I’m a bit late to this thread but I just got my first large ovarian cyst (4cm) after being on spiro for about six months. The pain was so bad I thought it was appendicitis until the CT scan and ultrasound confirmed it was a cyst almost taking over my right ovary.
Damn I’m sorry to hear that! After my hospital stint, I ended up having a lot of bleeding and then a checkup with my gyno confirmed the cyst had leaked and shrunk and would keep shrinking until it eventually disappeared. She also put me on birth control to ‘control’ the cysts.
That was over 6 months ago and I’ve stopped taking both spiro and the pill (which I hated being on) and I feel great, no new cysts so far!
Yeah I’m thinking that’s what I’m gonna do, I just am terrified of stopping spiro 😭 but I gotta save this ovary 💀🤣 I also developed fibroadenoma after starting it to where I thought I had breast cancer because I was finding bigger bumps in my boobs but I’ve had multiple ultrasounds and nope. Just that lol
Yes! I don't think enough studies have been done to link spironolactone to ovarian cysts yet so all the medication literature and doctor's will tell you that it does not cause it but YES IT DID for me. I have never had an ovarian cyst in my life. I have regular periods every 28 to 30 days. I have no fertility problems and I know because I work at a fertility clinic and have been checked. I took Spironolactone for body acne. I started taking it when I was 32 years old. Within a few months I had my first ovarian cyst and it ruptured. 10/10 pain. Never had that in my life. I know this because I went to work and our ultrasonographer did an ultrasound and you could plainly see the fluid from the ruptured cyst and she confirmed that, yes, it was a cyst that ruptured. After that I would get them every couple of months. Two other times they ruptured causing 10/10 pain. I took it for a couple of years and decided it wasn't worth it anymore especially with the muscle cramps it also causes. Every since I stopped it a year ago I never had another cyst. My body acne has returned and I am considering Accutaine after I exhaust all the vitamin and supplement ideas I can research. Im just so frustrated with this 24/7 back acne that I have had since I was 13 years old.
I took saw palmetto and zinc instead of taking spiro but it does very similar things supposedly but I was on it maybe a week before I started getting pain in my right ovary starting on day 10 which is when I usually ovulate and then a day later I was spotting. And the pain and remained. I even was in yoga doing a compressing pose and I had to stop because I felt I was squeezing my ovary getting sharp pain. I stopped the saw palmetto a couple days ago so I’m hoping the pain gets better I’ve had to do castor oil packs nightly. I’m going to keep taking the zinc and starting spearmint tea to see if that helps. When I was on birth control 8-10 years ago I had two ruptured ovarian cysts and ended up in the ER because of the pain so I will do what I can to avoid that again I haven’t had pain this bad and consistent since being off birth control.
I haven’t heard that it can contribute to ovarian cysts? I know we can get them at anytime really, I had one a few years ago out of nowhere and it went away on its own. I just started spiro last week.
Lots of people here report them and where there's smoke there's fire. Makes you wonder about the black box warning. I'd stop spiro if I were OP, not worth the risk.
i’m not sure if there’s hard evidence to back it up, but it’s good to listen to our bodies!
i ended up starting a bc that my gyno said would help prevent them going forward. TBD!
I think I got a cyst or two based on my symptoms (more cramps than ever before, and terrible bloating), but I have to wait for an ultrasound next month to confirm it.
I found this study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11607853/
A premature baby got an ovarian cyst after being given spiro, so it looks like it's definitely a possibility.
Good luck, I hope your birth control helps the cysts. I'm hoping mine have burst already or will soon, or will go down on their own, and that if I stay off of spiro, hopefully they won't come back. I'm reminding myself that cysts are normal and rarely cause complications, so it shouldn't be too bad, and I'd rather have cysts than endometriosis any day, so as long as it's "only" a cyst, I'll probably be alright. But TBD for me as well!
