my hormone levels- normal?

[peky]

Estradiol- 49
Total t- 278
Free t- 31.2

9 months normal dose finasteride
8 months high dose estradiol

Changes:

first month finasteride: loss of body odor, body hair grew back slower
After nine months combination therapy: aa cup breast,  body hair nonexistent, leg and pubic hair growth slowed greatly, body odor feminine, face and butt fat increased, physical strength atrophy, substantially smoother skin

Just wondering how the levels look and if i should consider asking my doctor about Spiro

idicate the units girl, pmoles/L (pmol/L) or picogram/L (pmol/L)

[Hideyoshi]

...

[mrs izzy]

Hormones can be fun. Rather androgynous, skinny, small hands and feet, a bit of gynecomastia. First measures were T at 759 ng/dl and E 48.2 pg/ml. My endo did a double take at the T value...

After 6 weeks of E-only (+ standard finasteride, but have been taking that for a year now), my T was at 424 ng/dl and my E at 165 pg/ml, at which point my endo put me on androcur (no spiro over here) to help get the T down. Unsurprisingly I've noticed more changes since then. 

Yep androcur is like super t killer. Was on spiro when in the states here in canada my endo put me on androcur.

Also one can not just double a med over night, it takes time (mine was over a course of years in the states) to come up with a balance. Not a magic overnight pill as everyone wants. Remember you are going through seconday puberity. How long did the first one last, this one will last 2-3 times longer and HRT is a life long adventure.

Keep positive
Izzy

[mrs izzy]

bump: OKAY I'm getting freaking annoyed.

I started Spiro about three months ago, all right?

Started off on a baby dose, and now I'm on a moderate dose.

Finasteride high dose
Estradiol maximum dose
Spiro moderate dose

After 3 months of spiro, my levels are...

Total T: 277 ng/ml
Free T: 27.6 pg/ml

And I haven't gotten the estradiol levels yet from the blood test, but I'm assuming it'll be like in the 50s or something

But after I started spiro, my boobs started exploding in growth, my butt's getting fatter, and overall my body is taking a more feminine shape.

After all this, I have two questions...

1. WTF is the deal with my levels barely budging, but still getting results?? 

2. Should I ask my doctor to push my spiro dose up to the upper limits?

I really just want to chop my damn balls off but I don't have the money 

not sure why you are having such trouble with the numbers? as you have said things are working and if they are working i do not see why you are still worried of your numbers? Hrt is given to us for the side effects ie: your quote of " my boobs started exploding in growth, my butt's getting fatter, and overall my body is taking a more feminine shape" so the amount of pills you are taking are working or are you wanting the end result to happen faster??

Izzy

[Hideyoshi]

not sure why you are having such trouble with the numbers? as you have said things are working and if they are working i do not see why you are still worried of your numbers? Hrt is given to us for the side effects ie: your quote of " my boobs started exploding in growth, my butt's getting fatter, and overall my body is taking a more feminine shape" so the amount of pills you are taking are working or are you wanting the end result to happen faster??

Izzy

it's just frustrating that my levels aren't budging, and I'm worried that I'm wasting time by not taking the maximum dose of spiro, and it baffles me that I'm still getting results with hormone levels in the male range

[mrs izzy]

it's just frustrating that my levels aren't budging, and I'm worried that I'm wasting time by not taking the maximum dose of spiro, and it baffles me that I'm still getting results with hormone levels in the male range

ok i think i understand now. sorry you feel that way and i think you are expecting way more then what the little time you have been on any HRT. You are thinking them as magic pills. Everything takes time and can not happen over night.

wishing you luck and do not rush over your health to get to where you think you should be.

Izzy

[Hideyoshi]

ok i think i understand now. sorry you feel that way and i think you are expecting way more then what the little time you have been on any HRT. You are thinking them as magic pills. Everything takes time and can not happen over night.

wishing you luck and do not rush over your health to get to where you think you should be.

Izzy

I realize this is a YMMV sort of deal.  I get that.  But being on female HRT for almost a year, and still having hormone levels in the male range, you don't think that merits concern?

