Hi all,
So I decided to sort of track/post my journey with acne. Today has been a horrid day, as I called in sick to work. I was too embarrassed of my face to go in. I will try to give a brief history, if one wants to read, if not you can just skip to the bottom.
Well I am a twenty-two year old female. I had bad acne in high school, and I went on accutane. It worked! And I stayed clear with a few blemishes up until this past March. I started a generic birth control from my school's health center. That and I got out of an abusive relationship. I think those two were triggers that upset a great hormonal balance within me. I stopped the birth control after a month, as I thought it was a cause. My dermatologist put me on doxy, which did nothing. My cysts were primarily along my jawline, chin, and neck! This was new acne to me. She suggested to try spiro. I started on 25mg twice a day, and now am on 50mg twice a day. I take it in the morning and afternoon along with 100mg of doxy.
I am still breaking out. I still have cysts along my jawline, and to my complete horror, they have spread to my neck. I also have spots on my forehead (usually clear), around my mouth, and cheeks. I have been using this medication for two months, along with tazorac cream at night. I use Daily Olay facial wipes (for sensitive skin) to cleanse every morning and night, and I apply Aveeno daily lotion. Along with all the active cysts, my skin tone/texture is horrible (scarring, red, blotchy, dry, oily at the same time, etc.). I feel and look like a monster. I don't go outside my apartment anymore unless I have to. I am contemplating starting up accutane again, but I don't know if I should give spiro some more time. I am hopeless and depressed right now.
I will post my journey, and if I change medications. I just don't know what to do anymore. I know things are relative, and so many people have it worse, but I hate my life right now.
I should add, I am a healthy eater. I don't consume any gluten nor dairy products. I take vitamins, and I try to exercise regularly. Harder, as I do not like being out in public anymore.
I know this is just shortly after I posted, but I can't even wash my face without crying. I am so repulsed and so depressed, I just don't know what to do. It is all over my neck! My chin! Mouth now. Temples. Cheeks, and a billion blackheads on my nose. I am utterly defeated. Calling in sick again. I can't do this.
As hard as it is to for you to accept this, you're not alone. Every single person on this sie has been afflicted in one way or the other and while some have found relief, others like myself are still looking. I would say give Spiro 6 months and if it doesn't help, then definitely try accutane again. That way you can mark it off your list and move on. Stress is a killer with acne and while some people manifest other issues with BC, we acne sufferers manifest it on our face.
Take it one day at a time and don't close yourself off from the world. You are valued and loved and you'll get through this
Best of luck
I have been using this medication for two months, along with tazorac cream at night
My skin never stays clear on retinoids like Tazorac.
I have been clear on spiro for a while now, but if I start up a retinoid again (to help with skin texture) I WILL break out! I found some evidence that in some skin types retinoids will cause acne. Retinoids are an irritant to the skin, and sometimes the way they thin the top layer of skin and thicken the lower dermis can actually CAUSE plugs in your pores.
I think if you stop the Tazorac you will notice a gradual improvement.
Well past the two month mark. I am miserable. I have a giant cyst above my right eyebrow (random spot), and it hurts. I am still gathering them along my neck/right jawline with some scattered on the left side as well. I have cysts/red marks all along my cheek/temple on my left side. My blackheads on my nose are even worse and stand out. My right chin/lip area is muddled with marks and fading cysts with one active one.
I am still oily as all get out. I don't know if it is due to the humid weather or what. But I am miserable. I do not go out, I can't. This is awful. I don't know how much longer I can take this. I just don't know what to do.
NO IMPROVEMENTS!
Skin still getting worse.
There is a breakout and scarring on my left cheek, with a deep cyst by my ear/temple. Still a cyst above my right eyebrow with these flat/red pimples all along my forehead/hairline. Blackheads on the nose. Active cyst and fading ones by the right side of my mouth and chin. Severe outbreaks all along both sides of my neck AND jawline.
Misery does not even describe my state of mind. Utterly hopeless. I don't know what to do. I don't even cry anymore, I feel so awful. I hate touching my face to wash it because I hate feeling and seeing how worse it is getting.
Is this normal?? Seeing NO improvement?? For my skin to keep getting worse?? Break-outs on my neck as well? Still oily? UGH.
I thought spironolactone would work for me. Most people said they see results on their third month. I am into my third month now with nothing, but what I described above.
THE WORST.
It is utterly painful and awful. I thought it was bad before...oh my word. I am just in shock and disbelief and beyond miserable
THREE huge cysts along my left cheek, with one right on my ear lobe! Further up TWO on my forehead (cysts). A whitehead right on my bottom lip. THREE BIG ones on my left neck along with smaller ones on the jawline. Right neck FOUR big ones with pimples above my right side of the mouth.
It is horrible. I cannot get in to get a steriod shot either, I am across the state. I don't know why this is happening. It is the absolutely worst it as ever been. I haven't even seen improvement let alone consistency--it is just WORSE. I cannot believe this is my face. No make-up can cover these monstrosities.
Spiro didn't start working for me till the 6th month and before that was just awful !!!! Hang in there!!! I had break out after break out and almost stopped the Spiro but my dermatologist insisted I keep taking it and said I will be happy I didn't quit after the 6th month mark ! Guess what? He was right!!! I'm as clear as I have ever been in years!!!
Skin's condition continues to worsen, and at a rapid rate. Each morning/day I find myself feeling a new cyst forming. Not even just a whitehead, a full and angry cyst.
THREE huge ones on my left neck. Two painful ones grouped together under my left jawline. One painful one clustered around three fading ones on my left cheek--very red and inflamed area. Two sister planets on my right chin that decided to pop up yesterday and have just grown overnight. Blackheads on the nose are fully present. Cysts on the right side of the neck and jawline with lots of scarring.
