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A new drug for FFA - Avodart
I recently saw a specialist here in Colorado who prescribed Avodart. That is a drug for men with enlarged prostates. Have any of you heard of that treatment? I thought he was crazy and so did my pharmacy. My pharmacist called me on the phone when he got the prescription and asked if I knew why I had been prescribed the medication. He said it was not recommended for use in women, and he had never seen it prescribed for them. I honestly did not know what this derm, the most esteemed for treatment of alopecia in Colorado, had prescribed because he just quickly came into the consult room and told me that since I did not think I should take Plaquenil because it can cause heart arrhythmia he would look into another drug for me. He said it was a hormone used in men, didn't tell me the name, and left the room.
I was skeptical. I took the information my pharmacist gave me, and decided I was not willing to be a research project. I declined using the drug.
I found a new dermatologist I asked him about Avodart. My new derm told me that this is a drug that is being used with success to treat FFA. I passed on trying it. I am too old to mess with my system at this point in my life. I will stick with trying to live with the hair loss.
Has anyone else been prescribed the drug?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by PamW San Diego, CA, USA on
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There was a recent study out of Duke University that showed it stopped the hair loss in 19 of the 19 patients who were prescribed the drug. The way I understand it, there is a DHT inhibitor in the drug. DHT is the hormone which they believe is responsible for our hair loss. The name of the drug is duasteride and the brand name is called Avodart.
Duasteride is given to men who have prostate cancer because it controls their testerone levels. Normally our estrogen would tamp down our testerone levels, but since we don't have any more estrogen, our testerone is up high and DHT builds up and destroys our hair.
If you do a google search on Duke University and duasteride for FFA you should see the summary of the study. -
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Correct, Sandy. It will not make our hair grow back. It stops further loss.
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Permalink Reply by cubbieblue on
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Hi, I'm new here and haven't even introduced myself to the group yet, but I thought I would reply to this. I too have been given a prescription for this drug by a highly-recommended dermatologist I just saw for the first time. I decided not to fill it yet because I wanted to do some research, but the doctor provided documentation about a study that has shown that hair loss improved in 47% of patients and stabilized in 53% after use of the drug. Loosely speaking, works by blocking testosterone.
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Permalink Reply by Ashley on
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I know this is going to sounds crazy, but I have Alopecia Universalis and did some research and found that a 40 year man who had leukimia and AU did a bone marrow transplant and 50 days after was growing hair again. I know this sounds extreme but at this point, I'm willing to talk to my Dr about any treatments. I just wish we knew answers, this June is my 10 year anniversary of going completely bald, and it's not something I want to celebrate. I'm so tired of living like this. Like I said I know it sounds crazy and by far a long shot, but I have an appointment next friday and I'm taking the article with me.
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Hi. I am also new to the group. My derm also prescribed Avodart. He showed me the same study. However it was a very small study. There are a few other case reports. I read about cases if breast cancer in men I don't think I am going to take it.
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New to this site, so will provide a little about myself.
Aged 65 post menopausal and based in Sydney Australia. Yes all eyebrows lost by 2010 and as my mother had experienced eyebrow loss with thyroid problem I scheduled regular blood test thinking the same was for me. Changed GP's who immediately sent me to a dermo, to have a biopsy of left hairline and chest late 2011 result of lichen planus identified. Stayed with first dermo until September 2012 not happy so transferred to my current dermo. We have tried lotions, creams, hairline injections and now on the Avodart.
I have been taking Avodart (testosterone blockers) for the past 7 months. I was advised it was most important to take the Avodart exactly 30 minutes after the same meals each day so after each evening meal I set my phone timer to comply.
Combining Avodart with my dermo's many steroid injections every 4 weeks around the hair line proved to be a success as both my dermo and hairdresser found new growth thickening the existing hair. The time I experienced hair growth was during an extremely hot summer and wow was I having heavy sweating. Put this down to a seasonal thing but during the past 6 weeks the sweating has ceased and growth has stopped. My dermo currently has me on a 4 week break from the Avodart stating the medication was actually working and the sweating was not seasonal. I am due to return for more injection treatment May 29th and assume back to the Avodart.
Yes I also have been questioned by my pharmacist, after the 2nd repeat the questions have stopped.
While not every medication manages the same for different women I can only stay with what works for me. My yoga has taught me to observe and listen to the body so with this and my dermo direction I hope to maintain limited hair loss.
My dermo has a patient where the FFA has after 10 years it has burned out.
Good luck to us all. Happy Mothers Day from Australia.
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Thank you so much for the information, Glenda. I am a little confused about the sweating. Is that a side effect of the drug? Did your doctor mention any other possible side effects such as cancer or loss of libido. And welcome to our group.
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Permalink Reply by RAPUNZEL on
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I have androgenetic alopecia and have been on minoxidil for 6 years. It has worked well but hairloss comes and goes in spurts. I am not on avodart but finasteride which also works by blocking dht. I believe avodart blocks more than finasteride. I believe most people (mostly men) start with finasteride and when it wears off they take avodart. I have not any side effects from finasteride and it does regrow hair but it also wears off and I have upped the dose to boost effects again. After one year it worked quite well then shedding resumed so my doctor doubled my dose and it has helped but it's not fixed. Hair still sheds and I have scalp pain but my hair did improve in places since my increase in dose. I am female 40yrs old.
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Great to talk with PamW and Rapunzel, sorry it's because we are linked with Alopecia.
The sweating was discussed with my doctor and she advised this result was showing the drug was actually working at the time. The reason to give me a current month break is to hope it kicks in again after the break. I must say my doctors prescription called for duasteride and the brand Avodart was given by the pharmacy as more cost effective.
For those who have already experienced menopause it was like having it a second time around. My yoga teacher also supported me showing me how to cool my body.
Have not experienced at loss of libido, it anything an increase. My doctor confirmed the increase being listed in the medication journal. No mention of cancer, and as we have such open conversations I sure this would have been raised.
I started on finasteride before moving onto Avodart. Rapunzel you mention being 40 years (assuming pre menopausal) perhaps Avodart is for the ladies in the post stage. Something you might like to question. Sorry I have not read any material on androgenetic alopecia - scaring or not??
Am I the only one having the monthly injections - while off the Avodart for the month I still had some injections in the hair loss areas.
Cheers
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Permalink Reply by Sigga on
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I was with my doctor today and he gave me Avodart I'm gogin to try it for 1month and if there is no change in that time I plan stopped all treatment I've tested so many drugs and nothing has worked.My sister also has LPP she was diagnosed 3month a go and she is on avodart she have been taken it for 3month and she is ok with it..I'm sorry my Englis is not so good.Best wishes from Iceland.
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I am taking a similar drug which is similar to Avodart which is Finasteride as wrote above about it. I am not a doctor or anything but honestly for me a month would not have been a fair trial of Finasteride I didn't notice it working for about 7-9 months or so. And after a year I was pretty sure it was working. It wore off after time and I increased the dose and I feel it is still helping me. It is slowing things down at times. I just want to let you know my feeling on drugs for hair loss they take sometime to notice a change.
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