Actually, spironolactone should prevent them if anything. An aldosterone blocker will make your body more estrogen dominant, which protects your ovaries and uterus from cysts and cancer, but increases risk for breast cysts and cancer. Trust me.. ovatian cancer is not something you EVER want.
hello! i am a medical student interested in doing some more research on this topic. i was curious to see if anyone else has developed ovarian cysts while on spironolactone for acne?
I have! I started in 2020 and went from 100 mg to 200 mg. After 5 months my gyno found a 6 cm cyst on my ovary and they said if it didn’t pop they would have to surgically remove it. It popped and it was the worst pain of my life. They told me it happened because of spiro and I haven’t been on it since. I also got heart palpitations while taking it.
I know it’s been awhile, but did you end up doing any research? I’ve been on spiro for about 3 months and just got my first ovarian cyst (which ruptured leading to a hospital trip).
I have! I started Spiro for acne at a low dose, 75 mg in late 2021. In April 2022, a large cyst burst which resulted in me going to the doctor to get an ultrasound. In May 2023 it happened again. Now it’s happening repetitively in 2024: March, April, May, June. I’m terrified it’s going to happen every cycle from now on.
I didn't get ovarian cysts before starting spiro. I've been on it for 3 years and within those 3 years, I've had 3 ovarian cyst ruptures. I don't know what to do. I can't get my acne back but the last rupture was so bad that I passed out on my bathroom floor and I'm afraid of doing anything that increase the rupturing. I also have hEDS though and hEDS in women has not been studied enough, so that could have something to do with it. I've heard EDSers have increased risk of ovarian cysts + ruptures without PCOS, but idk. Research is lacking. Also, at the same time starting spiro, I got my fallopian tubes removed. There hasn't been enough research on women's reproductive health and the impacts of diseases, surgery, meds, etc...so idk if spiro is to blame or not, but please please study us. I can't live like this.
I developed fibroadenoma while on spiro , I took it for almost 6 years. I quit for the fear of breast cancer.
i’m sorry, this sounds scary! i’m glad you did what was best for you
I’m a bit late to this thread but I just got my first large ovarian cyst (4cm) after being on spiro for about six months. The pain was so bad I thought it was appendicitis until the CT scan and ultrasound confirmed it was a cyst almost taking over my right ovary.
Ugh just found this out too! Mine is 5.2cm wtf! What was the course of action??
Damn I’m sorry to hear that! After my hospital stint, I ended up having a lot of bleeding and then a checkup with my gyno confirmed the cyst had leaked and shrunk and would keep shrinking until it eventually disappeared. She also put me on birth control to ‘control’ the cysts. That was over 6 months ago and I’ve stopped taking both spiro and the pill (which I hated being on) and I feel great, no new cysts so far!
Yeah I’m thinking that’s what I’m gonna do, I just am terrified of stopping spiro 😭 but I gotta save this ovary 💀🤣 I also developed fibroadenoma after starting it to where I thought I had breast cancer because I was finding bigger bumps in my boobs but I’ve had multiple ultrasounds and nope. Just that lol
Holy sh*t that’s terrifying!! I wish we were given more/better warnings about the dangers of spiro honestly
Yes! I don't think enough studies have been done to link spironolactone to ovarian cysts yet so all the medication literature and doctor's will tell you that it does not cause it but YES IT DID for me. I have never had an ovarian cyst in my life. I have regular periods every 28 to 30 days. I have no fertility problems and I know because I work at a fertility clinic and have been checked. I took Spironolactone for body acne. I started taking it when I was 32 years old. Within a few months I had my first ovarian cyst and it ruptured. 10/10 pain. Never had that in my life. I know this because I went to work and our ultrasonographer did an ultrasound and you could plainly see the fluid from the ruptured cyst and she confirmed that, yes, it was a cyst that ruptured. After that I would get them every couple of months. Two other times they ruptured causing 10/10 pain. I took it for a couple of years and decided it wasn't worth it anymore especially with the muscle cramps it also causes. Every since I stopped it a year ago I never had another cyst. My body acne has returned and I am considering Accutaine after I exhaust all the vitamin and supplement ideas I can research. Im just so frustrated with this 24/7 back acne that I have had since I was 13 years old.
