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Hey, another question for you all. Can you take Spiro w/ antibiotics? Courses of anti-biotics tend to work for me for flare ups like I'm having now, but I want to stay on the Spiro for maintenance and oil control.
I'm going to call my doc today, but was just wondering if anyone has done this? They are sulfur based antibiotics b/c I'm allergic to penicillin.
Thanks!
I have taken antibiotics while on spiro and did not have any strange side effects or problems while doing so.
TO answer someone elses question (sorry, forgot who asked it) about irregular cycles while taking spiro w/o BCPs: Yes, my cycles are irregular, (I havn't had one AT ALL since I have been on it) BUT when I went to my OBGYN, he said that he does not think its the spiro doing it, but my low body fat so I am really not sure that spiro is the culpret there or not. Wish I could be of more help there. I have heard many women say that it does cause them to have irregulear periods though. Personally, I LOVE not having periods at all. He said it isn't a problem. To me this is a wonder drug! Clear skin and no PMS/periods!!!!
I have taken antibiotics while on spiro and did not have any strange side effects or problems while doing so.
Were you taking the antibiotics for acne too? Did you just take the pills together or as seperate times during the day?
How long did it take Spiro to clear up your face? I've been on for a little over 3 weeks now and experienced a HORRIBLE cystic breakout, but it has gotten better in the last couple of days. I'm not on antibiotics yet, but I am waiting for the doc to call today to have her refill if it's safe.
THANKS so much for all your info. EVERYONE!
Aww, I'm so sorry to hear that. Are migraines something you only get when taking medications, not just sporadically? Eitherway, Accutane is NOT your only hope. Based on your diagnsosis, you still have Avandia and of course there's Insulin Sensitizing supplements and/or Low-Carblike Dietary Changes. There's always a way 😉
Snoop, you have to be PATIENT! like i said in my previous post, the derm said TWO MONTHS for Spiro to work properly. Its just like a bc pill, where you need to give it time. They say bc pills dont clear up acne for four months. Three weeks is not nearly long enough. Some people have had quit results but your's will obviously take longer.
Also, i dont know what you diet is like, you if you eat greasy fast food, fries, chips, chocolate, white bread, pasta, rice, etc., those can be contributing to your cysts as well. Spiro isnt a CURE ALL, it helps but you need to work on other areas like making sure you drink at least 2L of water a day, dont use perfume products on your face, dont touch your face, change your towel that you use to pat you face every second day and eat a really strict healthy diet. I notice that the second i eat a bag of Ms. Vicki's chips or a choc. bar, I get four pimples the following couple of days....it's completely related. Remember, skin shows its health from the inside out....hormonal acne is one thing but people still get lots of acne b/c of their diet. Good luck!
Spiro does cause birth defects, my derm discussed this with me when I was there getting the Rx. That's why I think it's really important you make a decision about what you would do if you became pregnant while on Spiro. My boyfriend and I talked about it together when I started taking it. I don't think that Spiro's risk in this area is reason to not take it though, unless of course you are definitely wanting to get pregnant in the near future. As much as I wish topicals would work for me, they don't, and they are very inconvenient for my lifestyle right now. I would very much like to have children in the future; I wonder what my acne will be like when I am pregnant, EEK!!
Question for the ladies. I am currently on 100mg of spiro and have been spotting consistently=( I am hoping that a birth control pill such as yasmin would take care of the irregular periods. I am afraid of taking other birth controls such as Diane 35 because of the weight gain that I have experienced in the past (Diane made me gain at least ten pounds). I have heard that Yasmin is a dieuretic (ie. does not make you retain water) and so is spiro. Could i use these two together?
Shortee: I too wonder what my skin will look like when I'm off meds when I want to become pregnant. Could be very very bad considering I've been on some kind of topical or something for my skin since I was 14.
YingYang: Yes those high in estrogen pills clear your skin but also help you pack on some extra pounds. Case in point myself haha However, I can lose the weight but acne is not so easy to lose so I think I'll take that over the other. And yes going on a birth control pill should clear that problem up, I'm on Demulen and been on Spiro for 3 months and have experienced no spotting so I'm sure you can alleviate that problem easy.
Good luck all,
Rae
I have taken antibiotics while on spiro and did not have any strange side effects or problems while doing so.
Were you taking the antibiotics for acne too? Did you just take the pills together or as seperate times during the day?
