Spironolactone User Reviews & Ratings (Page 3)

• Blu...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 30, 2019

For Alopecia "After many years of intermittent worrying bouts with hair loss, I noticed it getting worse onwards from 45 years to the point where I was losing 300-500 hairs at every hair wash!! Very scary and disheartening. Blood work did not explain what was happening with any particular deficiencies. Doctor suggested spiro and I've been on it now for approximately 4 months and so happy with progress so far. Didn't notice much in the way of side effects, perhaps slightly unsettled stomach for a couple of months. I will keep a watch on my kidney function as I know it can be impacted, and try to drink extra water. Can now wash hair with only approximately 50 strand loss and very little loss in between washings. Not much regrowth as yet, very much hoping it will restart very soon! Hope this helps :)"

• Ang...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 28, 2015

For High Blood Pressure "My wife took this medicine for two days only, just 9 days ago, and we're not sure she's going to live another week. She stopped it after the 2nd dose because she got severe stomach pain and low back ache. The last 4 days she has barely had enough strength to get out of bed to use the bathroom. She has a difficult time breathing, is coughing way too much, has diarrhea, no appetite, headache, dry mouth. Her symptoms now look like congestive heart failure. No one should have to go through this with a drug that's supposed to help, not kill you."

• Liz...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 30, 2018

For Alopecia "My specialist has yet to diagnose me because I'm right on the line of TE and androgenic alopecia. Either way, my hair started falling out rapidly and I was horrified. I was put on 25mg of spironolactone and then increased to 100mg. This has helped me DRAMATICALLY. I've been on spironolactone for 8 months and just began 100mg 2 months ago, and I think it's safe to say 90% of my hair is back! I felt the dizziness mentioned in reviews only for the first month or so when I was taking 25mg, then I was fine. However, it has significantly lowered my sex drive, but give a little take a little. I was becoming so upset and self-conscious, and now I feel like myself again. After chopping off 4 inches of dry, brittle hair that I started with, I'm left with a thicker, healthier bob. Very, very happy."

• Sid...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 26, 2013

For Alopecia "I am 19 years old and have female androgenetic alopecia, at an alarmingly high stage at that. This had a HORRIBLE initial shed, but it has stopped shedding, and now I have less hair falling out. I don't see any regrowth though and am using minoxidil every other day, so maybe if I used it regularly, I'd be fine. Minoxidil is causing me to grow lots of facial hair though (5% concentration), and the spironolactone is supposed to fix hirsutism, but the minoxidil is more dominating in the facial hair aspect... not giving up though because keeping hair on my head is more important than having a hairy face. I can just wax/thread facial hair."

• bro...
• November 4, 2009

For High Blood Pressure "This drug has been a miracle for me. I had severe hypertension for 20 years and was taking the maximum dosage or more of all of the classes of medications. When Spironolactone was added, my blood pressure came down almost immediately. Since then, nearly all of my other medications have been stopped, I am feeling great and my blood pressure is well controlled."

• Lol...
• July 23, 2015

For Hirsutism "I started getting facial hair probably 10 years ago. I'm 36 now. I am so embarrassed, and it's getting worse. I find myself not going out as much and avoiding as much eye contact as I can. My doctor prescribed spironolactone over a year ago, and it has not helped. She has increased it, but that hasn't helped either. My left side by my chin has a dark spot from me constantly plucking the black coarse hairs. I see friends and family looking at it, and I'm so uncomfortable that I just want to go home and hide. I have had labs done multiple times to check my hormone levels, and it all comes back just fine. I need suggestions on another medication to try and a very good concealer to help hide my problem area. I would appreciate any advice."

• sam...
• February 3, 2012

For Alopecia "I've been on this medication for 4 months now. I started noticing a dramatic change in my facial hair, it's almost all gone by 90%. For my hair loss, I can say that I did see a big change, but at least I'm not losing hair like I used to. It makes me urinate a lot, but it's a normal thing. It also helped me to lose weight. No side effects until now."

• Mel...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 18, 2021

For Acne "I started getting hormonal acne my freshman year of college. Like many others have mentioned in the reviews, I tried just about everything to clear it up. By everything, I mean I completely changed my lifestyle. Started exercising, cut out fast food, went dairy-free, sugar-free, gluten-free, took doxycycline, got on birth control, and I was still getting these big cysts on my face that would scar. It completely destroyed my confidence, at times, I didn’t even want to leave the house because I was so embarrassed. Went to a new doctor, and they put me on 50mg of spironolactone. First 2 months, my acne got worse. But by the 3rd month, my skin was completely clear. I’ve been on it for a year next month, and I haven’t had a single cystic pimple since the 3rd month. It’s also helped my hair so much. I’ve had no side effects by size and an increase in boob size. For anyone that has hormonal acne, I understand how you feel and know how distressing it is."

