I had to go on BC after starting 100 mg Spiro due to it's effect on my period. Spiro was amazing. Cleared me up 95%. And I had tried everything Accutane, Antibiotics, Allesse etc. Unfortunately had to stop because of an ulcer and since then have started breaking out again. It's a wonder pill as long as u have a strong stomach, and if you have a high level of androgens. Get your hormones tested first before trying this.

I was on 25 mg for the first month, and my skin was completely clear, then i got bumped up to 50 about 11 days ago, and i cant remember the last time my skin looked this bad...probably not since before accutane. Im hoping its just my body getting used to the upped dosage, or maybe 50 is more than I need. I'm not sure. Gratned it is right before my period, and I do usually get a few small ones around this time, but never anything like this...I'm gonna stick it out, but wanted to share my experience at about the 6 week mark

This could work for you! However before you begin, don't get too attached to the idea. I was so hopeful and excited. The doc prescribed me 100mg/day and ordered i take a blood test the day before my first day, one week later, two weeks later, and four weeks later. I shot up to 5.2, then 4.5, then 5.5, at which point my doc said "no more, not an option for you." For those of you whose potassium stays under 4.7ish while on the med, this is safe and I wish you success!!

After visiting my dermatologist he told me I suffered from hormonal acne. I wouldn't say i had horrible acne but around that time of the month i would get small cysts along my jawline and sometimes even my shoulders, but after taking this medication for a months i have seen my skin improving with each day passing. Not only does it take away my acne ( so glad :) ) but it reduces my body hair growth and even makes me a little more upbeat. My face is red but i believe that may be from the topical gels he gave me as well, he gave me DUAC it doesn't work well for me just burns my skin. But bottom line is this really works! i am so glad spiro came into my life :)

Ladies, Spiro is GREAT! I'm 23 and have had a ROLLERCOASTER ride with moderate acne since I was 16. This past summer I decided I was DONE with taking antibiotics because I felt I was becoming immune to them and the side effects were driving me crazy...y-infections (even in my fingers, its possible!), interfering with my BCP Yaz, photosensitivity, and get this "doxycycline induced esophagitis" - yeah basically the pill got stuck in my esophagus. Anyways, I've just finished my 2nd month of Spiro and wow I'm about 80% better. My pores look great, my facial and body hair is coming back much slower and fainter, and my bad monthly cravings for junk food have decreased (not entirely), HOWEVER, my appetite and libido have as well decreased, thankfully herbs have taken care of that. I workout so my blood pressure is in the low "athlete/children" section so I try to increase my intake of sodium so that I retain some water and do not faint, so far so good.

I have tried everything short of acutane. My 18 year old daughter and I started this together. The first few weeks our oil was almost gone. Too weird. I have never seen my pores so small. We were on top of the world. Still, we read the reviews and were waiting for the 3-5 month "initial breakout" Well, it came. No fun. However, it was never worse than my worse breakout. PLEASE stick with it. My daughter wanted to throw it away but I reminded her of all the reviews we have read, After 5 consistant months our skin looks great. We have both increased our dose by 25mg's. (small amount of oil production returning) No longer blotting everytime I look in the mirror. I will only require 1 toilet seat cover in public restrooms. (not one for my face and 1 for my butt) Now if only I can find the perfect acne scar treatment. (the only reason to wear foundation! PS. yes, your boobs will swell a bit.

I have been taking Spiro 50mg for about 11 mths now. Spiro is the first thing in over 10 years to work for me!!! It took 5-6 months to work, which I know is awhile, but it is worth the wait! Now, I get a pimple or two (or none) right before my period. I LOVE this drug. This drug does take several months to kick in (everyone is different). It took me about 6 mths of trial and error, questioning if it was doing anything, and questioning if it made my acne worse. I did not think it was going to have any positive affect on me. In addition, some side effects in the first few months included soar (in a painful way) breasts, irregular periods, dizziness out of nowhere, larger breasts, and just not feeling well in general some days. But these are nothing compared to how happy you will be when this stuff works. Please try this, and if you are on it and thinking about trying something else, please dont stop your treatment.

God loves you--he sees your tears and frustration and he wants you to have hope for your skin.

