Hey, what dosage were you on before? Were you 100% clear?

I wish you loads of luck!

Thanks! I was on 50 to start and then bumped up to 75 then 100. I remember being clear on 50 but 75 realllyyy did the trick and I was 100% clear for a couple years. I screwed it all up when I added at birth control pill and had to go on 100 and my skin was never the same.

Hopefully it helps again!

Day 3:

I take my 3rd pill today. I'm sure it's too soon to tell but my skin seems a little less oily and overall calmer. I hope its not just a coincidence. I was happy to see that the cyst like thing by my nose had come to a head overnight and I was able to extract it. It's really red but I'm hoping that speeds the healing process. I know if I hadn't extracted it it would have lingered for like two weeks.

I gave up and went back on it. The reason I stopped is because I turned 26 and got kicked off my parents insurance and figured it was a good time to stop for a few months and see if my oil and acne would return and if I'd be fine without it. I also wanted to get my hormones back to normal because my cycle was pretty messed up from going off the pill about a year ago.

My oil returned full force. My hair started getting gross feeling by noon and I cold literally wipe the oil off my skin. I've had two months of a normal cycle so I think everything's good with my hormones enough to "start from scratch" again and hopefully I get the awesome results I had when I originally started.

I really really didn't want to pay full price for it but its the only thing that's ever worked for me. :/

I have no idea what's going on with my hormones but I've noticed a lot of new hair coming in on my head since I stopped so I think it was causing hair loss before?

I took my first pill last night. I remember it working pretty quickly, within the first month when I first took it. Right now I have a lot of red marks and one cystic like pimple near my nose. I'm also using Atralin gel for skin texture.

So heres my log so i can keep track of my progress, symptoms, and also as an outlet to vent. i hope I'm clear by my wedding day, March 3rd.Please let it work again!

 

Thicker, coarser hair is normal in males or anyone with a high level of androgens. When I was going through a raging puberty and pizza face acne I had the thickest hair imaginable. Hair stylists would always comment on how much hair I had. As I got older this lessened. I didn't notice any hair loss on spiro but it may have had a small effect.

Rather than thinking of it as hair loss, think of it as ideal female hair. Females with the right amount of hormones generally do not have really thick hair. They have fine to moderate hair. The reason hair gets thicker during pregnancy is because of all the strange hormonal activity.

While it's a nice side effect, I wouldn't say abnormally thick hair is worth the acne. I'll take finer hair over acne any day

That's a really good way to think about it. All this new regrowth is soo annoying. When my hair is up I have a ton of fly aways and it feels so heavy. Also I've been having to shave more often and I've noticed that hair has gotten thicker and darker as well.

And yes better skin over hair any day

Day 5: my cyst from before is almost gone yay! It's just slightly red and I haven't been messing with it to speed healing. I really don't want to speak too soon but my skin is starting to look...really good. It's a lot less flushed looking and more even toned. A couple small ones are trying to come out but the Retin A will hopefully keep that under control.

Day 8: okay so a little longer than a week back on it. I can't really tell if there's any changes:/ part of me feels less oily, especially in my hair but I still seem to be breaking out a little. Although I can't tell if they were already there or not, which would be nice meaning new pimples aren't forming. I know it's only been a week but I'm already getting discouraged

Day 9: ahhh worst breakout since I've gotten back on it. Actually this may be the worst breakout I've had in a while. I don't remember having an initial breakout at all the first time I took it, everything cleared right up. I'm also getting a cold sore by my nose:( I want to cry. I'm so upset and feel like if this doesn't work then there's no hope what so ever. I want to make a derm appointment but without insurance it's so expensive and I don't know what else she could possibly give me. I'm really losing hope quick here..

Day 9: ahhh worst breakout since I've gotten back on it. Actually this may be the worst breakout I've had in a while. I don't remember having an initial breakout at all the first time I took it, everything cleared right up. I'm also getting a cold sore by my nose:( I want to cry. I'm so upset and feel like if this doesn't work then there's no hope what so ever. I want to make a derm appointment but without insurance it's so expensive and I don't know what else she could possibly give me. I'm really losing hope quick here..

 

You're only on day 9...

Yeah but the first time I took it I cleared up and it literally stopped everything within a week:/

This breakout is stil persisting. I'm sticking with the Spiro and just washing and moisturizing with cerave and trying my best not to pick..

Were you doing anything differently last time? Were you on any antibiotics or topicals? Something I noticed is that it seems a lot of people have different results the second time around with hormonal treatments. That happened to me with birth control - first time worked, second time made things worse. NOT saying that will happen to you! Just that it's unpredictable.