• Spi...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 26, 2019

For Alopecia "So I wasn't actually diagnosed with alopecia, but there were miniature-sized hairs on my scalp. My crown area was definitely balding, and I’d have to part my hair a certain way so that it’d be less visible! Anyways, I got it checked out in March 2018 and took a few hormone tests, and it turns out my DHEA Sulfate was on the higher side. So, my doctor prescribed me 50mg daily of spironolactone. After a few weeks, I asked if I could increase to 100mg, and I did. I have been taking 100mg for a year now and I see an incredible difference! My crown area isn't as bald - it's been filling up with more hair! A couple of days ago, I asked my doctor to increase the dosage to the maximum 200mg. I’ve heard that 200mg daily is the magical number to see more results! So far, I have not had any side effects. Just make sure you take it with food! Good luck!"

• Anonymous
• October 1, 2009

Spironolactone for Acne "Being almost 30 and having cystic acne, I began taking this as a last resort. I tried all skincare lines, found myself using Clarins, and my skin improved, but still I was oily and breaking out on my neck and cheeks. After a couple of weeks, I noticed I wasn't waking up with what seemed like a thick layer of oil on my face. I began to break out less and less. My dermatologist upped my dose, and now my painful cystic acne is gone, and my skin feels great. Although I find myself very parched at times, and you must watch your salt and alcohol intake. I like this medication."

• Bel...
• August 25, 2015

For Hirsutism "I've been taking this drug for about a month now. I suffer from PCOS and get very dark, coarse hair on my chin and neck. I have noticed a difference in the hair for sure. It is lighter and finer, which is great because I was getting tons of ingrowns. The only side effect I have had issues with is the fact that this is a diuretic, so I have to pee constantly."

• Ann...
• December 4, 2019

For High Blood Pressure "I tried spiro 6 months ago, lowered my BP too much, had to come off. 100 gram. Dr. wouldn't listen to my side effects. Dry mouth, severe cramps, and numbness in the left side of my face, left arm, and foot. Sore mouth and tongue, super thirsty, and itchy scalp, and lots of hair falling out. Was put back on a lower dose 1/2 of 25 gram. Same night, numbness started, and fingers started to cramp. Washed my hair a few days later, and loads fell out. Stopped taking it after 12 days. Dr. is not going to be pleased. This is a dangerous drug. Don't know how far the numbness goes if ignored."

• Kat...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 18, 2020

For Acne "I was put on Spiro for acne. My face was the WORST the first 2-3 months after starting on it. My face had never had that many pimples/redness on it. However, I decided to stick it out. After 7-8 months on Spiro, my face is completely clear! I almost never get any pimples anymore, and my face feels soft and smooth!"

• pet...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 5, 2013

For High Blood Pressure "I have had high blood pressure for 4 years (now age 69). My doctor prescribed spironolactone as part of my treatment. I take one 25 mg tablet every day in the morning to reduce body salt and retain potassium. I was not advised of the side effects, such as lack of sexual drive. I have to urinate about 6 times per day (twice overnight), which is a minor problem. I find it difficult getting to sleep and avoid taking sleeping pills. I get light-headed and experience dizzy spells at times and have to take my time when rising from a sitting position. I do not have any of the other side effects as described in the literature. With other medicines, my blood pressure is under control."

• Seq...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 13, 2015

For High Blood Pressure "I am a 63-year-old male with severe hypertension. In my attempt to eliminate the number of prescriptions I was taking to bring the levels down to 'normal', my doctor decided to prescribe spironolactone. The result was dramatic, and it brought my BP down to normal. After a few months, I began experiencing pain in my breasts, and after a few more months, I noticed the pain and sensitivity increasing. My breasts were also increasing in size. I stopped this particular drug because I was concerned about the ever-increasing pain, the increasing size of my breasts, and no indication that either side effect would diminish. I am now on a quest to find an alternative to spironolactone without the disturbing side effects."

• Anonymous
• April 7, 2011

Spironolactone for High Blood Pressure "This medicine did lower my blood pressure, but after being on it for about 2 months, I began to have trouble urinating. At first, I thought I was getting a bladder infection, but the symptoms would come and go, mainly occurring right after I took the pill. I decided to stop taking it for a while to see if the symptoms went away, and they did. I also had swelling of my hands, and I gained 5 pounds."

• Lex...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 19, 2014

For Acne "I developed acne at the age of 32. I was fortunate and had been blessed with clear skin and had never had an issue before, so the cystic-type acne I was getting around my cheeks and jawline that would not go away was incredibly traumatic to me emotionally. Nothing I tried would clear it up. I was devastated. I went to a dermatologist for the first time in my life, and he told me that the acne was almost certainly hormonal and a result of my IUD (inserted just over a year prior) and that Spironolactone was about the only thing that would work. He was right! He initially put me on a dose of just 50mg a day, which took about a month or so to show results, and then worked great for about three or four months. After that time, I saw a slight recurrence, not nearly as bad as what I was initially dealing with, but enough that I called my dermatologist. I explained the situation, he upped the dosage to 100mg daily, and my skin has been gorgeous and clear again ever since (about six months or so now)! This works, period."

