Spironolactone and Metformin Combination

turmoil · 05-29-2007, 02:27 AM

I would like to know that how has the combination of Metformin and Spironolactone helped anyone out? Has anyone been on that combination? I hear its a pretty common combination? Any feed back??? How has it helped with the hirsuitism? The acne? The weight? Did anyone lose any weight or more weight on this combo? I just went up on my Metformin. Im taking 2000mg a day and i just started with Spironolactone of 100mg a day.....is there a particular time when you people take Spironolactone?? Im not sure when i should be taking it? I usually try and take it after dinner with the rest of my meds. Does anyone take it with dinner or empty stomach??? Any feed back please would be of great help?

adlynn · 05-29-2007, 02:54 AM

I've not used spironolactone before but if my memory serves me right I believe it is kind of like a fluid pill and you might need to take that in the morning. I can't take the metformin...can't handle the nausea, diarrhea, bloating and dizziness that I experienced on it. I am going to talk to my gyno about putting me on the spironolactone though to see if it helps w/ the hair growth and hair loss!!
Good luck

Eva37 · 05-29-2007, 10:23 AM

hi
ive been on spiro about 6 years. It has helped with the hair. My endo said it takes 9-12 months to get to maximum result. Been on met about 5 years and get on well with both. hth
eva

flamenca · 05-29-2007, 11:47 AM

I have been on Met and Actos for almost 1.5 years, and on Spiro since December 2006. On Met and Actos alone, my cyces got regular, my skin got better, but my hair still kept falling out. Now on Spiro, the hair isn't shedding excessively anymore, but no new hair is growing either. My skin is getting worse again and my cycles more irregular. My hirsutism is as bad as ever. I'll give it a few more months, and if the situation doesnt change, I will ask my doctor to switch t oFLutamide and give that a try instead of Spiro.

My Spiro pill isn't fluid, it's the consistency of an aspirin, but smaller. I have to take it before breakfast. per recommendation from my endo, I should take the Met 30 minutes before my meal. I hardly ever manage that except in the mornings, due to a chronic lack of self-organization, LOL, so at least I try to take it at the beginning of my meals.

Tiffy-Taffy · 05-29-2007, 01:26 PM

I have been on 750mg of Met since February and on 100mg of Spiro only for a couple of weeks now. The Met has caused me to have a decrease in appetite, which in turn has caused me to shed a few pounds. The Spiro (also called a water pill) helps your body to get rid of excess water and salt-- and is also used to help lower blood pressure and androgens. I hope it will help lower my testosterone levels.

I really don't have a problem with acne--so I'm not too sure about that one. I haven't been on it long enough to see if it helps with the hair growth and hair loss-- but I'm hoping it does!

turmoil · 05-30-2007, 10:03 PM

Thank You, You All.
But i dont think that Spironolactone is helping me. Since the past 2-3 days i havent been feeling well. Im nauseaus, have heart sinking, have this weird feeling. Feel like i need to go lye down. Weird feeling. Then i go and eat. And think it will become better. But last night when i got this feeling it did not become better with eating. I then went to sleep. Im not sure but i think its the Spiro. I hear that its also used to put down the BP in people. So it could be that my bp is going low with Spiro??? Any idea anyone? Has anyone else felt this....... Ive been on Met for a while and thats OK. It either has to be the new med or something else going wrong with my body....

furmitten · 08-08-2008, 04:56 AM

I would also like to know more about the safety and success of this combination. I am currently taking Metformin 1700/day, and spironolactone 25 mg/day -- I think the dose of the spironolactone is too small, and I have not seen a significant reduction in body hair, although the chin and neck hair has stopped growing back finally after electrolysis. (For years electrolysis had no effect, and now it has) -- but I would love help with the hair in all the really male places - small of the back, buttocks, etc. I'd love to know if others are succefully negotiating the higher does of spiro along with the met.

