9 replies to this topic

[CalypsoStorm]

Hello everyone.

I have PCO and Spironolactone was one of the medications that was recommended to me to clear up my oily skin and acne.

I had gotten the pills last night and I'm going to start them today but I have some questions about it first.

1. I had tried Yasmin a year or so ago and I gotten some bad side effects from it. I know that the progestin in Yasmin is derived from the water pill so will I react the same way with the water pill as I did to the Yasmin?

2. How common is it to get allergic reactions to this medication? This is always a concern of mine when I start a new medication.

Thank you!

p.s. if this is in the wrong forum, please move it.

[zen.garden]

I can't really answer the Yasmin question since your post didn't tell what kind of reaction you had. The only thing I noticed with the spiro is that I was insanely thirsty at first and had to pee more often. It went away after a few weeks. I also had times at first when I felt kind of tired and weak, but that went away too after a few weeks. I know several people who take spiro, and none of us have had an allergic reaction to it.

I've been on spiro since September and I'm finally starting to see improvement. Things got a lot better at first, then got bad again, and now I'm less oily and breaking out less. It definitely takes patience. I never knew that my PCOS could be causing my acne problems until I started this, but I've never regretted it.

[CalypsoStorm]

I can't really answer the Yasmin question since your post didn't tell what kind of reaction you had. The only thing I noticed with the spiro is that I was insanely thirsty at first and had to pee more often. It went away after a few weeks. I also had times at first when I felt kind of tired and weak, but that went away too after a few weeks. I know several people who take spiro, and none of us have had an allergic reaction to it.

I've been on spiro since September and I'm finally starting to see improvement. Things got a lot better at first, then got bad again, and now I'm less oily and breaking out less. It definitely takes patience. I never knew that my PCOS could be causing my acne problems until I started this, but I've never regretted it.

I had gotten severe headaches that wouldn't go away or even lessen with pain killers as well as muscle weakness when I was on the Yasmin. I was on them for four months and the fourth month was the worst for me.

I'll be starting the spiro tomorrow so I hope all goes well.

[jokerj]

i'm starting spiro this upcoming week too, as long as I don't find a reason not too
we should track together!


i also have some questions

does anyone know if being on spiro is okay for a teen? i beleive it is, but still...

[CalypsoStorm]

i'm starting spiro this upcoming week too, as long as I don't find a reason not too
we should track together!


i also have some questions

does anyone know if being on spiro is okay for a teen? i beleive it is, but still...

That would be cool that way, we can compare how we react(or don't react) to this medication.

As for whether it's safe for teenagers, I can't answer that because I don't know. I'm sure that your doctor or pharmacist can help you with that.

[hatesacne]

I've been taking 100 mg. of spiro (a.m.) since Sept also. However, I've been taing it along w/Solodyn(minocycline)45 mg.( p.m.) and applying 0.05% Atralin Gel(tretinoin)at night. I've picked at a couple of cysts but they seem to be healing quite quickly. The side effects of these meds.(hair loss, dizziness, tumors in lab rats, potassium level concerns, irregular periods, etc.)concern me since I've tried so many different acne "cures" in my long history of breaking out.
Since I'm an older(55 yr. old)dealing w/adult cystic/hormonal acne, I can't comment on whether or not it's safe for teenagers to take spiro or not. As for myself, I'm hoping to clear up the cysts I was dealing w/as soon as possible(stressful job, loss of job, depression, upcoming surgery, low self-esteem, etc.) Then wean myself off of all meds.(no more antibiotics for me!!....taken them off and on for 43 yrs. for acne:( and go w/natural remedies only.
Good luck w/your choice of bcp and whether or not to take spiro. I only wish the long-term effects of these meds. were known. Please keep posting about your experiences.

[jokerj]

I've been taking 100 mg. of spiro (a.m.) since Sept also. However, I've been taing it along w/Solodyn(minocycline)45 mg.( p.m.) and applying 0.05% Atralin Gel(tretinoin)at night. I've picked at a couple of cysts but they seem to be healing quite quickly. The side effects of these meds.(hair loss, dizziness, tumors in lab rats, potassium level concerns, irregular periods, etc.)concern me since I've tried so many different acne "cures" in my long history of breaking out.
Since I'm an older(55 yr. old)dealing w/adult cystic/hormonal acne, I can't comment on whether or not it's safe for teenagers to take spiro or not. As for myself, I'm hoping to clear up the cysts I was dealing w/as soon as possible(stressful job, loss of job, depression, upcoming surgery, low self-esteem, etc.) Then wean myself off of all meds.(no more antibiotics for me!!....taken them off and on for 43 yrs. for acne:( and go w/natural remedies only.
Good luck w/your choice of bcp and whether or not to take spiro. I only wish the long-term effects of these meds. were known. Please keep posting about your experiences.

