Finasteride

I am not a doctor and would ask mine how to come off this drug personally. That said it is probably best to taper off as in one pill ever other day for 2 - 3 weeks. I know this is how I was told to come off predisone recently. I get that it is not the same drug just my thoughts.

Thanks,

Taking it for bph, all is ok, psa went down from 8.3 before finasteride and flomax to 2.2 almost 3years later with the two meds. Don't like side effects, so wanted to try being off of it and see what happens.
Dr. says can just stop, but research says go off slowly, just wanted healing well's opinion.

Again a big thank you.

Biopsy neg. 2014. Dre's neg.
Remember the psa's went down while on finasteride.
If psa goes up wouldn't it be because of stopping finasteride and not pc.
If able would rather be off of finasteride because of the rather opposing views of it's safety, and side effects.

Age 58,
If psa goes up, to ask again, why wouldn't it be due to getting off finasteride and not pc.
Anyway Before another biopsy I would do gene tests and or MRI first. And probably will never do a blind biopsy again.

I've never heard about a need to taper off - what did the research you saw say? If you just stop using it, the enzyme that it suppresses will return and turn your T into DHT. Yes, there are some sexual side effects in about 20% of guys. There have also been reports that long term use is associated with a higher lipid profile, blood sugar, liver enzymes and lower T levels (I suppose due to negative feedback from the accumulating T.) However, it is the only medicine I know of that can prevent low grade prostate cancer. It probably makes sense to cycle off periodically.

Shiny top
Was finasteride your only treatment?

Thanks to all.
Just trying to make the right decision.

T Allen

Good points.
Thought that's what you meant, although it didn't imply stopping, but if I do decide to stop, may take intermittently then stop period and see what happens. Good idea.
Thank you for your input.

Very good, looks like you're doing well.

All the best.

Were you taking finesteride to grow hair?

Either way, did it? I would be interested to know if it did in fact grow/thicken your hair. I took it for a few months years ago.

Sorry to be so vain...

This is a topic I've been researching. I've been taking 1mg of finasteride for 20 years to prevent hair loss. I still have a head full of hair and never had any sexual side effects. In recent years I have noticed some breast tissue development. Overall I am pretty fit. My PSA rose to 3.3 and you should double it when on finasteride- so 6.6. My biopsy confirmed Gleason 6 in 2/12 cores (5% in one and less than 3% in the other). This pathology was confirmed at Mass General. My prostate is small (just 17 CC's) which is consistent with long-term finasteride use. A Tesla 3T MRI showed "no identification of known malignancy".

Given the small prostate and finasteride use I believe I need treatment and not AS. So what now as I prepare for surgery in late August? Quit using it? My RO thought I should stop using finasteride and the 2 urologists I've consulted thought I should continue. One thought the finasteride use could be keeping the cancer in check- the RO thought it could be fueling the cancer. All my on-line searches have been inconclusive. Most studies seem to say finasteride can prevent low-grade cancer but increase odds of high-grade cancer...perhaps due to masking PSA. So even now I'm not sure whether to continue or stop. And that goes for after treatment as well. Currently I've slowed the use down- taking a pill every one or two days instead of every day. This is my best attempt at compromise while I continue searching for a more definitive answer.