It has come to my attention that docs are now prescribing Finasteride at 3-4mg per week citing that it would have virtually no side effects at that dose. Is there any truth to that statement? I know a good friend who started it on that dose despite my significant warnings, but he’s pushing ahead because his hair transplant doc said he should be on it throughout the procedure and to prevent future loss and he’s safe at this dose. Thoughts? @awor @axolotl
This is not accurate.
Some people are severely affected following one dose.
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Hey @johnnyfin, unfortunately, speaking both pharmacologically and clinically, that is not true. As @Greek points out many of our most severe and permanently affected cases have occurred after a tiny amount of the drug.
propeciahelp recently published a significant literature review in which we discussed the extremely unusual dose response curve of finasteride:
Finasteride exhibits a highly unusual and nonlinear dose-response. Maximum DHT suppression is achieved after a single 1mg dose. It is markedly suppressive of DHT at all daily doses between 0.04 and 100mg over two weeks. Steady-state DHT levels were reduced to between 0.1-0.15ng/ml at all doses tested by Gormley et al, with DHT levels returning to pre-treatment levels within 14 days of cessation (GORMLEY et al., 1990). 0.05 to 5mg finasteride produces a 60% reduction in DHT in scalp skin. Similarly, a dose of approximately 0.2 mg of finasteride is not appreciably different to 5mg in terms of serum DHT reduction, suggesting this drug is profoundly effective at low doses (Frankel, 1999).
The drug is very potent even at low doses, and the clinical situation suggests it is the person not the drug when it comes down to the risk of PFS. Unfortunately we simply have no idea what those predictive factors are yet, so it’s Russian roulette.
Hope that helps,
Axo
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Thanks guys. This does help and I will share this with my friend. I can’t believe doctors are saying this with all the information out there. Just unbelievable.
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Its interesting this theory actually made me try the drug a month back. Heard these two aussie doctors on YouTube saying that to minimise side effects they put people on 3mg a week typically Monday Wednesday and Friday which I did the day after my second dose I crashed so I guess that puts an end to that theory
Hi @Neverwill would you mind creating a member story and taking the survey if you have been experiencing post drug side effects for longer than 3 months? Thanks a lot and all the best
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