Hi guys, I just started taking Spiro this week at 100 mg a day along with Diane 35. I have read that they prevent new cysts from forming but I was also wondering if they heal existing ones faster?? I currently have 2 deep cysts on my chin which led me to believe that my acne is hormonal. Thankfully, I haven't experienced the dreaded initial breakout (or not yet, knock on wood). But these 2 cysts that I have show no signs of disappearing for more than 2 weeks now. They are like ugly red bumps with no head. Would appreciate advice from fellow acne sufferers who have tried the same meds on me. Thanks!
By the way, about me:
- I am 30 years old, female and prone to cystic acne. Since taking Accutane 10 years ago I would only get a cyst or two every few months.
- I was on Althea birth control for the last 4 years which couod be the reason why I stayed clear, instead of the Accutane.
- I stopped the BC pills several months ago which probably messed us my hormones because I am now getting new deep cysts more frequently
- I am now back on BC and trying Spiro for the first time. Got both over the counter since they don't need prescription where I live.
no spiro will not heal any existing spots. you can get cortisone injections to get rid of those cysts or take a short course of antibiotics like Keflex to clear up what you have going on right now. I would also use AHA nightly if you can that will help keep your pores clear. good luck to you 
no spiro will not heal any existing spots. you can get cortisone injections to get rid of those cysts or take a short course of antibiotics like Keflex to clear up what you have going on right now. I would also use AHA nightly if you can that will help keep your pores clear. good luck to you
Arg! I was afraid of that. 
( My problem is I just moved to a new country and dermatologists here are super expensive. Back home I had an awesome dermatologist who would give me a cortisone shot each time I got a cyst and it would be gone a couple of days later. I already went through TWO dermatologists here and both refused to give me an injection, saying it would scar. They just gave me antibiotics but I am afraid they are not working on me. Anyway, thanks for your help! )
yeah it sucks but if you arent taking keflex i would look into that. it was the only antibiotic that worked for me after taking so many in the past. your family doctor should be able to prescribe it for you. i would look into using aha and then spot treating with bp for now until you clear up. cysts are the worst though they can take a really long time to go away.
Hey there, I was on several antibiotics with little to no difference. My seem thought it was hormonal I was put on spiralactone 50mg twice a day major difference. Spirolactone works to block high levels of testosterone helps prevent the high amounts of sebum that we produce. Also slows hair growth. I'm going back to ask for a higher dose. I am now off antibiotics and been on Spirolactone almost two months. If acne is hormonal all you can do is control it. Spitolactone has made such a difference. No antibiotics worked. I'm on Spiro and going for chemical peels. I'm 30 too.
Hi guys, I just started taking Spiro this week at 100 mg a day along with Diane 35. I have read that they prevent new cysts from forming but I was also wondering if they heal existing ones faster?? I currently have 2 deep cysts on my chin which led me to believe that my acne is hormonal. Thankfully, I haven't experienced the dreaded initial breakout (or not yet, knock on wood). But these 2 cysts that I have show no signs of disappearing for more than 2 weeks now. They are like ugly red bumps with no head. Would appreciate advice from fellow acne sufferers who have tried the same meds on me. Thanks!
By the way, about me:
- I am 30 years old, female and prone to cystic acne. Since taking Accutane 10 years ago I would only get a cyst or two every few months.
- I was on Althea birth control for the last 4 years which couod be the reason why I stayed clear, instead of the Accutane.
- I stopped the BC pills several months ago which probably messed us my hormones because I am now getting new deep cysts more frequently
- I am now back on BC and trying Spiro for the first time. Got both over the counter since they don't need prescription where I live.
Sammycat,
Your story is almost identical to mine minus the Accutane. I am 28 and am prone to cystic acne. I came off BC and my face went nuts so I recently went back on BC and am hoping to be prescribed to Spiro on Monday when I go to see my derm. Are you seeing any improvement with the combination of the BC and Spiro?
