Finasteride User Reviews & Ratings (Page 5)

• joh...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 5, 2019

For Androgenetic Alopecia "Taking finasteride was the biggest mistake of my life. Finasteride is a type II 5α-reductase inhibitor. 5α-reductase is responsible for so many important bodily functions, and some unlucky individuals, like me, become damaged from it. I suffer physical, sexual, mental, and digestive symptoms every single day. I don't know if I will ever recover from this poison."

• Rob...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 27, 2015

For Androgenetic Alopecia "I noticed rapid shedding of hair in March of 2015. I would occasionally count hairs lost on a day to gauge the extent of the hair loss (getting better or worse). For months, I was losing well over 100 hairs a day, which was quite concerning. For some time, I deliberated whether to proceed with finasteride, as I was conscious of the negative side effects. I started taking finasteride in August. For the next four months, my hair loss continued. It's now December, and it has completely stopped. I can run my hands through my hair/have a shower and count little to no hairs at all. My hair also feels stronger and looks thicker, which is great. Better still, I have no noticeable negative side effects, and my sex drive is as it was previously."

• far...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 11, 2024

For Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia "I have been on 5 mg finasteride for 3 weeks. I am 61 years old. I have had most of the side effects. Started with terrible brain fog for a few days. My testicles ache every day. My penis shrinks more every day, but the meds make me horny. I masturbate. I don't get hard, but started with brown cum, watery. Now I'm almost dry cum. See how it goes. Only 3 weeks on meds, no testicle shrinkage yet. I read a lot of bad things. My marriage is sexless, so keep going. See if it improves."

• Don...
• December 15, 2019

For Androgenetic Alopecia "I've done a lot of research about hair and looking for natural ways to make my hair grow back. I've been working on my hair, and I have come up with the simplest solution within the last couple of years. Use shampoos that do not have sulfates and those that pull blood toward the roots of the hairs. Add a little mint oil to your shampoo. I use Nizoral quite often, as it also contains zinc. Leave your shampoo on for about 15 minutes before you rinse it off. I wash my hair twice a week unless it's summer and warm when I wash it three times a week. Result? It's growing back, slowly but surely. I'd say it should take about four years to have a full set of hair back. Save your money and health!"

• spa...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• December 16, 2014

For Androgenetic Alopecia "I've been on finasteride (Proscar) for 14 years. I started when I was 40 and noticed rapid and heavy hair loss occurring. When I look at pictures of myself now and back then, I can see that I have not lost any more hair since then. I do have to say that I have continued to thin more on the back of my head, but up front, all remains stable."

• Rob...
• December 9, 2019

For Androgenetic Alopecia "Took Propecia for 18 years. Worked great. Insignificant sides. Well, it was years afterward that I started getting all the sexual and some cognitive (brain fog, bad sleep) side effects. Went to the doc about semi-hard erections, he gave me Cialis. I decided to go off the drug, and after about 2-3 months, I noticed my erections were completely hard as a rock. So much so, that it hurt when I got an erection (in a good way). It was growing BACK! I went back on the drug after about 1 year. My new hair loss stopped soon after, along with my penis working. This time it also started to get hard crooked. I stopped again. Many of the side effects men speak of on this forum are also dissipating. When I was on and had no big side effects, all was good and I thought the negative experiences were small. I'm done for good with Propecia - had I known before what I know now, I would not have started."

• No...
• January 30, 2017

For Androgenetic Alopecia "Been taking this medicine since I was 23 and found I had a receding hairline. My hairline has stayed mostly at the same level for the grace of this medicine. No brain fog, no low sex drive. You just need to do exercise and keep a positive attitude. In fact, it was exactly what I did and feel like it was the most productive 2 years of my life (I was doing an engineering master). If you worry about the hair, give it a shot, and divert the time spent on worrying to something else important. Cheers."

• Dyl...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 3, 2020

Finasteride for Androgenetic Alopecia "I have been on Propecia for almost 6 months now. My experience with it is as below: 1) Shedding was worst during the second to third month, as expected. Slowed down, but I still notice medium to bad hair loss every now and then. Hopefully, it will stabilize and come to a halt. 2) I notice some baby hair along the hairline. (Although I had been using minoxidil 6 months prior to Propecia, I didn't notice any hair growth until I was on Propecia. I am on both Propecia and minoxidil now, by the way.) Not much improvement on the crown. Overall hair volume and quality seem to have improved. Nonetheless, it's still too early to tell, I guess. 3) No side effects so far. I will give another update after a year. I do hope that the hair loss stops for good."

