Author Topic: Feeling down  (Read 9007 times)

Offline Jfols

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Feeling down
« on: June 08, 2013, 03:57:43 AM »
Hi guys I hope this is the right section, but I've read many times about the link between heart disease and mpb, and this sounds ridiculous but ill explain why. My hair loss started at 17, well that's when I noticed it, increased shedding and a receding hairline. I have been on finasteride since I turned 18, I'm 20 later this month , but no improvement if anything it's got much worse, minix has kept my hair line more or less in place at norwood 2.5 but the top has thinned ,but also the back and sides(possible other cause?) interestingly I have no balding in my family but anyway guess I was just unlucky. However in the last 6 months, I've more or less accepted, and just waiting for the right time to shave it off. At the moment i can keep my hair how I always have and it's just me that can feel how thin it has got so I'm happy to keep it for now. My girlfriend is supportive and says she doesn't care what my hair is like or if I shave it. So that's good. BUT I feel slightly helpless, just when i accept that it's going to come off In the next year or so i read that mpb is linked to a greater chance of heart disease. I feel like I can't win. The reports say the increase is greatly enhanced in younger balding men,  and by how advanced they're hair loss is. So by my reckoning, I'm young, must have aggressive balding as I don't respond to med so basically I feel helpless that just when accept and embrace the Idea of shaving, it's clear that I will have a great great chance of developing heart problems in the future. What do you guys think of the link?  Sorry if I've waffled on, I'm going to have a read of other people's stories in the meantime, cheers!



Offline Cave Dweller

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Re: Feeling down
« Reply #1 on: June 08, 2013, 05:06:27 AM »
Welcome, Jfols!

I also started balding at 17, and had that MPB peninsula on top by the time I was 22.  By the time I was in my thirties, there was nothing on the top.  I can relate to how you feel about hair loss.

What you have to do is stop worrying about what might be.  I am 51 and am at a greater risk for three cancers and Alzheimer's because those run in my family.  Now I guess I can add heart disease to the list of things that can kill me.  But you know what?  I know I also have a probability for going before my wife simply because I am male.  Something is going to kill me eventually whether it is a disease or a drunk driver.  I cannot waste my time worrying about things I cannot control.  

Live as healthy a life as you can and take care of yourself.  Enjoy your life while you are here. So far, your attitude seems to be good.  Don't let a statistic like that get in your way!
« Last Edit: June 08, 2013, 05:29:15 AM by cave dweller »
"A man who has lost his hair and is bald is clean."
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Offline Jfols

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Re: Feeling down
« Reply #2 on: June 08, 2013, 05:49:18 AM »
Thank you for your reply sir, if you don't mind me asking, how is your health you come across as perfectly healthy and look great in your picture, only that its easier to compare myself to someone who has been in this situation. I understand what you say about something is going to kill you eventually and again it's not that I'm scared of, I'm scared of getting it young, unread there is a 60 odd per cent chance of a man getting a heart related disease in there life, so regarDless if hair it would probably happen anyway but I'm scared of getting it in my forties etc, once into your 60's it's almost expected, maybe not expected but accepted that it happens, but I just want to enjoy adulthood, have a family and watch them grow up and enjoy that time as a healthy outgoing person, not having to worry the ticker. I feel silly saying this at 19, but hopefully when I reach te age where it is more prominent, I pray there will be huge advancements in treatments so that if it does happen there will be great treatments, maybe even cures with all this stem cell research. Thank you for your reply

Offline Sir Harry

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Re: Feeling down
« Reply #3 on: June 08, 2013, 06:01:38 AM »
Welcome, Jfols! Glad to have you join us! I realize that a lot of statistics tend to scare us.....(FYI, I will be 41 next month and I take hypertension medication,[runs in the family on both sides]). I got struck with MPB in the late 20s, and as an African American Male, I'm at a bigger risk at some of the things you've mentioned. But I also say that we can control some of the things that we do to live longer lives....e.g. eat right, exercise, avoid drinking and smoking, etc. etc. As far as the hair loss, we have plenty of young guys here dealing with it, It's good to know you and the lady are accepting the possibility of going sly, and I bet you will look even better once you do the deed. Thanks for joining, and post a pic if/when you can!
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Offline bennett11

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Re: Feeling down
« Reply #4 on: June 08, 2013, 06:10:49 AM »
worry about things you can do something about.  Excess worry causes illness.


Offline Crowbar

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Re: Feeling down
« Reply #5 on: June 08, 2013, 08:56:27 AM »
I understand how you feel, i read that article and thought "well that's just great!" then I actually laughed as here it was, yet another thing I could easily worry away my life over instead of just living.

I think it was Mark Twain who said... “I've lived through some terrible things in my life, some of which actually happened.”

