u/Entire_Giraffe_228

▲ 2 r/PCOS

I'm on 100mg Spiro and apparently we are supposed be getting regular bloodtests to check for potassium and to limit potassium-rich foods?? And even to avoid Ibuprofen (again because potassium) I was never told all of this!!

https://www.universaldrugstore.com/blog/what-foods-should-be-avoided-when-taking-aldactone

It lists BROCCOLI, carrots, beans, spinach, chicken breast, nuts, and a bunch of other things

How am I supossed to limit these????

Now I'm really worried, I already have to limit my diet because of Insulin Resistance, how am I supposed to limit broccoli??? I eat carrots and broccoli EVERY DAY

I was even thinking of increasing my Spiro dose but now I'm scared

u/Entire_Giraffe_228 — 10 days ago

This is from a page about Spiro - I'm on 100mg and my doctor never told me about being careful with potassium rich foods?? Or Ibuprofen which I use regularly but apparently you shouldn't if you're on Spiro??

I was actually wanting to increase my dose but now I'm terrified

I was never told I needed blood tests to check on potassium either

BROCCOLI?? Spinach? Beans? carrots?? apples??? chicken breast??

How am I supposed to limit all these??? I eat a lot of broccoli and carrots EVERY DAY

I'm confused because some people say not to worry at all but plenty of medical sites say to take it very seriously: ( Now I'm scared

u/Entire_Giraffe_228 — 10 days ago

I haven't started minoxidil yet. It would have to be oral as I have too many sensitive small animals as pets that topical is just not worth risking. Its just not something that's realistic for me.

But the problem is I already have PCOS. I don't have actual hirsutism, but I do have some body hair which I CANNOT grow more of (It will trigger my painful skin condition, Hidradenitis) I really do not want to end up growing facial/body hair, Im really thankful that I don't have hirsutism somehow despite having PCOS, but I'm very scared minoxidil will trigger it because of the risk

Will being on Spiro 100mg and Yaz BC pill help to prevent face/body hair growth?

reddit.com
u/Entire_Giraffe_228 — 12 days ago

Ok so it makes sense that Accutane raises cholesterol but I'm worried about topicals, everyone seems to say that it's impossible for just a cream to cause higher cholesterol, which makes sense, but this study says that it can-

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/375207998_Adapalene_Gel_Therapy_in_Patients_with_Moderate_to_Severe_Acne_Vulgaris

This is just for Adapalene gel, it says "continuous Adapalene therapy caused an increase in cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, and HDL above the normal range with a grade 1 increase."

Would it make sense for this to be the same with Tretinoin cream?

I've been wanting to start Tretinoin but I already have cholesterol issues so now I'm worried, should I be?

reddit.com
u/Entire_Giraffe_228 — 12 days ago

I hate this diseases, it destroys everything, not just the flares, the inflammation is in the entire body, increases cancer risk, heart attack risk, apparently it even ruins the collagen in your skin, so now I feel like I'm going to get wrinkles and premature aging (I don't care if it's vain to be worried about that.) Its just a horrible disgusting evil painful disease. I hate that my body is attacking itself from the inside out. I just want to cry. There isn't a single person in my life who understands. They just tell me I'm not cleaning myself enough - I literally take two or three showers a day and Im unhealthily obsessed with cleanlieness. To the point I feel dirty if I produce a single drop of sweat. I've had to avoid going out with friends because of my flares in my groin and I just make up a lie for why I can't go because I am NOT telling them I have this. It's too disgusting. I hate this

reddit.com
u/Entire_Giraffe_228 — 12 days ago

Ok so it makes sense that Accutane raises cholesterol but I'm worried about topicals, everyone seems to say that it's impossible for just a cream to cause high cholesterol, which makes sense, but this study says that it can-

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/375207998_Adapalene_Gel_Therapy_in_Patients_with_Moderate_to_Severe_Acne_Vulgaris

This is just for Adapalene gel, it says "continuous Adapalene therapy caused an increase in cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, and HDL above the normal range with a grade 1 increase."

Would it make sense for this to be the same with Tretinoin cream?

I've been wanting to start Tretinoin but I already have cholesterol issues so now I'm worried

reddit.com
u/Entire_Giraffe_228 — 12 days ago

Apparently biologics can raise cholesterol. Has this happened for anyone taking them?

Biologics are basically my last treatment I can try and my last hope, but I already have high cholesterol. Apparently HS is associated with bad cholesterol anyway so maybe that's expected. I'm scared I won't be allowed to try a biologic because my cholesterol is already bad. Any experiences??

reddit.com
u/Entire_Giraffe_228 — 14 days ago

it's all my fault, completely 100% just my fault. I'm late 20s and I've been fat/unhealthy my whole life because depression and probably had terrible cholesterol forever. I remember being young seeing dyslipedemia on my medical chart paper but the doctor never said anything so I didn't ask what it was. Well my cholesterol is currently bad (sorry Idk exact numbers) but my doctor said not bad enough to start statins yet??. My mom says we have higher familial cholesterol too, idk how badly though. My dad also had a stroke

Well I'm scared because I read studies that say having high cholesterol while young sets you up for failure later in life, even if you improve it, because its cumulative. So the damage is already done even if you improve it. Study- https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-09-high-cholesterol-early-life-heart.html

And I have a skin conditiom (Hidradenitis) that causes widespread inflammation and apparently causes more premature plaque forming, like its a very bad independent risk. The HS is debilitating and the medicine i need to take for it (Biologics) also WORSENS cholesterol.

Now I just feel hopeless, I basically ruined my whole life, even if I try to improve. I want to fix it but I'm scared I'm already doomed. Idk the point of this post. I'm just really scared I ruined my life. Is it hopeless??

u/Entire_Giraffe_228 — 14 days ago

I see that some people get parts of their skin removed for HS, and maybe this is a dumb question but what exactly does it do? Does it stop HS from reappearing over the scar area left from the surgery? Like if you have HS all over your groin and get the surgery to remove the skin, what happens? Doesn't the HS just come back or move somewhere else? If it helps do you think the surgery is worth it? It looks really intense. I'm worried this is in my future one day my flare area is my groin and I'm so upset

reddit.com
u/Entire_Giraffe_228 — 16 days ago

My insurance doesn't cover a GLP-1 until you get diabetes, so Im not sure if I will be able to get one soon, but I know I'm going to have to one day. I have insulin resistance and have really been struggling with it. On the main pcos sub I do see people discuss glp-1s but there are some users who seem to be against it and push for diet only (mainly keto/low carb high fat diet). I have to watch my cholesterol so keto isnt an option for me, and definitely not a high fat diet, which is just gross to me. If you take a GLP-1 for PCOS and insulin resistance do you still have to go keto or low carb or whatever??

Also, Ive read that GLP-1s can result in hairloss. Has it done this for you? Seeing as hair loss/thinning is one of my pcos symptoms, I'm worried about it

reddit.com
u/Entire_Giraffe_228 — 17 days ago

I've been on spiro for pcos for a bit more than a year, basically I HAVE to be on it because of this. It completely wiped out my acne which is great but I feel like my face looks thinner, dryer, less plump than ever? And Im overweight, my face was fat before but it looks thinner now - but not in a good way. Its mainly much thinner under my eyes which is really aging me. There's lines and malar bags when they weren't there before and its extremely hollow and purple. Seeing as spiro gets rid of water weight, could it be this?? My face looks better when its puffy in the morning. Does getting better moisturizer help combat this ? Or maybe starting tretinoin? Yeah I know it could be simply aging, but it has dried out my skin

reddit.com
u/Entire_Giraffe_228 — 17 days ago