Spironolactone and Dizziness: What Users Say (Page 2)

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 26, 2020

For Acne "I have struggled with severe acne all over my back and chin/jawline areas and PCOS. When I started taking this medication, it really helped with my acne. However, there would be times after standing up after eating or getting out of bed I would fall over from being so lightheaded and dizzy. Also, my anxiety had skyrocketed. I have dealt with minor anxiety in the past, but after being on this medication, it is now so bad. But at least my acne is clearing up!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 7, 2016

For Acne "Please be careful on this drug. It is a diuretic and can cause your sodium to drop, especially if you drink a lot of water. I became increasingly lightheaded and dizzy. I was vomiting. I went to the ER and my sodium was 118. Normal is around 135-145. This is dangerously low. Under 115 and your brain can swell, leading to seizure, herniation, and death. If you're having symptoms, please stop taking the medicine and have your labs checked."

• use...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 16, 2018

For Acne "I have been on spiro for about 9 months, and it has done wonders for my acne. However, over the past couple of months, I feel like all this medication is catching up to me. I have a constant dull headache, sometimes feel dizzy and lightheaded, I am sleepy 24/7, I just feel like I’m in a fog all the time. It’s an awful feeling. I take 100 mg per day and am considering either lowering the dosage to 50 mg or just completely stopping taking it. I love what it has done for my acne, but at this point, it’s affecting my life too much that it’s not worth it. I’m just worried my acne will come back if I stop it completely :("

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 8, 2015

For Acne "I was 18 going on 19 when literally over two nights, I broke out with horrible hormonal cystic painful acne covering my face. It was a nightmare. The doctors finally recommended spironolactone, and I started on 50 mg. Things started to get better but still bad. They then moved me up to 100 mg. My face just about completely cleared up in about two and a half months, with a few small breakouts during my cycle. It cleared my face, but I experienced two side effects. One was extreme fatigue to the point where all I could think about was laying down and was exhausted every hour of the day, even when I got a lot of sleep. Second was I would get super dizzy when I stood up. I am extremely active, work two jobs, and am a college student, I can't stay on it."

• gre...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• August 27, 2019

For Acne "I'll say that spironolactone helped my acne. Very much so. I still would get pimples, but not like I do when I don't take it. I will say this: I am 35 and have taken this medicine off and on for over 10 years. I truly believe it causes serious side effects: dizzy, headaches, mood swings, bad anxiety, horrible cramps, stomach pain, acid reflux. I could keep going. I even have this heart thing that I get sometimes: really fast flutters. I've gotten sick really bad a few times since I've been on it, and I never put two and two together until now. When I'm off of it, all those problems go away. I will never take this again, and I pray none of this is permanent. I have six children and want to be okay for them."

• Use...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 1, 2021

For Acne "I thought spironolactone was going to be my savior for acne. And I was right to an extent, I started this drug because my acne gave me a horrible self-image, and I have tried so many different topicals, programs, and medications. Spiro completely cleared my skin in a couple of months, but I started having horrible side effects. I would be very disoriented, dizzy, and had a really intense brain fog. I couldn’t get through a day of work without all of my coworkers being concerned, thinking that I was going to pass out or fall over. I highly recommend anybody struggling with acne to stay away from this drug because the horrible side effects were enough to make me realize that my health is more important, and just a couple of months after stopping spironolactone, my acne has come back in full swing, ruining my self-confidence once again. Spiro is not a permanent fix for your acne, so I highly suggest finding another medication or program to use."

• CAg...
• August 16, 2017

For Acne "Since I'm now in my 30s and always take good care of my skin, my doctor thought my acne was probably hormone-related, so she wanted me to try spironolactone, 2 pills a day. She said it takes 3 months to start noticing a difference, however, I didn't get that far to see if there would be one. I quit at the 2-month mark due to all the side effects I was experiencing. Those side effects included the typical ones, such as upset stomach, dizziness, and very low energy/drowsiness. Then more serious: upper lip numbness, rapid weight gain, cellulite, and horrible breast pain. Not worth it."

• Anonymous
• November 17, 2011

For Acne "I did notice clearing of my hormonal acne (jawline, neck, and chest) within 3 1/2 weeks, but I developed stomach cramping, diarrhea, sleeplessness, and occasional dizziness. This medicine wasn't the answer for me."

• Sof...
• November 8, 2016

For Acne "I'm 25, active, healthy eater, thin, no milk since starting. I usually have a breakout every 10 days. Two terribly painful acne bumps or a regular red zit that I can't help but bother. I have been to the best derms in New York for years. Pretty sure my acne was due to stress and hormones. All I know is that my gyno put me on 50 mg of Spiro and my acne started changing. Three months in, I still was breaking out every 10 to 14 days, but they were smaller and less painful. Then I got a little curious about taking more. After a chat with my gyno, I went from 50 to 75 to 100 mg. It's been five months of no cystic acne. Yes, I'll get a little blemish, but I will take it. It's not consuming my life. Careful! Go up in doses slowly. Will make you dizzy/lower your BP."

