How long did it take for your spironolactone tablets to improve your ascites?

[Dexter55]

I have experienced my first episode of ascites recently. It has made me very breathless and uncomfortable with abdominal swelling. Sadly the ascites is dispersed in small pockets around my abdomen. I started spironolactone 100 mg daily, two weeks ago and it has not made a lot of difference. My weight is unaltered. I am told by my liver nurse that it is very slow acting. How long have others waited for a reduction in ascites on this medicine. What dose was effective? I understand the dose can be gradually increased to 400mg. Please share your experiences.

[Kristian]

Unfortunately spironolactone i don't think was very effective for me. I didnt really notice the difference on the initial doses and as they tried to increase it my kidneys were too badly affected so could proceed no further to get to a useful dose for me. Sorry I can't really help with a time frame. When I was on furosemide that was pretty quick acting, but on its own wasn't enough, particularly as most of my fluid build up was in my legs.

[hun64_D0chIk]

Hi Dexter, slowly, slowly is Spironolactone. I started with 50mg Spironolactone and also 20mg Furosemide together then it’s immediate. This was September 2017. I lost a lot of weight. After a few months, the Hepatology Consultant took me off Furosemide and I was just on Spironolactone which was eventually 100mg, and up and down to 25mg until the Ultrasound scans showed no more fluid. Yes, it makes you breathless all that fluid. The ascites came back in late 2018 and it took a long time to work just on Spiro. You will need to completely cook without extra salt and I find eating out in restaurants, delicious food, but later I’m very thirsty. I drink water but it doesn’t help, I’ll have a headache the next couple of days and it makes you very unwell. I’m still on 50mg Spiro and my Ultrasounds for the past two and a half years has been clear. The liver nurse told me last month on my telephone appt. that I should come off it now.

Just to apologise for this long message. It is able to go if you want to. No salt!

Hundo xx