Male Pattern Baldness

[gimmewings]

Hello,

I am not on nor am I going to be on a cycle. I am thinking about taking finasteride for the prevention of MPB. I believe I am gyno prone so I was thinking about taking Anastolzole alongside the fina to combat any estrogenic side effects.

Has anyone done this?

Would doing this cause my test levels to increase short term?
What would happen long term?

Any/all comments are welcome and encouraged


t.y.

[RuhlFreak55]

shave your head

[Matt]

^^ id go one step further, cut your head off..

[j4ever41]

why do you think you a gyno prone? i have not read the studies in awhile so cant recall the % but yes it can cause gyno in some people but the % suppose to be very very small. Fina can cause a rise in test levels over the first 2-3 months then they will normalize after that

[Kale]

Hello,

I am not on nor am I going to be on a cycle. I am thinking about taking finasteride for the prevention of MPB. I believe I am gyno prone so I was thinking about taking Anastolzole alongside the fina to combat any estrogenic side effects.

Has anyone done this?

Would doing this cause my test levels to increase short term?
What would happen long term?

Any/all comments are welcome and encouraged


t.y.

How old are you ? I would also get a blood test to see where your Estrogen levels are at first

[j4ever41]

^^ id go one step further, cut your head off..

yeah that would solve the fears of gyno,lol

[RuhlFreak55]

being in denial doesn't help anything.....

it's like those silly christians...they're all in denial about jesus being dead and look how much shit they have to do because of it

[DSM4Life]

OMG i have never heard of this topic ever. I don't know how to answer.

Oh wait, i tried the search button and came back with 10000 results.......

[Bojangles69]

Hello,

I am not on nor am I going to be on a cycle. I am thinking about taking finasteride for the prevention of MPB. I believe I am gyno prone so I was thinking about taking Anastolzole alongside the fina to combat any estrogenic side effects.

Has anyone done this?

Would doing this cause my test levels to increase short term?
What would happen long term?

Any/all comments are welcome and encouraged


t.y.

First let me apologize for any of the rude response.
The fact is a lot of times "vets" or longstanding members dont know the answers to specific questions (as much as they've seen it doesnt matter unless they had the issue themself to really become a part of their memory)

My next warning is that I'm finasteride bias AGAINST it.
Finasteride comes in 5mg tablets which is the Proscar formulation or 1mg tablets which is the Propecia formulation. ( + generic formulations which basically have the same sides)

I'm gonna talk about Propecia and you can just multiply times 5 my dislike for propecia for proscar being its 5xs the dose.
Propecia does what it does, in inhibits DHT.

But side effect SUCK.
If you want to do some reading from people who have took propecia and their experiences go here:
http://www.askapatient.com/viewratin...&name=propecia

Now, most people say it RAISES test levels but a common side affect of propecia is low libido, so how are people losing their sex drive if its increasing test? I honestly don't know, I'm not a doctor, I'll just focus on what I've seen and read.

My brother was on finasteride in the propecia formulation (1mg) for 3 years and it nearly RUINED HIS LIFE.
But it happened slowly, and nothing like anything you'll read on Propecias website (save for a few things)

You really need to make sure you understand this shit IS NOT A LIGHT WEIGHT pharmaceutical. It has deep and profound side effects for a lot of people.
But this is my opinion on it.

Does it work for what it does? Absolutely, I have no doubt it will slow down the balding process for 5-10, maybe 15 years if you're lucky.

What else does it do?
It kills your sex drive, thats the most likely side effect, it can also fvck with your mood, and I mean sometimes make you feel or act bipolar.
It can make you depressed and anxious as well.

But this is why I'm against it.
A lot of these side effects AREN'T temporary, if you read you'll see a lot of people who have taken propecia for years dealing with the same sides years and years after stopping.

