I am curious about your outcome - I just joined this forum and my story is VERY similar to yours if you care to read my first post. I have asked my gyno repeatedly for hormone testing and have been dismissed. I have an appointment with my PCP very soon and have a plan to insist on complete hormone testing. I have read a LOT about Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and if you haven't asked your gyno about it already you should. They hardly ever test for these things and you have to fight and insist on it which is ridiculous. I'm curious - do you have anxiety/depression as well? If so, has it been aggravated by the onset of the horrible acne? My anxiety has been through the roof and I hate even going out because I know I have to spend half an hour trying to cover my face with makeup and then when I'm out constantly worrying about my skin and who is looking at it. I'm outgoing and work in a very public area so this is devastating to my self confidence since it started about 3 years ago. Anyway, I'm pushing HARD for my doctors to figure out the root of all of these wacky hormonal changes and how they're ruining my skin (and life!), requesting appointments with new specialists, starting with a nutritionist (I've heard it will help and I need a natural alternative because after the spirinolactone I am NOT going on one more Rx med), joining this forum, and just beginning to share with others - up until this point I've been afraid and embarrassed to open up about this to anyone but I feel a tiny bit better talking about it now. One more question - I'm on Loestrin combined with the spironolactone but I think I may need to go on a regular-level estrogen pill for the combo to work. In other words, I haven't seen real results with these medications - I have read countless people who say it's a miracle and I think it would be if I wasn't on a low-estrogen birth control pill to begin with. So, if you feel comfortable, what pill are you on and what have you found out since seeing your gyno? Hope all is well overall!

hey caracm, i am relived to tell you my acne has been cured and it was all because i changed birth control METHODS. When I wrote this post I was trying my third hormonal birth control. And I don't know about you but my gyno was making me take one type of birth control method for 3 months before I could try another. i was sick of trying BC that just continually made me break out so I researched non hormonal BC. I decided to go with the paraguard IUD because its one of the only CONVENIENT birth controls that did not bombard my body with hormones. I was really scared to get it because I heard insertion hurt but don't worry about that. It doesn't hurt it's just an awkward experience. To make the story short, after I stopped taking any pills, my acne cleared up. I still take 100 mg spiro a day and I take some zinc vitamins that give me the nutrients my skin needs and I'm about 95% clear all the time. Once a month (around my period of course) I do get a slight breakout, but the pimples are tiny and they only last around 3-4 days. I was like you, embarrassed to go out in public but I don't feel that way anymore. Being on those hormones completely changed my body. I was having crazy anxiety and depression while I was on those pills. I was constantly crying and picking fights with people, and that was just not me! I'm not a dr. by any means but I just really feel that some women just shouldn't mess around with hormones because it's a touchy thing. I am not diagnosed with PCS but my sister was and I'm about 99% sure I have it too. If you are still struggling I would try the IUD and go back on the spiro. I did and it worked wonders for me and all along it was the BC that was the problem. I wish I would have figured all of this out sooner than I did. But I hope this helps you!!!