First, thanks for taking the time to read my long post. I really appreciate that you took the time.
(I’m a diffuse thinner, by the way, so don’t ask me for my NWx—it doesn’t exist for me.)
Second of all, hi! I’ve been using topical minoxidil and topical finasteride for the past 2 weeks, with no visible (negative) symptoms—no itching, scarring, or problems of any sort. But I wanted to step up my game and move to something more potent: the oral forms of minoxidil and dutasteride (both are typically oral). Naturally, I’ve conducted extensive research on potential side effects, DHT, hair follicle structure, 5ARIs, etc. I’ve read dozens of articles, referred to reputable sources, and done a deep dive into everything.
At around 20:20, I took the dutasteride, and by 20:50, I took the oral minoxidil for the first time. Since I knew that minoxidil is a vasodilator (whether oral or topical, as topical variants do eventually reach the bloodstream, albeit to a lesser extent), I anticipated that it could impact my blood pressure. So, after taking the oral minoxidil, I decided to measure my blood pressure.
Here are the results:
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13.2/8.5 at 20:44 (local time, UTC+3, prior to taking oral minoxidil)
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11.6/8.6 at 22:00
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13.7/9.7 at 23:02
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12.2/9.2 at 00:05
One thing to note is that I had absolutely zero visible symptoms of any kind—whether from the topical or oral minoxidil. I also had no visible symptoms from two weeks of finasteride use.
For context, I used to mix minoxidil (5%, liquid spray form, which is readily available without a prescription) and finasteride, along with some B vitamins/biotin, to prepare my own solution, which I applied twice a day. As it’s nearing the end, I didn’t bother preparing another batch and switched to oral hair-loss medications and oral vitamins. I also used ketoconazole (it’s cheap here) about twice a week, though I never had a scalp infection. I’ve since dropped it, since the question of whether it inhibits DHT is still debated. If oral minoxidil and dutasteride are not going to cut it, why rely on ketoconazole anyway?
To clarify again: no vitamins, pills, topical spray solutions, etc. I’ve used or taken have ever caused me visible symptoms. It was only after I took the 2.5 mg oral minoxidil and measured my blood pressure that I saw these numbers. If I hadn’t measured my blood pressure, I wouldn’t have felt a thing.
So, my question is: Are these numbers normal for people who take oral minoxidil?
I would really appreciate feedback from people who have been using oral minoxidil for a prolonged period. Also, if you use(d) topical minoxidil, I’d appreciate your feedback as well, especially if you specify that you used topical minoxidil.
Sorry for any grammatical mistakes. I’m not very good at English!
Thanks for reading.
(Flair fixed-changed to minoxidil)
****IMPORTANT UPDATE: IT SEEMS I DID THE MEASUREMENTS WRONGLY. WHEN I AM IDLE FOR LIKE 25-30 MINUTES, MY READINGS GO BACK TO NORMAL FROM ELEVATED. WHEN I HAD DONE THE MEASUREMENTS, I WAS IDLE FOR MAYBE 15-30 SECONDS OR FOR 4-5 MINUTES AT THE VERY MOST.IF YOU ARE READING THIS BE CAREFUL BUT DON’T BE OVERLY SCARED OF ORAL MINOXIDIL AT 2.5MG DOSAGE. THOUGH ALWAYS CONDUCT MEASUREMENTS OF BLOOD PRESSURE WHEN YOU USE ORAL MINOXIDIL AND REFER IF POSSIBLE TO A DOCTOR. 2.5MG SEEMS SAFE, HAVE NOT YET TRIED 5MG.