 |
 |
 |
|
|
|||
|
|
||||
|
||||
TO LYNN---CAN'T TAKE ALDACTONE--PROPECIA (VERY VERY LONG)From: anonymous (anonymous@obgyn.net)Wed, 30 Aug 2000 23:50:46 -0500 (CDT)
Lynn- I think I'm just the person you should talk to. I couldn't take aldactone because of breakthrough bleeding. I was prescribed the drug finasteride. Proscar is 5mg of finasteride and propecia is 1.5mg of finasteride. proscar and propecia are the same drug(Finasteride) but the dosage is different. This drug was prescribed to address the facial hair and the thinning scalp hair. My endo started me on 2.5mg of proscar for three months. Proscar only comes in a 5mg pill, so I had to get a pill cutter and only take 1/2 of the pill once a day. After three months my endo upped the dosage to the full 5mg. So I take 5mg of finasteride a day (proscar). I researched this drug alot before taking it and all the studies on it's use with pcos woman were based on a 5mg dose of finasteride. My endo felt the minimum effective dosage would be 2.5mg. The propecia (1.5mg of finasteride) that your doctor prescribed may be to low for you to receive any of it's benifits. You should look up the drug finasteride and research it. I haven't read any studies that use propecia (1.5mg finasteride) for treatment of pcos. I have read many studies that use Proscar (5mg of finasteride). I hope this hasn't confused you. Ok so now I'll tell you what the endo had to say about the drug--- This drug will do nothing to lower your testosterone or your free testosterone. What it does is block the circulating testosterone from being converted into DHT. DHT is a more powerful type of testosterone that is responcipal for the secondary male sex characteristics. DHT is not the same type of testosterone tha you have measured when you go for you bloodwork. IT is different and it is responcipal for male pattern hair growth on the body and male pattern baldness on the scalp. This is probably why you doctor prescribed the propecia dosage 1.5. Think of a little boy going into puberty. His body is converting his testosterone into DHT. His voice deepens and his hair texture changes and begins to grow on his body in an adult male pattern (Face,chest,belly,back,etc.) In adult men, the DHT is responcipal for the thining and balding. So now with pcos we have basically the same thing happening. Propecia Is given to men in a 1.5mg dosage because in larger dosages they begin to have side effects. the only time men receive the larger dosage 5mg (proscar) is when they are being treated for prostate problems (mostly cancer of the prostate) Woman on the other hand do not have the side effects that men do when on a higher dosage of Finasteride. Studies show that woman do very well on dosages higher than the one your doctor prescribed. Like I said--you research this then talk to your doctor. My endo has been using Proscar in her practice for a long time and basically hasn't seen any negitive side effects. The only concern is AND I STRESS YOU CAN NOT GET PREGNANT ON THIS DRUG. YOU MUST PRACTICE BIRTH CONTROL. THIS DRUG FINASTERIDE IN ANY DOSAGE CAN EFFECT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BABIES SEX ORGANS. SHOULD YOU GET PREGNANT -- THE PREGNANCY WOULD HAVE TO BE TERMINATED. Other than that this is a pretty safe drug with no known side effects when used by woman. It is not readily prescribed to woman of child bearing age because of my previous statement. This drug will not address the issues of pcos (IR,weight,skintags, anovulation etc) It only addresses the issue of hair growht and hair loss and sometimes the acne. IT will not lower your testosterone levels it will not bring on your periods and it will have no effect on your bloodsugar levels. It only blocks the conversion of testosterone Into DHT. SO--ok--- I know this is long but stick with me. Like I said --Iwas on 2.5mg for three months than I went on 5mg. I have been on the 5mg for 10 months. So 13months total. Iwas told that it takes at least 6 months to see if it would work at all and up to 12 months to receive the full benifits of the drug. Well at about four months I could see that body hair was no longer changing to dark hairs (I'm very blond) at about 6mo the hair growth slowed down and did't grow as fast) at about 8 mo the facial hair growth slowed and any growth wasn't as course. It continued to get better weekly. So here I am today with NO COURSE BLACK FACIAL HAIR at all. I was going for laser treatments once a month a year ago bot when the drug kicked in I didn't need them as often. I havent had a laser treatment since the end of march. I don't have to shave my chin anymore and the color and texture of the skin matches the rest of my face. Occasionally I tweeze a few course white ones but then again I'm 40 yrs old. as far as the scalp hair--- well sad to report but no medication out there really addresses this problem very well in men or woman. The hair nolonger fall out abnormally but I haven't expierenced any great amount of regrowth. Some regrowth but not like it used to be. I had really thick dence hair and even with the hair loss I still have more than most woman in general but it's not like it used to be. BUT it's not falling out so I think the proscar helped here too. Side effects----nothing---not one single side effect at all--and I am on the maximum dosage of finasteride (5mg ). I also have to say that Iam very strict with my diet excersize and vitimins herbs too. I was on metformin too for about three months but stopped because it really wasn't of any benifit to me. I seem to be keeping everything under control with out the metformin. BUT PLEASE DON'T TAKE AWAY MY PROSCAR. I hope this helps you out. Ask your doctor about raising the dosage to at LEAST 2.5mg of finasteride (You will have to cut a tiny blue pill in half to get that dosage)and see what he thinks. And remember it might take a while before you see any results if this drug is going to be effective fo you. One more thing--My insurance pays for part of the drug cost but I have to pay 40.00 out of pocket a month for 5mg. If you go on 2.5mg than you'll pay whatever your cost is for the 5mg but your supply will last you two months. There I think I've pretty much covered it. Good luck !
|
|
Return to ![[ PCOS Discussion Forums ]](../../images/pcos_at_obgyn.gif)
Technical Problems: webmaster@obgyn.net
Last Updated: Mon May 19 16:51:20 2008
Women's Insurance Checklist from Auto Insurance Quote
home | medical professionals | women | industry | forums | international