Side effects of Spironolactone

[Buddy00]

Hi my cardiologist has just prescribed me Spironolactone. He says it’s another way of protecting my heart. Has anyone had any experience of this medication? Especially aimed at males as the side effects are male boob growth.

[10gingercats]

I am female and was prescribed Spirolactone and Furosimide together , a small dose daily that stops a build up of fluid around my heart and in my lungs. It has been very effective.

[Buddy00 in reply to 10gingercats]

Thanks for the reply . Hopefully the benefits will be worth it. I’m overweight already so don’t need bigger boobs 😩

[BobsBeat]

I was on it for 2 months last winter (trying to figure out my heart situation) and I didn't notice any gynaecomastia. It's supposed to be a really good drug for heart issues and not just as a diuretic. 59yo male here...

[Hidden]

Dear Buddy00

What an interesting subject that doesn’t look like has been asked about before {or maybe I have just missed the posts} so man boobs { not very PC but lets face it what is these days? } or Gynaecomastia to give it its name is very common with a lot of the heart drugs.

Spironolactone is one of them and can have an effect on all forms of the masculine side of things, also water retention can seen to be having the same affect.

Remember that I am not medically trained but I have noticed since being asked to stop certain chest exercises {most of them till the pacemaker is in and settled} that I have a bigger chest, and that concerned me.

Talking with and being examined by the Dr mine were deemed to be just fluid as there was no growth of tissue there.

After a change of water tablets { which spironolactone is only at a certain dose one } the problem went.

I am still on the spironolactone because of the reported good studies on helping the walls of the heart, but also am on testosterone replacement therapy due to having testicular cancer years ago, so that may balance out the femininity side of the drug. {which is know about }

As you already know by your gym history that fat and fluid tend to gather in the chest area as well as the waist.

I would have a chat with your Dr over this and get some tests done, If you truly have tissue growth { gynaecomastia } I was told that it can only be removed with surgery.

If I can be of any more help {drawing only on my personal journey} then please ask,

I wish that more people would understand how stressful this condition can be for us men, {do women suffer from it? }

Take care and please let us know.

[seniorita in reply to Hidden]

I don't have experience with this but just wanted to chime in and say that I can sympathise with men facing this problem. Having always had a large "frontage" I must say I would be daunted if I had to take this; I've just started to be able to influence my frontage size by losing weight now I'm in my 70s, and I quite like people talking to my face not my chest, so maybe it could possible be an issue for some women.

[Mentdent]

Bigger boobs or a heart attack. What would I do? It’s a no brainer for me and I’m a 69 year old male.

[Becksagogo]

I take spironolactone in conjuction with 4 Bumetanide, daily. It is supposed to be more gentle on the kidney function. I have not had any side effects that I can attribute to it.

[Silvertail]

I've been on Spironolactone for ten years with no side effects.

[MoyB]

My 79 yr old husband has grown little man boobs since being on a number of meds including Spironolactone. They're not huge from my point of view, but he's quite aware of them. They don't show when he's dressed but when he's topless I can see that he has grown a bit in that department.

Given that he is not a small man and carries a bit of weight around his middle, I don't think anyone else would notice - even on the beach - but I do know that he mentions them most nights when he takes his top off so I guess it's bothering him a bit. I'm now thinking he should mention it to the medics as there may be an alternative.

It's clear from other posts that not everyone is affected. Perhaps it depends on your existing testosterone levels. I'm guessing that, at 79, my husbands Testosterone reading is probably lower than it was when he was younger.

xx Moy

[nilmonisikdar40]

Spironolactone is a diuretic meaning it gets rid of a fluid in condition where there is retention of fluid in the body resulting in swelling of legs. Are you on any other diuretic like furosemide which also gets rid of extra fluid from body but also gets rid of too much potassium which is necessary to balance the different salt in body. Spironolactone is potassium retaining diuretic and keeps the balance right. Is it possible to tell what exactly is diagnosis of your heart?

[Buddy00 in reply to nilmonisikdar40]

Hi , I have a dual pacemaker due to AV blockage and Atrial Fibrillation. I’ve not actually started on the Spironolactone yet as still waiting for cardiologists letter to inform myGP.

[nilmonisikdar40 in reply to Buddy00]

Is it possible to elaborate more about the permanent pacemaker. From you post I assume it's dual chamber PPI. Has the heart centre confirmed that it is a demand pacemaker which means the heart rate responds to physical exertion or mental stress or a fixed rate PPI where the heart rate remains fixed say at 60 per minute but this kind of PPI is becoming obsolete.Yes I know spironolactone has a long term side effect-it fails to detoxify oestrogen which is a female hormone and so in male it causes gynaecomastia meaning breasts become larger. However please check it again because I am not sure why it affects male breasts.

[MelB51]

I had really bad itching with spironolactone that drove me mad. No other side effects noted but obviously men and women have different concerns.

[Putterguy]

Hi Buddy00, yes I’m on 1/2 tablet per day. I take it at approximately 6:00pm. I also take 3 bumetanide tablets per day. 2 on a morning and 1 at lunchtime. What I do notice is that approximately 3/4 of an hour after I’ve taken it I get slightly breathless for a while but I feel like fluid comes off my lungs as my chest feels clear. ( might be just in my mind) but I do feel better after maybe an 1 1/2 hours or so. My Cardiologist informs me there are benefits for our hearts taking it. So who am I to argue. No man boobs with it.

[Buddy00 in reply to Putterguy]

Was you told to take it at 6 pm ? I worry about peeing all night.

[Putterguy]

Consultant wanted it taken nighttime, so I just started taking it around teatime. It doesn’t make me pee more frequently, I do get up about 6:00 am to go to loo but think that’s more to do with my cat waking me up as she wants to go out🤭. One thing I do is ensure I keep to my quota of fluid, 1 1/2 litres per day. I have a 1/2 cup of tea with my tea and that’s it for the evening. So guess I’m lucky it doesn’t affect me that way or it may be me managing my fluids.

[Hidden]

It is a potassium sparing diuretic, so a good one for heart issues. It is prescribed in various doses for different things-my daughter has PCOS and she takes it to reduce the amount of hirsuteness she suffered from and it has worked also to reduce the heavy periods she experienced with PCOS.

[Motorman]

I take 50mg of Spironolactone along with 10 other pills. I am male. The boobs are coming on nicely now. Soon I will have to wear a small bra Spiro. also damps down my libido and my Testosterone is low ( I cant have HRT because I had Prostate Cancer). I just accept my female side now, the nipples aching is sometimes troublesome. If you have to take it then do. If you can find something else I would ask to take that and not Spriro.

[Buddy00 in reply to Motorman]

Something for me to look forward to 😬

[Oldbluefox]

I am a 71 year old male and Spirolactone 25mg was one of the drugs I was on but I could not stand the side effects, the main one being my nipples became so very painful, I also discovered it is used in transgender therapy albeit at a higher dose than 25mg. After complaining about the side effects I was changed to Eplerenon 25mg and also Dapagliflozin 10mg with no side effects

[1mjd]

Been on it for 3 years, no side effects