Any Experience With Very Low Dose Oral Minoxidil (less Than 5 Mg)

[Obsessive]

What’s tempting you to take it? I recall you had good results from finasteride/dutasteride?

I’m in same boat. This stuff looks like magic if it works.

I see it’s being used more in U.S and oz in small doses.

Dr Davin Lim has a video on yt about it.

Dr Donovan speaks about it too.

Just seems to be a case of whether you can handle the sides or not.

No, not me. I experienced only loss/thinning while on finasteride for almost 5 months. I seriously wouldn't have made it to the summer at this rate. Then a couple months of estrogel and finally 6 weeks with oral min...finally some regrowth, thickening, and reduced shedding. So I'm going to try to tinker with dosages (oral and topical) and possibly micro-dose a weak diuretic to see if I can find a happy middle ground. For me, oral min is magic.

 

[Obsessive]

But Hydrochlorothiazide has its own multiple side effects, including even hair loss!
https://universityhealthnews.com/da...retics-side-effects-are-dangerous-and-common/
In fact, you are going to take an unsafe medication for long-term, then again add another medication to solve one of its side effects, but the later medication again adds multiple other risks and side effects!!
I do not think it's wise to do so anyway!

Only until something better comes along. Hopefully sooner than later. It all depends on how comfortable one is with losing their hair. At this point in my life, I'm not really open to it. I post a lot on the Brigdeburn 'hormonal route' thread, so my mindset is clearly leaning towards the extreme, lol. Thankfully I haven't yet had to resort to cypro or spironolactone or similar drugs and obliterate my sex life.

 

[Reanu]

Used Oral Min for 8 months last year at 5mg. Good density gains, not much frontal regrowth. Stopped because I was getting too hairy and felt some slight stings in my chest (nothing major, but they never ocurred once I stopped the drug)

Tried resuming it's use this year starting at 1.5-2.5mg, but somehow I've become much more sensitive to the drug. Had persistent angina for 3 days after 2 weeks of initiation and called it a day (it also ceased to happen once I discontinued the drug, was quite the experience)

I would advise you to never to go past 5mg. If you respond well and tolerate it at this dosage, great, if not, drop it. A lot of broscience says it's relatively safe because it's used to treat BP at 40mg-100mg but that's FALSE, those dosages are mostly common on cardiac urgencies. Most studies – and believe me, I've read them all – for daily BP control have patients taking 5mg-40mg of the drug, with an average dose of 10-15mg (most of the authors also strongly recommend supplementing b-blockers and diuretics). In some drugs, a 2.5mg increase can be quite a huge jump - ex.: 0.5mg vs 3mg of dutasteride

 

[Warmer82]

Used Oral Min for 8 months last year at 5mg. Good density gains, not much frontal regrowth. Stopped because I was getting too hairy and felt some slight stings in my chest (nothing major, but they never ocurred once I stopped the drug)

Tried resuming it's use this year starting at 1.5-2.5mg, but somehow I've become much more sensitive to the drug. Had persistent angina for 3 days after 2 weeks of initiation and called it a day (it also ceased to happen once I discontinued the drug, was quite the experience)

I would advise you to never to go past 5mg. If you respond well and tolerate it at this dosage, great, if not, drop it. A lot of broscience says it's relatively safe because it's used to treat BP at 40mg-100mg but that's FALSE, those dosages are mostly common on cardiac urgencies. Most studies – and believe me, I've read them all – for daily BP control have patients taking 5mg-40mg of the drug, with an average dose of 10-15mg (most of the authors also strongly recommend supplementing b-blockers and diuretics). In some drugs, a 2.5mg increase can be quite a huge jump - ex.: 0.5mg vs 3mg of dutasteride

Why did you restart oral min? Did you shed hair?

 

[Night]

What’s tempting you to take it? I recall you had good results from finasteride/dutasteride?

I’m in same boat. This stuff looks like magic if it works.

I see it’s being used more in U.S and oz in small doses.

Dr Davin Lim has a video on yt about it.

Dr Donovan speaks about it too.

Just seems to be a case of whether you can handle the sides or not.

Yeah, I had pretty good results but I still need Toppik to look good. Was thinking of adding min but I don't want to apply that stuff on my head daily.

 

[Obsessive]

Yeah, I had pretty good results but I still need Toppik to look good. Was thinking of adding min but I don't want to apply that stuff on my head daily.

I hate putting that sh*t on my head everyday...hate it. But with a really low dose of oral now I feel that I have to. Ugh, this game...