How long did it take Spiro to clear up your face? I've been on for a little over 3 weeks now and experienced a HORRIBLE cystic breakout, but it has gotten better in the last couple of days. I'm not on antibiotics yet, but I am waiting for the doc to call today to have her refill if it's safe.
THANKS so much for all your info. EVERYONE!
I was not taking the antibiotics (doxycyline) for acne, but for something else. I took them twice a day, but not exactly at the same time I took the spiro...maybe a couple of hours apart with each dose.
I started seeing positive results with my skin almost immediately. I had no initial breakout and within a month was totally clear with the exception of a tee tiny one here or there that clear up in a day. I never get Big pimples any more (never have suffered with cyctic acne though...only mild/hormonal breakouts). If your acne is more severe, then I guess it could take longer to see results. Hang in there though. Give it at least 3 months before you call it quits. This drug not only cleared my acne, but transformed my skin in a way. My oil is gone and my pores went from large to almost invisible. My skin looks better that it ever has since I first started breaking out. I will be 31 in November btw and have had acne since I was 12. This is the ONLY thing that has ever worked.
Hello everyone,
I have been reading this post on Spiro., and am glad to see many more women are trying it. I began taking it in June and had EXCELLENT results by mid July, I was 99% clear, with only an occasional jawline cyst. However, I did not tolerate it well, having very heavy periods every 7-8 days, and migraines. I do not take BC because I do not do well on it either...have tried sveral different ones, diff. mix of hormones, all have negative side effects, so needless to say, I was not on BC with the Spiro.
I have since decided to stop the Spiro., (my periods were not getting less sporadic, and I even thought if I tweaked my dosage( It varied from 50mg. to 200) or waited it out, my body would adjust, but it did not and I stopped taking it altogether.) Anyway, I am very sad to say, as of October, off of it for six weeks now, my face is horrible again. What is a girl to do?????
I have started back on it every other day, 50mg., to see if it will help, and not cause irregularity(which by the way, my periods have been normal the past six weeks).
Pankins...Did you have regular periods prior to the Spiro., and they stopped when you started the Spiro? Or were you period free prior to the Spiro? I am 31 as well, and this is the only thing that has worked for me as well. I am glad to hear it is working so well for you!!!
Also, if anyone knows of anyone who has made their own TOPICAL Spiro., or has read a thread on it....would you let me know? I know there is a way to make a topical with crushed pills and a few other mixing ingredients....but I would like to purchase it already pre-made( I do not trust my chemistry abilities:) however, you cannot buy it online without a prescription...to my knowledge. You can buy the Minoxidil(for hair loss) which has the spiro in it, but I want pure Sprio, and in a form that is not comedogenic. There is one web-site that sells 2% topical is a gel form and is free of pore-clogging ingredients, but you have to have a prescription for it. I would live to try this, Sweet Jade has posted some success stories with the topical...and I an at amy wits end!!! SO IF ANYONE HAS ANY INFO TO PASS ALONG TO ME>>>I WOULD VERY MUCH APPRECIATE IT!!!!!!
Have a great weekend ladies:)
Hello everyone,
I have been reading this post on Spiro., and am glad to see many more women are trying it. I began taking it in June and had EXCELLENT results by mid July, I was 99% clear, with only an occasional jawline cyst. However, I did not tolerate it well, having very heavy periods every 7-8 days, and migraines. I do not take BC because I do not do well on it either...have tried sveral different ones, diff. mix of hormones, all have negative side effects, so needless to say, I was not on BC with the Spiro.
I have since decided to stop the Spiro., (my periods were not getting less sporadic, and I even thought if I tweaked my dosage( It varied from 50mg. to 200) or waited it out, my body would adjust, but it did not and I stopped taking it altogether.) Anyway, I am very sad to say, as of October, off of it for six weeks now, my face is horrible again.
What is a girl to do?????
I have started back on it every other day, 50mg., to see if it will help, and not cause irregularity(which by the way, my periods have been normal the past six weeks).
Pankins...Did you have regular periods prior to the Spiro., and they stopped when you started the Spiro? Or were you period free prior to the Spiro? I am 31 as well, and this is the only thing that has worked for me as well. I am glad to hear it is working so well for you!!!
