Spironolactone Excessive Weight Gain, Muscle Fatigue, Shortness of Breathe, Gain Muscle, Joint Pain
Posted over a year ago
excessive weight gain
muscle fatigue, joint pain shortness of breathe
Savvy1130 - Hello! I realize it has been a long while since the original posting, but I thought I would give it a shot anyways...I'm experiencing the same exact things and can't help but think it is somehow related to the medicine.
My symptoms began right around the same time that I began taking the medicine. In addition to the excessive weight gain, muscle fatigue, joint pain, and shortness of breath, I am also having irregular menstrual cycles.
I haven't really gotten a "regular" period in about a year. I am a very active person so I thought my irregular cycle was just because of that. I was at about 15% body fat a few months ago, and I know when you get that low it's somewhat common to mess up your cycle. I've somehow gained a substantial amount of weight in the last few months, so I would have thought I would have atleast gotten my period back, but not so. I believe that is listed as a side effect, but anyways.
The most frustrating thing for me is definitley the weight gain. I had a body comp test done recently (which I do every so often by my nutritionist) and despite working out 5-6 days a week and eating just enough for my body to function "properly", I have gained 15 pounds!! Urgg!
You're probably wondering what I'm thinking by continuing to take the medicine, but I'm just not certain there is a direct correlation. I can't find anything on people gaining weight on Spironolactone. Plus, I've "confused" my body a good bit over the last few months with this really horrible colon cleanse thing that I did as well as medication changes, etc, so I'm wondering if my body just doesn't understand what's going on.
But then again, I'm experiencing other symtoms too. I've been depressed lately (so not me) which I know is partly because I feel so hopeless and frustrated with everything, but still- Not me. My doctor is sending me to a endocrinologist, but my appointment is not for another month and a half. I don't know if I should stay on the medicine or not. I don't want to change something up again and furhter confuse it. I guess if I keep gaining, I'm going to stop. I don't think I could take it.
Wow- this is long and I could keep on going, but I'll go ahead and close... Just a couple questions: Are you still taking the medicine? Was it only because of Spironolactone? Did the weight come back off?
Thank you so much to anyone reading this that may be able to provide some insight!
Sunflower941 - I would recommend getting off Yasmin right away. I gained 25 pounds on this, even while exercising an hour every day and eating about 1200-1400 calories. I have horrible pitting edema now, and my blood pressure sky rocketed to the point where my obgyn sent me directly to the emergency room. My bp has always been around 120/70, which is very normal. It jumped to 180/110 while on Yasmin. Now it's been several months and the doctors are scared to take me off these terrible blood pressure medicines. Please get off Yasmin right away. I can almost guarantee it has caused your weight gain. Good luck.
Nep1016 - hello! i ran across this forum because i had the same effect while on spiro. I started taking it to help with acne, hair loss, and hirsuitism which it did help slightly, but i also ended up gaining 15-20 pounds in 2 months! I started at 110 and am now at 130 without any change to my diet. i exercise regularly and even kicked it up a notch but i cant seem to lose a pound. i stopped taking it last month and loaded up on a bunch of vitamins and supplements to hopefully work for the acne hair loss ect but so far nothing really. im going to give it a couple of months to let my body adjust and pray that it works. i do feel less tired and bitchy already, and i think ive lost a pound or 2 since coming off of it so im happy about that. ill repost in a month and let you know my progress. =)
Caitlynm84 - I have been getting my period every 2 weeks on spiro and this morning I woke up on my 8th day of period with cramps where I COULDN'T EVEN WALK! I had to crawl to the toilet...it felt like i was getting stabbed in the stomach- I'D HIGHLY RECCOMMEND DISCONTINUING this drug if your having any strange side effects... I normally have a reg. menstrual cycle and this has been an agonizing two months since i've begun spiro! It stinks b/c this is what the dermatologist would be the answer for my acne!
Kaz101 - I have been on Spironolatone for about 10 months now and have noticed a huge change in my body shape. I have always maintained a good weight, eat healthy and do moderate exercise. Right now I am bloated, huge weight gain on my hips and legs and no weight gain anywhere else. Its awful. I have search the internet to find a link to Spironolactone and weight gain and the comments above is all I have found. Has anyone lost weight since coming off these tablets? How long did it take?
Deb75 - I started taking Spiro a few months ago for my acne and at first I didn't notice the weight gain or side effects but the doctor increased my dosage quickly to 75 mg and that's when I started getting the stabbing pains in my breasts, feeling very tired and lethargic, the irregular heartbeats and MAJOR weight gain. Let's not even get started with the bitchiness or depressed feelings I'm getting as well. I went back down to the 50 mg but if I don't start losing weight soon and these symptoms don't subside very soon I'm stopping it all together. I'm usually very happy, very thin and have energy with no major breast pains so this medication is starting to freak me out. I too looked online at all the medical websites for weight gain as one of the side effects but found nothing. I am glad I'm not losing my mind and alone with all this.
Deb75 - I started taking Spiro a few months ago for my acne and at first I didn't notice the weight gain or side effects but the doctor increased my dosage quickly to 75 mg and that's when I started getting the stabbing pains in my breasts, feeling very tired and lethargic, the irregular heartbeats and MAJOR weight gain. Let's not even get started with the bitchiness or depressed feelings I'm getting as well. I went back down to the 50 mg but if I don't start losing weight soon and these symptoms don't subside very soon I'm stopping it all together. I'm usually very happy, very thin and have energy with no major breast pains so this medication is starting to freak me out. I too looked online at all the medical websites for weight gain as one of the side effects but found nothing. I am glad I'm not losing my mind and alone with all this.
R3dd3vil - I was on spiro for a year, started at 25 and went up to150mg. Started gaining weight around 75mg as well as night sweats and a consistently bloated feeling. Stopped taking it in august 08 due to weight gain, by feb 09 i dropped all the weight and kept losing (high testosterone will do that). The acne came back worse then ever (which i thought i could handle as long as i was skinny). The reasons for the weight gain and breast increase are due to lower testosterone. look up side effects for that. lower your dosage and see if it improves. Ive since started it again, and getting all the same side effects. in the long run it's better for me to have no acne. hope this helps everyone.
Productiondiva - Oh my goodness I am so glad to have found these postings, as I thought I was losing my mind as well. I have only been on the Spiro for one month at a low dose, since when I first started I could not tolerate the 100mg, then tried 50mg and now I am at 25mg. The good news is that even at 25mg once a day it has taken care of my cystic acne and the pores on my skin are tighter. I also was experiencing hair loss and found that once I started the Spiro that it completely reversed this, hair has stopped falling out and I have all sorts of new hairs growing in. however, with this said, I have gained 20lbs. in one month.
Just like all of you I could not find anything mentioning weight gain with this drug, if anything I found people talking about how they lost weight while on this drug. Now I am perplexed as what my next step should be, obviously I like having clear skin and hair that is not falling out, however, I do not want to balloon up. I have always had a small frame and use to be a dancer, so I feel very self conscious about my weight right now. Any ideas on what I should do?? Thank you in advance for any input.
Mangosmom - Oh my GOD! Thank you all for sharing your experience I too felt like I was going crazy. I started taking Spiro last April and feel like I'd gain a pound by just looking at food. I'm only 5'0 and have gained 15-20 lbs since then. It didn't really hit me until I outgrew my shirts, that's when I knew something was up. My hips, thighs and butt are gigantic now more then ever before. I also have terrible mood swings, super bitchy ALL the time, it's like I'm about to get my period everyday. My eating habits have not changed, if anything it's gotten better because I don't eat fast food anymore and work out 3-4 times a week. My skin cleared up really nice the first few months then later I started to break out again. I told my dermatologist about my concerns but he reassured me, if anything, I should be losing weight....WELL I'M NOT. I just stopped taking it a few days ago and so far no signs of break out yet, however I am preparing for the worst. At this point, I will look for other topical treatments that won't effect my weight or mood. Thank you, reading these posts has really given me peace of mind.
Deb75 - Since my last post I have stopped taking my Spiro. I had debated on what was more important having clear skin and being fat while having no control over my weight gain since I was eating healthy and working out but the weight kept packing on ( went from 120lbs to 140lbs in 2 months) or being healthy and thin with acne. I got a really bad UTI and my doctor put me on Cipro and told me to stop taking pretty much everything I was taking as to not have any adverse reactions so the decision to stop Spiro was kind of made for me. I'm happy I did because I feel like myself again (less moody), I'm not lethargic and weak, I have started losing my weight (slowly) and my breasts are no longer in massive pain and don't feel like they are being stabbed. I have started to notice pretty quickly my face breaking out and the cystic acne returning and while it sucks I'm thinking over all I feel so much better. I read online about an herbal medicine that does the same thing as Spiro without all these horrible side effects and it's called Saw Palmetto. I plan on discussing it with my doctor before I try it but I figure after what I experienced with Spiro it can’t be much worse. (Spiro is brutal) I hope if anyone tries this Saw Palmetto and has any positive or negative feedback that they will post it here as I plan to if I try it. Maybe this will help us get the help we need without all the negatives we are experiencing with Spiro.
Enoughalready - Get rid of it and start seeing positives return--if you notice all of this, why on earth stay on it
Kimberlyh33 - Hello, I just found this posting tonight. I cant beleive this. Its like I have been mesmerized by spironolactone. I should have known better and listened to my body. Last october i had swelling in my legs and abdomen and my low blood pressure went up, for no apparent reason other than the swelling. I dont take any other medication, nor B/C and I never have. So my doctor prescribed sprio cuz Ive been a runner for 12 years and he said it was the best one for swelling and high BP that would not kill my ability to have an effective run and carido workout. I ve never been unable to control my weight through diet and excersise. The first two weeks on spiro I lost 12 pounds in water weight. So it definetly worked onthe water weight gain i had. I guess i should have stopped taking it right then, cuz then i started gaining about 4 pounds a month, no matter how restricted my diet or the more i worked out. So over the past 7 months i have gained a total of 20 pounds. I run four to five times a week and do weights at least once a week. my diet is at 1200 calories a day. and i dont eat fast food. my worst bad habit is salt. so i will stop the salt and the spiro, check my BP daily,and if it goes back up, im going to try a different med. thanks to all the posters.I couldnt find anything on weight gain with spiro until now.
Pokie - I've only been on spiro 50mg for a few weeks, but noticed weight gain right away. I assumed since I had heard that spiro takes months to really work that i could not blame it for the weight gain (though nothing else had changed). My question for everyone out there is how long before you noticed your weight gain?
Jenninsb - I am so glad I found all of you. Thank you for sharing your experiences. I've been on 150mg for a couple of years now due to cystic acne due to PCOS. I dropped to 100mg a few months ago as I was tired of low libido. Now though, the weight gain in unlikely places (upper legs, hips) is making my crazy. I work out 6X's per week and eat very well. Other symptoms have magnified also and I thought it was my PCOS but now I think it's the spiro. Do you stop or wean off?
Unexplainedthings1 - OMG! I thought it was just me also. I was! taking the spiro but I have officially taken myself off. I was taking it due to stop hair growth in unwanted places but forget that. I was 153lbs but now I have gone up to 163lbs within a month and i hate that because I just lost all my weight. My eating habits did not change at all, matter of fact i would feel full more quickly. I would run daily and lift weights. I have discontinued the medicine the medicine for only 2days. I have gained weight in my thighs, butt, and in my stomach area. This really sucks because I put away all my older bigger clothes for my new slimmer clothes and now I really can't fit into my new clothes as comfortable as I use to. My sexual urges have plummented and I know I have a high sex drive, I am on the edge, always tired and fatigue. I can't do it anymore. Forget weanning off the drug I am off it completely. I will let you all know in the future how the weight loss go and how long it takes for it to come off. So I am not crazy after all. They definitely need to add weight gain (in some cases) to a side affect of this medication.
Tiger1001 - Holy Hannah, what a relief! I am like most people on this thread; healthy diet (gluten-intolerance forces it) and a committed runner (35-45 miles a week). I have been trying EVERYING and wondered why I couldn’t seem to shake this weight gain over the last few months, and you know how it is; you tell people and they just think you’re not being truthful about how much you’re really eating. :) Now a lot of my clothes won’t fit, and I’ve started to try to determine if something else might have caused it (been on the pill for years and this never happened) and this is really the only thing that changed. I seem to have gained about 15 lbs I can’t shake. I was normally pretty solid and athletic, but I have gained in ODD places- mostly all my waist, hips and upper thighs, with arms and lower legs looking fine. I went on 50mg a day early this year and then my derm ratcheted me up to 125, but my cystic acne wasn’t ever severe. I’m going to try to get off it now and see what happens, and hopefully the topical stuff will help my skin enough. By the way, my period is MESSED UP from this stuff. Despite being on the pill, I didn’t get anything at all for 2 months, and there should be no other reason for that- no big changes in my life that would possibly cause that. Please keep posting and let us know about how all of you feel as you come off it and if the weight did come off!! And thank you all for making me feel like i'm not crazy!!
Carolinec - Also, very glad I found these postings. I have been gaining weight over the last 2 years, but thought maybe it was from getting older, etc. I have been taking spironalactone for my blood pressure for about 2 years. Started thinking my weight gain, and lack of being able to lose any weight may be because of the spironalactone was when I lowered my dose from 50 mg to 25 mg and finally started losing weight. I'm debating whether to stop taking this all together, but do like the positive effects from the drug (great for my skin and hair). Am interested to keep up with these postings and see how things go.
Dani052072 - Finally I get confirmation from all of you on what I've been thinking for the last two years! Spironolactone does cause weight gain. I have also gained ten pounds in the last year while being on it - specifically in my stomach, butt and thighs. Nothing fits :( My dermatologist kept insisting that it's a diuretic and that people tend to lose weight on it but apparently that's not the case. So, I am also very curious on how long it takes once you stop the medicine to lose weight?
Leahwa13 - I would like to know if anyone lost weight after they stopped using it?
Ive been on it for 6 years and gained 40 pounds and had no clue why, i take a total of 100mg a day,
after reading all this im hoping my weight gain is from this because
im healthy and exercise and eat vegan.
please update with your experience from quitting spironolactone
I also had fatigue thats why i would take my dose before bed but i was tired all the next day. My blood work also came back fine...
Irisblue - I've been on 50 mg X2/day spirolactone for a few months now. It's been swell for my skin. But I've been gaining most noticeably around the stomach. I, too, work out and watch what I eat. But the most disconcerting thing is getting a period now every 2 weeks with some spotting inbetween. Sick of it! I'm 50, and now have to choose between acne, or gaining weight & putting up with polymenorrhea. Not nice. At first I couldn't figure it out--then the light comes on. Duh! Thank goodness for this site. All these postings I've just read have made me feel a lot better and more sane. Thank you!
Tiger1001 - I've been off for about 3 weeks now and the weight is coming off. Not overnight or anything, but it's happening. And funnily enough, I've been sort of 'naughty' the last few weeks- not working out much, eating a bit worse than usual, etc. and am still seeing improvement. I actually started taking the natural supplement mentioned above, Saw Palmetto. I'm taking 4 supplements a day which is the recommended dosage, and knock on wood, skin still looks great (the dosing form that is not like it is with sprio- you can find more info about this by googling). I don't think it is causing any weight gain or preventing any losing- and this was from a girl who was on 125 mg a day of spiro! I can relate to everyone, it was so distressing to see this unexplained weight around my waist and stomach that hasn't EVER been there before. My body seems to be generally happy with being off of it.
Leahwa13 - Thank you Tiger1001
i have stopped taking it on Tuesday and it's Friday now.
my skin is fine so far and i have so much more energy!
he energy i have blows me away, after being on spiro for so many many years i just thought me being tired all the time was me getting old.
well thats not true!
I haven't stepped on the scale yet to see if i lost weight,
Im sorta scared too so i wanted to wait at least 2 weeks.
if i notice any acne coming i will look into saw palmetto.
but right now i want to clean myself from what spiro did to me.
I will keep everyone updated as well.
If i start losing weight i will create my own website about the real effects of spiro so i can help others who maybe going through the same thing.
if you google about spiro the only thing that comes up about weight gain and fatigue is this site..
thats sad!
