Does Minoxidil for hair loss cause sexual side effects?
I just stared using 5% minoxidil about a month ago. I have no good news to report so far regarding hair growth yet, but I have noticed that I am not shedding so much.
However, I have noticed that I am experiencing some sexual side effects, particularly what seems to be erectile disfunction. Is this normal for new users of minoxidil? Will it go away?
It takes a few months to see any results from applying minoxidil, so as far as that aspect of your question, everything seems normal.
However, Pfizer doesn’t list any sexual side effects that result from the use of minoxidil for hair loss. Furthermore, I have not seen any posts on the Hair Restoration Research Forums from posters that are experiencing any similar side effects. This is true concerning all available types of minoxidil: Rogaine Extra Strength Formula, Rogaine Regular Strength Formula, and Rogaine Foam.
Rogaine can, however, cause a rapid heartbeat, which is the closest side effect that I can guess would give you that sort of problem. If you really suspect the Rogaine is at play, then I would highly suggest that you discontinue use and give your physician a call, particularly if you are experiencing a higher heart rate than normal.
Here are the listed side effects from Rogaine’s website:
Stop use and ask a doctor if
* chest pain, rapid heartbeat, faintness, or dizziness occurs
* sudden, unexplained weight gain occurs
* your hands or feet swell
* scalp irritation or redness occurs
* unwanted facial hair growth occurs
* you do not see hair regrowth in 4 months
Robert – Associate Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network, the Coalition Hair Loss Learning Center, and the Hair Loss Q & A Blog
Technorati Tags: minoxidil, hair growth, shedding, Pfizer, Rogaine, regrowth
February 1, 2019 @ 9:35 pm
He Guys! Any updates so far ?
December 29, 2018 @ 5:29 pm
Hey Guys,
I’m also suffering from the same side effects for one year now, since I stopped using Rogaine after 4 months of use.
I hope that everyone hase recovered! but please keep us updated so we can help each other.
If I see all the guys commenting since 2010 and most of them has not reported how they are doing today then it comes to my mind two things: they just recovered and did’t care to update the thread or they just accepted the situation and had no desire to talk about it anymore…
I hope that everbody gets better anyway from this poison
July 11, 2018 @ 3:00 am
I am also suffering from penile numbness and extremely low libido after using Minoxidil 5% liquid for 40 days. It has been 50 days since quitting and I have hardly had any improvement. My testicles tingle all the time and that keeps me awake at nights.
Impotence/ED is a known side effect of minoxidil in some countries such as Switzerland or the Czech Republic. It is mentioned on the inserts of some brands. It supresses the androgen receptors. Vast majority recover from this, but there have been several cases of people with permanent side effects lasting 2+ years. Altogether, I found about 15 such cases and hundreds of those who did fully recover.
In fact, Minoxidil is very similar to finasteride and recently has been proven to block the 5ARII as well as to suppress androgen receptors. In addition to that, it is an antihypertensive and potassium channel opener (the latter can also harm the androgen receptors activity).
The recovery time is scary – up to 2 years and some seem to never recover. So please stop claiming it is psychological, because it has been proven, reported and is a known some effect.
I am extremely worried now, because I might have ruined my life by this OTC AR antagonist. Chances of recovery are great but noone knows for sure until they are fully recovered. Never use minoxidil, it is extremely dangerous. It needs to be banned. It is outrageous that is an OTC drug, it’s like selling steroids or Prozac in the convenience store.
If I don’t recover, my life will not be worth living anymore.
June 26, 2018 @ 4:22 pm
Dwanye Joe, what comment are you referring to?
May 29, 2018 @ 5:47 am
Hey admin,
How can i delete my comment on this post can you plz let me know. Thanks in advance.
May 20, 2018 @ 8:00 am
Hi steve
How are you doing now?? I hope u are good
ED is still with u or what and sexual drive also
I want to know how I come back to my hard-rock erection and hunger sexual desire after using poison (minoxidil) plz help me guys
December 8, 2017 @ 2:46 pm
DC,
I don’t know how many people who have commented follow up and view responses. Thus, I recommend joining our free hair restoration forum to post your question. Therefore, hundreds of active hair loss sufferers will view your topic, many of which will respond with their opinion and experiences. I look forward to seeing you on the forums :-).
Bill – Managing Publisher of this community
December 7, 2017 @ 1:35 am
Hey Daniel,
Nothing to update about. I have been fully asexual since the day i stopped minoxidil in march 2017. 0 sex drive…like a zombie walking this earth…my life is over….theres really no point in living anymore…..how many lives must be ruined before the medical community establishes a link between minoxidil and these devastating side effects……but in all honesty , im fairly certain that those who experienced unexpected side effects from minox overapplied minoxidil (more than half capful twice daily)….so if that is the case….you can make the claim that any pharmacetical can have bad long term side effects if you exceed the maximum dose…..so i feel like this is my fault as well…..but upon reviewing the drug info….it doesnt even mention sexual side effects for side effects to be expected if too much drug is absorbed in the body!! And im fairly certain many people overapply minoxidil so it seems overall quite rare to suffer long term sexual sides from minox…
November 17, 2017 @ 1:10 am
Hey steve and daniel, ihv suffered the same problems as you. Can you guys update on if the problems is over now? Please mail me at junkmaildev95 at gmail. I need to talk to you guys please reply.
October 23, 2017 @ 4:03 pm
Hello Steve, do you have any updates so far?
My Story: I have used Rogaine 5% for nearly half a year end experienced extreme ED from 100% to like 0-10%. I decreased it to 2,5% in hope I could still hold on the the success on hair and reduce the side effects because i understimated those effects. I didn’t want to lose all my hair and tried to lower the dose step by step for the next 11-12 months. Now I stopped for 10 months but still have the same issues. I should have stopped immidiately….
My hormone and thyroid levels were all right. Reading above gives me atleast hope that my body can somehow recover by itself.
October 18, 2017 @ 4:04 pm
I used minoxidil for about 3 years. it made my erection weak and I lose my erection after 10-20 s. after seeing this forum I am sure that it is due to minoxidil. during using it, I experienced occasional numbness of my penis when I sit in chair. now, I have quitted minoxidil for about 1 month; although the erection is still weak but I did not experience any numbness in my penis after quitting minoxidil. also during the use of minoxidil, the main vains of my penis got wider and thicker. now after quitting it I realize that the veins become narrower. I think that these signs of recovery. I hope so.
anybody have experienced these (numbness of penis and thick veins) during using minoxidil?
September 2, 2017 @ 9:59 pm
If you are experiencing sexual side effects or any unexpected side effects from minoxidil and you live in the USA, please submit an online report through FDA Medwatch- the US pharmacovigilance program. Similarly, if you are living in Canada and experience unexpected side effects (sexual or otherwise), please submit an online report through Health Canada”s online Pharmacovigilance portal. Reporting of side effects is voluntary for doctors and consumers after a drug is marketed. That is why many post marketing side effects are under-reported. Please make sure to complete the reports with as much detail as possible. It is even better if you keep your minoxidil bottles . Your reports will ensure proper regulation of post marketed drugs, not limited to changing in drug labeling, withdrawal of drug from the market, changing of side effect profiles etc. Do the right thing and submit the reports please !!
July 26, 2017 @ 9:11 pm
The previous post was mine. Im giving an update. I saw a naturopath specializing in hormone conditions. She had me do a 24 hour urine hormone test…which was quite expensive but well worth it. It revealed a lot of abnormalities that are not observed on normal hormone testing done by the endocrinologist. Normal hormone testing only captures the amount of main hormones in your blood and not in your tissues and does not capture any information about the full hormone panel of hormone metabolites and cortisol etc. In any case, contrary to the blood test which was all “normal” in reference to extreme ranges that are not optimized for sexual functions and libido, the urine test revealed that all my hormones starting with DHEAS, testosterone, and estrogen were extremely elevated beyond normal. Excess testosterone gets converted to estrogen and this is where she thinks my sexual dysfunction symptoms are coming from. In addition, my cortisol levels and oxidative stress levels were through the roof, due to weight gain, eating unhealthy food, and high levels of emotional stress…this is very bad for sexual function also. She has recommend that i tackle this from all directions. A) Reduce cortisol B) Reduce inflammation C) aromatase inhibitors D) metabolize and excrete excess estrogen and hormone metabolites. She has recommended an array of supplements, food, and lifestyle changes to fulfill these objectives. I will update again…..i do wonder whether the suppression of androgen receptors is causing my body to overcompensate by ramping up production of hormones across the board. That is pure speculation on my part.
June 22, 2017 @ 12:00 am
I just want to give an update. I posted the last post also. I saw the endocrinologist. He believes that minoxidil suppressed my androgen receptors as per the science paper from taiwan dated 2014 and titled “minoxidil may suppress androgen receptor related functions”. He said that would explain why all my hormone tests were normal. He said there is no way to test androgen receptor status or treat or reverse androgen receptor suppression. He said all u can do is stop the drug and wait for recovery. He said it could take more than a few months. He said its quite a rare side effect
He also advised me to come off the antidepressant ive been on for 12 years to speed up recovery since it may have a synergistic effect even though it never caused sexual side effects in the 12 years i took it. I urge everyone who has experienced sexual side effects from minoxidil to submit a report online to the regulatory body of your country. In the US, you can submit to FDA medwatch….report a problem…consumers. Health canada has a similar online reporting system as do all first world country regulatory bodies. Please remember to complete the submission with accuracy and detail. The more the better. The FDA only needs 1 or 2 well documented submissions to take action based on your submission. They also have to determine from your submission that minoxidil was the definitley related to the side effects. Doctors are not required to submit these reports to the FDA and consumers must do it directly. These reports are needed to once and for all establish a connection between minoxidil and persistent sexual dysfunction. This is the best thing that you can do. I also highly advise that you see a naturopathic doctor to put you in the optimal situation for recovery…one that specializes in hormonal conditions.
May 28, 2017 @ 4:20 pm
I used Rogaine for 4 months. It definitely caused me to have complete lack of sexual desire (my libido is non-existant) even 3 months after stopping. Due to the loss of my libido, my erections and penis size have also suffered of course. I wake up each morning and realize that i am living a nightmare. I have done full lab tests which are normal apparently. I am going to see an endocrinologist soon. Hopefully he will have some answers for me. I will also try natural health products in hopes of salvaging what is left of my manhood. I cant believe this is happening to me. The worst part is that many medical professionals dont truly believe it, even though they say it is possible. Minoxidils mechanism of action is unknown and there are hundreds of people complaining that their sexual desires (getting horny, feeling the urge to have sex with women) has disappeared after using minoxidil, despite being healthy young men and no other changes in their lifestyle or diet. When i started feeling lack of sexual desire (getting horny), i wondered what was causing it and was somewhat relieved since i had a high libido that always needed to be tamed by ejaculation….i thought that i may be consuming too many phytoestrogens in my diet so i stopped consuming any possible sources of phytoestrogens and nothing changed. Finally after a quick google search, i was shocked to see tons of people complaining of sexual side effects from rogaine….From the research i have done, it seems that many people recover or improve within 3 months to 1 year but there are some who have had permanent/ long term damage to their sexual function.
May 23, 2017 @ 8:24 pm
David and Blake,
I used minoxidil for 4 months. Between 3-4 months, i noticed my libido dissappear to 0. I had no idea what was causing this. I thought that i might have been consuming too much phytoestrogens from plant based diet….so i stopped all sources of phytoestrogens in my diet. 3 months after stopping, my side effects are the same. After doing a quick google search and realizing that there are THOUSANDS….yes David and Blake…..THOOOUUUSSAAANNDDSS of men complaining about loss of libido and ED from minoxidil, i am 110% certain that minoxidil can cause these effects in some people. During the time i took Minoxidil, i had no changes in my lifestyle whatsoever and im young and healthy. Furthermore, i am a CERTIFIED CLINICAL RESEARCH PROFESSIONAL WITH 7 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, 2 YEARS IN DERMATOLOGY TRIALS AND 5 YEARS IN CANCER TRIALS….so i know a thing or 2 about causality of investigational drugs and phase I-IV clinical trials. I am SHOCKED…ABSOLUTELY SHOCKED that peoples complaints of libido and ED have gone ignored by the FDA. There seems to be a huge cover up going on between the FDA and Pfizer/ Johnson and Johnson to conceal the truth about this drug (WHICH THE EXACT MECHANISM OF ACTION IS NOT EVEN UNDERSTOOD)…..And you have the nerve to tell people that they are imagining or are wrong…and that there are no documented cases??? What about the thousands of complaints of loss of libido and ED….those dont count as documented cases ???
January 19, 2017 @ 5:04 pm
If someone reading this…do not use minoxidil. I am end 20s and I had never problems with sex drive or so called ED. I just had to think about hot stuff and it went hard. I could had sex long and often. This suddenly changed after only 10 days of using this minoxidil! So this is absolutely the reason. It’s totally soft and I can’t hold it a bit hard for a long time. It’s quickly going back. I am worried about if this will every change and be normal again. Sorry that I can’t tell you that it will be back to normal again and wrote just another post that scares people.Let’s hope for the best.
November 21, 2016 @ 7:31 am
HI everyone !
31 man here . Starting taking minox 2% ayear ago, and 5% 6 month ago .
I had a High sex drive all my life and very good erections..
Its been 3 month i’m feeling weird about it .
Soft penis and no more random erections. Then i read all your experiences… scary !
Please continue to share !!
July 3, 2015 @ 11:18 pm
Hello, following up, its been 1.5 years since I stopped using minox and I can now say that my erections are back to normal or at least much closer than before. I definitely think there has been improvement. Whether the minox was the cause of ED or not, maybe I will never know. I think it was also was the level of stress as I have seen the quality of my erections decrease when I was stressed or worried about something. In any case, I was thinking of restarting minox but I made a decision to not continue minox just in case. I’m a healthy 31 yr old who eats well and exercises regularly. This is why it did not make sense to me as to why the ED was happening. To all of you suffering from this, my advice would be to try to continue your life in the best way you can. Keep stress low, eat healthy, do healthy things. This way you can eliminate the reasons for the ED to be due to “non normal” things. Keep strong all.
June 22, 2015 @ 3:36 am
I’m 27, go to the gym from Mo-Sat, low body fat, eat healthy food etc. I started using Minoxidil 5 months ago. I would visit the doctor this month as a “follow-up” to check on how my hair was progressing. Two weeks ago, during the sex I noticed I lost VERY easily the erection (putting condom), something that has never happened to me before. So I started to pay attention to this and realized I’m losing sex drive, I’m working at 70%. Thinking about what could be doing this to me, led to searching Minoxidil side effects and this blog (thank god). I stopped using Minoxidil since yesterday and hope everything comes back as before soon. I wil let you guys know.
June 15, 2015 @ 12:04 pm
Hi All….Minoxidil does causes weak erections as it lowers blood pressure towards the genitals. I used Finasteride scalp lotion for 1 week and noticed less sex drive and weak ercetion and I stopped it. Please never trust your dermatologist, they may mislead you about the Finasteride or Minoxidil. but the real fact is that both Finasteride and Minoxidil has sexual side effects. Its not psychosomatic (as the doctor says)or in your head. I noticed hard rock after quitting Minox 10 in a week. The doctors just bark things that comes to their toungue and USE these products in your life.
May 23, 2015 @ 5:48 pm
Raj, it’s very possible to recover. But it takes long time. If you have used it for months, it takes months. If you have used for years, it will take years. With the right protocol, of course. The NO/ONOO won’t fix by itself. Not all those who use this stuff get ED.. this is because of some genetic mutations. The ones who get ED have some SNP related to methylation, some problems in urea cycle, have some gut problems, adrenal fatigue, and all these things are related… There is no one size fit protocol.. you must found your SNP, you have to study and correct your methylation problem.. and rebalance neurotransmitters, bh4, NO. Be patience. If you took it for 3 years, you’ll be normal in three years, with notable improvements after 4-6 months.
Never get depressed.. think positive and heal yourself.
May 18, 2015 @ 3:29 am
i start using minoxidil for the first time on a saturday. On monday i noticed that my erection was very weak.. .something i never had before. tuesday same story so i started looking on the the internet and i found this page. I was in schock and trew away my 3 month supply.
next morning i did no have a morining erection, something i always had for as long i can rememeber.
tomorrow it has been a week since my last use and thing are back to being normal..thank god..
May 7, 2015 @ 5:35 pm
Sorry to hear about all your problems.
Minoxidil triggers a NO/ONOO loop, a biochemical vicious cycle that, in those who have some genetic mutation (SNP like MTHFR A1298C and others)is responsible for ED and other problems. You have to address this problem working on methylation, gut, thyroid, adrenals. It can take months to years to recover, even with the right protocol. Please, don’t use this drug, it’s really really dangerous. Thanks.
May 7, 2015 @ 6:57 am
Is there any one who recovered fully???
April 20, 2015 @ 8:03 am
I am a male/31 from Pakistan, 03 years ago when our wedding was planned, I started taking the rightly cursed MINOXIDIL to keep my head covered.
The thing’s affected me in such a manner that I am still suffering with ED and have tried a number of herbal medicines to address the cause but to no success.
I must mention that jelqing exercises did bring some hope in. Now its nothing more than 70% of the hardness and 40 % of the duration.
You guys there in the west should form a small platform on FB etc to file a suit against this all. As the product has fair potents to affect millions more maybe.
March 10, 2015 @ 2:53 am
FWIW I haven’t had any ED issues, but what I’m getting at is that the hormone issues causing the problems can be caused by A HUGE number of things.
I don’t doubt that in this instance it is the Minox causing it, but just keep in mind plenty of other medications/foods/everything can as well.
March 10, 2015 @ 2:49 am
Guys I have to say while all of these side effects ARE in fact very real, it is not essentially the Minox’s fault, but the way your body reacts. In actuality, it is your body’s fault.
What I believe is happening here (and have noticed this myself slightly, I’m 27 and have been using Minox on my face for beard growth for 4 weeks so far) , is that CLEARLY Minox is in some way androgenic. What is actually happening here is that your body’s hormone levels are being disrupted to the point where you are getting more testosterone that is aromatizing into estrogen, or you are gaining more estrogen directly. THIS is in-fact what is causing the ED or sex drive issues. I personally have noticed a loss of muscle mass or a bit more pudginess. Again, from the higher estrogen or lower testosterone. To a lesser extent these issues can arise from sky high levels of prolactin.
The good news is that there are fixes for this of course (Cabergoline to lower prolactin, Nolvodex as an AR to stop estrogen surging, etc, but the bad news is that trial and error and tracking down the exact hormone issue can be different. Everything needs to be in check.
Basically
low testosterone low estrogen
low test high estrogen
high test low estrogen
high test high estrogen
are all bad. Not only is having high test bad, but also having very low estrogen (you still do need this to some degree).
The levels must remain… level, and getting them that way can be a pain.
What you are after is
higher test/normal test – mild estrogen.
My theory is that in many ways either through sky high estrogen, sky high test, or low of each, is what is causing the issues from Minox.