yes i'm quite concerned, too, but i think less concerned about spiro than most other acne treatments so i guess that's good, and i'm hoping my acne is a teen thing and i can wean off the spiro soon too.
i'm so sorry to hear about all of that! hope it gets better! i think the holistic way will not only help your acne, but your overall view! i know supplementing with garlcic, b vitamins, probiotics, calcium + vitamin d and fish oil (and soon primrose oil, i think, though i hate swallowing all fo these pills! hahaha) has really seemed to lift my mood! except i still get awful depression because of pmdd (hopefully spiro can help with that, because i've heard it does, except you get your period more so does that = more pms? hmmm... hehe)


as for calypso- day 3 and so far no truly noticeable improvement. just lowered my antibiotics dose form 100 mg 2x a day to 1x a day so i'm SO F-CKING SCARED!!!!! wish me luck and good luck to you! if you want, you can share my log (its in my sig.) and we can post together when we can and compare!

peace and love
jokerj

[CalypsoStorm]

as for calypso- day 3 and so far no truly noticeable improvement. just lowered my antibiotics dose form 100 mg 2x a day to 1x a day so i'm SO F-CKING SCARED!!!!! wish me luck and good luck to you! if you want, you can share my log (its in my sig.) and we can post together when we can and compare!

peace and love
jokerj

This is day 4 for me and the only thing I've noticed is that the acne that I do have is surfacing more quickly. Normally it would just be a red bump for the longest time but now pus quickly forms(sorry to gross you out!) and once that's gone, the pimple is gone too. I had noticed that when I first started the Diane 35 back in 2001 so I'm hoping that's a good sign.

From what I've read through this forum, people tend to see more improvements after being on the medication for at least a month. I might see more if I took the two pills a day instead of just one(one pill is 25mg) but I just want to build myself up to the two pills that way it's not a shock to the system.

Good luck, jokerj! I'm sure will be able to kick this acne in the butt!

[hatesacne]

"yes i'm quite concerned, too, but i think less concerned about spiro than most other acne treatments so i guess that's good, and i'm hoping my acne is a teen thing and i can wean off the spiro soon too.
i'm so sorry to hear about all of that! hope it gets better! i think the holistic way will not only help your acne, but your overall view! i know supplementing with garlcic, b vitamins, probiotics, calcium + vitamin d and fish oil (and soon primrose oil, i think, though i hate swallowing all fo these pills! hahaha) has really seemed to lift my mood! except i still get awful depression because of pmdd (hopefully spiro can help with that, because i've heard it does, except you get your period more so does that = more pms? hmmm... hehe)"


as for calypso- day 3 and so far no truly noticeable improvement. just lowered my antibiotics dose form 100 mg 2x a day to 1x a day so i'm SO F-CKING SCARED!!!!! wish me luck and good luck to you! if you want, you can share my log (its in my sig.) and we can post together when we can and compare!

peace and love
jokerj
[/quote]


Thanks for your encouraging words, jokerj. Actually, another of the side effects of spiro is "irregular periods," Hopefully, that won't present a problem for you. I went on bcp, initially, many years ago, to regulate my periods b/c they were so irregular. About 2 yrs. ago, I went off bcp b/c of all of the side effects. At one point, I remember getting a progestrin shot to start my periods after missing a couple while I was pursuing my B.A(probably stress-related). BTW: Since, I'm peri-menopausal, my results will probably be entirely different from those of CalypsoStorm and yours. My laproscopic day surgery is scheduled for 12/15 to remove cysts on both my ovaries, possibly an ovary and possibly my other fallopian tube. A few yrs. ago, I had another cyst removed and my other fallopian tube. I'm adamant about keeping whatever I can, no hysterectomy for me!!(or HRT!!) Sorry to get off track there. :dance:
I also supplement acne meds. w/a multi-vitamin, vitamin E, calcium + vitamin D, Brewer's yeast tablets, Ester-C(supposed to help w/mood swings, I think) & Tri-Plex(glucosamine, chondroitin). When I'm finished w/the spiro, I'll take nicomide(zinc and niacin)which was prescribed by another derm I went to, it also helps w/acne. Whenever I can, I also eat Nancy's Organic Vanilla yogurt w/granola, almonds, strawberries(or whatever I have) to maintain natural bacteria in my body. I would also like to begin taking vitamin B, and fish oil(vitamin A), and possibly black cohosh. Before beginning black cohosh/and/or primrose oil, I'd have to wean myself off of anti-depressants.
Good luck, jokerj and CalypsoStorm :clap: Please keep me posted on how spiro is working for you.

[jokerj]

you know, i've had the post regular periods you could ask for since about a year after menarche. sometimes they get screwed up (like last week because I was in a play and all the hormones flying around made all of us get our periods the same day- opening night of the show! luck, right? ) so i hope that wouldn't screw me up too badly, i like knowing exactly when it's coming. ive tried nicomide, it didn't seem to help with the acne too much, but i'm sure it was great for my system. what does brewer's yeast tablets do? i'm also looking into primrose oil, and possibly aloe vera tablets, but i have no idea about that last one. i don't like taking all of these pills, though! ahh well. that's the way it goes in our modern world. plus, all of my doctors want me on zoloft. for depression? NO! for pms! how ridiculous is that?