My brother broke out in hives which he orignally thought was poison ivy.
And GET THIS.
He went to *3* doctors and they prescribed predisone (for poison ivy) on 3 seperate occasions and not a single one of them even KNEW it might be the Propecia.
Even after I started telling my brother "something is seriously fvcked up, I never heard of anyone having 'poison ivy' for 7 months and not responding to predisone". EVEN AFTER he went back to the dr who prescribed the propecia the doc STILL said it wasnt from the propecia.

Well guess what?
Go to propecias website and hives are one of the first side effects listed.
As "rare" as they claim it to be, and hives are no fun. Can you imagine scratching yourself uncontrollably for 7 months not having a clue why?

So he stopped and it took 2 more months just for the allergic reaction to subside.
He also went through a mild rebound phase with hair shedding after he came off it.
He still says he hasn't gotten his sex drive back to anything like it was before.

AND, the worst side of all, puffy nips. Not exactly gyno, but to the point where he has scheduled surgery to get the shit lipo'd out. (he wasnt on any estrogen blocker while he took it so I imagine that will help you)

Still now, my attempt to derive some objective advice.
Take the finasteride.
But gauge your bodies response as closely as possible. If you start feeling anxious or depressed, chances are you will be the last person to notice so listen to people around you and what they say.
If you are married, have a gf, be prepared for the likely possibility that you're dick will start acting like its 120 years old.
And this obviously can destroy your relationship/s.

Don't be scared by what I've mentioned, just use it as something to mirror into your own life so you notice shit happening when it does.
You *may do good on it, and the ana will def help (possibly save you 3 grand who knows) but still pay attention to everything else that may be changing in your life.
Theres too many horror stories about finasteride to not make a big deal about it, I've seen it almost ruin my brothers life, so just be smart and chances are you'll be fine.

[gimmewings]

Thank you for the comments. I will use the search function. But I have a very important question.

But first allow me to review my understanding of the processes involved briefly...

Test "turns into" either DHT or Estrogen inside the body.

Finasteride prevents the conversion of Test to DHT.

Since DHT causes MPB (somehow), Fina therefore prevents MPB.

Now we have a higher % of Test converting into Estrogen and therefore more Estrogen inside the body. This can cause gyno, weight gain, and other side effects associated with higher levels of estrogen.

Now, Anastrozole prevents *a portion* of the conversion of Test into Estrogen. Therefore preventing the undesirable side effects associated with the increased amount of estrogen.

So far we are preventing Test from converting to both DHT AND Estrogen. My questions are...

1) What happens to the natural Test inside the body if conversion to both DHT and Estrogen are being inhibited?

2) Could this eventually lower testosterone levels via the "feedback loop?" i.e. the body recognizes more free test floating around than is needed so it produces less test...?

Let me re-iterate that I am using nor do I plan to be, so this is natural Test we are talking here-which may or may not be important to the scheme of things.

[gimmewings]

oh and i am 23 years old and i am not hard enough to shave my head.

[DSM4Life]

oh and i am 23 years old.

Here is the short answer. Unless Bo wants to go on another typing tirade.

We don't know.

There is NO WAY ANYONE on this board can tell you how YOUR body is going to react to this drug. CASE CLOSED.

If you want to take the safe method your going to have to see the doc, explain what you are about to do and ask if he can monitor you.

Or
Take your chances.

But again, everyone is different, everyone reacts differently.

[Bojangles69]

Thank you for the comments. I will use the search function. But I have a very important question.

But first allow me to review my understanding of the processes involved briefly...

Test "turns into" either DHT or Estrogen inside the body.

Finasteride prevents the conversion of Test to DHT.

Since DHT causes MPB (somehow), Fina therefore prevents MPB.

Now we have a higher % of Test converting into Estrogen and therefore more Estrogen inside the body. This can cause gyno, weight gain, and other side effects associated with higher levels of estrogen.

Now, Anastrozole prevents *a portion* of the conversion of Test into Estrogen. Therefore preventing the undesirable side effects associated with the increased amount of estrogen.