March 7, 2015 @ 5:40 am
Hey everyone. I started using rogain in October 2014, and I’m worried about ED. Over last 5 months I observed weaker ercetions from time to time. I could hardly get it up during fpping but I could easily get it up while having sex with my gf. Problem was I got premature ejaculation nearly everytime I had sex. Last night we were about to make love with my gf and before I put condom on, my man went soft. We got into a huge fight bcs of this as she thinks im not into her anymore, which is not true, she is very hot and I love her very much. I never thought it could be the minox, unitll I found this page. I am very scared, should I discontinue my rogaine treatment ? Advise me pls. I am just 23 yo
December 19, 2014 @ 6:42 am
As I said before, Minoxidil create a complex multiorgan damage. You have to address:
– adrenal exhaustion,
– thyroid dysfunction,
– impaired gastric acidity,
– probably, parasites in your gut and/or pancreas/liver.
Just addressing all these things all together you’ll be able to give your body the chance to heal by itself. It’s easy, but it takes time.. at least 4 months. Unfortunately, i can’t write here the protocol because it must be adapted to everyone and it can be dangerous to give some non-personalised advices. But it is a reversible condition, if rightly addressed. Hope this will help everyone.
December 18, 2014 @ 9:49 am
You absolute pricks that are defending this drug get off here and stop ruining people’s lives.
Like so many people on here this thing caused me to have ED and very nearly ruined my marriage as my wife started feeling like she wasn’t attractive anymore which caused a spiral of problems.
This SHIT is the problem and caused my issues. Get off it now and never use it again.
December 7, 2014 @ 1:34 am
Hi All
I’ve just found this board so I’m posting this in the hope someone out there has information that may be helpful regarding Rogaine / Minoxidil.
Here’s my story:
For hairloss I started taking Rogaine 5% Extra Strength Foam in June 2014. I got through three months’ worth of the foam in five months as I was taking it only once a day instead of twice and not every day religiously.
After two months I noticed slight shrinkage and “loosening” of my flaccid penis – it seemed a little shorter and less firm and definitely the skin was a little more loose and a touch more wrinkly. Around the same time I also noticed I wasn’t getting daytime involuntary erections and was getting fewer morning erections as well. All these symptoms have continued to this day. I never associated these symptoms in my head with using the Rogaine. That seems foolish now but it didn’t occur to me as I’d picked Rogaine over Propecia as it was the product that supposedly had no sexual side effects.
In mid-September I spent some time with my girlfriend and we had sexual relations as normal. I was able to get and maintain an erection without any manual stimulation, something that was becoming more difficult when I was on my own.
In November I had nearly a month off the product due to running out of supplies. When I look back now I can see the condition didn’t really change, although I was able to stay more erect with condoms on during this month than previously. In late November I had sex with my girlfriend without any problems on two occasions (if you’re wondering why I don’t appear to have sex with her very often it’s because we live in different countries 🙂
On November 29 I started re-using the Rogaine foam, this time applying twice a day instead of once. Two days later I was able to get an erection but it wasn’t firm enough to have sex. This is the first time this has happened in my life. The following morning I went to the bathroom as normal after waking up – there was the Rogaine and it struck me this could be the source of the problem. I immediately stopped using the Rogaine.
In the past week since stopping Rogaine usage I have noticed some dramatic changes. For the past four days I have been unable to get an erection of any kind, either with manual or visual stimulation, on my own or with someone else. This is obviously worrying as it’s the first time in my life I’ve experienced something like this. I am now on day 4/5 of not using the product and have noticed some other potential side-effects – I have had a headache all day, a flickering right eyelid and have been restless, irritable, had a strange attack of “brain fog” and lacked concentration. Lying in bed last night I was unable to run through a few mental “lists” the way I normally do before going to sleep. Of course, these might be stress-related because of the erectile issues.
Having spent a lot of time on message boards these past few days I’ve noticed my symptoms have more in common with the “crash” a lot of people experience after coming off Propecia. I have found two or three other people that have posted on sites making this same comparison with Propecia-like symptoms when they came off Rogaine. This has generally been challenged by other people – understandably, given the differences between the two drugs – but right now there’s no doubt what I am experiencing appears to occur more commonly with coming off Propecia. This is also slightly worrying given that the lasting side-effects associated with Propecia are usually considered more serious than those with Rogaine.
It is obviously very early days. I am hoping the drug is still in my system and what I’m going through is some sort of “cleansing” process while it leaves me. Perhaps over the next couple of weeks things will return to normal. It’;s a waiting game, I suppose.
In the mean time what I’d like to know is – has anybody else out there experienced similar symptoms when coming off Rogaine, rather than Propecia – i.e. total impotence – or have they heard of this happening to another Rogaine user? Is there any information out there about how long it takes to recover from these things? I am worried that the fact I am suffering from total impotence rather than just ED means this may be a more serious situation. Obviously I am hoping not!!
Any feedback and shared experiences very welcome.
December 4, 2014 @ 9:05 pm
Like so many other users here I have experienced sexual side effects from using Rogiane. I applied once a night over a five month period but was sometimes forgetful – I used only three months of dosage during that time. I then had a break of about a fortnight while waiting for the new batch to arrive and have immediately noticed further problems after just two days of restarting with it. I have now stopped immediately.
My symptoms:
Penis seems smaller and softer when flaccid
Complete loss of morning erection – last one was two months ago
Complete loss of involuntary erections during day – last one was two months ago
Difficulty getting and maintaining an erection even with a partner
Can anyone that has used To gain and had similar side effects advise on the best course action to try to get things back to Normal. Would be interested in exchanging via email with someone that has been through something similar.
November 23, 2014 @ 5:17 pm
Guys. Minoxidil unmasks a condition of adrenal exhaustion. The root of the problem is your… GUT. Look at your tongue. What colour is it?
November 20, 2014 @ 1:34 pm
The comments in this forum are eye opener for me.Just like other people on this forum,I started using minoxidil 5% 2-3 years ago. I have been experiencing sexual dysfunctional,headaches,increasing fatigue,irritibility,
I attributed all this to aging (around 41),chronic sinusitis,stress,relationship issues,allergies,chronic fatigue issues,migraines. Went to 3 different allergist,3 ENT specialists, 2 CT scans of head and sinus multiple blood test panels.Did not need to see urologist as I checked endocrine panel.Used Multiple courses of antiboitics,steriods,nasal sprays. My blood tests and testosterone,Prolactin,LH,FSH always normal.Allergy test showing questionable allergies but nothing convincing.Starting eliminating different foods from diet,exercise more.
Just could not explain what was going on with me and was gaving up that this is part of aging,allergies,genetics and I should just learn to live with it.
I am related to medical field and deal with male hormone issues all the time but it never occured to me that minoxidil could be contributing to it until recently when I develeped severe headache after brief break from minoxidil and starting researching headache and topical minoxidil issue.I knew minoxidil is vasodilator and used for hypertension and can cause headaches but thought that systemic absorption of topical minoxidil should be minimal to cause vasodilation and headaches but never thought of sexual dysfunction and other issues. I starting searching internet for relationship between headaches and minoxidil absorption and came across this forum.Suddenly, I can connect dots now.The theory about vasodilation and the NIH study James in post #223 seems very plausible to me.
Now this is anecdotal and personal experience and not a scientific randomised trial and minoxidil may not be cause of my life’s problems but I stopped minoxidil now and see what happens in next few months if any of my issues improve. Atleast, I have some hope now that it may not be my age or other issues and may be things can get better and I dont have to live with this for rest of my life.Only time will tell if there is any permanent damage.
I will suggest to people who are convinced that minoxidil caused their problems to report it to FDA,so a more scientific study can be done and if minoxidil can really cause all this , warning can be added to product label and other people can make more informed decision about minoxidil use in future.
Thanks for reading my rant.
November 10, 2014 @ 1:39 am
I only used minoxidil for five days until i noticed a complete lack of sex drive and weak erections. Can u tell me how long ot takes to recover, its been a week now and no changes, please help
October 19, 2014 @ 3:11 pm
Guys if you see any thing like irregular heart beat, hard beating, palpitation, dizziness, fainting, nausea, vomiting, hands and feet sweating and coldness, anxiety, sounds and smells bother you, please stop using that shit.
I have used it for like 4 months and half, and now I am dealing with all those symptoms I mentioned above. It has been like 48 hours that have quitted using that, and I’m feeling much better but not completely.
October 14, 2014 @ 9:08 pm
Am the happiest man on earth,I have suffered from the problem of weak erection since my young age,cause i was use to masturbation during my youth age, still i got the contact of a Doctor, from the testimony of others in the net,i contacted him and told him my problems,and that was how he gave me the permanent cure to my problem of weak erection and now me and my wife are living in peace,i really want any one with such problem to also contact him and get cured completely from it and now my pennis is erecting well and not has small has it was before.
That’s all i have to share.
September 26, 2014 @ 12:59 am
I reported on here last year that I lost my erections soon after taking Regaine 5%. I was at the same time on a low carb diet. I reported on here again recently that I had stopped my low carb diet and my erections were returning to normal.
I am back to say that I contibue to use Regaine (both 5%foam and 2%spray) daily (2yrs now) and my hair growth is ok and my erections are back to normal.
If I had to give advice to anyone with with E.D problems it would be take exercise and eat a balanced diet.
August 26, 2014 @ 9:28 am
Guys, Minoxidil affects androgen receptors, and cause adrenal fatigue-like syndrome.
Do the following tests:
– DHEA, Testosterone free and total, fT3, fT4, TSH, plasma or salivar cortisol.
This disease can heal modifying genic expression, it could take months.
Do the tests, then put them here.
Hi…
August 11, 2014 @ 6:01 pm
I just want to use this opportunity to thank Dr solution who has made me a man again by curing my 6 years weak erection problem.I can not pay you for all you have done for me but i just want you to know that an forever gratful for your help.Becauss i can now boldly say now that am a man. For any weak erection and premature ejaculation problem just contact him at drsolution49@gmail.com
August 7, 2014 @ 12:19 pm
Should be class action suit filed against them if you ask me. You should hear the horror stories of Viagra. Ruining flora health, shrinkage and a host of other things. Doctors won’t reveal this.
August 1, 2014 @ 7:51 pm
I was also suffering side effects from what I think was due to the use of minox. Chest pains, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, feeling faint/dizzy. I was using Rogaine for about a month with no problem before these symptoms came up. Prior to that I was pretty healthy, going to the gym four times a week without problems.
The first time that I had heart palpitations, the general practitioner did an ECG which revealed an abnormal heartbeat. I stopped rogaine immediately after that incident.
The cardiologists I went to see didn’t think that the minox was the problem. Anyway, after two weeks from the rogaine stoppage, the daily palpitations and shortness of breath stopped. I strongly believe it was the rogaine, but the doc said it could be a variety of reasons including stress.
Anyway, i just wanted to report back to say that there is an end in sight. Other forums I’ve read had people who got better after periods of 2 weeks to about a few months.
I do suggest getting checks at the doctor done to ensure that there are no other underlying problems with your health.
Good luck everyone!
August 1, 2014 @ 6:33 am
This research suggests that Minoxidil DOES affect androgen receptors.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24742982
Claims of ED and low libido are usually dismissed by those who say that minoxidil only affects blood flow, but this evidence would suggest that it does affect androgen activity too. This would explain why many of us are experiencing symptoms similar to those who suffer PFS
July 30, 2014 @ 4:27 am
Hi Gavan I know how you feel mate it is tough cause you don’t know for sure if it was the minox and basically doctors have know solution to ED except for stupid Viagra they are just left scratching there heads.
Anyway just to let everyone know and yourself Gavan I got my result of my second blood test and it is just the same as the first high prolactin and high FSH hormone so I have been referred to an endocrinologist to get some answers and if it was the minoxidil then that will be the proof that this crap messes with your hormones for sure cheers.
July 20, 2014 @ 9:36 am
I also used regain (Minoxidil) for 1 year with practically no hair regrowth ,but now suffer weak erections with an inability to maintain the erection.
I now need 4 or 5 erections to achieve climax.
Prior to using Regain I would last a minimum of 45 minutes and could achieve a new erection and orgasm within minutes of completing the sex act.
I have extreme tiredness .And Lack energy
It has been almost 2 years with no change to disfunction .It is ruining my life!!
I am 46 years of age.
July 18, 2014 @ 9:13 pm
Hi I really can’t believe this blog is still going from 2010 onwards but people still seem to be looking for answers and lo and behold they end up here just like myself i just started reading it today and each one of us has a similar story. I myself have used regaine extra 5% minoxidil on and off for years started at 24 am now 43 and I myself suffer with ed have done now for 7 years when I noticed it originally went to docs everything was fine told not organic phycological answer to my prayers take the magic blue pill not got fed up doctors not that interested just had to live with it because money talks in my opinion.
So just recently got fed up with my hair again and decided to start some regaine been on it now for 3 months anyway because I was 43 decided to have a little overhaul and get bloods taken EG test,prostate etc yesterday phoned for my results got told everything was normal apart from a hormone prolactin and FSH those were not normal and they wanted me to get blood taken again so I freaked out and the nurse said she would arrange a phone appointment with one of the docs spoke bit over with him and he said that the abnormal reading was probably to do with stress but just as we spoke I through in that I was taking regaine extra he asked me what is in that I told him minoxidil.
Docs words not mine well this does put a different spin on things it would definately account for the higher FSH level and also contribute to the higher prolactin so I definitely want you to book another blood test so this can be checked again.
So there you have it I have told the truth and I am glad in a way something has showed up this time because nothing has in the past is it really a coincidence were all here complaining about this stuff no I don’t think so this blog is still going strong should this drug be put through another test experiment yes I think it is high time it was and as I said I took this at 24 and it could have done some damage way back then thanks for reading and I will let you know my second results asap.
June 16, 2014 @ 7:28 am
i have been using minoxidil 5% for a long time, and have received excellent result each time i use minoxidil in different intervals on and off, but each time i reuse i get results in 3 to 4 months, people around me are quite confused that how i regrow my hairs, now i have decided to use minoxidil continuously,
June 3, 2014 @ 4:47 am
Michael,
There are many conditions that may lead to erectile dysfunction. Have you discussed this with your physician? If not, I highly recommend doing so rather than self-diagnosing.
David
May 23, 2014 @ 11:24 pm
Anyone has any help of getting my soft penis head working? I don’t want to go threw the entier posts cause it’s probably gonna make me depressed. It has been 5 days now… How long till it’s out of my system? Does it ever gonna get 100% again?
May 20, 2014 @ 10:51 am
Im 39 in relatively good shape not fat, runner, sufer, started using Minox about a month ago, saw great results, stopped hairloss and regrew hair right away, however, immediately loss of sexual desire. Now I could handle an ED issue, just take Ginsing, ginko and wear a ring, np. However the loss of libido was frightening. I stopped immediately 2 days ago, and can feel it coming back already, desire, needs, etc… I don’t want to be bald, but I dont want to be a unic either. I was taking saw palmetto at the same time, stopped that one week and no changes, then stopped the Minox voila!
May 19, 2014 @ 1:25 am
This minixodil 2% liquid is a complete nightmare… How is this even allowed for sale? The head of my “wood” last night and this morning is soft, no matter how excited I got. Last night my girlfriend asked if I was not in the mood. Same thing happened this mourning. It goes back to small/soft in less then a second. How can 2 days of applying this stupid medicine has this huge effect on me? I didn’t change anything else and had perfectly strong wood before minoxidil. I am 23!!!
I had never experienced anything like this before. It can’t be a mind thing cause my gf noticed it also. It’s just the end of the wood that stayed soft, the rest was about 85% hard. I hope it’s just the medicin that’s still in my system that’s causing this and not something permanent.
I’m gonna drink lots of water and try not to think about it. Everyone else here good luck also.
May 6, 2014 @ 11:52 am
I’m glad to report back that I’ve been on Regain 5% for nearly 6 months now. I’m pleased to say my erections are still good. At present I am putting my earlier disclosure of ED down to my low carb high protein diet whilst working out. I have now started eating carbs again and am in full working order at the moment.
April 13, 2014 @ 3:59 am
Hi guys. I had a failure with a girl 5 days ago. What a shame. I hadnt had sexual intercourse for a long time. So I didn’t know that I had such a problem. Because I could masturbate. Then I try to question smthng about the problem. I searched smthng about ed in google. The main reason was stated as psychological factors to cause Ed. but I was still not sure about it because when I consider and evaluate erection habits I realised that I didn’t have morning erection and random erection for 2 or 3 months. 2 or 3 months ago I started to use regaine. Then I thought regain might affect my ed. I searched google and come across this site. It was very surprising for me, because I didn’t expect to see that people suffer from rogaine. But as far as I understood it is true that rogaine is poison. Because it makes you dizzy, drained, tired and affect the quality of life and sleep. It also affect blood pressure and everything. So although rogaine may not direct impact on dht or smthng,, it affects the libido and erection definitely. I stopped using rogaine. I am worried if I won’t recover again. I was extremely hard rock at past. But now I keep away from girls. But we need to give up these products and start doing sport and think positively. Hopefully we will recover . Actually this product didn’t improved my hair as well. As a conclusion this is terrible drug. I will share if I am getting over this problem or not soon. DON’T USE THIS STUPID DRUG
April 6, 2014 @ 8:17 am
these are all signs of low HGH guys! remember HGH and testosterone go hand in hand.
nitric oxide stimulates the release of HGH from the pituary.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16388095
minoxidil has messed this up somehow for us. We need to get our nitric oxide production to normalise again or our HGH production to normal again.
i wonder if we take minoxidil again and the side effects would go away.
i think it was not wise to stop minoxidil cold turkey but rather slowly get off of it.
April 3, 2014 @ 4:55 pm
Hi Splenium, how did you get this information? Have you had any experiences with minoxidil before? I appreciate your advice – I’ll take any at this stage.
April 1, 2014 @ 8:40 pm
badidea, i seemed to note my testicles shrinking too.
also, like you guys when i dont masturbate, i seem to have good erections and good libido…but after masturbating im back to sqaure one.
April 1, 2014 @ 8:38 pm
guys there was a post regarding a user who tried arginmax who started recovering.
i decided to try it out and almost within one week things started to look up. try this out guys it may help out.
April 1, 2014 @ 11:43 am
Hello splénim,
Thanks for theses concils … But I do exercices, I take zma and more other thing (DIM ; L-arginine ; tribulus …) since lot of time. It’s your first message, had you take minox ? You have some sexual problem with it ? Your concil aur based on your own recovery ?
March 30, 2014 @ 5:11 pm
Sorry..In addition to the things above, I forgot the last thing. Stop masturbating and watching porn for 3 months (no PMO..no porn, masturbation, orgasm).
Again, good healing :)!
March 30, 2014 @ 4:06 pm
Sorry for my English, I’m Italian..
Guys, try to increase your fat amount in diet, at least 40-50% of total caloric intake. Reduce carb (it’s important!). Sat fats are the most important. Try coconut oil too, 3 spoon per day. Don’t exercise too much (max 1 hour, heavy weights, 2 min pauses, max 3 times a week). And supplement with zinc, magnesium, B6 vitamin. This will speed up the recovery. To eliminate fears and psychological blocks related to this condition, use energetic tecniques (Emotional Freedom Tecnique for example, it’s free of charge, totally free).
Hope this will help. Good healing to everyone!
March 26, 2014 @ 6:56 pm
Hi babidea,
Unfortunately I’ve seen no improvements in my condition. In fact I’m starting to worry this could be a permanent problem.