Everyone has said it above, be present :)
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Offline geeman

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Re:
« Reply #6 on: June 08, 2013, 06:22:52 PM »
got to agree with Bennett, get on with enjoying your life, do something with it...other than worrying about what probably wont happen....I rarely pay attention to what the latest "research" says....it often contridicts itself at some point....as for the hair...shave it and thats one less thing to worry about....welcome to the brotherhood

Offline Cave Dweller

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Re: Feeling down
« Reply #7 on: June 08, 2013, 09:59:52 PM »
I just want to enjoy adulthood, have a family and watch them grow up and enjoy that time as a healthy outgoing person, not having to worry the ticker.
At 20, I said something very similar to my boss.  I really expected to be dead before I reached 50.  He almost slapped me because he was 55.  He now is in his eighties, and we still keep in touch.  He laughs at me to this day for what I expected to happen.

To answer your question about my health:  I developed glaucoma.  SURPRISE!  Nothing in my biological history indicated THAT would happen.  No melanomas, polyps or other cancers.  I also did not get married or start a family until I was well into my thirties - probably because I did not meet my soul mate until I was 31.  We have been happily married for twenty years and have three kids.

Now quit worrying and go out and enjoy life!
"A man who has lost his hair and is bald is clean."
Leviticus 13:40
(Do not argue with Moses!)

Offline Jfols

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Re: Feeling down
« Reply #8 on: June 09, 2013, 11:42:00 AM »
Thank you so much for all your replies, means a lot, I feel so glad I found this forum and feel somewhat more positive already, did anyone else loose their hair this young here? And gone on to be perfectly healthy?  Cave dweller: thank you for the reply, guess it goes to prove I can worry all I want when in reality it's just as likely, if not more likely to be something other than heart disease that effects my salty in the future! Cheers lads

Offline TheSlyBear

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Re: Feeling down
« Reply #9 on: June 09, 2013, 11:52:45 AM »
did anyone else loose their hair this young here? And gone on to be perfectly healthy?

I started thinning in junior high school.

I'm about to turn 56 and, aside from some irksome gastric issues, am as healthy an a ox. My blood pressure is exemplary (the exact word my doctor uses), my cholesterol level is fine (though she'd like my "good cholesterol" level a tad higher), and I have no signs of diabetes despite being overweight (at least according to the charts).

I do get lower back pains, and a knee that tends to give me problems now and again; but as far as heart health goes, no problems.

Needless stress and worry over phantom health issues will do more to ruin your health than any actual issues. Take a chill pill and take cave dweller's advice to go out and enjoy life.
« Last Edit: June 09, 2013, 11:55:18 AM by TheSlyBear »

Offline darre

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Re: Feeling down
« Reply #10 on: June 10, 2013, 06:13:58 PM »
Hi JFols.

My father died when he was 53 of a heart disease and I started loosing my hair when I was 19 - that means I'm in extreme risk here! Nah, seriously... don't think about stuff you can't control - you have so much more in life to think about. And besides, I don't believe that crap. If anything, I believe in the correlation between baldness and high testosterone levels. OH YEAH!  8)



Offline Chris730

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Re: Feeling down
« Reply #11 on: June 14, 2013, 01:11:03 PM »
Like others have mentioned, you need to stop worrying about things you cannot control. Worrying not only won't solve your problem, it'll likely make it worse. If you develop anxiety over some statistic you read, the anxiety could result in some illness. In short, it's useless and isn't good for you.
As for head shaving, just go for it. Even if people don't like it at first, they'll get used to it. Most people had that experience when they first shaved; I certainly did. Now, when people look at my driver license picture from a few years back when I had hair, they all tell me that I look much better now (sly). So grab a razor, rock the sly look and enjoy life!

Offline Crowbar

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Re: Feeling down
« Reply #12 on: June 14, 2013, 04:47:48 PM »
If anything, I believe in the correlation between baldness and high testosterone levels. OH YEAH!  8)

Yeah I'm just going to stick with that one and forget about the rest.
Also if you worry and stress about all these things you read, that's going to be bad for your health
and the end of our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time

Offline baldjoeg

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Re: Feeling down
« Reply #13 on: June 27, 2013, 09:21:50 AM »
Well said cave Dweller and others. We should not worry about things that we don't have any control over. All it does is cause un needed stress which we don't need. This is something that I need to keep reminding myself about.

Offline Jfols

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Re: Feeling down
« Reply #14 on: June 27, 2013, 01:34:32 PM »
Thanks for all the replies guys, i do feel much better, but it always seems to be in my mind, as such ill always be grateful to hear people's stories or stories about people you may know that maybe went bald young and went on to live long healthy lives, just as a ongoing reassurance, but on the whole I feel somewhat better and look forward to becoming fully sly within a few years max, sooner if my hair thins at current rate! Cheers guys!