# Men's Hair Loss > Hair Loss Treatments >  POSITIVE experience with Propecia?

## mathmoose

Hi Guys,

Obviously we mainly hear about the guys that are having trouble with Propecia and suffering the side effects which is fair enough. They'd want to talk about it more than someone who is having great results and is off enjoying their life.

But are there many people on this forum that can honestly say they've had great results with Propecia without problems? 

I'd love to hear your thoughts.

As a side note, here's a guy that I know for a fact has been taking Propecia for the last 15 years and he says he doesn't feel it has held him back at all. Check out his fitness contest pictures: http://www.adonisindex.com/do-you-want-to-be-200-lbs/

Not bad for a 50 year old!

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## Spex

You will always hear about the negative with everyting to do with hairloss and treatments, especially if you are on the hunt for it. Very few guys with positive results have reason to hang around on hair loss message forms. They move on with their lives which is essentially the purpose. :Cool: 

I personally have had remarkable results over 15 years on finasteride, its the secret to my success as it stopped further hairloss dead and enabled me to rebuild what i had permanently lost via HT's . :Cool:

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## mathmoose

> You will always hear about the negative with everyting to do with hairloss and treatments, especially if you are on the hunt for it. Very few guys with positive results have reason to hang around on hair loss message forms. They move on with their lives which is essentially the purpose.
> 
> I personally have had remarkable results over 15 years on finasteride, its the secret to my success as it stopped further hairloss dead and enabled me to rebuild what i had permanently lost via HT's .


 Thanks Spex. I had a feeling this thread wouldn't receive many replies and if anyone was going to, you would!

On a side note, I literally just watched Morgan Spurlock's "Mansome" - rented it and all. Where were you?! I thought you were in the documentary?!

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## jsn

I started taking it 14 or 15 years ago, I'm in my early 40's now.  My dad in his mid 30's had lost most of his hair, same with my grandfather.  While I'm gradually losing my hairline, everything else looked about the same as 14 or 15 years ago.  A recent mistake I made was trying to take less, to save $$$, I worked my self down to taking 1mg a week then all the sudden my crown went missing and I thinned out everywhere else.  I learned a good lesson and take it regularly again.  Thinking about HT and adding in Rogaine as well just to be on the safe side.

I've never had issues with the drug.  One thing I'm grateful for is that my doctor never told me about side effects when I started taking it other than possible shed.  And I'm thankful that I wasn't reading about all the negatives on the web.  If I would have been reading all the negative stuff on the web before I started taking it, I'm guessing I would have had side effects just because I would have mentally geared myself up to have side effects.

Please don't get me wrong, I know there are people that do have side effects from the drug, and that sucks, but I think a lot of it is self induced.  I read a good quote the other day, "thoughts become things", or something like that.  For me, it's very true.  I can easily screw my mind up with negative thoughts.  I like oranges, if I tell myself day after day after day that eating oranges will cause me to have trouble with erections, guess what, I'm going to have erection problems when I eat oranges.  That's just the way it is for me.  I'm glad I never heard of all the negatives when I started taking the drug.  Maybe I wouldn't have even started..

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## Zao

I've been on  Propecia for about the same number of years and it was the best thing I ever did for myself. Changed my life!  Millions of men have been helped by this drug. It's really disturbing to me to see how something that can be so beneficial to so many people has  literally  been demonized  by a very small minority  and the irresponsible media. I am so lucky and thankful that I got on it when I did.

Lets keep this thread for positive experiences only! There are enough negative Propecia threads. Maybe more people with positive experiences will post if they know it's not going to turn into a battle on this thread.

Here's my story.
http://www.baldtruthtalk.com/showthread.php?t=435

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## Marshmalo

[QUOTE=jsn;85312]
 I read a good quote the other day, "thoughts become things", or something like that.  QUOTE]

I havnt taken Propecia (yet) but I just wnated to say I know what you mean there. I duped myself into believeing I was impotent and would worry about it so much I just couldnt get it up, I used to look a pron sites just to "test" whether I could get it up.

I realised if your looking at something just to test your hardon your not going to get it up due to nerves alone.

I wasnt even taking any drug at the time and this scare lasted for months.

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## chrisis

There are genuine concerns about the safety of this drug. Remember, whoever is giving you the advice to take the drug is not taking the risk, YOU are.

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## jjo

I've had great success too from finasteride, been on it for I don't even know how long.. many many years.

I started to see that it was loosing it's effect and I just increased the dose to 1.25mg and have never looked back.

I think it's too bad about all the bad remarks people make.. It can put so much fear into people.

