Spironolactone User Reviews & Ratings (Page 5)

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 22, 2015

For Acne "I never write reviews, but for this medication, I feel obligated to warn about the side effects. I was a healthy 22-year-old and started getting cystic acne from the Mirena. I then was put on 75 mg of Spiro every day. All was well for the first few months, and then I started noticing progressively worse digestive issues. I couldn't eat more than a handful at a time, and some days it would hurt so badly to eat that I wouldn't. I lost 25 lbs in a matter of 2 months and was diagnosed with gastroparesis about 7 months into taking Spiro. After I stopped the meds, I was able to eat again within weeks. Be careful, and if you start having stomach issues, please consider that Spiro could be making you sick."

• Nel...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 3, 2018

For Hirsutism "I started to get hairs on my face and neck when I turned 24 years old. After that, it just got worse to the point of having a full beard. Very embarrassing. I did laser hair removal, which didn't help since they didn't know what was causing the growth. I have been taking 100 mg of spironolactone twice a day now for around a year. There are less hairs, my leg, armpit hairs, etc. grow at a normal rate now. I still have a fair amount of unwanted hair, but it is fine and blonde now rather than coarse and black. I can grow my chin hairs out to wax them without people staring at me like I'm a mutant now, so that's a plus. I will never stop taking these pills and may eventually see if my doc will up the dosage again."

• RJ1...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• April 10, 2020

For High Blood Pressure "Been taking spironolactone for 10 years or more, kept my BP levels around 122/77 for years. Side effects were dry mouth, if I didn't drink enough water, urination often at night, swelling of the chest was mild, soreness, mild. Did lower testosterone, only noticed that on paper, as I didn't feel any different. Now the effectiveness is wearing down. May have to get a higher dose. 148/94, don't like that."

• Jan...
• April 29, 2019

For Acne "The year I turned 21, my acne became unbearable. I did not even want to leave the house. I would cry about it almost every day. My dermatologist prescribed me 100 mg of spironolactone and tretinoin cream. The first two months were terrible. I knew I was purging, but it felt like my acne was never going to get better. It drastically affected my mood, and I turned down plans left and right because I did not want to see anyone. Every morning before any of my college roommates woke up, I would run to the bathroom to cover my acne so no one would see. I even broke down in tears in front of my friends because I was so frustrated. Fast forward to 4 months later, and my skin is clear. I am so happy it is almost difficult to explain. My advice is to be patient. Just know that it really does take 4 months, but after that, you will feel like a new person."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 18, 2013

For Gender Dysphoria "After switching from cyproterone acetate to spironolactone, I found that apart from increased urination, it works almost as well to decrease androgen levels. It does what it is supposed to, and for that, I'm very happy!"

• Nat...
• April 9, 2015

For Acne "I have suffered from moderate to severe acne for years. I have always had bad breakouts that coincided with my cycle in my teen years. I assumed this would go away once I got older. However, it seemed to get worse throughout my mid-twenties. I am now 28. I would get cystic acne mostly around my mouth and chin area. I always had 4 or 5 huge red pimples. Not only were they unsightly, but they were painful and would last for weeks. I tried everything - cleansers, masks, creams, toners, diet, antibiotics, and birth control. Accutane was the last on the list... until Spironolactone appeared. My doctor prescribed me the minimum 25mg dose per day. The first week I noticed a change! My skin cleared right up, and I have had one pimple in the past 3 weeks. I am amazed. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!"

• Anonymous
• March 12, 2010

Spironolactone for Acne "I am almost 46, and for 30 years, I have tried everything for chronic hormonal acne (antibiotics, Accutane, all the skincare lines, Retin-A). This medication has been a miracle for me. I still get little blackheads / small pimples around my menses, but they are barely noticeable. I continue with my Retin-A treatment, which helps with that. I haven't noticed any side effects. I do watch my potassium intake (no bananas)."

• Sal...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 18, 2020

For High Blood Pressure "I have been taking 50 mg of spironolactone (together with 2x50 mg Loxen) for 12 days. Effects will certainly still evolve, but in my case, it lowers BP, makes me lose water, raises my low potassium, might help against my hirsutism (too early to tell), lowers my appetite, and eliminates PMS. I have tried 8 other common BP meds before, with side effects like cough, tinnitus, heart palpitations, fatigue, and raised BP, and I started out with low potassium, fluid retention, and hirsutism. Seems like a very good fit if you are in a similar situation."

• Adu...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 20, 2016

For Acne "Pay attention to the dose for researching those who have experienced negative side effects. Many (although not all) of those with those unfortunate experiences started out at high doses (100 mg+). My experience has been nothing short of a miracle. **Brief history** I have suffered horribly with acne since the age of 15. I am now 42. I have tried everything from toothpaste tricks to antibacterial drugs (Bactrim) to Proactiv. Nothing worked. Not even Yaz. I was a mess. I would break out viciously with each cycle and have different stages of old and new acne. This stopped it in one week. 25 mg, twice daily - zero side effects. Do it at this dose, and you might get the same results!!"

