Finasteride

Coz · 09-05-2005, 04:46 PM

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone else had been prescribed finasteride (proscar/propecia) as a PCOS treatment for hursuitism. I have been given it by my doctor and don't know anyone else who had been given it, even my GP didn't know that it was being used for PCOS as it's contrindicated in women. If anyone has used it, what results have people experienced?

Cheers

truffles · 09-05-2005, 05:32 PM

hi there,
ive just started on proscar 5mg, to be honest all ive seen so far is a massive shed in hairloss but apparently this is a good sign so ive been told so im trying not to worry yet.
as for the hirsuitism i havent had much of an improvement so far but heres hoping, ive had a low mood and some irregular spotting inbetween cycles but thats it so far but ive only been taking it for 3 months i`ll let you know how it goes as im due for a check up in 3 weeks.
good luck with it let me know how you get on too!
truffles x

Coz · 09-06-2005, 02:21 PM

Hi, thanks for your reply. It's nice to know I'm not the only person taking it.

I've only be taking it for a month and haven't really noticed any affects on the hair as yet. I've definately got my fingers, toes and everything thing else crossed that it does.

I've experienced a bit of a low mood over the past few weeks in particular, but at the same time as starting this, I've started taking Yasmin and I'm going through some stuff at home so I don't know what to blame it on!!

Best of luck for your check up, let me know how you get on!!

truffles · 09-06-2005, 02:42 PM

hi coz,
your only a couple of months behind me in taking proscar i really hope it helps you!
ive been talking today to a friend who insists my mood has gone downhill since taking it but i really do want it to work its the last option really so im trying to remain optimistic.
i suppose when you think about it when you take any medication which upsets hormone levels until we get used to it it would sort of throw you out of kilter wouldnt it? thats the way im looking at it its a temp lull until things settle down, anyway keep intouch!
truffles

Coz · 09-06-2005, 02:59 PM

That's what I always try to think, my hormones are totally messed up and so it's totally understandable that our moods go a bit funny. With everything that our hormones do and influence, it's not a shock that when you put something artificial into our bodies to change them that it changs other things as well. I've been dealing with up and down moods for a long time, way before I started these drugs, so it's nothing new really. It's just not very nice to have to deal with though is it?

It's good to know that I'm not alone. And I hope that everything sorts itself out for you!!

truffles · 09-07-2005, 03:26 PM

hello coz, how you doing today? i very nearly didnt take my proscar today its making me so ratty, hows it doing for you? started spotting mid cycle again today which is very odd for me i feel continually premenstual on it so far although i was told it dosent upset cycles which baffles me! got awful crampy pains too it must be the proscar its nice to know someone else who is actually taking it to be honest because all ive come up against so far is men taking it for hairloss so i have nothing to compare it all with.
i felt a lot like this when taking spiro so stopped that as it made me feel so ratty and bad tempered lol.
im determined to give it a good go but cant wait to go back to the hospital to see if this is all normal or not, i rang the endos office today to ask for advice but he`s away until the end of next week so i`ll just have to persevere for now! oh the joys of dodgy hormones!
truffles x

Coz · 09-07-2005, 03:52 PM

Today is honestly a bad day. I seem to be on the verge of tears all day, I don't even know why I'm upset. I'm getting what feels like period pains but it's a bit early if it is (and I've been getting them on and off for a few weeks but they're worse today), I'm nauseous from the met, probably because I went out for Pizza last night (my own fault I know), I've got pains in my wrist (RSI) and knee (it's just generally done in). I think I am premenstral though, I've just finished my first pack of BCP's so hould be due a period soon (should).

Any now I'm ranting!! Sorry about that!!

I've never actually found anyone other than yourself taking it, that includes men, though my consultant who prescribed it did say I wasn't the 1st person he'd given it to.

The problem is I've got a load of symptoms and I'm on three types of medication that I don't know what's connected with what!! But like you I am determined to give all these meds a good go. I don't want to give up on something if it could help in the long run.

I'm really interested to find out how you get on because I'm not going back to my gyaecologist until the beginnning of January and that was next availiable appointment when I made it a month ago. I love the NHS sometimes!!!

Anyway, apologies again for the rant, I've got some things of my chest there!!

truffles · 09-07-2005, 04:13 PM

hello coz,
sounds like you are having a bad day, dont worry we all feel like this at times ( i feel like it 24/7) lol give us a shout if you need anyone to talk to, when you think about it were putting lots of different hormones into our systems its bound to make us cranky at times, shout me if you need me!
truffles x

Coz · 09-07-2005, 04:20 PM

Thanks. I'm just having one of those days when everything is just wrong!! I'm sure that tomorrow will be better!!!

