SPIRONOLACTONE . WHEN CAN I STOP TAKING IT?

[bcsurfer]

I'm eager to know others experience and advice about Spironolactone.

I was prescribed it 2 years ago when I had Ascites. I have never had a repeat of Ascites since that time, have undergone surgery successfully unrelated to liver issues and had no problems post General Anaesthetic. In short I have been in great health and my liver is functioning normally despite obvious liver.

Basically my life is normal.

However I have been on Spironolactone 100mg a dayfor 2 years with no review of my meds since, other than issuing repeat prescriptions.

The problem is that Spironolactone has had a dramatic effect on my libido and erectile dysfunction, plus physical changes especial man boobs! Horrible and sore.

I am very concerned to read about the impact this drug has on testosterone, and its use for people chosingchoing gender change. All indicators suggest that this was a drug that should have have been stopped after the critical stage of Ascites had passed.

Thoughts and advice welcomed!

[Harting]

The best advice is that you should only come off it after speaking to your Consultant and after a medication review. It could be dangerous to seek such advice from a forum like this so I'd stick to speaking with the specialists.

Good luck!

[bcsurfer in reply to Harting]

Many thanks.

[Kristian]

Your thoughts in my experience make sense. Get an appointment with your GP and discuss this with them. Long term diuretic use can have side effects, as you are experiencing and can also impact on the kidneys, so if they are no longer needed then its best to be weaned off them if its possible. Your gp should be able to advise if this is the best course of action for you.

[bcsurfer in reply to Kristian]

Thanks so much for your thoughts. Very much appreciated

[1lovelane]

Hi, you should have a scan to see if you have aceities (fluid) from your liver problem...if everything looks OK I would suggest you could drop to 25mg maintenance dose...however discuss with your consultant, as I'm just recounting what happened to me. You could then keep a diary of your weight..if this increases due to fluid it could mean you need to 100mg..

[Laurap18]

Probably the ascites has stopped because you are on spironolactone. It is a diuretc, so it helps eliminate fluids. If you have side effects, you should talk with your doctor. There are other diuretics, or maybe you could decrease the dose or, if you're lucky, stop taking any kind of diuretic completely.

[Cat-B]

Hi you need to speak to your consultant, I had to take Spironolactone for about 2 years, then 6 months after stopping I to restart it again for about 8 months. Sometimes medicine is a bit of suck it and see lol .

[Smokey001]

Doctors prescribe meds. We choose to take them

Speaking from personal experience way back in 2018.

I was on Spironolactone.

After I discovered it could be affected my manhood, and an awful lot of research, I told my GP, I was discontinuing. She made no comment.

So after 3 months, I ceased taking this medication and felt fine.

Mention your intentions to your GP if they dissaprove they will make comment.

I have had long heated arguments with my GPs over medication usage and they have always been very reasonable, helpful and considerate, on occasion suggesting alternatives.

I personally always try and chose the more natural approach to health, let my own body fix things, slow and steady. But takes effort and patience, which you seem to have oodles of, so, in my thoughts, you are way ahead of the pack.

Let you body tell you what is right just give it time.

Any drug that affects my natural body chemistry stays in the box, eventually neve leaves the pharmacy.

To be clear these are my personal opinions, but based on personal experience. so in short all imho

Hop this helps

[bcsurfer in reply to Smokey001]

Thanks so much. That's a profoundly helpful reply and resonates well with my beliefs. Like you I think that good research and intelligent thinking is vital in making sure we look after ourselves.

As your reply intimates, no one knows our own body better than ourselves.

Your own experience on spironolactone really validates this.

Heartfelt thanks.

[dimplykidlet]

Hi my husband was on Spironolactone for at least 6 months along with Flurosomide for his ascetes.

He had the same symptoms you describe - body hair loss, sore and growing breasts and zero libido.

He did some research and found out like you that Spiro is used for gender reassignment patients and he wasn’t happy!

He wrote to his specialist and included the article he had found and asked if the Spiro could be discontinued? His specialist switched him to Amiloride and the side effects from Spiro cleared up fairly quickly. Ask your GP/Specialist it is well worth it.

[Smokey001 in reply to dimplykidlet]

Flurosomide. Most foul tasting meds ever.

A nurse suggested if I did not want to take this medication. Would I agree to eat a banana per day.

Well lesser of 2 evils, I now swing from grab handles on the London underground

I suspect it was all related to Potassium intake

The body will favour Potassium and effectively push out sodium, which is a water retainer,

[bcsurfer in reply to Smokey001]

That's great information. Thank you for sharing

[bcsurfer in reply to dimplykidlet]

Great advice. Thanks so much.