Spironolactone
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Spironolactone is a type of oral medication called an anti-androgen that is sometimes prescribed to females. Androgens are male hormones that are present...

Spironolactone is a type of oral medication called an anti-androgen that is sometimes prescribed to females. Androgens are male hormones that are present in both males and females that lead to more acne, and spironolactone helps reduce androgens.

It is usually taken once or twice a day, around the same time(s), preferably with a meal.

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August 3, 2011

Pros:

**Weight loss (operates as direutic and helped hormonal imbalance)
**visibly clearer skin
**added confidence

Cons:

**way too many side effects
**long-term potential harm

I've been on Spiro 4 weeks (taking it with two prescribed daily topicals - Acanya in the morning and Atralin at night - plus Glytone as a facial wash). Less than a week after usage, I noticed visibly clearer skin and weight loss, fluid/bloating that had been consistent went away, and I even started receiving compliments on my complexion and trimmer fit which let me know they were obvious to others besides myself. By week two, I wasn't self-conscious at all about not wearing make-up. Down sides: Week One -- Diarrhea (every morning) and terrible headaches/migraines, which was bad since one warning was against taking NSAIDS such as ibuprofen, etc. Week Two -- Slightly peeling skin and fatigue as only side affects (I would need a nap *every* day) Week Three -- earlier cycle (causing me to have 2 periods in the month of July), though it was light with no cramping--a great thing :) Week Three/Four -- unbearable itching (that spread all over), hives, redness and swelling around eyes and eyelids, and allergic reaction. I had to go to urgent care TODAY for a shot because of the allergic reaction, rash, severe itching, etc. Doctor recommended discontinuing it. It's bitter-sweet because I was getting great results but have experienced way too many side effects. It's not worth it in the longrun. Bye-bye Spiro!
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August 2, 2011

Pros:

Cleared up persistent cystic acne

Cons:

May be causing tinnitus

I love this medication. I have been on it for nearly a year now, and my skin just gets better and better. I started getting cystic acne when I was about 20, and it usually took a couple weeks for each one to go away. By the time I was 30, cysts took approximately 2-3 months to heal, and by the time they did I had a new one to deal with. My cystic acne cleared up almost immediately, and the tiny little pimples I get sometimes usually clear up in a day or two, and are very infrequent. On the flip side, I filled my prescription a few days ago, and the pills they gave me looked different than what I have taken in the past. They told me that they had purchased them from a different vendor, but it was the same medication, even showing me the bottle. Suddenly yesterday morning I had a ringing in my left ear, and everything sound tinny (my right ear is fine). Tinnitus is a possible side effect with this medication, and I find it suspicious that it started right after I started taking the medication from a different manufacturer. I am going to talk to my pharmacist and see if it is possible to get the other medication and see if it clears up my problem. In my experience, side-effects to medication show up within a short time of taking them, and when they have shown up suddenly in the past, it was due to a change in the medication (switch from brand to generic, or a change in manufacturers). My old pharmacist told me that it can happen, because while the active ingredient is the same, the binders and other things in the medication are different. We shall see what happens. If I had written this review a week ago, I would have given it a 5 rating. In any case, glad to have the acne gone, but would really love to have my hearing back in my left ear. When I hold the phone to my left ear, my husband sounds like he has been sucking on helium. It is less noticeable when both my ears are being used, but loud noises now have a sharp ringing sound at the en
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July 28, 2011

Pros:

Cleared up the acne I'd been battling for 8 years (it started when I turned 30).
Keeps blood pressure down (mine was borderline, so was a good thing for me)
Protects against hair loss
My forehead is no longer an oil slick, nor my hair

Cons:

None, really. I'm not wild about taking meds in general, but this one is worth it. I did have one massive breakout after I started taking it (though- it was also a hugely stressful time) but it didn't take that long to start working for me.
Must remember to take consistently

Completely cleared up my hormonal acne- topical treatments did nothing.
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July 22, 2011

Pros:

Four months in and It is definitely helping considerably.

Cons:

I like to exercise and I have a real problem with nausea, feeling of muscle weakness and occasional dizziness linked to this Rx. I am also menstruating every 2-3 weeks now which is not a great side effect - though worth it to me.

