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Suffering From High Testestorone Levels. What Is The Dosage Of Aldactone?

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Posted on Tue, 25 Sep 2012
Question: I have been prescribed to take aldactone due to high testestorone levels. I have taken 10 pills how much more should I take?
Is there anything else I can do to fight excessive hair growth?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Shehzad Topiwala (11 hours later)
Spironolactone is the scientific non-proprietary name for Aldactone. It should be used with due caution as it can have some side effects, in particular elevation of potassium in the blood. However this is not common unless the kidney function is compromised. So if the creatinine in your lab test is high then extra caution needs to be exercised to prevent hyperkalemia (ie high potassium) from developing while on spironolactone.
The starting dose of spironolactone is 50 mg once daily and can be raised to 50 mg twice daily upto a maximum of 200 mg daily in 2 divided doses. lab monitoring for potassium levels is necessary.
it is important to note that for the full effect of spironolactone to be felt on improvement of hair may take upto 6 months.
There are other options too to combat excessive hair growth such estrogen pills. this requires weighing the pros and cons of hormone therapy. Cosmetic treatment options are often used such as electrolysis, depilatory creams and laser. Eflornithine (Vaniqa) cream is available in US to mitigate hair growth as a topical ointment but is expensive.
However before embarking upon te=reatment options it is important to evaluate the causes of excessive hair and endocrinologist reveals PCOS or Idiopathic hyperandrogenism or Idiopathic hirsutism then it is worth considering the above options. But if the tests reveal other reasons such as Acromegaly , Cushings disease or androgen producing adrenal or ovarian tumor then the treatment is directed at the cause. These latter conditions are rare but need to be ruled out first by clinical assessment and appropriate lab testing
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Shehzad Topiwala (25 hours later)
Thank you very much ,

I have also been given the result of pelvic inflammatory disease with cervicitis and been prescribed the following medicine

Tab Zo

Tab Piza

Tab Meben

Tab Zocon

for a period of week and finished these but was unable to continute review as I left india. So I was wondering if there is anything else I should continue doing?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Shehzad Topiwala (2 days later)
As an endocrinologist , I do not treat pelvic inflammatory disease or cervicitis.

For more information on 'hirsutism', you may wish to review this useful summary at WWW.WWWW.WW
Note: For more information on hormonal imbalance symptoms or unmanaged diabetes with other comorbid conditions, get back to us & Consult with an Endocrinologist. Click here to book an appointment.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Shehzad Topiwala

Endocrinologist

Practicing since :2001

Answered : 1663 Questions

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Suffering From High Testestorone Levels. What Is The Dosage Of Aldactone?

Spironolactone is the scientific non-proprietary name for Aldactone. It should be used with due caution as it can have some side effects, in particular elevation of potassium in the blood. However this is not common unless the kidney function is compromised. So if the creatinine in your lab test is high then extra caution needs to be exercised to prevent hyperkalemia (ie high potassium) from developing while on spironolactone.
The starting dose of spironolactone is 50 mg once daily and can be raised to 50 mg twice daily upto a maximum of 200 mg daily in 2 divided doses. lab monitoring for potassium levels is necessary.
it is important to note that for the full effect of spironolactone to be felt on improvement of hair may take upto 6 months.
There are other options too to combat excessive hair growth such estrogen pills. this requires weighing the pros and cons of hormone therapy. Cosmetic treatment options are often used such as electrolysis, depilatory creams and laser. Eflornithine (Vaniqa) cream is available in US to mitigate hair growth as a topical ointment but is expensive.
However before embarking upon te=reatment options it is important to evaluate the causes of excessive hair and endocrinologist reveals PCOS or Idiopathic hyperandrogenism or Idiopathic hirsutism then it is worth considering the above options. But if the tests reveal other reasons such as Acromegaly , Cushings disease or androgen producing adrenal or ovarian tumor then the treatment is directed at the cause. These latter conditions are rare but need to be ruled out first by clinical assessment and appropriate lab testing