Category: Drugs

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High Blood Pressure and Hair Loss During 1 Week of Minoxidil Use – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hi,
I had a little thinning in my crown area, so I decided to use minoxidil. I am 43 male, and I don’t really have genetic balding, but I have a lot of thinning. Anyways, I used minoxidil for about a week, and then I discontinued use because I had a higher blood pressure. During the use of the minoxidil, it has seemed that I have lost some hair in my crown area, and I was just wondering if it should grow back if I just leave it alone, or should I start using it again, even if I have some side effects.

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I doubt that the minoxidil did any damage to your hair. Usually people that have blood pressure problems will report a drop in blood pressure. Minoxidil is a known hypotensive agent, originally discovered for control of blood pressure. Decisions to go back on the medication must be your own. As I have not examined you, I am not in a position to answer that part of your question.

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Stopped Taking Propecia, Then Restarted and Its Not Working! – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

I wrote on here before because I was distressed about my rapid hair loss beginning in June. I am just 18 and had been on Propecia for normal MPB since December. In May, I stopped for three weeks because it was so expensive but then I decided I had to get back on it. In June, and still up to now, my hair began to fall out very fast and easily. I have telogen effluvium, diagnosed by my dermatolgoist (I had a bad viral infection with a high fever in March) and evident by the white bulbs at the end of the hairs. But the hair is falling out only from the top of my head, and I am otherwise a healthy male. I am wondering, could stopping the Propecia for that short period could be causing this bout of TE? I’m still taking the drug now and noticing hardly any new growth. Many thanks

Stopping Propecia when it is working is never a good idea, because you lose some of its value. Usually, three weeks is not enough to lose full value, but you must stay the course and keep on the medication. You will not know for a good 8 months if you’ve achieved your goals.

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Hair Loss InformationProstate Cancer Risks and Male Pattern Balding – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Is my risk of prostate cancer higher because I am balding?

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Men with Male Pattern Balding (MPB) have a consistently higher incidence of prostate cancer compared with those without MPB.

In summary, we found a significantly increased risk for prostate cancer among men with MPB, independent of established risk factors including aging and race. Although remote from the prostate, MPB may represent an early, clinically obvious marker of susceptibility and may provide clues to the pathogenesis of prostate cancer.

(source: Male Pattern Baldness and Clinical Prostate Cancer in the Epidemiologic Follow-Up of the First National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey)

When finasteride is used, “cancer prevention should be recognized as an additional benefit of treatment“. When compared with alternative treatments, “chemoprevention may also provide an excellent strategy for diminishing treatment-related costs and adverse effects such as erectile and urinary dysfunction“.

(source: Should finasteride be used to prevent prostate cancer?)

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Hair Loss InformationBlood Pressure Drop, Fatigue from Finasteride – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hello Dr. Rassman! First off, I would like to thank you for the time you take to give hairloss info/advice. My question is: I have been on Proscar .5mg daily for several months and have had several side effects such as mental cloudiness, fatigue and a drop in blood pressure. I am 29 years old. I always have to give my body a break from the Finasteride where I go off it for 3 days and My blood pressure goes back to normal. If I take 1mg every other day, will that still provide results while cutting down side effects? I really, really would like to keep my hair although the sides are really tough for me and Minoxidil inflames my scalp to no end. I understand the Finasteride is the best treatment. It know it is important for me to speak with my Dr. however I know he will just tell me to stop the Proscar altogether. Thank you and look forward to hearing from you!!

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Sounds like you are trying to be your own doctor. As the saying goes, a person that treats himself has a fool for a doctor. You are doing things that are not clear. One place you say you are taking 0.5mgs Proscar a day (1/10th of a pill?). The side effects you are discussing sound psychosomatic. Did you really record a drop in blood pressure? If so, you have problems that are probably not finasteride related. I’ve seen drops in blood pressure with minoxidil — but never with finasteride.