So far we are preventing Test from converting to both DHT AND Estrogen. My questions are...

1) What happens to the natural Test inside the body if conversion to both DHT and Estrogen are being inhibited?

2) Could this eventually lower testosterone levels via the "feedback loop?" i.e. the body recognizes more free test floating around than is needed so it produces less test...?

Let me re-iterate that I am using nor do I plan to be, so this is natural Test we are talking here-which may or may not be important to the scheme of things.

Kinda stumped me with that one, prob a simple answer but I'm not 100% sure.
If test breaks down into DHT and estrogen and you inhibit both from being formed I think its initial reaction may be to produce more test overall, but I think it might depend on your genetics at this point as to whether or not your body starts to shutdown or if it stays maintaining higher natural levels.

Not really sure.

[suprman09]

Great post Bo. I was about to try proscar, but now I am rethinking it. I am already using the rogaine foam and I am not sure if it is working. I am just starting to lose hair in my temple area and its not bad at all yet, but I want to stop it before it gets worse. What do you think about dutasteride?

[Bojangles69]

Great post Bo. I was about to try proscar, but now I am rethinking it. I am already using the rogaine foam and I am not sure if it is working. I am just starting to lose hair in my temple area and its not bad at all yet, but I want to stop it before it gets worse. What do you think about dutasteride?

Dutasteride is even worse, finasteride just blocks alpha reductase 2 but dutast does both 1 and 2 which means more liklihood side effects will be irreversible and more liklihood of having more severe sexual dysfunctions.

Theres obviously people who favor one over the other but Dutasteride imo is even worse.
Stick with the rogaine and you can try other topicals like spinorolactone or nizoral. Its a bit more work then swallowing a pill but still overall way safer. In the scheme of things though you still want to experiment and see how your body reacts. Some people DO do good on the oral DHT blockers so it can still def be worth a shot.

[j4ever41]

i have been taking fina 1mg a day for 6 months and have had no issues to include loss of strength or libido, thats been my personal exp and thats not to say others dont

[Bojangles69]

i have been taking fina 1mg a day for 6 months and have had no issues to include loss of strength or libido, thats been my personal exp and thats not to say others dont

Yep this is why I say you should at least try it before deciding not to take it.
Because truth is people both do very well and very bad on it, won't know unless you try.

[tyward]

I was considering it, but after reading this I think I'll pass. Yes, I'm losing some hair, but I just want to be big enough to beat up anybody that teases me about it.

[Hoggage_54]

[BuffedGuy]

Emedicine (a very reliable medical website used by doctors) says:

"Side effects are rare, less than 1%"

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1284907-treatment

[Angel of death]

Yep this is why I say you should at least try it before deciding not to take it.
Because truth is people both do very well and very bad on it, won't know unless you try.

I took that for a year and had a real rough time recovering from it (fin). Like you said it came onto me very subtly and I didn't realize my entire personality / life had changed. Very scary drug, some people get these terrible sides.

[RuhlFreak55]

so pretty much....shave your heads you pansies

[Kale]

Here is the short answer. Unless Bo wants to go on another typing tirade.

We don't know.

There is NO WAY ANYONE on this board can tell you how YOUR body is going to react to this drug. CASE CLOSED.

If you want to take the safe method your going to have to see the doc, explain what you are about to do and ask if he can monitor you.

Or
Take your chances.

But again, everyone is different, everyone reacts differently.

Bingo !!!

I do 5mg a day of Proscar and 0.5mg twice a week of Arimidex and 200mg Test E and I am a pig in shit. I can fvck three times a day and my hair loss has stopped for the last three years. Now the reason I do Proscar is for my Prostate and not because of balding, frankly I dont give a shit about that but then I am 54 as well. The difference in all of this is probably the Test E with regards to my sex drive. Now if it wasnt for the Prostate thing I would not touch the stuff if I wasnt doing Test