Any feedback would be great, thank you 
Hi guys, I just started taking Spiro this week at 100 mg a day along with Diane 35. I have read that they prevent new cysts from forming but I was also wondering if they heal existing ones faster?? I currently have 2 deep cysts on my chin which led me to believe that my acne is hormonal. Thankfully, I haven't experienced the dreaded initial breakout (or not yet, knock on wood). But these 2 cysts that I have show no signs of disappearing for more than 2 weeks now. They are like ugly red bumps with no head. Would appreciate advice from fellow acne sufferers who have tried the same meds on me. Thanks!
By the way, about me:
- I am 30 years old, female and prone to cystic acne. Since taking Accutane 10 years ago I would only get a cyst or two every few months.
- I was on Althea birth control for the last 4 years which couod be the reason why I stayed clear, instead of the Accutane.
- I stopped the BC pills several months ago which probably messed us my hormones because I am now getting new deep cysts more frequently
- I am now back on BC and trying Spiro for the first time. Got both over the counter since they don't need prescription where I live.
Sammycat,
Your story is almost identical to mine minus the Accutane. I am 28 and am prone to cystic acne. I came off BC and my face went nuts so I recently went back on BC and am hoping to be prescribed to Spiro on Monday when I go to see my derm. Are you seeing any improvement with the combination of the BC and Spiro?
Any feedback would be great, thank you
Hi KMP86!
It's great to see someone on the same boat as I am. ) I just finished my 2nd week of taking both Spiro and Diane 35. There's no dramatic improvement yet, but here are some stuff that I think are worth reporting (both good and bad).
1. Spiro is a diuretic so I've definitely been going to the bathroom more. As a result, I get thirsty more often as well so I'm definitely making sure that I drink more water on a regular basis.
2. I'm not sure if it's the BC pills or the Spiro but my appetite has increased as well! I haven't noticed any gain weight or anything, but I get serious hunger pangs around mealtimes.
3. The TWO pre-Sprio cysts on my chin have improved, but mostly because I got them injected at the derm's. The other one is completely flat but left a dark mark. The deeper one though is still a small lump under my skin. It's invisible when I cover i with a concealer, but when I wash my face, I can definitely still feel it there. I'm not sure if it's in the healing process or if it needs another cortisone shot.
4. I think I'm experiencing the initial breakout right now but it's really not as bad as I was afraid of. I have one regular pimple between my eyebrows and another one right IN THE MIDDLE of my right eyebrow. Sweet, huh? They're barely obvious and don't really bother me, except that they're at the painful stage. But I'll take 2 regular small pimples over a cyst any day!
5. I also had a couple of whiteheads grow on my chin. One is still there but the other one cleared out. Nothing to worry about in my opinion. They are literally just whiteheads that go away after several days.
6. After a week on Spiro and Diane, one thing I definitely noticed is that my face is MUCH LESS OILY. I know because I use those oil blotting sheets throughout the day. Before I can use two whole sheets after 3-4 hours because my skin was so oily. But now I only need ONE sheet to blot all the oil after the same number of hours--and I don't even use the whole sheet.
I will try to update this thread as I go along with this combination of meds. I am really optimistic since I suspect my acne has been hormonal all along. Let me know your progress as well. Are you on any topical medication too? Talk soon!
Samnycat,
I'm happy to hear yourIB with spiro sounds light and manageable. I've read so many horror stories on hear, I was happy to hear you're doing well in your first weeks! How many mgs of spiro are you taking daily?
Right now i have aczone and retin a. They're old prescriptions and I don't use them regularly but I do notice th aczone helps with inflammation on active zits.
Thank you for responding and please keep the updates coming! Happy we can bounce stories/ideas off each other hugs!
Hi KMP86!
I am on 100mg of Spironolactone (Aldactone) a day.
So, update on Day 17 of my Spiro journey. Unfortunately, I had a couple of zits appear over the weekend. Two small ones on the corner of my mouth just on my lower cheek, which I found weird since I never break out in that spot. Not too bothersome since they are really small and can easily be covered (thank goodness for BB cream!). But when I touch them they feel like a mosquito bite since it's a bit swollen under the skin. Other than that, the only issue is that pre-spiro deep cyst that I mentioned earlier. It definitely got small after the cortisone shot but it's still there. Arrrg!
