Antiandrogen
Acne.org’s Real World Take
“Spiro” has been shown to work in a real and noticeable way most of the time. However, messing with hormones is messing with hormones and it’s best to proceed with caution.
Antiandrogen
How to Get It
Have a dermatologist? Make an appointment to get this medication. Don't have a dermatologist? See The American Academy of Dermatology Physician Database to find one.
Used Spironolactone? Rate It:
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April 16, 2011
Hey guys, I'm 23 and was prescribed this med by my doctor back in january. I have had ups and down with my skin since my teenage years, but its never been this severe. I just past the 3 month mark, and although my acne has gotten slightly better, it still makes me sick to my stomach on a daily basis. I don't know if I've become obsessed with it, or if it really is as bad as I think.I have had flawless skin before, so I know it's not better. Anyways, I was just wondering if it took anyone more than 3 months to get this "beautiful" skin I keep reading about. I'm just getting really discouraged and I don't know if I should give up on this medication or not.
February 9, 2011
Cons:
I was having stomach pain when I was taking two at a time each day (50 mg) however I started taking one pill in the morning and one at night and I havent had the stomach pain since.
My doctor suggested this medication because I have very oily skin and cystic acne. I have been on it for about 3 weeks but I havent noticed any changes yet. My skin is still oily and I still have some cysts. Does anyone recall how long it took for this medication to work?
October 4, 2010
Pros:
-to be determined
Cons:
-the awful minty taste
-breaking out more
Ive just started this medication 2 weeks ago, and since being on it, Ive actually started to break out more and get those "acne scar pock marks"!!! I am so stressed and upset over this and wanting to quit, but Im only into week 2. My derm. has asked me to be on it for 3 months until my next follow up with him. I know this will take time, but so far the initial result is making my skin worse than it was before. Ive always heard/read that when your on acne medication, your skin could potentially get worse in the first stage but gets better later on. I just have to be patient about it I guess. Has anyone had the same effects like I have? HELP!!!
July 11, 2010
Pros:
Less oily skin
Cons:
my cystic acne came back :(
I went to my dermatologist because my skin was too oily and rosac was not doing anything to prevent that. I got on spiro (50mg per day) and not my chin acne is going crazy. I hadn't had a cystic pimple in a long long time. I don't know what to do.
Will this go away if I keep on using it, or will they just keep on comming?
February 18, 2010
Pros:
Larger breasts, no significant side effects, relatively cheap & easy compared to other acne meds
Cons:
Doesn't work for me, some fatigue
I'm apparently one of the unlucky few that this med does nothing for. It hasn't made my acne worse; it just hasn't done anything at all. I have not experienced any drying up of my greasy, oily skin at all. I was so disappointed - I was so looking forward to that aspect if nothing else! I might as well take sugar pills for all the good it's done. I've taken 100 mg daily religiously for 7 months so it's not as if I haven't given it a good try. I still recommend it to others because I haven't experienced any significant side effects from it (except for some fatigue, which I can get from any drug), and it seems to work so well for so many. Unfortunately, I'm not one of them. It's on to Accutane (again) for me. I hope you have better luck.
December 2, 2009
Pros:
turned aggressive hormonal acne mild
Cons:
upset stomach, dehydration, menstrual problems, depression, dangerously low blood pressure.
I took Spirono for a full year. It did not completely eliminate my hormonal acne but it did make it much milder. Now that I am off it and I can tell you this treatment was not worth it emotionally. I did not full realize until I got off it how much it was affecting my mood. It literally made completely a-motivated and depressed for a year, I feel so much better being free from it now. A few spots on my face are not worth losing the motivation to be happy. Also: it is a blood pressure medication and it superficially dropped my blood pressure so low that I was in a dangerous situation when I needed to be treated for another illness. BOTTOM LINE : NOT WORTH IT!
November 12, 2009
Pros:
Can't really say that I personally found any. I don't want to discourage you from taking this drug though if you truly do have hormonal acne. It seems to work exceptionally well for those that do.
Cons:
The following things happened to me (this may not happen to you). These things occured about 3 months into taking the drug: Hair thinning, complete loss of appetite, inability to sleep through the night, absentmindedness, horrible depression
First off I do not want to discourage anyone from trying this medicine if they do ACTUALLY have hormonal acne. As it turns out, I probably do not. To make a long story short.....when Solodyn stopped working for me my derm added 50mg Spiro into the mix because he said that I must have hormonal acne because of the location of the acne (lower face, jaw line, chin, etc....) He never drew blood to test my hormone levels or provided me any info on it. He just sent me on my way. My being naive and trusting my doctor went and got the scrip filled. Well for the first month the drug had no effect on my mild/mod acne whatsoever. My derm upped the dosage to 100 mg and the second and third month passed with no "miracles" as I had suspected. What did happen around month 3 are all of the "cons" that I listed above. I went to my gyno today who took me off both the Solodyn and the Spiro. My basic message here is that you should be tested for hormone issues prior to trying this drug.
August 20, 2009
Pros:
May have lost some water weight.
Cons:
Has not cleared my skin at all. Possible headaches. Dry mouth.
Does not work for me. Have been on 100 mg/day for almost 2 months.
June 16, 2009
Pros:
Nothing.
Cons:
Gave me hives, had an allergic reaction to it, couldn't walk uphill without feeling like passing out.
Didn't take it long enough to see results.
May 4, 2009
Pros:
idk think there were any??
Cons:
heart pounding, trouble breathing, couldn't sleep at night, and head aches that were horrible!
This medication may work for some people, but as for me it was awful and felt like it could have been life threatening if I didn't stop taking it. I first had horrible head aches so then I took it at night because I thought that would help with the head aches and then my heart started pounding just to get up and walk around the house. I had trouble breathing and if I got up to quick I would get a bit dizzy or light headed. Just thought I would let you all know some possible side affects before taking this medication.
Pros:
Too early to tell