 

[Reanu]

Why did you restart oral min? Did you shed hair?

Yes, density definitely took a hit in the 2-3 month mark after getting off the drug - both in my scalp and in the "new" body areas. The scalp hair has mostly come back, though (I didnt take it long enough to experience a new shed during the second time)

 

[Warmer82]

Yes, density definitely took a hit in the 2-3 month mark after getting off the drug - both in my scalp and in the "new" body areas. The scalp hair has mostly come back, though (I didnt take it long enough to experience a new shed during the second time)

I read a lot of people on forums take oral min and quit within a few months and never stay on it.
Maybe because they start on to much of a high dose and can't handle the sides. I hope by staying on a low dose i don't react later on with sides.

 

[Reanu]

I read a lot of people on forums take oral min and quit within a few months and never stay on it.
Maybe because they start on to much of a high dose and can't handle the sides. I hope by staying on a low dose i don't react later on with sides.

People probably quit it either because of a heart scare or not being too sure about the longterm implications of some systemic Minoxidil properties over a long period of time (messing with potassium channels when not needed, the poorly understood effects on collagen, etc)

To me, Oral Min is one of the "nuclear" options and, since I presented issues, I feel like hormonal/libido issues have an easier fix than cardiovascular ones (that's why I chose to try a stronger 5ARI)

I would also take 1.5mg of it if I didnt develop a sensitivity to the drug. Hope you do really well on 1.25mg and never have to go beyond 2.5mg

 

[Warmer82]

People probably quit it either because of a heart scare or not being too sure about the longterm implications of some systemic Minoxidil properties over a long period of time (messing with potassium channels when not needed, the poorly understood effects on collagen, etc)

To me, Oral Min is one of the "nuclear" options and, since I presented issues, I feel like hormonal/libido issues have an easier fix than cardiovascular ones (that's why I chose to try a stronger 5ARI)

I would also take 1.5mg of it if I didnt develop a sensitivity to the drug. Hope you do really well on 1.25mg and never have to go beyond 2.5mg

I think 2.5mg would be my limit dose if it came to it, split into 1.25mg day/night.
Been on it 3 months next week. Only ever had sides at beginning, but that was 5mg for first couple of days, not a pleasant experience. I take 2g taurine which is good for heart and is a mild duretic. I do feel alot better since ive been on the taurine tho.

 

[Night]

Not to tell people what the right dosage is, but from my extensive research most experts (again not me) suggest 5mg:

Oral minoxidil (5 mg every 12 hours), a dose demonstrated to be relatively well tolerated if a 2-g sodium diet is strictly followed

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3674909

Then Dr. Path, which most people on here usually quote when talking about Oral Min:

I have learned from other physicians, who have prescribed minoxidil extensively to treat androgenic alopecia and was informed that 5 mg daily was enough to stimulate the hair growth without any effect on blood pressure and heart rate. One of my patients, who took oral minoxidil tablet and lives close by the clinic, came to the clinic twice a day for blood pressure monitoring for one month and all the reading were within the normal limits of his baseline; therefore, I am no longer monitoring the blood pressure as often as I did in the past. I have been using 5 mg daily for years and in some patient taken a low dose such as 2.5 mg tab per day or 5mg every other day still reported significant hair growth and stopped the hair loss to his satisfaction.

https://www.hairestorationetwork.com/topic/21976-any-experience-with-oral-minoxidil/

Of course it depends on person to person.

 

[Obsessive]

People probably quit it either because of a heart scare or not being too sure about the longterm implications of some systemic Minoxidil properties over a long period of time (messing with potassium channels when not needed, the poorly understood effects on collagen, etc)

To me, Oral Min is one of the "nuclear" options and, since I presented issues, I feel like hormonal/libido issues have an easier fix than cardiovascular ones (that's why I chose to try a stronger 5ARI)

I would also take 1.5mg of it if I didnt develop a sensitivity to the drug. Hope you do really well on 1.25mg and never have to go beyond 2.5mg

I actually view dutasteride as nuclear warfare as well. I almost took that route but opted for something non-hormonal. To me total 5AR wipeout is a bit scary, although it won't kill you

Not to tell people what the right dosage is, but from my extensive research most experts (again not me) suggest 5mg:


https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3674909

Then Dr. Path, which most people on here usually quote when talking about Oral Min:


https://www.hairestorationetwork.com/topic/21976-any-experience-with-oral-minoxidil/

Of course it depends on person to person.

i wonder if the topical is giving me too much systemic exposure and if switching back to only oral would give a lower, more consistent systemic dose. Currently doing 1.25 mg oral AM; 1 mL topical PM. I previously had 6 good weeks at 5 mg oral without topical.