On a more positive note, I tried no fap for 2 weeks and I reckon my libido went up by 20-30% but still not enough to feel a need for sex or socializing with women. Erection quality went up too but it still doesn’t stand like it used to and only lasts around 5 mins without stimulation. Premature ejaculation is also a problem I’ve been dealing with. The only thing no fap proves to me is that I have a refractory period equivalent to that of a 70 year old. It’s worrying because I don’t think any girl would like to have sex only once a week…I certainly would like to have sex all the time, just like I could a year ago.
Some people on this site have waited up to a year and longer to recover so I’m still holding out hope that things will get better.
I hope things get better for you and everyone else with this problem. It’s an ordeal unlike anything I’ve ever dealt with.
March 17, 2014 @ 10:49 am
Hello everyone, I post an update, 6 months since I have stoped the minoxidil I don’t have really improvements, I think that the idea of pituitary gland and sexual exhaustion is maybe good. I tested nofap during 10 days and at the end of 4-5 days I had a rather good libido. I will continue to limit the sex, to eat healthy and sport (musculation + cardio). I noticed new veins on the penis and reduction of the size of the testicles, especially it left. It’s the same for somebody ? Connor, nofap work for you ?
February 20, 2014 @ 10:43 pm
here is another study which verifies minoxidil can and does affect the pituatory gland
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12789195
i think i may be solving this puzzle guys!!!
February 20, 2014 @ 10:10 pm
just a link to those interested in hyperprolactinemia and prolactinoma, there is a proven scientific study that implicates minoxdil to pituatory tumors but in rats so this is not only a theory.
http://www.slideshare.net/TaneeshaP/pituitary-gland-11819028
https://www.pharmcom.com/rogaine_data.html
February 20, 2014 @ 9:59 pm
guys, i also forgot to mention, visual changes have also occured with me, this may be due to the pituatory tumor pressing against the optic nerve causing blurry vission.
depression, fatigue also has occured – this could be related to low testoesterone
conor, i hope your right i have heard about the no masturbation thing, i will give it a go but find it really hard sometimes.
i hope i recover from this, i wish i never used this. I guess some people absorb minoxidil into there system too much, which causes these side effects.
one thing that i should say though, when i take niacin as nictonic acid my symptoms seem to dissappear
im not sure why this is, but nictonic acid dilates blood vessels (possibly by incresing nitric oxide levels), my theory is that minoxdil has semi permanently depleted nitric oxide levels in the body which may be causing these problems.
id love to hear other peoples theories on why minxodil can cause these problems.
February 18, 2014 @ 2:16 am
Hello All,
I am 30 yr old male, healthy and fit person. Never had any major health issues. I used rogaine 5% foam twice a day almost diligently for nearly 1 year. 11 months in I noticed a sudden drop in the quality of my erections. This was quite disconcerting as it happen right “in the moment” and had to play it off. I was quite stressed during that time so I thought it may be this as well. I consulted with an urologist, did testosterone test and all is normal. He did not seem to agree that minoxidil was the case, and that this thing may just be something temporary as he said it happens. He may be right, but I don’t want to take any chances, therefore I stopped using rogaine completely. Its been 1.5 months off it now and have not yet seen much improvement. Will report back in a few weeks with an update. In any case, I am trying to enjoy my life, eating healthy and exercising as much as I can. We can’t let this take us down, so as someone else above suggested, try to focus on your life. Nothing is gained by continuous worry. To others, please share your story, it helps reading this thread.
February 13, 2014 @ 2:14 pm
i think they should now list erectile dysfunction as side effects as many are now reporting it including me.
February 6, 2014 @ 3:51 pm
Rio,
I’ve been dealing with the same issues you describe. This is my eight month dealing with it, and there doesn’t seem to be anything happening to suggest I’m getting better.
I think your theory that minox caused a malfunction of the pituitary gland is something to consider. I really don’t know what else it could be. I got bloods done six months ago that suggested secondary hypogonadism, but unfortunately my urologist disagreed because everything was ‘within limits’, albeit just above the lower limits. My urologist completely disregarded my claims, said I’ll get better with time and then charged be €180 – some help he was.
My advice for you firstly is to stop masturbating and to stop looking at porn. One mistake I made when this all came about was that I looked at porn every day and masturbated just to see if I was making progress. There’s a lot of evidence out there to suggest that sexual exhaustion is a real thing, so don’t risk making your condition worse by tossing off all the time. Here’s a website that explains the theory of SE well. http://cure-erectile-dysfunction.org/symptoms-of-sexual-exhaustion. It was only last week that I started following the nofap routine and after day four I woke up with a really high libido, my erections were back to 100% and my semen wasn’t watery at all; it felt like I was back to my old self again. The progress disappeared after I jerked off four or five times that day, so now I’m giving it another go to see if it helps again. I found that combing weight lifting and drinking green tea helped too. Another thing I did was to buy some viagra, just to have peace of mind.
What you should remember is that I haven’t come across anyone who is still suffering. Not one. As pissed as I was with my urologist, he may have a point. Don’t worry so much.
February 2, 2014 @ 6:51 pm
Guys i used minox for 6 months and noticed sexual dysfunction, visual problems, this may be related to a disease of the pituatory gland casuing it to grow a tumor whcih secretes prolactin and levels of this stay high.
im off minox for 5 months and im still having problems down there.
i have no idea what to do. I cant get an erection that lasts and my sper is watery and my brain is foggy and i seem to be depressed alot of the time.
Usully when i would watch porn i would get an erection right away however this has all changed,.
im assuming this is due to low testosterone levels.
is there anyone that has had this problem before and if so how did they solve this?
January 20, 2014 @ 4:25 pm
955,
Normally finasteride (Propecia), not minoxidil (Rogaine), is associated with erection dysfunction. However, it is not completely unheard of. Especially because minoxidil can affect the blood vessels and the body’s overall blood pressure. Because the erection problem is persisting and it could be caused by other issues (such as the depression), I truly think you should visit a trusted physician.
Good luck.
Blake (Future_HT_Doc)
Forum Co-Moderator and Editorial Assistant
January 18, 2014 @ 5:53 am
i am 28 years old and i used minoxidil 5% for about 2.5 months twice a day. initially there was no side effect but after two months i noticed week erection. i thought this might be because of having sex with my virgin g f. but then i thought about minoxidil so i stopped using it. i was not very much sure about that and i had bought another one from the market and thought to confirm, so i searched the internet and found this site. now i am sure it was minoxidil which caused the erection problem. although i have stopped using it and its been a month, the erection problem is still there, it is not as hard as it used to be. will it recover itself or i,ll have to visit a doctor?
i am also facing depression, wrinkles on my face and unwanted hair on my face.
December 2, 2013 @ 5:55 pm
Jordan, thank you for your update. I’m so happy you recovered. The majority of people I’ve contacted say they’ve all recovered bar one guy which is really positive.
However, I’m coming up to six months and still see no improvements which continues to worry me. I’m trying my best to just put it to the back of my head but it really is starting to have a big impact on me mentally. I have little or no desire to socialize like the way I used to. Confidence is at an all time low. I’ll update this in a few months.
November 24, 2013 @ 9:09 am
Hi all ,i am 24 years old male and have used minox for almost 7 months ,during these period i didnt face any major side effects except some skin problems like dark
circle around the eyes,darkening of the face ,more pimples (but not sure these are because of minox ) ,then suddenly one night when i tried to do the things self ,
have encountered the ED ,sometime before this i heard from my cousine that minox can cause sexual side effects ,so i immediately relate this ED problem with
minox and stopped using it,and also my blood pressure is 140 and my chest got enlarged ,which also should be because of minox i feel , its day-2 after i faced
erection problem ,i can see morning erection occures as usual ,but when i touch my penis ,it goes down ,i am totally stressed now ,going to consult the doctors soon ,
is there any specific thing i need to do now ,please advice ,and also please say how long will it take to get back to normal
November 12, 2013 @ 11:49 am
Hi Conor, some people on this forum recovery 1 years after, I know a guy who recovery after 9 month. You can look the website “askapatient” with Rogaine. I think the recovery time is different for each people but possible. I don’t want mind the opposite. For all, please can you update the forum, that give hope for everybody.
November 12, 2013 @ 8:54 am
Hi everyone i know its been a while since i posted but basically i am back to being 100%. My blood tests came back glistening and so i was stumped at what was going on with me, basically the best piece of advice i can give you is to not worry so much, i know its difficult but i just stopped caring and i slowly began to see sustained improvements which for me has taken a year to fully recover from.other then taking a daily vitamin tablet i havnt used anything to speed up recovery as i was afraid that other substances might worsen the process.
To everyone still suffering keep strong there are a few examples of people like me taking a year to recover a few even longer , just try to enjoy your life and everything else will slowly fall into place.
November 12, 2013 @ 12:24 am
I’m using Minoxidil 5% solution for one month and my age is 31. Before using this, I don’t have any sexual problem. But now i’m seriously suffering. My penis is not getting excitement and it does not become hard. and premature ejaculation is also happen. What should I do? Do I stop spraying this. I’m very worried about my sex drive.
November 5, 2013 @ 10:41 am
Hi all, thought I should contribute as I continuously check back on this site. I am also a victim of Minox 5% and have been for a while. I took minox for about 4-5 months until I ran out. 1 week after stopping I noticed a significant crash in my sex drive and erectile functioning. However, I never thought that Minox could have caused this and 2 months later I started using Minox again – which was probably the worst decision of my life. After about 3 days of use my dick went totally dead, couldn’t get it up for the life of me and I would cum after about 10 seconds of stimulation. I’ve now been off Minox since June and made some slight improvements in the weeks after (No premature Ejaculation problems and started having more nocturnal erections) but I seemed to plateau after about a month and I haven’t recovered any more since then really.
It’s now been 5 months since I’ve stopped so naturally I’m getting extremely worried. Can people please update this forum and tell us how you’re getting on? Has anyone recovered from long-term problems like me???
October 31, 2013 @ 12:11 pm
Just wanted to give an update
I decided to stop the treatment the very next day i had morning wood for the first time in weeks since starting the foam, im goin to see a urologist in the coming weeks will give an update, i have to say i never had this problem with the low lobido and soft erections before taking the rogaine, having friends in the medical fiels they do concur that ED has psychological factors but for my case and many others on here the timing is too odd, and just for the people that say its not one of the side effects listed, there are always side effects that later arise for drugs years after they are made public
Will give my update after the urologist
October 29, 2013 @ 11:10 am
Hi all, I take Minox during 1 year, and I had Ed and loss libido after 5 months, I don’t know its minox and I continue. I stop it since September (2 months), but no change, my blood test are good. Please I want to have come back by “HP” ; “Jordan” ; “Homy” ; “Tim ED” ; “Jim” ; “Dejan”, I hope you are better now. Thanks a lot for answer because I’m very anxious with that. Sorry for my English.
October 29, 2013 @ 9:21 am
hi all im 23 and started to use rogaine foam and noticed a couple of times that i was a little soft but i do have times when im completely normal, now i never noticed this before i started to use the foam, i did a test and cleared my mind and was really calm and i was able to perform, but those times when i was soft i never really thought about the side effects they just happened, im debating whether to stop taking the foam or should i keep doing the treatment, my only fear is that if this is permanent,
thanks
October 18, 2013 @ 8:22 pm
Erectile dysfunction is s side effect in a small percentage of men, because of physical constriction caused by monoxidil. The following study shows no recovery from ED after stopping the drug, but that may be because a physical issue becomes a mental one. Use it or lose it…
http://www.ehealthme.com/ds/rogaine/erectile+dysfunction
September 14, 2013 @ 11:12 am
Posted earlier in the year and have my full erections back again. I will start with the regain 1 more time and see if the ED returns. This test will be conclusive as far as I can see. Report in 6 months.
September 5, 2013 @ 6:57 pm
HP,
None of the publishers/editors here are employed by Rogaine or any product that contains minoxidil. Furthermore, we are not “defending” minoxidil as much as pointing out that we haven’t seen any actual studies demonstrating that minoxidil comes with a risk of sexual side effects. That said, we are not dismissing your or other’s experiences. However, do note that there are many causes of sexual problems and before determining that minoxidil is the culprit, I suggest consulting your doctor to discuss all possible issues.
Best wishes,
Bill
September 4, 2013 @ 6:21 pm
So glad i found this site. Wish i had seen it sooner!!
My story is like most in here. Actually just like “Blonde guy no. 105”. Started using only minoxidil and nothing else many years ago. Im 35 years old now.
I blamed everything else for the ED. Went to doctors and sexologists and physical therapists without results. Im otherwise very healthy, eat right and exercise a lot.
After stopping using minoxidil less than a month ago, i have starting to have erotic dreams again and sometimes even morning erections. Which i havent had for years. But im not back to normal yet, still weak erections.
Hopefully it will all come back.
After reading all these comments, which mostly say the same things about the connections between ED and minoxidil, i wonder why people like the editorial assistants keep defending minoxidil?! Just because i hasnt been proven yet doesnt been its not truth. Are you just editorial assistents or are you employed by minoxidil? More than 100 people have the same story. It cant be a coincident! Doctors and others shouldnt rejecting the connection, when so many people insists on it..
August 20, 2013 @ 4:58 am
Pandu,
Sexual dysfunction is not a proven side effect of topical minoxidil. The most common side effect of minoxidil is an itchy, irritated scalp.
Some rare side effects are rapid heartbeat and chest pain. In the case of these severe side effects, you should discontinue use and consult your doctor.
All side effects of topical minoxidil should subside upon discontinuation of the drug.
David
Editorial Assistant
August 20, 2013 @ 4:28 am
I wish I’d read this sooner!! I took Rogaine for 3-4 years and while it didn’t really help my hair loss it killed my boners up to the point where I had to take a 1/4 vigara to get a decent boner….
I work out a lot and had a really high libido so it was driving me nuts trying to figure out what the problem was….
I stopped taking Rogaine about 4 months ago and am back to normal ( I think it took me a about a month)
– I will never touch the stuff again!!
August 10, 2013 @ 11:56 pm
i am 21 years old i am using andromin 5(minoxidi 5) it cause any sexual side effects .above mentioned side effects are perminenet?p
lease tell me?
July 29, 2013 @ 8:17 pm
Hi everyone, I am finally having some blood tests done and will share my results as soon as i get them, the real reason i am posting today is that I have had my longest period of back to normal conditions of 2 and a half weeks. One day after waking up from a previously poor day (no libido , semi-errections) over 2 weeks ago i woke up and just felt different and this difference that i hadn’t felt in so long is that i felt hornier, i felt an urge to masturbate and achieved a perfect erection that i could have easily had sex with. The feel of my penis on flaccid was also different it went from a near sponge like material to a firmer spongy material as if it had life. That day I achieved 6 full erections and for the next 4 days the same.
I then went on holiday with some of my friends , which involved a lot of drinking which was a bit foolish however my spontaneus increase in labido and erection quality held up for the whole week. These last few days i have felt a slight dip in labido and erection quality, maybe its the week of drinking alcahol and poor sleep that is catching up on my body , however the feel of my penis is still different to prior and it no longer feels like a dead weight.
These last 2 and a half weeks had definitely assured me that whatever i am feeling cant be permanent , i feel its just a waiting game until my hormones and inner body function regulate back to normal, i feel its as if their fighting this change as its been so long it doesn’t seem normal.
Hopefully these blood tests my shed some light but i am now optimistic.
June 25, 2013 @ 4:35 pm
Has anyone fully recovered from the ED problems?
What did your doctor/exams showed?
Thanks
June 10, 2013 @ 3:27 am
I am afraid to post this entry as it will leave a lot of men depressed. I started using Propecia in 2001. Several years later I started using Minoxidil as well. I noticed that after starting Propecia that in several months I was not losing as much hair. I had started on the advice of my physician who was treating me for low testosterone. I also noticed that it was a little bit harder to maintain an erection for long. As I was extremely active sexually, erections 5-6 times a day, the decline was very gradual and unnoticeable til 2008. I was depending on Cialis and Trimix to get every erection. I still had not made the connection to the Minoxidil or Propecia til I came across an article in 2009. In 2010 I was having a hard time getting an erection even with Cialis and Trimix. My new doctor verified that Propecia could be the reason. He suggested that I stop both Propecia and Minoxidil. I stopped having any urge for sex even after discontinuing both products. Two years later I still cannot maintain an erection and have little appetite for sex. My urologist believes it is permanent. I have had every penile test done known to man and nothing else is wrong with me. I am now planning to have surgery to have a penile implant pump installed in my penis and scrotum. Propecia and Minoxidil are bad drugs. Contact a lawyer that is pursuing the class action lawsuit against the maker of these harmful drugs.
June 9, 2013 @ 3:26 pm
Simple message guys. DO NOT USE MINOXIDIL!!
Unlike others on this page, I never got to the stage of ED, despite using Regaine for nearly 2 years, but over time my libido slowly dropped away, to the point that I didn’t even notice it going.
I’m 38, and my hair never really changed over this time, but the hair loss stopped, which is why I persevered using it.
What I did notice was that colleagues commented a lot that I looked tired, did I have a cold, was it a night on the beer, etc. – probably the other side effect on collagen making me look older.
Then I ran out of minoxidil right before a foreign holiday, so had nearly 2 weeks without it. I noticed more lead in the pencil within a few days, to the point where I was shagging the misses daily.
I’ve been off this crap for over a month now, and I feel great. I wake up with a massive boner every morning, and the desire to shag. Who cares if I lose my hair, I’d rather be bald and horny any day.
May 22, 2013 @ 3:41 am
Jordan,
I’m sorry to hear that your side effects have persisted for so long. Based on my own experience, I’d say it took at least three to four months for my minor side effects to fully correct themselves after quitting finasteride.
Hang in there, there is still a good chance that your body will return to normal function in time.
You mentioned back in March that you were waiting for blood tests. However, in your latest post you said that you have not been able to bring yourself to go. If you haven’t yet consulted your doctor about your concerns, I highly recommend doing so.
Best of luck!
David
May 20, 2013 @ 9:06 pm
Its been 5 and a half months and im genuinely starting to worry that this whole horror show is gunna take a long long time to go away. i get weekly sometime several weeks where my erections are about 90 % of how they used to be and then i hit rock bottom again, i cant remember the last time i had a random erection, the only thing i can remotely be happy about is that my penis hasn’t shrunk as has been reported in some cases if anything its gotten bigger which i suppose is a positive. I need to go to the doctors and get some blood tests done because i genuinely believe that something has got to be up but im so nervous about going , i cant carry on like this for much longer though so i guess im gunna have to grow a pair, please anybody who has has side effects for several months and then they have gone away, if you still read this forum such as ‘FRANK’ id appreciate any reccomendations as to how to treat this problem
April 1, 2013 @ 7:00 pm
Hmm I’m not sure what to do now after all these comments, I want to stop hair loss, but not worth it if the side effects will take place..
What are you guys considering now regarding the hair loss, now that rogaine seems to cause ED?