[mrs izzy]

I realize this is a YMMV sort of deal.  I get that.  But being on female HRT for almost a year, and still having hormone levels in the male range, you don't think that merits concern?

Spiro take a long time to get its effects, some can take a low dose and other need like 4xs the amount. Spiro is used for it seconday side effects, it helps block t, but i found that once the effects of atrophy of the testies starts to take effect it will effect your t levels in test more then pumping yourself to the max dose.  You are getting results of the doseage you are on, so something is working even with the levels being where they are.
Take a deep breath, and look at the results of your body for your long term health somtimes less is more..

Izzy

[Theo]

I realize this is a YMMV sort of deal.  I get that.  But being on female HRT for almost a year, and still having hormone levels in the male range, you don't think that merits concern?

While my T is down, I recently had a bit of fun when my E results came in, as they were almost down to my pre-HRT levels. As posted in another thread, my endo told me that she is mainly looking at the LH and FSH values, and as long as they are low, everything is okay. The fact that my body is still actively changing makes me trust her expertise.

[Hideyoshi]

While my T is down, I recently had a bit of fun when my E results came in, as they were almost down to my pre-HRT levels. As posted in another thread, my endo told me that she is mainly looking at the LH and FSH values, and as long as they are low, everything is okay. The fact that my body is still actively changing makes me trust her expertise.

I'm wondering that when I get my new health insurance, that I should see an endo

[Joanna Dark]

I'm surprised your T is that high given you are on the max dose of E. You almost don't need spiro at that dose. But perhaps you should ask your doctor about her thoughts on Progesterone as some use it when a patient does not repsond to conventional methods of T suppression. Some forms of progesterone are AAs. Not all though so it does matter which one you take. Are you still getting erections and producing semen? The semen part is prolly more important then the erections.

[kathyk]

....
Finasteride high dose
Estradiol maximum dose
Spiro moderate dose

After 3 months of spiro, my levels are...

Total T: 277 ng/ml
Free T: 27.6 pg/ml
.....

I'd talk to the doctor or conside a new one.  Your total T is up in the higher Male range, and it's most likely interfering with the estrogen.  You want to stop masculinizing your body, and that's only possible if you keep the Total T at or below the female range which is 50. ng/dl.  Both my old endocrinologist, and my current doctor (an all-in-one Transsexual Specialist) make sure T is below 50.  Mine was way low at 4 ng/dl for 9 months, but was rising a little to about 14 two months ago. 

So yeah, ask about increasing the Spiro.  Each individual is different, but your doctor needs to reconsider your dose.  But please don't tell us any dose level, because as I said everyone is different, and there's a reason this forum has rules.

Hope the best for you.
Kathy

[JennX]

Time to increase your Spiro. If your doc doesn't agree, time to find another one.

[Hideyoshi]

I'm surprised your T is that high given you are on the max dose of E. You almost don't need spiro at that dose. But perhaps you should ask your doctor about her thoughts on Progesterone as some use it when a patient does not repsond to conventional methods of T suppression. Some forms of progesterone are AAs. Not all though so it does matter which one you take. Are you still getting erections and producing semen? The semen part is prolly more important then the erections.

yes, still getting erections, still semen

[kathyk]

yes, still getting erections, still semen

Oh my, that's not what you want.  Your way-way-way low on spiro.

[Hideyoshi]

God this is frustrating... It feels like i wasted a year

About to have a damned anxiety attack at work

[kathyk]

Sorry hon.  It's not a waste because the E was still doing work on you.  I was on a very low dose of E for a long time and it still did wonders.   Guess I sholdn't have said anything.   

Ignore me and talk to the doctor.

K

[Hideyoshi]

E level came in:

71 pg/ml

So it came up in the three months, talked to doc, doubled spiro dose...

let's hope it works

[JennX]

E level came in:

71 pg/ml

So it came up in the three months, talked to doc, doubled spiro dose...

let's hope it works

That's still very low. You want it to be double that. 120-200 pg/ml. Some docs are overly cautious and more concerned with a malpractice suite as opposed to properly treating a patient. Have a talk with your doc, if nothing changes, find another with more trans patient experience.