Avodart (Dutasteride) Dosing

Dr. Rassman,

I just received a prescription for Avodart from a general practitioner. I have been on Propecia for 3 years; however, I think the drug is loosing its effectiveness. About 1 month ago I started taking 2 mg of Propecia daily. Then out of desperation, I consulted with a physician and received the prescription for Avodart.

The Avodart clinical studies on hair loss that I have read on-line involved doses higher than the standard .5mg which is recommended for men with enlarged prostates. I’m reluctant to take the drug every day. However, would you consider taking 2mg of Avodart 3x weekly and 1mg of Propecia on the other days an effective strategy to achieve maximum DHT reduction, stop further hair loss and/or grow back hair?

You are desperate and experimenting with your body. There are limitations of medical science and you need to accept you are losing hair. Taking a high dose of Propecia (finasteride) will not cause more hair growth. Taking a high dose of Avodart (dutasteride) may not cause more hair growth either. We just don’t know, and I certainly can’t give you recommendations on how much of a prescription medication you should take, even though you have a doctor that prescribed it to you for off-label use. The Internet is a wonderful source of information, but you need to understand that everything you read is not always 100% accurate.

I am purely guessing that your general practitioner agreed to prescribe you Avodart, as he saw how desperate you were and your need to be proactive with some sort of medical treatment. I am sure your general practitioner gave you information on Avodart and its possible long term side effects (risks of sterility is present) and how it is not at this time approved by the FDA for the treatment of hair loss. There are also no long term studies on young men taking Avodart. With these warnings I am sure you made an informed decision. Now you must accept some responsibility on limitations of drugs and your genetic predisposition for hair loss. I realize this sounds harsh, but it is an unfortunate fact of life. There are no easy answers or solutions.