spironolactone - OK so what's the risks?

[Guest]

What are the potential risks/side effects which may occur while using this product?

 

[socks]

What are the potential risks/side effects which may occur while using this product?

Topically none. Orally is another story. I just order spironolactone myself and I plan on both using it topically as well as internally (25mg 2x a dayto start).

 

[Dice_Has_Hair]

What are the potential risks/side effects which may occur while using this product?

Topically none. Orally is another story. I just order spironolactone myself and I plan on both using it topically as well as internally (25mg 2x a dayto start).

Internally? Where are you getting your spironolactone from? What website?

 

[socks]

I buy it from www.inhousepharmacy.com. It runs $46 USD for 100 tabs of 100mg of spironolactone. You can also buy 100 tabs of 25mg for $12 USD.

There may be cheaper places but I heard a lot of guys vouch for www.inhousepharmacy.com as being a legit place that sells legit drugs.

 

[Dice_Has_Hair]

I buy it from www.inhousepharmacy.com. It runs $46 USD for 100 tabs of 100mg of spironolactone. You can also buy 100 tabs of 25mg for $12 USD.

There may be cheaper places but I heard a lot of guys vouch for www.inhousepharmacy.com as being a legit place that sells legit drugs.

Sounds like a good deal!! Yes I have heard the same about them having a good reputation for selling legit stuff.
I was really thinking about making "my own" homemade spironolactone 5% solution. Just incase I don't care for the 5% spironolactone solution that cemproducts sells. I might plan on making a 5% solution in a 60 ml size. I could put 3 grams of spironolactone powder(crushed tabs) in a container which would be 5% of the product, then add approximately 46 ml of ethyl alcohol( everclear) and then add about 11 ml of glycerin. The ehtyl alcohol should really dissolve the spironolactone, especially in that amount( right about 80% of the solution) and the glycerin should dissolve what the ethyl may not and add thickness to the solution, perhaps making it more stable( about 20 % of the solution). That is the same formula that Dr. lee makes for his 15% xandrox which is stable, but instead of using minoxidil and azelaic acid, I use spironolactone instead. I think it should work well. But I am really thinking about giving 5% spironolactone solution from CEM a go.

 

[socks]

Dice_Has_Hair,

Keep us updated bud!

 

[SE-freak]

socks,

Are you socks from HLH? If that is so, then your hairloss is non-existent.
Considering oral spironolactone would be a joke.

 

[socks]

socks,

Are you socks from HLH? If that is so, then your hairloss is non-existent.
Considering oral spironolactone would be a joke.

I am the Socks from HLH and thank you for the compliment! However, the pictures I had posted are months old.

I was experiencing some nice gains after 8months on finasteride and was even starting to sport longer hair combed back!!! Things were looking good until June when I got hit with a shed... Now 4 months later my left hairline took a hit and while it hasnt receded it has thinned a few cm back.

I keep losing these thinner hairs that are lighter in color (sometimes with almost no pigment). This has been going on for 4 months on and off... My scalp "pain" also became more pronounced during this time and sometimes it feels very tender (especially up front behind the hairline).


Anyhow, long story short, I'm not about to wait until things are blatantly obvious to a 3rd party before doing something about it! I dont recommend oral spironolactone to any other guy but it isnt nearly as "bad" as what some men might have it hyped out to be.

Obviously ever man and his brother on these hairloss sites seem to grow man-tits, lose their libido, and go limp just by looking at a Finasteride pill!

However, the reality of it is, most men need a more serious routine then just 1mg of finasteride and 50mg - 100mg of spironolactone to bring about feminizing changes. I've been looking at a lot of transgender sites to get an idea what to expect from spironolactone as a man and what I found is it takes 5mg of finasteride, 200mg of spironolactone, and potent estrogens supplements and even progesterone supplements to get the desired result! And even then breast development is never a guarantee and the process takes not weeks or months but years.

That isnt to say some men arent more sensitive then others however oral spironolactone use in men is not anywhere near a guarantee of bringing about non-masculine changes. In fact, some doctors do prescribe men oral spironolactone. It just isnt very common since of the potential for side-effects and the availability of alternate drugs.

Anyhow, I'm going to take it slow, start low, and have blood work up done to make sure I'm not overdoing anything. I feel confident I can get this routine to work and I feel confident that my chances to atleast halt any further balding or at the very minimum greatly slow any progress thereof will greatly increase using spironolactone with finasteride.

 

[SE-freak]

Losing those finer, less pigmented hairs is a benefit. Sheds are common during the first 2 years can't you handle that? I seriously believe you are overreacting and pushing your regimen off balance while it is working.

If finasteride gave you results then it is working for you.If you have read around these forums, the late " faith shattering sheds" is a common phenomenon.

During my overclocking days, before hairloss left no room for this kind of "sports", I used to push my machines very very much, even when I got them running stable at high frequencies. Always wanted more.

I fried quite a few machines, socks.

 

[Radio]

Do you have any photos of this recent 'hit' your hairline has taken?

 

[socks]

Losing those finer, less pigmented hairs is a benefit. Sheds are common during the first 2 years can't you handle that? I seriously believe you are overreacting and pushing your regimen off balance while it is working.

Saying that losing finer and less pigmented hairs is a "benefit" is a little brazen SE-freak. Losing any hair is never a "benefit" when it comes to androgenetic alopecia unless it comes back the same or better; That is a leap of faith.

The combination of a 4 month continuing shed accompanied with increase scalp sensitivity and worsening of the left hairline density does not inspire much "faith" :wink:

If finasteride gave you results then it is working for you.If you have read around these forums, the late " faith shattering sheds" is a common phenomenon.

