Low dose oral minoxidil - Share your story or opinions

[im_not_a_robot]

On 9/23/2022 at 6:24 AM, New_Barnet_Please said:

My experience, recently posted in my thread, is that just 2.5mg taken for a year now has had a dramatic effect on not only regrowing hair but actually stabilising my hair loss. I do not take finasteride so I can be sure it's the result of oral minoxidil. I can only speak for the current results of course - it has currently stopped my hair loss and also added a lot to the mid scalp and strengthened my crown back to where it was before. I have had zero side effects and it has had no effect on my blood pressure at all which I checked (as it's a low dose for hair loss). I feel very lucky to have been recommended it by my doctor and to be such a great responder to it, being the only medication I take for hair loss. Sharing in case it helps someone else!

PS - forgot to mention I'm a total non-responder to topical minoxidil!

Hi, just curious as to how long it took befored you noticed oral minoxidil had an effect?

[New_Barnet_Please]

4 minutes ago, im_not_a_robot said:

Hi, just curious as to how long it took befored you noticed oral minoxidil had an effect?

It's a little hard to pin down when as it was in the midst of a ht which I was focusing on, but what I talk about is in reference to my hair that was not part of the ht. Probably around 4-5 months but maybe sooner.

[ljpcarrera]

I would say 3 to 4 months. I did notice less shedding at about one month

[im_not_a_robot]

Alright! I started oral minoxidil 1,5 month ago, 2.5mg. Feels as though shedding has reduced a bit, will be interesting to see how it goes. No side effects at all

[sunsurfhair]

On 10/11/2022 at 10:12 AM, im_not_a_robot said:

Alright! I started oral minoxidil 1,5 month ago, 2.5mg. Feels as though shedding has reduced a bit, will be interesting to see how it goes. No side effects at all

Max dose of 5mg taken in one dose at night. Zero sides. EKG and Echo gorgeous. Labs beautiful. Been 4 months on 5mg 5 months on 2.5mg and 3 months on 1.25mg. 

[Westview]

11 hours ago, sunsurfhair said:

Max dose of 5mg taken in one dose at night. Zero sides. EKG and Echo gorgeous. Labs beautiful. Been 4 months on 5mg 5 months on 2.5mg and 3 months on 1.25mg

Thats great to hear. 

Another added benefit is you wont have to put on that sticky topical solution that makes your hair look greasy

Edited October 16, 2022 by Westview

[Westview]

11 hours ago, sunsurfhair said:

Max dose of 5mg taken in one dose at night. Zero sides. EKG and Echo gorgeous. Labs beautiful. Been 4 months on 5mg 5 months on 2.5mg and 3 months on 1.25mg

Have you noticed any hair growth??

[sunsurfhair]

On 10/16/2022 at 2:20 PM, Westview said:

Have you noticed any hair growth??

Absolutely. Significant increase in actual density, hair quality, and hair health. Very noticeable. It’s been an amazing medicine for me thankfully and I will continue to stay on it. Also have not experienced further loss / progression of AGA. 

[ljpcarrera]

Yep, the beauty of it works on the donor region as well. Noticed my entire scalp thicker,darker and grows fast.

[sunsurfhair]

5 hours ago, ljpcarrera said:

Yep, the beauty of it works on the donor region as well. Noticed my entire scalp thicker,darker and grows fast.

I really am a huge fan. And I’ve had to stop it a week at a time twice just because I traveled and forgot the med lol - zero issues coming on or off. 

[Westview]

Does anyone know any Canadian doctors (preferably in Toronto) who have no problem prescribing this stuff??

[Westview]

Interesting article on the side-effects of oral MX and who is not a good candidate:

https://donovanmedical.com/hair-blog/oral-minoxidil-top-10

 

[Curious25]

Started 2.5mg daily in Dec 2021, 

Increased to 5mg daily after 6 weeks, 

Currently at around 9 months after starting 5mg daily; 

- Resting HR remains >60 

- Avg BP reading from last 3 months 118/64 

-Body hair more coarse, and faster growth rate (face, chest, legs, back) 

-Scalp hair healthier shine/texture, 

-Scalp Hair increased growth rate 

-Scalp Hair Visual Regrowth on mid scalp/Vertex/Crown 

In terms of ‘adverse’ affects - I can’t think of any that I have experienced, or that have been of note. 
 

So far it has been hugely successful for me. Never tried topical, so unable to compare. Have an ECG booked in November so will update. 

[Westview]

5 hours ago, Curious25 said:

Started 2.5mg daily in Dec 2021, 

Increased to 5mg daily after 6 weeks, 

Currently at around 9 months after starting 5mg daily; 

- Resting HR remains >60 

- Avg BP reading from last 3 months 118/64 

-Body hair more coarse, and faster growth rate (face, chest, legs, back) 

-Scalp hair healthier shine/texture, 

-Scalp Hair increased growth rate 

-Scalp Hair Visual Regrowth on mid scalp/Vertex/Crown 

In terms of ‘adverse’ affects - I can’t think of any that I have experienced, or that have been of note. 
 