Misery doesn't even describe my state of mind. This is torture. This is absolute torture. It is worse not better not even plateauing, just painfully ugly and worse.
This can't be normal. This many new cysts? Well into my second month on Spiro. And still oily.
I'm so sorry your going through this. Cystic acne is the worst to deal with. It's so painful and scarring. I would suggest trusting your intuition. If you are seeing a rapid decline in the health of your skin I would suggest going on accutane just to spare yourself the misery. Also know that spiro does work for a lot of women but really really takes it's time and an initial breakout is to be expected. Im not sure if your currently on birth control but maybe try switching back to the brand that worked for you? From what I gather this was all caused by switching and stopping birth control. I wish you the best of luck and hang in there things will get better!
Hi Krissy,
I don't want to go back on birth control. I didn't switch--I believe the birth control is what caused this all in the first place messing up my hormones. So I stopped. I was only on it for a few months. As for accutane, it worked when I was in high school, but the acne was not cystic nor hormonal, so I do not know if I can even expect the same results. And obviously if I am having problems now, it wasn't long term. But the side effects of Accutane can be.
I know I need to be patient, I would just love to hear others stories of people using spiro to know if what I am experiencing is normal (yes, I know that is relative), or if I should stick to it. I am on day 64 I believe.
i was the same way on spiro until i started taking keflex with it. i was at the lowest point i ever was in my entire life and wanted to die and the keflex cleared me up super super fast so i would try that and see where it gets you. it stopped my cystic acne in 5 days and then after a year i weaned myself off and have been clear since.
just a note at the time i started i was on doxy but it did nothing so i tried a few other antibiotics to stop the cycle of new cysts but nothing worked like the keflex it was a miracle and saved my life. i had to convince my derm to give it to me but the difference was night and day.
Spiro did the same to me. I had the worst break out of my life the first 5 months on it but my doctor told me to hang in there till the 6th month and Im sooooo glad I did, I almost gave up too. Its very hard to stay strong when your having break out after break out but all I can tell you is to hang in there, a lot of us went thru the same thing your going thru now. We are all here for each other and you are not alone. Don't hesitate to message me if you ever need someone to talk to 
Hey Tracy--
I heard that keflex can also cause a nasty IB in some people--did that happen to you then? My dermatologist is across the state and only in the office unfortunately on Wednesdays and Fridays, but I think I will call to ask about it. Though, I am afraid the keflex or any antibiotic will only be a short-term fix for me, which is why I hope the spiro is taking so long to take effect because it will work long-term. I'm not sure. I am so scared that it won't work. I was on Doxy 200mg daily for awhile, and it did absolutely sh!t.
Valerie--thank you so much! I did send you a message
No you wont have an ib with keflex at all it works for most everybody. Its good to get on it now and then wean off around 6-9 months when the spiro has kicked in. I am still on spiro now and it has been the best thing ever and i am still totally clear. You got nothing to lose so i would get on the keflex stat!
Alright, well I will call my dermatologist on Wednesday about keflex. She isn't the best nor the most active about doing things, but I hope she will because she has worked with me in the past on some things and messed up...so hopefully she actually listens to me this time.
Well the cysts are still booming, and the left side of my face just looks so inflamed and angry--this is awful.
I called the dermatology office. The receptionist was helpful and said she will talk to my doctor, and if she isn't in then other doctors to look at my chart and hopefully call in Keflex.
This is really becoming frustrating. I wanted to see improvement, not worse break-out after worse break-out coupled with painful cysts!! AGHHHHH. And super oily skin. When will this all end??
Im sorry to hear that. Actually I experienced the same, birth control caused my acne too. But I can totally understand your aversion to going back on the pill. I agree with what the other ladies have said pair it with an antibiotic and hopefully that'll keep the cysts at bay. Sending you lots of positive energy and hope you clear soon! Stay strong!
Thank you Krissy--I really appreciate that. I am hoping to hear back from the office tomorrow about Keflex. Fingers crossed please!!! In the mean time, trying to stay positive. Day 66 for me I believe, so not quite a week into my third month.
I really, really hope this works.
As for the pill, yeah, not in my near future of going back on it. I want to be stable first before adding anything else new/foreign to my body.
Alright, day 66 I believe?
Anyways, my chin is having a spotting frenzy coupled with the left side of my face. Oh joy. My dermatologist did call in 500mg/once daily of keflex that I can pick up later today. Hopefully it helps calm my skin until the Spiro can fully kick in. I also go to see my dermatologist on August 23rd for a follow-up. By that time it will be well past three months on Spiro, so hopefully good things can be seen, and I can be stable. Fingers crossed. It is so hard staying optimistic when I cannot even run my hand across my skin without it being slick with oil or hurting from a cyst or pimple. Face, neck. Jawline. All red and bumpy and gross. I feel, and I know I look hideous.
I swear two months and a week in, and I am still this bad??? I want to cry.
Tracy--quick question---
I think this is actually day 68....
New BIG cyst forming by my right ear lobe. Has a matching but smaller one on the left earlobe. Two big ones on my neck. My left cheek is flaring up like no other. There is a cyst forming, I can feel it, and it is already painful. I have pimples up my temples. They are especially bad all along my chin. My jawline is still such a mess.
Simply put--worse. No improvement. This is day two on the keflex as well.
So about nine weeks, my skin is horrible. Day two on Keflex. Everything is inflamed and nasty looking. So miserable and upset. This is awful 
it never ends, it just gets worse.
dont worry it will get better i can assure you but i think you need at least 500mg of keflex twice a day though. sometimes they even prescribe it three times a day so it will work it will just take a little longer. i would wait a week and then if you need to call the derm and tell them you need a higher dose. my derm said the normal course is 500mg twice a day for 8 weeks.