• Mom...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 2, 2020

For High Blood Pressure "Be careful with spironolactone! Aside from other side effects, this drug can cause fever and chills - aka “drug fever.” After taking it for a few days, I woke up one morning with shaking chills and fever - which could easily be mistaken for an infection. Felt god-awful and could barely get out of bed. I had the same reaction years ago to Aldomet - I had no idea the two drugs were related until I asked the pharmacist."

• Ms ...
• February 7, 2018

For Alopecia "I was put on this for HS. I was also diagnosed with alopecia 10 years ago and have always had issues with thinning hair. Hair is curly and has volume, so I never really did anything about it, it was easy to hide. I stopped the spironolactone because it didn't help my HS, having no idea about its other benefits. Stressful times arose, hair suffered, started to see that bald shine, and it was/is VERY noticeable. I researched, learned about spironolactone, called my derm, and he put me back on, 75 mg a day. I kid you not, people, my hair is showing regrowth already, a few cm. Of course, having alopecia, a lot are the thin white hairs that hopefully turn into thicker, darker shafts, but most are my natural color, brown. It's only been 2 months. I also use cold-pressed castor oil and onion juice on the weekends. Started Nov. 22nd, and today is Feb. 6, 2018. No side effects."

• Fin...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 17, 2022

For High Blood Pressure "Took half of a 25 mg tablet with food. Within 6 hours, experienced bloating, loss of appetite, tummy pains, and nausea. I started reaching heavily, uncontrollable, then diarrhea (like a tap had been turned on). This was for three days and nights. My feet felt numb, and I had terrible leg and foot cramp. I was extremely tired and thirsty. I am now on day seven, diarrhea finished but left with back pain and headache. Give it time and rest. All this was with half of a 25 mg tablet. Unbelievable, so dangerous."

• Che...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 16, 2019

Spironolactone for Alopecia "I started taking spiractin 50 mg 10 months ago for alopecia and saw instant results. In 2 weeks, my hair stopped shedding, and I grew back all the hair I had lost in the past 2 years. However, it just stopped working 4 months ago, and now I’m shedding over 200 hairs a day. My dermatologist doubled the dose to 100 mg 2 months ago, but unfortunately it’s made zero impact :("

• Tha...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 3, 2019

For Acne "This medication, spironolactone, literally saved my confidence. I’m a 25-year-old female, and I didn’t have serious issues with my acne until I literally turned 25. And it was bad just along my jaw, a bit on my cheeks, and sides of my neck just below the jawlines. It was painful, and it itched! I’m so incredibly thankful that I knew about spiro before I had my first big breakout, so I knew exactly what to request from my doctor to combat the cystic acne. I’ve been taking this medication for about 8 months now and am now starting to see lasting improvement. Everything everyone says about waiting at least 3 or 4 months before you give up is right! This medication doesn’t work overnight like we all might hope. But the results are worth the wait. If there was an option to post pictures, I’d share in a heartbeat! You all are beautiful, and please give the medicine a chance to work! (Only negative side effect I’ve ever had was standing up too fast and getting a little dizzy.)"

• NOL...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 4, 2016

For High Blood Pressure "This drug, while perhaps effective at reducing systolic and diastolic blood pressure, creates serious adverse effects for its users. In my case (50-ish female; long-term borderline hypertension, gradually increasing), (1) I developed MALE pattern hair loss. My part was very visible and looked bright white, as there were no longer enough follicles to fill in the part. The small hairs at my hairline were gone. The number of hairs is important, all over the scalp, to create fullness. (2) Over time (6-9 months), I noticed a complete lack of sexual interest and a blunted response. Less you want to attribute this to my AGE (who tells that to a man?), I will report that both interest and response returned within 2 weeks of discontinuing."

• Lob...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 6, 2014

For Acne "I've been on spironolactone for probably 2 or 3 years now. We have always had a love/hate relationship. Rest assured, spironolactone will work for most people when it comes to combating acne (all acne is caused by hormones to some degree), but like any other medication, spironolactone is not without side effects! Over the years, I have decreased my dosage and sometimes tried to completely stop taking it due to weight gain (yes, you initially lose it, but just wait!), thinning hair, depression, dehydration (I believe this side effect is worse for me due to other medicines I take with it), slower metabolism/fatigue, and evidence that this medicine was totally prematurely aging my skin! Initially, it was 25 mg 2 times a day, but now I just take 25 mg a day."

