Hello I'm new here. I've lurked a LONG time.
30 year old female, acne/pcos symptoms sufferer..I'm fit, healthy and on no other medications. I am a mother of three small boys and stay home with them full-time currently.
The hormonal jawline/mouth/chin acne and male pattern hair thinning has all got me down and stressed out.. The only time I had clear skin was when I was on Yaz years ago it made my skin flawless. However I don't want to be on birth control because I'm concerned about blood clots and all the side effects.
I have been trying the natural route ... I have tried every possible tactic you can imagine..
After doing a lot of research my last option was go back on birth control or try out Spiro. I am trying to weigh the benefits versus the risks.
I have come to the conclusion that Spiro poses less risk healthwise and probably less side effects But I am so scared to start taking it. I have a prescription for 50 mg per day. I just picked it up but for some reason I just can't make myself take it. I guess it's because I have been medication free for so long I don't like to put medication in my body. But this acne is starting to affect my self-esteem and affect my quality-of-life. I really don't want to mess up my menstrual cycle and I really don't want my hair loss to get worse either.
Also my doctor said we have to be very careful not to get pregnant while I am on this, I am pretty confident in my ability to chart my cycle and we also use condoms (sorry if too much information) but that possibility makes me nervous as well.
Can anyone offer me any reassurance guidance or advice? I feel so lost I really thought I could beat this on my own without having to go on medicine.
Which one do you think is safer birth control pills or Spiro? Also do you think 50 mg is too high for me starting out? I asked her if it was one pill a day and she said yes it will be one 50mg pill a day. Should I cut it in half and take half in the morning and half at night? Sorry for all the questions. Thanks!
Spironolactone is generally safer than most pharmacological birth control, particularly in the long-run. Spironolactone was first indicated as a diuretic, until it was found to have anti-androgen properties (thereby effective for hormonal acne). The main risk is hyperkalaemia (too much potassium) which I don't believe is possible unless you're supplementing potassium and/or eating like 20 bananas a day. 50mg is generally a low dose - my understanding is that most people will be on 75mg + a day.
I advise you to seek medical advice to address your questions. If it makes you more comfortable to split and take it in halves - I don't know of any downsides to doing this. Many people see great success with spiro. You can always stop taking it if it doesn't work for you.
Late response. You may not see. I've been on spire since 2011 and still on it. Many people with congestive heart failure take it as it is a diuretic and taking it for acne is actually off label, but it's incredibly effective! I'm on 100mg a day and have been up to 200mg which is the highest you can go. 50 isn't bad at all. I would do spiro over BC, bc there are SOO many variations of BC and some can aggravate acne and make you feel crazy. BUT, it's up to you. You may develop irregular periods, and your doc will want to check kidney function to ensure everything is going ok. There is risk with every medication you take, but be extra cautious in regard to pregnancy. It can cause birth defects. And take it once time a day. Hope this helps.