Spiro for Blood Pressure (among other things)

[RachelH]

First of all, if this post belongs somewhere else, by all means, please move it to the appropriate area. 

I have been on BP medicine for a couple of years now.  I had some success early on but the med the doc had me on caused a "tickle" in my throat.  He changed and put me on Avapro which initially did okay but it was still a little high but not so much that he seemed overly concerned.  Basically he said I needed to simply pull of a few pounds and it would drop into the normal range.  Well, it has crept back up a bit and doing some research, I found that Spiro is used as a treatment for high BP.  Has anyone else used it for that prior to starting HRT?  I am not asking for medical advise for obvious reasons, but how did you get prescribed Spiro for high BP for anyone who has?

Also, I have gotten to where I HATE body hair and I hear that it helps that as well.  Also, what about it with male pattern baldness?  I have all these things that I am wondering if it would help with all of it so any and all information is greatly appreciated!! 

And, if there are other threads on this topic, please feel free to point me to them.

Thanks everyone!!
Paula

[DawnOday]

I have taken Spiro for over twenty five years for congestive heart failure. It's biggest effect is on my libido, It's a diuretic so it helps relieve edema of the pericardium. Fluid in the heart sack. So yes I suppose it could be useful in lowering blood pressure for that reason of relieving the fluid pressure and make it easier for the heart to contract and expand. I also take lasix and and Lisinopril. Lasix is a strong diuretic also. I end up peeing up to 10 times a day. I wouldn't wish heart problems on anyone.

Dawn

[jentay1367]

works for me. I was on lisinopril prior to starting HRT. No longer need the lisinopril now that I'm on Spiro. I will add the caveat that if you aren't trans, this is probably a bad way to accomplish lowering BP. There are much better and moreviable options where E.D. isn't part of the side effects. Spiro is a powerful Anti-Androgen

[AshleyP]

Dawn and I row in the same boat. I also take the same two diuretics but a different ACE inhibitor. I have been treated for high BP for many years but wasn't put on spiro until I had a bout with afib and congestive heart failure.

It's hard for me to say if it has had any effect on my MPB. I've got it, but whether spiro might have diminished the effect somewhat, who knows? It certainly didn't stop it. It might have contributed to less body hair, but that also could have been due to aging and a concomitant drop in T levels. I did develop some additional breast tissue and my libido dropped. So I can't say for sure that spiro had any or much of an effect on those things. I can say that it took many, many years for those things to be noticeable.

All the best,
--AshleyP

[KayXo]

Spironolactone, in addition to be a diuretic, also reduces androgen synthesis through enzyme inhibition, slightly increases conversion of testosterone to estradiol and its metabolic clearance AND, finally, partially blocks androgens at receptors. Depending on the dose used, it can lead to reduced body hair growth, finner/lighter hair, stop or slow down MPB, lead to gynecomastia (breast growth). Also, drier skin and reduced libido.

[AshleyP]

Spironolactone, in addition to be a diuretic, also reduces androgen synthesis through enzyme inhibition, slightly increases conversion of testosterone to estradiol and its metabolic clearance AND, finally, partially blocks androgens at receptors. Depending on the dose used, it can lead to reduced body hair growth, finner/lighter hair, stop or slow down MPB, lead to gynecomastia (breast growth). Also, drier skin and reduced libido.

Kay, spiro may do all those things, but in the dosage that they use to treat high BP or congestive heart failure, it really doesn't do that much very quickly, at least in my case, it took years. Your experience seems to be different. As they say, YMMV.

All the best,
--AshleyP

[KayXo]

I know. This is why I stated "depending on the dose used". Doses are indeed lower in those circumstances. I never took Spiro.