• Jes...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 3, 2019

For Acne "I was told three weeks ago I have Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) and PCOS. Went to a dermatologist to try and get help, so I can get my skin under control. Within the first week, under my arms did start to clear up, and I was feeling pretty good to start. After a couple more days, I fainted. My dermatologist failed to mention that this is a medication for not just acne and hormonal balancing, but more for people with blood pressure issues. It just happened to help clear up your skin too. I did some research and was trying to abide by what it recommended you eat and drink with it. The third week I was on this, I started to feel dizziness and lightheaded. Next thing I know, my heart was racing, shaking, chest pains, and I was having a panic attack. This dermatologist told me that I wouldn't notice any major symptoms, I just might be peeing more. My doctor started me on 100 mg, but I've read other reviews from other women who experienced the same if not worse symptoms than me and were on lower doses. I stopped taking the medication."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 5, 2020

For Acne "I was on this medicine for about 4 months, but I kind of have mixed opinions about it. Some days I loved this and didn’t know what life was like before it, other days I was breaking out and felt like it wasn’t working. I just recently came off of this medicine. Since I started taking it, it’s been making me feel sick all the time. I was always dizzy and nauseous with severe headaches. Despite this all, I do have to say I can see a complete change in my skin since I stopped taking it. I’ve been breaking out more now than I have the whole time I was taking it. It definitely was keeping my acne at bay."

• Nan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 3, 2019

For Acne "I started this medication on January 17th. My dermatologist said it would clear up a few acne bumps that I get on my jawline and chin. I have no other problem areas on my face. I started out on 50 mg, once a day. The first couple of days I had horrible stomach issues and a pounding headache. After the 2 days, the stomach issue went away, but my headache never went away. About a week after starting this medication, the purge happened. I immediately started reading reviews and decided it was normal and it would be fast, furious, and temporary. By week 3, I had acne everywhere! My cheeks, nose, forehead, etc. The doctor decided to up my dose to 100 mg and also gave me 100 mg of doxycycline. She said it would kill the acne within 3 days. Another week went by, and I was getting dizzy, dry, my left leg was going numb, my headache was blinding, and more acne was now moving onto my neck. I let this go on until mid-March. I flushed the medicine. I feel so much better now."

• Bal...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 9, 2021

For Acne "I originally took this a few years ago for hormonal acne, and at the same time, my hair started thinning, but I was also slightly more stressed at the time, so I just chalked it up to that. I ended up stopping the drug because it was making me dizzy and lightheaded, and there was definitely some weight gain. This past August (2021), I decided to go back on it because my acne had gotten worse… I now know the cause of my hair loss/thinning. THIS DRUG. My hair had been at the healthiest and fullest it’s EVER been before restarting it. My hair was already thinning on the drug, so that’s when I spoke to my doctor about switching to something else. Once I stopped, my hair started falling out by the handfuls. Until one day, I was showering and it was coming out in clumps. I’m absolutely devastated. It doesn’t help that every doctor swears this drug doesn’t ever cause hair loss, when clearly IT DOES."

• Ggn...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 3, 2016

For Acne "I've been on this for 3 months, and it worked really well at first. I used to get intense zits around my chin and upper lip, and they all but disappeared until a few weeks ago. I'm still fighting off that round of zits. My dermatologist upped my dosage and said that it's not uncommon to have this experience when starting out on spironolactone. Also, I'm not enjoying the side effects. I feel super dizzy right when I wake up in the morning, which makes it hard to exercise. I also pee like a pregnant lady and get around two periods a month now, neither of which are fun. It was totally worth it when my face cleared up. I'm not stopping the medication, but I'm a little disenchanted at the moment. Do you all take it at the same time each day?"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 23, 2020

For Acne "I was on Spiro for 10 months. I probably didn't need to go on it as I would only get cystic pimples around my cycle. My issue was whiteheads, and my derm told me Spiro is more for cystic acne, but I went on it anyway, desperate. It definitely smoothed and brightened my complexion, but as the doctor said, I still got whiteheads, and my skin was never really 100% clear, which is the result I was hoping for. It also made me very tired, dizzy, and I had CRAZY mood swings for the whole time I was on it. I was taking 50mg a day and phased myself off it. I did 25mg for about a month, then cut that in half until it was all gone. I was extremely nervous as I heard it can come back once you stop it, but I think the phasing out helped. My skin is clear for the most part, and I am in a much happier mood all around and have way more energy. Wouldn't recommend unless you really have the right acne for it."

