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I just got back in the door from the Endo doc, and things are mixed. My testosterone levels are still way too high, so high the doc asked if I was missing doses.
I assured him I was being faithful, and he decided to give me a new option - a estrogen patch.
Depending on how that goes, he may up the dose for my progesterone as well, so here goes ....
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You may need to ask
to get your testicles removed now in a separate operation. I do know of a site member that had a problem with estrogen forcing up testosterone levels to match what was being introduced and was having problems with the Spironolactone. Even though it isn't normally recommended, she had to get the testicles removed prior to getting the okay for the srs. In some instances the scrotal skin will shrink leaving less material to work with. The choice was stopping organ damage being done from the testosterone and Spironolactone and maybe be worse off, or having a slightly smaller neovagina. Frankly, and I trusted her and her doctors opinion on the matter, she made the right choice, even though it cost thousands more, to remove the testicles earlier.
Spironolactone has nasty side effects and, in some people, damages and attacks organs.
The sooner you are off the blockers, the better.
Also, progesterone will beef up the babies (breasts), however there is a certain ratio you must take it with in proportion to estrogen. It needs to mimic a pregnant woman closely. Too much progesterone - cancer can be caused. Too much estrogen, cancer also.
I am not advocating this to you Dorothy. I am presenting it to you so you can discuss this issue with your doctors and the dangers of the drugs you are taking so you can make an informed decision about your future. Remember, there is never a net gain in anything! There is only a tradeoff.
Sephrena
Hi Dottie,
I know very little about natural pharmaceuticals, but Abi Drew seems to be doing well on them. I don't know how confident you would be consulting with Abi and doing your own research, but at least you get your blood tested regularly; I think that would make herb treatment safer. What you could do is find a naturopath in your area or ask the one you first find for a recommendation for one who is most familiar with sex hormones.
Spironolactone is not the only T blocker, I know of. There's a drug called Aldactone, which is also anti-androgen, might be less effective and Proscar/Propecia (or something, sp?) which also might cause problems in the dosage you'd need.
For estrogen, I took shots and oral tabs; I might have been taking too much, but I didn't get big body changes. I was allergic to the adhesive in a patch I tried. What I do now is take an estradiol tab sublingually (or 1/2 a tab).
I think it's important to take humyn progesterone, the brand used to be Prometrium, instead of progestins which are man-made substitutes first used for birth control pills. One progestin I have here (Kim had the script), for example, is medroxyprogestin or medroxyprogesterone. I had trouble (depression) taking progestins, but Prometrium made me feel good.
Best of luck!
Hugs and Bright Blessings,
Renee
Hormones
It is very normal, to have high levels of t when your undergoing female hormone therapy. it takes a long time to get it down, up until september of this year my t levels were wayyyyy too high too, and i had been on hrt since march 18th 2011. but upping the estrogne seemed to help by doctors advice of course. and now im on 2.5mg of premarine a day, and a couple little spyro tablets twice a day. it will take longer to get it down higher in age ur. testosterone takes a very very very long time to leave the body and often has lasting remnits. estrogene is powerful too however for reverters, ftm reversion takes longer then mtf reversion does because of the simple fact that the testosterone will literally go at war with the estrogene and win out due to the fact that testosterone is simply 'harder' and 'tougher' on the body. not claiming that estrogene is not it has larger fraction of symptoms which even i had not beilieved was remotely true until all the typical womanly outcomes came upon me during my hormonal transition. so dorthy, i would hope that u will hold that beautiful head up, smile, and remeber that although ur becoming a young lady now, the very act of this puberty is reverseing your old one, and your body and hormonal symptooms r going to vary on the outcomes of a hormonal war within yourself. when your t levels get down and your estrogene can take over thanks to your antiandrogenes, your blossoming will come into a higher light and be much more noticeable. u could even try natural hormone foods, that might help the estrogene along and t testosterone to decay. such as beef and dairy.
Luv u lots,
Erin Amelia Fletcher
kitchener, ontario Canada
With Love and Light, and Smiles so Bright!
Erin Amelia Fletcher