In Reply to: ALDACTONE posted by DJ on November 06, 2000 at 10:46:57:
If you want to chat you can always write to me, I'm at jo-freedom@worldnet.att.net. I did accutane and stopped it at week 19 back in February because I had serious, heavy-duty hair loss going on. It wasn't just a few strands, it was a TON. It took a while before that slowed down, and even now I still go through phases where it comes out too much. I have some regrowth but its taking an eternity. Nobody else can tell, but I know how my hair would normally look! It is the worst when its wet, then you can definitely see it. I hope it works out for you, I'm interested to see how it goes. One of the benefits of spiro I'm looking forward to is the hair regrowth, as soon as possible! I realize it might be a while though...I'm trying to be patient in general & hope for the best. Hair thinning is a funny thing, you don't realize how scary it is until you experience it yourself. Battling my skin was enough, I felt like battling my skin and my hair was too much to ask!
: Hi Jo and all other spiro users, well I went to the derm today and also talked to my derm friend out in CA and both agree what has happened is that the aldactone caused confusion to my hair follicles-by the change in the hormonal balance and went into the telogen phase (telogen effluvium). Once the motion is set the hair cycle continues it's natural progression...it won't turn back. What this means is that normally a person has say 10% or there hair in this telogen/dormant phase then fallen out occurs....in my case a higher % of follicles are in this phase...When I got my friends email last night I cried and I cried again today...I am supposed to be adult about this (36 years) but hey I don't need more problems ya know? So, the doc gave me cortisone shots in the scalp and I am to stop aldactone for 1 week...then resume at 100mg instead of 150mg. I go back in 1 week. My friend the derm also told me that what happens after will be that the aldactone will take affect in a positive way and regrowth will occur...it could take months....I hope I see some change this week...I know this was long...I just needed to share what's happening with me right now. Thanks for listening.
: DJ