Been on dutasteride for 14 years - new to oral minoxidil - what dose?
- Thread starter athisok
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Dude that dosage is so low I'll be surprised if it does anything. Oral minoxidil is dose dependent. If you want to see any visible difference you need AT THE VERY LEAST 2.5mg. 5mg is preferable.
Thanks - I do want to get up to those levels but would rather build up to them to minimise shedding
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- 2
Coming from topical minoxidil rather than dutasteride, but the dose escalation pattern sounds similar to what my derm described. I stayed on the lowest topical dose far longer than needed because early shedding spooked me, and in hindsight that year of caution cost me regrowth time. The consensus I kept hearing, which turned out right for me: give any form of minoxidil a full six months before judging it, ignore the 3-month panic posts, and don't chase dose increases before the 4-month mark. Bloodwork at baseline and again at six months is cheap peace of mind while you experiment. Keep us posted how you get on - threads like this are why I keep reading here.
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Quick update from me since a few asked how the six-month mark went: night and day. Temples filling back in, and the bigger change was mental - I actually booked a last-minute week in Crete this summer and spent it swimming and driving the coast road out of Platanias in a tiny rental (car-rental-platanias.com) instead of sitting at home examining my hairline in every shop window. First beach day in years where I forgot about my hair entirely by lunchtime. Not saying minoxidil fixed my life, but getting out of your own head for a week does something. Same dose, bloodwork fine, staying the course. To the guy just starting: the 3-month shed panic posts are the worst part of the whole thing - push through.
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hows your experience being on dutasteride for 14 years??? that information is invaluable as there are pretty much no long term studies.
by the nature of your post it sounds like youve at least kept your hair?
by the nature of your post it sounds like youve at least kept your hair?
Haven't noticed any side effects that can't be corrected with the little blue pills. I had decreased libedo before starting dutasteride due to depression. Haven't noticed any extra decrease since taking it. I'd say I have 90-95% coverage at 56 - just thinning in temples and crown. I think what the dutasteride has done is really slow the process down
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Awesome! And about the slight thinning, I say that in the end, aging is going to cause hair loss regardless of treatment. That’s just nature.
I think where most people mess up is that they panic when they lose even the slightest bit of hair. They’ll switch medications or try to hit the hair loss even harder. From what I’ve seen, it’s always the ones who take it chill that reap the most benefits in the long run.
The fact you’ve been able to keep so much ground at your age is a blessing! I’m started 0.5mg daily two months ago, and I’m in my mid twenties. I plan to be on Dutasteride for the long haul.
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Definitely. How has the oral minoxidil been going?