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[Gone]

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[Nicolette]

I know nothing about Finasteride. But if you didn't get some regrowth after 4 years of cyproterone acetate, how will Finasteride + post-op perform any better?

[Evolving Beauty]

I even wonder what's the utility of Finasteride now that you have your testicles removed and not producing anymore DHT(dehydrotestosterone) which causes male pattern baldness. Your adenals produce only 10% of T but that's not harmful at all. It's really not necessary, the best way to solve the hair problem is a direct hair transplant surgery or Scalp advancement surgery.

[Nicolette]

Cherrie, do you know what your post-op T levels are at the moment?

[JennX]

You should no longer need Finasteride, Dutasteride, (Propecia, Proscar, Avodart) postop from SRS. If you have doubts, have both your T and DHT levels checked. I can't think of any reason a doc would prescribe it postop... Unless you have a set of incredibly hyperactive adrenal glands (which I've never seen/heard of).

[Nicolette]

All he said was that my T levels are normal for someone post-up, similar to females who also have some testosterone. I don't think he mentioned a number. He also said that my oestrogen level is a bit below 100 and he said he said that's okay. My bloodtest was a couple of weeks ago. My endo is from the VUmc in Amsterdam and in my experience they don't give much info after bloodtest. I'm considering going to another endo, if I can find one outside of VUmc. I did not have my srs there anyway and I don't like the way they work.

If I look for another endo should I still look for one with experience with tg people? I guess so, but I'm not totally sure. Checking my hormone levels isn't something I can ask my gp to do right?

Going to my NHS GP is what I've always done. I get 'free' blood tests done this way and then I pass on the results to my gender specialist who knows how to read the results. My GP doesn't have the best knowledge on what the levels should be.

The oestrogen level could be a bit low. I'd try to pry those numbers out of your endo, if you can. Especially if he's prescribing Finasteride based on those numbers.

[JennX]

All he said was that my T levels are normal for someone post-up, similar to females who also have some testosterone. I don't think he mentioned a number. He also said that my oestrogen level is a bit below 100 and he said he said that's okay. My bloodtest was a couple of weeks ago. My endo is from the VUmc in Amsterdam and in my experience they don't give much info after bloodtest. I'm considering going to another endo, if I can find one outside of VUmc. I did not have my srs there anyway and I don't like the way they work.

If I look for another endo should I still look for one with experience with tg people? I guess so, but I'm not totally sure. Checking my hormone levels isn't something I can ask my gp to do right?

Get the numbers and units of measure. They are important.

Normal testosterone levels in postop women range from 15-80 nd/dl or in the European SI units... 193-1030 pmol/L. Average is usually right around 40 ng/dl (514.8 pmol/L).

If you total T levels are markedly higher (or lower) there is something else physiologically going on that your doc needs to make you aware of.

[JennX]

I will try to get the numbers. It'll probable take 50 e-mails and phonecalls and a month or three to get them, if I get them at all. But I will try.. I only have to ask for the testosterone and oestrogen levels right? And DHT? I don't know what DHT is and iwether or not those levels were in my last bloodtest, but I will ask. Thanks.

The testosterone and estradiol (or oestrogen) levels will be enough. Most docs don't test for DHT unless you specify it, or they are monitoring it for you, due to your concern of hair loss.

Just call or email the office. Any nurse or medical office staff member should be able to get them for you.

[dalebert]

A very low dose i think if I read the leaflet in which it says what people normally should take.

It may be talking about it's use for treating enlarged prostates which is generally much higher than the dosage for hair loss. That's what it was primarily prescribed for in larger dosages before they realized it was useful for hair loss prevention, and possibly body hair reduction.

[pebbles]

I'm fairly sure it won't help if your post Op, So your Testis produce Testosterone, And a Fraction of that is converted by your prostate and hair follicles into a more potent form called DHT (Di-Hydro-Testostersone) which is responsible for the bulk of male pattern hairloss and other masculinisation effects.

Dutastride and Finasteride interfere with this conversion process.
Thing is you've had your testicles removed, So Your DHT levels will be basically nil anyway as Testosersone is converted into DHT at a low ratio It won't have any effect on you.

Oh and yeah your T levels are incredibly low, Like 1/6th mine.

[dalebert]

@dalebert given the fact that it says 'only for males' on the box I guess you could be right lol

And also because it can cause severe birth defects in boys in the womb. They have very strong warnings against pregnant women or any women who think they MIGHT become pregnant from ingesting it or even handling broken tablets because apparently it can be absorbed through the skin.

[Ms Grace]

So your Testis produce Testosterone, And a Fraction of that is converted by your prostate and hair follicles into a more potent form called DHT (Di-Hydro-Testostersone) which is responsible for the bulk of male pattern hairloss and other masculinisation effects.

Dutastride and Finasteride interfere with this conversion process.

That's how it was explained to me by my endo. It's not so much the level of T in your system but how much gets converted into DHT and how your scalp follicles respond to it. I've never had high T but my follicles don't react well to DHT.  I'm pre op and have had significant thinning over the years between my HRTs. I asked my endo about Finasteride but he recommended against it saying it can cause lethargy (apparently there's a class action in the US at the moment?). As has been pointed out above by others, if your T is very low then chances are Fin probably won't have much desired effect anyway, that's also what my endo said. He recommended Regaine (Minoxidil) which you rub in to the scalp - it stimulates the follicles and assists with regrowth. It takes a while, up to four months before its effects are noticeable but if you have low T and a good hairline already it might be sooner. I'm noticing some nice effects - so fingers crossed!