Immediate Oral Minoxidil Side Effects

[Nounours]

Following post is about my very brief experience with oral minoxidil. Thought it may be interesting for some people who are considering or are already taking it.

I was recently prescribed oral minoxidil 5mg by a hair specialist. I was quite optimistic about trying it due to some great results that I've seen online. However, after 4 days of taking a pill every morning I noticed two immediate side effects:

1. Substantial Heart Rate Increase - Normally when I'm not doing anything intensive my heart rate is anything between 60-75bpm. On minoxidil tablets my heart rate was between 80-115 during the same type of activity, usually with great fluctuation. It went as high as 162bpm during a presentation I had to do. I reckon emotions (stress mainly) play a significant part of the high bpm periods but it's still very concerning how oral minoxidil exacerbates this. In case anyone is curious, I didn't experience noticeable heart palpitations.

2. Stiff Lower Back - Could possibly be related to the kidneys. Difficult to state if there is a direct relation with oral minoxidil but there was no stiffness before I was taking the tablets. The stiffness has now gone since I have stopped taking them.

It's a shame that I'm getting these side effects as I was hoping to avoid them but I decided to stop taking oral minoxidil for the time being as I'm concerned about the effects it could have on my long-term cardiovascular health.

Does anyone have any similar experiences with oral minoxidil? Do the sides gradually reduce with prolonged usage?

 

[Capone]

It’s such a shame in 2019/20 they can’t extract what works from Minoxidil minus the cardiac problems and release it.

 

[StevenGerrard]

It’s such a shame in 2019/20 they can’t extract what works from Minoxidil minus the cardiac problems and release it.

exactly.. so weird that none of the top pharmaceutical companies out there have shown any interest in reformulating oral minoxidil

 

[Scoobysnack]

TY for sharing. Makes me feel better about not using my perscription for 2.5mg oral minoxidil. Its one thing to worry about my weiner with Finasteride but another thing to worry about my heart with oral minoxidil.

 

[Nounours]

TY for sharing. Makes me feel better about not using my perscription for 2.5mg oral minoxidil. Its one thing to worry about my weiner with Finasteride but another thing to worry about my heart with oral minoxidil.

Exactly! I'm not sure if my body would have adjusted to it with prolonged use, maybe it would, but I can't see myself sustaining that long term given what I experienced. Even if it's not having that much of a detrimental effect on your heart, it's the worrying that it will which makes it worse.

 

[tomJ]

Following post is about my very brief experience with oral minoxidil. Thought it may be interesting for some people who are considering or are already taking it.

I was recently prescribed oral minoxidil 5mg by a hair specialist. I was quite optimistic about trying it due to some great results that I've seen online. However, after 4 days of taking a pill every morning I noticed two immediate side effects:

1. Substantial Heart Rate Increase - Normally when I'm not doing anything intensive my heart rate is anything between 60-75bpm. On minoxidil tablets my heart rate was between 80-115 during the same type of activity, usually with great fluctuation. It went as high as 162bpm during a presentation I had to do. I reckon emotions (stress mainly) play a significant part of the high bpm periods but it's still very concerning how oral minoxidil exacerbates this. In case anyone is curious, I didn't experience noticeable heart palpitations.

2. Stiff Lower Back - Could possibly be related to the kidneys. Difficult to state if there is a direct relation with oral minoxidil but there was no stiffness before I was taking the tablets. The stiffness has now gone since I have stopped taking them.

It's a shame that I'm getting these side effects as I was hoping to avoid them but I decided to stop taking oral minoxidil for the time being as I'm concerned about the effects it could have on my long-term cardiovascular health.

Does anyone have any similar experiences with oral minoxidil? Do the sides gradually reduce with prolonged usage?

Bro I get those side effects with topical minoxidil. Imagine that. 2% version. Fml

 

[Nounours]

Bro I get those side effects with topical minoxidil. Imagine that. 2% version. Fml

Really sorry to hear that bro, that's rough. Have these sides stopped you from using minoxidil or have you decided to continue regardless of them?

 

[Ziggyz123]

I’d take a week off and restart it. I bought minoxidil sulfate on the private forum and have been on it since October 1st. Only side I got are headaches randomly around mid day. I’m on 2.5mg 2 times a day. I use a micro scoop that’s around 2-3mg. I don’t think it’s going to result in me regrowing a lot near my hairline, but the sides of my hair are reaching my eyebrows already after only around 2 months on it. It’s slow

 

[Incinerate]

I started topical minoxidil 5 weeks ago. But i Don't feel anything even if i put way too much and zero shedding, could that mean it won't work?