• Jam...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 5, 2019

For Androgenetic Alopecia "The decision to take finasteride for hair loss should not be taken lightly. I read the other reviews and just assumed this was ‘in their heads’ and I wouldn’t experience any negative symptoms. I hate erectile issues, depression, and pains in the testicles. AVOID at all costs! Your hair is not worth your happiness."

• ano...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 22, 2021

For Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia "This stuff is horrible. Stopped using it after 3 weeks. Had no more sexual desire of any kind. Just as bad was the overwhelming feeling of doom and negative thoughts! Did not use it long enough to get the breast enlargement or extreme body hair growth! I think urologists prescribe this as an easy out when they know nothing much about the prostate gland and related problems!"

• SPA...
• September 7, 2020

Finasteride for Androgenetic Alopecia "I've decided to write this review for Propecia because I didn't take this drug for 9 years because of the horror reviews online, even though my hair loss was causing me intense anxiety every day. I didn't have the courage to take it until my brother started taking it. It truly does give you relief knowing that someone you know closely is taking it. Once he started taking it, I told myself it is time I take the plunge. At least if the worst happens, we'll experience it together. I've been taking it for 6 months now with little to 0 side effects. Before taking it, I was concerned about permanent penile shrinkage, ED, and watery semen. ED is definitely not an issue in the slightest. Penile shrinkage, I don't think so at all, but I'm not positive since I didn't measure before and after. If I thought there was penile shrinkage, I would stop. My GF hasn't noticed a difference. It's possible my semen is slightly more watery, but that's it."

• Bc1...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• June 27, 2016

For Androgenetic Alopecia "Have been taking Proscar cut into quarters for 15 years. Started when I was 17 and noticing my hair just beginning to thin and recede. I am now 32 and my hair is thicker and more abundant than when I started. I had minimal side effects (decreased ejaculation), which was an easy price to pay for the results. I have more hair than any of the friends I grew up with, and I am convinced I would be completely bald by now if it wasn't for this drug."

• Sky...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 11, 2022

For Androgenetic Alopecia "Finasteride has ruined my life sexually and mentally. I wish I never took this poison and hope there will be a cure and/or it will improve over time. It’s almost been a year and a half since I stopped. I only took it for 3 months, it’s horrid living this way."

• Nic...
• July 14, 2016

For Androgenetic Alopecia "I am taking this since the last 4 years. 1 mg tab from Dr. Reddy, and it costs less than $3 for a month in India. It's a wonder drug, and it stopped hair loss and also gives me good thick hair. Wish I had started earlier. I had very little loss of libido and think it's good for me to concentrate on other activities. No erection problem so far, but yes, reduced morning wood. I am happy with the results."

• JJa...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 27, 2019

For Androgenetic Alopecia "I was worried in my late 20s about hair loss, but it wasn't noticeable. The main side effect was I couldn't achieve an orgasm, which forced me to stop. I was also taking a diuretic for blood pressure at the time. In my early 30s, my blood pressure medication was changed (a non-diuretic), and I started really noticing hair loss in the front of my head (a bald spot was forming between the front of my hair and the midline -- like my father). I went back to 1mg finasteride. The sexual side effects were gone, and the balding spot is now full. I can get the generic for $14 out of pocket."

• Ale...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 17, 2021

For Androgenetic Alopecia "Wow! I never believed the people who got PFS. Now I do, I took just half a pill a week ago. The night I took it, my penis had shrunk a bit, got an intense brain fog (which I still have today), couldn’t get hard (I was basically impotent), and semen was watery. The next day, I lost interest in sex, motivation hit rock bottom, joint pain in legs, and I had extreme anxiety and lots more symptoms. I quit immediately. So... this stuff is dangerous/poisonous for a few! If you want to risk chemical castration, then go for it. After half a pill a week ago, I still have fatigue, brain fog, depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, small joint pain, and a lowered sexual interest. Which has gotten better each day after HALF A PILL, A WEEK AGO."

• Cur...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 10, 2018

For Androgenetic Alopecia "I don't get the negativity surrounding this drug. Most of those reviews are by people who have used it for just a week at the most. Maybe what they experienced could have been some confirmation bias heightened by what they read in reviews like this. But still, I can't speak for their part. As for me, I have been using it for the last 4 months. Never experienced those side effects of loss of sex drive, erectile dysfunction, or any other. My hair loss has stopped, but I am not seeing hair growth still. They say it takes 4-6 months to see some noticeable growth. Maybe that is because I am not pairing it with Minoxidil. Planning to use it for the next 5 years if things don't go wrong."