Have had acne my entire adult life - over 20 years. Have used almost every Rx there is. Most worked for 2-3 months and then acne became resistant. Accutane worked well while on it, but within a few months after ending treatment acne flared again. I tried Spironolactone years ago with no luck. But current Dr. suggested try again and said may not have had high enough doasge. Am on 50mg/2x per day. Is working well for my skin, but as noted in cons, it's making my regular exercise more difficult. I am also sweating much more when I exercise than I used to...?!
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July 20, 2011

Pros:

Clears up acne and oily skin

Cons:

Takes time to work

I hope I get to inspire or help anyone out there dealing with acne for years now. Had acne for 13 loooong years. Tried accutane 5 times but oil and acne would come back 4 months after stopping it. Last year (August) I took spironolactone 50 mg then increased to 75mg then 125 mg. Healing happened on the fourth month. Super Bad breakout before that but just hang on. Had to take it with diane 35 bcp because of irregular menstration. 2 months ago, I was feeling super tired, lightheaded and dizzy and I attributed it to spiro so I decided to stop it first. Two weeks ago my skin was getting oily and pimply again so my derm suggested to try 75mg first. At 75mg I seem to be doing okay and dizziness and weakness is considerably gone. I have yet to see if 75 mg would work as well as when I was on 125mg but so far it seems good. Hope this helps someone...
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July 20, 2011

Pros:

-it works!
-acne 99.5% clear
-oily skin gone

Cons:

-takes a LONG time
-could have side effects

I already reviewed this, it was working after a little over 3 months, but my skin was still pretty oily i started on 25 mg, 50 mg, than 75 after 3 months, and it started to work, now at 5 months i am on 50 mg and my skin is not at ALL oily, its amazing! It is so clear! but a little dry, so i am going to go back to 25 mg and see if i can't balance it out a bit, but still for now i am just so happy i am not an oily faced freak with giant cystic acne :D but you need a lot of patients with this medicine, so take your time, if your acne is hormonal there is a good chance this will work for you
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July 16, 2011

Pros:

Decrease in oil production
Less cysts on chin

Cons:

Don't have any

I'm not getting any of the side-effects other folks are mentioning. I'm 27yrs. old, had acne for the past 10yrs. Been on Accutane 2x, blue light therapy, acne laser surgery & now trying this. Started on100mg. for 1 month. I just got switched to 200mg. at the 6wk. mark. I'm getting cysts on the lower part of my cheeks; I've never had cysts there before, so I'm wondering if anyone else has had this issue. I read about a possible initial breakout...maybe that's why this is happening. Overall, my skin is definitely drier than it was before I started this medication. I've been reading that it's taking people at least 3mos. to see improvement, so I guess all I can do is just stick with it. I'm using Ziana twice a day as well.
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July 15, 2011

Pros:

-I'm 100% clear!
-Nice minty taste, very easy to swallow
-Before I was totally clear, any pimples I did get cleared up within days rather than weeks
-Very cheap ($5 for a 30 day supply)
-Don't have to feel guilty if I forget to wash my face every now and then
-Don't need to use any other topical treatments

Cons:

-Did take a long time (almost 4 months) but is seriously worth it
-In the first month or so I did find I had to pee very often, but thats is very mild considering the benefits of it
-You have to remember to take it EVERY day

When my dermatologist first suggested I use spiro I was a bit sceptical because I wasn't convinced that my acne was hormonal. It did take a while before I noticed results but after 2.5-3 months I noticed I was getting pimples MUCH less frequently and the ones I did cleared up within days. As of now, almost 4 months into spiro, I havn't had any pimples in weeks (except 1 I got a little over a week ago from not taking my pills everyday as I forgot them when I went on vaca..but its already gone!) I wish I had discovered spiro years ago but am greatful I did and couldn't be happier with the results. I can't remember the last time I felt my skin and it was completly smooth. I would DEFINATLY recomend this to anyone who thinks their acne could be hormonal! Now I just need to fix my PIH and pitted scars and I'll have the skin of my dreams :)
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July 13, 2011

Pros:

Perfect, clear skin! No more cysts!

Cheap!

Cons:

Took 5-6 months to work

Works best at 150 mg dose (for me) and in conjunction with monophasic BC.

Must drink plenty of water.

I am SO thankful for this medication!
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July 11, 2011

Pros:

beautiful skin

im 19 years old and a junior in college and i have always had a slight case of acne since 8th grade, my parents and i have tried everything from medications to lazer treatments, and we just couldnt find something that gave us the results i wanted. my last resort was either accutane or spiro and i highly recommend no women takes accutane. i started talking spiro in november and immediately after i started it my skin did a 360. I am thrilled with the results and i think you have nothing to lose. I HAVE TRIED EVERYTHING AND THIS ACTUALLY WORKS
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Finding a Doctor

The right dermatologist can make a big difference to your patient experience and the success of your acne treatment plan. Here are the steps to find a dermatologist who is a good fit:

  1. Use the search feature on the American Academy of Dermatology website to look for board-certified dermatologists in your area, and filter the search results for doctors with a special interest in treating acne.
  2. Read online patient reviews of any dermatologists you are considering and ask people you know whether they have any experience with these dermatologists.
  3. Do your research and go to your first appointment with questions prepared.
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