So my doc put me on spiro 100 mg x 1 per day about 3 weeks ago. Within 2 weeks my oily skin, and I mean OILY, had drastically improved. Now I don't have to wipe the slick off my face 3 times a day. So that's great...I'm so happy with this result. BUT, my acne is doing pretty bad. My jawline and neck are COVERED in large, red, and flaking cysts. Covered, as in too many to count. Nasty. right? Not to mention it's climbing up my cheeks and I have a few zits on my forehead as well. This sucks. Especially when my sister has flawless skin and we always go out together, side by side. I feel so self-conscious. It's hard to raise my head. To look people in their eyes and hold a decent conversation. Ughhh. Luckily I'm pretty patient and I've heard that Spiro is worth the wait, even if it's a good 6 months. So I'll wait.
Now, before I started the Spiro I had already been put on minocycline 100mg x 2 per day. It never did anything good for me really, but who knows. Maybe what seems to be horrible acne now would only be much worse without the Minocycline. I'm currently taking both prescriptions and need some opinions. Should I continue taking both until the Spiro kicks in (hopefully) and then wean myself off of the antibiotic, or should I start to wean myself of the the antibiotics NOW, early in the game? I'm just afraid that if the Spiro really does help out my severe acne, stopping the antibiotic then would screw things up.
Also, what dosage do you guys recommend I take for spiro? I'm not sure if I should wait it out on 100mg or up it to 200mg...
Any help? Just want to be free of all this mess. So sick of it. 
Spiro has a long incubation period. I was on 100mg for 4 months before I saw ANY improvement. You might want to stay on the minocycline just to give the spiro time to work.
I wouldn't go up to 200mg unless you have another issue like PCOS. Side effects much more likely above 100mg.
Spiro has a long incubation period. I was on 100mg for 4 months before I saw ANY improvement. You might want to stay on the minocycline just to give the spiro time to work.
I wouldn't go up to 200mg unless you have another issue like PCOS. Side effects much more likely above 100mg.
Would you mind telling me how the 100 mg worked out for you, was it enough to keep you clear? That's why I was afraid of moving up to 200 mg, since I'm not taking birth control pills to "counteract" the anti androgenic effects of Spiro. I think it would be wise to wait it out at least for a couple of months. As with the antibiotics, I'll talk to my derm tomorrow about whether or not to switch to Doxy, which she believes was more effective in my case, or stick with the Mino until things progress...then wean off of them. Thanks for the response 
Spiro has a long incubation period. I was on 100mg for 4 months before I saw ANY improvement. You might want to stay on the minocycline just to give the spiro time to work.
I wouldn't go up to 200mg unless you have another issue like PCOS. Side effects much more likely above 100mg.
Would you mind telling me how the 100 mg worked out for you, was it enough to keep you clear? That's why I was afraid of moving up to 200 mg, since I'm not taking birth control pills to "counteract" the anti androgenic effects of Spiro. I think it would be wise to wait it out at least for a couple of months. As with the antibiotics, I'll talk to my derm tomorrow about whether or not to switch to Doxy, which she believes was more effective in my case, or stick with the Mino until things progress...then wean off of them. Thanks for the response
Yes, I'll have to stay on 100mg probably for the rest of my life, but it keeps me clear. Spiro is relatively safe for long-term use.
My personal experience is that minocycline is more effective. I could get 100% clear on mino, but of course couldn't take it long term. Even at a high dose I could only get about 60% clear on doxy.
How about tetracycline? have you tried that as well?
Possible side effects of mino scare me off.
I was on tetracycline 1000mg a day for a number of months, it was one of the first acne treatments I was given. It did work but it gave me terrible indigestion and yeast infections.
ugh i took mino years ago and it stained my teeth. it took me like 12 whitening sessions to get my teeth back to normal. it worked on my acne but cost me $1,150 to get my teeth back to normal. grr! doxycycline never did anything to my teeth and i had the best of luck with that until it stopped working.