March 17, 2013 @ 6:29 pm
been just over 3 months , ive found i get a number of days , somtimes up to a week where my labido and erections are back to about 95 % and then things will plummit back to like whilst i was on minoxidil and a few months after i stopped ,its quite strange but i suppose its a good sign that things although not permanant are getting better im just waiting on some blood tests from the doctor and hopefully things will continue to improve
March 13, 2013 @ 4:53 am
By the way i used minoxidil only
March 13, 2013 @ 4:50 am
Its already 3;30am after reading all of these! I almost cried just to find out that my ED is just what other people here is talking about while i came across this page! Im gonna share to you my story tom since im so sleepy( got work tom). And for god sake…george bushman and some minoxidil people here please… We are suffering and were experiencing it right now! I wish you have an ED so you will know how desperate we are from recovering. I actually ignored my erection problem for almost a year wishing that itll just go away(maybe im getting older at 33, stress, less exercise etc) but the answer is here right now. i regret it so much using this junk! I admit, i got new fuzzy hairs with it (like baby hairs) but the side effects is really extreme!!If i only knew, I wont trade my happiness with this crap! better off bald than being miserable…Ill see a doctor asap!
March 9, 2013 @ 3:29 pm
Another update, I was in control of my premature ejaculation about 3 times in the 3 month using Rogaine again so I’m not sure it had any effect. I’m going to stop using it and look for another solution.
March 8, 2013 @ 2:21 pm
The list of possible “side effects” from the use of anti-hairloss drugs is apparently endless. As well as the number of crazy coconuts posting their hypochondriac fabrications on internet forums. At least, before they write about their imaginary problems, they should read instruction leaflets more carefully, and not to confuse side effects of finasteride with side effects of minoxidil.
February 25, 2013 @ 12:12 pm
argen,
While the mechanism minoxidil uses to stimulate hair regrowth is largely unknown, leading hair restoration physicians around the world agree that minoxidil does NOT inhibit or block DHT. I’m not sure what source the author in the above article used as a guide when publishing his article however, most leading hair loss doctors would disagree with him.
Best wishes,
Bill – Managing Publisher of this Community
February 22, 2013 @ 4:47 am
minoxidil is a DHT blocker. pls read.
http://ezinearticles.com/?DHT-Blocker—An-Effective-Hair-Regrowth-Treatment-Starts-at-the-Root-Cause&id=3806473
i’ve already stopped minox because of sexual sides mainly soft erection, soft/no morning wood. im hoping recovery would come soon.
February 17, 2013 @ 3:21 pm
AN ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION OR REDUCED LIBIDO IS AN OBVIOUS OUTCOME FROM THE APPLICATION OF MINOXIDIL FOR IT STRICTLY “INHIBITS” THE PRODUCTION OF DI-HYDRO-TESTOSTERONE PRETTY MUCH THE BI PRODUCT OF MALE HORMONE TESTOSTERONE CAUSING ED OR ANY OTHER SIDE EFFECTS. SO ESSENTIALLY IT LEAVES YOU WITH TWO CHOICES:
1) STOP THE APPLICATION OF MINOXIDIL ALTOGETHER
2) HAVE A MISERABLE SEX LIFE
February 15, 2013 @ 9:19 am
Been just over 2 months now and i have noticed improvements in my libido and quality of erections however id still say its about 85 % of how it was before minoxidil, im just hoping things sort themselves out eventually as im presuming its gunna be a while until im 100 % again , just glad things are actually starting to get better and @george do you really think id be sad enough to post on hear to deter people away from minoxidil , im 20 years old and am genuinely going through these side effects so keep your wise comments to yourself
February 13, 2013 @ 1:37 pm
Please, people, don’t listen to these 161 lunatics! They are in the same league like those hypochondriacs on Propeciahelp.com. If they didn’t hear that anti-hairloss products cause impotence (I mean finasteride), nobody would accuse minoxidil of it. Next time, they should read the leaflets better, otherwise they won’t know, what correct side effect they should expect. LOL
January 31, 2013 @ 11:49 pm
OMG, I just recently decided to try a hair regeneration product to stem the movement of my hairline. After reading this and other websites description of ED issues correlated with Rogaine and Propecia, I am shaving my head bald and leaving it at that. Thanks for posting your troubles everyone, that was a close call for me.
Cheers,
Jonny
January 29, 2013 @ 3:30 pm
@Jordan:
That is a good sign, you will recover completely.
“Flushing out” the Minoxidil however is of no use as it has already completely left you body weeks ago. Its effect however is still there. Why?
Hormones (and therefore also changes to the hormone system) have an effect on the organism even a long time after they left the body – up to several months. This I have learned in a lecture about the hormone system for physicans.
@ncognito: Sexual side effects of Minoxidil are apparently not very frequent. Side effects are usually classified as
-very frequent: 10% of the patients have them
-frequent: 1-10%
-occasional: 0.1-1%
-rare: 0.01-0.1%
-very rare: <0.01%
-unknown
The study for the approval of 5% Regaine solution study just comprised 371(!) patients. So if 1 in 1000 has it, it propably doesnt occur in the side effects. With 371 patients you cannot even determine the occasional side effects in a statistically relevant manner.
This study is a bad joke. If I would carry out something like that in my job and present it to my boss I could look for a new job the next day.
January 24, 2013 @ 10:36 pm
Been 5 and a half weeks since stopping minoxidil now I’ve noticed that i have been getting more regular morning erections although they are still 80% of what they should be , the odd more reoccuring time my erections have been fuller but thats seems to be random , gunna continue to drink loads and try to flush whatever is still in me out
January 19, 2013 @ 7:28 pm
After several years of pondering using Rogaine, and researching the sides effects; and, coincidentally, dealing with a recent bout of ED myself, I have to wholly agree with Randy — the problem is psychological.
Just a thought, but if the experts for Propecia are willing to state ED as a potential side-effect, why wouldn’t they do the same for Rogaine? If all these test subjects were having sex-drive issues, I think that evidence would come to light. I’ve read on other forums of many Rogaine users who were not affected, just like Randy.
For starters, Randy has been on it his whole adult life, with no side effects. How do you explain that? Is he an anomaly, or are there other factors besides the Rogaine that are causing the ED for these other posters? I’d say other factors. As stated, I’ve been dealing with ED, and have never taken Rogaine or Propecia. I went through a severe life crisis, which I attribute to my ED. In addition, the fact of having ED is a stress of it’s own, which brings your consciousness and sub-consciousness into a whole new realm of anxiety and fear. Fear is the factor here, I’m convinced. I used to have a crazy high libido, which has all but dropped off after severe life events. It’s been a couple years now, and I’ve gained a sliver of it back, but nothing like it used to be. By nature, I have a nervous and anxious disposition, and after reading these posts, so do most posters here ;). I’m not trying to make light of anyone’s problems — I’m dealing with ED myself, but I do want to look at it honestly.
As for the reasoning that Rogaine has the same effects as blood-lowering medication and that that causes ED, I can’t buy that either. As someone who has high-blood pressure (HBP) and has researched it for many years, I’ve only heard that lowering HPB can help ED. And, I can say, from the short time that I was on medication for HBP, it did indeed help my ED.
This is one man’s take on it, but one coming from a decent amount of personal experience and study. I’m no expert of drugs and their hormonal effect on the body, but it would seem that even if Rogaine did cause ED, it would cease along with not taking it. I’m just using the common sense knowledge of what would happen if someone stopped taking any drug or hormone affecting substance.
These are my initial thoughts and response to the comments I’ve read. I welcome any constructive criticism of my post. I have a year supply of Rogaine that I’ve yet to take. If I start it, I’ll reports any symptoms I have.
I wish you all success and blessings in your search for a resolution. In all that you’re going through, I’m convinced fear is the enemy: 1st John 4:18 – “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear…”.
January 17, 2013 @ 4:44 pm
Just a update for those this might help. I started using Minoxidil again right after my last post about 2 months ago and my premature ejaculation problem is gone. I can easily last 15-20 minutes without getting close to orgasm and I only cum when I’m ready. Overall story, I was fine sexually before Minoxidil, I fine while using it, once I stopped I became a premature ejaculator, once I started again I’m back to having basically fully control over when I ejaculate. The side effects are watery semen, mild pain in left testicle at times, possibly dark circles under eyes and puffy face I’m not sure. It’s all worth it to be able to be in charge of organs and grow a little hair back.
January 15, 2013 @ 1:53 am
Hi, I have been suffering from impotence/ED since Oct2012 until now. I was using Propecia for 3 months and my last tablet was at the end of 2010 (approx 18 months to Oct12). I have been using minox for the last 5 years but after stopping procecia, I started to apply the minox twice daily instead of once daily. At the time of ED in Oct12, only med. I was on was the minox and I also stopped it around Mid Oct 12. It been 3 months since I stopped minox and I still have not recovered. I have not suffered anything else apart from ED and low sex drive.
I have been using 5mm Cialis daily to help the erection and even this is stopping to work and I am experimenting with higher dosage. Natural supplements and vitamins do not seem to help. GP and urologist both says there is nothing wrong with me after some basic blood test. I am waiting to see another specialist soon
I am getting very concerned about my problem. Can it be caused by Propecia ? If so, why so long after I stopped it and How do i know? Is it caused by minox and what do I have to do to recovered? Is my ED/impotence going to be permanent ?
I appreciate any help or advice
January 14, 2013 @ 2:23 pm
Randy, you’re wrong.
The pathogenesis is due to an increase in prolactine combined with vasomotor mechanism. There are articles on pubmed (about increas of prolactine). Although not in humans (rats).
Guys, ED related to Minoxidil is reversibile 100%, it is only a matter of time. If there is no improvement then a psychological component overlapped.
But Minoxidil, yes and yes…causes ED!!!!!!!
January 12, 2013 @ 11:36 pm
Its been just over a month since i stopped using minox, and there hasnt been much improvement at all, its not getting an erection that the problem its the fact there only at 70 % to 80% of what they should be and the fact there not rock solid is doing my head in. Before minoxidil i literally could’nt get in a car and go for a drive without getting a leg of steel (dont know why) and my libido was off the scale. Im starting to worry my recovery will be a long term one like the ones ive read. Im only 19 and i know that minoxidil is to blame as at one point during my time on it i developed epididymitus and was on tablets to cure it during this time i started to realise my erection problems however i stopped minox for around 5 days and everything went back to normal and so i assumed it was the epididymitus. So i went back to minox and continued to use it for another 3 months stupidly not realising that was the issue the whole time as i never in the slightest thought minox caused those kind of side effects. im worried that things havnt improved since they did last time. Im going to book an appointment with my GP, its time to start trying to improve this myself, if anyone has any suggestions on treatments that have worked for them id love to know!
January 10, 2013 @ 6:56 pm
Hello, I already posted in July 2012 and want to give another update on my experiences.
I have went off and on Minox several times now. Using Minox, I ALWAYS got weak erections, low libido + driping of urine after peeing (I had to use paper inlays in my underwear). After quitting Minox it always took 2-4 weeks to get back to normal.
To the people who say that there is no clinical evidence that Minox causes sexual side effects, I say it is not even known how Minox regrows hair, so how can you exclude side effects? I know those people just want to help. But if you dont have experienced the sides you cannot understand. Some people have them, mose people dont. Some people grow hair on Minox, some dont.
Here some references that Minox can cause sexual side effects (not in English, though):
http://img158.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=13316_minoxidil_57_quilab_2_122_677lo.jpg#
http://www.pharmawiki.ch/wiki/index.php?wiki=minoxidil
And to the peolpe that are waiting desperately for the sides to go away: There are reports of people saying the sides went away more than one year after quitting the drug, so dont lose hope.
January 9, 2013 @ 2:58 am
Jim,
While there are a number of cases of men reporting sexual dysfunction from Rogaine (minoxidil), there has been no scientific data gathered to support this as a side effect and it is not listed by the manufacturer as a known side effect.
I always recommend that any male having difficulty getting or maintaining an erection consult with a physician rather than self-diagnosing. Even in young men such as you, there are many conditions that can lead to sexual dysfunction.
Best of luck!
David
January 8, 2013 @ 3:55 pm
I have been using 5% rogaine foam most of my life. It has contributed to a very healthy head of hair as well as other unexpected hair growth, chest, legs and backside. I have never experienced any sexual side effects at all. The more anyone reads here or any other place about how bad it is for you will have psychological effects causing ED. I have also been a kidney donor since 2006 with still, a very active sex drive. If anyone here is experiencing ED and thinks it because of minoxidil think again. You do have an underlying issue that needs a physicians attention. Your ED is like being giving a placebo and not told about it. Hence you say you have a headache so you are given something known to not work but not told that. Your headache surprisingly goes away so is this a myth? Nope it’s psychological effects. Go see a doc and fix your low testosterone of get a good estrogen blocker because its most likely your problem, if not see a shrink.
January 8, 2013 @ 12:53 pm
I used 5% minox for about 6 months and noticed a huge decrease in libido and erection quality. I’ve stopped for about 3 weeks now, but my erections haven’t gotten any better. They’re about 70% and really hard to achieve. Has anyone recovered from this side effect and how long did it take? I’m young.
January 3, 2013 @ 1:06 am
John Doe,
Thank you for the comments!
Blake (Future_HT_Doc)
Editorial Assistant
January 3, 2013 @ 1:05 am
Phenom,
It’s difficult to conclusively state what is causing your sexual dysfunction. Because of this, I highly recommend scheduling an appointment with a trusted physician to discuss the issue. Having said that, if the minoxidil is causing the dysfunction, it should reverse after stopping the medication (according to the manufacturers).
I hope this helps!
Blake (Future_HT_Doc)
Editorial Assistant
January 1, 2013 @ 7:56 am
follow-up: I actually tried mentioning the side effect on Wikipedia article about Minoxidil, but my mention with reference to this board was removed with the note: “this type of statement needs a reliable source”. If anyone has the ability to post this side effect on a “reliable source” and then on Wikipedia – he/she will do a big deal for the men out there.
January 1, 2013 @ 7:44 am
Thank you all guys for taking the time to share your comments above. +1 from me. Used Minox for almost 3 weeks, and noticed same side effects. The Wikipedia article for Minoxidil should be changed at least with reference to this board, mentioning the “possible” side effect. Good luck guys, and stay away from these “medicines”.
December 29, 2012 @ 7:32 pm
I’ve been on the generic version of Rogaine for about 1.5 months. I use 1-2 times per day (5% formula). The results to my hairline have been close to excellent. I have had my baldness reduced by literally 20%, that quickly.
That said, I think I could have some ED issues, but I cannot be certain. I had some minor ED issues developing a few months before trying Rogaine. There are other related factors that I have changed in my life at nearly the same time.
For example, I have intentionally gained a substantial amount of weight and have intentionally quit watching porn.
Another factor is I was taking a supplement called DIM for the first 5 weeks of using minoxidil, with no noticeable change to ED. DIM is supposedly useful in estrogen metabolism. After I ran out of DIM, that is when my minoxidil ED suspicion came about.
So in short, I think taking DIM actually helps reduce any possible ED side effects from Rogaine.
I have had such excellent hair growth that I will probably switch over to using the 2% formula only one time per day when my supply runs out. Even the effect on my dandruff has been nothing short of amazing.
I think it is easy to blame minoxidil for ED, but it is likely only about 25% responsible is my best guess. Just orgasming slightly less frequently seems to be the best way to harden up.
Interestingly, I have found that I am much hornier when I eat less food, and I have borderline ED when I eat excessively.
December 26, 2012 @ 11:52 am
I’ve used 5% minox a year back for around 3 months. I started to grow hair without any side effects and I had stopped using it. But now my hair began thinning again and I started using 5% minox 2 weeks back. Now I am experiencing ED for the past 4-5 days. I am 24 and had strong erection and sex drive until I started using this. Will stopping this can cure my ED?
December 24, 2012 @ 11:21 pm
Been 2 weeks since i stopped minoxidil but things still seem to have stayed the same, can anyone suggest anything from previous experience of recovering from these side effects for me to take/start doing to encourage recovery quicker, many thanks
December 19, 2012 @ 12:13 pm
I am so stupid! I have been using MINOXIDIL 5% for more than 5 years now, and it wasn`t till today I connected my problem concerning semi ED with using this product. I am 28, and I can`t remember when I had a normal erection or intercourse due to my problem… Thank u for opening my eyes! As most of u said, Id rather be bald then sexually disabled. I am stopin today. Hope I`ll get my ability back as soon as possible!
December 16, 2012 @ 8:45 pm
Hey Guys,
My name is Girish from Mumbai,India.
Visiting this site has been an eye opener.
I was about to buy Minoxidil & start using it, for I’ve lost hair on crown, thinking I’ll grow up some hair before I get married which will happen in Feb/March. Prior to start using it,I wanted to find some more information & landed here. Post reading all the blogs carefully,I’ve decided not to go for it, I prefer a healthy sexual life over some hair loss. Really do not want to be agony / drag my beloved in agony, in a situation which has no answers.
You guys have spoken ur heart out, really thank all of you for that. Not mentioning ED as a possible( now it seems certain) side effect on a drug/medicine should be considered as a crime.
There is a place called Neral near Mumbai where an old man gives a treatment. First he removes all hair, applies juice of fresh Ayurvedic herbs. This is done three times, once in a month, the guy charges nothing. Hundreds of people grown hair back, my close friend has been there & strongly recommended me, most of the saloons in this region tell about this guy.
I would better try this option, rather than loosing my libido.
December 12, 2012 @ 2:24 pm
Frank im glad that things have finally gotton better for you as your recovery time was so long how long were you on minoxidil for? and also was it gradual this recovery over this time or did one day things just seem to turn back to normal??
December 11, 2012 @ 10:57 am
Was just wondering if previous posters could share how long their recovery time was ? I have been on minoxidil for around 9 months and never associated my weakened erections and low libido with it because i just never thought this could be the cause. I quit 3 days ago and things are still the same.
December 9, 2012 @ 9:50 pm
Hey guys, I know I haven’t posted in a while as my last post was close to a year and a half ago. Going through minoxidil recovery was the worst year and a half of my life (half a year on it, full year for recovery). It took me 11 months since stopping to feel normal again, and even from there it’s been shaky. I am 100% better now and want to tell you guys if you’re worried these symptoms won’t go away, fear not. They will. I gave myself one year since quitting before I planned on killing myself. This drug ruined my life and I was extremely suicidal. Thankfully, the side effects eventually went away. I’m still balding but now I’m totally ok with it. I can deal with a balding head, but not with a useless penis.
For anyone who is still deciding on taking this drug, I am not here to scare you or deter you. But please, consider the fact that you will be applying a chemical which isn’t fully understood to your body everyday for the rest of your life, which can have severe implications. I wouldn’t wish what I went through on my worst enemy. This drug almost took my life.
November 30, 2012 @ 9:40 pm
i have been using 5% minoxidil for 4-5 years without experiancing much side effects other than incresed acne. but from very recent time i have noticed erectile dysfuctions.
and now donot get ant spontaneous day time erections and morrinng erections.
Other than that i had incresed seram creatine , may be rel;ated to minoxidil treatment
November 21, 2012 @ 2:12 am
I’m 28 I started using Rogaine is 2007, stopped in 2010 because I came to terms with balding and I didn’t like applying it twice a day and avoiding contact with my head while wet. I never had PE (Premature Ejaculation) before Rogaine, didn’t have PE awhile using Rogaine but after I stopped, it got PE….and it must be permanent since it’s been two years. I know side effects can include “lower sexual desire” but I never had a lower libido, erectile dysfunction any side effects I noticed while using. I’ve never been on any medication, never used drugs and Rogaine is the only thing I’ve ever used that is known for sexual side effects.