Thanks again for the support and if you need someone to rant to, I'm around!!

truffles · 09-08-2005, 12:06 PM

hiya coz, how are you today?? feeling a bit better i hope? im feeling a bit better today just tired, hoping to get a last minute deal in spain for next week or the week after that has cheered me up lots, just need to find someone responsible to take care of my pets or i wont be going!
still shedding hair like there`s no tommorrow which is really scary and hoping things on the hormone front will settle down soon! feel very very premenstual and im only half way through this cycle so something isnt right, ive been on proscar 3 months next week which has flown, but cant wait to see my endo i have so many things i need to ask that concern me! i went onto a message board which deals with hairloss only to find lots of men taking proscar no women though so far but will keep searching for women who have been on it a while to find out what experiences they have had, keep intouch!
truffles aka julie x

Coz · 09-08-2005, 02:20 PM

Hey,

I'm loads better today thanks, not too much nausea which is a plus and my mood is actually pretty okay today. I'm tired as well today, I've got two weeks off work (not really doing a lot but because I work for a bank they make us take a two week holiday every year) and this week, when I'm trying to have a lie in and catch up on the sleep I've missed over the past couple of months the council have decided to dig up the junction outside my house. Starting at 8am every morning, it's a conspiracy, I swear!!

Hope the hair loss stops and your endo can answer all your questions. It's hard with this medication because from what I can tell, there's not that many people with PCOS that take it, it's difficult to get answers. I don't think it's been used for long, I can't really go to my GP about it because she didn't even know it was being used for PCOS treatment and I don't fancy trying to get to my gynae for information, it would be easier to make an igloo in the desert!!

I hope you get a holiday sorted out, some time to chill out and not worry about hormones!!

truffles · 09-08-2005, 03:00 PM

hi coz,
glad you feel a bit better, what a pain with the noise i know how you feel there are so many people along my road having work done (me included) the noise is horrendous!! drilling, hammering and such like it really does make you want to go arghhhhh especially when it starts so early, my rules are no noisy work until 9am in this house!
i just remembered something my endo said in june, he said im expecting you to stay on proscar peroid! he said as it dosent affect cycles or moods i see no reason for you to stop it but i would like to see you in sept just to see how its all going so maybe i wont be taken off it anyway, i bet he says the mood swings arent the proscar its prob lifestyle issues (which is a normal statement from him)

lol.
hey btw, i do believe we share the same birthday! july 5th or are my eyes deceiving me??????
julie x

Coz · 09-08-2005, 05:03 PM

Yes, it looks like we do share a birthday, that's pretty coincidental!!

I can't believe he would say it doesn't affect mood, it's afeccts hormones, hormones affect mood. It makes sense it my head!!

It really doesn't help my mood with the noise, I'm supposed to be preparing for a job interview next week but I can't concentrate during the day! Anyway, they should be finished tomorrow so I will be able to sleep!!!

If you're really not happy and comfortable on it then he can't make you stay on it, can he? Were you actually given a time frame for an improvment because I wasn't. I felt realy rushed when I saw my gynae last, I got a five minute consultation, after waiting over an hour!! I'm not expecting an immediate improvement, be it would be nice to have some idea on time wouldn't it!!

truffles · 09-11-2005, 10:01 AM

hello coz,
how are you today? well im still persevering with the proscar even though i just lost half of my fringe in the shower this morning

im hoping that its pushing the old hairs out to make room for the new because with all the research ive done (albeit on men taking it) it says you do shed an awful lot once the 3 month is up so im praying like mad it is that

.
hope you are having a nice weekend!
truffles x

Coz · 09-11-2005, 02:55 PM

Hey,

I'm doing okay at the moment, thanks!! I've got my fingers crossed for you that your hairloss sorts itself out, that this works on a things get worse before they get better thing!! It's still miserable in the mean time though isn't it!

I'm going to see my GP tomorrow because I've been having pelvic pain for a while and I'm finally fed up of it. I would ask about mood related to Proscar but I don't think I'd get very far, they didn't even know that it was being used for PCOS and they'd just put mood changes down to the pill which I started about a month ago along with the Proscar and metformin.

Hope your weekend is going okay.

Coz aka Corinne