Bluize1 - I've been taking 50mg/day for 2 or 3 months, and have already gained 10-12 pounds. I'm short, so the extra weight is very noticeable on me, I can't fit into a lot of my clothes now, and I'm miserable. I've been especially active during this time (walking, hiking, riding bike 3-5x/week) so this doesn't make any sense.. must be the Spiro. It also seems to make me reeeeally tired. I'm taking it for excess face and body hair, and I don't know what to do now ... seems I have to choose between being fat or hairy :-(
Babbarobinson - I am so glad that I found this website... I was beginning to think I was loosing my mind! I started taking 100mg/day of spiro only three weeks ago and have already gained 7 pounds. I have a BMI of 20, eat healthy and run 3 miles 3-4 times a week. I couldn't figure out how/why I was gaining weight, as I've stayed the same, doing the same things, for years. I read online about spiro's side effects and found NOTHING about weight gain, so I was at a loss. My dermotologist put me on spiro for acne, she is trying to get me off the antibiotics I've been on for 6 months, but after reading these posts I will not do it with spiro. I've also had problems with my knees after running the past two weeks, so I don't know if that is from the spiro or not, but I'm going to be calling her. I stopped taking it yesterday...
Bonnelane - Hello all. I am also a pcos girl on spiro for the last two years. I'm on yaz as well and do the 200mg a day spiro routine. The last two times I went for a check up at the endocrinologist she confronted me about my weight gain and said I need to lose it or my spiro would be less effective. Depressing! I've since gained 18 lbs in 4 months and am dreading my next appt. I started taking 600mg of saw palmetto and kept forgetting to take it regularly so I can't weigh in on its effects. I ran out of spiro 2 days ago and and contemplating whether to refill it or not now that I've read all of your responses. Maybe ill switch to the saw palmetto in full swing now and see how it goes. Hmm. Oh. I haven't had a period in over a year but the doc said that's the yaz not the spiro. Ill let you know if it returns after bein off the med! Thanks all
Cen1979 - I was put on 100mg spiro for acne about 6 months ago and have also gained about 10 lbs. I am crazy active; running, mountain biking, yoga, pilates ect. I cannot lose this weight. I finally found this post about 2 weeks ago and stopped taking spiro cold turkey. I haven't started losing any weight even though I exercise like crazy and eat extremely healthy. I can't figure out how long it takes for the spiro to truly leave the system even though the half life is short (hours). I think the effects on the aldosterone receptors must take a bit longer to reverse. Anyway, if anyone else has gone off and can give some advice on how to get the weight to come back off I would appreciate it. I guess I'll have to live with acne as opposed to being fat. As an aside, the acne has not yet come back - more proof that the spiro has not been eliminated yet.
Asonia - I thank you all for your postings, I have received a prescription for the Spiro last week, first wanted to find out what are the side effects, weight gain is scarry for me, I better use some tropical ointment for the acne.
Thanks for your advise, has anyone used Saw Palmetto
Regards
Mbics - Hello
I am so glad to here that I am not alone. This is the only thing I have changed in the last 2-3months and I have gained almost 13lbs for no reason. I went off of it over a week ago and barely have eaten and worked out and have not lost one ound. Hoping it gets out of my system soon. Thanks for the post I was started to think I was going crazy!
Au1234 - I've been checking this website constantly to see if anyone has LOST WEIGHT YET after stopping the med. I stopped taking 4 wks ago and I haven't gained anymore weight. Which is GREAT because I was putting on 3-4 lbs a month! I'm convinced my 25lb weight gain in a year is from the Spiro. My Dad was on the same med for high blood pressure a few years ago and he told me "Why yes, blood pressure medication makes a person gain weight". But I was not aware of this since I was taking the Spiro for acne. (Now I know). So I'm slightly breaking out...but not to bad. I've been using Differin and some other Topical ointment and its controlling the problem. Oh, and I'm using Milk of Magnesia to control the oil under my make up. I think that is also helping. If you haven't heard of Milk of Magnesia used for oil control, google it. Basically you just put on your face, let it dry, put your lotion and then make up. It works great and make up stays fresh. So with that and the topical meds, I'm done with Spiro. I actually list 4 lbs....but I don't want to get hopes up. Could be water loss. If I lose more in a month or so....I will post and give an update. Good luck to everyone that has also stopped the Sprionolactone in hopes to shed off the weight gained.
Hokiejean1010 - I started taking Sprio 25 mg 18 months ago for hair loss/thinning. It worked on that problem but I have gained 30 pounds with no change to exercise patterns or eating. I didn't connect it to Sprio until June 2010 and went back to the dermatologist who told me that weight gain is not a side effect but breast size increase it. However, for the first time in my life at age 59 I have rolls of fat in the abdomin and fat on my upper thighs and hips. I went to my general practictioner and she said that weight gain is very common and to stop the drug immediately. I stopped 6 weeks ago and have continued to gain 1 pound a week. I would appreciate any advice in terms of how to purge the Spiro from my system.
Jml1973 - Hi ladies,
I just stopped taking Spiro and Yasmin yesterday. I was on 100mg / day Spiro for 3 years. I never experienced any weight gain from it at all. On the contrary, I think it helped my weight. And my skin has been fantastic. I'll keep everyone posted on my progress. I stopped both the pill and Spiro cold turkey. Scary.
Susanciani1 - THANK YOU FOR THIS INFO- I have been on Spiro 100mg a day for 4 weeks and while my acne has been better (not completely gone) I have experienced severe breast pain, tiredness, and excessive weight gain. I feel consistently bloated and flabby, especially around my mid section. I am stopping this drug asap. I am so angry that I spent 1 year losing 10 pounds, kept it off for a year and have put it back on in 1 month. I wish that stupid nurse practitioner would have mentioned this as opposed to saying I may lose weight.
Shunnie86 - i thought i was losing my mind...i took spiro and i gained 20 pounds in 2 months...i had 3 kids 1year apart i didnt gain that much weight that fast...i had pain in my breast,i started noticing the weight gain with in abot 1 and 1/2 to 2 months....i started taking it in dec.09 and i stopped in may.2010 and im starting to lose some of the weight....i know use clean and clear with benzol peroxide and retin-a face cream and i have had no break outs..i will never recommend spiro to any one unless you want to gain weightit does clear up your face but i say find nother remedy thats works for you..instead of being a clear face Fat,Obese,Unhealthy, fat chick
Chick100 - Spiro really sucks. I thought it was a miracle pill the first week I took it; I lost 9 pounds. I weighed myself 2 days into the second week, and was blown away---I had gained 5 of those pounds back (IN TWO DAYS). I was sooo swollen, I could not even close my fingers, and walking felt like I was dragging two big pieces of lead with me. And, what was soo frustrating was that I was eating sooo healthy (oatmeal, and salads with plain vinegar and egg whites for the rest of the day. I stopped taking it and lost two pounds by the very next morning.
Boomboom22 - I have been on spiro for 3 years and just assumed my fatigue, weight gain and irritability were associated with the new job I had started at the same time I started the medicine. A month ago, the fatigue had gotten so bad I could barely get out of bed. I have been off of it for a week and feel like myself again. I'm sad that I wasted 3 years on it but am so happy I found these postings and connected the dots. Thanks everyone!
Whatmeds - Very interesting. I, too, have experienced weight gain and fatigue. I take spiro for acne and hairloss. I do see improvement. I love my clear skin. I have gained 7 pounds in 18 months. Weighed 113, now 120. At first I figured a few pounds was better than acne. But at some point, I will have to decide - Acne or Fat? Has anyone considered that the higher testosterone levels that caused acne also kept weight down?And this fat is just what we would have been if we never had the acne? I did go off Spiro about a year ago for 3 months and experienced return of Acne. What to do?
Jml1973 - Hi ladies. I posted a few weeks ago and wanted to give another update. I am now 2 full weeks off Spiro and Yasmin. I actually gained 5 pounds and have massive hair shedding (which was the primary reason I went on the spiro in the first place). And my skin is oily and I am a little more emotional than normal. Funny how my side effects are the complete opposite of everyone else. As I mentioned, I was below my average weight the whole time I was on spiro (100mg/day). But I am so glad I'm off everything. I have faith that everything will normalize over time. I'll give another update in a few weeks. Thanks!
Busymom724 - Hi Ladies, I've been on spiro for many years for hair loss. It worked slowly but finally my hair looks normal again. however, I am now experiencing severe back pain and inflammed kidneys. The doc said to stop the spiro and start drinking lots of water to flush out. Has anyone heard or had back pain and kidney problems?
Moki1 - I started it for acne in November 2009. After my dosage was raised to 75mg/day I started to feel short of breath. I lowered it to 50 and it was better until recently when the shortness of breath returned. I didn't take it for the last 2 days at all and I'm already feeling better. Maybe some of us get dehydrated too, as I'm don't always drink a lot of water. I have had the weight gain also -- about 5 pounds -- and I have been more tired, not feeling like doing anything. But the shortness of breath...made me feel like I was going crazy. It wasn't all the time, but enough to affect my daily life. I'll see what happens over the next week and I'm kind of bummed because it helped my skin. I just can't take it anymore though because I feel like it's damaging my body in other ways.
Jenninsb - Hi all: I've been off since May and have gained 4 pounds! And it's been a battle to only gain 4. Still, I am hopeful. When I told my endo that I went off, he said it can take a few months for my system f to feel all the effects of being off of it. Best to all!
Skymiss - I started taking 50mg/day of Spiro one month ago for acne and have gained 8 pounds. Having a hard time believing the two are not related since I have not made any other changes in diet and exercise. My dermatologist says it should not cause weight gain. However, this medication is a testosterone blocker and I believe there might be something to that. More testosterone=more oily hair/skin and also higher metabolism. I am lowereing the dose to 25mg/day. Considering stopping altogether but afraid of having a terrible skin breakout. Wondering if anyone has lost some of all of the weight they gained when going off or lowering the dose of this medication? And what was the timeframe? Thanks to everyone posting! It is great to know I'm not alone!
Hmbstudios - I have been on spiro for over 9 years now for hair loss, facial hair and water in my legs. I thought I had the right fix taking spiro 100mg twice a day. My endocrinologist said I would not need to take this all my life. I wish I had asked why not...perhaps it has to do with hormone levels. I had a blood test every three months, never really knowing what they were looking for, but my endocrinologist insisted. When I changed doctors after moving to France four years ago, he put me on 75mg twice a day and the hair stayed put, no facial hair and frankly I'm not so sure I had water in my legs because I have always been 25 pounds overweight in my life because I have always had low blood pressure and perhaps it was just extra fat. I gain weight evenly overall and was used to having heavy legs. Taking spiro has lowered my BP further and I am now 40 pounds overwieght. I figured it was because of menopause...along with the fatigue and bitchiness...maybe it is. But the incresed amount of activity I get nowadays and the better diet should be making a difference. One thing I noticed in these postings is that few mention the lower blood pressure due to taking spironolactone. It is given as a high blood pressure treatment. I equate low blood pressure with low metabolism hence the body does not burn off calories as well as a higher metabolism. The lower testosterone level makes sense in weight gain too since it would be more difficult to make muscle in weight training with lower testosterone. More muscle means higher metablolism.
I came to the conclusion that I was going to stop spiro when I just couldn't get my perscription filled due to the process here of seeing doctors, and then the pharmacies were on strike and then that fat face that looks at me from my mirror made me want to make a change that made a difference. Even though I finally got my next month's worth of spiro, I did not take it. It has been a month now since I stopped totally and have had no ill effects other than my doctor noticed a higher blood pressure...not high blood pressure. My hair has not started falling out yet and my clothes have started to fit looser. I don't weigh myself so I don't know how much I have lost...but my husband actually said, "Have you lost weight?" I have lost weight evenly overall which is normal for me but the loss of my weight gain around my middle (which I figured was midlife kicking in) was the first thing I noticed as well as slimmer thighs.
I have decided that daily yoga, reasonable eating habits, more water and less salt will be my solution as well as omega 3 and 6 and magnesium, B and C vitamins and the calcium I get from milk and yogurt will be my tradeoff for spiro and hairloss. I never had acne so I do not expect that will show up in the trade.
Thank you all for helping me realise that quitting spiro was the right thing to do. I prefer to trade it for what Mother Nature has to provide.
Confusednsu - This is pretty scary! I just started Spiro today. After these post Im almost afraid of whats going to happen since I already have a low metabolism due to Hypothyroidism. Im on 25mg twice a day for only a month. I will update with my results. Thanks for all of your input. I will be checking for new post.
Charmedreally - I've been on 100mg Spironolactone a day for about 3-4 years (as well as Microgestin FE 1/20). Once I ran out of the Spirono and after about 3 days of not taking it, my face became so swollen that I did not recognize myself! Eyes puffy, cheeks puffy. I gained 6 pounds in 3 days. All water weight. When I took the Spirono again, the swelling went away within 2 days. The doctors ended up telling me that because I've been on a diuretic for so long, my kidneys no longer know how to work on their own without the aid of the Spirono. That if I ever want to quit again, that I'll have to slowly step down. I've remained on both meds ever since.
WELL, starting about 3 months ago, I've developed a strange spotty red rash (lesions almost), at first mostly on my legs, and then spreading to my chest (underneath my breasts). (I’d also been sweating a lot, and had gained about 8 pounds in 2 months, even though I’ve been eating pretty healthy and going to the gym 3-4 times a week.) The rash eventually also appeared on my hands and a little on my face. I was convinced it was bedbugs (ew!) or spider bites, but the dermatologist confirmed that it was definitely not bugs, and was coming from within. I had two rounds of blood tests and they found no problems. Also went to an allergist and it's not an allergy. All doctors decided I should quit the Microgestin and the Spironolactone to see if the rash went away.
It has been 2 weeks since. I stopped the Microgestin and have been stepping down the Spironolactone. For one week, I took 50mg a day, then this past week I took 50mg every other day. This past week I have become so incredibly swollen that again my face is so puffy I don’t recognize myself (especially my eyes and cheeks) and I can’t even put on jeans--my hips, thighs, and stomach have grown incredibly in just one week! I’ve probably gained 7-10 pounds!!! It’s insane. (I’m on a business trip this week and don’t have access to a scale--probably a good thing!)
I am really freaked out, so I took a 100mg Spironolactone this morning, just because I don’t know what else to do. I need to be able to fit in my clothes. Has anyone out there had this same problem when attempting to quit Spironolactone? Do you have any advice? (Please note that I haven't had the rash in two weeks, so perhaps it was caused by Microgestin or the full 100 mg does of Spirono. We shall see…)
Thanks for any help.
Labaxter71 - FINALLY!!!!! My dermatologist prescribed this to me for acne about 2 months ago. Since then I've gained 15 lbs. My breasts are always sore and they've grown. Nothing fits me anymore. I'm always tired and grouchy. I ran out of my script on Sunday, and after reading all of this, I'm not getting it refilled. I told my dermatologist and my family doctor that I thought this was making me gain weight, and they both said there was no way this prescription could, because it's a diuretic. Now I know better. I knew it was this. That just goes to show you should always listen to your gut instinct. No one knows our bodies as well as we know our own. I'm also taking a strong antibiotic for my acne, and I use bare minerals make-up which helps tremendously. Now to get the weight back off so I can fit back into my clothes!
Rntracy1rn - Like everyone else here, I did not realize that the Spiro was causing weight gain and I am a NURSE!! So don't feel bad guys. I had also gained weight from Elavil (amitriptyline). That is an antidepressant that I had used for headaches. It actually took YEARS to take off the weight from that medication, then I got pregnant, finally took off the weight again, and now this. After starting Spiro, I gained about 15 lbs in about 6 mos and just like everyone else, it is right around the waist, abdomen and butt. I have NEVER had a gut before. I look like muffin top in all of my pants. I am 125 lbs now but after losing 50 lbs, gaining 15 is discouraging. I need to get a handle on it now while it is still manageable. I am stopping the medication, so we shall see how it goes.
