I know that it takes 3 to 12 months to see any effect (if there will be any) in hair texture, color, rate of growth, etc., but how long does it generally take Spironolactone to stop new hairs from coming in? I have only been on it for about 2 weeks, so I know I shouldn't expect results yet, but I'm really anxious about it because my hirsutism is still progressing really rapidly. I did ask my doctor how long it would take and she didn't seem to know. Does anyone have any personal experience with how long it will take to stop the progression of new hair? I am on 200mg/day (divided dose.)

That depends on your problem. If your hairiness is progressing that quickly, I think there might be an underlying cause that needs to be checked out (if you haven't done that--checked for PCOS etc.). The cause will need to be treated as well as the symptom, that is, the hair.

In 2 weeks on 250mg per day, I noticed a great deal of improvement on my skin and hair as far as oiliness, and I also didn't have to wear deodorant any longer if I didn't want to (a benefit I didn't expect). I also stopped having any menstrual cramps at all, when they used to be very severe. The hair itself--check out my threads on Spiro. On one of them, I give a mini-diary of my experience and everything I noticed. If you want the fastest results, don't get the generic Spiro. If you can afford it, at least for awhile, get the name brand Aldactone. Women I know swear that the name brand is faster, and the hormone doctor at hormonehelp.ny also says the same thing.

Take your Spiro with food. That increases the absorption of it a great deal. Don't eat a diet high in potassium. I imagine your doctor told you that.

Thanks for the info. I have already been checked for PCOS... that's why I'm on Spiro. I am a little confused about that. What other treatment is there? Isn't Spiro supposed to address the hair as a symptom of PCOS? I am also on Yasmin if that helps... (I switched to Yasmin from Ortho Tri-Cyclen around the same time as getting on the Spiro. I heard that Yasmin was better for PCOS, and I was also paranoid that the Ortho might have had something to do with the increased rapidity of hair growth, since the time frames coincided.)

I do always take it with food, since it said so on my prescription bottle. It is the generic though, not the brand name. I have 2 months worth of the generic and I am not sure the pharmacy will give me the brand name without my doctor specifically ordering it, but I see my doc again in a few weeks so I will ask her about that.

The deodorant side effect would be great too because I have started to smell pretty bad ever since this hair thing has gotten worse! I keep it under control by showering constantly but I am sure it's also a sign of high testosterone.

Anyway, do you think something is wrong if I haven't seen any improvement in 2 weeks? I don't really have much in the way of acne or oily hair so I can't judge by those symptoms. I haven't had my period yet on Spiro either. I will check out your Spiro threads though, thanks.

EDIT: I can't seem to find your Spiro diary thread using search or by looking at your previous posts. Do you think you could link me to it? Thanks.

Sure. My comments start at the bottom of the page (page 4) and continue through page 5, and then are interspersed throughout the rest of the thread.

http://www.hairtell.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/41836/4.html

It will take longer for the Spiro to work for you than it did for me, since your problem is more pronounced, but hang in there.

For PCOS, Metformin is often prescribed also, because PCOS involves screwed-up insulin which causes the aldosterone (testosterone) trouble. With Metformin (or Glucophage) those things are brought under control, and not only does it help you lose weight (if you're heavy), but it will begin to control the testosterone that's causing your hair trouble. I'm not a doctor, but I do know that almost all PCOS women take Metformin and are told to be on a very low-carb diet (not no-carb, but very, very low-carb) until you're back to normal, at which time more carbs can be introduced back into your diet. That diet makes a big difference. They usually eat a higher protein (not high fat) diet to keep from losing muscle.

Remember, I'm telling you what I learned from PCOS women. I do not have PCOS.

Spiro, although it will help somewhat with free testosterone in the blood, is mainly what controls the testosterone-sensitive skin and hair follicles. Eventually, the hair will grow out more slowly until it starts to act normal. Hair on the chin and upper lip can be very stubborn, and while the Spiro will keep new hair from growing, often the terminal hair in those areas will need to be treated with electrolysis.

As far as a period, at first my cycle was wonky but eventually got perfectly normal again, and THANK HEAVENS I don't have any more pain with those horrific cramps that felt just like labor pain. I never thought I'd see the day. And I didn't even know Spiro would do that.

Yasmin makes some women severely moody, and sometimes that doesn't happen right away. If you start to get depressed [or extraordinarily bitchy], that is probably the cause. I've heard that a lot. But keep on it as long as it works for you and as long as you feel okay. I know it helps with PCOS.

If you find NO improvement in a couple of months, see if need a little higher Spiro prescription from your doctor. Or get the name brand. The stuff works slowly at first, and then it really really works. At 200mg of Spiro and also Yasmin, I seriously doubt you need a higher prescription--your doctor can advise you. I would definitely check into the Metformin. I'm kind of surprised you're not on it.

