Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Community Conversation => Transitioning => Hormone replacement therapy => Topic started by: Damara on April 18, 2015, 09:22:50 AM

Title: Spiro question..
Post by: Damara on April 18, 2015, 09:22:50 AM
This isn't life or death, but.. I'm on a low dose of spiro, and I've not really noticed the extra diuretic effects, and I was wondering if that could be indicative of a lack of effectiveness as an androgen blocker.. Or does it just not make everyone pee more while still blocking T? Lol.. Sorry if this is a silly question! 
Title: Re: Spirit question..
Post by: Devlyn on April 18, 2015, 09:33:57 AM
How much water do you drink?  If you're dehydrated, a diuretic can only force so much more water out.
Title: Re: Spiro question..
Post by: Damara on April 18, 2015, 09:44:11 AM
I drink water constantly. Not sure of exact amounts but I've been drinking large amounts of water way before starting HRT. :)
Title: Re: Spiro question..
Post by: Devlyn on April 18, 2015, 09:52:52 AM
Doctor Devlyn approves!  :)
Title: Re: Spiro question..
Post by: Cindy on April 18, 2015, 11:17:58 AM
Spiro is a very effective diuretic. But you settle down after a while. Give it a few months and keep hydrated. I don't think there is a correlation with its AA effect and needing to pee. Oh I'm out of bed at 3 am for needing a loo visit! Sorry TMI!
Title: Re: Spiro question..
Post by: mmmmm on April 18, 2015, 11:57:00 AM
Quote from: Damara on April 18, 2015, 09:22:50 AM
... and I've not really noticed the extra diuretic effects

Be careful what you wish for  :)
Title: Re: Spiro question..
Post by: Rachel on April 18, 2015, 05:14:44 PM
If you drank a lot of water pre HRT than your body eliminated it. If you drank only when thirsty pre HRT then you body would store it. Then spiro would make you eliminate it.

I am not a doctor.
Title: Re: Spiro question..
Post by: michelle82 on April 18, 2015, 07:36:35 PM
I sort of experiencing the same thing. I'm drinking more water than normal but it doesn't seem that I'm peeing more because of spiro. It's like I'm peeing more because I'm drinking more water. So I'm not sure. I'm about 6 weeks now on Spiro. I feel likes it's still working though albeit slowly.
Title: Re: Spiro question..
Post by: islandgirl on April 19, 2015, 11:07:24 AM
I started spiro just under 3 months ago. It took very little time before I noticed an increase in having to pee. It has levelled of somewhat. I do notice that if I have a lot to think, water, soda, coffee, whatever, the frequency increases. I have just added E to the mix, 2 days in, and don't know if that affects things.
Title: Re: Spiro question..
Post by: QuestioningEverything on April 19, 2015, 03:07:24 PM
Im also on a low to medium spiro dose and and its hard to tell if I have too pee more I think maybe a little more but not really a big difference . Will probably change when I up my spiro again.
Title: Re: Spiro question..
Post by: Damara on April 19, 2015, 04:55:43 PM
Thanks all for the responses! I don't care if I don't have to pee as much as long as it's blocking the T! I go in a month and a half to get my dosage upped if I need it.. so I'll see what happens then! :) One thing it does seem to do is make me drowsy...
Title: Re: Spiro question..
Post by: KayXo on April 19, 2015, 05:20:19 PM
It's important to eat salty on Spiro and drink natural water...this will usually avoid symptoms such as dehydration, drowsiness, fatigue, leg cramps, etc.
Title: Re: Spiro question..
Post by: Damara on April 19, 2015, 05:38:15 PM
Quote from: KayXo on April 19, 2015, 05:20:19 PM
It's important to eat salty on Spiro and drink natural water...this will usually avoid symptoms such as dehydration, drowsiness, fatigue, leg cramps, etc.

I've increased my salt intake! :) and I've tried to increase my water intake although like I said, I've drank a large amount of water for a long time! The drowsiness happens a couple hours after I take it then subsides.. and it has decreased a lot since I started! :)
Title: Re: Spiro question..
Post by: Mallory on April 19, 2015, 11:14:01 PM
Ive been on Spiro, Progesterone, and Delestrogen for a week yesterday; no notable increase in urination but I did notice slightly darker coloration, no lack of energy, no drowsiness (I take the progesterone and Spiro as soon as I wake up), honestly no side effects what so ever except increased heart rate a few minutes after injecting the estradiol and it subsides within 5 minutes.

I switched to drinking nothing but water about 5 years ago and I drink anywhere from 60 to 120 ounces a day.

Title: Re: Spiro question..
Post by: ClaireIvene on April 20, 2015, 02:45:37 AM
Lol! I had the opposite effect. Don't really know if it's normal but when I first started Spiractin 100 2 months ago I was peeing every 15-30 minutes awake and every 2 hours when sleeping for around a week. Then out of no where I start only peeing the normal amount I used too before HrT...? I guess the body just adjusts after a while.
Title: Re: Spiro question..
Post by: Cindy on April 20, 2015, 02:55:59 AM
People can feel drowsy as Spiro causes blood pressure to drop, which is what is was originally marketed for, and still is.

Another reason to not self medicate since if your BP drops too much you don't wake up.

(ps I know none of you are)
Title: Re: Spiro question..
Post by: Valwen on April 21, 2015, 02:14:17 AM
Perhaps the one good thing about my dangerously high blood pressure, spiro is pulling double duty with me it's one of 3 blood pressure meds I am on and it's still a bit high.
Title: Re: Spiro question..
Post by: katrinaw on April 21, 2015, 02:19:11 AM
Agree with others, I drink more now than I used, especially moving from one brand to another... Yes pee much more than I did pre Spiro... Especially at night!!!

Always keep my eye on Body Fluids and get BP checked regularly  8)

L Katy
Title: Re: Spiro question..
Post by: Blush on April 24, 2015, 07:35:00 PM
It's used for multiple things, edema, hypokalemia, anti androgen, etc. As with any other medication some people respond to the effects, some people don't. In terms of blocking testosterone mostly everyone responds to that aspect of the med.
Title: Re: Spiro question..
Post by: natashaX on April 25, 2015, 12:59:44 PM
I would never take Spiro again
Not when I can get cyproterone covered
I take 1/6 of what a standard high daily dose
Of Spiro snd it does the job way better and
It won't kill me
Title: Re: Spiro question..
Post by: Ashey on April 25, 2015, 06:48:16 PM
When I was on spiro, the increased need to pee didn't last too long. After that my frequency of urination was back to normal, but still definitely got the anti-androgen effects. I guess I adapted? I wasn't really too worried about it.