It's a small dose drug that inhibits an enzyme.  I just can't believe it would ever damage someone permanently and I think there is to much negative online about it.

Just my opinion.

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## Soxfaninfl

I've been on it for 7 months with great results, and I still have a full head of hair with out rogaine or surgery. I started fin the same week I noticed my thinning. I didn't waist time like a lot of people do and get on it when their hairloss is noticeable.

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## thatkidd

Took it for four years and didn't notice any problems at all and it seemed to halt my loss for a while...not so much anymore I think though..

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## chrisis

> I think it's too bad about all the bad remarks people make.. It can put so much fear into people.
> 
> It's a small dose drug that inhibits an enzyme.  I just can't believe it would ever damage someone permanently and I think there is to much negative online about it.
> 
> Just my opinion.


 Just your opinion, yes. There are many men with very different opinions and you're entitled to your belief, but I know from actual experience that side effects are real.

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## Marshmalo

*Bump*

I'm about to start Fin soon, would like to hear of more success stories please.

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## rdawg

> *Bump*
> 
> I'm about to start Fin soon, would like to hear of more success stories please.


 Well I just hit month 4(started end of june) and I've been shedding for a few weeks. Positive news is I've actually got a few new hairs on my hairline. My hairline has definitely improved slightly. We'll see how much more.

still thin on top though, If that doesnt improve I may consider some concealer to tide me over.

EDIT: and the wait is LOOONG, I'm seeing the odd new hair on my hairline every week, but my hair largely looks the same, from other stories i've seen it's a pretty slow process if it does help you in any way.

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## 25 going on 65

I have been on finasteride for over 2 years. It works great.
If you're serious about maintaining hair long term, your options are still basically finasteride and dutasteride.

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## chrisis

Minoxidil has done wonders for me. In my opinion people should be advised to try that before potentially damaging their hormonal system. Common sense.

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## rdawg

> Minoxidil has done wonders for me. In my opinion people should be advised to try that before potentially damaging their hormonal system. Common sense.


 I definitely agree with this. I did Minoxidil for over a year before getting on Propecia. Minoxidil helps most, some even get a little growth.

You have to weigh your options when you want to take a drug like propecia for sure, but in propecia's defense, when you dont have sides from it, it is by far the best fighter against hairloss and definitely slows or halts the loss for most.

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## BigThinker

This post is too necessary.  Keeps all the negative posts in check.

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## ThinningB420

> Minoxidil has done wonders for me. In my opinion people should be advised to try that before potentially damaging their hormonal system. Common sense.


 I absolutely agree one should try minoxidil before finasteride. 

I've been on minoxidil for 5 months next week and my hair is worse. I've grown some vellus hairs in my hairline but I've also increased diffused thinning throughout my entire scalp (photo results confirm) that I've applied the Rogaine foam. I have my six month appointment with my derm at the end of November. I will see what she says and decide what to do. I'm either going to shave my head or try low levels of fin.

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## 25 going on 65

Personally I can only agree with the "minox first" approach for those who are resolved to never, ever use finasteride or who cannot use it. For anyone who will ever use fin for hair loss, the time to start is now (unless you are too young). I say this because minox does not stop or slow MPB from happening, it just forces hair to grow from damaged follicles. So MPB will still progress at the same rate in terms of follicle miniaturization, you will just have a higher hair count (and more terminal hairs) at each 6 month interval than you would have otherwise. And that is fine for those who accept it, but if you're trying to stay at or above baseline for the long term, it will not work.
If you use minox and then fall back below baseline in 2 years (or however long), and then get on finasteride, you basically should have started on fin in the first place. You have only allowed your follicles to take an additional 2 years of damage that fin could have prevented.
I say this with the utmost respect for others who are proposing minoxidil instead of fin. I would like to agree with the approach but just can't do it except for people who can't or won't use DHT drugs.

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## ThinningB420

@ 25 going on 65

I understand what you are saying and agree that minoxidil doesn't stop MPB. However, for someone cautious to tamper with my hormones, it has allowed me to try something while I research and contemplate using finasteride. It's one thing to make a good decision that works out poorly. It's another thing to make a bad decision by not thinking it through.

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## ChrisM

I can tell you after using Lipogaine and then Rogaine on my hair for  about 8 months straight (starting from Feb- March thereabouts) it has made a difference it has filled in my vertex with and front of my scalp with thin vellus hairs that some were shedding and then darkening into full fledged . The literal near straight line from my sideburns and the sides of my hair started to fill with  light tufts at the temples where hair was nonexistent. I was using this in concert with Regenepure and Nizoral twice a week and apple cider vinegar to clean away sebum blockage, oil plugging up the follicles and dead skin. Before restarting the process again

 On July  I started finasteride and saw palmetto and I felt the tingle in my testicles followed by a slight burning sensation and then it went away after two days. My semen became watery upon inspection but I never lost my erections though the morning ones were not as common.