I think whatever it does to your brain that could cause “low desire” can cause delayed ejaculation, which I’d be fine with but once you stop it does the opposite and causes premature ejaculation which is hell. I went from thinking 10 minutes was a quickie to praying I can last 3 minutes. I honestly could go 20mins easy, 30mins or more with enough effort and now I average 2mins.
I’ve started using Rogaine again, I couldn’t care less about if it regrows some hair but praying that it will give me some kind of ejaculation control again.
November 17, 2012 @ 10:49 pm
Now it makes sense why I noticed low sex drive few months after using minoxidil. Also, most comment dated September 2010 gave me and idea that my “central serous retinopathy” that occured twice could also because of using minoxidil. I developed some fluid leak inside my right eye which they called “central serous retinopathy” my doctor gave me some medication to regulate the flow of blood in my eyes in order to heal the leaking part. This is exactly the opposite function of minoxidil according to some explanation in this blog.
November 2, 2012 @ 7:12 pm
Visited doctor and had blood pressure and blood samples taken. Testoterone and Thyroid all well. Will resume Regaine in a few weeks for testing.
November 1, 2012 @ 2:55 am
Neil,
Thank you for keeping us updated. Maybe you should schedule a check-up with your physician to confirm your suspicions as well?
Good luck!
Blake (Future_HT_Doc)
Editorial Assistant
October 29, 2012 @ 3:32 am
Ok. Good news. Subsequent to stopping Regain my libido and ED have reverted to near normal levels. I have however realised that my ED may have been caused by my weight training / low carbohydrate high protein diet. To find out which caused my ED I will give Regaine one more try and report back in 3-4 months time.
October 24, 2012 @ 10:25 am
There is no doubt, in the presence of a multiplicity of cases with evidence of cause and effect, that there is a link between the minoxidil and the reduction of erectile function. In addition, ex adiuvantibus, erectile disfunction disappears to the suspension of the drug.
October 22, 2012 @ 12:33 am
Of course, using any drug for the treatment of hair loss is a personal choice. If anyone truly feels that Rogaine has resulted in erection problems then making the decision to quit sounds like a good idea.
However, I have to state once again that there is no clinically documented evidence to show that applying topical minoxidil can result in erectile dysfunction.
Sexual side effects are known and well-documented in Propecia (finasteride) and there are many other factors that may contribute.
Rather than self-diagnosing, I highly recommend that anyone experiencing sexual dysfunction of any kind, seek the advice of a medical professional.
David
October 20, 2012 @ 11:12 pm
Hi, I started using Regain 3 months ago and have noticed a slight thickening of hair but have lost me sex drive , erections alomost completley where before I had a high sex drive. I found this website today after suspecting Regain and will quit immediately.
🙁
October 18, 2012 @ 10:30 pm
Finally my doubts were confirmed after finding this site. I have the same story i am 39 years old i started rogain a little more than one year ago. Same period i started experiencing poor erection, my rock erection was always my pride and loosing it was a real disappointment. First i thought it might be the age as i get close to the 40s or maybe i have some desease. I never thought of the minoxidil until i travelled this summer for 4 weeks and forgot to take the minoxidil with me. During these weeks i got my erection back and started getting plenty of morning erection and enjoyed my sex life to the max. After returning back and starting the minoxidil now i am loosing again my erection. This is why i started searching to see if my theory works and it is the minoxidil That is causing this mess. Now i have to chose between my hair and my erection. I think i ll have to pick the later.
October 16, 2012 @ 3:48 am
Sunny,
Unfortunately, all drugs have some side effects. Some are mild while others are more severe.
For men with hair loss, the two most effective drug treatments are Rogaine (minoxidil) and Propecia (finasteride).
Of the two, only Propecia is known to cause sexual dysfunction in about 2% of the men that use it. However, there is no documented proof that Rogaine causes sexual side effects.
The most common side effects associated with the application of topical minoxidil are scalp redness and irritation and increased facial hair growth. In rare cases patients have reported difficulty breathing, chest pain and a variety of other conditions.
October 11, 2012 @ 6:58 am
Is there any hair growth product in the market which will not cause side effects like sex drive problems?
October 8, 2012 @ 7:20 pm
At 23 i began losing some of my hair so i began to search for answers. At Hair Club for Men i was told to use Rogain but apply it all over my head.(i did not have any hair graft done it was just a sit down visit no treatment). So i began to use Rogain 2% and switched over to Kirkland Minoxidil 5% a generic cheaper form of Rogain. Im 36 now and let me tell u i have a full head of hair. No sexual side effects ever! In fact i have an awesome sex life. Im horny all the time. But i think what most people forget is that along side the minoxidil u HAVE TO stay in shape and eat right. And yes if u stop using minoxidil the hair will start falling out again. U have to use it forever. But u can buy a years worth online for like $60 dollars.
September 22, 2012 @ 3:49 pm
I see most of ppl complaining already took propecia, what ppl dont know is that propecia could cause permanent side effects to small percentage since it changes hormones, and some effects show or increase after quiting the drug. Specially ffor those who quit cold turkey. So those ppl might be experiencing sides from propecia that they took before and quit it, and now they blame it on minox.
Minox was tested in lans with very high dosage (several times higher than the approved 5% by FDA) and also with oral application and ED was never a reported side effect of it.
I would suggest to use minox once aday only since many doctors say it has the same effect and by this you minimize the risk of possible minox sides.
September 22, 2012 @ 5:31 am
I’m a women and I started using Minoxidil 5 months ago for Alopecia Areata and found that my labido is non existant. But I’ve had slight anxiety for a few years now but I had a normal life. Over the past 4 months this anxiety has turned into full blown panic to the point where I can’t go shopping or to resteraunts etc, without passing out from panic. I was recking my brain as to why this has happend so fast and having read all that I have today the panic disorder fits into the time frame when I’ve been using Minoxidil and also fits into when I have had good days after I’ve been slack and missed a few applications so I’m going to stop using it as of today. I’d rather wear wigs and go back to work and socialising. If anyone wants to know if it did actually grow some hair back. I was completely bald when I started and 5 months on I now only resemble Golum from Lord of the rings.
September 19, 2012 @ 4:11 pm
My own experience is that minoxidil didn’t stop me having erections altogether, but instead they gradually became less and less firm until I couldn’t get it hard enough to penetrate any more. I did a bit of googling and discovered that minoxidil applied directly to the penis can actually be used to produce erections (e.g. see US patent 5,336,678). What I think happens is that when you apply it to your scalp every day then some of it leaks into your bloodstream, and your penis ends up getting a continuous, weak “erection” signal (I think the actual signalling molecule involved is nitric oxide). Bombarded continuously with this signal, over time your penis becomes desensitised to it. The trouble is that once that has happened, it has also become desensitised to “erection” signals coming from your own body, so your erections end up becoming less and less firm. That’s the theory I’ve developed anyway. Things should go back to how they were before within a few months of stopping the minoxidil, so if they haven’t, I’d suggest getting checked out for low testosterone.
September 14, 2012 @ 12:22 pm
JUST GREAT ,
I took propecia for a month just a month on February stoped at beginning of march due to severe depression anxiety attacks no libido suicidal thoughts? That drug reall hit me hardcore. Now is September and ive done a lot to get “fxx” I did a detox fruit juice detox and colonic therapy treatments. Herbal teas etc. now I think my hormones are back to normal but some anxiety I have (maybe because of the whole roller coaster experience of my f life this drug took me on) . -hairloss again was looking to use minoxedil, till I found this page. Ppllleeaaseeee anybody that has found a solution to at least stop hairloss naturally let me know.
September 7, 2012 @ 4:40 pm
Count me in as a sufferer of ED due to minoxidil. I ordered this stuff called Lipogaine from Amazon. It’s 5% minox and other ingredients. I’m 45. Healthy and fit. Started my Lipogaine treatment 3 weeks ago and all of a sudden, limited erections. And if by chance I do get a little stiff, it’s just that: a little stiff. So basically I have to self-stimulate to get semi-soft and then that doesn’t last. In my panic, I searched “minoxidil erectile dysfunction” and found this site. I’m now convinced it’s the 5% minox. As of this moment I have discontinued using it. I washed my hair. I will update this post as soon as I experience a positive change in my erections.
September 2, 2012 @ 1:33 am
exactly the same story as everyone else.stopped rogaine 2 months ago and “normal” function down there has not returned..and the administrators here have the nerve to tell people over and over again that its all in their head,stress or smoking related?? get real. 90% of the people here have the exact same horror story
August 29, 2012 @ 12:12 pm
Just another happy customer here! Exactly the same story. NEVER considered Minox to be a cause of ED, first thing I noticed was lack of morning wood and overall disinterest in sex. Got on finasteride about the same time, stopped both due to ED, side persiste after 2-3 months, have always thought it was the finasteride but looking through my diary today, realised that ED was well under way before I even started it (was on minox a couple of weeks prior). Previously had an insane libido and exceptional ability in bed. Now ….
I’m not sure how the denial of it having sexual side effects can continue given the number of reports on this page alone.
Currently I’m trying argenine and keggels. I am determined to sort this out. Fingers crossed.
August 22, 2012 @ 6:18 am
khirod,
Headaches are a potential side effect of minoxidil due to its potential to cause a drop in blood pressure.
I recommend either reducing the application to once per day or switching to 2% minoxidil. This should help you maintain most of the benefits while reducing the side effects.
David
August 21, 2012 @ 12:59 pm
Crap, I was using 5% for 2 months, and gradually lost my perpetual morning wood… and I also had soft erection sex, which I never had before. I didn’t associate that to rogaine.
Guess what, I finished the first bottle of Rogaine and had to buy more… but ordered onlne, it took 2 days to arrive.
In those 2 days of waiting, specially on the second day, I had a FUCKING furious desire and HARD erection… at least 80% of what it used to be…
Then I decide to do a search online because it HAD TO BE ROGAINE that fucked me up, guess what I found this website! I threw my new 3 set in the trash. It’s a huge relief to know it was this shit. I will drink a lot of water and pray I get back to 100% soon. Hopefully in a couple of weeks…
Oh by the way my girlfriend noticed through skype I had a lot of lines on my forehead and they disappeared now, my skin is more elastic in those 2 days . Minoxidil fucks up your collagen.
August 20, 2012 @ 10:13 am
i am using minoxidil and fanasteride for 3 months
i am having severe eyebrow pain like headache and my eyebrow hair also falling like alopecia areata.but the doctor said the side effects are not due to minoxidil.second thing is i have confirmed that i dont have sinusitis by doing CT scan..my hair is also growing it is frustrated to stop the minoxidil because if i stop using it the hair will fall again.what would i do????
plz comment….
August 13, 2012 @ 3:11 pm
I’m also battling back from the side effects. I stopped using Rogaine 4 weeks ago. I used propeia for 3 years before that. My experiences have been the same as many of the posts above. So, what I am I doing to recover?
1. To get my natural test levels back, I went on a 1 month cycle of clomid at 50mg. It was hell (mainly anxiety), but worth it in that I am now waking up with morning erections and am able to ejaculate a lot more semen.
2. I am taking a ‘wellman tablet’ whic is essentially a multi vitamin with zinc, iron, and B6.
3. I used viagra when having sex with my gf this week and it has helped temporarily. The sex as much better. I also learned to psychologically relax and ‘trust the viagra’. There is a psycological effct as well as worrying abt losing your erection is a certainty to lose it
4. But, here are more things I need to do. I have booked an appointment with my doctor to have my test levels checked. I also read that a new medical treatment ED1000 which treats the penis is now available since March. It costs £1500 for the treatment and if the opportunity to take his (on my doctors recommendtion) then I would welcome it. This is only available in Edinburgh at present, but it will be available in London soon. That and a return to natural test levels through clomid could be the answr to all our problems. I am more than willing to be everyone’s test case! I will keep you boys posted over the next few months.
August 7, 2012 @ 11:11 pm
Shame on Rogaine! Heck yes there are sexual side effects. After only about four weeks of using Ragaine I thought I was beginning to have erectile dysfunction. I just happened to read some of the other comments. I stopped using rogaine and with three days noticed I was back up to my usualself! Somebody needs to warn others about the sexual side effects.
July 26, 2012 @ 2:59 pm
Currently I’m 31, I used rogaine during college and shortly after before I switched to propecia when I was about 25. I have only used each – rogaine & propecia – in isolation, never together. The liquid rogaine of years past never gave me any libido troubles, when I switched to propecia around 2006 I was fine for quite a long time, probably 2-3 years, then my erections gradually started weakening and eventually I wasn’t able to get any erection. I eventually figured out it was propecia, stopped using it and have been fine ever since.
After I was done with propecia, I started using Rogaine again (foam), probably somewhere in 2009, and still am to this day. I have never had any libido issues with Rogaine (or any other side effects for that matter), but I’m sorry to hear all the troubles others are having. Methinks any daily non-critical medication is probably a bad thing, I stopped using nasal allergy spray because it can contribute to developing diabetes, will probably stop with rogaine too. Hope this info helps someone out there.
July 20, 2012 @ 3:55 pm
Hi there,
I am a 25 year old male and here’s my story… About more than a year ago I noticed I was going bald so I tried Rogaine. As soon as I started taking it, literally a week later I realised I couldn’t get it up but I just thougtht it was a lapse in my lobido.
It was only a couple of months later that I noticed that it was because of the rogaine that I had suddenly gone impotent. I stopped using it immediately but it didn’t come back at all without viagra. Though it was quite weak, but it was definitely better without me using rogaine.
So about a year later of being depressed and angry I finally plucked up the courage to go to a doctor and we’re currently going through tests.
What I really wanted to tell you about is the two products that I stumbled upon. For the first time in a long time I actually had a boner that I couldn’t get rid of!!!
They are called ArginMax and Euromin M direct.
I promise you that I am not a representitive of either of these products, in fact I only use Argin Max but decided to tell you about both because they use the same ingredients.
All of the regaine people will tell you that it doesn’t cause impotence but it does. Think about how much money these companies make, of vourse they’ll do all they can to suppress this information. They should at least put it down as one of the side effects, but they won’t because they know that most men value their penis’ more than their hair.
Guys here’s my parting advice… Stop using whatever hair products you’re using immediately, you will not build up an immunity to it you are just damaging yourself more!! Go to a doctor, it will not be anything they haven’t seen before.
I want to again stress that I do not represent arginmax or euramin m direct, I am just a 25 year old guy who was scared of being impotent for life and after only a week of using argin max my erections have started to come back. You’ll also find that there’s no connection between the two companies that make these products so please do your research I’m pretty sure it can help others.
Also, to all the young men out there, DO NOT USE VIAGRA. It damages your sperm and you might not be able to have kids later on in life. This is another peice of information that the big company who makes viagra don’t want you to know. Anyway, I hope this helps, good luck guys.
p.s. I guess you have to choose between your dick and your hair… I know which one I choose… And I still get on pretty well with the ladies;)
July 16, 2012 @ 8:57 am
I am 28 years old guy from Finland. (sorry about my bad english) At the age of 24 I started to notice that im getting bald and doctor said i should try propecia. “with a size of 1mg finasteride theres no side-effects”- she said. After one month of use i noticed my erection and libido was gone. Also my breasts were getting little bigger. So I tried to replace my weak erection with Viagra. I continued like this almost one year. Few times I thought this is not life; banging my girl without any interest and with a use of Viagra and took very long to get an orgasm – many times not at all. So finally i stopped it and after a month my libido was back to normal and felt like young alpha again. (we divorced with my girlfriend)
ROGAINE-period: So I was still concern bout my hairloss, and my barber said you should try rogaine. After six months since I stopped propecia I started using rogaine. It took few days when I started to feel soft erection, no interest to sex at all and this was getting worse and worse. I red some articles that minoxidil causes low blood pressure, and that might be a reason to your bad erection. But that should be temperaly, as a drugmanual says too.
Now after one year of using rogaine I´ve known all the time this drug causes erection and libido problems. But I have hoped that it will come better when my body starts to come immune with this and side effects will go away. Last one year I have had sex just 3 times and 2 times of this with Viagra. Today I was having sex with very attractive girl, but when we got to bed I couldn´t get erection at all. The Viagra had come to me a drug that “it´s normal to use it, just don´t stop rogaine or you´ll be bald” After this embarrasing session with this sexy girl, I thought if I couldn´t get up with this chick, I am definitely impotent. I will not use rogaine anymore, and hopefully erection and sex drive will get back, as they did after propecia.
Btw one other thing: After using rogaine I started to have fantasies of transsexual women. I don´t know how did that happen but that is the truth. Hopefully this “side-effect” will go away too. And all people, David and others who think this is cause of something else – these are sad stories but it is not.
July 14, 2012 @ 1:59 am
JustSaying,
As I’ve mentioned in prior posts, sexual dysfunction is not a known side effect of topical minoxidil. The fact is that there are many contributing factors to male sexual problems and anyone experiencing any degree of erectile dysfunction or low libido should be evaluated by a doctor rather than self-diagnosing.
The fact that he quit using minoxidil years ago and still has no sex drive should be a red flag that perhaps there are other medical conditions at play.
David
July 13, 2012 @ 9:08 am
My husband used Rogaine for at least 10 years. I can tell you all 10 years were sexless. I guess unlike some of you men, his hair was more important to him than his penis. He only has a bald spot and some receding up front. Not bad at all. He at one point even suspected the Rogaine, but told me he did not want to lose more hair. Well, he went off the Rogaine a few years ago and guess what? He’s not lost any more hair. Looks the same as 20 years ago.
Guys, don’t mess with your testosterone. You wouldn’t want your wife to dampen her hormones, would you? And the sex has not returned.
July 12, 2012 @ 2:55 pm
I’m 49 so I thought that it might be my age but I was also on the topical foam. I had lost interest in sex but I’m off the foam and lifting weights 3 times a week and my desire is coming back.
July 11, 2012 @ 7:19 am
My husband started taking Minoxidil 5% topical foam earlier this year.
We had noticed that he suddenly started suffering from ED. I started to worry, hoping that he had not lost interest in me.I did not say much about it, as I did not want to upset him or make it get worse and hoped it would pass. Each of us stopped initiating sex, and on the odd time one of us did – it was difficult for him to get an erection and when he did get one it was weak and he could not maintain it.He also stopped waking up with erections and his libido all but disappeared.
He recently told me he wanted to stop taking the Minoxidil as he thought that is was causing him to have problems with his erections.He said that he looked up the possibility that the two might be connected and found this site. When I read the above comments I was immediately taken with the fact that lots of the men had the same issues as my husband. It is too much of a coincidence that all these healthy men started having the exact same issues when they started the Minoxidil.
July 8, 2012 @ 2:17 pm
I took Minoxidil from June 2007 – March 2012. I used the 5% solution once a day. 2-3 Months after starting my erections became weaker, smaller, softer. I always attributed this to someting else and never to the Minoxidil since this is not listed in the side effects. At the beginning of 2012 I realised my libido had also decreased over the years. I became suspicious of the minoxidil and searched in google for “Minoxidil + erectile dysfunction” – that is how I found this page here! All my problems became clear to me within seconds, I was shocked. Also I was afraid that my good erections and libido from former times woulndt come back since some people here wait for a long time withoud improvement.
