• Welcome to Hair loss Experiences hair loss forum.

    Free impartial hair loss advice, hair transplant advice, hair loss medications and hair loss news.
    You can contact us directly at [email protected] if you experience any problems.

Oral Minoxidil in the UK

W

Warmer82

member
Yes tried that, went to two different GPs. issues I have is that I would need to switch doctor surgeries again to do that which is hassle. I have instead gone to Dr Farjo who charges £95 for a consultation and then I take it to my local pharmacy. I started on 1.25 and have moved up to 5mg. A consultation every 6 months with a doctor who actually knows about hairless.

Having had my first surgery 12 years ago I have been round in circles when it comes to NHS GPs. A lot of them know about finasteride and topical minoxidil, once it goes off label they are not interested. I spoke to one GP who used to prescribe finasteride privately, Dr Ashcroft and he said the main reason is insurance liability. In the past they could prescribe off label but today in his opinion many doctors do not want to spend large sums on private insurance.
Atleast you have them..
My Dr's told me they couldn't as they didn't know about it and wasn't comfortable giving. So I told them under gmc guidelines that they can give off label treatment if 1. Safety. 2, need data to back their decision And 3. if no other alternative approved meds is not good enough or tried.
So told them maximum safety dose is 100mg I want 2.5mg and I take my blood pressure weekly so thats that sorted on safety. And 2 i told them I have a skin irritant from topical and I didn't want to mess with hormones with finasteride, so they gave it me Once you get it it's alot easier to get repeat prescription. All Dr's want to do is cover themselves in this era, which I told them that. No care for patients needs and emotional state.

I'm now on oral 5mg and bit the bullet with 1mg fin daily and do microneedling 1.5mm once a week, ru58841and nizoral. When I added fin and microneedling I've seen massive improvements. I did come off treatment for 6 months and lost alot. But been back on it 6 weeks ago hope I can regain like last time it did take about a year to see results tho
 
M

MPBsucks1234

Valued member
I completely agree. For me it has made a massive difference.
 
D

djkillab

Valued member
I've just ordered some off the Manual website.
£40 for a 3 month supply of 2.5mg tablets.
Will let you know how I get on
 
D

djkillab

Valued member
So I've been taking the oral Minoxidil for about 6 weeks now.
Definite shedding at around 3 weeks and has continued, but hopefully not for much longer.
No signs of any side effects
 
W

Warmer82

member
It costs £19 for 60x 5mg loniten brand tabs from asda or £16 for unbranded with a private script from gp. You can break in half and will last 120 days
 
hair-today

hair-today

member
So I've been taking the oral Minoxidil for about 6 weeks now.
Definite shedding at around 3 weeks and has continued, but hopefully not for much longer.
No signs of any side effects
For me it's the unseen side effects I'm concerned about. It's a blood pressure medication and I don't have high blood pressure. It also likely increases your heart rate, which I think long term must have an impact on your heart. Could mean the difference between life and death once at an old age. Is that worth it for my hair???? I haven't spoken to my GP about this yet, but will do when I next have the opportunity to. In the meantime I'm still taking it, as I'm sure it won't do any harm short term.

I was shedding really badly on topical minoxidil, but at the time just thought 'woah, ok I've clearly reached the point where I'm balding, imagine how bad it would be if I wasn't using it'. And so continued. This was for a good year and half, with no break at all from the shedding!! When I stopped using it for my hair transplant though the shedding stopped very suddenly and completely on day 4. That was 4 months ago and it hasn't resumed like before. I had no shedding whatsoever until maybe a few weeks ago, when the front started a little. But not as bad as it was before, and nothing on the top/crown area, which started shedding when I started using topical and continued throughout until I stopped using it. So either way, I'm never touching topical minoxidil again.
 
D

djkillab

Valued member
It costs £19 for 60x 5mg loniten brand tabs from asda or £16 for unbranded with a private script from gp. You can break in half and will last 120 days
I didn't know that! I'll get them from there next time then, thanks. Do u know if they're tablets or capsules?
 
D

djkillab

Valued member
For me it's the unseen side effects I'm concerned about. It's a blood pressure medication and I don't have high blood pressure. It also likely increases your heart rate, which I think long term must have an impact on your heart. Could mean the difference between life and death once at an old age. Is that worth it for my hair???? I haven't spoken to my GP about this yet, but will do when I next have the opportunity to. In the meantime I'm still taking it, as I'm sure it won't do any harm short term.

