I’m going to start taking Propecia for hair loss. I’d like to be vigilant about identifying any side effects early on. It’s pretty easy to find a list of side effects, but I’m not sure how I’d go about detecting some of them.
Is there a comprehensive list of checks I can perform every week (or even every day) to make sure everything’s going ok? I suppose there’s a potential psychological effect of constantly
looking for side effects, but hopefully I can be objective about it.
The listing of rare, uncommon side effects of finasteride use is as follows:
- Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue)
- Breast enlargement, lumps, pain, or tenderness
- Nipple discharge
- Testicular pain
If you take the drug, the side effects will be evident within 2 weeks on average. Once you stop the medication, the side effects (except for breast issues) will be gone within that same 2 week period. I have seen the breast tenderness last a few months and often recommend that you see your doctor if it does not go away in a few weeks. You’ll be able to easily identify any of those side effects because they’ll be out of the norm. Most are uncommon though.
I think you could also do a semen analysis to see if the count decreases from when you start the drug?
As far as the breast issue, you said it can take months to go away; does that mean it eventually will? What are the implications if it does not go away (in that you would recommend someone to see a doctor)?