Experiences with

Spironolactone

Spironolactone is a type of medicine called a diuretic. These medicines are sometimes called "water tablets" because they make you pee more.

It is also an anti-androgen, which means it stops male hormones, such as testosterone, from working.

Spironolactone is used to treat build-up of fluid in your body (oedema) caused by:

• heart failure
• liver disease – it treats build-up of fluid in your abdomen, called ascites
• kidney disease – it treats a condition that causes your kidneys to leak large amounts of protein into your pee, called nephrotic syndrome
• high levels of aldosterone (a hormone made by the adrenal glands)

It can also be used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension) when other medicines have not worked.

Spironolactone is only available on prescription. It comes as tablets.

Spironolactone also comes as tablets that contain other diuretics. When it's mixed with furosemide it's called by the brand name Lasilactone. When it's mixed with hydroflumethiazide it's called by the brand name Aldactide.

Common side effects

These common side effects of spironolactone happen in more than 1 in 100 people. There are things you can do to help cope with them:

Some people have serious side effects after taking spironolactone.

Tell your doctor or call 111 straight away if:

• the whites of your eyes turn yellow, or your skin turns yellow, although this may be less obvious on brown or black skin – these can be signs of liver problems
• you get a slow or irregular heartbeat, tingling feeling, muscle weakness or shortness of breath – these can be signs of potassium levels being too high
• you're peeing less that usual or have dark, strong smelling pee, feel thirsty or feel dizzy or light-headed – these can be signs of dehydration
• you have diarrhoea, are peeing less than usual, are feeling or being sick, and feel drowsy or confused – these can be signs of loss of kidney function

Serious allergic reaction

It's possible to have a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to spironolactone.

These are not all the side effects of spironolactone. For a full list see the leaflet inside your medicines packet.

Spironolactone and pregnancy

Spironolactone is occasionally prescribed in pregnancy, for some medical conditions.

If you take spironolactone and are trying to get pregnant or are already pregnant, talk to your doctor about whether continuing it is right for you. Do not stop taking your medicine without speaking to your doctor.

Spironolactone and breastfeeding

If your doctor or midwife says your baby is healthy, you can take spironolactone while you're breastfeeding.

Spironolactone passes into breast milk in very small amounts, and it would not be expected to cause any side effects in your baby.

If you notice that your baby is not feeding as well as usual, or seems unusually tired, or if you have any other concerns about your baby, then talk to your health visitor, midwife, pharmacist or doctor as soon as possible.

Spironolactone and fertility

Spironolactone can affect your menstrual cycle and may cause temporary infertility in women. Your periods and fertility should go back to normal around 2 months after you stop taking it.

Talk to your doctor if you're trying to get pregnant.

There's no good evidence that spironolactone affects fertility in men.

Cautions with other medicines

Some medicines affect spironolactone and stop it working properly or increase the chances of you having side effects.

Tell your doctor if you're taking any of these medicines:

• eplerenone, a medicine used to treat high blood pressure which works in a similar way to spironolactone
• other diuretics – do not take diuretics that increase potassium levels (such as amiloride) with spironolactone. You can take other diuretics (such as furosemide) with spironolactone if your doctor recommends it
• other medicines that increase your potassium levels. Examples include some medicines that help to prevent blood clots, such as enoxaparin, and some antibiotics, such as trimethoprim
• ACE inhibitors, used to treat high blood pressure and heart failure, such as ramipril, lisinopril, perindopril or enalapril
• digoxin, a medicine used to treat an irregular heartbeat
• painkillers known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including diclofenac, ibuprofen, naproxen or aspirin

Mixing spironolactone with medicines that you buy from a pharmacy or shop

Do not take NSAIDs such as ibuprofen with spironolactone unless your doctor says it's OK.

Some products to help symptoms of indigestion and urinary tract infections (UTIs) contain potassium, and may not be suitable while you're taking spironolactone. Speak to a pharmacist or doctor to see if these medicines are safe to take with spironolactone.

Mixing spironolactone with herbal remedies and supplements

Do not take supplements that are high in potassium, such as Sando K tablets or Kay-Cee-L syrup. Taking these with spironolactone can cause your potassium levels to become too high.

There's very little information about taking other herbal remedies and supplements with spironolactone. They're not tested in the same way as pharmacy and prescription medicines. They're generally not tested for the effect they have on other medicines.

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HealthUnlocked contains information from NHS Digital, licensed under the current version of the Open Government Licence