Hi i been on hormones for 7 months now and am stareding to get bad side effects from the spirotone(nausea, headache,and drowsiness when i wake up from a nap ) i take it with out a doctor i buy mine online and i need good advice from any girl who was in the same way i was....

_{Removed dosage information ~Leia}

Hi Queensamore14,

Around here they do frown about diy hrt and i am as bad as you because that's how i started, but i have been seeing a therapist and am now on the road to seeing an endo soon. About your question i have been taking Spiro 8 months and at first i saw a drop in energy and being tired but this has since passed, drowsiness light headiness may be from low blood pressure, i take heart meds and had the same thing so i had to adjust them, never had headaches, you do need to watch your potassium levels, no bananas, salt substitutes or anything with high levels of potassium, if you crave salty foods eat them. High levels of potassium can be fatal. If i were you i would see a dr yesterday and be honest with them about what you are taking, you will probably get a lecture but they can't treat you properly if you are not honest with them.

Paula. 

I agree completely with Kiera & Paula. I also thought of a few suggestions but the truth is
that we could throw a dozen possible causes at you, and it could be any one of them or none
of them at all. HRT can increase risks for osteoporosis, diabetes, neurodegenerative disease, etc...
plus just have nasty little side effects that our body's are not used to. I am not trying to scare you,
OK you caught me I am trying to scare you, but it is only cuz I care for all my brothers and sisters,
and want you to see a doctor. Be nervous, embarrassed or whatever when you go, just go.

Your health should be of the utmost importance, even more so on HRT.


*hugs* Nicole

I did the DIY route, BUT and a big But,  I also saw an Endo every few months for bloodwork and recommendations.  Please See an Endo,  It could be low sodium, High potassium, or any one of a number of things.  Estrodol and spiro, do a serous number on your endicrine system So please see a doctor, even if it's just at a clinic.

Beni

Yea. When I was told that one could not take in foods containing high levels of potassium I was sort of shocked. More so by the side effects of high potassium foods can do to you when on HRT.   

So maybe this is a dumb questions, but here goes:

When I hear "potassium" and "bananas" I think "prevention of exercise-induced muscle cramps." Could there be a benefit in this sense? Or is it like type-1 diabetes, where you have high blood sugar, but it's not giving you any energy?

--

Also -- a friend of mine started DIY, and had similar problems that were solved after she started seeing an endo.

Spiro is Potassium sparing, IE. it prevents potassium from passing so easily thru the kidneys. Bananas are high in potassium so someone on Spiro would need to make sure they were not eating too any bananas.  On the other hand,  it's a diuratic and sodium passes thru the body much faster while on spiro. It also lowers blood pressure (gee it's a blood pressure med. after all).

Beni

Quote from: Beni on February 02, 2009, 08:46:44 PM
....It also lowers blood pressure (gee it's a blood pressure med. after all).

yea! it does kinda make you question which prescribed use should be off-label. 

*edit*
  whew! now I know I am way over tired I keep looking at the word should and thinking it
is spelt wrong, there it goes again with the word spelt....OK I'm going to bed.

Goodnight everyone

  Nicole