The Road to Health & Happiness

Prior to starting to take the hair loss drug Finasteride (also known by brand names Propecia and Finpecia) you have to be absolutely certain that you are well aware of its potential implications on your health.

Drugs should never be consumed without doing painstaking research. One of the effects of the recent drug related deaths of Michael Jackson and Heath Ledger is an increased awareness in individuals of the dangers of prescription drug use.

To assess the risks associated with taking Finasteride, including Finasteride side effects you should first examine the clinical trial results:

• Phase III Trials: The FDA (Federal Drug Agency) assesses the safety of drugs through several separate obligatory phases of clinical trials that all pharmaceutical companies must go through before they are allowed to market a drug. The results of the third of these investigations, for a prolonged period and with a larger quantity of persons, is your first stop due to the fact that it has the most material. Google “phase III trial results propecia” to find this information.
• Phase IV Trials: Some drugs are put through a fourth phase of trials by the pharmaceutical companies. This is not mandatory, but the companies do this to get more proof to use in their marketing of the drugs. Merck put Propecia (its brand name for Finasteride) through a 5 year clinical phase IV trial with the results published in 2001. This is one of the most enduring clinical investigations done in the market. Google “5 year trial results propecia” to expose this data.

When reviewing these trial results take careful note of the incidence of side effects that people experience and what these are. These range from decrease in sexual desire to erection problems, testicular pain and diminished ejaculated semen volume.

At this stage you have unearthed all of the professional trial safety information on Finasteride. However, you don’t have to stop there, as there is more, less well handled messages out there that you should heed. The tests held at Phase III and IV give you an insight into the short term evidence on the safety of the drug.

On the other hand they don’t offer you long term evidence on its safety. Tons of males have been taking the drug for at least 10 years or more. This time span is beyond the controls, also drugs can have effects on your health that are only noticed after they have been used for a longer time.

To assess the longer term risks you should search out evidence from:

• Forums of ex-finasteride users: There are a number of forums where groups of men who used the Finasteride previously discuss their situations and opinions. It has to be said that data from these sources is completely uncontrolled.In spite all that there is an expanding number of posts to be found on forums about medical issues that ex Finasteride users are starting to link to the use of the drug. Google “Finasteride side effects forum” to find this information.
• TV documentary on post-finasteride effects: A documentary was broadcast in Sweden in late 2009 on the permanent effects of Finasteride. Google “swedish documentary finasteride” for further counsel.

To date there is little long term quality information that you can use to judge the drugs safety. There are no longer term clinical trials underway so there is not likely to be a well controlled source of longer term safety available any time soon.

The intensification of ex users who are dissatisfied with the drug and their interplay with the medical community will take a while to come to any consensus as a result. Whether to prove that finasteride side effects can become permanent, or that it is safe or dangerous.

Read the anecdote David DeLucas shares about his 8 years taking Finasteride and the outcome. You will find out about his Propecia recovery and the many Finasteride side effects that he had to fight through.

Tags: finasteride recovery, finasteride side effects, hair loss drug, propecia recovery, propecia side effects