Also, if anyone knows of anyone who has made their own TOPICAL Spiro., or has read a thread on it....would you let me know? I know there is a way to make a topical with crushed pills and a few other mixing ingredients....but I would like to purchase it already pre-made( I do not trust my chemistry abilities:) however, you cannot buy it online without a prescription...to my knowledge. You can buy the Minoxidil(for hair loss) which has the spiro in it, but I want pure Sprio, and in a form that is not comedogenic. There is one web-site that sells 2% topical is a gel form and is free of pore-clogging ingredients, but you have to have a prescription for it. I would live to try this, Sweet Jade has posted some success stories with the topical...and I an at amy wits end!!! SO IF ANYONE HAS ANY INFO TO PASS ALONG TO ME>>>I WOULD VERY MUCH APPRECIATE IT!!!!!!
Have a great weekend ladies:)
Well, i started taking spiro right after the birth of my son. My skin is always so clear when I am pregnant, so I knew my acne was hormonal. I hadn't yet got my periods back regularly before I started taking spiro because I was breastfeeding. (Yes, it is okay to take it while breastfeeding not while pregnant though). My doctor thinks that my ammenorhea is caused by low body fat % because I work out a lot and have only about 10% body fat. SO to answer your question, I don't know that spiro has caused my periods to disappear. I am too scared to go off for a bit to see if I would get a period because I know my skin would freak out. I guess I'll just never know. I will say this, for the first couple of months I was on it, I would have symtoms of PMS and would think I was going to start, but then nothing. I havn't even so much as spotted.
My periods are so screwed up, I don't even know what to think. This month I thought I had started mine, but it was only for 1 day, and now nothing for the last 4 days. I have had cramps like I usually do when I am on my period all week. Last month my period was 1 week early, extremely heavy, and lasted about 2 days longer than usual. I am really broke out right now, too, which sucks. It's all on my jawline and cheeks which means hormonal, according to my derm.
For Sasha: I do not know of any way to topically apply Spiro and I dont think it would have the same effect anyway. Spiro works b/c the ingredient in it causes hormones to STOP getting into your oil glands and clogging them up.....how then could applying the ingredient topically work? It is well known that inside-to-out is always more beneficial than topically.....
for everyone having skin problems while on Spiro STILL, read my earlier post about diet and you should be drinking mad amounts of water daily, like 4L, no alcohol and no high glycemic foods.
My earlier post said my skin was still bad but within a week it has cleared up substantially....remember, there is no such thing as a "miracle drug"...whatever you put inside your body affects how you look and feel, so if you were to eat crap food, obviously Spiro isn't going to help your "junk food" pimples. Oh and to the woman who inquired about using antibiotics while on Spiro for her acne, you shouldn't. Only use antibiotics if necessary for something else like bronchitis or whatever.....do not add it JUST for acne....My derm told me to go off Minocyclin when she put me on Spiro...its not that using an antibiotic will necessary do harm initially, but taking antibiotics in general is not healthy and if anti's didnt work for your skin before taking Spiro, they're likely not going to add any effect while on Spiro.
Hi -- I am on 200mg of spironolactone daily and have been taking this amount for 2 years with great success. Nothing worked for me before - I have taken cycles of accutane 5 times in the past! I also have been taking Yasmin with the spironolactone for the past couple of years, but now I have to switch to another kind of pill. Can anyone recommend a good BCP for acne besides Yasmin that will work well with the Spironolactone? I've heard that Diane-35 is a great BCP for acne, but it is not available in the USA. Thanks~
CDC77:
Its great to hear that Spiro is a long-term treatment from someone that has gone through the same things as many of us. Right now I'm on Demulen (Generic name is Zovia) and the dosage is 1/50. They also make it in 1/35, its very high in estrogen and I've been on it for 3 months with great results. However, the downside is I've put on a little weight but my skin is crystal clear. The only other pills I know about are Ortho Tri Cyclen which didn't do anything for me for years and Seasonale (that new pill that allows you to have your period every 3 months) . My cousin broke out terribly on Seasonale and her skin is usually pretty clear. I'm sure your Doctor will know of other pills that are "acne-Friendly". Please keep posting, and Good luck.
Rae
For Sasha: I do not know of any way to topically apply Spiro and I dont think it would have the same effect anyway. Spiro works b/c the ingredient in it causes hormones to STOP getting into your oil glands and clogging them up.....how then could applying the ingredient topically work? It is well known that inside-to-out is always more beneficial than topically.....
for everyone having skin problems while on Spiro STILL, read my earlier post about diet and you should be drinking mad amounts of water daily, like 4L, no alcohol and no high glycemic foods.