I am applying Retin-a as well and I love it. For me, it doesn't really address exisiting cysts, as much as prevent them and make my skin smoother in texture. I decided last night that I will stop putting any topicals on pimples while on Spiro--no benzoyl or any other treatment. Except the Retin-a and sunblock. I applied Prid drawing salve on the zits on the corner of my mouth last night before bed and I think it actually made them worse. Im just gonna let Spiro work its magic for now.
On the bright side, my skin has dramatically decreased in oiliness. I am now using less than HALF an oil blotting sheet every several hours instead of the usual two. I am really hoping to see more improvement this week.
Have you started on Spiro yet? By the way, what BC pills are you taking? )
Hi KMP86!
I am on 100mg of Spironolactone (Aldactone) a day.
So, update on Day 17 of my Spiro journey. Unfortunately, I had a couple of zits appear over the weekend. Two small ones on the corner of my mouth just on my lower cheek, which I found weird since I never break out in that spot. Not too bothersome since they are really small and can easily be covered (thank goodness for BB cream!). But when I touch them they feel like a mosquito bite since it's a bit swollen under the skin. Other than that, the only issue is that pre-spiro deep cyst that I mentioned earlier. It definitely got small after the cortisone shot but it's still there. Arrrg!
I am applying Retin-a as well and I love it. For me, it doesn't really address exisiting cysts, as much as prevent them and make my skin smoother in texture. I decided last night that I will stop putting any topicals on pimples while on Spiro--no benzoyl or any other treatment. Except the Retin-a and sunblock. I applied Prid drawing salve on the zits on the corner of my mouth last night before bed and I think it actually made them worse. Im just gonna let Spiro work its magic for now.
On the bright side, my skin has dramatically decreased in oiliness. I am now using less than HALF an oil blotting sheet every several hours instead of the usual two. I am really hoping to see more improvement this week.
Have you started on Spiro yet? By the way, what BC pills are you taking?
Sounds like things are still going well! I am happy to hear that. And I went to a new derm Monday and he wouldn't put me on spiro. He just ordered Epiduo gel so I was kind of upset. I go to my normal derm March 18th so I'll just have to wait it out til then. Have you ever used Epiduo? I'm over the topicals at this point but I may give it a try. And I am on ortho cyclen (just regular, not tri or Lo).
Keep in touch!
Hi KMP86!
Day 32 of my Diane 35 and Spiro journey: Well, I think I spoke too soon about my initial breakout being minor. Since my last entry, things have taken a turn for the worse. (
The two small pimples on the corner of my mouth grew into full-blown cysts! One was so big that it looked like the surface of a marble under my skin, like I just had a tooth taken out or something. It was swollen and PAINFUL as all hell. Aside from that, I had another big pimple show up between my eyebrows. I went to see a new dermatologist to have them injected with cortisone. Interestingly, he said he doesn't give cortisone injections. He's a German doctor who believes that cortisone shots offer temporary relief but can actually damage your skin in the long run. He said what he can do for me was drain the cysts and then put me on antibiotics.
And so I spent Valentine's Day having my cysts extracted with laser. Even the derm was surprised at how much pus was inside the cysts. Sorry, gross I know! He drained 3 in total, and told me I have to put ichthammol ointment on them for at least 3 whole days. I literally spent 3 days going to work with a bandage on my lower cheek. The one between my eyebrows completely flattened, BUT spawned 2 smaller pimples that are just NOT coming to a head. I am putting ichthammol on them every night as well, but so far, they wouldn't budge. This is so frustrating. 2 days ago I went back to the derm but he just told me to put freaking benzoyl peroxide on it. Maybe he felt like they weren't serious enough to drain (unlike the first huge ones).
