Dutasteride

[Hannah]

So I'm finishing off the last of my Finasteride this week, and I'm not getting it refilled. I started hrt with just Spiro, then a few weeks later added estradiol, and finally finasteride and I have to say the last addition had the most impact on me. That stuff is serious business, like, wow. Dutasteride is supposed to be even more effective, so I look forward to it.

Has anyone else made this switch, if so how did you feel while it was happening? I'm hoping it will be uneventful, and my doctor just gave me her standard answer: "it looks like youv'e done your research and know what you want so here". Both drugs take like 3 months to reach full potency, so really in about a month and a half I'm going to be at the low point of both as one leaves and one is gearing up. Since it's a lifetime change I'm not really second guessing in terms of going back and forth between them, I'm just curious how it feels to switch and if there's anything in particular I should watch for.

[Steffi]

I didn't switch, I began with Dutasteride and am still on it 9 months later but since no-one else has commented here yet I may as well.
A single dose of Dutasteride per day can reduce your T by 90%+
In my case, I went from a baseline T-level of  in three-and-a-half months.
I didn't notice anything at all in the way of side effects.

Note that Dutasteride has a very long half-life of 3 months as against Finasteride's few hours. I found graphs and (knowledgable) discussion on the internet quite easily.
You COULD take all your first months supply over the first couple of days as a "loading dose" which will get you up to peak effect quicker - study the info for yourself and decide. - I didn't know this was possible when I started, so I didn't but had I known, I probably would have.

A final note - despite taking the same dose of Dutasteride exactly as before, my T level rose again up to over the last 3 months and no-one knows/has told me why.
That said, my friend who is on Finasteride had exactly the same thing happen but it doesn't seem to happen often so is presumably down to our personal chemistry(s)
- the solution they have indicated is the Zoladex implant three-monthly but the PCT refused to fund it for her and as yet a decision hasn't been made for me.  🙁

[Hannah]

Yes, I found the loading dose concept as well, and after looking into it further I think I'll go that route barring any objections from my doc. I love the longer half life, as well as the 93% vs 72% dht reduction, it really appears to be better for our purposes in every way. When I wrote that I was struggling with the idea of having both drugs in my system at once, but I had mixed up the meds in my head, and with as quickly as finasteride is eliminated I realise now that won't be a problem.