Labaxter71 - I've not taken spiro in 5 days and already I can see a big change in may ways. My breasts are not sore, they seem to have shrunk a little, I've lost 2-3 lbs, I'm not as grouchy and lethargic, and my appetite has decreased tremendously. I will never take this medication ever again. Was taking 100 mg daily for acne. Haven't noticed any acne break-out since I've quit either, but I'm also on a strong dose of Keflex too, so I know that is helping me with the acne. I'm a happy girl!
Rntracy1rn - It has been just about a week since I have stopped taking Spiro. I am also PMS and still I have noticed the bloating subsiding!!! Yes, Spiro is a diuretic however, if you mess with your body's fluid balance, especially if it isn't a problem to begin with, your body is GOING to rebel. It is going to say, "hey he/she is going to take my fluid away (dehydrate me), I am going to preserve it." The effect of that,
B-L-O-A-T! It is the same concept as starvation. You starve yourself, your body thinks, "they aren't going to feed me again, I am going to conserve fat and energy." Hence, your metabolism slows down, you lose muscle, and gain fat. (No, muscle doesn't turn INTO fat--muscle gets flabby and decreases in size while fat cells increase in size.) It is the same concept with Spiro. Plus, I agree with someone else's theory on the testosterone. If you lower the testosterone, you will increase the weight.
As far as acne, I usually do notice more at this time of the month, however I started using Tea Tree oil and it DOES work. It has to be 100% pure, Pharmaceutical grade. Not diluted fragrance oil. Do a test area first. They say not to use it full strength, to dilute it with water. I use it full strength.
I will check back again in a couple of months to let you all know how I am doing.
Jamielisad - How are you doing with this? I am also Hypothyroid and on Spiro...thinking about gettting off it to. I was 160 last year at this time and 183 now! I'm 5'8 so 160 was a good weight for me. I started taking the spiro exactly a year ago! My throid is in check so it has to be something else!
Smorley - I am a 48 year female and noticed the weight gain within the first month of taking this drug. I also noticed sever headaches. As for the Acne, not much change. I appreciate the comments on this site. It is hard to find honest and real feed back on the side effects of Spiro. The pharmacists made no mention of weight gain when I asked about adverse effects in woman. I HAVE LEARNED
Smorley - I am a 48 year female and noticed the weight gain within the first month of taking this drug. I also noticed sever headaches. As for the Acne, not much change. I appreciate the comments on this site. It is hard to find honest and real feed back on the side effects of Spiro. The pharmacists made no mention of weight gain when I asked about adverse effects in woman. Now I have - Acne, swelled ankles and a FAT BUTT:)
Smorley - FYI - Before placing your remarks, think twice. This website will not let u edit and wil post your profile information.
Deb75 - WOW! I take Microgestin FE 1/20 and have been taking it for many years now. I have never experienced this. I have been off the spiro for almost a year now and when I was taking the 2 together I never experienced any of that. Def push your doctors for answers cuz there is something more going on. I hope you have found answers or do soon.
Deb75 - Ok so it's been almost 1 year since I stopped taking the Spiro. I had read online that the Saw Palmetto had the same side effects of weight gain that the Spiro had so that was enough to scare me to not try it. (Anyone try Saw Palmetto and what are the side effects you have experienced?) I have been fighting (and losing) with my cystic acne ever since and nothing topical works when it's hormonal as you ladies with PCOS know. However a few weeks ago I got very sick with bronchitis (which I never had before) and a massive sinus infection. My doctor put me on Prednisone which I have never taken before. I kid you not when I say my skin cleared up COMPLETELY in a matter of 2 days, was not oily at all, my hair started growing back, my eyebrows started growing back (hair stopped falling out), my mind wasn't all foggy and I felt better than I have felt in at least 7 years. Interestingly I noticed the side effects I was getting to it were waking up sweating and I was in fact putting on weight. (got to love steroids) I know I can't take steroids long terms but does anyone have any idea why this would of helped me so much? I would swear it's worth the weight gain and sweating to feel this good and have AWESOME skin again. LOL! These side effects were so much better and less negative than the Spiro but I still got the weight gain. So there has to be a link to these meds and what makes them work and to finding a med that works but doesn't give us the horrible side effects of weight gain and all the other negatives right?
Threekgirls - I am a 38 year old woman who has suffered with cystic acne for most of my life. I was put on Spiro 50 mg a few years ago, and much to my delight, my cystic acne improved. But I noticed a few things that weren't so great...bloating, periods every 2 to 3 weeks, no sex drive and weight gain. I kid you not, I have turned into a fat lazy blob. I don't even want to exercise! I have recently discontinued the Spiro after stepping down to 25 mg a day. I am still bloated most mornings. It's like my body still isn't regulating my fluids. I am extremely sensitive to sodium now. At 5'9" my weight went from 165 to 192 in the past two or so years. I have already broken out again from the hormone boost after getting off this drug, but I will just deal with the acne. I wish I knew how long it takes for this drug's affects to wear off completely. I truly do wish I had never taken this medication because I am back to having acne anyway, but now with almost 30 extra pounds of flab on me!
Irisblue - I already ranted last year about weight gain--primarily belly fat. I went off immediately after I figured it out. It was odd because I was killing myself at the gym but still getting flabbier gut. This type of fat is proving tough to get rid of--almost as if it is an irreversible weight gain. If I think about it too much I get upset. I'd like to thank the doc and pharmacist for warning me...It worked great getting rid of the moderate acne even at my then age of 50.
Rntracy1rn - to Deb75,
Steroids are extremely powerful anti-inflammatory drugs. Cystic acne is inflammation of the sebaceous glands and therefore steroids will temporarily decrease that inflammation and that is the improvement you noticed in your complexion. That would not be permanent however, and taking steroids long term does much more than make you bloated and gain weight. It destroys your bones and joints as well as your immune system. Steroids are HORRIBLE unless the benefits FAR outweigh the risks, and acne is definitely not one of the risk/benefit factors. Besides, as I previously stated, it wouldn't be of long term benefit. Hope this answers your question a little bit.
Lbizz - I have been on spirinolactone for almost 11 years for acne and PCOS and feel so helpless. I want to stop taking it so my body can return to it's natural state, but every time I have attempted to quit I notice an immediate bloating and water weight gain. I am extremely active and weight conscious and have now realized that I have gained approx 10-15 extra pounds, ever since my dosage got bumped to 100mg a day over the last 2 years. I am more active then ever and have been so discouraged with my inability to lose weight. I figured it was muscle weight...but have noticed belly fat and inner thigh fat that I have never had before. I had always been under the impression that spirinolactone helped maintain my weight, but seems as though I've been mis-informed. I am going to stop taking it with much anxiety...I fear my weight will balloon up immediately due to my body now depending on the medicine and I fear my acne will come back. This sucks!
Babbarobinson - K, I posted a comment 10 months ago about taking sprio and gaining weight right away.... As a follow-up, I quit taking it cold turkey and lost the weight rather quickly! My dermo still says that the sprio CANNOT cause weight gain, but the proof is in the pudding! (or something like that...) After I was off it for a few months and had lost all the excess weight, she begged me to go back on it, but taking 50mg vs. 100mg this time. I did for abouth three months, but it did NOTHING to help with my acne, it had actually gotten worse, so she agreed that spiro was not for me. Good luck everyone! :)
Aanna - Anna: I finally found the answer I was looking for, for a while now. I was getting sick, and better, but I never payed attention to this drug I was taking. At first I had kidney problems, and lots of urine infection problems, my whole body was swollen, headaches, body aches, breast pain, shortness of breath, I barely eat anything but I went from 120 to 130lbs, and soooo on !!
Its been 3 days since I stopped taking spironolactone, and my face is very oily now, I dont want to call my derma because I toled him all this side effects last year, at begging and he said to keep taking it, its not from the pill, so Iv been taking it for a year now. No matter what, I will not take any drugs for acne and pores anymore, I think my health is more important then clean face.
Aanna - Anna: I finally found the answer I was looking for, for a while now. I was getting sick, and better, but I never payed attention to this drug I was taking. At first I had kidney problems, and lots of urine infection problems, my whole body was swollen, headaches, body aches, breast pain, shortness of breath, I barely eat anything but I went from 120 to 130lbs, and soooo on !!
Its been 3 days since I stopped taking spironolactone, and my face is very oily now, I dont want to call my derma because I toled him all this side effects last year, at begging and he said to keep taking it, its not from the pill, so Iv been taking it for a year now. No matter what, I will not take any drugs for acne and pores anymore, I think my health is more important then clean face.
Aanna - I finally found the answer I was looking for, for a while now. I was getting sick, and better, but I never payed attention to this drug I was taking. At first I had kidney problems, and lots of urine infection problems, my whole body was swollen, headaches, body aches, breast pain, shortness of breath, I barely eat anything but I went from 120 to 130lbs, and soooo on !!
Its been 3 days since I stopped taking spironolactone, and my face is very oily now, I dont want to call my derma because I toled him all this side effects last year, at begging and he said to keep taking it, its not from the pill, so Iv been taking it for a year now. No matter what, I will not take any drugs for acne and pores anymore, I think my health is more important then clean face.
Aanna - Sorry for posting 3 same replies at once, am new at this.
I am the kind of person who doesnt take any kind of pills, not even ther the pain, unless am giving a birth or something. But I trusted my derma, because he said that his wife is on it, and its great, it helps with facial hair to blah blah, so i took it. I know that any pill u take will help with one thing, and mess up another one, so I learned my lesson.
Moty31 - Another similar story here. Been on Spiro for about two years for cystic acne. I thought it was a miracle drug--my face had finally cleared up after about ten years. Steadily gained weight, could not lose it. My doc thought it was because if my low vitamin D, but we've fixed that, and the weight is still here. Additionally, I've had to go out and buy all new bras because I've gone up a size and a half. While some people (like my husband) might enjoy that, to me, it just adds to how heavy I look, and they're in my way! I've also experienced perios every three weeks, and a feeling of constant PMS--I get about one good, non-bloated week per month. I'd gladly go back to covering my zits with makeup and being a size eight agin--I just hope it's not irreversible. Stopped taking it yesterday....think the weight will be gone in time for my trip to Cayman in three weeks? ;)
Beachgirl67 - I am also glad I found this, I'd been on spiro for about 6 years for cystic acne. I had also started a gym routine about the same time I started taking it, but was frustrated because no matter what I did I could not lose any weight, which was the reason for the gym-the last 10-15 pounds that are hard to lose. Two things, one, I've never heard of anyone being on Yaz and spiro at the same time, my doc took me off the spiro when I started taking Yaz, because it already has spiro in it. Secondly, I also had the huge bloat the first time I tried to stop taking it. I went back on it, full dosage, and tapered off over several weeks. I too was told that there is no way it can make you gain weight, why don't they listen to us? If they did, it sounds like enough people are complaining to make someone wonder. I have since tried darn near everything short of bariatric surgery to lose the weight I put on, even after a year off it the weight is still not coming off, but the acne never came back either, so maybe it's not out of my system yet, I was on it for a long time. Why do I feel like such a fool for listening to my doctor? Now we find out Yaz was not good for us, I developed chronic nausea while on it, and am still suffering from that. It's hard to eat vegetables when they make you sick because they have so much fiber. Sounds like I would have been better off with a few zits....at least I could try to cover them up with make-up. All told, I gained about 60 pounds, all while working out and eating right. Loestrin FE 24 has worked as well as the spiro at keeping the acne at bay, if anyone is interested in trying that to go off the spiro without getting the acne back. Did anyone else experience dizziness while tapering off the spiro? It also made me dizzy when I just took it.
Sunflower941 - I have been off from Yasmin (which has spiro in it) for almost 3 years. Only within the past couple of months has the extra weight that I gained during that time started to come off (and I have also tried everything and was told Yasmin can't make you gain weight). Also, my blood pressure is still not normal, but it has gotten a little better so that I have been able to taper off some of the BP meds. I suspect that the BP will come down as the weight comes off. I'm not sure how long Yasmin stays in your system, but I'm guessing it's a long time.
Walkinbeauty - I started out taking saw palmetto. I took it for a month and stopped because I gained about 10 lbs in a month. I lost about five pounds within a couple of weeks of stopping but then I started spiro. I was on 50mg a day for three weeks and I gained the five pounds plus some right back. I felt like my appetite was out of control. I stopped taking it about four days ago and I haven't weighed myself but I can tell I'm lighter and I feel much better, my appetite was back to normal after one day off of it. I wonder if this is mostly a problem for active healthy people. I excercise every day and I eat a sugar free, gluten free vegan diet. I don't think the medical community knows about spiro and weight gain. I'm in medical school and my professors did not teach us weight gain was a side effect of spiro. The studies that were done were mostly on older unhealthy people looking at blood pressure. Maybe it causes weight gain in a select population only. I haven't had a bad break out since I stopped taking it and my facial hair hasn't grown back but it's only been four days. I'd rather use tretinoic acid for my acne, and I'll deal with facial hair.
Cam2011 - OMG!!! Finally I found something on this Spiro med. I have been on this before foe acne and back then i noticed the bloating and weight gain. Years ago I stopped taking the drug. Lucky for me I had not issues with acne until now. For some reason I guess my hormones are changing and went to see my dermatologist. She immediately wanted to put me on the Spiro. I said "NO WAY!" i explained my side effects and she assured me that this shouldn't happen again because I may have been on a high dosage. I really didn't want to try it again but she promised. Well guess what???? I started taking the med on Monday it is now Thursday and I have already gain weight and extremely bloated!!! I feel horrible. Thank goodness I found this site. I am stopping the med immediately and calling the dr to prescribe an anitbiotic instead. Forget this!!! I'm not risking gaining 20 to 40lbs. Thank you ladies.
903juli - Very odd. I've been on Spironolactone for two months, and while I did have some pretty bad fatigue and muscle weakness at first, it has gotten better. I lost water weight immediately the first week, but I've gone DOWN a clothing size in the last month and a half. Weight gain definitely has not been a side effect for me... It's normally very hard for me to lose weight with diet and exercise, but it has just fallen off lately and the only thing different is the Spiro. However, I've been suffering from the worst sinus infection of my life these last three weeks, so I came to this forum to see if Spiro has caused sinus problems in anyone else. I am hesitant to discontinue it because it is the only thing that has cleared my skin, and my hair is starting to thicken again. Plus, the weight loss is great, but so far, neither three different antibiotics nor a steroid injection has helped my sinuses. :(
Aanna - So I have been off spironolactone for a MONTH now.
Changes:
Lets start with my face: It is very very oily, I got new facial hairs, new pores on my cheeks, forehead, chin. One weird thing is that my body is still swollen ??? I am looking at my hands now, ther so swollen :-( I lost appetite, food has no taste, I eat only at night.
My derma toled me that this is the only solution for oily skin, that i should start using it again, but I didnt.. Now am thinking if should, because I keep noticing new facial hairs, and new pores, not to talk about the oil on my face that is driving me crazy. Maybe my body swelling was caused by something else? idk
Anyone with advice here about my oily skin?
Ulalume - OMG! I'm a 29 years old woman from Italy. I've made a lot of reserches on google about this symptoms (in my language) but I couldn't find anything before I've written it in english. I've taken spiro for about 5 years not for acne but for alopecia and for a not specify facial edema (after 4 years I realized that this problem was caused by allergy...) I was very thin (underweight), but when I started to take spiro i started to gain weight on my hips (never before) and legs, irregular menstrual cycle (2 times a month), tiredness and increase of cellulite.
15 days ago I decided to stop with these xxxx pills. The first week I've lost 2 kg, then I started feeling bad: something like breast pain, water ritention on face, legs, arms, I thought I was on PMS but my period doesn't come, I feel worse. I think that spironolactone has ruined my body and my hormonal system forever.
(sorry for my english)
Mariasole
Jml1973 - be patient. those side effects of going off spiro will subside over the next 1-3 months. i had all the same things and they eventually level off. you are better off staying off the meds versus panicking and going back on. start doing acupncture right away and your periods will return to a normal cycle - even if you didnt have one before. and eat a healthy diet of high protein, fiber, etc with low carbs. this will also facilitate better hormonal recovery within your system. you shold get your liver checked however and possible cut back on the alcohol for a few months. my liver function was 2x normal when i went off spiro/yasmin and i had to watch myself for a few months before it recovered. again, acupuncture is great so give it a try...good luck.
