Although Finasteride is often recommended to recover hair loss, medical research also indicates that it can reduce the prostate size in BPH.

 

Does anyone have experience *(successful or not) of taking this drug to reduce their BPH symptoms/prostate size?

Many membrrs here take this.

 

Does often help. But has to be taken permanently

4 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

Many membrrs here take this.

 

Does often help. But has to be taken permanently

What about hair loss? Does it really help?

I was getting it from my local pharmacy costing Bht 600 for 30 tablets.

Govt Hospital man gave me generic FINAX 5 at 1/5 0f that price, ie Bht 120 a month.

7 minutes ago, JoseThailand said:

What about hair loss? Does it really help?

Not really.

A question primarily for Sheryl:

 

I have BPH and I also have 2 tumours inside my prostate (I will get the biopsy results soon as to whether they are benign or not.  If I take Finasteride to reduce the size of my prostate could it cause those tumours to breach my prostate wall?  (ie - as the prostate shrinks slightly and the tumours do not shrink, then maybe they will end up breaching my prostate - not a good scenario if they are canerous).

I

3 hours ago, simon43 said:

A question primarily for Sheryl:

 

I have BPH and I also have 2 tumours inside my prostate (I will get the biopsy results soon as to whether they are benign or not.  If I take Finasteride to reduce the size of my prostate could it cause those tumours to breach my prostate wall?  (ie - as the prostate shrinks slightly and the tumours do not shrink, then maybe they will end up breaching my prostate - not a good scenario if they are canerous).

I

It used to be thought that finasteride worsened prostate cancer. More recent research suggests otherwise but why risk it? Wait for the biopsy results and follow the advice of your doctors. 

 

Plenty of time to take finastrride later if benifn. 

On 3/30/2023 at 6:50 PM, JoseThailand said:

What about hair loss? Does it really help?

Do you know what is better than finasteride for hair loss? 

Acceptance!  And a razor.    

Took it for 3 years, did nothing. 

I am not sure if it is working or not. Two urologists independently have told me I have an obstructive prostate; however, I am peeing OK, and have done for two years since I commenced the medication.

I will be consulting my urologist in Australia about the feasibility of a TURP so I can cease taking finasteride, because I do find the side effect of reduction in libido very annoying.

I took DUODART, a combination of two drugs; dutasteride and tamsulosin hydrochloride which has a similar action and side effects to Finasteride.

 

It helped my flow but had extreme side effects, dizziness and depression and only could tolerate it for a week before stopping.

3 hours ago, LosLobo said:

I took DUODART, a combination of two drugs; dutasteride and tamsulosin hydrochloride which has a similar action and side effects to Finasteride.

 

It helped my flow but had extreme side effects, dizziness and depression and only could tolerate it for a week before stopping.

Tamsulosin doesn't have a similar action to Finasteride.  The latter is an 5-alpha reductase inhibitor which can lead to a reduction in the physical size of the prostate, whereas Tamsulosin is a Selective Alpha-1-Blocker which relaxes the muscle around your bladder.  But Tamsulosin doesn't reduce the size of your prostate.  (All according to my non-medical understanding of these 2 drugs!).

53 minutes ago, simon43 said:

Tamsulosin doesn't have a similar action to Finasteride.  The latter is an 5-alpha reductase inhibitor which can lead to a reduction in the physical size of the prostate, whereas Tamsulosin is a Selective Alpha-1-Blocker which relaxes the muscle around your bladder.  But Tamsulosin doesn't reduce the size of your prostate.  (All according to my non-medical understanding of these 2 drugs!).

Apologies, I forgot the comma, I know that Tamsulosin doesn't have a similar action but the combination has because of the Dutasteride.

 

The addition of "generally" would have also made my post clearer.

 

My focus was mainly on the side-effects.

 

 

9 hours ago, connda said:

Do you know what is better than finasteride for hair loss? 

Acceptance!  And a razor.    

I can easily accept it, but not the girls. ????

Hair is a big factor in male attractiveness.

To the OP -

I have an enlarged prostate and very high PSA level.

I took the Finasteride for a couple of years and the PSA level dropped dramatically. BUT the prostate carried on growing.

Doc said that the Finasteride was probably just hitting the symptom - not the problem, so I stopped taking it.

PS  - I already have a very good crop of grey hair.