I was shedding really badly on topical minoxidil, but at the time just thought 'woah, ok I've clearly reached the point where I'm balding, imagine how bad it would be if I wasn't using it'. And so continued. This was for a good year and half, with no break at all from the shedding!! When I stopped using it for my hair transplant though the shedding stopped very suddenly and completely on day 4. That was 4 months ago and it hasn't resumed like before. I had no shedding whatsoever until maybe a few weeks ago, when the front started a little. But not as bad as it was before, and nothing on the top/crown area, which started shedding when I started using topical and continued throughout until I stopped using it. So either way, I'm never touching topical minoxidil again.
It's something to think about but I certainly haven't felt any differences. I think at this kind of strength it should be OK, so will continue to use for a while if it shows an improvement. Not for the rest of my life but hopefully for a good number of years (I'm 36)

I don't think I'll touch any topical stuff again as it's just too much hassle and can make hair greasy and irritate scalp etc
 
S

Salazar

member
This was for a good year and half, with no break at all from the shedding!! When I stopped using it for my hair transplant though the shedding stopped very suddenly and completely on day 4.
Did anyone (perhaps the surgeon) offer any explanation for why you continued to shed hair over such an extended period of time while using topical minoxidil? Did any of the shed hairs ever return?

In the meantime I'm still taking it, as I'm sure it won't do any harm short term
How long have you been taking oral minoxidil? Have you seen any improvement in your hair, or is it still too early to tell?

I haven't spoken to my GP about this yet, but will do when I next have the opportunity to.
I'm very curious about any long-term side effects, so please let me know what your GP has to say on the matter. Did your GP prescribe the oral minoxidil or do you source it yourself?

Many thanks.
 
hair-today

hair-today

member
Did anyone (perhaps the surgeon) offer any explanation for why you continued to shed hair over such an extended period of time while using topical minoxidil? Did any of the shed hairs ever return?
No, he didn't offer any explanation, he just said don't stop using minoxidil. But the shedding at the back is way too coincidental, I'm not going to risk topical minoxidil again. I don't think any hair returned, I am slightly thinning on top and at the crown now. Before I was using minoxidil I was only losing hair at the front. Everywhere else was fine.

How long have you been taking oral minoxidil? Have you seen any improvement in your hair, or is it still too early to tell?

I started it in Aug this year (2022). I think the aim i smore to slow down shedding, rather than see a return. I stopped shedding after I stopped the topical minoxidil in Aug. The front started very lightly again maybe 6 weeks ago. But to be fair it's not much, so I think maybe it's just a normal shed rather than balding. At that time I had been taking half the prescribed dose of oral minoxidil and switched back to the full dose for a few weeks. I've not just recently returned to half dose.

I don't know what the oral minoxidil is doing, as the shedding stopped BEFORE I started it.

My situation is slightly different anyway as I am on testosterone. During covid my levels weren't checked when they should have been and I then found out my levels were really high. I suspect this is what contributed most to the thinning I experienced at the front and the temples. So maybe now my levels are down again this could be why I am shedding less. My levels were down before my transplant and I was still shedding at that point. It stopped overnight on day 4 of stopping minoxidil. So I do think it was the minoxidil that was making it continue. Of course, we have no way of knowing for sure!
I'm very curious about any long-term side effects, so please let me know what your GP has to say on the matter. Did your GP prescribe the oral minoxidil or do you source it yourself?
Will do.

Dr Reddy has been prescribing it for me. If I continue I will see if my GP will take over, but I haven't spoken to her yet.
 
J

Jonnyh92

member
It's something to think about but I certainly haven't felt any differences. I think at this kind of strength it should be OK, so will continue to use for a while if it shows an improvement. Not for the rest of my life but hopefully for a good number of years (I'm 36)

I don't think I'll touch any topical stuff again as it's just too much hassle and can make hair greasy and irritate scalp etc
how are you getting on mate? did you get on oral min?
 
D

djkillab

Valued member
how are you getting on mate? did you get on oral min?
Yeah I've just finished month 3. Had a lot of shedding which of course is a worry but also a sign that it's working apparently. It should stop around now hopefully
 
D

djkillab

Valued member
So I must be 4/5 months in and not seeing any progress to be honest. Also been taking 1mg fin every other day for about 6 or 7 months and during this whole time I've seen now improvement and continued hair loss. How long until I start to see improvement do u think? At least 6 months I guess?
 
D

djkillab

Valued member
Any update? How are you getting on with oral minoxidil?
Not noticed any side effects but still no improvement either to be honest. Still shedding hair, maybe even more recently
 
S

Salazar

member
still no improvement either to be honest
Sorry to hear that. I guess you really need to give it 12 months before a proper evaluation.

Am I right in understanding that you stopped taking finasteride (due to side effects) but now take it every other day?
 
D

djkillab

Valued member
Sorry to hear that. I guess you really need to give it 12 months before a proper evaluation.

Am I right in understanding that you stopped taking finasteride (due to side effects) but now take it every other day?
Yeah that's right.
I also introduced Saw Palmetto plus Biotin/Zinc tablets about a month ago
 
Top