 I tapered off and went to more saw palmetto when my first batch of fin generics ran out (about 30 1mg pills). The morning erections came back stronger than ever and my sex drive was unaffected throughout the process. Now with my order of 60 pills about two months worth I  have started up and there is little shed and the burning weird sensation is gone. I do feel the burning itchy scalp I had when I was twenty something coming back now as when my MPB symptoms first started. It would seem like the DHT is fighting tooth and nail but I am feeling stubble in what used to be light vellus hair near clean bald spots that I shaved down with the rest of my hair look uniform and  completely bald. However it would seem that there are early dividends and  I  can see and feel the stubble or hair that was fairly light and diffuse in areas where hair loss was for more severe.
To give you some context here I am a Norwood 5 going to a 6 and with the progress I am seeing the fin and minoxidil and the keto and if they keep this up will have reversed this by next year to a based on the shadow of new hair coming in that I am seeing to a  Norwood 3 and at best 2.5 which is fantastic. I will post pictures soon of my progress but I am fairly satisfied with the product.

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## Larence

I'm really not set on whether i should take the propecia plunge yet.  Still can't decide whether to go with it or try http://hairgrowthcure.com alternative

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## Lsrf13

> You will always hear about the negative with everyting to do with hairloss and treatments, especially if you are on the hunt for it. Very few guys with positive results have reason to hang around on hair loss message forms. They move on with their lives which is essentially the purpose.
> 
> I personally have had remarkable results over 15 years on finasteride, its the secret to my success as it stopped further hairloss dead and enabled me to rebuild what i had permanently lost via HT's .


 
 Im 54 years old. Last hair transplant was in 2013. Started taking finasteride a year ago.  Ive had a shedding phase around the third and fourth month. My hair started growing back somewhat decently after. Then more shedding begin.  After the ninth month, between shedding and regrowth, I wasnt gaining any ground.  Mostly losing ground now. Approaching the year mark, shedding more than ever.  
If you can recall, how was your year experience?  Understanding that everyone reacts somewhat differently to Finasteride, should I weather through this shedding please?

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## JasperT

Ive been on propecia/finasteride since probably 1999. I wasnt aware of side effects but now Im realizing that Ive probably had some all along.
I have had tinnitus for years, sort of snuck up on my where I didnt notice it and now its obvious. I have some dizziness, and just developed Peyronies. So yeah, Im worried & wish I could go off of it. I feel trapped now. It goes against everything I believe in to be medicated for this long and yet not taking it and risking losing hair and Aldo revealing my Ht scar seems worse. Its a ridiculous situation to be in and I regret my ht and meds every day. 
So for anyone thats not on it, stay off. Theres no reason to chance screwing up your bodys chemistry. I feel like a prisoner.

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## Lsrf13

> Ive been on propecia/finasteride since probably 1999. I wasnt aware of side effects but now Im realizing that Ive probably had some all along.
> I have had tinnitus for years, sort of snuck up on my where I didnt notice it and now its obvious. I have some dizziness, and just developed Peyronies. So yeah, Im worried & wish I could go off of it. I feel trapped now. It goes against everything I believe in to be medicated for this long and yet not taking it and risking losing hair and Aldo revealing my Ht scar seems worse. Its a ridiculous situation to be in and I regret my ht and meds every day. 
> So for anyone thats not on it, stay off. Theres no reason to chance screwing up your bodys chemistry. I feel like a prisoner.


 

So far I havent experienced any side effects except for a little drop in ED.  Other than that, nothing.  I havent even experienced any positive effects.  Since Im stuck on this drug, for now, is this shedding going to continue into my 13th month?

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## Ahab

[QUOTE=Marshmalo;85763]


> I used to look a pron sites just to "test" whether I could get it up.


 LOL.  That's a good one.

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## Dunase

Been on it for 2 years, no side effects and grew most of my thinning hairline back. It was receding aggressively about 3 years ago but now I'm back to normal again after jumping on finasteride (Propecia).

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## Lsrf13

> So far I havent experienced any side effects except for a little drop in ED.  Other than that, nothing.  I havent even experienced any positive effects.  Since Im stuck on this drug, for now, is this shedding going to continue into my 13th month?


 As of 12/2018, on Finasteride for 1 1/2 years, I stopped taking.  Unfortunately, I noticed zero results while being on, and no change since being off for almost a month.  Oh well, back to the drawing board.

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