 

[Nounours]

I started topical minoxidil 5 weeks ago. But i Don't feel anything even if i put way too much and zero shedding, could that mean it won't work?

Difficult to say really. Even though shedding is a common side effect in the first month, it would be reasonable to assume that not everyone gets it. At the same time, topical minoxidil only really works for about 2/3 of men. It didn't work for me as my scalp couldn't absorb it (it was leaving lots of dandruff-like flakes everywhere - horrible!). Your best bet is to carry on for another few months and see if you've made any progress, you should have an idea if it's working after 4-6 months.

Remember not to put too much though as anything over the recommended dosage is ineffective!

 

[tomJ]

Really sorry to hear that bro, that's rough. Have these sides stopped you from using minoxidil or have you decided to continue regardless of them?

I've tried minoxidil many many times and I always stopped because got too bad. I'm trying again now just put it on for 15 every few days then showering. Dont know what else I can do. finasteride gave bad sides as well so I cant do that either. Wish I had better info for you.

 

[Nounours]

I've tried minoxidil many many times and I always stopped because got too bad. I'm trying again now just put it on for 15 every few days then showering. Don't know what else I can do. finasteride gave bad sides as well so I cant do that either. Wish I had better info for you.

I hope I'm not being presumptuous in saying this but I feel like this routine could be a waste of time and money for you. I understand there's not much more you can do within your somatic limits but I don't think 15 minutes on your scalp before showering is nearly enough time for it to have an effect, unless you've noticed otherwise?
I agree with not doing finasteride, from what I've read the sides can be brutal, and it would be typical of me to be on the worse end of it.

 

[tomJ]

So check this out....I applied minoxidil about 10 years ago and had to quit due to sides. Not only did affect my heart, but I had to have oral surgery to remove a pocket of fluid that accumulated under my lip. Yes I'm sure the minoxidil did it as I never had any other issues like that before, plus my face was often bloated and wrinkly so there was definitely fluid retention.....but anyway so today guees was returned to my mouth below my lip?!!. Another pocket. I'm so mad. It better go away this time on it's own I dont want to have to get oral surgery again. And I haven't had one of these pockets in over 10 years, since I last tried minoxidil. I think the surgeon called it a mucoceal or something similar. What's the point of me trying anything anymore. It always just blows up in my face. This sucks I'm not gonna try and improve my life anymore..

 

[Nounours]

Update: I've talked to my hair specialist about these sides. I'm going to try taking a tablet every other day to see if the sides lessen. Will update this thread if/when I notice anything.

 

[-Synergy-]

Yeah my limbs got stiff on oral minoxidil and not in a good way as a finasteride user. It was like I couldn’t turn my joints because there was fast fluid retention? Idk I tried keeping a low sodium diet. My heart rate and what not did start to feel different as well. I tried lowering the dose to like 1mg and start working my way up but still got sides.

 

[Nounours]

Update: I have stopped using Oral Minoxidil completely due to a concerning development of chest tightness and periods of irregular heartbeat. Not for me unfortunately.

 

[Slid]

Just wanted to say that I also had some chest tightness and weird pain in lower back(left side).It went away pretty fast.I might up my dosage to 5mg(right now im on 2.5mg) and see if sides appear again.

 

[Upnadam10]

Just wanted to say that I also had some chest tightness and weird pain in lower back(left side).It went away pretty fast.I might up my dosage to 5mg(right now im on 2.5mg) and see if sides appear again.

any success with 2.5mg? I got a prescription about and took for a week. I felt like someone was sitting on my chest/shortness of breath and it made me nervous so stopped. How long have you been taking it?

 

[Slid]

Oral minoxidil is gonna mess you up. Both propecia and minoxidil will tank your bp. Stop playing with your life, it’s just hair.

My blood pressure is about the same from taking 2.5mg.I think you are talking about 20mg+.

 

[Paulhenry]

I had chest pain and severe headache from oral minoxidil too.
I suddenly sweated a lot and almost fainted in the subday 30 minutes after taking my first tablet.
Took half a dose the following day but the sides effect were so obvious I got a comment about from my boss at work.

All came back to normal two days after stopping the treament.
I asked the clinic which prescribed me the tablets and they said around 1% of people couldn't take it because it would damage their cardio-vascular system.