• wil...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 8, 2019

For Alopecia "I have always had thick hair. I noticed at around age 47, I was shedding more. And even more alarming, my hairstylist commented on the shedding when she washed my hair. Mostly through the temples, but also a widening part. I've been on spironolactone for a little over a year at 100 mg. I feel like I have lots of baby hairs through the temple, and my part looks more normal (sometimes I wonder if I see what I want to see...) BUT because my hair was so thick before, I was less worried about regrowing and more concerned about stopping or slowing down the shedding. I do think I am back to shedding normal amounts of hair. I take one 100 mg pill at night and sleep through any side effects I'd have, but usually have to get up once to use the loo. I've read other comments about decreased libido. I do think I have a little of this, but feeling attractive has its own upside. I do regularly have my potassium levels checked."

• Pen...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 13, 2022

For High Blood Pressure "I’m a 75-year-old female with what I consider mild HF. My blood pressure was high while I was at my new cardiologist. She put me on 25 mg of spironolactone. I had advised her I had issues with the med before. She advised I try it again, so I did. Got heart palpitations, joint pain, light diarrhea. After a week, I took a blood test, GFR went from 89 to 60. I stopped taking the meds and will call Dr. tomorrow."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• October 1, 2015

For Acne "Spironolactone changed my life. I was 32 and had been battling cystic acne since 19, been through 3 dermatologists and every acne product on the market and had completely given up. I was at my annual gyno appointment when, out of the blue, she looked at me and asked me how I felt about my face. I immediately started to cry and told her how helpless and ugly I felt. Knowing that I was not interested in having kids, she put me on spironolactone. It took a few months, but once it kicked in, it was like someone had given me new skin. I am now 37, still taking 100mg of spiro per day and my face has never looked better. It's soft and smooth, and the redness is gone. It gave me my self-esteem back. I only wish I could have found out about it sooner!"

• led...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 8, 2018

For Alopecia "My dermatologist suggested I start this medication as I was seeing a lot of hair shedding. I'm taking 50 mg a day. I've been taking it for 2 weeks, and I cannot believe how much it's stopped the shedding. Where I lost a sizable amount (80+) of hair a day, I'm only shedding ~30 hairs. The only side effect I've been having is slight heartburn. Looking forward to continuing to use this medicine!"

• Cam...
• October 5, 2020

For Hirsutism "I have PCOS and have suffered from coarse facial and body hair for years. I recently started noticing male-pattern baldness around my temples and knew this was a hormonal problem, as I was tested for high testosterone. I started noticing results within days of taking the spironolactone, way sooner than I thought I would. Within a week, I was only having to shave my face every other day rather than every day, then every three days. My hairline has stopped receding and is slowly growing back. It's only been three weeks, and I'm already so happy with the results. I have only had minor side effects. The only one that bothers me at all is breast tenderness. I had some hot flashes the first week, but they went away quickly. Sometimes I'm a little nauseous or headachy, but only if I don't drink enough water. Since this is a diuretic, you need to stay on top of your water consumption and try to drink as much as you can every day."

• hap...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 22, 2015

For Hirsutism "I've been on this drug for about 2 years, and I really like it! Results vary for different people, but for me, it's made the hair on my body grow in finer, lighter, and much slower. It's not a miracle pill for me (I still have hirsutism), but it's made me 1,000 times more comfortable in my body. I never had hirsutism on my face, so I don't have any comments about that... In any case, this drug takes a long time to kick in (6 months for me), but I definitely recommend it!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 3, 2017

For Hirsutism "I started taking 50 mg spironolactone once a day for moderate hirsutism on my chin (up to like 30 terminal hairs) and other areas on my body, as well as moderate acne (constant breakouts). During the first 2 weeks, I had crappy breakouts, and then, like clockwork, immediately after the 2-week mark, my skin started to clear up. I got electrolysis done, and after just one visit, the hairs were no longer terminal on my chin, and most of them didn't even grow back at all (so basically, the few that did grow back were like peach fuzz, which is the normal and unnoticeable hairs we have all over the body)."

• lbg...
• January 14, 2014

For Acne "I only wish I had started spironolactone sooner. It has completely stopped my hormonal cystic acne. I had suffered with large, painful cysts about once monthly for the last few years (after ten acne-free years following Accutane in the 90s). After starting spironolactone, I did have one really major cyst come up right next to my nose, which lasted a good week or so. It arose after approximately 4 weeks on the medicine (it was so large it could have had its own zip code). Since then, I have been completely acne-free for about three months. Scars are finally beginning to fade. I'm finally not facing that - 'Oh God, is this the start of a cyst?' trauma every month. I can plan my days without worry of my skin cycle. I am thrilled!"

• RCs...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 22, 2020

For Acne "I was put on it for “hormonal acne,” which is what my derm referred to it as. I only had big bumps around my mouth/chin, around my hairline, and my temples. It was nothing severe, but definitely noticeable. She put me on 50 mg spironolactone a day, and after 3 months, there was only a slight difference. She then decided to put me on a dose of 100 mg a day, and it worked like a charm. My skin purged SO bad for about 6 weeks, and then it started clearing up. It made me extremely thirsty and made me lose my appetite because it sort of made me nauseous. But overall, it works great in my opinion."