• Anonymous
• September 6, 2020

For Acne "It’s my 5th day on this medicine (spironolactone 100 mg), and today I’m pretty sure I had a panic attack. I’ve experienced huge anxiety to the point where I didn’t know what to do and how to calm myself down. I’d describe it like an overwhelming feeling. I rarely ever get anxiety or stressed, so I’m pretty sure that spironolactone was what caused it because I’ve never felt something similar to this. My heart was beating in a weird way, I felt like someone was sitting on my chest. Please think twice before taking this, it’s really strong."

• Jen...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 30, 2019

For Hirsutism "So it's been one week, and I suffer with PCOS. Specifically, the symptom I hate the most is the excess facial hair growth. I can say when I was in my doctor’s office one week ago, I had a full lady beard. And usually, if I pluck it, it will grow full one week later. So it's been one week on spironolactone, and I had nothing but little stubbles here and there. I can’t believe no one told me about this medicine before for facial hair. I’m actually impressed."

• Ren...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 12, 2015

For Acne "I went off the birth control pill at age 38 (after being on for almost 20 years) and within 2 months my skin went crazy. I started experiencing bad cystic acne to the point I had no less than 10 bumps at once and was spending a lot of time and money at the dermatologist on injections. I had never had a cyst before--just typical teen acne breakouts in high school and college. It was painful and I felt embarrassed to go anywhere in public. My self-esteem plummeted. After 3 months my dermatologist recommended spironolactone. I started at 200 mg and within a month my face was totally clear. After 6 months I went down to 150, then another 6 months down to 100, which is the dosage I still take 2 years later. Best medication ever!"

• Spe...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 26, 2018

Spironolactone for Hirsutism "I was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) two years ago and was prescribed Aldactone 50 mg and Metformin 500 mg two times a day. I was never regular in taking the medicine and skipped it for months in a row. Problems started 5-6 months back when my body hair, sideburns, upper lip, and chin hair started increasing. Last month I plucked out almost 80 really thick hairs out of my chin, and I had a stupid five o'clock shadow on my upper lip after shaving. I was desperate and started taking the meds properly. Trust me, people, it's not even a month, and the thickness of unwanted hair has become half and grows really slowly. All you have to do is have faith and never miss a tablet. It really can do wonders in your life."

• Bec...
• October 16, 2019

For Acne "I am 41. Have struggled with acne since I was a teen. Last year (40th), I decided to have a last-ditch attempt at sorting out my acne. I asked my GP to refer me to a dermatologist. I paid to go privately to speed up the process. I was prescribed 100 mg spironolactone twice daily. My expectations were low. One year on, my skin is AMAZING. I don't get cysts and spots anymore. I have gained so much confidence and spend so little time thinking about my skin. So if, like me, you feel you have given up hope, I suggest you give this a go. A note of caution is that in the first 3-4 months, my skin purged terribly. It was awful, and I nearly gave up. Also felt incredibly thirsty and couldn't stop going to the loo (they are a diuretic and make you pee). This has, however, all settled down. Body seems to have adjusted. No other side effects. Weight has remained normal, and I feel great. So my advice is... stick with it, and you will see the benefit. Good luck if you are suffering. Don't give up."

• My_...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 8, 2015

For Acne "I've been on this medication for about six months. I'm 37 years old and I've had acne since I was 12 years old. I had tried every medicine out there pretty much. This medication has made my skin clearer than it has been since I was 12! I use it in combination with clindamycin/benzoyl peroxide face cream at night. Occasionally around my cycle I will get one or two pimples but they clear up quickly. I am so pleased to have my life and my self-confidence back! One thing I will note, my sex drive is through the roof! And I am not complaining about that, nor is my husband!!!"

• Vio...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 27, 2014

For Acne "I am a 40-year-old woman who's been struggling with mild to moderate and cystic acne in varying degrees since I was 11. I've also had very oily skin. I've been prescribed all the usual medicines: antibiotics, birth control pills, various topical creams, and really, nothing has made any significant improvement. When I turned 40, 4 months ago I decided, after doing extensive research, to ask my doctor about spironolactone. Since I'm not looking to become pregnant, she thought we could give it a try. So I've been on 50mg once a day for 4 months, and this medicine has completely changed my life. My skin is not oily anymore, and my cystic acne on my back is gone. My face is clear of acne. No side effects. But why didn't any doctor or dermatologist prescribe this for me years ago?"

• Eve...
• July 23, 2015

For Alopecia "Due to medication, lost hair every time I brushed, every time I washed, seemingly every time I touched my head!! Now, due to spironolactone, I no longer lose hair!! My plumbing is happy too. My doctor suggested I take Biotin as well. I know it will take many months for me to see new growth, but that's okay. My skin looks great too!!"