• Anonymous
• October 17, 2016

For Acne "My experience on Spiro has been somewhat beneficial. I'm a 23-year-old female who has PCOS and has been on 100 mgs for 3 months. My acne hasn't cleared up 100%, but my cystic acne has decreased at least 80% if not more. I still get breakouts, though. My side effects are: extreme dizziness, needing to pee a lot, my mouth gets super dry, my body is dry and requires more moisturizer on my hands, legs, and feet. The dizziness is absolute worst, though. I have to take it at a certain time or else I can't drive during the day, or I'm up peeing all night. I'm hoping with more time things will clear up more. I haven't had any issues with weight gain. I've actually lost weight and have noticed a decrease in hair production in unwanted areas."

• Pat...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 23, 2021

For Acne "I'm a 31-year-old female who took this for acne, but ended up quitting because of the HORRIBLE mood swings I got. Also, the combination with my anti-depressant (Wellbutrin) made me incredibly loopy, spaced out, and dizzy. I'm super glad for this forum because my doctor seemed to think that my symptom of being incredibly agitated and irritated had *no* relationship to the spironolactone. However, on days when I wasn't taking it, I didn't have the same issue. In conclusion, it SORT of helped with my acne, but my acne got much worse once I stopped taking it. Plus, once I stopped eating gluten, my acne completely stopped, so I think that was more the issue than a hormone imbalance."

• Tom...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 5, 2021

For Gender Dysphoria "As much as I want to stop the effects of testosterone on my body, the constant dizziness, lingering nausea, anxiety, and brain fog made me stop this drug immediately. I stopped only after 4 days because it was too overwhelming and started messing with my life more than the gender dysphoria. I'm also very sensitive to all pharmaceutical drugs, so I'm not too shocked by my reaction. Just very unfortunate."

• Hil...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 18, 2019

For Acne "I just started this drug after being on it previously approximately 2 years ago. I didn't experience any crazy symptoms previously, so I was confident it would be a cakewalk. Boy, was I wrong! I am going into day 4 of taking the med, and I have been experiencing stomach issues, nausea, mind fogginess, dizziness, and headaches. The last straw was I almost fainted the other night. I am not taking this drug anymore. The short-term issues are bad enough, but I am afraid of long-term issues that may happen if I continue to do so. Please be careful and listen to your body."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 19, 2018

For Acne "I've only taken about a week's worth of this medication, but I've experienced dizziness, tiredness, and cramps, which is the worst. It feels like menstrual pain or contractions every 5 minutes, like I'm about to have a baby or something. My menstrual cycle is usually on the 4th day, very light. I'm still bleeding on the fourth day. I took painkillers and am still experiencing terrible cramps. This is not for me, I'll take the acne any day."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 18, 2013

For Acne "I have been using spironolactone for the past week, and I am having crazy side effects such as dizziness, headaches, peeing too much, and tummy upset. Wondering whether to still go on using it, but I at least don't have any pimples popping up."

• Em0...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 28, 2020

For Acne "If you are struggling with hormonal acne, I suggest you try spironolactone! I had awful, painful acne, and within 3 months, my skin cleared up completely. Now, 5 months later, my skin is the best it has ever been. At first, my side effects included dizziness and lack of appetite, but it was manageable. Your skin will get worse before it gets better, but it’s worth it!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 8, 2016

For Acne "I'm only a few weeks into taking this medication and have already experienced great results. I had great skin until I was 21, I started getting severe hormonal acne on my face and back. I currently take spironolactone and Epiduo, the combination is working great. I have experienced the medication's side effects of having to use the restroom frequently and being dizzy if I get up too fast. To me, the side effects are very livable and easy to adapt to. I think it is important to note the severity of not getting pregnant while on this medication. I was warned that this medication can cause a deformity in male genitalia if you conceive while on this medicine. Always check with your doctor first."

• Bir...
• January 8, 2023

For Hirsutism "I’ve been taking this drug for a year and a half. I started at 50 mg and slowly increased to 150 mg over time. I haven’t noticed much difference with my facial hair other than not having to pluck every day, but the hair on my head seems to have gotten thinner. On the positive side, I have less acne and have lost 80 lbs. My breast size is the same, but I’m much curvier. I get dizzy sometimes and feel more thirsty, but otherwise, I'm okay."

• ann...
• November 22, 2016

For Acne "I've been taking a 50 mg dose for about 2 months now. At first, I noticed a huge difference, but now it doesn't seem to be working at all. If I get a pimple, it does go away in about a day, but they are still coming so far. I'm itchy all the time and dizzy. It doesn't bother me, but that has gotten worse. Not sure what some women say about it taking their sex drive away. I'm totally abstinent, and it's increased mine to where it's annoying. So I'm guessing it was something else with those others. I pee more, but not awful. I'll give it another 3 months to clear my skin before I use Accutane."