MarianneUnfaithfull

I'm tired too on this medication, and have also noticed some joint pain, but no other side effects yet.
I've read a lot on the internet about potassium levels and how one shouldn't consume too many food high in potassium (think dried fruit is high too, which I eat lots of) but my derm didn't mention this to me for some reason.

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Dianette
Spiro 100mg
Zinc
EPA fish oils
Ground flaxseed (when I remember) and flaxseed oil on salads
Pure Inositol 3 grams a day (for panic disorder - thrilled to discover it could help with pcos as well)

sandoora16

i just started spiro today... and i was wondering what is AF?? CAN YOU PLEASE TELL ME

androgynoussissygirl

AF=Aunt Flo.

TamraAnne

Hi all - I'm new so I'm just now reading through posts.. my doctor has prescribed me 1000mg met and 50 mg of spiro, I'm already on 225mcg of synthroid and 4mg of xanax (extreme anxiety). I think either the met or spiro one may be too much with the xanax because I felt wiped out from day one, even in a daze.

Also a bit confused because my symptoms seem so mild - I noticed a darker patch of hair above my lip and he couldn't determine if it was really abnormal.. my periods are slightly irregular but not much, give or take 5 days .. which I felt was pretty normal. I'm starting to wonder if I maybe I need a second opinion from an ob/gyn.. However I've always had weight issues, but I've had hashimotos thyroiditis since I was a teen (I'm now almost 39). I appreciate all the info on these 2 meds and so thankful for this site
lastly, he never did any sort of lab work on me, it was just on my 'complaints' alone that he said he was pretty sure I had PCOS
Thanks!

MarianneUnfaithfull

I think you should get a second opinion. I don't know much about Met, but understand it's quite a strong drug and not always well tolerated. You really need blood tests AND a scan of your ovaries for an official diagnosis. If your symtoms are as mild as you say you might see drastic improvements from a PCOS diet and exercise plan, and perhaps Vitex (herbal remedy) and re-introduce Spiro if needed...
Good luck!

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Dianette
Spiro 100mg
Zinc
EPA fish oils
Ground flaxseed (when I remember) and flaxseed oil on salads
Pure Inositol 3 grams a day (for panic disorder - thrilled to discover it could help with pcos as well)

TamraAnne

Thank you! After looking around the posts more last night I decided to make an appt with an OB/GYN instead of just may family doc. Hopefully all will work out!

jenn24291

I just started this med last week I'm taking only 12.5 mg I wanted to start slow .My neck is sowleen has anyone had this happen ? The only other SE is I'm realy tried.

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rxdoc2b

Actually potassium levels are very important for this medication. Most references recommed regular blood work to make sure your poatassium level stays in a safe range. MarrianneUnfaithful, good catch on your research!

Signs of high potassium may include nausea, fatigue, muscle weakness or tingling. Some serious things to look for are slowing of your heart rate or a weak pulse where it was once strong. If you experience these symptoms on Spiro, make sure to call your dr. ASAP.

I think spiro. is a great option for us PCOS gals, but just know what to look for! Good Luck all

QuayandCo

I am leaving the belly hair, the nipple hair and the never ending bush.
__________________________________________________ ___________

LMAO!!! I thought i was the only one with these problems! Always been too embarassed to get waxed. hehe, thanks for the laugh.

mutantfrog

question regarding the AF side effects...

I originally tried spiro about a year ago. was on it 25-50mg a day for about 3 months and basically bled every day. Stopped the spiro and switched to propecia. My main symptoms are body hair (navel, thigh area and breasts...surprisingly almost nothing on my face--stray hair or two) and ACNE. Also when I was on spiro before, I had dangerously low blood pressure. Right now (on the propecia) I am usually in the 90/60ish range and I feel ok (yes, it was even lower on the spiro).

However...due to cost reasons and having to switch health care very soon, I am back to the spiro. This time the doctor put me on 100mg 1xday (I take it in the morning with breakfast). I've been on it almost 2 weeks now and no bleeding, though I feel like i should start anytime now. She thinks "the results will be different now that I am 40lbs thinner". I am a little more cautious.