Honestly not really anything different, just a lot less. I think I was only washing with Purpose and using and Olay cream during the day. This may have to do with the Retin A Micro I've been on too, but it's been months and I think the IB would have subsided by now. I didn't really use it the first time somive cut that out for now also.

I went out and bought Cerave foaming face wash and PM cream and I'm just going to use that until this all calms down. It's so discouraging to think back to how well it worked the first time and how happy I was. I feel like I'm really running out of options, and at 26 that's really scary to me:(

Yeah but the first time I took it I cleared up and it literally stopped everything within a week:/

This breakout is stil persisting. I'm sticking with the Spiro and just washing and moisturizing with cerave and trying my best not to pick..

Well you were very lucky

I'm thinking about making a derm appointment for Monday, but I don't know what else they could possibly give me and I'd probably just end up wasting the money:/

I at least want to get a different brand of it, for some reason I don't feel like they're all the same and this Amneal one has been the least effective

I don't get it...you're making a derm appointment...because spiro hasn't cleared you by day 9????

I waited for 4 months to see any results....

It doesn't matter that you got lucky the first time around...for MOST people it takes months

What brand were you on before?

Day 15: my minimal regimen seems to be helping these spots dry out. A few of them look like they're on their way out...hopefully this is it for now and I won't get any more.

I never made the appointment. When something like that happens I do tend to freak out and want something..anything to stop it or at least feel like I'm doing something to help it. I do need to go eventually to get refills so I'm just going to wait until then...

The brand I was on before was the smaller 25mg pills and I was taking 3-4 of them. I think they were Mylan? These big 100mg pills don't seem to be that effective it seems, or at least no yet. Next appointment ill probably ask for the smaller ones again.

Edit. Not yet*

Take it easy. You're skin didn't breakout over night so you can't expect it to clear that quickly whether your are self-medicating or working with a dermatologist. Figure out a regimen that you think will work with you and make minor adjustments as you go or with the guidance of a doctor. I just passed the 2 month mark and I am just now starting to see the cysts under my chin subside. It takes patience and can be quite discouraging but you have to stick with it.

Day 20: you guys are right, I was def. way over reacting. It's so crazy that my skin can send me into a state of panic, even though I know how ridiculous I'm being in my head. *knock on wood* everything seems to be calming down..I think the Cerave and my simple routine has a lot to do with it. I've also been suspecting my make up changing it formula has been causing the rash like issue. I've switched to Everyday Minerals for its minimal ingredients.

My skin and hair has been a lot less oily overall and the tone seems to be improving

Day 25: it's been almost a month already! No more changes really. This lingering red spot on my face (had it for about 2 weeks) FINALLY formed a whitehead and I was able to extract it last night. It still looks really red today and feel super hard so I don't think I got everything out:/ I hate that. I don't see how that thing was even able to hang around for freakin weeks. I'm hoping after it finally goes away that it'll be the last of it.

25 days til the wedding :/

I don't get it...you're making a derm appointment...because spiro hasn't cleared you by day 9????

I waited for 4 months to see any results....

It doesn't matter that you got lucky the first time around...for MOST people it takes months

so SO true. I've been on it for almost 6 months and I cleared maybe the 4th month ( 1st time using Spiro) but i still got random little zits. I am now breaking out again, not sure if it's related to that time of the month or what. I'm on 100 now . I started at 25 and bumped myself up to 100. I'll take 150 some days before my period. So yes u were very lucky to have cleared up after a week.

Yeah I miss those days:/ the fact that I remember it working so well the first time keeps me going with the treatment. I have a derm appt Monday to get a refill on my prescription. I'm wondering where I should take it to make sure I get a good brand of it? I feel like when I was on the 25 or 50 mg pills they worked soo much better than these 100mg ones. Even when I was on I a few years ago and it was working so well I could tell a difference between say, a Walgreens and a CVS brand.

About a month on it already. Skin is looking awful:/ I've had spots that have lingered for weeks.

My derm appointment is tomorrow. I'm excited and nervous...

You can ask for the name brand (Aldactone) at any pharmacy.

As far as generics, it just seems to vary from person to person. I use Qualitest (Rite-Aid) and have no problems. I have been filling Qualitest at the same Rite-Aid since I started Spiro. However, others have complained about Qualitest. Some like Amneal. Others like Sandoz.

I took it to Publix this time (FL) and its a different manufacturer. However they do smell and look the same as the other ones I had so that's promising. I also got Kefelx antibiotics to maybe help calm everything down.

She said if this doesn't progress and I'm just not happy with the treatment then she's willing to give me accutane. I was surprised she even suggested it. Before I knew I was filling out ipledge and getting prescriptions for bloodwork. Idk what to make of all that:/