Reviews you can trust, from real people like you.
How it works
- Our highly-trained Review Moderation team evaluates all reviews before they're published to ensure they're written by people like you and not a member of a doctor's office.
- This multi-step process takes up to 24 hours from review submission to publication.
- Doctors can't pay to have reviews removed or hidden.
- Reviews are only removed at the reviewer's request or if they violate our Terms of Service.
If you have questions or believe we should re-evaluate a published review, let us know.
Sort by:
*Treatment results may vary
Hair loss update: Spiro and SMP
So, I stopped spiro in 2019, got pregnant again in 2020 and now my daughter is almost 2. I started taking spiro again at 50mg daily in early 2022 when I’m done breastfeeding. This time I want to try a low dosage and use hair fiber instead. Photo is how I look now. Shedding is not bad but hair just don’t grow and my scalp is visible :((
Hair fiber works for me but I realize that I probably breathed in a lot of the silica and harmful to lungs. Sigh…
I’m going to increase my spiro to 100mg. I’m also going to get a scalp micropigmentation to color my scalp. I really don’t want to take too much spiro if there’s a better alternative.
Anyone has any thoughts on oral minoxidil? Any side effects and can I take it with spiro?
Hair fiber works for me but I realize that I probably breathed in a lot of the silica and harmful to lungs. Sigh…
I’m going to increase my spiro to 100mg. I’m also going to get a scalp micropigmentation to color my scalp. I really don’t want to take too much spiro if there’s a better alternative.
Anyone has any thoughts on oral minoxidil? Any side effects and can I take it with spiro?
6 mo update
It’s definitely slowing improving. Some days the shredding is worse like 30-40 hairs a day. It seems to happen around the time I have my period.
My period does come but only last for a day or so with very little flow...my GP said spiro has period disturbance effect and told me not to worry about it.
My period does come but only last for a day or so with very little flow...my GP said spiro has period disturbance effect and told me not to worry about it.
After my Endocrinologist visit
There is still a spot at the back that’s very thin. I increased the dosage to 125mg for about a month. I also saw an endocrinologist and did a more comprehensive lab test on various hormone level to understand more the effect of spironolactone on my body.
What I learn from my endocrinologist is
1. My estrogen level is almost triple of the high end of the normal range for the mid-menstrual cycle. Very high.
2. High estrogen is also the effect of birth control pills. High estrogen may contribute to breast cancer and endometrial (uterus) cancer. So with family history of these cancer, she doesn’t think it’s worthwhile to use spiro for the sake of hair.
3. She usually treats her patients with real problem (not hair problem - spiro is only off label use for hair treatment) of 50mg. So my dosage is mid range.
4. She suggested me to think the pros and cons of using this drug. Consider other non-hormonal treatments. Pay attention to any irregularity of my menstrual cycle. My period is still regular but the volume is lower and the blood color is darker.
5. My blood pressure is on the low side. My sodium is also low. So need to drink more water and eat a little more salty food.
6. Other hormone levels (FSH, LH, testosterone, Cortisol, DHEAS) are within the normal range.
My thoughts:
1. Originally I thought I would slowly increase the spiro dosage to 150, 175, 200mg (max per my plastic surgeon/hair specialist). But now that I know my estrogen level is this high, I will just keep at 125mg for now. I will also talk to my GP if I need to reduce it to 100mg or lower.
2. Ask my GP to test my estrogen level if she can during annual well women exam.
What I learn from my endocrinologist is
1. My estrogen level is almost triple of the high end of the normal range for the mid-menstrual cycle. Very high.
2. High estrogen is also the effect of birth control pills. High estrogen may contribute to breast cancer and endometrial (uterus) cancer. So with family history of these cancer, she doesn’t think it’s worthwhile to use spiro for the sake of hair.
3. She usually treats her patients with real problem (not hair problem - spiro is only off label use for hair treatment) of 50mg. So my dosage is mid range.
4. She suggested me to think the pros and cons of using this drug. Consider other non-hormonal treatments. Pay attention to any irregularity of my menstrual cycle. My period is still regular but the volume is lower and the blood color is darker.
5. My blood pressure is on the low side. My sodium is also low. So need to drink more water and eat a little more salty food.
6. Other hormone levels (FSH, LH, testosterone, Cortisol, DHEAS) are within the normal range.
My thoughts:
1. Originally I thought I would slowly increase the spiro dosage to 150, 175, 200mg (max per my plastic surgeon/hair specialist). But now that I know my estrogen level is this high, I will just keep at 125mg for now. I will also talk to my GP if I need to reduce it to 100mg or lower.
2. Ask my GP to test my estrogen level if she can during annual well women exam.
Provider Review
Patient, sympathetic, honest. Most of all, his treatment plan works so far! I’m very pleased!!