Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Community Conversation => Transitioning => Hormone replacement therapy => Topic started by: TaraJo on September 10, 2018, 06:49:59 PM

Title: Taking spiro and peeing *ALL*THE*TIME! Help!
Post by: TaraJo on September 10, 2018, 06:49:59 PM
So, anyway, here's the problem.  I've been trying to get healthy, lose weight, all that stuff.  And part of that is drinking more fluids.  So I've been bringing a big water bottle with me to work.  I'll drink one diet coke in the morning (that's the only thing that keeps me awake) and when that's done, I start nursing the water bottle.  Since I do so much talking, keeping my throat cool and moist really feels good.

Unfortunately, I also take spironolactone.  When I take that specific testosterone blocker and I drink that much water, I kinda wind up having to pee alot at work.  I think I made 4 trips to the restroom today.  Fortunately, my employer is trans friendly (100% with HRC) so I'm not going to get any grief for using the womens room, but it does look bad if I keep having to take extra 'mini' breaks to use the toilet. 

I know there are alternative testosterone blockers out there.  I know many of them are legal in other countries but the FDA hadn't approved them in the US last time I checked (which was a few years ago).  I'm not sure whether they're legal in the US or not as of now.  Heck, I'm not really sure what the names of the medications are.  But I want to find out more.  Especially because I have a doctors appointment next week and I'd like to discuss t-blockers with her and see if we can't find some legal alternative that won't have me spending more time in the bathroom than at my desk.
Title: Re: Taking spiro and peeing *ALL*THE*TIME! Help!
Post by: Virginia on September 10, 2018, 07:46:27 PM
Yes, one of the side effects of Spironolactone is frequent urination. Ever wonder why so many girls go to the bathroom often? It's because they take Spiro for their complexions...
Title: Re: Taking spiro and peeing *ALL*THE*TIME! Help!
Post by: Faith on September 10, 2018, 07:49:58 PM
QuoteI think I made 4 trips to the restroom today.

Only 4? You're doing fine. I'm at 7+
Title: Re: Taking spiro and peeing *ALL*THE*TIME! Help!
Post by: GordonG on September 10, 2018, 09:30:18 PM
Yea... only 4?
I'm going probably 5 or 6 times just at work. But I work 10 hr days.
Title: Re: Taking spiro and peeing *ALL*THE*TIME! Help!
Post by: KathyLauren on September 11, 2018, 06:25:12 AM
Yes being on spiro requires a fine balance between dehydration or frequent bathroom breaks.  If I am somewhere where I can't get to a bathroom for a while, I will cut back on my water intake and just put up with the dehydration headache.  If I don't want the headache, I just have to drink and put up with the frequent bathroom breaks.
Title: Re: Taking spiro and peeing *ALL*THE*TIME! Help!
Post by: Melinda@heart on September 11, 2018, 08:06:54 AM
I stopped taking my Spiro for about 3 days just so I could sleep through the night for once in 4 months! I get up to go to the bathroom 4 or 5 times a night while on it. That may not be recommended but it was something I had to do because I was so exhausted from lugging fishing gear down the beach over Labor day weekend. I was wiped out from just a half mile walk through the sand. That tells me I've lost some muscle too. Yay! When I started the spiro again I started with my smaller dose for a few days then went back to regular dosage. I also started wearing menstrual panties to work that have a liner that covers several inches higher up the front of the panty. I did this due to dribbling after urinating. My doc told me to work on strengthening that muscle. Anyway, I feel your pain with the peeing!

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Title: Re: Taking spiro and peeing *ALL*THE*TIME! Help!
Post by: PurplePelican on September 11, 2018, 04:10:50 PM
Speak to your doctor, it may be that if your E level is sufficient, you may be able to go without the spiro. 
Title: Re: Taking spiro and peeing *ALL*THE*TIME! Help!
Post by: josie76 on September 11, 2018, 08:57:01 PM
I go like at least 6 times a day and I don't take Spiro anymore. Could be you are drinking the proper amount of water now. I try to drink enough so my urine is close to clear. That was really important when I used to work outside in the heat all the time in the summers. Urine color is a good indicator of proper hydration.

You can ask you doctor about bicalutamide. It's an androgen blocker used for cancer patients. It has a long safety record comparable to most drugs. Always the small number who have to stop using a med due to side effects. Bicalutamide is under 3% of patients. Back when I was taking Spiro I asked my endocrinologist about switching to bicalutamide but he had never prescribed it before and doctors consider Spiro safe enough despite the negative effects of low sodium and high potassium that can occur.
Title: Re: Taking spiro and peeing *ALL*THE*TIME! Help!
Post by: DawnOday on September 12, 2018, 04:02:03 AM
I have congestive heart failure so I have been on Spiro for about 25 years. Spiro is a diuretic that keeps fluid out of my pericardium. I also take Lasix which is illegal to give to race horses but perfectly fine for me. What goes in must come out...immediately.Everytime I drink, I have to pee within 15 minutes. Biggest problem is since I pee so soon and often the water never makes it to my stools. I've been crapping rocks for years. Just consider yourself transitioned. My wife takes nothing but pees all the time, as does my daughter.
Title: Re: Taking spiro and peeing *ALL*THE*TIME! Help!
Post by: Sam1066 on September 12, 2018, 11:56:00 PM
I go pee about 5 - 6 times a day, have my whole life, and I'm not on any hormones. Some people just pee frequently, and some post-menopausal women also pee frequently.

Point is, there are a lot of possible reasons for peeing a lot, so I woudln't sweat it.
Title: Re: Taking spiro and peeing *ALL*THE*TIME! Help!
Post by: Sabrina Rei on September 13, 2018, 09:00:44 AM
I'm grateful I have a desk job now because if I was still a camera op in the field, I'd probably be interrupting live interviews for a pee break.