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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June 30, 2014
HELP
3 months ago my doctor put me on a 50mg dosage.. to say the least it did not help with my acne at all it was all around my jaw line and forehead. about a month ago he bumped my dosage to 100mg a day (2 pills) and ever since then my acne got 100xs worse!! Its all over my cheeks and my neck. Does it get worse before it gets better? Should I wait it out? has this happened to anyone ? any info would be great
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December 13, 2013
Want to gain weight and not clear up your acne? Take this!

Pros:

Cheap

Cons:

Weight gain
Extreme dryness/thirst
Dizzyness

Did not have any effect on acne, caused extreme dryness/thirst, low blood pressure, and weight gain. Avoid, avoid!
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October 1, 2013
Never the same

Cons:

Stomach problems

After taking only two doses of this medicine i ended up int he hospital with a "burnt" esophagus (easiest way to put it). After loads of iv's and injected pain medicines I could not eat real foods for almost a month without pain. Almost a year later and I still haven't taken even an advil due to how scared I am of it coming back again. Took a z-pack 8 months ago and it all came back, my doctor said it will take very very long to go away. Never got to see skin change.
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August 3, 2013
just started taking this

Pros:

less oil

Cons:

not long enough for improvement

just started taking this drug about 3 weeks ago not really any improvement with acne, just skin is a little less oily! we will see what happens in the next 6 months I will keep you guys posted
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May 19, 2013

Cons:

acnes worse

have been using spironolactone along with doxycyxline and clymadicin topical gel for 2 months exactly, and my acne has worsened. Used to only have acne on my forehead and the occasional chin spot, and now i seem to have a lot more on my chin area and the forehead remains the same as before if not a little worse, none of the treatments seem t have worked. Think spiro may have prevented the antibiotic from working, as im concerned my acne is not hormonal, or at least not caused by excess androgens. when i went on dianette earlier this year, i was on it for 3 months and it also significantly worsened my skin and caused severe bloating and mood swings. Does anyone know if the spironolactone is the cause for worsened acne/ lack of effectiveness of the antibiotic (i previously took tetracycline which cleared my skin after about 2 and a half months, and have used zineryt , both which seemed to clear it previously)
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October 7, 2012

Pros:

Cheap

Cons:

Didn't work for me
Horrible initial breakouts

I can't explain how sad I am to write this review, because 7 months ago I had high hopes that this medicine would cure my acne (which I believe is hormonal). I am a 30 year old female and have had acne since puberty. I have been going to dermatologists since I was a teenager and have been on almost every internal medicine for acne aside from accutane, and tons of prescription topical creams. Antibiotics work for a few months, then the acne comes back. When I found out about Spiro, I was hopeful this would be my miracle drug. The first few months were beyond hard. My initial breakouts were emotionally crippling. I read these reviews on an almost daily basis to encourage me to stick with it, but it was HARD. After 7 months of no regular improvement, I stopped taking the drug. I was taking 50mg twice a day. My next step is to visit an endocrinologist so they can determine if this really is hormonal acne or hopefully some kind of vitamin deficiency. As great as dermatologists are, they are not certain what the cause of your acne is and I really want to know the root of my issues. I've been reading The Clear Skin Diet by Alan Logan and do believe that changing my diet will help things, but there's no way I can cut out all dairy and sugar. My big hope is that the endocrinologist can confirm I have a vitamin or mineral deficiency (like zinc) and I can fix my issue that way. I honestly don't know what else to do :(
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TJ2017
March 16, 2016
Your experience sounds much like mine. I took Spiro for 7 months with NO improvement. My Derm prescribed me this just by looking at me. Never tested my hormone level or listened to any of my concerns. After doing much research I have decided to try Zinc (it's only been 3 days since I started so I can't judge its effectiveness or lack there of). I think I may be Zince defiant because I also suffer from hair loss, do not eat much seafood & have white spots on my nails. Of cours I'm not a doctor so I don't know for sure but I will try Zinc for awhile & see how it goes.
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TJ2017
March 16, 2016
Your experience sounds much like mine. I took Spiro for 7 months with NO improvement. My Derm prescribed me this just by looking at me. Never tested my hormone level or listened to any of my concerns. After doing much research I have decided to try Zinc (it's only been 3 days since I started so I can't judge its effectiveness or lack there of). I think I may be Zince defiant because I also suffer from hair loss, do not eat much seafood & have white spots on my nails. Of cours I'm not a doctor so I don't know for sure but I will try Zinc for awhile & see how it goes.
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January 22, 2012

Pros:

Face Clearing after Initial Breakout
Inexpensive (Even without Prescription Coverage)

Cons:

Initial Bad Breakout
Significant Fatigue
Period Every 2 Weeks
Hair Thinning/Shedding

After a diagnosis of hormonal acne (experienced bad breakouts leading up to monthly periods), my dermatologist prescribed Spironolactone (50 mg/once a day). With very little knowledge of the drug, I took it for about 2 to 3 months before stopping it cold turkey. After a fairly initial bad breakout and a subsequent dosage increase (to 75 mg/day), the drug definitely reduced my acne flareups, going from larger cystic bumps to smaller, less bothersome, pimples. My acne never fully went away (perhaps if I had stayed with the drug longer and/or was on a higher dosage). After about 2 to 3 months, I took myself off the drug completely. Especially after the higher dosage, I experienced chronic fatigue, periods every two weeks, and, worst of all, hair thinning and shedding (odd for a drug that's often prescribed to treat that very thing), which I had never experienced before. As soon as I stopped the drug, almost overnight, my energy level went back to where it was previous to taking the drug and my hair stopped thinning/shedding after about a week (haven't had a problem since, so, without question, I can safely tie it to the drug). My periods went back to normal after about two cycles The hair, period, and fatigue side effects were just too much for me to warrant taking this drug, which, when I researched more deeply, scared me anyway for a host of other reasons. So, bottom line, CANNOT recommend! Since my Spironolactone therapy about two months ago, I've been taking just Clindamycin topical lotion twice a day and, that's actually been sufficient at keeping my acne at bay (perhaps helped by the prior Spironolactone therapy).
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January 17, 2012

Pros:

NA

Cons:

NA

Just started Spiro and my derm put me on amoxicillin (875 mg 2 times a day)as well, due to spiro taking few weeks to show results. Has anyone been on a similar "program". I do not have cystic acne and after reading post I'm afraid of developing cystic acne in the beginning. Suggestions/advice welcome!
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January 3, 2012

Pros:

Supposed to be good for hormonal acne.

Cons:

My 12 year old was spotting after a couple of weeks on this medication, so the doctor took her off it right away.

Be careful and be in communication with your doctor while taking any medication.
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November 20, 2011

Pros:

Noting yet :(

Cons:

My face is breaking out :(
Taking a pill 2x a day.

I have been on this medicine for 2 weeks and my face has never looked so bad. My acne is hormonal therefore I only break out right before my period. My derm recommend this medicine. I take 50mg a day. After reading some of the reviews it sounds like my face will get worse before it gets better. But how long do I have to wait? I am very tempted to stop taking this medication. I am 36 years old and having "this much" acne is embarrassing.
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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:

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