Jml1973 - by the way, my acne was outrageous when i went off spiro. all over my neck, face, chest and back. small little pimples everywhere. even in my scalp.
i used finacea at night and clindgel in the morning and within 4 weeks, my skin was so much better. also, i had really bad hair loss for 3 months following the spiro and yasmin, but that too subsided after about 3-4 months when i got pregnant.
Hmbstudios - I have been off spiro now for over ten months and my hair has stayed on my head...which is why I started taking it in the first place. My pubic hair returned finally and my face seems a bit thinner. The overall weight has only slightly dropped...but then I am 59 and there are other reasons why it is hard to lose weight. Since spiro masks testosterone, I am hopeful, now that I am off, it will be easier to build muscle which will take care of the extra weight. My face and hair are greasy again but that was the way it was before spiro. I was on spiro for nearly ten years and I noticed...and have linked it to spiro...that I never perspired while on spiro and I found lumps here and there (I have heard that spiro causes tumors...benign, as I have checked mine). The lump in my thigh is still there. And I now stink, happily, like an overworked lumberjack which makes me think that my body is now ejecting its toxins properly without spiro. I am now convinced that vanity is better served by Nature than the art of medicine.
Andrea Whittigton - I took 50mg/day of spiro for about a month and a half. I started gaining weight rapidly and stopped taking it. I've been off of it for 3 months now and have gained about 15 lbs especially in the hip/midsection area. I'm 21 years old, very active and eat healthy. Anyone know how long it might take me to lose the weight? Is it water weight?
Runnergirl23 - I started off on 100 of spiro and was already on yasmin 6 years ago. Last year, I decided to go off yasmin. I have always been active (runner & weights). I am 32 years old and my average weight is 112-117. Five to six months after getting of Yasmin it was like weight was falling off of me (with no other changes) mind you I was still on 100 mg of spiro. Everything was fantastic (had plenty of energy, no bloating, and dropping those last extra lbs - I am 5'6" and was at 110 lbs) EXCEPT for two things no period and more devastating hair loss (or thinning). Desperate to fix my hair loss I scheduled an appointment in NY with Dr. Redmond (in January 2011). This was very expensive but I was so relieved - he was the first doctor that didn't think I was crazy in regards to my hair thinning (I had been to my obgyn and dermatologist who were both NO help). Dr. Redmond upped my sprio from 100 mg to 200 mg of spiro. He also put me on finasteride and back on yasmin. Obviously my periods came back (hadn't had one in 10 months) and my hair loss seemed to be getting better. BUT I was having all of these other terrible side effects. Before starting this, my weight ranged from 112-114 and now my weight is 126+. Again, I am an avid runner and weight trainer and watch what I eat (no bad carbs, low sugar intake, plenty of protein, reduced calories, etc). The weight gain is killing me, and it is in places where I have NEVER (I mean NEVER) carried weight before. I usually carry weight in my thighs, never my stomach. But this weight is in my stomach and all over my mid section - for example my bra usually is on the first clasp now it is on the third clasp. So my weight gain has been all through out my mid section and some in my butt. Has anyone else experienced this? I workout 5 days a week and I workout hard - always dripping with sweat when I am done. I feel like I am beating a dead horse or something, nothing I do is helping. I am also having muscle cramps in my legs and feet, muscle fatigue (I am not getting any stronger with my weight training at all), I feel tired all the time, bloated, moodiness and depression. 99% sure the depression is from the weight gain as I can only fit into a few of my clothes. I usually would run between 3.1 - 8 miles at a decent pace (around 8 min mile) but now it is all I can do to run 2-4 and I have to take a breather. I just dropped my dosage from 200 mg of sprio down to 100 mg two weeks ago. I have noticed my energy level skyrocketed while running. but muscle fatigue is still there and bloating seems worse. Ugh...I hate this who would have thought I would have to choose between hair loss and being fat!! Please any insight or advice would be greatly appreciated. I have my follow-up phone appointment with Dr. Redmond this Tuesday. I even requested blood work (and I usually avoid needles like the plague) so you know it must be bad!! Thanks ladies for listening!!
Runnergirl23 - I started off on 100 of spiro and was already on yasmin 6 years ago. Last year, I decided to go off yasmin. I have always been active (runner & weights). I am 32 years old and my average weight is 112-117. Five to six months after getting of Yasmin it was like weight was falling off of me (with no other changes) mind you I was still on 100 mg of spiro. Everything was fantastic (had plenty of energy, no bloating, and dropping those last extra lbs - I am 5'6" and was at 110 lbs) EXCEPT for two things no period and more devastating hair loss (or thinning). Desperate to fix my hair loss I scheduled an appointment in NY with Dr. Redmond (in January 2011). This was very expensive but I was so relieved - he was the first doctor that didn't think I was crazy in regards to my hair thinning (I had been to my obgyn and dermatologist who were both NO help). Dr. Redmond upped my sprio from 100 mg to 200 mg of spiro. He also put me on finasteride and back on yasmin. Obviously my periods came back (hadn't had one in 10 months) and my hair loss seemed to be getting better. BUT I was having all of these other terrible side effects. Before starting this, my weight ranged from 112-114 and now my weight is 126+. Again, I am an avid runner and weight trainer and watch what I eat (no bad carbs, low sugar intake, plenty of protein, reduced calories, etc). The weight gain is killing me, and it is in places where I have NEVER (I mean NEVER) carried weight before. I usually carry weight in my thighs, never my stomach. But this weight is in my stomach and all over my mid section - for example my bra usually is on the first clasp now it is on the third clasp. So my weight gain has been all through out my mid section and some in my butt. Has anyone else experienced this? I workout 5 days a week and I workout hard - always dripping with sweat when I am done. I feel like I am beating a dead horse or something, nothing I do is helping. I am also having muscle cramps in my legs and feet, muscle fatigue (I am not getting any stronger with my weight training at all), I feel tired all the time, bloated, moodiness and depression. 99% sure the depression is from the weight gain as I can only fit into a few of my clothes. I usually would run between 3.1 - 8 miles at a decent pace (around 8 min mile) but now it is all I can do to run 2-4 and I have to take a breather. I just dropped my dosage from 200 mg of sprio down to 100 mg two weeks ago. I have noticed my energy level skyrocketed while running. but muscle fatigue is still there and bloating seems worse. Ugh...I hate this who would have thought I would have to choose between hair loss and being fat!! Please any insight or advice would be greatly appreciated. I have my follow-up phone appointment with Dr. Redmond this Tuesday. I even requested blood work (and I usually avoid needles like the plague) so you know it must be bad!! Thanks ladies for listening!!
Runnergirl23 - So sorry for the two posts - I was given an error message but apparently it uploaded anyway...
Al4104 - Does anyone know what exactly it is about this med that causes the weight gain (hormones,water weight) ?? And what type of doctor I should go see about it? Been off for 3 months and still can't lose weight.
Nibs741 - I've been off of this for 3 months as well and can't lose the weight either (and i was only on this for 1 month). The medicine re-balances your hormones so that your estrogen level is much higher, which is the main cause of weight gain if your body is accustomed to having higher testosterone levels. The higher estrogen/lower testosterone causes your metabolism to go down and also decreases muscle mass (which helps to burn fat) - this all causes a bunch of weight gain (and the extra estrogen causes weight gain in the stomach/hips/thighs/butt/chest - making you curvier). I assume that most women who are given spiro who end up gaining weight are those who were relatively thin and small to begin with. I think that everyone's bodies are different, and to be fair to myself, i think that it will take another few months to re-balance my hormones/chemicals and re-gain my muscle mass (that takes awhile). My periods have been off (getting them every 6 weeks), so i feel like it will take 2-3 cycles before i'm back to my natural levels again.
Runnergirl23 - Just a quick update. I dropped my Sprio dosage from 200 mg daily to 100 mg daily on June 30th. Since then, my energy while running has skyrocketed - feel like my old self. I felt so good that I kicked up the treadmill to a 6:30 pace and ended up pulling my hip flexor...sigh. Anyway, I am still doing cardio and my weight training program. So, since dropping my dosage of spiro my weight has been a roller coaster. Initially I gained some weight then I was extremely bloated for a couple days....more bloated than I have ever been in my life - could barely zip up my jeans it was terrible! Then the bloating went away but the weight is still flucuating. I have lost 5 lbs in 4 days and gained it all back in 3 days....I guess my body is just adjusting to the different dosage.
I agree with Nibs741 - on the estrogen and testosterone levels being a huge contributor to weight gain, muscle mass, metabolism etc. I think that is killing me is the Yasim (with 30 mg of Estrogen) and the 100 mg of sprio. I am now 128 lbs, before being on Yasmin and 200 mg of spiro I was 112 - 114 lbs. I so want to come off the pill but I am on it to help with hair loss which it has a great deal. Scared to do anything...does anyone have any advice?
Lindy3645 - Wow there are others like me! I too am a spiro suffer my sister has been on it for yrs. with much success and zero side affects ..So i thought it would work for me as well '' with no side affects'' My Dr. started me out on 100-mg i felt bad right away major fatigue major muscle weakness ,dizzy my period stopped completely and never came back the full 4 months i was on spiro. So i continued to call and ask Dr. if this was normal and she assured me that the side affects would subside ..i had some days that were better than others ..but boy oh boy was my skin clear! i normally have excessive oil on face ,back ,chest ..so on that note spiro does do its job but with GRUELING SIDE AFFECTS. Im now off it even tried to lower my dose to 25-mg still had terrible side affects ..so its been 1 month and it's taking its sweet time leaving my system dealing with extreme bloating my fatigue and muscle weakness is better and my period is back ..I've started drinking spearmint tea a few cups a day this actually naturally lowers your testosterone which basically thats what spiro does, i also have added b6 very high doses studies have compared this to acts like a natural accutane in a way it shrinks your sebaceous glands and in return you get less oil and less oil means less acne ..along with a good ol salicylic acid face wash and i always use a moisturizer seems to keep it balanced so my face doesn't think it need to produce more oil to condition the skin..my skin is not perfect but these are some natural ways i can try to maintain this ever lasting battle with my skin ahh the price of beauty sure does suck ! ..hope any of this helps as with anything check with your doc and do your research ..it pays to know good luck to all !
Carbas3 - Thank goodness i found you all! I was prescribed for hair loss, but it actually made me totally break out all over (and badly), and i have gained 3 lbs in the last week. Everything feels all squishy now. I lost over 70 lbs from stopping other meds a few years ago and have been maintaining weight at 101lbs for a long time now. I'm totally paranoid about weight gain from meds since i suffered from that for my entire adult life up until i stopped taking other meds. I am not going to continue this medication, but will the weight gain stop immediately? I can watch it go-up by the day, and it's not typical period water-weight. How long until i loose? I stopped for a week recently due to breast pain, but went back on. During that week, i did loose and went back to 101, but now i'm worried i've messed w/ my system. UGH!
Gela - Gela - Hi I've been on Spiro 50 mg since July 13,2011. I absolutely LOVE it....I went to my dermatologist because my skin started breaking out suddenly. I was advised of the hormones because of my age. I am 46. Well, I have lost weight, my hands and feet stopped swelling immediately. I can take my wedding ring on and off with ease now. I have had no other problems with acne. I'm sorry to hear that it has not worked for some of you. I hope you find the regimen you need soon. Keep your head up and good luck :)
Goatpidge - I am relieved to have found this thread because i thought either I'm going crazy or perhaps I had just hit that magic age when everyone complains that metabolism declines and you have to exercise just to maintain...I've been on spiro for 9 weeks and have seen marginal improvements for my acne (nothing dramatic) but have had at least a 6 lb weight gain, and in places I don't tend to gain weight (mid section). I started running and watching what I eat, something I've never had to do--even pregnancy weight came off without doing anything. Despite this, my weight is still creeping up and I finally grew suspicious of the spiro today because that's the only thing that's changed in my life. Thanks to everyone for sharing their stories. carol
Jcpiper - I take very small dose spiro, 15 mg daily. Even with such small dose it has a strong and positive effect on me. Nice skin and hair. Curvier and softer body. I tried to up the dose, and had beautiful skin, but also extreme lethargy due to low blood pressure, as well as too much curve in belly and hair shedding. So im ok with the low dose, not as good effect, but less side effects. I imagine I would get too fat and squishy otherwise. However, I have had unexplained depression that I fear may be related to the spire so I'm thinking of going off.
Missmtt - WOW..I am in shock over your entries. I have been taking Spironolactrone for about 20 years now and have suddenly started gaining water weight, or just gaining weight. I have gained 15-20 pounds and have never been this heavy. I work out 5-6 times a week and am on a 1200 calorie diet. I am usually pretty fit and it doesn't take me long to loose weight. I am not sure if this is the Spironolactrone but it seems like you all have had the same symptoms. I have had weight gain in my upper thighs, stomach (bloating) and just bloated all around. Every time I have stopped my Spironolactrone my acne comes back. Fist I become excessively oily and then I get zits...help. I am 38 years old , does anyone know of a supplement to take ?
Cfkitty - Wow, am I glad I found this.
I have been on Spiro for over 2 years. It helped a bit with my Idiepathic Edema, but it never seemed to help as much as I needed, so they kept increasing the dose. It would help control my edema problems a bit (I have leaky capillaries and an imbalance Aldesterone levels).
-- Let me add that my Cystic Acne, which I never had until I turned 28, went away, as did my excess facial hair, so good for that! --
However, the last dose increase was in March, from 100mg 2x a day to 125mg 2x a day. My periods, which have become irrigular in the past two years suddenly stopped. And within 2 weeks of increasing the dose, I gained 10 pounds. Then the next few weeks, another 10. It stuck. I gained all around my belly, hips (I always had small hips, like 32"), and my butt (which was all bone), but not in my lower legs or arms.
Since March, I'm up 21 pounds and I feel MISERABLE. Nothing fits me. I usually wear 4-6 jeans (I have several different sizes in my closet of the same brand/style, because I'm an odd body type), but now cannot even get into my size 8 jeans. I refuse to buy size 10, because even if it fits around my belly and upper thighs, it'll be crazy loose from the mid-thigh down.I also experience breast pain, which I thought was odd considering I wasn't getting my period - at all - for 7 months, and for the 18 months before that, would get a cycle every 90 days and it would last for maybe one hour to one day, and it would only be spotting.
I am talking to my doc today and lowering Spiro back down to 50mg 2x a day. If I have rebound edema - the reason for it - I will deal. And if my acne comes back, I will go back on Proactiv - it works for me! THANKS SO MUCH for sharing!!
Reading all these replies is giving me hope. I also
Cfkitty - Wow, am I glad I found this.
I have been on Spiro for over 2 years. It helped a bit with my Idiopathic Cyclic Edema, but it never seemed to help as much as I needed, so they kept increasing the dose. It was prescribed by my Nephrologist to help control my edema problems a bit (I have leaky capillaries and imbalanced Aldesterone levels) - when I could gain anywhere from 3-20 pounds in a matter of hours or a few days and lose quickly, and my body didn't know how to process it all out). The Spiro seemed to help level things out.
-- Let me add that my Cystic Acne, which I never had until I turned 28, went away, as did my excess facial hair, so good for that! --
The last dose increase was in March, from 100mg 2x a day to 150mg 2x a day. My periods, which have become irregular in the past two years suddenly stopped. And within 2 weeks of increasing the dose, I gained 10 pounds. Then the next few weeks, another 10 pounds. It stuck plus one more for good measure. I gained all around my belly, hips (I always had small hips, like 32"), and my butt (which usually was all bone), but not in my lower legs or arms. I wasn't eating more. I wasn't moving less.
- Since March, I'm up 21 pounds and I feel MISERABLE. Nothing fits me. I usually wear 4-6 jeans (I have several different sizes in my closet of the same brand/style, because I'm an odd body type), but now cannot even get into my size 8 jeans. I refuse to buy size 10, because even if it fits around my belly and upper thighs, it'll be crazy loose from the mid-thigh down.