When one inhibits the 5ar and thus reduces the androgenic load on your hair follicles your body actually seeks equilibrium and may increase the number of androgen receptors. This is one possible reason why men will lose ground so rapidly after discontinuing Finasteride.

Anyhow, while it is possible any given shed can be the result of a chemical induced "cycle" it is also possible the androgenic load is again reaching such a threshold as to re-start the balding process. It is again a leap of faith as to what is going to happen next.

During my overclocking days, before hairloss left no room for this kind of "sports", I used to push my machines very very much, even when I got them running stable at high frequencies. Always wanted more.

I assume you're referring to overclocking computers. I too engaged in such recreations in the past

As far as wanting more, I understand where you're coming from and I agree. I dont want more and I never demanded that my hair improve as a condition of success. Improvement was a bonus, maintenance was my goal.

Right now I'm on the wrong side of the street bud and I'm not one to put too much stock in "faith". I know that maintaining hair is far "easier" then regrowing/thickening hair and I would sooner take stronger measures now while things are not too bad.


Again, I dont advocate other men here take oral spironolactone as there are risks but these risks are not as extreme as some might be lead to believe.

I can safely say that I have been prescribed medications (temporarily) in the past that were much more potentially dangerous then oral spironolactone.

 

[socks]

Do you have any photos of this recent 'hit' your hairline has taken?

No I dont Radio. Taking pictures would be of benefit to others as to see what I'm talking about but it would only upset me more as I know that taking a high resolution picture would make my hair look even worse then what I'm already seeing in "normal" lighting. It may be selfish but I'm under enough stress (and not just from hairloss).

 

[SE-freak]

Saying that losing finer and less pigmented hairs is a "benefit" is a little brazen SE-freak. Losing any hair is never a "benefit" when it comes to androgenetic alopecia unless

This is not a case of androgenetic alopecia. It is a case of androgenetic alopecia under treatment. If you are losing fine hair only and you are a diffuse thinner(and that is your case), while being under treatment that HAS worked for you in the past, you are probably shedding to your benefit.

The combination of a 4 month continuing shed accompanied with increase scalp sensitivity and worsening of the left hairline density does not inspire much "faith" :wink:

Shedding massively by default(without miniaturization) could presuppose irritation and sensitivity.

When one inhibits the 5ar and thus reduces the androgenic load on your hair follicles your body actually seeks equilibrium and may increase the number of androgen receptors. This is one possible reason why men will lose ground so rapidly after discontinuing Finasteride.

Anyhow, while it is possible any given shed can be the result of a chemical induced "cycle" it is also possible the androgenic load is again reaching such a threshold as to re-start the balding process. It is again a leap of faith as to what is going to happen next.

I think your scenarios work against you. You do not take photos so as not to frustrate yourself. This is a sign that you may be acting under the general stress you are under. Dont jump into an "overkill" just to feel better because you are stressed. Your refusal for photographic assessment is not a good sign. It seems to me that you act very much under stress and not reason.

I assume you're referring to overclocking computers. I too engaged in such recreations in the past

As far as wanting more, I understand where you're coming from and I agree. I dont want more and I never demanded that my hair improve as a condition of success. Improvement was a bonus, maintenance was my goal.

Strange, although I do have regrowth as a goal, I cant help sensing a lack of proportion between your situation and the treatment you are choosing to follow. If you post your HLH pics over here it will become evident.

Again, I dont advocate other men here take oral spironolactone as there are risks but these risks are not as extreme as some might be lead to believe.
I can safely say that I have been prescribed medications (temporarily) in the past that were much more potentially dangerous then oral spironolactone

And you shouldn't advocate it. I feel unable to follow your logic. The fact that ropeless bunjeejumping is quite lethal does not make oral spironolactone any more innocent.

Of course you understand that my tone is out of concern and not egoism.

 

[socks]

This is not a case of androgenetic alopecia. It is a case of androgenetic alopecia under treatment. If you are losing fine hair only and you are a diffuse thinner(and that is your case), while being under treatment that HAS worked for you in the past, you are probably shedding to your benefit.

Some treatments such as minoxidil may cause an initial shedding period when the hair may be induced to go into early telogen. With Finasteride, according to the 5yrs Merck study, hair can be temporary put into a synchronization of anagen/telogen which could result in a period of excessive shedding.

However, my shedding has been a "steady" and has persisted for 4 months. The result has been degradation of left hairline. There has also been some set-backs in my temple areas. In particular, on my right side temple area. The temple area has started to turn a lighter brown/blonde. My right temple (not hairline but side temple) had started to do this prior to treatment but recovered while on Finasteride.

I think when you take into account the steady shedding, degradation of both my left hairline and right temple, as well as the lack of pigment in the shed hair follicles a more likely conclusion to draw is progression of AA.

And you shouldn't advocate it. I feel unable to follow your logic. The fact that ropeless bunjeejumping is quite lethal does not make oral spironolactone any more innocent.

The main side-effect of spironolactone in men tends to be gyno. At a dosage of 50mg (my planned dose) the instance of gyno is 6%. That is 4% higher then finasteride's sexual side-effects. There are other possible side-effects of course that can occur which, despite being rare, generally are not thought to be worth the chance for something as cosmetic as hair growth/maintenance.

It really just comes down to two things:

1. Being educated on the benefits as well as the risks

2. Making a personal choice as to what risk to benefit ratio you're willing to accept for the given issue.


Dont get me wrong, nothing would make me happier then for me to be wrong and you right. However, I cant ignore the obvious and I cant ignore my gut feelings that things are degrading at this point; I dont think it is just a finasteride cycle.

I do appreciate your concern though