**update**took the sprio at 100mg a day,felt good (no muscle pain,clear skin) at first then started having crazy crazy AF problems and fainting due to low blood pressure.

Question for those with AF problems on spiro: was it an all the time thing (like my first experience)? Or something else? **update**for those that had AF problems...did it stop when you stopped taking the spiro? Immediately? Have been off the spiro again for 2 weeks and still bleeding. I am taking 1 dose of yasmin at the same time.

For the record/those researching spiro and finesteride/propecia:
SPIRO:
spiro did make my face VERY clear--no red, no acne, no oil, even on that microscopic dose. No difference in my body hair. No decrease in athletic performance other than when my blood pressure started getting too low. No, I am not a banana eater But I do usually have 4oz OJ in the morning. I stopped when the bp started going low on spiro the first time, but it made no difference (so i guess it wasn't too much potassium).

PROPECIA/FINESTERIDE:
On propecia, that body hair basically stopped growing. No effect on the hair that was already there...other than bald patches on my leg hair (weird) and I went up a cup size (I'm an athlete, so I actually was not as thrilled about that as I thought I would be). However, the propecia didn't seem to really be that great with the acne. While head hair is not an issue for me, I am usually a shedder. When on propecia, I did notice a reduction in how many hairs in the sink/drain. Also on the propecia, I noticed that it seemed to take a lot longer for my muscles to recover: example when days where I would lift to max or a particularly hard kickboxing class, it took me DAYS to recover. DAYS to be able to walk w/o limping again. And I wasn't doing anything different than before the propecia! Now that I am back on the spiro--at least thus far--I have not had these insane episodes of soreness. I feel like my muscles are recovering at a more normal rate. THough i'm sure that means my testosterone is up again... (given that you use tesosterone as part of muscle recovery).

Hope this extra bit helps those researching. I have also been on Met 2000mg/day since Oct 07 and Yasmin since...the dawn of time. lol 6+ years I think.

For everyone else, please, let me know about the AF issues with spiro it's making me neurotic

Auspice

Anyone have muscle loss from spiro...I've been on spiro before for about 3 years and it worked wonderfully for hirsutism. Now when I try to take it, I notice my butt jiggles and arms. I weigh 135 and am concerned if the spiro is causing muscle loss. My testosterone is at 75 and my dr. doesn't think it is a concern, but i want something to deal with the hursutim, but not at the expense of my muscles. My dr. thinks by lowering my testosterone, i am reducing the normal amount i need in a female to maintain good skin elasticity and muscle mass. Any thoughts?

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Thin cyster bmi 19
2007-vu=1 ovary 2x the other=Dx Idiopathic Hursutism
2001-Dx PCOS b/c bad acne/AF irreg=given spiro&bcp
normal androgens/hormones/^cortisol?

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Little drops of water..Make the mighty ocean-Julia Abigail Carney

lizzygirl20

I was recently prescribed spiro and I've read a few posts where women say it did not work for them at all, or the hair became finer, and then there are other women that said it cleared up the hair completely! I was curious, is this because each woman's case is different?

I am contemplating whether or not I should even start taking spiro, but I guess it wouldn't hurt to try? I guess I was wondering if it would clear up the hair completely for me or not... I sure hope so! This excess hair thing sure is annoying.. Also, does spiro work best by itself or with something like birth control. And are different type of oral contraceptives better for the treatment of PCOS than others?