- I also experience breast pain that lasts for weeks (this last time was 3 weeks)
- which I thought was odd considering I haven't been getting my period at all for the past 7 months, (and for the 18 months before that, would get a cycle every 90 days and it would last for maybe one hour to one day, and it would only be spotting).
I am talking to my doc today and lowering Spiro back down to 50mg 2x a day. If I have rebound edema - I will deal. And if my acne comes back, I will go back on Proactiv - it works for me! THANKS SO MUCH for sharing!!
Cfkitty - sorry for double post. The second one is the one you should read. Anyone know how to delete posts??
Paniz - Hi , I was on spironolactone 50 mg a day plus yasmin for 3 weeks but I needed to stop it else I would die at a young age. I lost my muscle tone (especially in upper arms and legs,flabby arms) gained 7 pounds and bloated arms and thighs and stomach. I couldn't move my body at all and my heart beat was so slow then my aldesterone and renin went high plus high blood pressure.... I was paralyzed and just so close to death. I could see all my veins all over my body (purple green network of veins and it's scary) but the problem is your body might not be ableto flush out these medicine , I still have lotsof pain, bloated arms and legs, scary visible veins and old looking body due toloss of muscle tone .Even doctors say in a month your body will be free of medicine, it's all depends on how much damage they havedone to ur body it might be permanent for me because after a year nothing has changed for me and doctors don't know what's wrong with my body now ...
Paniz - Hi ( remember spiro. can cause cancer in rats )
I've been on spiro 50 mg and yasmin bc fora month and i was going to die due to high aldesterone and renin, high blood pressure. I was unable to move my legs and arms and had irregular heart beat. I lost muscle tone in my arms and thighs due to water retention and high potasium and I could see all my veins all over my body , extreme pain in muscle and 10 lbs weight gain ... The biggest problem is after 10 months stopping the medicine lots of above problem didn't go away and might be permanent. I am still bloated (flabby arms and thighs), no muscle tone (look like a old body while I'm 22) , couldn't lose all the weight I got, the worst : visible network of purple and green veins on my body especially on legs, arms and chest due to damage to veins .... Please don't take any medicine if u don't have cancer or other serious problems ,they are all strong chemicals just like those we are careful to not touch them in chemistry lab in school. Doctors don't know every thing and what medicine can do to every organ in our body ,it's our resposibility to take care of our body not dr's or pharma companies :)
Julbean - I didn't gain weight as fast as some of you other gals,but over the last 8 months I have gained 20 pounds after upping my dose from 25mg to 100mg.
I thought it was the prozac I was taking,but I quit that and GAINED even more weight!
I have gone from a fit and healthy 130 pounds to 155!
My breasts size has gone up a whole cup size and my butt and thighs are huge now.
NO matter what I do I can't lose the weight,so I'm going back down to 25mg and hoping it helps to lose at least SOME weight.
It sucks you cannot have clear skin without gaining so much weight...
I hate having to choose between acne and being skinny or fat with clear skin :(
Nep1016 - I had the same horrible experiences with spiro, just now after 2 years im able to lose the 15 pounds i gained from taking that medication. I went from 105 to 130 in about 4 months while exercising and eating healthy. I was taking it for multiple reasons but acne was one of the main ones. I recently started taking the spice turmeric for acne after reading about it and let me tell you it is AMAZING. I was skeptical but by the next day many of the bumps I had (i suffer from cystic acne as well) shrank and some disapeared all together. I take it every night now. You guys should all try it, I promise you'll think its a miracle. It has many other benefits as well, such as fighting cancer ect so just google it. I just bought a jar of turmeric from the spice aisle at the market, took about one tblspoon and added a little bit of pepper to it ( they said that helps your body absorb it) and mixed it with a splash of orange juice. It doesnt mix well and tastes pretty gross but i down it like a shot and it is sooooo worth it. Ive tried everything under the sun and this is the only remedy that works. Please give it a try, it has changed my life and I'd love to help others too. : )
Clearbutfat - I've been taking Spiro for about 3 months. At first it was great but now I'm extremely bloated, lethargic and irritable! So glad I found this site, I've bought pregnancy tests thinking that my bc pills weren't working! I'm going to try the saw palmetto and pray that it works.
Sgleaso - I just began Spiro for adult acne, and I've gained about 8 lbs. in one week. I take 25 mg/day, and my dermatologist was going to increase the dosage slowly. However, after reading all your posts, if I gain weight on a smaller does, stands to reason that a larger dose for my acne is just going to up my weight even more. SO, I'm getting off of it. Excessive hair growth on my face has lessened, so I'm sad I have to stop taking the med.
Kisha1976 - Thank goodness for this site!
I've been on Spiro for 6 months (the first three 50mg BID, the second half 100mg BID). Skin cleared up beautifully. I'm already overweight, so no comment there.
I had to get bloodwork taken due to the fact that I was supposed to have a procedure done on Jan 6th, so I needed medical clearance. Did that yesterday; this morning, the receptionist calls me and says that the doctor wants to repeat blood work in 3 days (it will have to be a few days later though) because my creatinine was a high, which can mean kidney issues. I'm really scared, but I'm trying to keep calm. I'm almost positive it's because of the Spiro. My last dose of Spiro was last night and I'm not taking it anymore. I'm also drinking tons of water to hopefully flush out my system for next Tues.
Does anyone know how long it takes for Spiro to get out of your blood system?
I hope my acne doesn't return. At age 35, adult acne is just...ugh. But my kidneys are more important than my clear skin, so I'll do what I have to do.
Karbear310 - I too have noticed the uncomfortable bloating. How did anyone fair from going from a higher dosage to a lower one? Say from 100 mg to 50 or 25 mg? I really want to try to do this!
Clearbutfat - It's been 25 days since I stopped taking Spiro. I've had 2 pimples and lost 1 pound so far. I gained approximately 7 while taking it for 3 months. I'm feeling a lot better, have more energy, some of the bloating is gone. Ive been trying the tumeric regime noted above. Ladies, we need to contact this drug company!
Karbear310 - Thats great! I am worried since I have been on it almost 2 years, will be 2 this summer. I think I am going to start slowly weaning myself off. I have seen a lot of articles on saw palmetto, which seems to work on our hormones too, so not sure who that will fair with weight gain too. I may try that after awhile. I am sick of feeling bloated all the time, and uncomfortable. Never had these issues before. I was also bigger on the bottom, apple shape, with a flat waist. Now, no matter what I eat, or not eat, I constantly feel bloated and uncomfortable! Also, my hips are wider, my pants just fit different :(
Missmtt - Hi All!! Ok, I have been off of the Sprionalactrone for about 5 months now after being on it for almost 20 years...yup ...crazy. And, I am not as bloated , don't feel dizzy or tired and my immune system seems to be better. I have been taking vitamins from this company called Youngivity . One of the vitamins is Profemme (to balance your hormones) and Pollen Burst (liquid vitamin filled with all the B vitamins and Pollen, antioxident). These vitamins seem to work pretty well. I do notice that when my immune system goes down or I get stressed, my face produces excessive oil. When this happens I seriously have to blot my face every half hour...it's crazy. BUT, if I keep myself well rested and keep taking my vitamins I can reduce the oil secretion. I have also been really watching what I am eating...
Trish_vc - I stopped taking Spironolactone almost 2 months ago (early december) and a month after I stopped I started feeling really bad. First my fingers well swollen, tingly. I got neck, upper back and arm pain as well as random feelings in both my hands. I've been feeling nauseous/light headed as well.
It could be stress? I don't know but I find it too perfectly timed with the medicine for it to be something else.
I regret taking that drug. If I had known what would happen after stopping, I wouldn't have touched it at all. Not worth it!
Sarahbelle - Oh my goodness. Finding this site has been a godsend. I've been on spiro for almost two weeks and I already have seen weight gain. I began panicking and I've barely eaten and yet my pants are feeling tight. I'm getting off it NOW because a little hair growth and acne is worth my amazing ability to build muscle and lose weight. Now I'm scared though...will I get that ability back?? I am very particular about my size. It is destroying me.
Beachgirl67 - I hope so, you weren't on it for long at all, but taper off, otherwise you might get a horrible bloat, lol. It's a diuretic after all.
Hmbstudios - In reading these posts I begin to think that some of you are pinning the blame on spironlactone unjustly. You have to take into consideration the other medication you are taking as well as eating habits. Plus we are all different in our chemistry, hormones and age...and remember that spironolactone was first developed for high blood pressure...it is not the collateral benefits that most of us are aiming at like thinning hair and acne that is at work here. Plus the masking of testosterone sends our fat to different areas. I was on spironolactone for 10 years before I started linking symproms to spironolactone--like tumors, one in my thigh, one in my ovary and who knows where else they are hiding; I stopped smelling from my armpits...that's what made me think that spironolactone must somehow stop the body's ability to expel toxins and rather creates tumors instead; and my periods stopped even though my gynocologist said I still had a good level of estrogen; and my clitoris vanished!...all of this should have sent up flags but the doctors do not know what spironolactone does...yet. All my tests were coming back normal. (Is there a class action suit forming for this drug? That's what I want to know.) Be careful to come off this stuff gradually since blood pressure is involved. Do nothing without your doctor's awareness. I have been off spironolactone for over a year and a half and my gut, leg and face fat is lessened and my oily hair is back...I'm still hoping for the clitoris. It takes a while for these changes to occur, but I am certain if we give our body its natural course again it will bounce back. My periods never came back because now I am 60. I regret going on this medication (the only one I have ever taken...spironolactone was purely for aesthetic reasons...hair loss) because it has caused more damage than it cured.
Ga32 - I started taking spironolactone in June of this year, a little over 8 months, for PCOS. Since then- I have easily lost 10 pounds (mostly water weight) without changing my diet or exercising, and my skin is clear of acne and blemishes. Also, my hair- on arms and legs- is growing in slower. The down side is I haven't lost much weight in my thighs or bottom. My jeans don't fit they way they did when i used to be this thin. They fit as if i haven't lost any weight at all. I'm also always tired and i crave salty and sour things. Since I starting Spiro I have the most intense cravings for lemons with salt. I can seriously eat this all day long. Also, I've been getting sick (cold, cough, flu) almost every month or so, and it takes me a lot longer to heal. I know your suppose to lower your potassium and salt intake when taking this. I should probably be more cautious of this. Anyway, I was wondering if anyone had a similar experience.
Ga32 - Oh, and I since starting this medication, my hair (on my head) is falling out. I used to have a full head of thick luscious hair. Now my hair is shedding like crazy. It's half of what it used to be. And I think I'm highly sensitive to the sun. I easily get sunspots on my face.
Duffy87774 - Ga32- I couldn't believe my eyes when I was reading your posts. Everything you describe is exactly what I've been dealing with. I crave salty and sour, I am obsessed with eating lemons with salt (after/with/for every meal) I want to eat pickles, and vinegar and no amount of salt is too much salt. However, the salt part makes sense, because the medication lessens the body's ability to absorb sodium. But why the sour?? Even when I would work out all the time and restrict my diet to no gluten, nearly vegan, super healthy, I would still have these bulgy thighs, hips, and stomach! It seemed like it didn't matter what the scale said, because I didn't look slim in those areas at all, even though looking back to before I took Spironolactone (100mg) I had slim thighs! I noticed cellulite increase as well. I also had a hell of a year with getting sick, I got strep throat twice, the flu twice, a viral infection around Christmas that lead to CostoChondrotis (inflammation of the cartilage in the ribcage) and it just seemed like I had a severely compromised immune system. It was due to the medicine I took to help my CostoChondrotis (an anti-inflammatory) that my doctor had me temporarily go off Spironolactone because of the drug interaction. I started Minocyclin to manage my acne and I realized Minocyclin did the trick for my acne without the risk of tumors and lack of a period. The only two bad things that have happened since going off of Spironolactone (100mg) after almost two years (1 year, 9 months) of being on it, is the oiliness I used to experience has returned, though not as bad as before. The second thing, is that after stopping the drug I have had a light period for almost 2 weeks while on the Nuvaring. While on Spironolactone I stopped menstruating completely, and my doctor assumed that meant I was no longer ovulating. But to be sure, I went on birth control to not accidentally get pregnant (I wouldn't know either, if I never got periods!) I had normal periods again once starting Nuvaring, but now it seems going off Spironolactone has thrown my body off and I'm wondering when this bleeding will stop. The couple other things worth mentioning are that people around me noticed I seemed "happier" after going off of it, that I was less irritable, etc. I'm not sure about this, but I do think it caused me to be more easily winded (shortness of breathe) more weak, tired, lethargic, and it made my poor circulation much worse and I experienced discoloration in my hands and feet at one point in time. I also have experienced MAJOR HAIR LOSS, but because my hair is soooo thick naturally I haven't noticed a huge difference in amount per say, but I find my hair EVERYWHERE, it comes out in the shower in handfuls. Once someone asked me if I was a cancer patient because of the amount of shedding I had! The sunspots you mentioned is also very interesting. In the last month or two, I started noticing these weird lighter colored spots sprouting up all over my face, on my chin area, eye area, you name it. I wear SPF 25 (at least) daily so I'm pretty confused as to why they are appearing in increasing numbers. All in all, I'm happy I'm off of it now, and that I can draw a few connections. Ladies-There are other acne treatment options out there, so if that is your primary reason for taking it, I'd say save yourself the trouble, bulges, hair loss, sun spots, weird cravings, potential weight gain, depression, high potassium, and tumors.
Jkotrla - Wow! I can't believe all of the side effects that aren't listed on the paper when you get the pills. I just filled the perscription (50mg 2x's a day) last night and was reading the list of side effects and decided I better do some research. I took my first dose last night and this morning when I put my pants on for work they were tight...and this is a pair that is usually a little big. I already bloat from eating salt and need to lose 20 lbs so there is NO WAY I am going to take this and put my body thru this and be even more miserable. I will find something else for the acne.
Trish_vc - @Jkotrla - Good girl. I only took it for 2 months and I really wish I had researched before taking it. Oh I didn't feel much during the time I was taking it. Honestly I think it's not a good thing to counter the aldosterone in the body, which is what it does in part. The doctor gave it to me as the 'mildest' of his medications, before birth control pills. He just kinda popped that idea in his head, like he was giving candy to a child. Now when doctors prescribe, I'll research and think about it, unless I have zero choice.
Mbeam - i am so happy i found this website! i have been taking spiro for about a year and a half and have gained about 20 lbs. when i first started gaining weight i never thought to research all the medications i was on. it was so bad for a while, i would work out daily and barely eat and id actually GAIN weight. i was so miserable and getting so discouraged from working out and dieting because not only was i not losing weight, but packing it on. i finally went to my doctor thinking it was my anti-anxiety pill. after being off that for 3 months and still cannot lose weight i decided to look into the spiro side effects. after reading all of this i called my dermatologist immediately to make an appointment. i want to be off this as soon as possible! i also have cystic acne and have had 10 laser surgeries to correct the damage my acne did to my skin, so having my acne come back is not an option for me. i spent way too much money fixing my face and i refuse to let that go to waste! im hoping my dermatologist will have another option for me. and i hope these 20lbs. go as fast as they came!
Kavs2012 - I have been on spiro for about 5 months now and it has been a miracle for me for the painful cystic acne I was getting. I had tried everything to cure my acne (accutane, fish oil, birth control pills...only yaz helped...antibiotics, etc...), and only this seems to address the real issue at hand- the androgens. Its possible I've gained just under 5 pounds? However, I attribute that to my being less active because I have been really busy and lazy. I haven't been drinking enough water for this type of medication either which may also be the culprit for my laziness (which I label as fatigue :D)
This medication has changed my life. If for some reason it has directly caused me to gain weight... I don't mind at all because I have smooth and pain free skin. For someone who had seriously painful and deep cysts for the last two years, this was a blessing. It has also decreased tremendously any excessive facial hair I used to get, and stopped the hair on my scalp from falling out. All in all, some of us women REALLY benefit from this. I'm sorry if it hasn't worked for some of you and caused weight gain, but that's very possible if the androgens are being blocked.
Cheers!!!
