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Medication HRT after SRS / GRS

Started by jamiejo, September 07, 2011, 11:21:39 AM

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kim_london

Hi everyone! My name is Kim, I'm new here so please bear with me. I joined this forum as I find your topics very relevant and helpful to me as a post-op M to F TS.

I'm 38 y.o. had my SRS in April 2007. I've been on Oestrogen oral tab twice a day since post op, tried to reduce this dose to once daily but I get really bad withdrawal symptoms of hot and cold intolerance as well as hot flushes and night sweats, so I stick to my twice a day dose. I dont drink and smoke and use drugs, I eat and exercise healthily. I'm not overweight, I'm 5'7 and 9 stones. Blood pressure, cholesterol are in normal levels. I dont take any other medications apart from vitamin supplemets. I'm also married, for a year now.

My problem is my testosterone level, its been very low (0.7 nmol/L), been having problem with low energy levels, low mood / apathy / boredom, tiredness, zero sex drive ( I feel sorry for my husband), nothing excites me lately, not even a new pair of shoes. I also notice my hair had started to fall ( 25 - 60 strands a day / yes Im counting It!). I'm wondering if its my DHT thats causing this, but my T levels are low. I'm confused.  ???

I went to Belgravia hair loss clinic yesterday but they just wanted me to buy their products and treatment package without even checking or asking about endocrine status!

I read that some post srs M to F had been taking Progesterone and some Androgel (testosterone cream) to help with low T. I just wanted my T levels to be a at least within a the healthy women my age range. But there is also the DHT issue, would it trigger MBP (male pattern baldness), it is scary!

Im planning to arrange an appointment with Dr. Seal (GIC  London Endocrinologist) but I remembered that I was discharge from their care after my SRS so I may have to ask my GP to refer me back to them again (sigh).

I'm wondering if any of you post op ladies had similar experience. I'm so stress out. I'm worried that my husband will get fed up with me. Thanks for reading this.
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kim_london

I got e great reply about this question in yahoo answeres and would like to share this with you ladies.

Erica fortes soli superant's reply (see below):

You're confused about a few things.

First, it's perfectly normal to lose 50-150 hair per day. Are the hairs coming out long or short? If they're long, and have a small white bulb at the end, this is perfectly normal. If they're short, it could be Telogen Effluvium (temporary hair loss) which can be caused by stress, diet, vitamin deficiency, thyroid issues, and more.

DHT doesn't make hair fall out. It causes hair miniaturization. When a hair falls out naturally, the action of DHT on the follicle causes it to shrink, so the next hair that comes in is smaller in diameter. This is why hair progressively "thins" in MPB, and doesn't fall out all at once. In both men and women, hair tends to thin as we get older. This is just a normal part of aging. Ask any 60 year old woman if her hair is as thick as it was at 30. She will almost certainly say, "no." The difference between male thinning and female thinning is that males lose their hair in a distinctive "pattern", starting at the peaks and crown, while women's hair thins all over at the same time (diffusely.) The best treatment now available against premature hair loss is Finesteride (brand name Propecia), which is a drug that blocks DHT. Dutasteride is a more powerful DHT blocker, but is only approved for prostate issue, not hair loss (though some physicians will prescribe it.) Minoxidil also works for some men and women by increasing blood supply to the follicles.

As for the low T, well that make sense since you no longer have your T production factories. Still, you should see an endo to make sure there are no other problems. You may just need to go on a small supplement of T. The 4 mg of estrogen you are taking is too high, and since E is a T suppressor, it could also be the problem. What are your E levels?
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