Reviews and Comments on Propecia Side Effects and Usage, page 53

Propecia Reviews

If you’ve used Propecia, please help others by adding your feedback. What would you tell your best friend about this product? Please remember that we do not give medical advice. That is for your local health care provider, who is familiar with your medical history.

Subj: No more erections
Date: 3/20/2008
I have been using Propecia for two months last year. I am only 26 years old, and my doctor told me about potential sexual side effects for 1 or 2% of the people, but said that since I was 26 I was going to be just fine. Turns out, just like many others here, I did not have any more erections, and when I had some it was only half hard. I believe there has been a major deception in the medical studies conducted by the FDA. The sexual side effects are real and affect way more than 2%. I was so scared by the effects I stopped right away, and now that I read that some guys actually became unable to conceive a child I think I would sue Merck for their lies if I had the time and a million dollars, but I guess they know most people don’t have that, so they probably sleep very well at night.

Joey

Subj: Sexual side effects
Date: 3/30/2008
I am a concerned girlfriend…my boyfriend was on propecia for 2 years and recently discontinued use because of the sexual side effects. He feels helpless because he thinks his sexual side effects are permenant. Is this true? Will the drug next escape a mans body? Thanks!

Girl23

AskDocWeb: The manufacturer says that withdrawal of treatment leads to reversal of effect within 12 months so give it time.

Subj: Male pattern baldness
Date: 4/8/2008
My son who is having male pattern baldness is to be married soon. Is it advisable for him to take propecia since he wants to start a family soon?

Renu

AskDocWeb: That is something he would need to discuss with a dermatologist after getting a physical. He needs to rule out the possibility that a thyroid or other medical problem might be causing his hair loss before deciding on a treatment.

Subj: Chest hair or butt cheek hair?
Date: 4/16/2008
Will taking Propecia stimulate hair growth where there isn’t any (or just “peach fuzz”)? Specifically chest hair or butt cheek hair? (I know, odd question)

Jack

AskDocWeb: No, there are no reports of Propecia causing hair growth in those areas.

Subj: Hair growth on body?
Date: 4/16/2008
I’m 26 and my hair is just starting to thin out on part of my head so my doctor told me I could take Propecia. But I’m also considering doing laser hair removal. Does Propecia cause hair growth on the rest of the body or is it just limited to the head? Should I consider taking Procerin instead?

Eric

AskDocWeb: Hair growth with Propecia is limited to the scalp.

Subj: NO sexual urge
Date: 4/18/2008
I am 64 years old and lost ALL my hair above the ears at age 29. I started using propecia and rogaine in January, and immediately (within a month) noticed hair growth. This is 4 months later, and BLACK hair is starting to come in at the crown, while my normal hair area is still gray. I am maintaining all hair at about 1/4 inch until I see heavier follicles and further growth. I also would say that, through life, I have been a rather “randy” male. As most women are not sexual in nature, this can be a problem so, I consider this a great plus, in the fact that I have had NO sexual urge since January. Its nice not being held victim by women that troll for men, tease and play them on the line! FREE AT LAST! I highly recommend propecia for men that are tired of being a fish at the end of a line.

Richard

Subj: Sexual side effects
Date: 4/25/2008
Hello. I am 19, almost 20. I have been using propecia for about a year now. I have had TREMENDOUS results basically growing back all the hair I lost (thinning and receeding) and am now actually starting to regrow my hairline to how it was before. However, I think a lot of my hair loss was due to a faze of depression because of a sports injury. My only problem is the sexual side effects. Sometimes I notice it sometimes I don’t. It’s usually inability to keep an erection for longer than a couple minutes without any stimulation. I don’t get strong erections hardly ever. I’m just wondering if I cut my dose to a pill every other day if this would still keep the hair I have (no need for more growth) and yet help with my sexual side effect?

John

AskDocWeb: Sorry John, that is something that has not been studied.

Subj: Sever sexual side effects
Date: 4/25/2008
Propecia is the worst product I have ever heard off and could possibly have ruined my life I only took it 2 and a half months and I have sever sexual side effects I am castrated from it and it has been close to 2 years of these side effects. Do not take this drug. Messing with the natural balance of your hormones is a dangerous thing.

Voice

Subj: Numbness in extremities
Date: 4/28/2008
Since starting propecia I’ve notice my hands and lower arms feel a little numb and tight. could this be a side effect of propecia. it is not in my feet or legs.

Mike

AskDocWeb: It is not listed as one of the side effects but several men have reported experiencing numbness.

