information prior to informed consent

[Missadventure]

So I have an appointment at the Howard Brown center in Chicago on the 8th to do bloodwork and to meet with a Hormone Adviser, and should that all go well I will hopefully be heading back there on the 10th to get my Rx. Excited doesn't do the feeling justice.

Anyway. As it's an informed consent program, I'd like to head in there with information in hand to basically say "this is what I already know. This is what I've heard. This is what I want to do. This is why. What do you think about all that?" rather than just going in there and saying "Guh... I want 'mones for boobies!"

So. What I know is that Spiro is the AA of choice pretty much universally here in the US. In terms of estrogen, I think I'd opt to go the injection route (seems to be the preference of HB too, from what I've read on the internet, so that should be fine). And, that combo seems to be well established in terms of effacy and base of use.

So, mainly my questions are regarding finesteride and micronized progesterone.

Searching through forums, finesteride seems to be great at dealing with male pattern baldness, once you get past the shedding stage. I've also read reports of people saying it helped them lose muscle mass quicker, as well as reports of it helping people shrink in height and feet size. Obviously that's highly anecdotal, but I am curious how common those effects are. I'm okay with being 5'11". Plenty of tall women out there. But, if my feet were to shrink a size to a size and a half that would be the cats pajamas. What are the "advertized" pro's of finesteride, and what are the cons?

Also, is spiro or finesteride an either/or scenario? Or, are there women out there who do both? what would be the benefits and drawbacks to that?

And, micronized progesterone. Seems to be a pretty polar division on that topic out there, with one camp saying "Great for your breasts/emotional health/etc" and others saying "it will reduce the effect of estrogen/expensive waste of money/etc".. Still, from what I've read I want to try it, or at least have a good long discussion with the doctor about it. I already have a small B cup - I was a heavy man, and strangely when I lost the weight it came off everywhere else BUT there (I'm not complaining), but, it's lumpy fatty tissue, and my hope is the progesterone furthers the glandular aspect and makes them not look like lumpy fatty tissue.

Also, should finesteride wind up being something I seriously contemplate, is there anyone who has experience doing that with micronized progesterone? I read somewhere on the interwebs that the former renders the latter "inert". I have no idea how true that would be. So, looking for folks with firsthand experience.

Anyway. Thanks!

[Thylacin]

So I have an appointment at the Howard Brown center in Chicago on the 8th to do bloodwork and to meet with a Hormone Adviser, and should that all go well I will hopefully be heading back there on the 10th to get my Rx. Excited doesn't do the feeling justice.

Anyway. As it's an informed consent program, I'd like to head in there with information in hand to basically say "this is what I already know. This is what I've heard. This is what I want to do. This is why. What do you think about all that?" rather than just going in there and saying "Guh... I want 'mones for boobies!"

So. What I know is that Spiro is the AA of choice pretty much universally here in the US. In terms of estrogen, I think I'd opt to go the injection route (seems to be the preference of HB too, from what I've read on the internet, so that should be fine). And, that combo seems to be well established in terms of effacy and base of use.

So, mainly my questions are regarding finesteride and micronized progesterone.

Searching through forums, finesteride seems to be great at dealing with male pattern baldness, once you get past the shedding stage. I've also read reports of people saying it helped them lose muscle mass quicker, as well as reports of it helping people shrink in height and feet size. Obviously that's highly anecdotal, but I am curious how common those effects are. I'm okay with being 5'11". Plenty of tall women out there. But, if my feet were to shrink a size to a size and a half that would be the cats pajamas. What are the "advertized" pro's of finesteride, and what are the cons?

Also, is spiro or finesteride an either/or scenario? Or, are there women out there who do both? what would be the benefits and drawbacks to that?

And, micronized progesterone. Seems to be a pretty polar division on that topic out there, with one camp saying "Great for your breasts/emotional health/etc" and others saying "it will reduce the effect of estrogen/expensive waste of money/etc".. Still, from what I've read I want to try it, or at least have a good long discussion with the doctor about it. I already have a small B cup - I was a heavy man, and strangely when I lost the weight it came off everywhere else BUT there (I'm not complaining), but, it's lumpy fatty tissue, and my hope is the progesterone furthers the glandular aspect and makes them not look like lumpy fatty tissue.

Also, should finesteride wind up being something I seriously contemplate, is there anyone who has experience doing that with micronized progesterone? I read somewhere on the interwebs that the former renders the latter "inert". I have no idea how true that would be. So, looking for folks with firsthand experience.

Anyway. Thanks!

My doctor tells me (every time I ask) that progesterone can sometimes help with areola/nipple development, but the potential risks aren't worth it. It is, however, something he will consider adding to my treatment somewhere down the line if I am not satisfied with E/spiro.
Treatment options are also not very well studied, so almost every opinion that something works better/worse than something else is based on anecdotes and personal experience, which isn't nearly conclusive. Especially considering how much variation there is in results with HRT. My doctor's take is to increase doses/add things as needed over time.

[Thylacin]

One additional thing you should look into is Retin-A. It's a prescription skin medication that speeds up the turnover rate of skin cells, and can help dramatically with wrinkles/fine lines/scars/rough skin/pores/etc/etc and help with facial feminization as far as skin appearance is concerned.

[Missadventure]

One additional thing you should look into is Retin-A. It's a skin medication that speeds up the turnover rate of skin cells, and can help dramatically with wrinkles/fine lines/scars/rough skin/pores/etc/etc and help with facial feminization as far as skin appearance is concerned.

Thanks! I will look into that. I had my gallbladder removed a few years ago (life's 30th birthday present to me  ) and the scars still haven't gone away enough for my satisfaction.

[Thylacin]

Aw!
I don't know of Retin-A's effects on deep/surgical scars, but I know that it's often use for things like acne scars. Worth looking into and asking your doctor about.