Propecia

Generic name: Finasteride

Finasteride tablets

What is finasteride used for?

FINASTERIDE (Propecia®, Proscar®) is a prescription medicine used to treat patients diagnosed with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The prostate is responsible for the production of the milky ingredient of the sperm, and according to the statistics, most men older than 50 suffer from an enlarged prostate. The bigger the size of the prostate the more difficult it becomes for the urine to pass through the urethra. Finasteride treats the main symptom of this condition - reduced flow of the urine. Other symptoms treated with the help of this medicine include the urgent feeling of passing the urine, need to get up several times at night and the feeling of incomplete urinary bladder emptying. Another use of finasteride is to treat mail pattern baldness. This medicine is not intended for and therefore should not be used by women. This drug is also sold in the generic variant.

What should I inform my doctor about before taking this drug?

The following conditions need to be reported to your health care provider:

• kidney disease or liver disease
• some infection
• prostate cancer
• allergies to the active ingredient finasteride, or any other medicines or products
• if you are a woman, as this drug is intended for men only

How should I take this medicine?

Take finasteride according to your doctor's advice or read the label carefully to make sure you take the right dosage. The pill must not be crushed or chewed before swallowing it. Finasteride needs to be taken at regular intervals, with a full glass of water, with some food or without. Avoid exceeding the dosage prescribed by your doctor. If you happen to miss dose and it's almost time for a new one, you can skip the dose you missed and go back to your regular dosing schedule.

What are finasteride storage conditions?

This medicine should be kept out of the reach of children or other people to whom it was not prescribed (especially women).

Avoid using this drug after its expiry date to avoid serious health effects. This medicine is to be stored in a tightly closed container, in a dark place, at room temperature between 59 and 86 degrees F.

Are there any drug interactions with finasteride?

The following drugs can interact with finasteride:

• male hormones, such as testosterone
• blood pressure medications
• soy isoflavones supplements
• saw palmetto

Make sure you inform your health care provider about any other over-the-counter or prescription drugs you are currently using to make sure they do not affect your treatment. Do not start or stop taking any medicines before checking with your doctor. If you consume a lot of caffeine, smoke or use illicit drugs your doctor needs to know about it before giving a prescription.

What should be reported to the doctor?

Tell your doctor if you are going to donate blood as finasteride can be dangerous for your blood recipients if the blood is donated within 6 months from the moment you stopped the treatment.

If your symptoms do not improve talk to your doctor about an alternative. However, the period of six to twelve months may be required for the first results to become obvious.

Expectant women must not handle crushed tablets of finasteride as it can get absorbed into the skin and affect the health of an unborn baby. If a woman that is likely to get pregnant comes into contact with a crushed or broken finasteride tablet it's recommended to talk to the doctor as soon as possible. Every tablet is specially coated to prevent the active ingredient from getting absorbed into the skin.

Finasteride has been reported to affect the accuracy of prostate cancer tests. Your health care provider needs to know if you have any lab tests planned to make sure you obtain an accurate result..

What are finasteride side effects?

Some side effects that need to be reported to your health care provider only if they change in intensity or become bothersome include:

• skin rash
• breast enlargement or tenderness
• small amount of semen released during sex
• sexual problems (decreased sexual ability etc.)