Julbean - A few things to consider about Spironolactone:
-Spiro CAN interfere with antidepressants.If you have to take both,you may still feel depressed like your antidepressant is not working.
-Spiro dehydrates you,so it can pronounce lines and wrinkles and dark under eye circles.
-Spiro blocks androgens,and is a hormonal drug like birth control,so it definitely may cause weight gain.Despite the fact that doctors don't mention this.
-Spiro can either help scalp hair loss, or make it worse for some people.
-Spiro is a blood pressure lowering medicine,so be careful extreme fatigue is not because it is causing your blood pressure to be too low.Check your pressure periodically and your electrolytes just to be safe.
-Spiro should NOT be a first line of treatment against acne.It is VERY effective against hormonal acne that has NOT responded to other methods,but like ALL drugs,it comes with risks.Get educated and do your research.If you feel badly and start gaining weight,then it is probably not the drug for you.
Imedicationsi - Isn't it supposed to HELP weight loss?
I have noticed my legs are heavier, which has made me incredibly unhappy, and I take Prozac for depression. I worry this drug has not only fed the depression, but the cramps that come with stress.
I don't know why to do, I don't want to go back on Accutane and I'm on 100 mg of this, but it's not that great in terms of helping my skin.
Shortywcb - Was on Spiro 200mg for over 5 years. Started at about age 24. Went from 115 lbs to 150 lbs in two years. Thought it was my PCOS which is why I was prescribed Spiro (PCOS= high T, hair loss, excessive body hair). Like you guys said, all the weight was in my stomach, butt, and thighs. Nothing fit me anymore. I couldn't even go clothes shopping because I would have to get a shirt 3 sizes too big just to fit over my belly. So I basically walk around with my shirt skin tight on my stomach and extremely loose on my chest. Not attractive at all! No pants fit me, fat rolls and huge love handles for the first time in my life. No amount of dieting or exercise helped me maintain or lose weight. I got so desperate because my doctor for the first time in my life said I needed to lose weight, but blamed the weight on my PCOS. So i stopped eating sugar, carbs, etc and went down to under 1,000 calories a day and did over an hour of dance each day. Never lost a pound, in fact, I gained!!!!
Now I have been off of Spiro for a month. My extremely oily skin and hair is back and I am sweating excessively. However, I have lost 10 lbs in 30 days. I still eat just as I always have which is pretty bad and I don't exercise. I shower twice a day now because I'm so greasy, but it's worth it to see if the weight keeps disappearing. Hope this helps you guys. If anyone has questions, you can email me at shortywcb@aol.com.
Sarahbelle - I am having a hard time with spiro again. My derm put me back on it because he thinks I need to be on it. He put me on 25 mg so he was sure I'd have no side effects. Wrong again. I have been working out diligently ever since I went off spiro the first time (my post is a few up) and I'd gotten so much muscle definition and strength that people noticed my muscles when I wasn't flexing and I was incredibly lean. Now, I'm gaining weight in my belly area and hips and almost all my muscle tone is gone. This stuff is awful. I have barely been eating and working out a ton, which would normally make me drop weight in an instant. ONLY plus is my boobs are bigger. that is THE only up side.
Shortywcb - I went to my doctor today and she was mad that I stopped Spiro, but too bad because I'm at least going to give it a few more months to see what happens to my weight. However, Spiro makes my boobs way smaller and sore. I'm on Orthotricyclen as and it makes my boobs big, but the Spiro counteracts it. I know Spiro is supposed to make them big, but it does completely the opposite with me.
Mbeam - just wanted to update since going off of the spiro. ive been off for a month now and my skin is fine. my dermatologist gave me a prescription for an antibiotic cream and that has worked well so far. my weight has also been dropping since going off of it.
you dont need to be on spiro to help your skin-there are so many more options!!
Shennerb - My daughter was diagnosed with pcos a year ago and put on spironolactone
And metformin. Her skin cleared up but she felt bloated and gained weight. She is in high school and very Active in sports and in good shape. She stopped the metformin because she thought it was causing the bloating. She ate healthy and low carbs and still gained . She gained two inches on her chest, two on her hips and one on each thigh since August. Her muscles became more squishy and when running became more tired. We are thinking after reading all these posts that it is the spironolactone
And not the metformin. She also stopped getting her period for 8 months after being on. The spironolactone. Her last appointment showed her potassium was high so she had to stop the spironolactone so now hoping she can lose the weight. They put her bacon the metformin for pcos and bcp so she can have a period. How long before the weight comes off or is her body ruined from this spironolactone?
Shortywcb - @ Shennerb. In my opinion, I believe your daughter's doctor should never prescribe Spiro without birth control pills. Spiro screws your period up bad, but for me I was getting it every day because of Spiro. Birth control pills help regulate the period. Orthotricyclen cleared up my acne and is helpful for pcos, but I think it may have made my body unable to make it's own hormones now. I started the bcp at age 16 after not having my period for 6 months at a time. So it's kinda a lose-lose situation for PCOS, but maybe have her try bcp to see if it regulates her? If you don't wanna go the synthetic hormone route, ask her doc about natural progesterone cream.
I lost 10 pounds in my first month off spiro. I have more energy now as well. However, I am still squishy and need to lose about 10 more pounds. I tried to put on a pair of jeans I wore last year and couldn't even get my thigh in them so I can understand your daughter's problem. I hope I keep losing weight, but I don't know if it's just a fluke or not. If I lose more or if I gain, I will definitely post on here.
PCOS sufferers gain weight, have acne, irregular periods, etc. so a lot of times its hard to know whether it's the actual disease or the medication that is causing the problem. I don't think spiro "ruined" her body , especially since she wasn't on spiro very long and she is young. The met should help with her weight if she can tolerate it's side effects. I just saw on the news the other day that studies are showing met helps prevent cancer too so that's a plus.
I wasn't diagnosed till in my twenties with pcos but I first developed the signs around age 16 too. Tell your daughter to hang in there!
Shennerb - Shortywcb...thanks for your advice. It is truly a difficult battle and I appreciate knowing other people can relate. I would really like for her to have it somewhat regulated and under control before she goes off to college in a year. I feel so awful for her and anyone that suffers from pcos. Thanks for responding.
Runnergirl23 - Shennerb - I was on 200 mg of sprio and BC pills. Before I started that treatment (for hair loss from coming off BC pills ironically), I weighed 112-118 (I'm 5'6"), after being on the spiro and BC pills for almost 10 months I gained around 15-20 lbs. I am a hard core runner and I lift weights also very healthy diet - I didn't change anything in that regard but the scale just kept going up, it was maddening! And just as you described with your daughter, none of my pants fit, I had never weighed that much.
One thing to keep in mind is combining spiro and bc pills is a recipe for disaster because you are blocking testosterone (so bye bye muscle tone) and increasing Estrogen (hello cellulite), so if at all possible see if she can just not be on any meds for a while and see what happens. Also, when on the 200 mg of spiro and bc pils I had weight gain in places I never carried weight like my stomach and arms.
Everyone is different, I was on 100 mg of spiro at one time and no other meds and was fine - meaning my energy was OK and my weight was 112-118 lbs. But once it was increased to 200 mg and even decreasing to 150 mg didn't help my weight at all. I am now at 100 mg each day and off bc pills - it has been 3-4 months now since making that adjustment - if your daughter is anything like me it could take a while to loose the weight. So far I have only lost 3 lbs but ever so slightly I feel my body getting back to normal - I've lost an inch off my waist and 1/2 an inch off my hips. Also, she may become extremely bloated for a few weeks after decreasing or stopping spiro - this will pass. Make sure she is drinking a lot of water to flush out the meds. I hope this helps.
Runnergirl23 - Oh, I forgot one other thing - the spiro definitely zapped my energy. When I was running I felt like I was trying to push through a brick wall - she should notice her energy level improve within a couple days of coming off or reducing the spiro dosage.
Runnergirl23 - Sarahbelle - Haha, I can so relate!!! Only up side is the bigger boobs! But mine are getting a little smaller so hopefully that means my hips and thighs will be soon to follow!
Shortywcb - @runnergirl23, my hair loss first started after stopping the pill as well. So I got back on it and it helped alleviate some of that loss. Did your hair ever recover? Are you PCOS? If so, do you not take any treatment for it?
@shennerb, Sorry I forgot to ask you, did they diagnose your daughter using the FSH/LSH ratio?
Runnergirl23 - Shortywcb - yes got back on yasmin (Dr. Redmond's treatment - 9 weeks of active pills and then only 4 days of inactive), along with 200 mg of spiro and 2.5 mg finasteride. It did help a great deal after 4 months, but I had terrible side effects, like he weight gain, loss of muscle, cellulite, night sweats, hot flashes, muscle cramps, extreme fatigue, foggy memory, etc. So I stopped the treatment plan - my hair is suffering, I am just hoping and praying that my hormones will balance out naturally soon. No, I don't have PCOS. I didn't start having any issues until I came off the pill.
Mbeam - just wanted to update. I went off 100mg of spiro about 2 months ago and already lost 6 lbs and can definitely see my body getting back to normal. I see a personal trainer so that really helps my muscle tone. since I went on for acne I was worried about my skin but my dermatologist prescribed me an antibiotic cream that works well. so if you're on spiro to help your skin, there are other options!!
Shortywcb - So what did he diagnose you with? High T? Because that's what the spiro and finasteride is for-- to block testosterone and DHT. I hear you on the Spiro side effects. Before, I couldn't even get out of bed and had to force myself to do anything. Now that I'm off it, I'm jogging and walking again (8 miles every other day) and doing all the things I was too tired to do before. I feel much better, but I'm staying on my Orthotricyclen for my hair and acne problems. Do you have any issues with sweating? I do a ton and I'm miserable. Spiro helps it a lot, but now that I'm off it, I'm just clammy all the time!
Shennerb - Shortb....not sure if FSH or LSH...sorry. My daughter is on metformin now for her insulin resistance and her endo changed her bc to the lowest dose of estrogen hoping it will help cut back on the weight gain. She doesn't plan to go back on the spironolactone which she was on to clear up her acne...which it did very well. That is so interesting runner girl that the weight gain came on when the spironolactone was combined with bcp....because that is when her weight gain began to really to increase. We will keep you posted on any changes she sees. Best of luck to all of you.
Shennerb - Since stopping the spironolactone a couple of weeks ago my daughter has lost 3 pounds and her skin is still looking great. She will switch from spryntec to junel on April 22 because of a lower dose of estrogen. She is on her 2nd full week of metformin and is handling it well. He is gradually increasing
Her dose. Anyone had any bad side effects from the metformin?
Shortywcb - @runnergirl, I am not able to jog the whole 8 miles--I do a combo of jogging/speed walking, but I hope one day I can jog at least 4 miles nonstop. But considering I fell off my four wheeler the other day and bruised every bone in my body, it may be a while before I get out there running again! :(
Shortywcb - @shennerb. That's great news for your daughter, good for her! Are you guys totally set on buying the generic brand of bcp? I had a hard time on sprintec and trisprintec. If you ever want to look up people's opinions on prescriptions, a good resource is askapatient.com. I had side effects from met that were pretty miserable: nausea, diarrhea, headache, flu-like symptoms. So I switched to Glumetza which is an extended release metformin. I still had side effects but they seemed not as bad. I lost a TON of weight in my belly from it. However, I couldn't take the side effects. I'm a wuss though so if your daughter is doing well after 2 weeks, then that's good. One of the main things to remember is to take a complex vitamin B supplement while on met because it depletes your body of it and will make you feel terrible.
Shortywcb - The spiro made me puffy too. I haven't heard of any permanent side effects from met, just the nausea and going to the bathroom. I went to my doc today and it was confirmed I have lost weight. I'm still only at 10 lbs loss but I feel much more confident. I used to not be able to get out of bed, but now I have my energy back and am feeling much more happy with myself (body and mind). I'm so happy for your daughter, keep up the good work!
Nicki822 - I was diagnosed with PCOS a few months ago. I was given Metformin and Spiro by endo. I've had little side effects from either one. HOWEVER, I've always had a larger chest and I've noticed they are getting bigger and bigger... I'm also a runner and noticed that muscle fatigue is bad, which I never suffered from. I'm not seeing a difference in hair growth yet so I may stop using the Spiro to see if I feel better after running and working out. The Metformin is great, I don't crave sweets.
Runnergirl23 - Shennerb - I decreased my spiro dosage from 200 mg to 100 mg many months ago now and I am just starting to see some weight come off, but it is more as you mentioned about your daughter a decrease in size. I've had a couple people at the gym tell me my body was changing. I've only lost 3 lbs but I've lost almost two inches off my waist and and inch and a half from my hips. Is she still on BC pills? I didn't notice any change with my body until I had also come off BC pills. I dropped my sprio dosage and nothing happened except I felt better and had more endurance and energy, but until I came off Yasmin, I didn't start seeing a change in my body. I feel so for your daughter, but tell her to be patient, I feel her body will get back to normal, but not until the meds totally get out of her system and that could take a good 6-8 months. I am starting on a cleanse (for my liver) per my doctor's instructions. Maybe that would help get everything flushed out of her systme faster.
Breakfastiffany - Mangosmom you mentioned in your comment that your skin cleared up really nice the first few months then later you started to break out again. really while on spiro? bec this is the first time i've heard a situation like this about spiro. how long did u take it before u started breaking out again "while on spiro"? and how many dosage do you take? just curious.. coz i had been on spiro for 6 months now and my skin completely cleared up. now if your case is like that "nice the first few months and eventually breaking out again while on it" it's something to worry about, is it not? did you stop for a few months or something?
Breakfastiffany - Mangosmom you mentioned in your comment that your skin cleared up really nice the first few months then later you started to break out again. really while on spiro? bec this is the first time i've heard a situation like this about spiro. how long did u take it before u started breaking out again "while on spiro"? and how many dosage do you take? just curious.. coz i had been on spiro for 6 months now and my skin completely cleared up. now if your case is like that "nice the first few months and eventually breaking out again while on it" it's something to worry about, is it not? did you stop for a few months or something?
Shennerb - Runnegirl23...she quit taking her BC pill a month and a half ago. She is now back on her metformin for insulin resistance and finally had a period on her own, so that was good. She is just frustrated with the no loss on the scale. She was 10 pounds lighter a year ago, so I hope you are right and we just need to be patient. Thanks for your encouragement.
Runnergirl23 - Shennerb - At a month and a half in I hadn't seen much improvement with my weight at all. I would go down a a couple lbs than go right back up. I'm at seven months now of being off Yasmin and I've lost four lbs now but I gained 15 lbs. And I have never gained that much weight ever. Tell her to hang in there, I've been told it can take a full year for things to get back to normal. This is not permanent! I however know nothing about Metformin so I don't know how that could be effecting things. Trust me I know how incredibly frustrated she has to be, but in a few months it should be much better.
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Shennerb - Runnergirl23-I appreciate your encouragement. It is so difficult being patient. The metformin is to help with her insulin. I hope it doesn't cause weight gain!
Pcosgirl - I almost had to do a double take when i found this site. Everything u guys are experiencing is the same for me. Ive been on spiro for 7 years and i just thought all of these things were just "me". Although i actually lost weight on spiro, as soon as i began bcpi rapidly gained 20 pounds! I slowly have been decreasing my dose of spiro as ive been on 200 mg for 7 years. It is crazy that the dr saidi could just stop taking cause when i did, i swelled up so bad i didnt look like myself. I dropped down 25 mg for two week incriments and that seems to be helping. Im only on 25 mg now and about to cut in half today so wish me luck. The only thing ive noticed is that now on 25 mg my hair is everywhere! I hope this levels out cause i never began spiro for hairloss! Best of luck to everyone out there. I know there has to be something better out there than spiro. I never would have taken it if i knew about all of this. I didnt think id be trading acne for weight gain hairloss and brown spots!
Sheerheartattack - I found this site about a month ago and decided to stop taking spiro (I was on 75 mg). It does really help my acne, but it's also caused a lot of weight gain (~15 lbs.) and fatigue. I've been off the spiro for about three weeks now and I've actually gained even more weight. I've been working out every day since before I stopped taking it, and I've gained a little bit of muscle in my arms and I think my legs, but it's like half my weight is centered around my middle. It's really frustrating. None of my clothes are comfortable and I'm always hyper-aware of my belly. It doesn't feel right.