Kalyn · 08-08-2008, 09:52 AM

My doctor was against putting me on Met, just because she said she has not seen good results with it in other patients of hers. She put me on 200mg of Spiro. I have been on it for almost a month and I have not seen any "good" results yet. The only thing I have noticed is that I am SO tired, but have trouble sleeping and I pee....a lot. I take one pill in the morning with breakfast and one pill in the evening with dinner.

furmitten · 08-09-2008, 02:09 AM

I am very surprised your doctor doesn't like the Metformin. I would be inclined to seek another opinion -- I have had (except for the hirsutism issue) excellent results on metformin. I ovulate every month and have an actual period (something that almost NEVER happens without it) and my acne which once covered my back like a battlefield, is now entirely clear. As soon as I go off the meformin, the acne starts coming back.

Hostyle78 · 03-03-2009, 03:01 PM

Hello Everyone,
I recently tried spiro with great results but I had a non stop period the entire time while taking it. So I decided to stop. I like the results I was getting but just couldn't take the bleeding. Any suggestions? Has anyone else had similiar problems.

mommy20032006 · 03-03-2009, 03:46 PM

I have taken met for 6 years now. I go on and off just because I stop seeing results and get mad. Then after a few months I start back. The side effects are horrible. I have decided i'm just going to have to get over it and deal. I feel better when I take it and that should be enough. I'm just now starting spiro. I have paid major bucks for laser hair tx, that hasn't helped. I hope the spiro helps me. I also have 2 kids thanks to the met and clomid. So good luck to you all.

furmitten · 03-04-2009, 02:18 AM

I take 1700 mg daily of metformin, and spironolactone 25 mg.
I can tell that the combination is good because as soon as I stop, my acne returns in full force. I always had a minefield of acne absolutely all over my back and shoulders, and with the drugs this stays beautifully clear, except if I fall behind. As soon as I start skipping doses, bang the acne comes back. And if that's what PCOS doing to my back, I can imagine havoc is being wreaked on my insides without the metformin. The drugs also allow me to have a period and make me regular. Without metformin, I almost never ovulated, or if I did, it was at absurdly random intervals.

I find it excessively difficult to remember the evening dose of the metformin.

I have not seen any reduction in body hair from the spironolactone alone. However, I will say this, without the spiro and metformin, there was no point in going for electrolysis, my body would generate new folllicles faster than the old ones could be killed. With the drugs, the electrolysis finally was able to work and now my chin, sideburns, corners of the mouth, throat, are now relatively clear.

I tolerate both drugs very well. IN the beginning the metforming upset my stomach, but I got used to it.

I'd say unequivocally you should do the metformin if you have PCOS, and the spironolactone for added support in dealing with the body hair.

Deb34 · 03-04-2009, 03:59 PM

i'm currently taking 1000 mg of Metformin per day. 500mg in the am and 500mg in the pm before bed. I'm trying to have a steady dose of it in my blood for the full 24 hours in a day. I'm going to try splitting the pills so that I can take 250mg every six hours. That would keep a constant supply of Met in the blood at all times.

I'm also using 200mg per day of Spiro. I will never give this up willingly as it's really starting to show real progress with slowing down the facial hair. I have to wait days now to pluck maybe 30 hairs that are long enough to reach with tweezers and the ingrowns have reduced almost to nothing. I've only been on this higher dose since Jan 26, 2009 so I'm looking forward to even better results from this dose. I was on 100mg per day for 3 months prior to that and I noticed no results on the facial hair at all. I'm one of the lucky ones I think who has no side effects other than some fatigue but I'm also not taking my iron and Bvitamins like I should be either and my diet has been really low on protein too for a long time. When I am taking my meds and my supplements and am getting adequate protein, all my symptoms do improve but it's my own fault that I'm not getting the results I want because I'm not consistent with the nutritional factors that I know work for me. Oh I also should be taking Omega-3 fatty acids along with the rest of my stuff, but I'm not doing that right now either.

Just typing this makes me want to go and have a proper meal with enough protein and my supplements, so off I go...

PinkShoeLaces2008 · 03-05-2009, 03:27 AM

Ive just started this combo for the 2nd time(500mg metformin and 25mg spiro)....i didnt think i noticed results the first time but recently ive noticed signifigant increase in body hair and when i returned to the doctor it turned out i had gained nearly 20lbs in 6months...........that was proof enough for me im starting back on the meds with the usual upset stomach and excessive peeing lol but im hoping for the same results again.

Peggotty · 03-09-2009, 08:43 PM

Anybody still having luck with Met and Sprio combo? did anybody see any improvement with hair loss?