Proscar for about 15 months. I take half a tab every day (2.5 mg finasteride) and have been very happy with the results. The crown has definitely thickened.

However, it seemed that the side effects regarding low libido lasted for nearly a year. Things are better now. Maybe it has something to do with the larger dose of finasteride I'm taking (2.5 mg per day). I'm not sure.

That certainly is a large dose of finasteride! It's great to hear that you have experienced good results, but I am curious as to why you chose to take 2.5 mg daily instead of the recommended 1 mg daily. Did you start off at this amount or did you bump up to it?

-Robert

What dose & schedule of l-arginine do you advocate to offset Propecia's libido-lowering effects?

I just take label's suggested doseage.

-Robert

quote:

That certainly is a large dose of finasteride! It's great to hear that you have experienced good results, but I am curious as to why you chose to take 2.5 mg daily instead of the recommended 1 mg daily. Did you start off at this amount or did you bump up to it?

-Robert

Robert,

Sorry for the delay in getting back to this post. I bumped up to this 2.5mg dose after reading that the main ingredient (finasteride) may not be spread out evenly within the Proscar pill, which is 5mg. This means that if you cut the pill in fours, you may not be getting at least a full 1mg of finasteride with every dose.

However, after reading your post about the half-life of finasteride and doing some research, I plan to cut the dose back to 1.25 mg per day (cut Proscar pill in four pieces). I'll then monitor the results.

Thanks for the info!

No sweat, kamin. I don't think that cutting back to 1.25 mg/day would be a problem for you, either, seeing as that is slightly above the recommended doseage. By my best guess, it wouldn't seem like you would see any less results. Also, look at it this way: if the efficacy of 1.25 mg/day starts waning, at least you know that you can handle the 2.5 mg/day with no percieved side effects, so that's nice!

-Robert

I have been on Propecia since July 2004. Honestly I cannot recall a loss of libido but I also have a career that is pressure packed. I take blood pressure medication as well. I have read somewhere that the male breasts could enlarge because of the Propecia? I swim allot so that has mitigated that side effect. With the blood pressure meds, the Propecia, and the career pressure has made my sex drive go in waves... meaning one week it is low and I can do without sex, then the next week it seems to be on overdrive where I cannot get enough.

On the positive side the Propecia has stopped the hair loss and even propelled a little new growth in my hairline.

I hope this helps.

After nearly 2 years of use, for the past 2 months I have actually reduced Finasteride to 1.25mg twice a week. Haven't noticed any change at all. My hair stopped falling completely from the day I started it, back in early 2004. Despite having no side effects, I don't want to take too much of this stuff, so I'm happy with this new "twice a week" regimen. Since nobody knows exactly for how long (24h? 1 day? 2 days?) the effects of a 1.25mg intake last in your body, it's interesting to try to find out for yourself.