Besides Vitamin D, what other blood tests would you recommend getting if insurance will cover it?

The user is applying topical finasteride with stemoxydine for hair loss and has noticed hair thickening but no regrowth after two months. They also report high SHBG and prolactin levels and a lack of morning erections, even on low doses of medication.

Imidazole drugs like ketoconazole inhibit certain enzymes and prevent DHT from binding to SHBG, increasing free DHT in the bloodstream, which may contribute to balding. The discussion questions how these drugs help with hair loss despite this effect.

The user received hormone test results showing normal estradiol and testosterone levels, low SHBG, and normal free androgen index. They are considering starting finasteride but are concerned due to being slightly overweight.

A user in England seeks advice on where to get a custom blood test for DHT, PRL, estradiol, SHBG, testosterone, and free testosterone before starting dutasteride. They want a baseline measurement before beginning treatment.

A user shared their pre-finasteride lab results, including DHT, estradiol, testosterone, SHBG, prolactin, FSH, and LH levels. Another user responded, cautioning against making unsupported claims about side effects and recovery.

A user asked if taking a blood test 3 days after starting finasteride would affect the results for Estradiol, FSH, SHBG, Progesterone, and DHEA-S. The conversation is about the timing of blood tests after beginning finasteride treatment.