Hang in there my friend!

My doctor did a lot of blood tests and didn't say anything about insulin, so I am guessing that turned out in the normal range. From what I have read, Metformin doesn't do much unless you have insulin resistance (which not all women with PCOS do. I think?)

I would really also rather not be on any more medications if I can help it. But do you think that Spiro won't help control the hair without Metformin if I do have insulin problems?

Hey!
What has your experience been in terms of sex lust while eating Yasmine and/or Spiro? I know, I experienced a decrease in that field a couple of years ago, just by eating normal birth control pills, so I'm curious about Yasmine and Spiro and how they affect it...
-Hanna

hannahanna: I myself don't do birth control so maybe hopelessandhairy will respond to that, but as for spiro, it was just like my menstrual cycle--"messed up". After awhile both problems resolved themselves after my body got used to the stuff. But yeah, initially, I thought I might just be perfectly happy as a nun.

Exercise will do a lot to improve sex drive, but everything sort of equalized over time. I won't be heading to the convent any time soon.

hopelessandhairy: I'm with you. I'd rather not be on any more meds than necessary. I just didn't know anyone with PCOS who was not on Metformin--but your doctor will certainly know a lot more about you than I ever will! Spiro will most certainly help you. Give it time--as I said, it works slowly at first, and then it's like, "Wow! Look at me!" Acquaintances of mine with hairy bodies noticed the excess body hair problem improved a lot faster than the excess facial hair, I'll warn ya.

Birth control pills have different affects on different people. One may have a decrase in sex drive, another no change, and another an increase. You really have to try it out for your self and see how this one affects you personally.

thanks for the info, again, coffeegirl. it is really great to hear opinions and experiences from people who have actually used the drug, instead of reading all the contradicting hearsay you find in articles on the internet. however i think i am still not looking at the right thing as far as your spiro diary because i could only find a couple posts in the thread you linked me (and it only goes up to page 5.)

i am trying to hold out hope because i have heard on here and on other forums (specifically soulcysters, which is a PCOS message board, but i can no longer access it for some reason) that spiro can make some of the excess hair GO AWAY in some women, although it does not happen for all. and i believe it can also make it grow back lighter and finer. right? in addition to making it grow slower (which would still be nice, even if none of the hair changed, at least it would be easier to keep up with if it grew slower.) so i am trying to think positive, and hope that enough of the hair is reduced that electrolysis becomes a more realistic option...

one question i had that my doctor did not answer adequately-- if i have some small hairs that seem to be in the process of turning terminal (i.e. they are still very short, fine, and light, but are beginning to gain dark pigment, and beginning to get a little longer) will the spiro stop their progression, or are they destined to become long, dark terminal hairs no matter what i do? i can't tell if the progression of hirsutism is actually still new hairs growing, or it is just the tiny little hairs that were already starting to become terminal when i got on spiro, continuing their growth...

luckily i don't have much of a problem with facial hair-- it's the one thing i am thankful for!!! so my problem is almost entirely with body hair, which spiro works better for, correct?

i am also trying to eat a good, balanced diet, with no artificial sweeteners or high fructose corn syrup. i drink a lot of water, and try to buy all natural, fresh and organic foods, although it is hard to actually eat them every day since i am out a lot and eat out a lot (however i try to get healthy meals in these cases and NEVER eat fast food. yuck!) i have already lost weight doing this, although i don't know how much since i don't have a scale (one less thing to obsess over if i can't weigh myself!)

as far as side effects/sex drive/etc... i have found that my sex drive is pretty low... HOWEVER that started to happen BEFORE i was on yasmin or spiro! i think it is a mental thing because of my anxiety over the hair. before i started stressing so much about it, my sex drive was pretty normal. ironically i am now in a relationship and the sex is pretty good and all but i just don't really desire it very often (i do it more often for his sake, it really doesn't bother me in any way to do that.) so i don't really know how the meds have affected that area. i do find that i feel kind of off/slightly nauseous sometimes, and get stomachaches more often, but i don't know whether this is the yasmin or spiro. i am thinking it's the yasmin since i started the spiro a few days earlier, and didn't feel any side effects until i had started the yasmin. i am hoping these will go away as my body adjusts.

i have a question: if yasmin is causing the side effects, will they go away when i am on my week of inactive pills? or will the meds still be in my system? if they will go away, this would be a great way to see which med is causing the side effects. it's nothing i can't handle but it would be good to know.

Your body may get used to both, so the side effects would go away. It takes several months to see what will happen.

I haven't heard of Spiro causing hair to shed and killing the follicle. Don't really see the science behind that. Normally, anything you would take to balance your hormones can prevent NEW growth and make the current growth finer, but it doesn't remove the hair that's already there. You need to remove that with a hair removal method.