I have been taking aldactone 50 mg a day for almost 3 months for acne. I have noticed some improvement, however, I thought I would have fewer breakouts. I have noticed that I've almost gained 10 pounds without changing anything in my daily diet and exercise routine? Will the extra pounds be lost once my body adjusts or will I continue to gain more weight the longer I take the drug? I want clear skin, but not at the cost of a nice figure I've worked hard on!
Spironolactone - Will weight gain with aldactone usage go away once the body adjusts?
- Asked
- 9 Apr 2014 by Dawn E
- Active
- 5 days ago
- Topics
- aldactone, obesity, acne, spironolactone, weight
Details:
Responses (4)
kaismama
9 Apr 2014
DS32
10 Feb 2017
I wish my Dr told me that weight gain was a side effect. Gained about 10 pounds in about 3-4 months. I have been off the medication for 3 months now. Good news is you stop gaining any more weight, Bad news is despite working out religiously and eating nothing but broccoli and chicken haven't lost a single pound. This weight is stubborn, and it's all in the wrong places, I have a gut(never had one) it does not budge despite 100's of crunches every day, my thighs are heavier so clothes don't fit. Believe me nothing about this weight gain feels comfortable. I feel bloated and growing hopeless with every passing day, I haven't had bread or processed carbs in months but nothing changes. I feel like giving up but I know it will come off one day !!
underworld_pixi
11 Feb 2017
I'm on the exact same boat. I've been quite depressed, anxious, and frustrated being this big now. I have a gut and rolls now which I did not have before as well. I stopped the wt gain as well. It just won't come off. Also there isn't much info on weight gain from this pill and if weight loss is possible. I am freaking out. Please update if you continue to see no changes or start seeing changes in weight. I wish you luck!
Cara_boska
4 Mar 2017
Ladies, it makes me super angry reading about your struggles and incompetency of health care professionals. First of all, when a drug affect a hormone level it will make you loose/gain weight. If you are putting on weight while taking a drug, it has to be addressed not brushed over. Exactly the same thing happened to me when I was put on the pill (newest, best, lightest type). I swollen up like a balloon and it took me ages to loose this weight. And by ages I mean years. I was on a pill for 6 months because my doctor was denying it could make me put on weight. At the end I was starving myself with 1000calorie diet per day while still getting fatter. Even though I lost this weight at the end I've been left with cellulite, which I never had prior taking a pill.
If you feel it makes you put on weight don't take it.
Kaileegw
6 May 2017
So when I started taking Spironolactone back in College, I didn't take it as often and couldn't remember the side effects. This year, I went back to the dermatologist and she prescribed me spironolactone which I didn't think anything of at first. After I started taking it consistently, I noticed my body changed and it felt like I was gaining weight. When I was home for the weekend I looked it up and I saw other people were having the same problem. I instantly threw the medicine away in the garbage. I use Epiduo which is a topical cream, which I heard has the same ingredients as Acutane. There are better resources out there for clear skin! I work out every day so I do not want to gain weight, when I know there are better skin resources out there.Try Epiduo or talk to your dermatologist about another topical cream or pill which will not cause the weight gain.
Hope this helps!
sprucedesign
5 days ago
This is so frustrating. I noticed that my 15 year old daughter seemed to be gaining weight, and quickly. She started this medication a little over two months ago for back acne. After reading all of these responses I decided to stop giving her the medication and carefully explained what some women heave been dealing with. This is tough because I do not want to point out to her that she has gained weight quickly because I do not want her to feel bad about herself. I feel awful as a mom that I didn't know this about the medication. Her derm swore up and down about what a great medication it was. On another site I saw someone mention that since it blocks testosterone it only makes sense that it could slow the metabolism. Also that any time you alter how your body stores thing (like fluids) it will shift your system. So not only us is screwing with your hormones, but it is putting your body into panic mode because of how it drains your body of fluids.
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I am having the same side effect. I feel swollen all over. Breast, face, stomach area but my derm keeps saying its not a side effect but it's driving me crazy! Did you try something else or stop taking it?
Yes, swollen is how I feel too! My derm appointment is next week, I will continue with the meds until then. I will post what she says.
Yes please let me know what she says. Mine thinks Im crazy I think:) hahahaha Thanks for your input:)
My dermatologist said she hadn't heard of weight gain as a side effect. She did believe it was possible to gain weight because aldactone is a hormone. She prescribed me 100 mg a day of minocycline, an antibiotic for my acne. No weight gain as a side effect. I hope this works.
Well I hope it works for you! I go On May 7th so I hope I can get something different too. The other day I looked 3 mths pregnant in a tank top I put on so I have totally stopped taking it!
I'm interested to hear what your doctor says too. Good luck! :)
I've been on Spiro for a month... no real side effects noticed until one evening about a week and a half ago, I felt severely bloated. I gave it a few days to go away and it didn't. I felt awful, so I stopped taking it. I gained a few pounds during those few days and now I'm up to an 8 lbs gain in just 2 weeks!! I've never had a weight issue... I'm not sure if this is mostly water retention or if I've truly gained 8lbs. I've been off of it for a week, and I'm still gaining. Ugh. I wish I NEVER started this medication. Worst decision ever!
Did your weight go back to normal after stopping the medication?
My dermatologist put me on spironolactane to treat cystic acne about a month and a half ago. Since then I have gained 8lbs! I have been very careful about my diet and am working out twice as hard yet still gaining! I have never dealt with this before, it has to be the med!
Are you speaking from experience? You took spironolactone and have lost weight after stopping the drug? I'm hearing many women say they are still gaining and struggling to lose after getting off this drug. It sounds as if it could have had a severe effect on the hormonal system and should be looked into for a lawsuit. I specifically asked my doctor if it would cause weight gain and she said no. I am very healthy and have not altered my eating habits or exercise. I have gained 10 lbs and am struggling to lose it. Has anyone been successful in losing after getting off this crazy drug???
I was given this medication this week for the removal of facial hair from hormone therapy, and after reading some comments I am afraid to try it. I was given 50 mg for 30 days and 3 refills and I do not want to gain weight.
I was told this medication does not cause weight gain. What are the most recent experiences ?
I started spironolactone earlier this year for my severe cystic acne. My acne is so bad that it disfigures my face. I was on the med for about 6 months. I noticed some weight gain a few months later but didn't really think much of it. But then the weight started to become more rapid. It came to a point where I was gaining 10 lbs every 2 weeks. My eating habits and physical activity never changed. So I decided to stop taking it. Its been about a month already since I stopped. I have gained 40 lbs within the 6 months of taking it. I am overweight now and am very depressed from this. I have lost 5 lbs so far. Has anyone ever experience weight loss after stopping this med?? If so how long does it take to get back to pre-med weight? I have always been obsessed with my weight and having clear skin but I guess I prefer being skinny with acne than the other way around. The weight gain is too much.
I have also been prescribed Spirolactone for cystic acne. I exercise regularly, eat a very clean diet and have consistently been the same weight for the past 20+ years. Since taking this medication 2 months ago, I've gained 8 lbs, which is very unusual for me. I am kind of freaking out here. I like having clear skin, but I don't want to see this weight gain out of control. It's not worth it to me. I work too hard to maintain my figure. So I'm stopping this medication.