Category: Drugs

Snippet from the article:

Whether you are young or old, man or woman, very healthy or quite sick, it is almost a certainty that you are going to use a prescription drug in the next year or two. These medicines are crucial for preventing diseases and treating all sorts of ailments and problems.

They are also expensive — really expensive. For example, the best-selling drug of all time, Pfizer’s cholesterol lowering drug Lipitor, went for $3.50 per pill and up before going generic in late 2011. But these days some retail chains are giving away generic Lipitor while the rest are charging barely 50 cents a pill.

Prescription drugs cost Americans far more than they do people living in many other parts of the world. The drug companies say it is because they have to pay back the R&D costs which is largely put on Americans. Many think that this is because drug companies spend a fortune on direct-to-consumer sales and marketing (which they don’t do in other countries) and because other nations negotiate better deals for drugs than private insurers do in the United States.

Read the rest at CNN — How Big Pharma rips you off on drugs

Can I ask you a medical question. I’ve been having some really fast heart beats at rest over 120bpm that were hurting, so I went to a clinic walk in today and they said it was Superventricular Tachycardia… I’m wondering if this can be caused by propecia and if maybe I should stop taking it? They said I should go see a cardiologist.

I do not believe supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) is a side effect of Propecia. I don’t recall any cases where Propecia (finasteride) caused an irregular heartbeat. If you’re also using minoxidil, that is the more likely culprit, since minoxidil has actually been linked to cardiac issues.

Some causes of SVT can be from anything with caffein (coffee, energy drinks), certain cold medications that have pseudoephedrine (Sudafed), or stimulants (cocaine). Sometimes there may be no direct cause from any extraneous source, but rather an inherent issue with your heart’s electrical system.

In any case, SVT can be serious or lead to something more serious, so you should see a cardiologist for this.

Hi Dr.Rassman,

What is your opinion on oral minoxidil (Loniten) regarding hair-regrowth and are you able to provide any information from your practice or any other doctor’s experience?

The original use of this drug in the 1960s was for hypertension (high blood pressure) and some patients may still take it for treating that. The side effect was the growth of hair on the body (everywhere and anywhere). For women, mustaches and chest hair would appear.

There may be dangerous side effects of dropping of blood pressure when taken in a non-clinically controlled or indicated circumstance. This is not a good drug for oral use to regrow hair. Stick to the topical.

Great blog! I frequent it periodically and have been following some useful advice you’ve given to your readers. It has helped me, so I thought I’d share my success story (thus far).

I’m 25, and began to notice thinning according to a Norwood 4 pattern around the age 22. No doubt it would progress further seeing my father and brother are a Norwood 6 – 7. I was in denial initially, but after reading your blog I came to terms with my fate and recognized treating the issue sooner would allow me to keep my current hair longer.

After talking with my doctor, I began finasteride 1mg. I didn’t notice any significant changes for quite some time. In fact, I continued to lose hair… for a while too. After about 9 months my hair began to look healthier but I never grew new hairs. Nevertheless, my hair appeared to improve according to my girlfriend and close friends.

I can confidently say my balding had drastically reduced, if not stopped for the time being. After 1.5 years on finasteride, I decided to throw Rogaine in the mix. I’ve been using Rogaine at my hairline now for 4 months (in conjunction with finasteride). Although not perfect, my hairline is much improved. Even with wet hair, you can only detect traces of my balding. I only hope the results continue to improve.

Good luck to everyone with the fight!

This is not an atypical story. The full value of finasteride may take up to two years to see… and adding minoxidil does work in some men, as you have clearly stated here.

Thanks for sending in your story and I hope you have continued success!

Hello. Has Merck’s drug patent on Propecia expired yet? If so, where is the competition and why the medication price hasn’t dropped?

All the best

There’s a 6 month exclusivity window for Dr Reddy’s to sell their generic (starting in January 2013). After that, I believe other generics can be sold in US pharmacies and you’ll possibly see prices come down.

Hi. I am using Propecia 1mg for around 10 years now with good results (no hair loss) and no adverse effects (e.g. less sex drive). Lately I read a report that says there is a slight risk of Male Breast Cancer in people using Finasteride. I understand that only 3 (inconclusive) breast cancer cases worldwide have been reported using Finasteride 1mg. I have read that your opinion is that there is no risk from from using Finasteride 1mg in terms of Male Breast cancer. Is this correct? If you were in my shoes would you continue the usage of Propecia, without any concern? Thanks a lot.

There is no evidence of breast cancer from the use of Propecia, as far as I am aware. The reports are not clear and inconclusive of a direct correlation. If you are worried about your risk, it is best discussed with your doctor where he/she can assess your family and past medical history, as well provide a good physical exam to give you a professional opinion.

The Internet is a great source of information, but it can be very confusing with a sea of equal misinformation and facts taken out of context.

Is saw palmetto a good enough option compared to minoxidil?? Minoxidil preparation comes with isopropyl alcohol base. Alcohol causes scalp dryness and that increases hair fall which nullifies the effect of minoxidil. I am using topical application containing saw palmetto in form of a hair oil..also saw palmetto capsules orally. Initially for about 2-3 months my hair texture improved, but now somehow hair fall is accelerated.

I’m just 22yrs old and i’m afraid at my present rate of hair loss i may become bald very shortly. Is saw palmetto of any help to me?? i switched over to it because minoxidil ruined my hair texture. please help !!!

I think that you have to read more on this blog and even visit our newhair.com site to learn what hair loss is about. Saw palmetto has no value whatsoever for treating hair loss. It will definitely allow you to complete the balding process if that remains your main baldness treatment.

There are people that claim saw palmetto is a worthwhile hair loss treatment, but you won’t find me amongst them. There has never been any good scientific study to prove the claims people make.

Even minoxidil isn’t the best treatment for a young man with early loss like you describe, because it doesn’t block the DHT. I implore you to see a competent doctor who will address your problem.