If you take 0.5mgs of finasteride (1/2 of a Propecia pill, or 1/10 of a Proscar tablet) the overall effect of the drug is estimated to be 80% of the full 1mg dose. Anything less than 0.5mgs will reduce the effect of the drug significantly. If there are side effects from the drug, the smaller dose might work for you.

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Hair Loss InformationTaking Propecia Preventatively – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Dear doctor,
how do i find out if my hair loss has started or not? (my dad starting to lose his hair when he was 50, he has not lose all his hair yet but he you can see his scalp after washing his hair) …..do u think it is a good idea/time to start taking proprecia? i have been taking proprecia for nearly 3 months. what happen if i find out that my hair loss has not start, will i trigger the hair loss if i stop taking proprecia? Please teach me what to do. thank you so much for your time.

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Get your hair mapped out for miniaturization and you will know for sure if the balding process has started. I doubt that Propecia will completely prevent the balding process if taken preventively. If I assume you saw no benefit yet on the drug, I would doubt that you would lose hair by stopping it now.

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Hair Loss InformationI Don’t Want to Pester My Doctor, But I Have Questions – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I am currently 25 and have noticed severe balding in the temple region for the last 6 months and minor balding on the crown. I have always been paranoid of going bald one day, and now it seems the reality is here. I have seen 2 doctors concerning transplants and the 2nd, who I felt comfortable with developed a master plan and I started propecia about a month ago. He did not recommend surgery but rather wait until November and come back to see him. It has reached the point today of not being able to wait another 4 months. My temple region is fading at lighting speed. Do you suggest on waiting the propecia out? I do not want to pester the doctor who I could potentially have surgery with.

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Follow the doctor’s opinion you trust. Waiting out the impact of Propecia for 8 months is always a good idea. At your age, Propecia will reverse the crown loss most of the time, so why rush to surgery when the drug is probably the best of all solutions? Have an open line of communication with your physician — it always works out best that way. Look, I am not your doctor but do not have a problem answering your questions.

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I Haven’t Experienced Any Difference in My Hairline from Avodart – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

I am a 26 yr old male with slightly receding hairline. I have been on avodart now for 15 months but noticed not a real difference good nor bad. I am wondering if Proscar might be more effective given it is proven to regrow as with avodart there are not as much clinical date. I chose avodart since it was the stronger dht fighter

I am guessing here, as I have no real experience with Avodart. I would doubt that Proscar will work any better as Avodart is theoretically a much better DHT blocker. However, if you are taking Avodart (or considering Proscar) to regrow your hairline, chances are high that it won’t work for that anyway.

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Scared to Use Rogaine for Women – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

At the beginning of December i started to realize that my hair was getting thinner. After that i have an appoiment with the gynecologist to ask her for birth controls and i told her my situation and she said that the control pills are going to help me with my hair. I’ve been taking it for 8 months and my hair is still getting thinner and thinner and i went to the doctor to have a blood check up and the doctor said that my iron was low so i took iron for 1 month. My dermatologist told me to use Rogaine for woman but i am a little bit scare to use that. I want to know why i’m having this problem and i want to find the solution. My hair was so thick that i couldn’t hold it with one hand….please help me.
Thanks

Birth control pills and low iron cause hair loss and hair thinning. Sometimes this is not reversible, but it may not get worse if you improve the low iron and manage the birth control pills better with your doctor (focus your doctor on the hair loss element). Rogaine works nicely in some women if they can tolerate its use. It may be worth a try.

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Taking Avodart and Propecia At the Same Time? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hey Doctor,

Thanks for continuing to answer all my questions. I had a consultation with you about 4-5 months ago.

I have been on Propecia for about 7 years now…and it seems to be less effective than it was before. I am losing more hair, especially within the past 3 or 4 months. I have read your comments on Avodart…and it seems for some people, Avodart is more effective than Propecia, especially when Propecia stops losing its effect.

If I want to try Avodart out for a little while (I know it’s not FDA approved), would you continue taking Propecia at the same time?

Thanks again.

If you take Avodart, there is no point to using Propecia. Be careful about dosing, unless you are under the care of a good doctor.


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