Oral Minoxidil (Loniten) experiences... any users out there?

[Fritzerik]

Hey guys,

I'd love to know if any of you guys had any experience with a low dose of oral minoxidil (Loniten). I don't think I'll get much more regrowth from propecia and I'm def not a great responder to rogaine, so I was thinking that maybe a low dose (nothing above 5mg) could give me some regrowth so I would be ok to wait a little bit more to have a hair transplant, since I'm only 21 yo . I'd also take it for less than a year and of course I'd speak with my doctor before doing that.

 

Do you guys think I can get good results with a daily dose of 5mg?

Are the side effects really strong?

 

Cheers

[Dr Blake Bloxham]

Frit,

 

Oral minoxidil is a serious medication. It absolutely can cause adverse side effects. Particularly those related to blood pressure, and the effect this can have on some vital organs -- heart and kidneys namely -- and the abnormal distribution of fluid in the body. It's usually only reserved as a medication for individuals with serious blood pressure or heart problems, and the potential for side effects prevents it from being used for hair loss regularly. Remember that it really hasn't been studied orally for hair loss either (for the reasons I discussed above).

 

This is why most universally recommend the topical solution.

[Fritzerik]

Dr Blake,

 

Thanks for your reply.

 

I won't go through all my story, but my hair loss had a huge impact on my life. I've been balding since 17 and decided to get on propecia and rogaine only last year, at the age of 20. I was almost a NW4. I had some regrowth on the crown, but nothing that really made me happy. My hair loss seems to be stabilized tho.

 

As I'm too young to have a HT, I was thinking that maybe I could take a stronger drug for regrowth, helping to reduce the pain of all this issue, until I don't have a HT.

 

Any thoughts?

[iiieee]

Hey Fritzerik,

There is one major thing you are overlooking (or, as I should say, unaware of) that should help improve your situation dramatically. . . I've been using Rogaine since 1993--when it was available only as 2% minoxidil in strength. Since then (around the time propecia came on the market) it was upgraded to 5% but, recently, two years ago this December, Rogaine (Johnson & Johnson) decided to discontinue the 5% lotion without informing their users, they simply put 2% under 5% labelling (it used to be viscous with a plasticine like smell; now, it is watery with a strong smell of alcohol--solvent). To circumvent the problem I bought all the remaining Rogaine 5% preceeding the production dates of the fraudulent material (listed on the product) from ebay. I am about to run out and currently looking for a replacement. So, in the interim, I have secured a prescription for lonitem from my doctor. . . .My advice to you would be to MAKE SURE you're not using Rogaine, and I am suspicious of some other brands, as well--particularly those under the control of J&J, such as Kirkland 5% (you'll notice that it is unbelievably cheap). If you find 5% (asuming you're using Rogaine) you can also let it evaporate down for a day or so--in humidity less than 20% (important)--to double it's strength, again; 5% should double the results of 20%, 10% doubles 5%. And let me know if you find true 5%; I live in Canada so it's difficult to do trials of different products.

 

Best wishes,

Mark

Edited November 4, 2015 by iiieee
It's just a typo, but it's important because it's hard to get equipment to measure below 10% humidity from a hardware store

[JON86]

Fritzerik you need to scratch the idea of oral minoxidil off your list. Everything Blake has

said is true. That is a last resort drug for people that are dying with uncontrollable blood

pressure. It will mess your heart up bad and those few that take it have to take have to also take a beta blocker or a diuretic just to keep from having rapid heart beating.

[fortune11]

Frit,

 

Oral minoxidil is a serious medication. It absolutely can cause adverse side effects. Particularly those related to blood pressure, and the effect this can have on some vital organs -- heart and kidneys namely -- and the abnormal distribution of fluid in the body. It's usually only reserved as a medication for individuals with serious blood pressure or heart problems, and the potential for side effects prevents it from being used for hair loss regularly. Remember that it really hasn't been studied orally for hair loss either (for the reasons I discussed above).

 

This is why most universally recommend the topical solution.

 

Blake - I am actually on the 2.5mg daily medication of Oral minoxidil prescribed by Dr Ron Shapiro post my recent FUE w him.

 

I had an extensive discussion (via email) with him and am convinced that at this dosage it is no more harmful (in terms of side effects) than the topical version. He also mentioned that there were several ISHRS presentations done on this topic , notably by Dr Rodney Sinclair from Australia and Dr Pathomavich as well.

 

Topical minox wasn't really effective for me so I am going to see if this oral version can change things up a bit (some people's scalps are not as amenable to topical absorption , i may be one of those). I will keep you guys posted on how this goes.

[MM1]

I almost started a new thread asking this same question, but since this one already exists, please let me now how things are going for you after taking this drug for several months. I was also offered oral minox, but I decided to wait until my 2nd HT hit the 12 month mark to see if it would be necessary or not.