So right now I am on Diane 35, 100 mg of Spiro and 300mg doxycycline a day (derm doesn't know I am taking spiro). But I am yet to see results from all my pill-popping. Sorry for venting on here. How are you and why didn't your derm put you on spiro?
Thought spiro didnt produce an IB??
is it liek tane where u may or may not have an IB
i thought spiro took 2-4 mnths to kick in but didnt make things worse before better
kim
Hi Kim, I'm also taking Diane 35 for a month now so the IB could be from that and not the Spiro. As for Accutane, from what I've been told, it WILL cause an inevitable IB. I was on Accutane a few years ago and the IB was hell. This is why I don't understand my new derm when he said I should consider going on a 2nd round if things don't improve in a month. We alreadY know my acne is hormonal, so I asked him would't Diane be a better choice? He said Diane 35 is only a temporary solution but Accutane can stop my acne for good. I'm really not sure what action to take now. I am confident that Diane will work for me but I am getting impatient. And this cystic pimple between my eyebrows shows no signs of going away and feels like it's getting bigger by the day. I just want it to come to a head so I can get rid of the sucker.
if i were you personally i would drop the birth control pills and just take the spiro. spiro alone works so well no reason to add the pill to the mix and then there are less things to worry about too. the older you get the higher the risk is with the pill. get on a good antibiotic to help with the existing acne you have now then after a few months or so you can slowly wean off.
if i were you personally i would drop the birth control pills and just take the spiro. spiro alone works so well no reason to add the pill to the mix and then there are less things to worry about too. the older you get the higher the risk is with the pill. get on a good antibiotic to help with the existing acne you have now then after a few months or so you can slowly wean off.
Hi Tracy, I personally don't like the idea of being on so many drugs, but I'm already on my second pack of Diane 35 and I'm afraid it might screw up my hormones even more if I stop now. Also, the 4 to 5 years that I was on the pill (not Diane 35 but same ingredients) gave me the best skin I've ever had. And when I stopped about 5months ago, the acne returned. So I'm connecting the dots and thinking that BC is the way to go for me. I wish I knew where the initial breakout is coming from though. Have you had experience with Diane or Spiro? Thanks.
Yeah I always hated taking meds too but sometimes to get where you want to be you just gotta do it to get yourself to a good place. It is hard to figure out where the ib is coming from since you are both things at the same time. I was on the pill for years and I think it did a number on my hormone and permanently screwed them up. The last birth control pill I took was Yaz but I got a phlebitis in my arm and had to quit cold turkey. My skin was ok for a while then it got bad again so I was on antibiotics for a few years off and on and then I started spiro in December of 2012. Spiro has been the best thing I have ever done for my skin. I wish I had gone this route years ago instead of trying to waiting it out. I know many people that are only on Spiro and have had great results and then you don't have to worry about a stroke and stuff later on. good luck!
Yeah I always hated taking meds too but sometimes to get where you want to be you just gotta do it to get yourself to a good place. It is hard to figure out where the ib is coming from since you are both things at the same time. I was on the pill for years and I think it did a number on my hormone and permanently screwed them up. The last birth control pill I took was Yaz but I got a phlebitis in my arm and had to quit cold turkey. My skin was ok for a while then it got bad again so I was on antibiotics for a few years off and on and then I started spiro in December of 2012. Spiro has been the best thing I have ever done for my skin. I wish I had gone this route years ago instead of trying to waiting it out. I know many people that are only on Spiro and have had great results and then you don't have to worry about a stroke and stuff later on. good luck!
Hi Tracy, have you ever been on Diane as well? How did the pill screw up your hormones? Yeah I also heard that spiro alone can do wonders, but I was just so desperate and I thought that if Diane works alone and so does Spiro then combining them would probably double the effect. Plus, I read that Spiro works better when combined with a BC pill. Anyway, did you have an IB on spiro? How long have you been on it and what's your skin condition now?
