Minoxidil - Hair shedding from root? Is this normal?

The shed hair should have a little bulb at the end and yes, it is normal to shed when you start minoxidil.  
Minoxidil stimulates growth and each new growing hair will push out a resting hair.  12 months later, this new hair will be 6 inches long.  Be patient.  This increased shedding is a good sign.  

Normal hair shedding is shedding from the root with the bulb attached. Everything you have described so far is consistent with how hair follicles exit the scalp. Granted the numbers may be higher than normal here on account of  a suspected minoxidil induced telogen effluvium. However there is nothing otherwise unusual about the types of hairs that are lost.

Yes, this type of shedding can happen when you start the minoxidil. Just stick to your plan the the shedding will stop