Propecia (Finasteride)
Brand Names: Propecia, ProscarRelated Medications: Dutasteride (Avodart), Dutasteride / Tamsulosin (Jalyn)
Those patients who are diagnosed with BPH are advised to start taking Propecia, a medication that contains finasteride as its active ingredient and comes as standard 5 mg pills, in the right combination with alpha-blockers to decrease unwanted symptoms.
When a prostate gland is enlarged, and it often happens when patients become older than 50, this condition either partially blocks or obstructs their normal urine flow, and this is what results in experiencing such annoying and painful symptoms as a narrow stream, dribbling, urinary burning and so on. BPH, or prostate gland enlargements, is closely connected with DHT levels in the body, and Propecia works by lowering them, thus, helping users decrease the size of their prostate glands. Most of them are prescribed to take this medicine for up to 6 months. That’s why it’s used to shrink enlarged prostates either alone or together with other meds to get certain benefits, such as improved symptoms, reduced urge to urinate and others. Doctors advise their patients to take Propecia orally both with and without regular meals, normally only once a day and at the same time.
The intake of this medication is associated with certain unwanted symptoms or side effects, including:
The good news is that they are rare and most of them don’t cause any trouble to patients, but it’s still advisable to contact doctors. Anyway, it’s hard to find any medication that doesn’t cause adverse reactions, but patients always need to be aware of their possibility.
Before starting this treatment, it’s necessary to inform physicians about any possible allergic reaction and other health problems, such as urinary conditions, liver and kidney complications, prostate cancer, different infections and so on. Besides, children and women are not allowed to take this medication because it’s not designed for this purpose.
Doctors are aware of possible drug interactions related to Propecia, so that they need to monitor their patients who take this medicine. It’s not good to change regular doses or start taking other pills without informing doctors, and that’s why consumers need to make a list of all the other meds that they are taking, including herbal supplements and prescription drugs, vitamins and minerals.
Another important detail is that the use of Propecia may affect blood test results designed to detect prostate cancer, so that it’s necessary to inform lab specialists about its intake. Finally, before taking any pharmaceutical product, users need to read their label quite attentively to avoid risky drug combinations and be on a safe side.
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