PCOS Messages for October, 2001: Re: Aldactone Question

Re: Aldactone Question

From: Renee (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Tue, 16 Oct 2001 07:55:35 -0700

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Reply: anonymous@obgyn.net: "Re: Aldactone Question"

Aldactone is neither a steroid nor a hormone.

It is primarily a diuretic, which makes you pee more. The original use was to lower blood pressure and to decrease blood volume for cases of congestive heart failure. The secondary use is an an androgen blocker in cases like ours. The message you responded to has a good summary of the drug, and how it works, so I won't repeat it. I won't snip it to save space either, so it's there to read again.

As far as reading things in a book, you always have to critically analyze things. I could publish a book saying that PCOS is nothing to worry about, it's just cosmetic, eat anything you want, and it's not big deal. We all know that's not true, but if someone else read it, they might believe it if they didn't think about it. They should look to see how I make my case. Does it look like I have an agenda? If I do (and it's ok to have one--you just have to be aware of their perspective), try to look through it. Do I support my case? Do I cite studies that support my statements? Am I consistent with what you already know? Does it make sense? If you knew from somewhere else that PCOS has something to do with insulin, you might wonder if the "eat anything you want' point was consistent. Does it make sense with what you already know?

My point is, you can publish anything. Some people have a view point that all medications are bad in the long-term. They think we shouldn't put any chemicals into our bodies. That's a valid point. However, you have to look at it in the grander scale: which is worse in the long run? I hated taking any pills. I'd even put up with a headache instead of taking a Tylenol. However, I had to realize that the PCOS was far more serious and would have serious implications in the long term; that was worse than taking some meds daily.

So, think about what book you read that statement in. Did they cite a study showing bad effects of taking Aldactone for many years? Specifically, was that study done in PCOS women? Our physiology is different than women without PCOS, so a study like that can't be generalized to us. You can usually find out the population studied in the title of the study. Taking it the next step would be to get a copy of the article and analyze it to see if it was high quality, how many subjects, etc. But, you would probably only do it if you really wanted to investigate it deeply, or were writing your own article or book.

So, we can't accept everything we see in a book. The publishers don't usually have an "expert panel" review it for accuracy. They just publish what they think people will buy. Think critically about everything you see. My hunch is that that author was mistaken, since Aldactone is not a hormone or a steroid, and has an anti-med viewpoint, which affects what she writes and how she presents her case (the same with a pro-med person).

Renee

Linda wrote: >
> i think its a steroid or a hormone coz it has bad efects as well. it
> usually causes weight gain or some thing of that sort. it blocks the
> male hormones from working. and that is why it is given here. its the
> male hormones which are causing all the dratic effects of hair, acne,
> balding, and all shit things.
> but continual use is bad, i read it in a hormone book.
>
> At Mon, 15 Oct 2001, jodi wrote:
> >
> >Hi there
> >
> >aldactone is a potassium sparing diurtetic that was originally used for
> >high blood pressure and i *think* some sort of heart failure or
> >problem... any condition where excess fluid can be problematic. It was
> >discovered to have the side effect of blocking androgen effects on the
> >skin. Depending on who you talk to or what book you read, aldactone
> >keeps testosterone from having effects on skin receptors, thereby
> >stopping the problems of acne or excessive hair... OR it flushes excess
> >T from the body, with the same end result... Less acne, less problem
> >hair.
> >
> >Side effects of this med. are... decrease in "sexual ability" (ie,
> >loss of sex drive, loss of orgasm...); irregular and/or constant uterine
> >bleeding; birth defects especially in male fetuses... alone with the
> >usual diziness, nauseua, upset stomach, etc that is warned of with just
> >about every med you take!!! because of the bleeding problems and
> >potential for birth defects, this med. is usually taken in conjunction
> >with birth control pills, and it is not recommended for women who are
> >trying to concieve.
> >
> >as far as PCOS is concerned, aldactone serves as an androgen blocker...
> >it keeps androgens from having nasty effects on the skin. it is
> >therefore more or less a cosmetic fix (although for 4 months after I
> >quit taking it, I had regular periods... odd... guess it effects the
> >ovaries somehow too?) ... never heard of it being used to treat
> >obesity/overweight, though it can cause weight loss, probably largely
> >through fluid loss... though blocking androgens might also cause weight
> >loss in females. who knows? :-) but really, unless you have the
> >problems of excess hair or acne that BCP or other meds alone aren't
> >helping, aldactone isn't for you.
> >
> >Hope that helps...
> >
> >- jodi
> >
> >At Mon, 15 Oct 2001, anonymous wrote:
> >>
> >>Hello, What is Aldactone? How does it work with PCOS? I have noticed
> >>that a lot of women here mention that they are on it. My Doctor
> >>mentioned it but them said I did not need it. I am overweight. Could
> >>it help me?
>

-- Renee Cordrey, MSPT, MPH, CWS

---

Don't follow in the footsteps of the masters. Seek what they sought. --Zen saying

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