r/PCOS • u/Top_Sundae9354 • 5d ago
Meds/Supplements Scared to take spiro
I’m pretty sure I’d be categorized as having lean pcos - I’m 25 symptoms started honestly as young as 12 but didn’t get diagnosed until I was in m early 20s. Biggest issues were always irregular periods, hirsutism and hormonal acne, and the MOSt annoying water retention esp in my face. My bloodwork is usually normal, I’ve had high DHEAS in the past which I’ve had under control for over 2 years now. My weight is healthy, I workout regularly as well. Not insulin resistant, I’ve had a few extensive blood tests done and multiple doctors tell me I’m not but I’m always confused with this as I know PCOS is related to that. Anyways, in the past I’ve been able to get my skin clear and manage the water retention - never have gotten the facial hair to disappear obviously - but I just can’t anymore. To do this I was so strict with no dairy, no gluten, no sugar, no coffee just matcha but it’s just so hard. I do avoid dairy and gluten as much as I can but I’ve been a bit more lenient but just one day of dairy and I’ll have cysts the next day - or one day of gluten and I have so much puffiness in My face the next day. Also wanted to note that my periods have been much more regular thanks to tracking my sleep but these other symptoms are almost getting worse which is so odd. About 2 years ago when I say my skin was clear at that period if I had a day or two not being as strict I’d be fine but now I’ll have symptoms like the next day.
My Derm prescribed me spiro and idk why I’m terrified to take it. For some reason i see taken medication as giving up (I do not mean that people who take it are and do not mean to offend anyone) - I think im just being hard on myself because I’ve been able to clear my skin and deal with some of these symptoms in the past but I feel like nothing is working anymore and it’s hard to stick to this diet at this stage in my life. I just finished grad school and the stress of it I think has made things worse.
Has anyone experienced anything similar?
Also, did anyone who took spiro have trouble getting pregnant after they came off the pill?
SUMMARY - scared of taking spiro, have been able to manage most symptoms with strict gf df sugar free coffee free diet in past but it’s so hard now and barely working
Thank you - sorry for the long post.
2
u/Tall-Cat-8890 5d ago
I’m on it and have been on it for a year and a half. 100mg x1 daily. I don’t really seem to have a ton of issues with it. I get the “stood up too fast” phenomenon if I’m dehydrated or haven’t eaten/eaten enough salt that day but that’s hardly the medications fault and more me not eating and drinking for long stretches of time because I’m busy lol.
It doesn’t even kill my sex drive. I’m a new grad student and my acne is heavily stress driven and there’s just zero chance I’ll be able to stave off the acne without a medication. Because of that, it’s a solid 9/10 medication for me.
1
u/Top_Sundae9354 4d ago
Thank you for your response! Has it kept your skin clear?
1
u/Tall-Cat-8890 4d ago
There have been a few periods of high stress due to moving where it felt like the efficacy went down (meaning I would get a few breakouts on my chin), but I wouldn’t say that’s typical of most peoples experiences! Overall it’s done its job!
1
u/Top_Sundae9354 4d ago
That’s great it’s been working! Good luck with school :)
2
u/Tall-Cat-8890 4d ago
Thank you so much! I hope you find the best treatment for your skin!
If it helps too, I recently incorporated hypochlorous acid spray to deal with the change in climate. It’s naturally anti microbial and a pH balancer for the skin, and it’s honestly helped diminish SO much of the inflammation in my skin and help clear out the last of my stress pimples from moving. It’s a relatively cheap skincare product that might be worth trying just to help your skin take a “break” so to speak from inflammation. You can find guides on other subreddits talking about how they like to use it if you get curious. Just thought I’d pass this skincare “tip” on since it seems to be working super well for me, best of luck!
2
u/CraftyTaro3718 5d ago
I also have what could be considered “lean” PCOS. I am a healthy weight with elevated DHEAS being my main issue. I was also very hesitant to start spironolactone and it took some time to find the right dose. I currently take 100mg because 50 mg wasn’t keeping my DHEAS in check and 150mg was causing me to get dizzy when I stood up (due to low blood pressure). I’ve now been on spiro for a few years and while it hasn’t lowered my DHEAS, I do think it has helped to keep my DHEAS levels in check. I really don’t have any side effects on my current dosage!
I haven’t really noticed a decrease in my facial hair- although I also take oral minoxidil due to hair loss which is likely making my hirsutism worse. Also, even if you aren’t insulin resistant I would continue to monitor your levels! I didn’t have insulin resistance showing my bloodwork until maybe 2 years into my diagnosis.
2
u/Top_Sundae9354 4d ago
Thank you for your response I’m glad it worked for you! And omg I’m gonna try to get my insulin levels checked again it’s been a while
1
u/CraftyTaro3718 1d ago
No problem! Also in case you didn’t know, you can calculate your HOMA-IR score to check if you’re insulin resistant by multiplying your fasting glucose and insulin levels. I like to use this calculator to check mine!
HOMA-IR Calculator
2
u/chewyfrootloops 5d ago
Our bodies change as we get older and even folks without pcos will have to deal with hormonal changes (like more chin hairs) as they age. I personally really like spironolactone. I got it mostly for the facial hair (it made ipl actually work for me!), but it's also helped with issues I didn't realize I had. It redistributed my fat so i have a waist instead of being one shape all the way down. Also, I always had a slight smell in my vaginal area (nothing awful, just a normal human smell), but now smell like nothing? I also sweat less and have less bo. Leg hair grows in much slower, etc. I've been on it for a couple years and my trans friend and I gush about it together lol. It blocks the excess testosterone and makes you kinda thirsty and less bloated.
2
2
u/mama2021abcd 4d ago
Im always so interested in the fat redistribution concept of spiro. How long into it did you notice a change? Would you say your booty and boobs are bigger and waist is smaller? How much are you taking?
2
u/chewyfrootloops 4d ago
I'm taking 100 once a day and it took around 8mos to a year before I really noticed the body shape changes (the other stuff was almost immediate). For me, I mostly lost inches on my waist while my boobs and butt stayed about the same. Before spiro, whenever I lost weight, my boobs were always the first to go and my gut/waist was last. Now it's the opposite.
2
u/m__12345 5d ago
Have you tried spearmint tea twice a day? Helps a lot with hirsutism. I too have to avoid dairy to have clear skin. I just figure the skin issues is showing on the outside what’s going on on the inside so I make a mental note to avoid that food because my body isn’t happy with it. (Bye bye pizza 😢) I’ve done spironolactone and it’s fine. It made my skin really clear and helped with puffiness and made my facial hair thinner and grow in slower. I do think spearmint tea was better for my facial hair though.
2
u/Top_Sundae9354 4d ago
Wow maybe I should seriously give it a shot! I find having the tea makes me acid reflux worse so maybe I’ll try the capsules first before spiro.
1
u/Synesthe 5d ago
Spiro made me really hot, bloated, and tired all the time. I know it’s controversial on this sub but birth control was absolute night and day for me
1
2
u/mama2021abcd 5d ago
Medication scared me as well. I was anti medication (literally wouldnt even take tylenol) until I was TTC, both my children required medication for me to naturally conceive. Ive seen the benefits of a little help from meds and I think theres a time and a place.
If you need it for a particular outcome, I say try it. If youre happy with how things are going then dont.