If you are on estrogen/spiro only HRT do you suffer from these symptoms

[kelly_aus]

It would seem that Emily is correct, progesterone is produced by the testes.. My bad.. Mind you it has been nearly 20 years since I studied endocrinology..

This, however, doesn't change my stance that progesterone doesn't actually provide much benefit for the greater majority of MTF trans people..

[lilacwoman]

[quote author=Emily Ray

Lilacwoman- you choose not to take something because it makes your hair grow! How vain.


I still say its stupidty to say I'm vain for not wanting to have thick black hairs on my hands and arms from taking progesterone

[Emily Ray]

I would rather shave and get a good nights sleep, be able to think clearly and not suffer anxiety filled depression that would have to be treated with far more dangerous drugs and occasional hospitalizations. I don't think that is stupidity.

Huggs

Emily

[kelly_aus]

I would rather shave and get a good nights sleep, be able to think clearly and not suffer anxiety filled depression that would have to be treated with far more dangerous drugs and occasional hospitalizations. I don't think that is stupidity.

Huggs

Emily

And yet there are those of us who don't take progesterone and function perfectly normally.. I wonder why that could be?

[Emily Ray]

Kelly- that question is beyond my knowledge. If you don't have the issue be thankful, it doesn't mean that it is the same for everyone. I suffer from debilitating problems from my HRT, but I can't stop taking the estrogen or other problems will form. What do you suggest that I do since you want to be my doctor now?

[Emily Ray]

I went to a blog by Dr Alan Jacobs a neuroendocrinologist and after posting a comment. He emailed me and agreed that with my symptoms I might benefit from natural progesterone. Read his blog and decide for yourself.

http://blog.alanjacobsmd.com/alan-jacobs-mds-blog/2010/03/the-yin-and-yang-relationship-of-estrogen-and-progesterone-in-the-brain.html#comments


Huggs

Emily

[kelly_aus]

I'm going to bow out of this thread now.. You seem to think that progesterone will be the magic solution to your issues, based on something that, from what I've been able to find, is a theory mostly based on anecdotal evidence.. If it works for you, fine.. But don't spout it as some kind of gospel.. Frankly, I'd be speaking with your endo about alternatives.. alternative forms of E, alternate delivery methods.. even a different AA..

[Emily Ray]

Kelly in the last 22 months I have had 4 endocrinologist and others acting as consultants. On Tuesday I will be seeing a new doctor who has been treating transgender patients for 15 years. It is known fact that estrogen and progesterone have impacts on mood and other biological processes. These are not theory alone. If you want to wait for evidence based practices go ahead. My quality of life is in the toilet and I need help. Judging by the number of readers of this post others are suffering as well. It is you Kelly who have offered no solutions to a very real problem. And as to it being the particular form of estrogen I take, I have used generic conjugated estrogen, estradiol patches, premarin, oral estradiol, and next week I will be starting estradiol cypionate IM. I will soon be on Prometrium and I do hope it works. I am not selling this as Gospel, but as a posibility that all of my previous Doctors refused to recognize while offering no solutions

Huggs

Emily

[lilacwoman]

/quote]


My local department store has lots of pretty bras with gel inserts that will give a full cup or more improvement and at reasonable cost.

I resorted to one when the progesterone flattened my boobs and while I was saving for the implants.   l left it in the bin in the room I had in the clinic.

[pebbles]

progesterone is a mixed bag for me... I eventually decided against it.

when you add another hormone to the mix you have to observe carefully for all side effects.
Some side effects from when I took progesterone.

Positive effects:
Corrects problems with estrogen somtimes. including
Hyper-prolatcima
Microthrombi (That scary cramping in the back of my calfI somtimes got tampering around with my E level)

Minor negative:
Oilier skin and hair.
Some hair falling out (Mild)
increased sex drive.
Dry eyes.
Water retention (Swelling)
increased appitite.

Major:
Gum disease even when I was extremely careful to brush 3 times a day I couldn't stop it getting worse.

It's only for that last reason I decided against regularly taking it.

[Emily Ray]

Pebbles, thank you for your comments, I would like to point out that we are all so different when it comes to this stuff. I personally would welcome oilier skin. Last winter my leg became a bloody mess because of an uncontrolable dry skin. Increased sex drive, and increased appitite also would be helpful.

We are all individuals and we will have an individual reaction to our medications. Just because something didn't work for you doesn't mean it is wrong for another. Doctors who only treat a diagnosis and not the patient in front of them are also wrong. To insist that progesterone has no function or use in the body of the TS woman goes against known facts and understanding of the role the hormone plays in the GG's body. It also lacks compassion that is so important in a healing profession.

Huggs

Emily

[pebbles]

We are all individuals and we will have an individual reaction to our medications. Just because something didn't work for you doesn't mean it is wrong for another. Doctors who only treat a diagnosis and not the patient in front of them are also wrong. To insist that progesterone has no function or use in the body of the TS woman goes against known facts and understanding of the role the hormone plays in the GG's body. It also lacks compassion that is so important in a healing profession.

Oh I agree I'm certainly not of the school of thought that belives it dose nothing... but for some it might cause more problems than it solves others will get good results. as long as these facts are understood when taking such medication they know what to look out for if things go awry.

[Keaira]

Allergies

Decreased sex drive- This is a symptom? I'm actually happy about it.

Fat gain especially around the abdomen, hips and thighs- Naturally, because women get weight gain there too.

Fatigue- well yea! the fact that I'm still trying to do my job, lifting metal bars and a huge-ass impact gun daily while my upper body strength drops away, its enough to wear anyone out!

Foggy thinking- no more than before.

Memmory loss- Gotten a little worse actually.

I get muscle cramping in my calves a lot more too.

[lilacwoman]

Isabella   estrogen has been used for about 60 years on male bodies so it is well researched.

[Jen61]

I went to a blog by Dr Alan Jacobs a neuroendocrinologist and after posting a comment. He emailed me and agreed that with my symptoms I might benefit from natural progesterone. Read his blog and decide for yourself.

http://blog.alanjacobsmd.com/alan-jacobs-mds-blog/2010/03/the-yin-and-yang-relationship-of-estrogen-and-progesterone-in-the-brain.html#comments


Huggs

Emily

He did not respond to you post !

[Emily Ray]

Jen, Do you read english or is it your second language? I said he emailed me his response. Do you want my email password so you can verify that I am not lying?

Huggs

Emily

[Arch]

He did not respond to you post !

Emily did say that she received an e-mail, not that she received a response in the blog comments.

Case closed. Let's move on.

P.S. If you take issue with someone's comment and are feeling testy about it, please report it instead of responding in the thread.

[lilacwoman]

Did Dr Jacobs actually write 'might benefit from progesterone' or 'would benefit'?   We all say you might benefit but you might not and then what?

[Emily Ray]

He said it makes sense to target the anxiety symptoms and insomnia with progesterone and that it is certainly worth trying. I don't think any responsible Doctor is going to use the word "would" when dealing with something such as medicine.

Huggs

Emily

[Emily Ray]

I don't think that you have been saying anything like I might benefit from progesterone. It has sounded like to me that you don't feel that progesterone has any role in the body of a transsexual woman, my sources have been criticized as snake oil! One person posted an article from veterinary medicine about cats and dogs. So if I seem a bit short in some of my responses there is a reason. I know that progesterone has a great deal of controversy surounding it regarding its effects in breast development, but that wasn't what this post was about. I suffer very real symptoms from my HRT and by the number of times this post has been read I am not alone in this. If my wanting to help others who are suffering in silence makes me a bad person in your eyes than that is just the way it has to be.

Huggs

Emily