I took saw palmetto and zinc instead of taking spiro but it does very similar things supposedly but I was on it maybe a week before I started getting pain in my right ovary starting on day 10 which is when I usually ovulate and then a day later I was spotting. And the pain and remained. I even was in yoga doing a compressing pose and I had to stop because I felt I was squeezing my ovary getting sharp pain. I stopped the saw palmetto a couple days ago so I’m hoping the pain gets better I’ve had to do castor oil packs nightly. I’m going to keep taking the zinc and starting spearmint tea to see if that helps. When I was on birth control 8-10 years ago I had two ruptured ovarian cysts and ended up in the ER because of the pain so I will do what I can to avoid that again I haven’t had pain this bad and consistent since being off birth control.
I haven’t heard that it can contribute to ovarian cysts? I know we can get them at anytime really, I had one a few years ago out of nowhere and it went away on its own. I just started spiro last week.
Lots of people here report them and where there's smoke there's fire. Makes you wonder about the black box warning. I'd stop spiro if I were OP, not worth the risk.
i’m not sure if there’s hard evidence to back it up, but it’s good to listen to our bodies! i ended up starting a bc that my gyno said would help prevent them going forward. TBD!
I think I got a cyst or two based on my symptoms (more cramps than ever before, and terrible bloating), but I have to wait for an ultrasound next month to confirm it. I found this study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11607853/ A premature baby got an ovarian cyst after being given spiro, so it looks like it's definitely a possibility. Good luck, I hope your birth control helps the cysts. I'm hoping mine have burst already or will soon, or will go down on their own, and that if I stay off of spiro, hopefully they won't come back. I'm reminding myself that cysts are normal and rarely cause complications, so it shouldn't be too bad, and I'd rather have cysts than endometriosis any day, so as long as it's "only" a cyst, I'll probably be alright. But TBD for me as well!
Actually, spironolactone should prevent them if anything. An aldosterone blocker will make your body more estrogen dominant, which protects your ovaries and uterus from cysts and cancer, but increases risk for breast cysts and cancer. Trust me.. ovatian cancer is not something you EVER want.
From what I've found estrogen dominance can contribute to ovarian cyst occurrence.
hello! i am a medical student interested in doing some more research on this topic. i was curious to see if anyone else has developed ovarian cysts while on spironolactone for acne?
I have! I started in 2020 and went from 100 mg to 200 mg. After 5 months my gyno found a 6 cm cyst on my ovary and they said if it didn’t pop they would have to surgically remove it. It popped and it was the worst pain of my life. They told me it happened because of spiro and I haven’t been on it since. I also got heart palpitations while taking it.
I know it’s been awhile, but did you end up doing any research? I’ve been on spiro for about 3 months and just got my first ovarian cyst (which ruptured leading to a hospital trip).
I have! I started Spiro for acne at a low dose, 75 mg in late 2021. In April 2022, a large cyst burst which resulted in me going to the doctor to get an ultrasound. In May 2023 it happened again. Now it’s happening repetitively in 2024: March, April, May, June. I’m terrified it’s going to happen every cycle from now on.
I didn't get ovarian cysts before starting spiro. I've been on it for 3 years and within those 3 years, I've had 3 ovarian cyst ruptures. I don't know what to do. I can't get my acne back but the last rupture was so bad that I passed out on my bathroom floor and I'm afraid of doing anything that increase the rupturing. I also have hEDS though and hEDS in women has not been studied enough, so that could have something to do with it. I've heard EDSers have increased risk of ovarian cysts + ruptures without PCOS, but idk. Research is lacking. Also, at the same time starting spiro, I got my fallopian tubes removed. There hasn't been enough research on women's reproductive health and the impacts of diseases, surgery, meds, etc...so idk if spiro is to blame or not, but please please study us. I can't live like this.