So far it has been hugely successful for me. Never tried topical, so unable to compare. Have an ECG booked in November so will update. 

Congrats!!

What Norwood are you??

[ljpcarrera]

Amazing how this medication came out in the 60s and now it’s being used so prominently in 2022 for hairloss. We had a major hair loss fighter all these years. So much easier taking a pill. I would always get scalp irritation with the topical and it’s messy.

I guess better late than never.

[Curious25]

5 hours ago, Westview said:

Congrats!!

What Norwood are you??

Diffusing in a NW5 pattern. 

[Curious25]

Just now, Curious25 said:

Diffusing in a NW5 pattern. 

Formerly diffusing 😉

[Curious25]

Roughly 10 months on 5mg daily compounded oral minoxidil (2.5mg AM & 2.5mg PM), after 6 weeks of 2.5mg daily. 

Last week had a full medical; 

- Seated BP 133/80 with a Pulse of 62. 

- ECG reported sinus bradycardia, with a pulse of 50. 

- Eye pressure reading Normal. 

 

[Westview]

6 hours ago, Curious25 said:

- Seated BP 133/80 with a Pulse of 62. 

- ECG reported sinus bradycardia, with a pulse of 50

Is this supposed to be good or bad.

Also, how much hair growth have you had (in contrast to topical MX)??

[Curious25]

12 minutes ago, Westview said:

Is this supposed to be good or bad.

Also, how much hair growth have you had (in contrast to topical MX)??

Everything normal. 
 

My BP is usually always in range when I check it at home, the slightly elevated systolic reading at the clinic is nothing of concern, and can often times be different to your typical readings due to ‘white coat syndrome’ etc. 

The ECG reports normal rhythm and the ‘bradycardia’ just means a lower heart rate than average (avg in adults is 60-100) which is attributed to being in good physical condition.

So to summarise - side effects sometimes associated with oral minoxidil (at higher doses) are;

elevated heart rate 

lower blood pressure 

ECG abnormalities 

 

I’m please that the results from my medical didn’t portray any of these. 
 

I have previously read online, I think on Reddit, about people worried about an increase in eye pressure, something which I’d never heard mentioned before, but anyway, again according to my results I haven’t experienced. 

I have never taken topical so can’t compare. However I have enjoyed regrowth and thickening from oral - and have been unaffected negatively in anyway, as far as I’m aware.  
 

I will always advocate for anyone wanting to start on a medication, to speak first with a relevant doctor. 

[NARMAK]

On 10/20/2022 at 7:16 AM, Curious25 said:

Started 2.5mg daily in Dec 2021, 

Increased to 5mg daily after 6 weeks, 

Currently at around 9 months after starting 5mg daily; 

- Resting HR remains >60 

- Avg BP reading from last 3 months 118/64 

-Body hair more coarse, and faster growth rate (face, chest, legs, back) 

-Scalp hair healthier shine/texture, 

-Scalp Hair increased growth rate 

-Scalp Hair Visual Regrowth on mid scalp/Vertex/Crown 

In terms of ‘adverse’ affects - I can’t think of any that I have experienced, or that have been of note. 
 

So far it has been hugely successful for me. Never tried topical, so unable to compare. Have an ECG booked in November so will update. 

I just wanted to ask if you have any before and current pictures you could share at all. 

I know i said i'd keep Minoxodil in my back pocket for a while, but the thought of possible extra regrowth along my crown, midscalp etc. and possible thickening of existing hair alongside making it improve in texture and shine seems tempting to maybe try it even at 3x a week on 2.5mg which is what seems to be the standard UK dosage becoming available. 

I am concerned with having trichosis but with the possibility to laser those areas it's difficult to know how much it would affect you unless you tried. Hair greed has me curious, probably still not get on it for a while but be nice to see a comparison. 

[Westview]

3 hours ago, NARMAK said:

3x a week on 2.5mg which is what seems to be the standard UK dosage becoming available

So let me get this straight, latest research says we only need to take 2.5mg 3 times a week??

So monday, wednesday and friday for example??

And is that 1.25mg twice daily or just 2.5mg once daily??

[NARMAK]

1 hour ago, Westview said:

So let me get this straight, latest research says we only need to take 2.5mg 3 times a week??

So monday, wednesday and friday for example??

And is that 1.25mg twice daily or just 2.5mg once daily??

No, this isn't research based per se, but just as people microdose oral Finasteride, i thought maybe similar would apply to oral Minoxidil although given i'm not one for general half measures, i'd probably end up on 2.5mg everyday sooner rather than later from when i start. 

[Gatsby]

I started 2.5mg oral minoxidil about two months ago (after using topical minoxidil for about three months prior). It may be strengthening my hair all around in terms of thickness. It's difficult to say because it may just be my hair at 8 months post op just maturing also. Probably a combination of both.

[Westview]

15 hours ago, Gatsby said:

I started 2.5mg oral minoxidil about two months ago (after using topical minoxidil for about three months prior). It may be strengthening my hair all around in terms of thickness. It's difficult to say because it may just be my hair at 8 months post op just maturing also. Probably a combination of both.

Are you taking 2.5mg twice daily or 1.25mg twice daily