I immediately stopped the Minoxidil. About 5 days later I realised my erections became a little harder. Also I started having erotic dreams again. 11 days after I had my first erection like in former times – big and hard as rock! My libido had also increased dramatically, I was horny like in former times.
So there is hope for getting rid of the side effects, even if you took this stuff for years!
This effect should be mentioned in the side effects of the medicament, I would have realised the reason for my problems immediately and not after years!!!
Ah, there was also another thing. 2.5 months after stopping minoxidl I started losing really a lot of hair. The hairloss has already gotten weaker now but I still lose some.
June 13, 2012 @ 3:11 am
WOW, and I was thinking about using minoxidil (as advised by my physician)
I wasn’t buying the whole (no sexual dysfuntion side effect was reported)
I am 22, and after reading this I don’t give a damn about my scalp now
May 30, 2012 @ 9:15 am
Pjohn How long were you on it ? were you using rogaine foam? is your libodo back to 100% from before rogain
thanks tk
May 17, 2012 @ 2:12 pm
It certainly causes overall low libido. I did see increase in hair growth …but I can’t trade that for loss of libido. Whats the point in having that extra hair …if I can’t use my tool. I stopped 1 month ago ….and now happy to see I am back in action. Feels great to be back. Bald is ok.
May 2, 2012 @ 4:13 am
medo,
Your doctor is correct. Rogaine (minoxidil) does not cause sexual side effects. You can visit Rogaine’s official website for more information including a complete list of all known side effects.
David
May 2, 2012 @ 4:10 am
Coolguy,
The simple answer is that topical minoxidil does not affect sex dive. There are no documented cases of this occurring. However, one of the known side effects of minoxidil use is lowering of the blood-pressure. It’s possible that a man who is already predisposed to erectile dysfunction may see the effects magnified by this.
David
May 1, 2012 @ 2:16 pm
am really starting to suffer from hairloss and its been in my family, i went to see a doctor and he superscribe rogain for me.
i did see this website and went back and told hem this nasty effect on ppl experiance using this product.
he assured me that there is no connection between minoxidil spry or form ‘”not tablet” with ED what so ever. but the issue is with propecia that reduce the man hormone or block it. and ppl using propecia around 2% will suffer from the low sex drive that mention on there list of side effect. but rare and very rare and he never see any one with ED associated directly to minoxidil.
so please if any one uses propecia its unrecoverable ED and their low-suite going one these days against please stop it immediately is not worth it and the main ingredient is totally different then the Rogain.
please can any one how never how never use propecia but use only minoxidil only confirm what my dector told me. “i think ppl just confuse between these two”
thank you and hope you all the best
April 29, 2012 @ 5:39 pm
Can some one please explain, how a Regaine/Rogaine foam applied to a scalp effects sex drive? I didn’t understood how it effects? are you guys talking about taking minoxidil in a tablet form orally?
I have seen this advert for the first time last week in UK and aggressively promoted in tv’s as a foam to be applied on scalp. so please can somebody clarify my doubt and also share their experience with regaine foam?
March 5, 2012 @ 6:36 pm
In regards to Toms statement, I had the same experience as you. I stopped taking propecia and that is when I had the problems with my sex drive disappearing. It took me a couple of years to realize thats what happened because I didnt even realize you could get these problems from stoping. I took propecia and rogain for about 4 years before stopping just the propecia and I had noticed that when i first started propecia it did affect my sex drive so started taking it once every 5 days with no side affects until 4 years later after stopping.
I am tempted to start taking again to see if it makes my drive come back but have read so many bad things about what it does to people I have not tried again. When I think back on it I think I may have actually been hornier while taking it. I have heard at least one other person who stated that taking every few days was hornier too.
After reading this site I am now wondering if the rogain is contributing to the problems, I will now stop rogain too.
February 24, 2012 @ 1:23 pm
Very informative site.
I am on my 4th foam can about 4.5 months in and have just sufferered a week of impotence.
The facts.
I am 38 fit both cardiovascular and muscular.
No health problems and married for 10 years.
Never had problems with impotence.
The last 4 times ive had sex it has resulted in impotence not being able to keep an erection.
The cause is neither mental or partner related it is the product regaine which has minoxidil.
I had phoned the doctor this morning but dont need to now I know. I cant believe I bought this product from Boots in the UK. It has left my penis smaller and looking like it has alopecia. Thanks for the other posts eating as much red meat as I can now.
The product works but costs an arm and a leg your penis will suffer.
Someone please sue the producers.
February 23, 2012 @ 4:27 pm
I used minox for a couple months and noticed a significant increase in ED. I’ve stopped using it, hopefully will recover soon. 🙁
February 23, 2012 @ 3:22 pm
i was using minox for approx 1-2 yrs.
i never suffered from any allergies or anything whatsoever!.
now all of a sudden i have hives (urticaria) and i’m suspecting it may very well be from this product which i’m going to stop using and see how it goes as surely it’s a toxin i’ve been feeding my body for the past period!
February 23, 2012 @ 12:58 pm
Tom,
If you weren’t experiencing any side effects from Propecia before, there’s a chance the sexual issues you’re now experiencing are unrelated. I’d suggest consulting a physician and discussing your concerns with him.
I hope this helps.
Bill – Managing Publisher of the Hair Loss Learning Center, the Hair Transplant Network, and the Hair Loss Forum
February 23, 2012 @ 3:53 am
MJQ,
Sexual side effects are not a proven and documented side effect of topical Rogaine (minoxidil).
I suggest consulting with your physician rather than self-diagnosing your condition. There are many contributing factors to erectile problems.
David
February 22, 2012 @ 4:01 pm
i have been using propecia for a couple of years and have no side effects whatsoever but stopped using it because money was tight, didnt stop immediatly just lowered my dosage until eventually stopping but now the side effects have hit me big time, i cannot get hard and even a movement down there and i feel a bit depressed, been to the doctor and they did some tests and sent away, has anyone else experienced this after actually stopping, its almost like im numb down there????
February 21, 2012 @ 2:59 pm
oh my GOD, i have been using minoxidal for the past 3 weeks and i was very upset today that why my penis is not getting erections as hard as it used to develop earlier, so here i found the answer.
February 9, 2012 @ 3:56 am
John,
From the bottle, liquid minoxidil has a very light scent perhaps similar to rubbing alcohol. Once applied, there should be no noticeable scent.
Rogaine Foam used to have a very unpleasant perfumey scent that was very unpopular. It has since been reformulated in an unscented variety and now has no noticeable smell.
David
February 7, 2012 @ 6:09 pm
how does minoxil smell?
January 31, 2012 @ 5:28 am
I am a 41 year old woman who has been using 5% Rogaine foam. And I agree with Julie and Stu. My libido is through the roof. It’s very distracting and I have empathy for teenage boys. I thought it was just hormones or adjusting to being divorced.
My face is definitely puffy and unclear. But the libido is keeping me awake at night searching the internet for answers. After reading the comments I will probably stop too. I’ve got to do something at work besides think about sex all day.
January 18, 2012 @ 3:46 am
Anon and Others,
While there are reports online of men attributing erectile dysfunction to Rogaine (minoxidil), this is not a documented side effect and there are no studies correlating the two.
Erectile dysfunction can result from physical issues, psychological issues or a combination of the two. In fact, the list of possible causes is quite long. I recommend that anyone experiencing such symptoms seek medical advice, keeping in mind that medical tests may not identify a psychological cause.
David
January 15, 2012 @ 10:15 am
I started using rogaine on january 2006 using the 2% topical solution i then moved to 5% thats when things went wrong, come july 2006. I started getting ED, out of my stupidity i didnt put it together that rogaine had caused impotence. I continued using it for another 8 months or so then pulled the plug as more and more stories came about online about it doing this. I have been to doctors had blood tests all back normal been referred to various things but nothing they can do as of such. And to this day 15 Jan 2012 im still not fully recovered from side effects of rogaine. Things have improved a bit but not to what it used to be, i wish i had never taken it. I warn others not to do it, its nice having hair but not at the cost of sex life.
January 14, 2012 @ 11:04 am
Well, I came across this page, as I was researching the sexual effects of minoxidil. You see, I am 54 and have been having problems with erections since I turned 50. Recently, I started using generic minoxidil after seeing a recent photo of myself from the rear. My hair was thinning on the crown and I started the minoxidil treatment ASAP. Shortly afterwards, I noticed a stirring down there. I noticed my penis appeared to be thicker, like it used to be and I woke up with strong erections like I used to. I have read that minoxidil has been used to treat ED, when applied to the penis. I’ve only put it on my head. It has only been a week, but I am eager to see what prolonged use can do.
Many people seem to blame minoxidil for their sexual dysfunction, though it has be documented to do the opposite. I think these people need to consider other causes for this problem, and not blame the drug. If you are losing hair, their is the issue of your age to consider. Men do have problems with hair loss and ED when they hit middle age. No coincidence there!
January 12, 2012 @ 1:50 pm
I used it for 1 week and noticed that I have subnormal erection. Please apply castor oil mixed with coconut or mustard oil and heat it and massage the same on your scalp. Leave it overnight and you will get good hair. Say Yes to SEX LIFE & NO NO NO NO to ED 😉
January 10, 2012 @ 8:09 pm
RM,
In theory, as soon as the minoxidil is clear of your system, any potential side effects should disappear. However, if any of these issues are caused by a source outside of the medication (such as a psychological stressor), the effects could persist and should be evaluated by a physician.
I hope this helps.
Blake (Future_HT_Doc)
Editorial Assistant
January 10, 2012 @ 1:13 am
I took 5% the last 4 days and am experiencing the side effects. Takes forever to get an erection, and when I finally get one its not that hard and goes away quickly. I was perfectly fine sexually 4 days ago before I started the treatment. The last time I took it was this morning and will NEVER be taking it again. Im 22 years old and need to have my sex life back. How long until I see improvements??
December 27, 2011 @ 3:53 am
I have done so much research before planning to use hair regrowth formulas and found out that Propecia causes sexual side efects and minoxidil does not, I am on minoxidil for past 5 days but only time will tell I guess…
December 14, 2011 @ 7:19 pm
I am 32 years old and I was on propecia,rogaine, hair and nail vitamins, biotin, choline and Inostol,Niacin, saw palmetto berries..Vitamins you name it. I am single, and I have been having soft erections,less semen after ejaculation, and no hard ons throughout the day. Ladies and gentelman get real we all get older. And I recently me a young lady who I am very sexual compatible with and we are having sex like monkeys. 3x a day for the past 6 months no problems what so ever now. It is 75% mental and the rest maybe the drugs. I am still just on Rogaine I ran out of propecia and was thinking about getting dutasteride after I researched you grow more hair with a lower dosage then propecia. Just .5 mg of dusteride is comparible to 2.5 of propecia. I know i wont have a proble. And for a while I was an was getting EXTREMELLY nervous. Change up your sexual patter, bring new life in bed, or try jerking off to see if it gets hard and the erection can stay. You will 100% know then.
December 9, 2011 @ 2:32 am
Prince,
In theory, as soon as the minoxidil is cleared from your system, the physiological side effects should subside. However, keep in mind that if there is a secondary cause or psychological problem associated with the erectile issues, it could persist after stopping the medication.
Because of this, I highly recommend scheduling an appointment with your personal physician and discussing this issue.
Good luck!
Blake (Future_HT_Doc)
Editorial Assistant
December 8, 2011 @ 3:01 am
I started using rogaine from 10th of the last month till now and I am seeing from weak to no erections. I have minor back problem from last six years, before I was attributing the ED to back problem. but after reading this page I am convinced the rogaine is causing this.
how long does it take to become normal after stopping rogaine? anybody?
November 24, 2011 @ 3:27 am
MAC,
It’s an interesting theory you have there but it’s important to remember that there simply is no documented proof that Rogaine (minoxidil) causes any sexual side effects at all.
Many patients often confuse the side effects of Propecia (finasteride) with those of Rogaine. Propecia is known to cause sexual side effects like ED in a small percentage of men due to the suppression of the sex hormone DHT.
Rogaine does not affect sex hormones. Instead, minoxidil is thought to help regrow hair by increasing blood flow to dieing hair follicles.
David (TakingThePlunge)
November 24, 2011 @ 3:22 am
Doug,
You have made the right decision by discontinuing Rogaine immediately after losing consciousness due to low blood pressure. However, I highly recommend discussing this incident with your physician rather than making the assumption that the minoxidil is to blame.
It’s always best to err on the side of caution.
Best of luck!
David (TakingThePlunge)
November 24, 2011 @ 3:12 am
french_arnaud,
Depression can most definitely affect libido and lead to erectile dysfunction. It’s very important for anyone experiencing these conditions to consult with a physician in order to determine the nature of their symptoms.
David (TakingThePlunge)
November 24, 2011 @ 3:09 am
James and Stu,
Erectile dysfunction is a known side effect of Propecia (finasteride) affecting roughly 2% of patients. However, sexual side effects are not documented with Rogaine (minoxidil).
While finasteride works by inhibiting the sex hormone DHT, minoxidil does not treat hair loss through hormonal changes. It is a vasodilator. Thus, it really should not impact sex drive.
It’s important to remember that ED and loss of libido are symptoms of numerous physical and emotional conditions. I highly advise against self-diagnosis. If you have not yet done so, I recommend consulting with a physician.
David (TakingThePlunge)
November 22, 2011 @ 8:59 am
Just found his site. i, too, have noticed a change in libido after only 3 weeks on minoxidol. However, the reason I started searching for information is that about an hour ago I got up from sleeping to go to the bathroom. On the way to the bathroom I passed out and fell against a door. I know minoxidol can affect blood pressure and I happen to have a blood pressure monitor so I checked my blood pressure and it was down nearly 40 points from normal. It was 84/57. That’s too scary for me. My 3 month supply of minoxidol is going in to the trash.
November 4, 2011 @ 9:44 am
GENTLEMEN, PFIZER MAKE REGAIN, PFIZER MAKE VIAGARA, YOU ARE ALL HAVING ISSUES WITH ‘ed’. THESE PRODUCTS ARE DESIGNED TO WORK ON THE SHAME OR EMASCULATION WE FEEL WHEN NOT LIVING UP TO BEING A ‘MAN’. SO, VIAGARA SALES GO UP WHEN THE OLD CHAP STAYS DOWN, NOT MANY MEN WILL TALK OF USING HAIR ‘RESTORER’, SO WE THEN CANT TALK ABOUT THE SEXUAL ‘IMPOTENCE’ THAT MAY COME FROM USING SAID HAIR PRODUCT, SO WE GO BUY A WONDER PILL FROM SAME SAID COMPANY… COINCIDENCE?… GENIUS ISN’T IT? HOW WE PLAY THE SHAME GAME… IT IS SIMPLY LOGIC, MATHS & PFIZERS ECONOMIC GAIN… BE HAPPY IN YOURSELVES GENTS, THE WORLD HAS MANY PROBLEMS, DON’T BUY INTO THE LITTLE ONES THROUGH BEING MADE BY MEDIA TO FEEL ‘LESS THAN A MAN’, STAND TALL!
October 31, 2011 @ 6:30 pm
I to have been experiencing ED from using this drug. It’s been 8 months since stopping and still experience weak erections but also pre mature ejaculation. Is anyone experiencing pre mature ejaculation from this product?
I have been doing kegal excercises for the past month and things have been getting a little bit better, they say that it takes a few months to notice results from kegals but maybe this is worth a try..
October 20, 2011 @ 4:12 am
John,
I have never heard anyone complain of urination problems or urethral stricture due to Rogaine (minoxidil). As I’m sure you are aware, sexual side effects are also not a documented result of minoxidil use.
If you have not yet done so, I highly recommend discussing your concerns with your physician. There are many factors that can lead to these side effects.
David (TakingThePlunge)
October 17, 2011 @ 4:30 pm
has anyone expierenced urination problems or a urethral stricture as a result of rogaine use. I also experience the sexual side effects
October 14, 2011 @ 10:41 am
Hello everyone,
I more and more think about a depressive mood to explain our problems… Honestly, what do you think about that ?
October 12, 2011 @ 8:51 am
pls get ur LH FSH and testesterone levels checked. I was advised to do so by my doc. Like most of you, I had perfefct libido which was lost due to use of Minoxidil and Finasteride. I have stopped taking it about 3 months back but I still have ED and need to take sildenefil for sex. It is a terrible feeling and I am glad to find a blog where I can vent my anger and help similar victims. I will keep you posted about the results and subsequent treatment.
September 14, 2011 @ 10:15 am
I just tested my theory again after I wrote my last entry. I stopped taking minoxidil for almost 2 weeks and at the end of that period, I had lost almost all interest in sex. I started applying it again (Kirkland (Costco) generic 5% minoxidil) and almost immediately I was chasing skirts again. Weird stuff. Yes, perhaps the body is trying to overcompensate for decreased levels of DHT (or perhaps the inhibiting effect stimulates production in certain men) Would love to hear some physicians theories on why this might be happening.
James J…there is little doubt why women are attracted to your more “feminine” side. I think that’s pretty natural ! men who are “in touch” with their more feminine side are a little less threatening and seem more comfortable in their own skin 😉
September 7, 2011 @ 8:23 pm
I was on Propecia for one year , during the first 6-7 months on it i did actually feel an increased sex drive.
I guess (and this is a guess only ) that the body tries to over compensate on the loss of DHT by producing more , once the the pill starts doing it’s job and the DHT really did go down I felt a diminished and almost gone , to the point where I could care less about sex I also felt it making me weaker and more feminine like . Funny thing is that i was attracting more women on the pill than not.
September 2, 2011 @ 10:33 am
I came to this blog hoping to find someone with just the opposite experience with minoxidil. Has anyone experienced INCREASED sexual drive while using this drug ? I have gone on and off minoxidil for many years. I get nice little “fuzzy” hairs on top of my scalp that help fill in my crew cut, but after awhile I tire of the redness of stickiness dripping down my face, so I tend to lay off after I get the desired effect. Going on and off the drug has given me the opportunity to notice (quite dramatically) that it actually INCREASES my sexual drive. I wouldn’t say it has had an effect on my erection one way or another, but almost immediately after starting up each time, I get noticeably horny. Has ANYONE had this same experience ? Does this dilation of blood vessels effect the brain ?
August 30, 2011 @ 3:08 am
James,
AS I’m sure you already know, erectile dysfunction is not a known or proven side effect of minoxidil. While some men have reported that they feel minoxidil is the culprit, it is much more likely that the condition is a result of some other factor.
You may still be suffering long-term effects form Propecia or there may be another cause. As I stated above, anyone experiencing ED should consult with a physician immediately. The treatment of ED depends on the cause and thus requires a proper diagnosis.
Unfortunately, at this time, Rogaine (minoxidil) and Propecia (finasteride) are the only clinically proven and FDA approved medical hair loss treatments. However, there are a few credible alternatives available at our Online Hair Loss Treatment Shop.
It is important to note that no alternative treatment is likely to be as effective as Rogaine and Propecia and these products should only be used when proven treatments are not an option.
