Me too brother, i was scared of minoxidil because of the shedding.. finasteride actually done nothing for me except lose ground faster ( im one of those unlucky few ) so after 10 months of disappointment i started minoxidil orally out of desperation and i am so glad i did! For the first time in my battle with hair loss i am regrowing
I would also recommend you supplement your regimen with vitamins like B6 and Zinc. They both are good for hair and there is even a topical mixture used as an alternative to finasteride called Zix which uses those vitamins. Good luck man and dont worry if you do shed, 9 times out of 10 its a good thing