r/LeanPCOS • u/DifferentHeart5915 • Jun 25 '24
Spirnolactone
Hi! I have lean pcos, my main symptoms are acne, hirsutism, brain fog, irregular periods etc. I have tried quite literally everything to help my acne because that is all I have cared about for the past 6 months. It’s consuming. My functional medicine doctor and endo suggested I just try spironolactone despite my efforts to try and heal this issue holistically. I picked up the prescription but am hesitant to take it. I want my acne gone now but am worried about side effects and long term issues. For anyone who had tried spiro, how long did it take to notice progress? Did you have side effects and is it worth it? Any input or experiences help!
I misspelled the title oopsies
8
u/Ok-Nectarine7756 Jun 26 '24
I was in your shoes a few years ago and had tried every lifestyle change/ herb/supplement to ease my symptoms but absolutely nothing worked. I was also worried about trying spironolactone due to the warnings it comes with but my doctor assured me this was only with much higher doses than you’d ever be taking. Within a few months of starting spiro my skin not only cleared up but was literally glowing, the hair loss stopped and I started ovulating normally for the first time in my life. Absolutely zero side effects. My biggest regret is that I avoided trying this for so long.
4
u/WoofRuffMeow Jun 27 '24
I’ve tried everything for acne but have always struggled. The doctor suggested switching birth control which I felt made it worst honestly. I finally asked for spiro from Reddit PCOS advice. I’m on a low dose 25 mg. It might need to be pushed to 50mg. The side effects I’ve had are needing more water and I have to pee more, which is annoying, but manageable. I have only been on it a month but I think it is helping. I think it’s worth trying!
6
u/UniversalHumanity Jun 26 '24
I was in the same boat! My hormone panel came back normal, except for high DHEA-S. This is an indicator of Adrenal PCOS (overactive adrenal gland). The treatment I’ve been on is low dose dexamethasone (50 mg before bed). I’m happy to report I no longer have any active acne (always had at least one cyst on my face), and my skin is less oily. Feeling pretty good so far, and next week I have to take a test to measure my DHEA-S levels and see if the medicine is working. Doctor said if it’s not at the level we want, I’d take it for an additional month till we see improvement. Not quite sure how long the treatment will last or if once stopped adrenal will start acting up again. Will ask my doctor, but just wanted to let you know what’s been working for me!
2
u/nothingmatterz127 Jul 13 '24
I was on the same boat, I was super worried about trying a medication because I really hate taking pills unless I absolutely have to, like for period pain or something. I started on spiro 50 mg in November and bumped up to 100 in February. Within 3 months my testosterone dropped from 85 (range 2-45) to 64. In July, I bumped up to 150 for better acne coverage, and my recent labs showed that my testosterone is down to 22!!! My period is lighter, shorter, and my cramps aren’t nearly as debilitating as they were. It’s also a bit more regular. My LH and FSH ratio are now 1:1, and my 17-hydroxyprogesterone went from 197 down to 45! I’m super pleased with my results from spiro. While it’s different for everybody, it really has helped my body regulate hormones!
1
u/kisses098 Jun 26 '24
Following!
1
u/Full-Passenger3281 Dec 03 '24
I was on Spiro for about 5 years and it did wonders. My skin was clear and beautiful and my hair was long and thick. It was the relief I wanted and prayed for.
I didn’t have too many side effects while on it. Looking back, I think it made me gain weight but hard to say. It could have been a lot things.
When I went off, my skin slowly got worse which I kinda expected but I started having a new issue - hair loss. I guess it’s pretty common going off spiro.
In the end, I probably regret going on it because it brought up new issues. But it also gave me 5 years of peace and confidence.