At long last, I'll be seeing a derm on Friday. (it has been a four month wait to see this specialist - he's one of the highly recommended ones in the city where I live)

Of course, my skin has cleared up from the time I started taking spiro in July. I've taken pictures along the way to show him the condition of my skin before spiro.

GP's are reluctant to continue prescribing spiro on an ongoing basis unless I see a specialist (with very good reason obviously) but I'm a bit nervous that this derm may take one look at my skin and tell me to get off spiro now that my skin is cleared up and send me along my way. (specialists are so busy and it's not unusual to be 'rushed')

You bet I'll be telling the derm that I do NOT want the acne to come back and since I'm in perimenopause, what's going to control the hormones? (except bcp and I don't want to take oral contraceptives)

I don't know of any other alternatives to spiro except bcp and Accutane (do NOT want to take Accutane).

If you guys could send positive vibes for my derm visit, I'd appreciate it. We all know how much it sucks to have acne issues.

Thanks a bunch!

Good luck.

I am worried about the same issue as well. I have to see my derm once a year to renew my spiro prescription. At my last yearly visit, she said, "well, we do hope you'll grow out of your acne..." and seemed a little reluctant to give me a drug when I am "clear."

I wish they realized the acne comes back once you stop.

Good luck! I think that as long as you want to take it and are aware of possible side effects, you accept responsibility and they should renew the prescription. It's your body after all, and if the acne is hormonal it will come back once you stop a treatment. They should know this already.

But anyway, in case you need an alternative, I highly recommend myo-inositol, especially if high androgens are what is causing your acne.