I've taken spiro off and on for years and years.. 10+ I think. And I've never noticed weight gain like this before, but usually I've been on other meds which caused either weight gain or loss, so I didn't think the spiro was a factor. But this last time of taking spiro, I haven't been on any other meds at all for over a year, which made me start to get suspicious of the spiro and when I found this site, it all clicked.
I just really hope I start to lose some of this weight soon — I'm vegan and eat pretty healthy overall, and just feel really frustrated that I keep gaining.
Azule67 - I am so happy i found these postings. I have been in Spiro for 4 days and gained 7 pounds. I have been trying to lose weight forever and last week at this time I weighed 244lb. Eating the exact same foods, no other medication and somehow I'm gaining. Spiro was prescribed to stop unwanted facial hair, but I don't want to gain weight. I will stop taking it today. I'll do some research on herbal solutions instead.
Luls - I've been on spiro since 2008, after trying everything under the sun (just like most of us on here). It was initially a miracle drug for me. I lost water bloating, my good hair got thicker and the bad hair (armpits etc) thinned. I'm a 43 yr old that looks very young for my age, and have always maintained a very slim athletic build (like young teenage boy..). But when developed adult acne in my thirties, after exhausting all other treatments including accutane, the Doc tested me for androgen levels and mine were high for a women. Spiro was deemed the CURE. Now, after 4 years on it, here are the results. I have very bad hyperpigmentation/melasma on my face (though some of it can be attributed to sunburn whilst on accutane years earlier.) My body has COMPLETELY changed shape. Like from 12 year old boy to Kim Kardasian. I'm not exaggerating either. I went from 32B to 32DD or 34D. Friends asked if I got a boob job! My waist is slimmer overall, but I have a soft paunch belly below it. My thighs and hips curve and I am soft all over instead of naturally lean. It's all happened within 2 years, and I still have trouble dressing this new womanly body. It may sound good to some of you, but I actually hate it now. I am very conscious of my big chest and am constantly trying to find clothes to minimize their appearance. Little sun dresses are a thing of the past, and I miss my old shape. I have even considered getting a breast reduction as I am so unhappy with it. It makes sense that initially, people lose water weight, which is pretty superficial and just the diuretic affect of the drug. It also makes sense that after a period of time, if you are like me, the blocking of the androgen (testosterone derivative) allows your estrogen and "feminine hormones" to flourish. That would explain the bigger boobs and curvy soft body, and the loss of the muscle mass. I hear a lot about bellies, but not much about the breast situation like mine. Anyone??
Luls - BTW - the spiro really cleared my skin! I am scared to quit (went from 200 MG to 100 - to 75g to finally on 50G daily. Do you think it's too late to reserve the affects to my body if I quit now? And if yes, how long do you think it will take to see results?
Thanks everyone.
Jcpiper - Luls, exact same thing happened to me. I'm also 43 and went from a B cup to a DD. At first it was great, I had beautiful hair, skin, and large boobs (which I liked). But then I started to get the fat belly and cellulite and my skin became so soft it got saggy. Also my face looked swollen and rounded (estrogen) which I didn't like. But the real issue was I didn't feel like it was my body anymore, wasn't comfortable in my own skin. Also, I was concerned that it was making me depressed - but I'm not sure about that. Just a hunch.
Initially I was only on 50 mg a day, so I can't imagine what it would be like a higher doses. I'm sure my body would change drastically. I've gone off Spiro a couple of times and my body reverted to its original shape within a month or so; however, of course, the acne came back. So right now I'm on 25 mg every other day and so far that has kept the acne at bay whilst keeping me from too much of a fat belly. Although I think it may be creeping back. bummer.
Sheerheartattack - I've been off the spiro for about 7 weeks now and still haven't lost weight. However, I started taking turmeric as recommended by a couple other people in this thread and it has helped keep my acne at bay. I still flare up a couple times a month, but the bumps seem smaller/flatter and don't stick around for as long. Previously I would get really deep ones that hurt bad. So that definitely seems to help. I've been taking 1800 mg/day (4 capsules).
Also, around the same time I stopped taking the spiro, I started getting really bad stomachaches throughout the day. I finally realized that I'm just a lot hungrier than I used to be — not hungrier like I want to eat more at each meal, but that I need to eat about every 2-3 hours (even if just a few crackers) or I start getting shooting pains in my stomach. I can't figure out why this would happen, except for maybe stopping the spiro has increased my metabolism? I'm curious if anyone else has experienced this.
Julbean - I'm just curious if those of you with the weight gain have had your hormones retested?
Maybe it is possible that spiro does put you in estrogen dominance which can make it hard to lose weight.
I can not even lose one single pound,but I'm also hypothyroid so it's hard for me to know what is causing it.Last week I just went to my doctor to complain about all the weight I have gained despite working out and dieting so she is testing me for a whole bunch of stuff.Depending on how my results come out,she may give me Metformin which I have heard a lot of people say helps them lose weight when they have PCOS.
I can't believe that after searching the internet obsessively,that this page is THE ONLY one that comes up regarding spiro and weight gain.All other sites state weight loss as a side effect and not gain.
Hmbstudios - Spironolactone is used for hypertension so it makes sense that it would lower your metabolism.
Hmbstudios - I was on spironolactone for about ten years and had slightly different changes to yours, Luls. There are not so many women responding on this site that have been on it as long. I found through observation that some of the changes which I thought were positive...that had nothing to do with why I was taking it (I took it for hair loss)...like less water in my legs and finally a little larger bust (my breasts have always been tiny and have never worn a bra in my life and still don't) and less hair under my arms and I stopped smelling from the armpits which I now believe to be a bad thing because it means the body is not getting rid of its toxins as designed. I found a lump in my thigh which I believe to be one of the spots the body found to dump toxins instead. My pubic hair also thinned out which I did not take as a positive thing. I lost my muscle tone and found it near impossible to rebuild though I did Bikram yoga daily for nearly two years. I was easily fatigued and soft all over. I thought it was my menopause that did this and so never pursued it with a doctor. I did have the occasion to see my gynecologist who accidentally discovered a tumor in my ovary which we tested and watched for years as it grew slowly. I now link that to spiro and believe it to be another toxin dumping ground. Doctors do not know all the ramifications of this drug and so cannot link odd symptoms to it. I have been off spiro now for almost two years and I have slowly, very slowly, lost the extra weight around my torso, face and thighs. This is likely to do with increased metabolism (spiro was designed for hypertension) and hormones finding their proper balance. Being a rather sedentary person, I have not returned to yoga as I no longer live near the Bikram studio. I know I would have a speedier recovery to my more muscular body if I took it up again even though I am now 60. I bet I would find it a lot easier! When I stopped spiro I almost immediately got my body odor back and the hair in my arm pits and pubic area slowly returned. My hair on my head is no longer falling out so it seems that I am returning to normal AND keeping my hair on my head. Even the lump in my thigh is smaller. I can safely say that it is spiro that is the culprit because I never took any medication for anything except spiro and I sure regret it, especially since I took it for purely aesthetic reasons! Medicine is an art, not a science and we certainly do not know what these medications are doing to our bodies. We were designed to be able to maintain our ideal body through nutrition and exercise and I feel that it should be only that which will give us the best results. Even now in my stage of life with emotional turmoil at its peak, I would never consider anti depressants! There are no easy fixes or magic cures, just proper food, exercise, cleanliness and happiness. You miss one of those and you're going to get into trouble somewhere! Don't mess with Mother Nature, ha ha.
Luls - Hey there HMBstudios, thanks for sharing your experience, especially since you've taken this medication for 10 years. I never took any on-going medication in my life either. Not even the birth control pill, since they always made me violently ill. I agree with your stance on antidepressants as I've seen the mess they've made of many of my family members lives. (see Experience Project story: Millions of lost souls). Even a daily walk in the sun can help depression.
JcPiper - Wow! I've never found anyone on the internet with a similar experience. I am happy to hear that you said your body returned to normal (despite the acne). You nailed it when you said "But the real issue was I didn't feel like it was my body anymore, wasn't comfortable in my own skin". That's me exactly. I have tried dropping to the low level you are at with the 25mg every other day. But my skin started to get fussy again. What ever shall we do?
Shortywcb - JuleBean: my doctor said spiro does make you estrogen dominant. Don't know if that's actually true or not because sometimes I feel like she is just making stuff up because she doesn't really know the answer. I have bloodwork scheduled next week so we shall see what my T and E levels are at now that I have been off spiro for two months. My period is finally back to normal, but I am a hairy, sweaty, little grease ball now. My cystic acne has not returned and I am down 15 lbs. Oh BTW, no sex drive at all. Does anyone else have this problem?
Shortywcb - @PCOSGIRL: I'm PCOS also. I started taking it for hair loss, extra body hair, oil, cystic acne. My hair loss came back after 2 months off spiro, but I'm trying to work with Saw Palmetto to try and keep off spiro. However, it's shedding like crazy.
Julbean - shortywcb:
That is great you were able to lose 15 pounds! If I could just lose 10 I'd be over the moon.
I got bloodwork done too last week,and I'm just anxiously waiting for the results.Hoping it can tell me anything about why I cannot seem to lose even one pound while dieting and exercising.
Ladies,look into getting your thyroids tested too though.A lot of us on Spiro also have PCOS,and it seems that PCOS and Hypothyroid kind of go hand in hand are a double whammy with weight gain.
I'm hypothyroid and I think my dose needs to be raised higher,spiro dose lowered,and possibly add Metformin to the mix.
It is so frustrating because I have always been fit my whole life and now my BMI says two points away from Obese! WTF!
Julbean - shortywcb:
I'm still on spiro,but my sex drive is through the roof right now.Shouldn't it be having the opposite effect?
Shortywcb - @Julbean: I got my thyroid, testosterone, insulin, etc tested, but I don't get the results until August 9th. I am due to start taking Glumetza again this month. (It's an extended release version of Met because I can't handle Met). I couldn't really handle the Glumetza either, but I am going to give it a try again. My BMI is still too high also, the Wii Fit reminds me of this every day lol. Spiro killed my sex drive, but so did Orthotricyclen. Spiro binds to testosterone so technically, yes, it should lower your sex drive. Men on similar pills for hair loss report loss of sex drive also. But hey, maybe you are finding the right balance and now have a normal level of testosterone but not an overdose of it??
Trish_vc - I wrote before but I write again.
2 years ago I noticed hairs were getting darker. I felt like blaming the BC pills that I ending up stopping. The female doctor did some blood test for certain hormones and they came back a bit uneven. Did some pcos tests and some lower abdomen scan. Nothing there. I went to see an Endocrinologist who gave me spironolactone.
I read up on Spiro and felt it wasn't worth it to continue, so last December I quit. Since then it's been a series of weird symptoms that I attribute to 'anxiety', HOWEVER, seriously now, my hairs are much darker on my arms, hands, etc.
The question is: Has anyone who stopped Spironolactone dealt with a worsening of the hirsutism? I'm going to the doctor tomorrow and hoping to get some guidance/answers. Tired of stressing about stuff.
Shortywcb - @Trish_vc: did your doc do a blood test comparing your FSH/LSH ratio? That's how mine find out I had PCOS. I have had the ultra sound too, but I don't have actual cysts. I was told that PCOS is a syndrome and so there are no clear symptoms, like not everyone has cysts on their ovaries. It's weird and complicated--ugh! But anyways, yes, since I stopped Spiro, I am hairy again. :(
Nicki822 - @ Trish_vc: Yes, I've been off Spiro for a month now and my hair is thick and black again ( althought it didn't completely go away). It helped with my acne too. I had to go off of it because I felt like I was hit by a truck every single day.. My muscles ached and I had no energy. This comes from a person who exercises everyday at 4:45 a.m!! I've been dedicated to my fitness for the past 5 or 6 years.. However, I'm gaining weight and can't seem to lose it, even on Metformin 500 x 2 daily. I have an appt tomorrow with Endo, not sure what else to do at this point. There is a Endo who specializes in PCOS in the downtown CHicago area that I have an appointment with but it's a 2.5 hour drive for me. Not sure how realistic that is if I need to go back all the time... Good luck.
Nicki822 - To everyone considering Metformin to lose weight.. .It's not a magic drug like many think. It has some major side effects... Upset stomach, gas and feeling tired. I've been on it since March 2012 and not dropped one pound. I went off of it for a few weeks and I did gain a few pounds so I'm back on it. I exercise like a mad woman and not losing anything.. ( this week, since Monday, I've either ran/walked/biked 33 miles) So, I guess the Met prevents me from gaining? I'm very very frustrated and don't even feel comfortable in my own body. I'm 5'3 and weigh about 174- puts me at obese!! Yikes.
Trish_vc - Thank you for the responses. :)
I will ask 'a' doctor to do a test comparing FSH/LSH. I don't have a specific doctor.
The endocrinologist just gave me spiro without sending me off for tests. In fact he just told me to lose weight.
I guess I get a bit paranoid, since the other cause for hirsutism can be ovarian or adrenal tumors that secrete excessive amounts of hormones. Though I did heard that it's particularly rare for it to be the cause of it.
The hair itself doesn't trouble me (because I plan on lasering it off), it's more of the cause.
I AM overweight there's no denying that.
Nicki822 - PLEASE be careful on Spiro... I felt like death on it and thought it would get better. ( and never did). I agree, the main cause is of concern. Going tomorrow to ENDO, hoping for good news that I can share. I'm also overweight according to BMI but I exercise daily and can't lose it. Very frustrating.
Bethhiggins - Wow, glad I found this website and your postings. Makes me feel better. My dermatologist put me on spiro and told me I would probably lose a little weight on it. A couple weeks before I had started taking Sprio, I started a 90 day health challenge and was losing weight.. and now I am on my 2nd week of sprio and I am seeing that I have gained a couple pounds back which is crazy because I am sticking to every part of the health challenge.. so there is no possible way i should be gaining weight. Also I have had some really bad headaches.. wonder if its related to the spiro. Calling my dermatologist in the morning and getting off this medication! Not worth weight gain and constant headaches. Thanks again!
Sheerheartattack - @Bethhiggins: Yup, it increased my headaches too. They actually told me when I started taking it that that might happen (I have chronic migraine), so I think it's a known side effect.
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Shortywcb - I got my blood tests back, everything was normal. Thyroid, insulin, glucose, etc. However, my testosterone was actually too low, below their normal range. Which is weird because I'm greasy, sweaty, and hairy! I wish they would test for estrogen, but the times I have got it tested, they just have you come in willy nilly when you are actually supposed to come in certain days of your cycle. The same with T so who knows what mine really is.
My doctor again confirmed the weight loss. But she doesn't want to admit it's from stopping spiro.
Nicki822 - @ Shortywcb- Didn't read all these posts but if you're diagnosed with PCOS and still having issues, this is what I came up with. I exercise daily and can't lose weight. I recently went to ENDO and he increased my metformin to 2000mg daily and put me on 30mg of Phentermine. So far ( two weeks), I've lost a few pounds. I'm not so hung up on weight as I am how I feel... I feel so much better. I stopped taking the Spiro as I felt AWFUL on it. Talk to your ENDO about weight loss drugs to see if you can kick start your body. Just a thought!
Akk0409 - I'll use the start response that so many of you have previously used and say, "I'M SO GLAD I FOUND THIS." Seriously! I started taking Spiro about 3 months ago. It was prescribed by my dermatologist to treat acne. I vaguely read about the effects when I first started using it, and most certainly regret not reading more. I started noticing the weight gain a month into taking the medication. I figured it was my eating habits or something but really they hadn't changed so it confused me. I also read in the beginning that Spiro is a water weight gain reducing medication, so the thought of gaining weight being caused by it left my mind. The weight gain just kept progressing from there. I have two children and have maintained 120 lbs for years now. I'm a very athletic and fit individual as well. In the past three months I have gained 12 pounds. I still maintain the same workout and eating regimen as well. My mooods have changed. Anxiety and b*tchiness through the roof. I've noticed the weight gain the most in my legs and butt. Cellulite EVERYWHERE. I also started bleeding between periods and having horrible stomach pains. After reading the [previous posts and thoroughly thinking it through I tossed my medication in the trash. I just want to feel normal again, but also afraid my acne will come back worse. I honestly didn't see a significant decrease in acne while taking it either. It would fluctuate here and there. Side effects have given enough reason to stop all together.