 

[Reanu]

I actually view dutasteride as nuclear warfare as well. I almost took that route but opted for something non-hormonal. To me total 5AR wipeout is a bit scary, although it won't kill you

i wonder if the topical is giving me too much systemic exposure and if switching back to only oral would give a lower, more consistent systemic dose. Currently doing 1.25 mg oral AM; 1 mL topical PM. I previously had 6 good weeks at 5 mg oral without topical.

Duta is a 100% part of the nuclear weaponry. It's just what's left for me to try (I would never try actual anti-androgens like spironolactone and Cypro)

It's unlikely topical is giving you the sides, but there's the possibility that ingesting Liquid minoxidil instead of Loniten is (maybe the liquid isn't suspended too evenly, or the pill has time-release properties in your digestive system but since you're taking it as a solution it gets absorded much quicker, etc). Do you thoroughly shake the bottle before measuring your dose?

 

[Obsessive]

Duta is a 100% part of the nuclear weaponry. It's just what's left for me to try (I would never try actual anti-androgens like spironolactone and Cypro)

It's unlikely topical is giving you the sides, but there's the possibility that ingesting Liquid minoxidil instead of Loniten is (maybe the liquid isn't suspended too evenly, or the pill has time-release properties in your digestive system but since you're taking it as a solution it gets absorded much quicker, etc). Do you thoroughly shake the bottle before measuring your dose?

That's a really interesting point. I don't shake before use. Although liquid minoxidil appears to be homogenous, it definitely may not be. But, you also made me think of another very likely possibility. Concentrations of solutions change over time as liquids evaporate. Of the three liquids in Rogaine, ethanol will evaporate the fastest, followed by water (Pg not so much). It just so happens that I am close to the bottom of the bottle so it's likely the concentration of minoxidil has been increasing the whole time I have been using this bottle. So glad you raised this point!!
I'm buying a brand new bottle today or will get some legit Loniten.

 

[Night]

Yeah, I would try the pill. Drinking it might be the issue.

 

[Obsessive]

Yeah, I would try the pill. Drinking it might be the issue.

Health palpitations aside, minoxidil. is taking a toll on my skin around my eyes. It seemed to happen quickly, over only a week or two. Not just dark circles, but tissue loss. I'm unfortunately going to have to stop minoxidil, which is so unfortunate as I just started a regrowth period. I wonder if I'll be able to maintain anything gained without minoxidil? Probably not right?

 

[Reanu]

Tissue loss? You might want to check in with a doctor, buddy
While Minoxidil can really do a number on people's eyes/wrinkles/water retention, I've never heard of it causing tissue damage. Some people with severe allergy to the drug may develop Steven-Johnson's syndrome but it looks more like dark blisters

And unfortunately, no, you won't keep the regrowth if it was Minoxidil induced. It may take you a couple of months to start shedding, but it will happen sooner or later

 

[Obsessive]

Tissue loss? You might want to check in with a doctor, buddy
While Minoxidil can really do a number on people's eyes/wrinkles/water retention, I've never heard of it causing tissue damage. Some people with severe allergy to the drug may develop Steven-Johnson's syndrome but it looks more like dark blisters

And unfortunately, no, you won't keep the regrowth if it was Minoxidil induced. It may take you a couple of months to start shedding, but it will happen sooner or later

I would guess loss in volume around eye sockets is related to collagen synthesis, or lack thereof? My hope is that the growth could be partly due to estrogen/finasteride/demapen and that some won't be lost.

 

[Reanu]

I would guess loss in volume around eye sockets is related to collagen synthesis, or lack thereof? My hope is that the growth could be partly due to estrogen/finasteride/demapen and that some won't be lost.

Volume loss is a much more likely scenario than tissue loss. Wording can be tricky, thought you were peeling off or some sh*t, lol

A lot of facial water retention can be deposited into the upper cheeks and temples. When taking into account your dark cicles, it may all add up to an illusion that makes your eyes even more sunken in. It's highly unlikely you suffered internal structural changes in a matter of weeks of collagen depletion, that would take much more time

 

[Warmer82]

I would guess loss in volume around eye sockets is related to collagen synthesis, or lack thereof? My hope is that the growth could be partly due to estrogen/finasteride/demapen and that some won't be lost.

You go to the gym dont you?. Try collegen hydrate protien??