Sorry, there are a lot of question in this one post. I'm new to SoulCysters.

blu_cypress

Not true. I've had great results with a combination of laser hair removal AND spiro. At the time I had the laser done, I was taking 100mg of spiro--I now have very little facial hair...I still have to do some maintenance, but what little I do have isn't visibly noticeable. The spiro lessened the hair growth and the laser took care of hairs that had already gone terminal (dark and course)...with continued spiro usage, I don't have any new hairs going terminal.
I'm now on 200 mgs of spiro and I absolutely love it. Chest hair--gone. Belly hair--gone. Back hair--gone. Butt hair--gone. Hairy monkey arms--blonde and fine. I shave my legs every other week...before, my legs were stubbly immediately after shaving. The only unwanted hair that spiro didn't completely eliminate was the facial hair--the laser took care of that.
Additionally, my bald spot is virtually gone..I still have a thinnish spot, but it just looks like an extension of my part..I feel like a woman again and can wear my hair down without loading it with hairspray to keep it "just so".
I cannot sing enough praises for spiro and my endo, who is always willing to listen to my ideas and has gone above and beyond in treating ALL of my symptoms.

brittknee

I'm on my six month mark as of three days ago on Spiro! Here are my current results/notes:

- The facial hair has not gone away. It has gotten SIGNIFICANTLY LIGHTER (i'm asian, so this is a totally big deal!!) the hair is very fine, and so easy to remove and it does not grow back in a manly, stubbly manner.
- Acne = gone. I get a pimple or two around my "period" but other than that, my skin is soooo clear and my scars are eliminated! :] i can finally wear make up and it looks flawless and beautiful, like it should.
- I say "period" because they are still just as non-existent - I get "periods" once a month but I'd say it is more of a spot bleeding than a period. It lasts no more than three days and it's super light. But I've always assumed it's because of my weight (or lack of)
- All of those side effects that you hear of, the fatigue, the peeing, all that, it really does go away after a couple weeks.
- Initial breakout: after my first month I had a huuuge breakout on my face that almost made me stop taking the medication - wait it out - it'll clear up. It was quite painful though.

all in all, very satisfied. TOTALLY WORTH THE WAIT. And i know that it's going to keep on getting better, I'm only at the 6 months mark!

__________________
17 yrs old; high school junior; varsity year round track and field
5'4 110 pounds
spiro since 12-25-08


"Here's to the nights that turned into mornings and the friends that turned into family..."

ninashope

Hi Ladies,

I just wanted to share my spironolactone success as well! I first realized that my hirsutism was treatable when I went to Africa for a month and forgot to bring my birth control. I bought a local one and noticed that my skin was clearer, but more intriguingly, I was less hairy!
So after that was when I started to investigate. With the the help of an obgyn I tried Yaz, which helped with the hair but was a disaster otherwise (extreeme moodiness, bled for 2 months straight). Then I went back on the NuvaRing and went to an endo who put me on 50mg of spiro daily, along with the ring.

Less than a week later I got a full bikini wax and my stomach waxed. Just 3-4 weeks later I am seeing some amazing results. Almost no ingrown hairs (before it would have been a big mess), and hardly any hair growth after 3 weeks! The bikini waxer told me to come back in three weeks, but I really don't think I have enough hair to make it worthwhile at all, and it is growing back in the center mainly in a thin, 1/2 inch wide strip, with just a few stray hairs on the sides. I realize I just gave you a detailed description of my crotch hair which is probably TMI, but really I'm amazed! It's like a new pattern of female hair growth is emerging, and here's hoping it will last. Paying for spiro is a bargain if it helps lessen the need for professional hair removal.

Additionally my legs stay smooth longer after shaving and are also no longer getting ingrown hairs. My skin is very clear and lovely. The only thing that hasn't seen a dramatic improvement is the facial hair, though it is better as well.

S/E: after reading this thread I think I too am suffering from the side effect of tiredness. I have been wondering why I am so tired lately. But honestly it's not that bad, and I'm willing to take it for what I'm getting.

I am so much more confident now, I'm willing to have sex in the bright bright daytime because my body hair is so much better, and ingrowns so minimal. (oddly enough, when I asked my bf if he liked the reduction in hair he was kind of indifferent. But I'm sure he's enjoyed the increase in thong-wearing, haha). I even feel less embarassed about when my shirt inadvertently goes up and displays my (not as hairy anymore) belly.

That endocrinologist has changed my life, as this issue has plagued me since (and before) puberty. I know it's not even been a month, so I'll see how well the results hold up, but so far so good (obviously).