Akk0409 - I'll use the start response that so many of you have previously used and say, "I'M SO GLAD I FOUND THIS." Seriously! I started taking Spiro about 3 months ago. It was prescribed by my dermatologist to treat acne. I vaguely read about the effects when I first started using it, and most certainly regret not reading more. I started noticing the weight gain a month into taking the medication. I figured it was my eating habits or something but really they hadn't changed so it confused me. I also read in the beginning that Spiro is a water weight gain reducing medication, so the thought of gaining weight being caused by it left my mind. The weight gain just kept progressing from there. I have two children and have maintained 120 lbs for years now. I'm a very athletic and fit individual as well. In the past three months I have gained 12 pounds. I still maintain the same workout and eating regimen as well. My mooods have changed. Anxiety and b*tchiness through the roof. I've noticed the weight gain the most in my legs and butt. Cellulite EVERYWHERE. I also started bleeding between periods and having horrible stomach pains. After reading the [previous posts and thoroughly thinking it through I tossed my medication in the trash. I just want to feel normal again, but also afraid my acne will come back worse. I honestly didn't see a significant decrease in acne while taking it either. It would fluctuate here and there. Side effects have given enough reason to stop all together.
Julbean - I thought I would update here.
The last time I got off spiro I was only off it for about a month,and MY BELLY swelled up to look like I was 6 months pregnant!!
I also have not had a period for over 3 months now.I finally went to the doctor and got a sonogram and it turns out I do have PCOS.Also,my LH levels are in the menopause zone! I'm only 35!
So I have gone back on the spiro, and instantly I lose 5 pounds (without even trying at all) and my belly is flat again.I don't know what to think.I know Spiro is a diuretic,but why the hell would my stomach swell up that bad without it?
My doctor blew off that question when I asked.
Maybe if you do have PCOS it helps you lose weight because it blocks testosterone,but if you don't have it,maybe it alters your normal levels and makes you gain weight?
Either way,it looks like I'm gonna have to be on the Spiro permanently now.
I just want to feel normal again! I'm only 35 and I already feel like I really am 55.
Julbean - Also,I have to wait 3 more weeks before I find out the rest of my results which were for testosterone levels,cortisol,insulin,estridol,progesterone,and more LH and FSH.
Doctors are driving me crazy making me wait this long before putting me on treatment but I guess he wants to be sure before starting Metformin.I don't know why my sonogram and results were not enough.
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Stardestiny - I am so glad I found this. Like everyone else, my breasts (and hips/stomach/butt) have been growing out of control the last few months.
I've been on Spiro for about a year for PCOS + excess hair. At the start, it worked great. My cycles became regular again and the hair growth stopped. But now I just keep gaining weight - I was 120lb to start with but am now up to 140lb, despite working out 6 days a week and leading a very healthy and active lifestyle.
I tried to go off Spiro for about a month but seemed to bloat even more, so I went back on it. :( (And yeah, all of the excess hair came straight back. I spent hours plucking my face.)
Now it seems that I need to quit cold-turkey, wait several months for even a chance of losing the weight. Do I want to be hairy or skinny? I'd rather be skinny. Sigh.
Mbeam - for all of you worried about going off spironolactone and getting acne again, my dermatologist prescribed me a antibiotic cream that has worked extremely well. and you don't have to put any pills in your body. it's wonderful!
Shortywcb - @Julebean, if you feel comfortable, I hope you will come back and post in 3 months what your results are. I'm 31 and feel like I'm way older also. I have a gained back a lot of energy from stopping spiro, but I have been so greasy and sweaty lately, and my skin looks so gross, I have been thinking about getting back on. What worries me though is that I used to have high T due to the PCOS, now I have no testosterone (which can't be good). No libido whatsoever---zilch for over 2 years.
To everyone else, thank you for the advice on this site and your stories have really helped me feel better about what I am going through and that I'm not alone in this mess.
Shortywcb - @Nicki822: I was prescribed Glumetza which is the extended release of met, but my doc said not to take it because my insulin and glucose are normal. Are you insulin resistant? I don't think we really have to be to take the drug. I had super bad side effects on it, but I am considering trying it again to lose another 10 pounds. My doc wants me to weigh in the lower 130's. I went to an endo and they didn't do much so maybe I will try to go to a different one. What is Phentermine? Any side effects?
Julbean - Shortwcb-
I go back to the endo next week to find out my results.(Sept 6)
My PC sent me the results from my sonogram and it says that I definitely have PCOS and multiple cysts on each ovary...so,my endo SHOULD prescribe Metformin next week hopefully.
I have begun to lose weight,but I believe it is because I started taking Prozac.
I found out Prozac makes your body more sensitive to insulin and that people who have diabetes that take it often don't require as much insulin as they used to...So,maybe it has helped kinda like Metformin in that way?
It has also helped with my moods some and I really haven't been on it that long.
Shortywcb,
Did they test your estrogen too?
Sometimes even if you have low testosterone,if you don't have enough estrogen to balance,you still FEEL like you have too much T.
And estrogen levels can effect your sex drive when you are woman,not just testosterone.
Perhaps you would benefit being on a a low dose of estrogen or birth control.
I will post my results next week when I get them and tell you how the visit went.
I'm also glad I found this thread because it is really hard dealing with hormonal issues alone.It is so confusing and doctors don't really help us understand.
Roseke99 - Hi Everyone,
I am 38, 5'2, extremely active and have been able to maintain a weight of 127 lbs. About a month ago, I noticed that I had gained an excessive amount of weight (nearly 10 lbs) during a two to three month timeframe leading up to that point in time. I wasn't sure what had caused that weight gain so I started researching everything. I waited to research spiro until the end. I've been on it for 2 years. To echo what many have you said, My Dr. also informed me that I should see a weight loss. She prescribed this to me for my hormonal acne.
Over the course of that 2 year timeframe, my acne disappeared. I didn't really notice feeling lethargic or that I had much of a weight gain.
I have been off spiro for a month now. I'm actually more active than I was before as a response to my weigh gain. I take Saw Palmetto and Fish Oil for my acne. So far, so good...though I do notice that my face gets a bit more oily now that I'm off spiro, my breakouts are short lived..usually one small pimple on my chin. I have lost some of the weight hovering from 130 lbs.
When I saw that scale read 137 lbs, I was pretty depressed and couldn't understand where the weight gain came from.With being so short, even a small amount of weight gain is noticeable. Thankfully, I came across this forum, used some of the recommendations and can now provide a holistic update. Saw Palmetto and Fish Oil are working great for me in terms of combatting the hormonal acne. I do cardo 4 times a week and drink a ton of water. As a result, my weight is pretty consistent at 130...only 3 lbs over what I was used to maintaining...but I'll take 3 lbs over 10 lbs any day.
Good luck to you all and stay positive.
Sheerheartattack - Does Saw Palmetto have any side effects?
I posted before that turmeric was helping me somewhat, but it's definitely not enough. I'm still getting breakouts around my mouth and chin for about half of each month (surrounding menstruation and ovulation — it clears up in between each). I started taking a hair/skin/nails supplement a few days ago — we'll see if that helps. I've been off the spiro for 4 months now and still haven't lost any weight. =(
Julbean - Hi ladies...well,here is my update:
I finally am officially diagnosed as PCOS/insulin resistant and high testosterone.
I have been on Metformin for about 2 weeks and have lost 10 pounds already,although it has not come without great consequences! I'am seriously ill on this med-diarrhea,nausea, and no desire to eat at all. It feels a bit like having a touch of food poisoning ALL THE TIME.I hope these effects wear off cuz I'm not sure I can live like this.
It feels a little good knowing what was wrong with me,and now that I know, I definitely feel like I did fit all the symptoms for being insulin resistant.
Ladies,if you think Spiro is no fun to be on,then you definitely won't like Metformin! I never felt this awful on Spiro.But I'm going to try to stick it out and pray these effects lessen.
Seefitpt - I just started to take spiro for PMS related bloating and water retention. I was having a hard time with the water weight due to estrogen dominance which I started treating about 4 months ago. At first I like the spiro but as I had to increase my dose I started to get nausea all the time and constantly tired all the time. Like Julbean said I felt like I had food posioning all the time and i barely ate so maybe that is why my weight stayed down. slowly I began to have irregular periods again, bloating, pms and felt like crap all the time. I just got my period regulated by taking progesteron and I was freaking out that it wasn't working and I could not put a finger on it. In the past 5 weeks I bled on and off and have had horrible PMS non-stop but no weight gain. I had asked my dr when I started the sprio if it will cause problems with my hormones and she said no you will be fine. (esp since I have had such hormone problems to start) well it turns out the top symptom is irregular periods. I stopped the spiro five days ago and I feel worse. The bleeding stopped but my boobs are so tender and I am so bloated and I feel like crap. Does anyone who has stopped it know how long until your body will regulate itself? Has anyone had any symptoms get worse before they get better getting off of the sprio??? any feedback related to hormonal side effects I am all ears... As far as everyone else's concern with weight I didn't gain weight I lost assuming it kept the water off. I am a trainer so I eat perfect no grain, gluten, all organic bla bla so my workouts and I didn't notice any weight gain but definatley my body composition is made up of more water and hormone related mushyness :) Hope that helps .
Seefitpt - now I just got my period for the 6th time in 5 weeks. Will I ever get any relief from this. I feel like my estrogen levels are out the roof. How long until my body will level out!!
Sheerheartattack - My face has been awful, really broken out around my mouth and chin especially, for about a month (maybe more). I still haven't lost any weight at all since going off the spiro. Starting to think I should go back on it, trying to be patient.. but surely if it were the cause of my weight gain I would have lost some after 4.5 months?
Mbeam - not necessarily are you going to lose the weight right away. I've been off spiro for almost a year and I'm just now getting all the weight off. as far as your skin goes- your dermatologist should be able to find something that works for you. I'm on aczone- it's an antibiotic cream and it works very well. I have 1 or 2 pimples here and there but I'm clear for the most part.
Sheerheartattack - Unfortunately I have no insurance so unless my derm can get me samples of Aczone, I probably can't afford it. Right now I'm using benzoyl peroxide in the morning and Finacea at night, neither of which seems to do much but dry out my skin. Spiro is really the only thing that's helped which is why this is so frustrating (and even on the spiro I still break out monthly).
Lola80 - I took spironolactone for about three weeks. The first week, I took 50 mg and the following two, I took 100 mg. Not only did my hair shedding like crazy, but my weight shot up! I started weighing 93 lbs. and hit 98 (nothing in my eating changed -- and I actually worked out more to combat the weight I was gaining). I got off it and have stopped gaining. Am slowly losing some of it, but it's harder to lose than it was before I took the stuff.
Shortywcb - @julebean, sorry for the delayed response. School this semester has been kicking my butt. They didn't test my estrogen and they rarely do. But I was thinking, I must have a pretty good level of estrogen if I am on Orthotricylen, right? The prozac thing is very interesting. Maybe I should try it, not just for insulin, but because I'm falling into a neurotic depression over my stupid hormones.
Shortywcb - @julebean, i had those same problems on met. for two months I was so sick. i couldnt even go out in public without needed to know where the nearest bathrooms were. one of my friends says that it gets better so I hope it does for your sake. so are you losing weight because you are sick? or because it is working?
Shortywcb - @sheerheartattack, I never had a side effect on saw palmetto, but there are different kinds.
Shortywcb - @seefitpt spiro made me have my period for weeks on end. So then i went on the pill to regulate it, but spiro caused it to be very irregular still. i have been off spiro for months now. my periods are now regular, no more spotting. no more being tired and no more tender boobs. I felt like those problems went away within a few short weeks of quitting spiro. I did feel a hell of a lot worse before I felt better.
Shortywcb - @sheerheartattack: my weight loss is slow going too. i have been at the same weight for months now but when i went to check this morning, i was lower again. for some reason it is coming off, just really really slow. but I'm not helping it in any way. I barely exercise or eat right. Maybe it would come off faster if I put some effort into it.
Shortywcb - @Seefitpt: if you aren't talking birth control pills in addition to spiro, you will end up having your period every day like that! It happened to me too!
Sheerheartattack - @Shortywcb Maybe I'll try the saw palmetto. I have been exercising regularly for a few months — most of the time I've been off the spiro — and still nothing =( I eat pretty well, very few processed foods and all vegan, so I feel like there's not much more I can do to speed up the process. It's frustrating! BTW, Prozac made me gain a HUGE amount of weight. I was on it for all of high school and I weighed about 30 pounds more then than I do now and I was much more active then. It could help you lose weight, but weight gain is also very common so keep that in mind if you try it.
Shortywcb - @sheerheartattack: I would make sure to get the standardized extract saw palmetto. They sell it at Walmart. They are little gel ovules as opposed to the dry herb capsule. I will start taking mine again today too and maybe we can compare results???? :)
Shortywcb - @sheerheartattack: I would make sure to get the standardized extract saw palmetto. They sell it at Walmart. They are little gel ovules as opposed to the dry herb capsule. I will start taking mine again today too and maybe we can compare results???? :) Oh also, I started ordering vitamins from Swanson's online. They have a money back guarantee including shipping. I got a really good coupon and free shipping for liking them on facebook. (I don't work for them, I just like the idea of being able to return a vitamin if it doesn't work or has side effects. I think you have a year to return them but you might wanna verify that!)
Sheerheartattack - I have bought from Swanson through Amazon before and didn't know about their guarantee! Interesting. I'm wondering with the saw palmetto, though, it's also an anti-androgen, so wouldn't it be likely to have the same side effects as spiro?
Laylamoon - So happy to have found this post. my doctor told me I would loose weight from Spiro. She prescribed it for HORRIBLE ACNE on my neck, jawline and back. I have been on it for 3 weeks..first I got the WORST headaches ever..then my lips dried out and cracked at the corners of my mouth..now my breasts are swollen and sore..and pretty much a D cup when I am normally a C and weigh 115lbs. I am now 130, bloated, and feel awful with an early period this month when i have been regular for my whole life..and the acne is not going away at all..in fact..it looks worse. I am officially stopping the spiro after reading this post. I am so sad and upset because I am a dancer, and this is my career, and there is no way I can continue to dance looking the way I do. I am so depressed..I pray the weight will fall away and I can feel normal again. I guess acne is better then being over weight. Good luck to everyone and thanks for posting.
Sweetandsalty - I found this forum yesterday (thank goodness!!) and stopped taking spiro cold turkey. I had taken it for 2.5 years, and have gained 25 lbs. during that time. Now it all makes sense! Like everyone else, I'm a little worried about getting this weight back off, as it doesn't seem with most here that it was easy, and took lots of time. I'm so relieved to be on my way out of this!
Stardestiny - 1 month on from going off Spiro. My bust size has gone down to a more manageable level and I fit into my bras again. However, the fat deposits on my hips and upper thighs are still there. I think it's going to take a LOT of work to burn those off. :(
(My other problems came back - excessive hair growth, messed up periods.)
Oh, and in the interests of full disclosure, the only reason I've had a rapid weight drop is because I got sick and couldn't eat for about a week. That dropped the water weight and my bust size. So if you want to kick-start the post-spiro diet - fast for a few days (still drink water!) and then gradually build back up to normal food.
Cmeff - Has anyone dropped their dosage and had any luck losing weight? My doc has me on 100 mg and I dropped down to 50 mg and am now thinking of 25mg in order to lose some of this weight gain. I have been on it for a year and a half and my doc insists that my weight is due to something else. I've never had a problem with my weight prior to this...
Sheerheartattack - After 5 months of not losing any weight at all, and my skin getting worse and worse, I gave up and went back on spiro a few weeks ago. I'm at 75 mg now and going to try to stay there — we'll see what happens.
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