Sorry for all the pesky questions. I know I'm taking the meds for just over a month, but I am really getting frustrated. My breakouts take FOREVER to heal, and it seems they dont heal on their own without an injection or drainage. I am on 300 mg Doxy as prescribed by the derm but I doubt it will do anything for my exisiting cysts. Thinking of going back to have them drained for the 3rd week in a row. When will this end? <sigh>
Hello. I haven't been on Diane but was on Depo for 2 years from 19-21 and then Ortho-Tri-Cyclen for years from 21-30 and then I was the generic form of that which made my skin worse. The last resort was Yaz but was only on that for 2 weeks. I never had any acne in my life until I started birth control. I never really figured it out until after I was off of it that it was really screwing up my hormones and that it must have changed them forever. I don't know how well spiro works when combined with the pill but for me it works insanely well just by itself. I might get a small tiny bump every so often but that's been it. I started Spiro in December of 2012 and am still on it with much success. I haven't had a cyst since June of 2013 so for me to go that long is a record. I cant say enough good things about the spiro. I don't know if I had an IB on spiro since I was breaking out really bad before I started but I will say when I had upped the dose a few times my breakouts seemed to get worse for a while. I started Keflex about 2 months after starting spiro and that cleared me up fast within 5 days. It was amazing and it really did save my life. I stayed on that for about 10 months but I took my time to wean off I started at 500mg twice a day then 500mg once a day then every few days and when I stopped taking it my skin stayed clear.
Spiro can take 6 months or even longer to fully kick in which is why its always good to stay on an antibiotic for a while and then when you have been clear for a few months or even longer you can slowly start to wean off. Yeah my breakouts never healed right until I started the antibiotics it took away all the acne and the inflammation. I have scarring though so that really sucks. That is good you are on doxy that should work well for you. I found that for me doxy worked well off and on for a few years and worked better than mino and that Keflex worked the best of them all.
Good luck to you and just try to stay positive and keep your stress levels in check. It will get better with him.
Hello. I haven't been on Diane but was on Depo for 2 years from 19-21 and then Ortho-Tri-Cyclen for years from 21-30 and then I was the generic form of that which made my skin worse. The last resort was Yaz but was only on that for 2 weeks. I never had any acne in my life until I started birth control. I never really figured it out until after I was off of it that it was really screwing up my hormones and that it must have changed them forever. I don't know how well spiro works when combined with the pill but for me it works insanely well just by itself. I might get a small tiny bump every so often but that's been it. I started Spiro in December of 2012 and am still on it with much success. I haven't had a cyst since June of 2013 so for me to go that long is a record. I cant say enough good things about the spiro. I don't know if I had an IB on spiro since I was breaking out really bad before I started but I will say when I had upped the dose a few times my breakouts seemed to get worse for a while. I started Keflex about 2 months after starting spiro and that cleared me up fast within 5 days. It was amazing and it really did save my life. I stayed on that for about 10 months but I took my time to wean off I started at 500mg twice a day then 500mg once a day then every few days and when I stopped taking it my skin stayed clear.
Spiro can take 6 months or even longer to fully kick in which is why its always good to stay on an antibiotic for a while and then when you have been clear for a few months or even longer you can slowly start to wean off. Yeah my breakouts never healed right until I started the antibiotics it took away all the acne and the inflammation. I have scarring though so that really sucks. That is good you are on doxy that should work well for you. I found that for me doxy worked well off and on for a few years and worked better than mino and that Keflex worked the best of them all.
Good luck to you and just try to stay positive and keep your stress levels in check. It will get better with him.
Thanks, Tracy! I'm so happy for you that you found something that works, makes me optimistic for the future as well. I have a last question if you don't mind. )
When you said that Keflex took away the acne and inflammation, do you mean they just shrunk away, dry up or come to a head and you were able to extract them? My main problem with my breakouts is that they never come to a head and never shrink so I always to have to get a cortisone shot or have them extracted by a derm. Since starting Doxy though, I had a couple of pimples that actually came to a head over the weekend and I was able to drain all the pus out myself (sorry, TMI). For now, I have 2 remaining active zits between my eyebrows and I'm hoping they come to a head soon. Doxy is actually making me nauseous in the morning, I take 200 mg before breakfast and 100 mg before dinner. I read that it's best to take it on an empty stomach. But I really feel like vomiting if I don't have at least a piece of bread with it. But I will gladly deal with these symptoms if it means my breakouts can dry up faster!