David (TakingThePlunge)
August 28, 2011 @ 7:41 am
I am a 30 year old man. AT 28 tried Propecia for one year and for the first 6-7 months did not have sexual side effects at all , after that said time i started suffering from ED and a diminished sex drive almost to a point that sex did not interest me at all ,could barely get and maintain a hard on. after a year on the product i stopped using it and started using Rogain 5% topical. now it the erections got better but still having a hard time maintaining them and i do not get as hard as a rock almost never and even when i do it will not stay there for more the 1 full minute before i start going soft again. i do not want to keep losing my hair and the Rogain does help but i refuse to keep having such low performance when i am with a women. i am only 30 years old !! could any one please suggest to me what i can do to keep treating my hair loss and not suffer from this terrible side effect ? than you
August 4, 2011 @ 4:48 pm
Sorry for being insistent but this is an important question for me : do you (any one on this forum) suffer from tiredness as well (along with ED) ?
Thanks for your answer and good luck to all !
August 3, 2011 @ 10:05 am
Thanks Steven.
As for me, I am back to normal after 2 months off minoxidil, almost 100% operative.
Great.
Instead of using a 5% form, I am now trying a 2% form , twice a day. We will see if I undergo side effects with this concentration.
See ya.
arnaud
July 29, 2011 @ 10:02 am
Just wanted to follow up on my previous blog comment #46 that after I stopped using Minoxidil last month, I noticed full recovery after about 2 weeks. I’m happy to say I’m normal again.
July 15, 2011 @ 3:45 am
Could someone tell me if you have other symptoms except ED such as : tiredness and dizziness ?
Thanks.
Arnaud
July 14, 2011 @ 6:04 pm
i do apply minoxidil for about one and a half year once a day. all i saw was minor hair growth on the areas i applied.
i dont think it effected my sex drive in any means, i just put it on scalp and it is not a miracle lotion, can’t understand how it effects sex drive on some people..
July 14, 2011 @ 5:23 am
What about taking “blue pill” until ED vanish ? Has any one tried to take some “blue pill” ?
To Rajkamal : sorry I did not understand your writing (i’m French) : do you still have ED ? or did your ED slowly TOTALY disappear ?
Thanks and good luck.
Arnaud
July 13, 2011 @ 7:42 am
Rajkamal and AKA,
Erectile Dysfunction is a widely known but rare side effect of Propecia (finasteride). ED is not typically associated with Rogaine (minoxidil).
Anyone experiencing ED should consult with a physician immediately. There are many causes of ED and your condition may not be the result of applying minoxidil.
The treatment of ED depends on the cause and thus requires a proper diagnosis.
David (TakingThePlunge)
July 13, 2011 @ 7:32 am
Tim,
The only clinically proven and FDA approved medical hair loss treatments are Propecia (finasteride) and Rogaine (minoxidil). As such, these two drugs are the best non-surgical treatments currently available. However, there are some credible, natural alternative treatments such as those offered in our online hair loss treatments store.
It’s important to note that these alternative treatments are not likely to be as effective as finasteride and minoxidil and “natural” treatments may also present the risk of side effects.
David (TakingThePlunge)
July 11, 2011 @ 6:16 am
Wow, thanks a lot for this blog! I’ve been taking Minox for about 12months now & have slowly noticed ED creep up on me… I think it got worse after I switched to Rogaine foam a few months ago because I was probably using too much on a daily basis. Like others, I never considered it as a side effect because it’s not listed anywhere.
I hardly ever get spontaneous erections anymore & sex with my girlfriend, whom my penis used to find irresistable, has now become a real chore. It’s definitely taken an inch off and when it does actually get fully hard during sex it only lasts for 5-10 seconds before softening again… without meaning to get too graphic!
Good luck everyone, being able to satisfy the one you love is a lot more important than hair.
I’m going to drastically reduce my dose & watch for any improvements.
July 11, 2011 @ 6:16 am
Pl tell me the medicines for making my ED perfect as it was before I used Minoxidil. I had alopecia treatment in 2009 and used Minoxidil. It morethan 2 years now I stopped using Minoxidil. Slowly= my ED is total gone away. Pl tell me the treatment.
July 9, 2011 @ 6:49 pm
Thank you for the great information and the comments really provide clarity on side effects. Anyone found organic products that may work without the side effects to the body.
July 7, 2011 @ 4:12 am
Arnaud,
A blood test for ED should include; testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH), prolactin, and thyroid hormone levels.
David (TakingThePlunge)
July 6, 2011 @ 11:33 am
Hello to everyone!
Does any body know which parameter (testosteron, prolactin, etc…) has to be measured in the frame of a blood sampling to evaluate our ED ?
My doctor is a bit lost … and so am I …
Thanks.
Arnaud
June 29, 2011 @ 2:55 pm
To Frank : It ‘s been now 9 months since you quitted minox. How do you feel now ? still any ED ?
Could everybody on this forum make a point about their health % (still or no more ED, 80, 70 % , and so on … ) in order to understand how long it might take to recover 100% sex health.
Thank you to all and good luck!
June 28, 2011 @ 7:01 am
I’ve been using minoxidil for about 1 1/2 months now and first started noticing that climaxing started taking way longer than usual. This was about three weeks into using minox. Then about five-six weeks into using it I started noticing the ED thing and my girlfried started to think that I’m just not that into her (excuse the pun). I’m 44, she’s 32 and she brought up the age thing but there is no way in hell being a hot latino lover all my life and need it daily that it was my age. Well today I noticed the ED thing got worse and took way much longer than normal to reach climax so we started to think and low and behold, I questioned that it could be the minoxidil. I did a quick search on Google and found this blog. After reading all the comments its obvious that minox is the suspect. I agree, I’d rather have a small thinning spot in the back of my head than a limp d*ck for the rest of my life. These minox companies are probably in kahoots with the ED drug companies. Oh well. I’ll post again as soon as I hopefully recover from this humiliating side effect. Good luck to those who are still trying to recover. I’m going to do a detox and try a tea which I started drinking about a week ago before I even realized minox was affecting me called Cardio Herbal Tea from a company called Tiens. I’m not trying to plug anything here but it has an ingredient called Gynostemma Leaf. It is a chinese herb that promotes blood pressure, cardio vascular functions and a host of other things including libido. Look it up. I’m probably going to order the real Leaf from another site I found that ships it from Thailand. Well good luck again to all and I will post my results soon.
Steven
June 1, 2011 @ 5:41 pm
Hello , good to read you guys ! I’m french and was trying to understand my ED, circles around the eyes , daily fatigue, bad sleep and so on… I NOW understand … this is very likely attributable to Minox… what a crap ! and quite similar to you, not a single piece of information in the french leaflet !!! How is it possible? This is simply unbelievable.
Thanks to all for sharing your experience.
I decide to quite this stuff today and will tell you how long it will have taken for me to be back to normal.
Good luck.
Arnaud
May 31, 2011 @ 3:35 pm
I will go ahead and add my story as well. Like many other men who have posted on this site I consider myself a vital 31 year old man who exercises, runs, and always had a healthy sex drive. I noticed I had started to slightly thin on my crown and being a single guy wanted to try and slow this down. Hey I should try rogaine foam (5%)for men right? WRONG! I used this poison back in the middle of March for roughly two weeks and noticed soon after I started using it for the first week that I had no sexual desires and the inability to achieve an erection. I started to experience low energy, anxiety,dizziness, depression,poor sleep, and low appetite as well. I began to feel so bad that one day I woke up, called into work, and decided to go to a walk in doctor.
I described my symptoms to the walk-in doctor and requested some bloodwork be drawn of which included a serum testosterone level. Now I’m the type of guy who never goes to the doctor and generally feels good all the time and here I am out of the middle of nowhere going to the doctor out of fear that I may have a terminal illness. I felt that bad. Is it just mere coincidence that I began feeling this way simply after one week of taking this crap? I don’t think so. So lo and behold what did the serum testosterone level come to? A whopping borderline,hypogonadal 294 ng/dl. Roughly a number that many responsible forward thinking doctors are willing to treat with either hormone replacement therapy or are willing to try and reverse with some form of fertility medication such as HCG, nolvadex, or clomid. Before going to the doctor I didn’t know that testosterone levels as low as mine would correlate with all of the symptoms I was experiencing, I just knew to ask for testosterone because being moderately educated I realised it was vital for a healthy sex drive which I had none.
I have had my testosterone levels checked again after about a month and they rose to an “incredible” 305 ng/dl and also had free testosterone (supposedly the more important figure)levels checked as well which are just within the acceptible range of 11.3 pg/ml (Range 8.7-25.1). I have been to multiple doctors and most of them assume I am a guy just trying to score testosterone because I am already very well muscled from years of lifting with healthy hormone levels. When I tell them my story they simply tell me that I am normal and this has all been imagined. Moreover most of these doctors just think I have abused steroids and this is the reason for my hormones to be as low as they are for a man my age. So if a man abuses steroids and messes up his hormones he is refused treatment, but if a man jumps off a building on his own account he is given care for his broken legs? I find it funny that doctors cannot tell the difference between a naturally well muscled man from a man who has abused steroids. For the record I have never taken any form of anabolic steroids or testosterone.
This whole experience has been one of the worst periods of my life. Fortunately I have regained some of my function with the discontinuation of this poison, but like many here my desires for sex are drastically reduced and my quality of erections are much less firm and rigid. I should also note that my LH ( leutinizing hormone) levels were very low as well at 3.2 mIU/ml (range 1.7-8.6). I have had an MRI of my pituitary and it shows no signs of any tumors. I have no doubts whatsoever that most of us here experiencing these issues from the use of rogaine have had our endocrine systems disrupted with this putrid cocktail of chemicals. STAY AWAY FROM THIS STUFF! If you are still experiencing side effects from the use of this drug please go and get some bloodwork done which will better enable us to take legal action against the company.
May 26, 2011 @ 7:19 pm
Why do the products containing Minoxidil not include ED as a serious side effect in their product information? Most of the 42 comments on this website report this problem and I can add my own experience, which is completely consistent with those reported. I am a fit and healthy male, married for many years in a wonderful relationship with a normal healthy sex life. My hair was starting to thin out a little so I started to use hair regrowth products with 5% Minoxidil. Over the past few months I was aware of lack of libido and increasing ED. Finally after experiencing total ED, it suddenly occurred to me that this might be linked to the Minoxidil, which I had been applying once daily to my scalp. I searched the internet for information – no luck on any of the manufacturers sites, but I was able to find reports on other sites, and especially this one. Thanks to Dr jj the urologist (above) for his simple explanation. I will never touch Minoxidil again. I hope some action can be taken against the purveyors of this poison that causes ED. I can live with thinning hair, but ED is miserable.
May 19, 2011 @ 1:40 pm
This was my experience and yours may vary.
I had very light hair loss and began using Rogaine to stop or reduce it.
I used it for 3 months and one lousy night with my wife i had the worst ED! Note that I never, repeat NEVER had ED of any kind. I considered myself a lucky man because the simple event of touching my wife or undressing her would arouse and get ready for full action. Within a few minutes I had a great erection and lasting relation!!! But on this lousy night at about 3 months using Rogaine, it looked like I had no attraction or excitement towards my wife – we tried it and tried it and “he” was dead, 100% dead. I wanted to cry!!! This was the most horrific experience in our marriage. Well, I stopped Rogaine a couple of days later and the ED remained minimal for about 2-3 weeks. Today, 3 months later I am back to 80% of what it was before!
Rogaine??? NEVER AGAIN… better going bald than having “him going dead”.
Did you ever notice that Rogaine does NOT have testimonials from customers that have stayed on it for over one year? WHy is that? Ask yourself!
May 11, 2011 @ 10:57 pm
Bernard, has this proved to be a permanent solution for you? When is the last time you took any of the supplements you mentioned? I ask this because the sustain alpha seemed to work for me but only for about a week or so after I stopped taking it. Then I eventually would go back to having those side effects. How long in total did you take the sustain alpha for?
Did you see good results from the test alone, or was it when you introduced the sustain alpha when things seemed to get better? I am going to talk to my urologist soon and try to get on the test.
Thanks so much for your input
May 8, 2011 @ 2:23 pm
I appreciate all the comments and insights into the relationship between Minoxidil and sexual side effects. I took propecia about 10 years ago and noticed a drastic decrease in sex drive and erection strenght. I stopped taking propecia and everything returned to normal in about two weeks. I was aware of sexual sides being a possiblity with propicia, so I was quick to make the connection.
About two weeks ago I decided to try 5% Minoxidil. I started applying it twice a day, once in the morning and once at night. I’m not overweight, I don’t smoke, don’t drink, and I have no new stressors in my life. About two days ago I started to notice a decrease in my sex drive and also started to notice my erections weren’t as stong. Not complete ED, but noticably reduced. I wasn’t aware of sexual side effects being associated with Minoxidil, but after reading these posts and given my own experience I’m convinced there are.
I have stopped taking Minoxidil and will just try to grow old gracefully. I would rather lose my hair than my sex drive. I’m really hoping I don’t have any of the lasting effects that some people spoke of. Given the short amount of time I was on the product and the fact that I didn’t completely lose the ablity to get an erection I think I will be ok.
Best of luck to those out there who have experienced more lasting side effects. I wish you all the best and thank you for sharing your experiences. Given my experience with propecia, if sexual side effects had been listed on the box for Minoxidil I wouldn’t have tried it. I think at the very least it needs to be recognized as a possible side effect and labeled accordingly.
April 21, 2011 @ 11:46 pm
OMG!!!! thanks God I am not alone in this,I was going so frustrated when I noticed my sex drive was going down and erections wasn’t enough anymore, but I want to know if anybody here have had any experience with NU HAIR since I been taking this product for few months and i got the exactly side effects described for you guy. so if anybody can provide something i would appreciate.
April 21, 2011 @ 2:28 pm
If you are still expierencing ed/impotence from propecia/minox use I seemed to have cured myself with this regimen I started by taking 200mg testosterone cypionate every week for 5 weeks along with HCG 2000IU once a week for 7 weeks then after I had completed the five weeks I waited for 21 days then started taking toco 8 and sustain alpha by primordial performance as directed I feel better now than I did before starting propecia/minox it should be noted I was perscribed the test/HCG by MD
April 18, 2011 @ 3:14 pm
I’m 27 years old and have recently developed the same problems. After taking topical rogaine/ minoxodil on and off for over a year, I finally “crashed” (as the propecia users call it). I began to noticed that it took more and more manual stimulation to achieve erection, but dismissed it as a side effect of smoking or maybe drinking too much/ not getting enough exercise. Maybe I would have thought differently if minoxidil was required to warn that it can cause sexual side effects, among a host of other problems.
people at my work began to notice that i look tired, developing deep circles around my eyes, like a junkie look. I began looking up side effects of minoxidil and found this board and others like it where long term users have reported sexual side effects and skin problems. apparently there is research that minoxodil interferes with the synthesis of collagen, which is needed for the health of your skin. I look like i have aged 6 years in the bast few months.
worse still, after using rogaine for the last time on april 14th, i still have impotence, poor sleep, night sweating, sagging facial skin, fatigue, etc.
I am praying that these symptoms subside. I am trying to eat very healthy, drink detox teas and take a zinc, and garlic oil supplement.
Regardless of what happens, I want to dedicate my energy toward discouraging people from using propecia, or in my case minoxidil, as they both have documented long term side effects. If this was indicated on the warning label, I never would have tried the product, or if i did, I would have stopped once i saw the correlation….
I think there needs to be either someone spearheading a classaction lawsuit against minoxidl and propecia or at least an effort to get the companies to warn consumers about the dangerous side effects of tampering with your bodies ability to produce/ uptake of important hormones.
please stop using these products, as there havent been enough long term studies to document the long term effects of ruining your bodies endocrine system, but there are plenty of testimonials and websites (propeciahelp.com) where people describe the similar side effects that these drugs have caused in their life.
good luck to everyone in the recovery process,
timothy
April 9, 2011 @ 3:21 pm
Some people on this blog are trying to distract people from the truth. It’s important that people here can be quick to blame minoxidil for their side effects and not to think that there are other causes. I’m sure that more often than not minoxidil is causing your problems and here’s why:
I’m a 21 year old male and I *definitely* experienced bad sexual side effects from using minoxidil. I suffered from impotence for months until I read some of the blogs on this page and then stopped taking minoxidil immediately.
I am very lucky to be able to say that my erectile dysfunction is completely cured (after 2 months of no minoxidil). It took about a month and now I’m back to normal.
Baldness is a blessing compared to a ruined sex life. So many people are going to regret not waiting for the price of scalp therapy to come down in the future/for much safer products to come into the market.
Don’t ruin your life for vanity
March 31, 2011 @ 3:53 am
I have been on rog foam for 1 week and have noticed significant loss of oomph! I’ve never had a problem before. Im only 27, 8% body fat, don’t drink or smoke and eat a healthy balanced diet…its gotta be the minox
March 15, 2011 @ 1:11 am
After meeting with numerous urologists and trying various remedies, nothing has worked. My libido isn’t as bad as it used to be and I go through longer “periods” now where I do have more improved blood flow so as not to walk around completely limp all day. However I still have no morning erections, less blood flow, and have shrunken a lot (not to get too graphic).
I really hate to think this stupid drug has already ruined my life (im only 20). I know everyone is going to tell me to go see a doctor but let’s try to tackle this ourselves. My test results were completely normal(test, prolactin, etc…)
the only thing that did help me was a testosterone booster, called resveratrol or something, but even those benefits slowly disappeared. Therefore, I think it is hormonal. I will be consuming vitex (chasteberry) to reduce prolactin as I still think that may be a cause. If anyone else has any other hypotheses, please share. I can’t sit back anymore and wait for these stupid effects to disappear. Its been almost 9 months since stopping. Thanks for your help
February 12, 2011 @ 12:16 pm
I wonder if it effects estrogen production. I am a woman taking rogaine for men at the reccomendation fo my dermatologist. It has driven my desire through the roof! I am post menopausal and I guess that’s not typical. But it drives me to distraction. Literally! I came onto thei site hoping to find answers. But you guys are clearly having a different response. So maybe it’s estrogen, or jsut me. Wish I knew.
February 8, 2011 @ 2:22 pm
Mark,
It’s difficult to say whether or not this is solely the result of the minoxidil. In most cases, once the drug leaves your system, any sexual dysfunction should cease. However, since you are suffering from some type of residual side-effect (whether it’s from the drug, psychological, etc) I highly recommend making an appointment with your primary care physician and discussing the situation with him/her. Good luck!
Blake (Future_HT_Doc)
Editorial Assistant
February 5, 2011 @ 8:00 am
Hi im only 31 years old and I too have erection issues ie Weak.I never wake up with an erection anymore and all this is to do with minoxidil.When I do get an erection it is at least 1 inch smaller than normal.Please help.I was on it about eight months and have been off it for more than one month now but no improvements as yet.My girlfriend has really noticed my issues.When will I be back to normal
January 11, 2011 @ 12:06 am
Frank,
I’m sorry to hear about this. Frankly, I’m unfamiliar with ‘performance sustain alpha’ and would suggest discussing the amount and frequency that you take these pills with your primary care physician. While you’re there, you may want to ask whether or not he/she believes some of the erection issues may be mental.
In certain cases, it seems as if ex Propecia/Rogaine users who expect to see sexual side effects do experience them (meaning it could be a psychological issue) and the fact that you are able to maintain/achieve a regular erection with a partner makes discussing this issue with your doctor even more prevalent. Good luck!