I've battled with oiliness and mild acne since I was eleven years old. In my 20s and now 30s this turned into oiliness and having one to two large deep cystic pimples nearly every month. It would always start as a sensitive spot on my chin that would turn into a painful deep inflamed area. I've gotten more cortisone shots in the last 5 years than I could have ever imagined. Every trip, big event, work meeting was preceded with worrying about whether a cyst would appear and ruin the event. I can honestly say that spironolactone has completely changed my life. Since starting on 50 mg nightly I have not had a single cyst. It's been a miracle drug to me. No longer do I have to bring toiletries to work and wash my face half way through the day to control oil. I can go the whole day and look normal. Having a drier mouth and needing to go to the bathroom a little more is a small price to pay. I'd recommend to anyone suffering from hormonal acne! Good luck

Updated review: I've been using Spiro for about 3 years now with significant success. I had severe cycstic acne after taking myself off of benzyl peroxide and salacylic acid products after using them for years (Don't do them. Your skin gets highly addicted and they cause premature aging). My dermatologist initially put me on 50mg/day and increased it to 75mg/day after one month. I started noticing results after a month of being on it. I didn't notice any initial breakout but my face was in rough shape when starting. By month 3, I was significantly improved and after a year of being on it, I was transformed. It's worth the wait. I was also on a tretinoin (Retin-A) cream at night. I had to increase to 100mg/day for a breakout for about 4 months but I've now been slowly weaning off the medication for about 6-7 months by a rate of 25mg every 2 months. My body takes about a month to adjust to the dosage decrease. I would get a minor breakout but it would even out after about the month mark. My dermatologist also switched me to a clindamycin cream in the morning and a potassium azelaoyl cream at night. I'm weaning off it it due to starting a family and I thought I'd have much more trouble. So far, with such a slow decrease of the medicine my body has responded really well. My dermatologist did the face cream switch about a month before stopping Spiro as to not shock my system too much too. So far so good. I've found this drug to be a miracle for severe/cystic acne. In my experience, it is way better than any birth control pill I've ever been on, which seem to just mess with your hormones quite a bit. I know which medicine I'll be using if I ever have acne in the future. After being on everything as a teen and trying to manage it with over the counter products all through my 20's, this has been a real life saver. Also, diet helps significantly. Limit dairy, processed carbs, sugar and caffeine...which make acne much worse. Try to stick to more lean protein and veggies. A great book to read about that is Clear Skin Forever online. I hope this helps. I've been battling acne my whole life. I'm so grateful for Spiro and knowing that diet plays a huge part of it too. I hope this helps! Older Review: I'm a 33 old female and have managed acne and cystic acne my whole life from age 12. I was managing it well by using a combination salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide products for many years in my 20's. Neutrogena Grapefruit wash, Clean and Clear ointment and Clearasil were my usual products. I'd get an occasional cyst or small amount of acne from time to time, but I started noticing my skin was visibly aging more than my identical twin sister, who didn't use these products. Her skin was completely clear. I did some research and read an online book called Clear Skin Forever, about the harmful effects of benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid products for your skin long term. I took myself off of the ointments and face wash and immediately started breaking out. For several months my skin got far worse (with really bad cystic acne) until I finally took myself to a UCLA dermatologist who put me on Spironolactone and a trentinoin cream (along with a sulfur wash in the morning). She also said how harmful salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide are and recommended Cera-Ve fashwash and lotion. It took a month to start really seeing results, but I've been on it for a year and my skin is 100% clear. My scars are still fading and I get an occasional pimple from time to time, but it's no where near the level it was before starting it. Every month you will notice it getting better and better. Have patience with it and it will pay off. I took pictures of my face every month to track the progress. From my starting point to where I am now, I have completely transformed. Cystic acne is hormonal, not bacterial, and can't be treated with skin ointments. Spiro helps block the over production of testosterone in the body and it's a miracle drug for people with hormonal acne. I've been on every medication imaginable. Including two rounds of Accutane as a teen. It has always come back. Do yourself a favor and see a dermatologist immediately who's willing to put you on this medication. It's not yet FDA approved to treat acne (it's a blood pressure medicine), so some dermatologists won't prescribe it, but it really works. More research is being done to prove it. Also, avoid getting your skin addicted to salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide products. It's very difficult to ween yourself off of them and they do more harm than good in the long run. I use Cera-Ve face wash and a sulfer facewash in the morning with Cera-Ve lotion. At night, I use Cera-Ve wash and occasionally use an apricot scrub (without salicylic acid) to exfoliate. I have huge pores so this helps. Always use the Cera-Ve lotion after washing. Your skin tends to get dry on this medication but it's a small side effect to the benefits it brings. I gave this medicine a year before I gave a review, and I can honestly say it's changed my life. My dermatologist started me at 50mg a day and increased it to 75mg after 3 months. I'm still on the 75mg/day dose, which works for me.