So to get back to you when I took keflex all my cysts went away except for one but i had a cortisone shot in it and applied bp for a week and it was gone. My cysts never came to a head either. I had nodules and the keflex cleared that up too. All the redness i had went way down. It was a total miracle.
So to get back to you when I took keflex all my cysts went away except for one but i had a cortisone shot in it and applied bp for a week and it was gone. My cysts never came to a head either. I had nodules and the keflex cleared that up too. All the redness i had went way down. It was a total miracle.
Hi Tracy. Thanks for your reply! So your cysts jusf flattened on their own? That's amazing. Maybe I should switch from Doxy to Keflex if it's available here.
It was crazy they just totally went away like 5 days later I woke up and they were gone it was the best thing like in the world. The nodules I had for a few months went away as well. I was at the lowest point in my entire life and that stuff was like a miracle. I never had any antibiotics work that fast ever. Yeah if Doxy isn't working then try Keflex but I think it takes Doxy a few weeks to kick in so give it time. Keflex is stronger so sometimes they are hesitant to offer it up right away. I had to beg my derm for it because I was just about to start Accutane but thank goodness I didn't have to go that route.
It was crazy they just totally went away like 5 days later I woke up and they were gone it was the best thing like in the world. The nodules I had for a few months went away as well. I was at the lowest point in my entire life and that stuff was like a miracle. I never had any antibiotics work that fast ever. Yeah if Doxy isn't working then try Keflex but I think it takes Doxy a few weeks to kick in so give it time. Keflex is stronger so sometimes they are hesitant to offer it up right away. I had to beg my derm for it because I was just about to start Accutane but thank goodness I didn't have to go that route.
Tracy, your situation sounds similar to mine in terms of the meds you have been on. What is your current dose of spiro? What did you start at? Also, did you take 500 mg keflex just once per day for several months? Sorry if I am asking you to repeat any info.
As for me I just started spiro 2 months ago at lower doses and today I got it bumped up to 100 mg per day. I have cystic acne and it sucks. I get it in horrible places too, like buttocks. I had a bad case of cellulitis come up in that area last Sat and had to go to the ER. I was started on keflex and the redness and swelling went down within a day and so far the cyst that the cellulitis originated from is going down but it is a big one so I guess I will wait until I am done with my 10-day course of keflex before I get it injected with a cortisone shot. I don't really want to do that though cause I am scared of side effects from the shot. I am such a baby.
My derm suggested I stay on a long-term course of keflex after the 10 days is up. I am on 500 mg four times per day right now which is a lot. I am doing well on it though so far in terms of side effects. I have taken it in the past for skin infections before. It is a great drug if you have the kind of bacteria it is susceptible to. I am not sure how long will be "long term" but I guess that will be several months, until spiro has had a fair chance of working.
hello! yeah it sounds like we had the same experience with Keflex. i am still on 100mg of spiro and have been on it since dec 2012. i started at 25mg and then after a week or so went up to 50mg then 75mg then 100mg. i took Keflex 500mg twice per day for about 10 months or so. i'm sure i could have weaned myself off of it way before then but i really wanted to be sure that the spiro was working so a few months before i was done i went down to 1 pill a day for a while then 1 pill every other day and then 1 pill every 3-4 days.
that is great that you are having such great success with Keflex and i would go with what your derm says and stay on the Keflex for a good while and then slowly wean off of it. i think after a bit though i would probably ask the derm about going down to a lower dose though just to be safe. so they have it in a shot version? yeah i never had any side effects with it either thank goodness i think its a real miracle worker. there is a girl i met on this site that told me about how well Keflex worked for her so i have her to thank for telling me about it. it was really my last resort before Accutane.
well keep me updated on things and i wish you continued success with spiro and the Keflex.