Subj: Rogaine with Finasteride?
Date: 5/2/2008
I have been using Finasteride for 1 year and 1 month (proscar cut to 5 pieces). After talking with my dermatologist, he felt that cutting the proscar to 5 pieces was fine and that even though it might not be perfect equal portions, that the average is what any user is trying to achieve on a weekly basis. Since I have been taking the Proscar, I would have to say that hair loss has certainly slowed, and possibly grown back, but it is really hard to say about new growth. I primarily have a receding hair line and anything I can do to stop it, and reverse it would be great.

I am debating about using Rogaine at this point. So my question is this. I have been on Proscar for a year. By adding the Rogaine, can it cause a negative effect to what I am already doing with the Proscar? And suppose it doesn’t cause a negative effect…Is it possible to start taking Rogaine in conjunction with Finasteride, see results with Rogaine after some period of time, then discontinue rogaine use, but keep on the Finasteride, and not experience the hair loss achieved by Rogaine? I have heard Rogaine can “jump start” hair growth and by continuing to take 1 mg of Finasteride, you can quit taking the Rogaine because you are using DHT blocker. I cannot find any documentation to back this up.

Jason

AskDocWeb: As far as we know there have not been any clinical trials involving the simultaneous use of Rogaine and Finasteride so you are not likely to find any documentation. On the other hand, a jump start seems to be a reasonable expectation from Rogaine because according to the FDA, “Hair regrowth has not been shown to last longer than 48 weeks of continuous treatment in large clinical trials with minoxidil topical solution 5% for men.”

Subj: Heart attack?
Date: 5/5/2008
I used finpecia for 1 month and then I got a mild heart attack. I am only 34 years old and not overweight so I was wondering if it could have caused my mild heart attack in anyway.

Erwin

AskDocWeb: No, there was one report from a man who thought he was having a heart attack but it turned out to be an anxiety attack.

Subj: Visible shedding of hair on crown
Date: 5/20/2008
Hello, I have a visible shedding of hair on my crown area only, not in the front. I have been taking finasteride 1mg for the past 1 year. My haifall has stopped. I am also using rogaine for the past 6 months applying once daily. As of my knowledge I have not noticed any visible increase in hair count (if it has increased its very minimal) but I am not loosing hair anymore. I didn’t come across any side effects. I feel I am normal without loss in sex drive. I seriously want my hair back. I consulted bosley for hair transplantation but they didn’t recommend because if they did the other hair which I have on the shed area may loose and after surgery also it would be the same as it is now. Will continuing use of finastride and rogaine will get my hair back? I was adviced to take Dutasteride as it blocks more DHT. Is it advisable? If not what are the options I have?

Robin

AskDocWeb: Option 1 is to get a referral from a dermatologist to a dermatologist that specializes in hair loss (not all of them deal with hair loss). Get an examination and then get the doctor’s assessment of how best to proceed.

Subj: Going downhill
Date: 5/21/2008
I’ve been taking Propecia for 2.5 years (since I was 19) and I just wanted to say that I’ve been noticing things going downhill in my life ever since, although I can’t be sure if it is the medication. I started taking it when I noticed (others noticed) that I was getting a little bit thin at the back. I haven’t lost anymore hair since except maybe a little on my left front corner, which could have been there before, and have almost gone back to my old head of hair at the back.

I enrolled in a college course that I was interested around the time I began Propecia which I dropped out of about 3 months later because I just couldn’t handle it, the workload, any sort of horseplay from the other students, everything. I couldn’t understand what had happened, because I coped just fine in comparison with my final exams in high school which was supposedly an even more stressful time with a larger workload and even more student horseplay. I had a good relationship with a girl I liked and stopped seeing her because I just couldn’t handle any sort of mishaps, like I would snap at her for just a bit of complaining or moaning or something, which I wouldn’t before. I just couldn’t stand people or things the way I used to. I’ve lost it in situations where I leave the room and think ‘what the hell is wrong with me?’ I haven’t really noticed anything sexual, my dermatologist told me back when that it is very rare and about 2% of men would experience it, so I was happy to hear that, but perhaps I’m not as horny as before due to my depression and I think that is the most it could be, which is why I don’t really know if it is the Propecia, because the side effects are supposed be all sexual.

I really don’t want to stop taking it because I know I’ll lose all my hair so I’m going to see a psychiatrist whom I will tell that I’m taking the medication, it could be something else despite nothing else really changing in my life except this medication. I didn’t really care that much about the hair loss either, I thought if I could do something about it, I would, but I have no idea if I should regret it. Do many people report depression or easy irritability with Propecia? Thanks,

Jake

AskDocWeb: Although depression isn’t a listed as an “official” side effect of propecia, several have reported it here as well as mood swings, irritability, loss of anger control.

Update December 2010: Merck has officially added depression to the list of possible side effects of Propecia. Read more feedback.
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