• mac...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 28, 2021

For Androgenetic Alopecia "After 8 months of use for widespread hair loss, there has been no improvement. In fact, more hair has fallen out. I will stay the course for another 8 months to see. Some state it takes up to two years, but my doctor said that if nothing improves by 8 months, it probably won't work."

• Mid...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 31, 2016

For Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia "Was given finasteride as a trial as Contiflo (Flomax) did not solve the issue completely. I stopped after 5 days as finasteride was giving me frequent palpitations. Very unsettling. I think the other well-known effect was slowly starting to take effect as well. Enough reason for me to stop and rely on Contiflo for the time being."

• Dou...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 21, 2020

For Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia "Prior to being on Finasteride, I was up all night, every night. Seriously, some nights I was up 7 times. It took quite some time (three months?), and I now sleep through the night. A bad night's sleep is when I have to get up once. Reading some of the negative reviews, these meds do not have a single side effect for me. Sleep like a baby again at 61 years of age. Saved me from surgery."

• Pat...
• March 21, 2016

For Androgenetic Alopecia "Was severely balding/thinning prior to taking it. Started on Propecia, and although it took a little while to work (at least half a year), I ended up regrowing a lot of hair. Switched to Proscar, hair grew back even more and thicker, hairline looks great now. Very minor side effects at the beginning, none since."

• Adv...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 12, 2022

For Androgenetic Alopecia "Post-finasteride syndrome (PFS) Symptoms: genital shrinkage, genital numbness, ED, zero libido, increased penile curvature/fibrosis, ejaculation disorder, low semen quality/volume, changes in color & texture of skin (yellow/brown), tight, red scrotum every morning, dark prominent veins on scrotum, varicocele left testicle, spontaneous weight gain, moon face, emotional blunting/anhedonia, anxious 'crash', persistent anxiety/fight or flight response, shaking hands, depression, muscle atrophy, blurred vision, red/yellow eyes, night sweats, insomnia, nightmares, general fatigue/malaise, brain fog/cognitive impairment, digestive issues, body hair loss, tinnitus, chills, high blood pressure, random rashes torso/forehead, back/neck pain, muscle/eye twitches, sensitive skin, swollen lymph nodes, shallow breathing, scooped fingernails, heart arrhythmia, tingling/numbness in hands/feet, weakness in hands/arms, thinning eyebrows, receding gums."

• wha...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• April 18, 2020

For Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia "My dad just turned 87 in March and has been taking 5 mg of finasteride since 1998 for enlarged prostate. We have discussed the side effects, he has had NONE over the past 22 years. Great sex drive, with no Cialis. He told me his hair has gotten thicker, from my standpoint, his hair is so thick it is unbelievable. He stated he has more hair now than he did in his 60s. He had no idea that finasteride produced hair growth until I told him last week. As for myself, at age 56 and with a little receding hairline, I am going to start it today and see how it works for me. Since I am a clone of my dad, I hope it works just as good for me as it has for him."

• Mon...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 23, 2021

For Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia "If you're taking this poison for hair growth, I urge you to stop! Bald is better than the side effects. I took it for enlarged prostate but decided it wasn't a good option. I'm 71, so ED isn't an issue for me, but after two months, I started getting headaches that wouldn't go away. Then, four days into the headaches, I woke up feeling dizzy. I'm not talking a little dizzy, I'm talking big-time spinning room dizzy that felt like the worst drunk of my life dizzy. I was 24 hours before I could walk to the bathroom without falling. I'm reading that only 2% experience the side effects. I'm betting it is a lot higher than that. Stop NOW and hope you get better. It has been a month since I took any, and I am still having light-headed days and minor headaches. Hopefully, this isn't permanent."

• Tex...
• October 5, 2020

For Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia "I have been taking finasteride for several years. About a year ago, I noticed shrinkage of my unit and testicles, no energy, depression, and low libido. I thought it was my age. Brain fog all around, lack of excitement for life. I couldn't figure it out until a few weeks ago. I hope it goes away. I can't get into my doc for 3 months. Be careful. Was on the med for 6 years for BPH. It helped with that but screwed everything else up. I am so mad at my doctor."