Blake (Future_HT_Doc)
Editorial Assistant
January 7, 2011 @ 1:31 pm
It’s been close to 6 months since stopping and I am still experiencing side effects. The only thing that has worked for me was this supplement called performance sustain alpha. It’s supposed to help your body produce more testosterone on its own. But it only works while I’m on it.
Then I thought the problem was my prolactin levels but the tests revealed they are normal. It sucks feeling ‘limp’ all day. I can get it up with a girl no problem but I’m less horny and have less frequent erections throughout the day. I’ve only taken that supplement for a week at a time. Do you think taking it for a month(as its suggested to be taken) will help permanently reverse the side effects?
I don’t wanna have to take a supplement for the rest of my life…
January 4, 2011 @ 7:49 pm
Minoxidil DOES cause erectile dysfunction. It happened to me. 37 year old, in sports all of my life, used to have spontaneous erections 10-15 times a day, wake up EVERY morning with a woody etc…. I started taking minoxidil and within a week I noticed chest pain and shortness of breath. About two weeks in I noticed no erection in the mornings or throughout the day and just general limpness. I thought it was a thyroid problem. The doctor did X-ray of the chest-spotless, ultrasound of thyroid -spotless, blood work, allergy test, astma test-clear. I was freaking out. Then I realized it all started when I begun taking minoxidil 5% solution. I stopped and went to see my doctor the next morning. Neither the dermatologist or the pharmacist have warened me of any side effects. So I stopped. My doc said I would be fine in a week or two after the chemicals leave the body. I have to say that Mostly things are back to normal but still at maybe 80% of what it used to be. It has been 6 weeks now since I stopped. I suggest you drink a lot of watter to flush out the bad stuff and maybe do some detox. I am also eating more fatty meat- animal fat boosts testosterone levels which should help erection- I hope. Really I never cared about my hair so much to give up any part of my body. Who would go and break the steering wheel to drive the car better???
Funk
December 20, 2010 @ 6:45 pm
John,
Normally, the side effects from hair restoration medications cease when you stop taking the treatment and the active ingredient (in this case, minoxidil) leaves your system. If you have residual symptoms, I highly recommend making an appointment with your primary care physician and discussing the issue with him/her. I hope this helps!
Blake (Future_HT_Doc)
Editorial Assistant
December 18, 2010 @ 6:15 pm
I am 38 and had used Rog. for the past 2 weeks after running out. In about of week of returning to its use, I noticed I have had problems with my erections. it has been almost of week since i have been off of Rog., no change, can you please tell me about how long does it take after discontinuing use of Rog. do my erections come back. I am so tired of Lev., but I have to live a normal life. So any any help would be greatly appreciated.
December 13, 2010 @ 12:57 pm
Hello;
I am a 36 year old female. My husband has been experiencing erectile dysfunction (ED) for the past 5 years and he has been seen a urologist for this problem. No one could figure out what was the cause, because he had suddenly developed it. A few months ago, my husband was back to his old self and we were excited. Recently, he told me (in a casual conversation)that he had been out of his out of his hair loss product for a while and needed to make a run to the store. He started using the hair loss product for about 5 weeks now. We had been so busy with family issues and the holidays that we had not had sexual intercourse. Last night we tried but he was not able due to his ED. I was a little frustrated because I thought that our problem was resolved. While I laid in bed, I pondered over the changes that he had made and the only things that I could distinctly remember was that he started on a program to ensure that he was getting all daily nutrients and he had purchased some hair loss products. I immediately mentioned to him that it must be his hair loss products but he was not convinced that this could cause ED. So, today, pulled the information from his products (which has MINOXDIL labeled on the front)and decided to browse websites for more information on MINOXDIL. I am very happy about this website. I believe that there is a positive association between minoxidil and erectile dysfunction after reading these experiences. My spouse is 38 years old, 157lbs,has never had an issue with weight gain,no Diabetes or any other diseases. He does have allergies and takes weekly shots, which he had started back in July of this year. So, I do not believe that his shots are the cause. For 5 years,his urologist has monitored and ran several test. I am sure that if my husband had told his urologist that he has been using this product,he would associate minoxidil with his ED. But of course, this is not one of the questions a doctor would ask. I am strongly convinced that minoxidil causes ED but I am sure that manufacturers would not readily disclose information as such.
November 28, 2010 @ 7:19 pm
Well guys, after reading all your testimonials in regards to the sexual side effects of minoxidil Im going to tell you that I know exactly what you’re going through.
Its been a little over a year since I quit using Minoxidil 5% and I still have all the sexual side effects. I was on it for about a month. I noticed about 2 weeks into using it that my erections were becoming difficult to maintain and morning erections completely disappeared. I never attributed these things to the minoxidil as I never EVER heard that it could cause such side effects. The only reason I even stopped using it was because I just got lazy and it was burning my scalp (making it red) like crazy.
It wasnt until probably a few weeks off it that I connected my sexual problems to the minoxidil. Before I started using it I NEVER had impotence issues or problems with my libido whatsoever. Its like within a weeks time it just destroyed my libido and sexual functions almost entirely.
I still don’t wake up hard anymore, night time and random erections throughout the day are almost completely gone, and having sex is very difficult (erections are weak, and when I do get hard its only about 70% as hard as I used to be able to get pre-minoxidil days).
This has caused me to become seriously depressed over this last year. I used to be able to just see a hot girl and I would instantly get hard, now its like nothing happens down there. If anyone has any advice please post it!
November 17, 2010 @ 3:11 am
SeriouslyConcerned,
There is no known connection between Rogaine (minoxidil) and erectile dysfunction. However, there are many other factors that may be contributing to your symptoms.
If you haven’t done so already, I would check with a doctor to determine if there could be another cause for your ED.
Other potential causes (from Wikipedia)
* Neurogenic Disorders
* Hormonal Disorders
* Arterial Disorders
* Venous leak
* Cavernosal Disorders
* Psychological causes: performance anxiety, stress, mental disorders (clinical depression, schizophrenia, substance abuse, panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, personality disorders or traits. psychological problems, negative feelings.
* Surgery (radiation therapy, surgery of the colon, prostate, bladder, or rectum may damage the nerves and blood vessels involved in erection. Prostate and bladder cancer surgery often require removing tissue and nerves surrounding a tumor, which increases the risk for impotence.
* Aging. It is four times higher in men in their 60s than in men in their 40s.
* Kidney failure
* Lifestyle: alcohol and drugs, obesity, cigarette smoking (Incidence of impotence is approximately 85 percent higher in male smokers compared to non-smokers; Smoking is a key cause of erectile dysfunction. Smoking causes impotence because it promotes arterial narrowing.
David (TakingThePlunge)
November 16, 2010 @ 1:23 pm
jj(urologist jj) or anyone else qualifAny information regarding regaining sex drive and function after discontinuing use of Minoxidil would be appreciated in ways words can’t describe. I’m nearly a year into using Rogaine 5% – have seen (very) minor improvement in the hair situation but my sex drive and sexual function has suffered terribly – I was starting to think it might just be my age (I’m 50) but I’m an unusually healthy and fit guy – I eat clean and train hard, both aerobically and anaerobically. I used to be able to cut diamonds with my tool but now it rarely gets hard and when it does it’s nowhere near as hard as it used to be. It sounds nuts (no pun intended), but I actually think my junk has shrunk (especially when soft) and it’s genuinely freakin’ me out now. Obviously I won’t be using the Rogaine anymore as of today – my d*** is far more important to me than my bald spot. Please – somebody help!
November 5, 2010 @ 7:09 am
Thanks for your help Blake, I felt as though I started to get better but its been 3 months with minimal progress. Seeing a urologist again in two weeks.
JJ, how long have you had these symptoms? And do you just suffer from erectile dysfunction/low libido or premature ejaculation too? The premature ejaculation has been the weirdest symptom for me as I feel like that should have gone away by its own by now. It makes me feel like the chemical is still in my body…
I would pretty much do anything for this to go away. Would any medications to improve blood flow help? l-arginine seemed to help a bit but I think I would need something stronger, i’m desperate enough for pills like extenze and vigrX…
October 27, 2010 @ 11:52 pm
JJ,
It’s my understanding that ongoing sexual dysfunction after discontinuing these medications can be caused by a variety of issues. From what I can gather, psychological issues or stress (regarding the sexual dysfunction) can actually cause the dysfunction to continue. I highly suggest you consult with a physician, explain the situation, and see what they recommend. I hope this was helpful. Good luck!
Blake (Future_HT_Doc)
Editorial Assistant
October 21, 2010 @ 10:33 pm
jj if your a urologist, then how do you fix the problem? Stopped rogaine and sexual performance has not come back!!! what should i do?
October 11, 2010 @ 6:23 pm
Frank,
Any sexual side effects from minoxidil (Rogaine) should cease as soon as the drug leaves your system. In my opinion, this shouldn’t take 2 months. Is there a possibility that the sexual issues have, at this point, become a bit of a psychological issue as well? Regardless, I highly suggest making an appointment with your primary care provider and discussing this issue with him/her. Your physician can analyze the situation and suggest the appropriate ‘next step.’ I hope this helps!
Blake (Future_HT_Doc)
Editorial Assistant
October 6, 2010 @ 6:04 pm
Can ANYONE please tell me how long it takes after stopping Rogaine to regaine sexual ability? I’ve been off it for 2 months and no changes. Is there anything I can do to regain my erections/sex drive?
September 20, 2010 @ 3:18 am
MINOXIDIL (active ingredient in rogaine) does in fact cause sexual side effects.
LET ME EXPLAIN WHY:
Minoxidil is a vascular dilator. During a normal erection, the tunica and base of penis is constricted in a way not to allow blood to flow out. Minoxidil causes blood not to be able to stay in penis because it dilates the base of penis. This results in impotence or temporary erectile dysfunction.
SO YES, MINOXIDIL DOES CAUSE ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION.
-Source : I am a Urologist with over 11 years of experience.
September 8, 2010 @ 12:40 am
TL,
First, let me preface my response by saying that commentary on this message board in no way reflects medical advice. Additionally, if you are having a reaction like this from the medication, I highly recommend discussing the issue with a personal physician.
Having said that, minoxidil (the active ingredient in rogaine) causes a widening of your blood vessels (vasodialition) which allows more oxygen and nutrients to reach your scalp. However, a side effect of vasodialtion is also increased permeability of your blood vessels (meaning they allow more water to pass from the blood stream and into the surrounding tissues). This fluid collection (commonly known as edema) is what causes the swollen areas.
The headaches could also be a side effect.
Knowing that, I still suggest discussing the issue with a physician (if you do not have a personal doctor or would like to see a hair restoration expert, I invite you to schedule a consultation with one of our recommended physicians: http://www.hairtransplantnetwork.com/). He or she will be able to properly analyze the problem and help create a treatment plan that improves your hair loss while minimizing the negative side effects.
Good luck!
Blake (Future_HT_Doc)
Editorial Assistant
September 6, 2010 @ 11:35 am
I’m a female of 26 years, and have swollen feet and face after just using it for 1 week. how possible is this? I also have migrane headaches
July 24, 2010 @ 2:56 pm
Minoxidil made my eyes wrinkly and gave me glogg cheeks. I stopped over 7 years ago and have completely and utterly recovered.
July 15, 2010 @ 1:37 pm
Its made my skin haggard
July 4, 2010 @ 9:52 pm
Minoxidil made my face look older with big pores and wrinkles. I have stopped using it three months ago but if anything things are getting worse.
April 26, 2010 @ 11:43 pm
Dave,
An unfortunate possible side effect of Propecia is sexual dysfunction. I’d recommend talking to a physician who can advise you further. Some physicians have recommended trying to lessen the dosage of finasteride to see if that helps. Sometimes, those who continue taking Propecia will stop experiencing side effects in time. Some however, have to stop taking Propecia for the side effects to go away.
Good luck in deciding what to do,
Bill Seemiller – Managing Publisher of this Community
April 24, 2010 @ 12:15 pm
Guys… i used minoxidil5% with finasteride for about 5 months. i feel weak erections and decreased drive since a week. VEry annoyed with these products now. Is there a solution to get the sex drive to normal?
April 21, 2010 @ 4:17 pm
Well, I used Hairgrow 2% a spray solution based n minoxidil and after exactly 2 months I start having some nasty side efects, changing of blood preasure, iregular heart beatings, chest pain, headache. I stopped using it. It was starting do show results but the side effects are very dangerous for the healt. I advice a check up before starting any treatment with minoxidil.
March 7, 2010 @ 12:37 pm
i used propecia from boots 2 years back but soon i had problems with erction den i stopped it but now 3 weeks back i started minoxidil spray , minoxidil does put affects on erection as i just used minoxidil hair spray for 3 weeks , noticably increase on facial hairs plus major affect is no erection or weak erection ….im thinkin to quit it now as sex is more important than hairs , as we can live wothout hairs but cant live without starting family and children , i guess its not necessary for every one as medicine works differently for every one , anywys good luck as i ave decided to quit taking any hair growth medicine now even though result is amazing as i have got good growth in very short time
March 3, 2010 @ 5:26 pm
It happened to me too; this is why browsing the net for some answers I came over this site. I started to feel a decreased level of erection and sexual drive at about 2-3 weeks after I’ve started Minoxidil 5% spray twice a week. It took me another 3-4 weeks to figure out it comes from Minox (after blaming age, girls, old smoking habits etc.). To balance both of them (the hair grow and steel erections) I use Minox only once a day, in the morning. I don’t see any difference now (after one week).
February 20, 2010 @ 10:29 am
Firstly, I have tried almost everything from saw palmetto at various combinations to finasteride(poscar)at various strenghts and ditasteride, green teas, minoxidil cream at 30%, minoxidile lotion at 7 – 12% with azelaic acid and retinoic acid; lazer combs and clinical programs and yes: even the minoxidil tablet ( lonitin 10mg) for 2 years; shampoos with retinoic acid and saw palmetto; and natural hair growth products: tablets and lotions; cyseine hydrochloride at high dosages; grape seed: yes everything except the new not legally approved hair drug: R something i.e. R224544 (can’t remember). Everything else.
So now to your question> finasteride causes the said problem ( are you taking that? as well?); with respect to minoxidil: a blood dilating drug that loosen the vascular muscles to increase periferal circulation; at higher dosages i.e. 7.5% or 15% esp when in combination with retinoic acid: it can cause a lower blood pressure and that means that the pressure entering your penis is greatly reduced and therefore causing a delayed errection or the mentioned problem you are experiencing. Minoxidil tablets will most certainly cause this esp, once again, if in combination with other treatments like finasteride ( poscar, propecia). Other side effects include a tired looking face and bags and body fuild retention making you look a little out of shape temporily. However, I have never recieved any side effects by the trade name Rogaine 5% because it is a very low dosage and you guessed it: it did nothing for me. I have noticed that when something works so too does the side effects. I have tired over 100 treaments and many more products. Everyone is a little different. About my hair success: had more hair than I wanted but also had a lot of side effects some quite severe. I have had to compromise on the cosmetic aspects in order to maintain healty. Good luck. A healthly balance of the two worlds
February 16, 2010 @ 6:57 pm
When I first used propecia, it affected my sex drive right away. I stopped using it and regained my sex drive right away. No doubt it affected me.
Then my doctor recommended giving rogaine a try. I used 5% Minox twice every day. I applied to my vertex (top of head) and also to front of scalp. It did not affect my sex drive. After 4 to 5 months I noticed some hair regrowth. My friends noticed also. However, my sex drive had completely diminished. I couldn’t figure out why at first. Then when I thought of the rogaine and the Minox, I knew it had to be the reason. I stopped taking it completely and within the week I was once again “hard as a rock.”
People say it can all be in your head (psychological), but there’s no way it was. I didn’t even think of the rogaine until days later. So it wasn’t in my head. It was physical. Maybe I was using too much. Maybe not. I kind of regret cutting it out completely. I should’ve just cut back on the amount I used to see how that affected me. I could have applied only once a day and experimented, or apply only a minimal amount.
January 11, 2010 @ 3:57 pm
Just in addition to what Nero has mentioned.Im currently on 12.5% Minoxidil and Azelaic cream(scalp DHT blocker). Prior to the mixodil, I was using Nu hair regrowth supplements (DHT blocker made from natural sources). I have been having weaker erections so I discontinued the Nu hair and carried on with the 12.5% minoxidil and 5% Azelaic acid combination. I still have weak erections, now Im begining to think its the 12.5% minoxidil and 5% Azelaic acid combination.
December 5, 2009 @ 1:21 am
Just wanted to add:
with propecia they kind of know the process of how propecia kind of ‘works’…(it blocks about 70% of the male hormone DHT which causes hairloss)
But with MINOX, they still don’t really know how it works, so therefore can not really state rogaine ‘CAN NOT’cause side effects, because they openly say they don’t know the way it works, so they CAN not know what kind of side effects it MAY bring.
Most people don’t get sexual side effects from ROGAINE as far as I know, but I wonder how many stopped with propecia cause of the sexual side effects whiel it was coming from MINOX. Like i’ve heard from a guy that said he lost his sexdrive/erections forever from propecia. I wonder if he is still using rogaine. If he is, I wonder if his erectile function and libido will come back after stopping rogaine
A third possibility is that BOTH rogaine and propecia kind of work on the ‘same hormones’ in your body, so that just the combination of BOTH can cause sexual side effects. So maybe stopping with either one will stop you from having sexual side effects. Just a few of my thoughts about this.
December 5, 2009 @ 1:15 am
Although not often mentioned, I’m sure it can cause sexual side effects since I exprienced them myself with rogaine.
I was on propecia for about a year when I wanted to add Minox just to see what it would do. About at the same time or a little later I experienced sexual side effects (low libido/weak erections).
Because sexual side effects were never mentioned on sites or in the manual, I did not even consider to think the minoxidil (rogaine) were causing my sexual side effects. After 2 months of using it, it was still the same. Since I was taking propecia for a year I thought the sexual side effects were from the propecia (I read some people develop side effects later on). I was a bit depressed about having to stop propecia, since it helped to restore my hairline quite well ( i was thinning there, not ‘receiding’). But just before I was about to stop the propecia I thought back of the time I started to develop these sexual side effects and the time I began using minoxidil (rogaine). So suddenly I realised that it ‘could’be the reason of my sexual side effects. So before Stopping propecia I wanted to make sure that propecia was actually causing my side effects and not rogaine. So I stopped using rogaine and it took about a week or maybe 2 to notice quite a remarkable comeback of my sexdrive and erections. Now I’ve stopped for about 1.5 month I do not exprience any sexual side effects anymore (still on propecia).
So anyone who is BOTH using propecia and MINOX, make sure you stop the RIGHT one before thinking it has to be propecia which is causing your sexual side effects. I used to think so, but ‘proved’ to myself that it was not the case.
So in the end: use both if you have no side effects (most effective) , but try stopping BOTH for a while if you have sexual side effects, because rogaine CAN cause sexual side effects, no matter what they report. If you look in google like I did and search for “sexual side effects rogaine” you will find quite some people that exprience the same thing
for those who think it’s all in my mind: I did not think it COULD cause sexual side effects, so it was not possible I was imaginging my sexual side effects. I just knew it could happen with propecia, not with minox