My earlier post said my skin was still bad but within a week it has cleared up substantially....remember, there is no such thing as a "miracle drug"...whatever you put inside your body affects how you look and feel, so if you were to eat crap food, obviously Spiro isn't going to help your "junk food" pimples. Oh and to the woman who inquired about using antibiotics while on Spiro for her acne, you shouldn't. Only use antibiotics if necessary for something else like bronchitis or whatever.....do not add it JUST for acne....My derm told me to go off Minocyclin when she put me on Spiro...its not that using an antibiotic will necessary do harm initially, but taking antibiotics in general is not healthy and if anti's didnt work for your skin before taking Spiro, they're likely not going to add any effect while on Spiro.
soooo ladies??? Any updates on the skin situation with Spiro?
I believe its been a month for me now and my skin is finally showing a significant improvement while on Spiro. My dose is 100mg per day and occasionally, I take another half tablet. I have since stopped using ALL harsh topical creams and ointments (BP, retin-A, SA) and have noticed my sensitive skin has a great tone to it now. I used to have major redness in my t-zone from using topical acne creams and it was obviously making it worse rather than better. From seeing how my skin is looking now, I'm a firm believer that less on your face means MORE. If you're on spiro, cut out all the topical stuff and just use a good cleanser, it can be medicated, I use Panoxyl Clear Acne Cleansing Gel (which has SA and triclosan) and that's it. By the way, if you insist on using foundation, the only one i have found that definitely does not clog pores (although lots of foundations claim to be non-comedogenic, they usually still clog your pores), is Clinique's Clear Skin Clarifying Makeup....it's awesome!! Best of luck ladies!
Hey ladies,
Just wanted to say hi to everyone and hope the progress is still improving. Anyone notice how many views our topic has gotten? Quite amazing. I'm so glad that I found out about Spiro or I might still be dealing with stubborn acne that has been hormonal the whole time.
Take care all,
Rae
Just wanted to give an update on my skin with Spiro.
Starting to get jawline acne again, not sure what's causing it.....it's been 5 weeks that i've been on Spiro.
Also, for the past four days, my period has started again (it ended less than two weeks ago)....it was noted that "spotting" would be a problem while on Spiro, but mine is a little heavier than just spotting. It should be noted that I am NOT on birth control pills though, which I believe most of you other women are, so that would make a difference. As I posted in the beginning of this thread, I cant take birth control because it causes blood clots....so i dunno if i'm going to be stuck with a perma-period???
blue_eyez, you should stop having breakthrough bleeding after 3 months or so on Spiro was my understanding, hang in there!
Sounds like you might be experiencing the same thing I am. I've been pretty broke out for the last 2-3 weeks. Currently I'm on week 8 I think. I keep thinking it will calm down, but it just gets worse it seems like. My period is due next week so if it doesn't clear after that then I'm going to up my dose.
so Shortee, you're having breakouts too eh? Hmm weird. Mine was really bad this weekend....all along my jawline. It looks horrible. I even took an extra half pill on saturday night, but my enter nose and upper lip skin has completely flaked off! that's a side effect, dry skin if you take too much Spiro. I guess 100 mg is all my skin wants to tolerate.
Thx for the tip on the spotting....good to know it will subside! keep your spirits up Shortee, as will i!
Yea, I'm REALLY broke out right now, really sucks. I need to make a better effort I think. The cats fur makes my face itch and then I keep touching it to itch it and I know that is a huge no-no, but I do it without even thinking about it! I am trying to make an effort to keep the hands off my face though it will take time to break the habit, I know. I hope things turn around for you soon blue_eyez. I wonder if I could also be having an initial breakout type thing, too? Anywho, I go to derm in about a month, I am interested to hear what he says.
Hello
I have been reading this and other spiro forums and as a result went and saw my derm this morning
for a prescription. My acne is predominantely hormonal, something that I have only recently worked out
after years of trying all kinds of treatments including retin, differin, minomycin and so-on. I was also on
Diane 35 for almost 10 years but for the past year that has stopped working both on controlling my acne
as well as controlling other PMS related problems. So this month I am beginning not only spiro (100mg, is this going to be effective?) but also Yasmin (my derm said it was safe to use both).
I really hope this works. I am getting married at the end of next year and I would so love to have clear skin!
Surfergirl