Answers and elimination

[Keaira]

I've never posted in this section before so I apologize for the intrusion. I'm just trying to do some process of elimination about something that is bugging me.

For as long as my wife and I have been married, she has noted that I have a cycle. moody and bitchiness, that sort of thing once a month. I've never noticed it myself and I always thought it was a snide remark when she or my sister-in-law would tell me to 'take a midol'. Since starting HRT 10, almost 11 months ago I have had symptoms that fit period pains. I.e., bloating, some lower abdominal pain, etc. It is re-occuring every month and pretty regular. 2 MtF's have told me I shouldnt be having these issues, in another thread. Which is what prompted my little post here. During the first month I thought it was my body getting used to the hormones and spiro. 2nd month I thought it was odd that these symptoms came back.  I thought it was something that happens to some transsexual women and not others. But that may not be the case? I do know that Pamprin works for me. I tried that today and felt better for a few hours.

So here's what I've been thinking and some conclusions I've thought about.

1. It's my body getting used to the Hormones. -Doubtful as the symptoms Recur regularly every month.
2. Psychosymantic. -Unknown, but unlikely.

The theory I am looking at right now is this:

3. HRT put enough estrogen into my body and lowered testosterone levels enough to affect tissue in the body found in females. Possible, and a theory I have heard before. But what tissue or condition would cause this? Is there an intersex condition that could be the cause?

I should maybe point out that I don't quite fit the MtF profile in that I'm short [5'5], have small hands, gender neutral voice, little to no adams apple. Don't know if that helps.

If there's nothing here to explain it then I can rule out #3 and look elsewhere. Any takers? and thanks for your time. ^_^

[driven]

Awhile back I was bored and read a bunch of stuff on intersex sites. Unfortunately, I didn't save any links, but I remember reading about people with male genitalia who had cramps and sometimes even bled every month. Wish I remembered more of the details or any specific medical condition these people had, but I was in ADD time-wasting mode that day, not really researching anything specific.

I was able to find one of the posts so far. I know I read a couple more somewhere (not sure if it was this same forum, though): http://www.bodieslikeours.org/forums/showthread.php?t=2376

[mm]

driven, very interesting website.

[Miranda83]

You are the third person I have ever seen talk about this. Me and a friend from lauras was talking about this same thing a while back (Oct. 2011)  Exact same thing happened to me starting the 3 or 4th month of hrt. To her I believe it started around the 6th month. Same exact problems and conditions. She -was- looking into it. Her doctor had ruled out pretty much everything. By everything I mean, kidneys,liver,thyroid, appendix, hormone inconsistency, blood levels,blunt trauama lol.

Literally a lot of things. PMDS seems to be a pretty good start though. My doctor said she would do a sonogram and such if I felt that it was something I wanted to look into. Of course I would like to know exactly what the heck is going on with my own body, but funds are kinda limiting that at the moment.  Either way, its not common. At least in the trans circle of things. Out of 7 months of searching about this online, I haven't seen much about it. I see the common "headache, moodiness, emotional" from those who are on progesterone if they cycle it, but for those who don't and have full all out period (minus the blood)...not so much.

If its allowed I could link you to the discussion we had at LP's if that is acceptable?

[Keaira]

Miranda, that would be great! thank you.

Yea, before HRT, it's been just the emotional-type stuff, but within a week of starting HRT I got the pain from it. Which is why I thought that it was just the hormones and me getting used to it. But with it happening each month regularly, I knew it couldn't be that. PMDS hmm? I had to go look that up. It sounds possible.

[Cindy]

Have you had a CT and cytogenetic work-up?

[Keaira]

Have you had a CT and cytogenetic work-up?

No I haven't.

[Cindy]

Might be worthwhile.

The CT will tell if you have ovaries and a uterus in some form, cytogentics will help with an intersexed condition. Just a comment

[Keaira]

Thanks Cindy. ^_^

I see my doctor in March. I'll discuss the symptoms with her and I will ask her about having these tests done. Intersex or not, I'll be happy to put my mind at ease. Would they have found anything during a physical? Because I had a pretty thorough one the day I started HRT and I guess I seemed just fine.

[Cindy]

Physical may not find them.
Just worth a if you can

[Keaira]

I know. Then again she may have come across my symptoms with some of her other trans patients. I just want to know I don't have anything seriously wrong with me. I can live with the symptoms for the rest of my life. I can live with finding out I am not intersex and I am in good shape. My wife gave me pamprin this last time and it actually worked until it wore off. I was surprised because tums and maylox have no effect.

[Keaira]

forgive my rambling, I'm pretty tired. so I'm going to go to bed. Thank you everyone for your replies. It is helping immensely.

[Miranda83]

There is the link to the discussion. I don't know if it will help or not but at least you're not alone.

[Keaira]

Got your email Miranda. And I read the discussion. I hadn't considered that the symptoms began at the start of HRT because it was essentially the onset of puberty [again] for a female. And what Joanna describes about the location and size of the area that causes the pain is dead on! I'm not doubling over in pain, it's just really uncomfortable. It's been 11 months. I just did the math I thought it started on the 22nd, the day I started HRT. but by going by the perfect 28 day cycle, I'm 11 days off, roughly. My birthday was Jan 14th and I remember how crappy I was feeling. which means I must have felt it on the 23rd of February, 2011.  I wish I had kept better track of it. But I was too concerned with other matters. So from here on in, I'm marking a calendar and tracking it. By Feb 24'th I'll start.

now my wife is concerned too.