I can't get a straight answer regarding progesterone

[Hideyoshi]

And it is driving me insane.

After sixteen months of high dose estradiol and spironolactone, my hormone levels are still in the male range.  I went to an endo yesterday and he suggested upping my estradiol 25% and adding progesterone.  I brought up to him that I've heard mixed reviews for its efficacy and safety.  His response was

"it is safe and efficacious"

Then I go online on Trans forums and sites and I get mixed information and it's driving me bat->-bleeped-<-.  I mean prairiedogging panic attacking crazy.

I read the insert. I understand the risks, but frankly, every medication seems to have violent death as a side effect so I have no idea what to believe.  before you naysay abou progesterone, I'd like to get the opinions of people who have actually taken it as opposed to reading about it on wikipedia.

#goingsocrazyiusedahashtag

[suzifrommd]

I think it's because no one's done any research on how HRT affects us (or about just about any aspect of transgender medical treatment) so it's all conjecture one way or the other.

[Joan]

If you find out please let me know. I'm due for a shot of it myself at my next endo appointment in a week 

[Cindy]

I think this is the usual case that no two endocrinologists agree on anything. My endo doesn't routinely use it, not for any saftey reason but she feels I would not benefit, others may. I would just trust your doctor and not get worried about it. I think I have formed the opinion that every woman whose treatment is working is happy with that treatment.

[Kaylee]

I've noticed an increase in breast growth since going on P 3 months ago, but I don't know if that is down to the P or I was due a growth spurt anyway... I'm not dead though, so if it's not going to kill me where's the harm in trying.

[Heather]

I've been on progesterone for the past 7 months when I first took it my testosterone level was 226 just this week it was 211 so I don't know of the effectiveness of it as far as dropping your T into a feminine range. Now I have noticed that my breast seem fuller since starting I have heard progesterone can do that but I don't know that for a fact it was the P that did it on it's on. I really don't know how safe it is I guess I've made it 7 months and I haven't dropped dead so that's a plus. But maybe you should just try it out and see how you feel if you don't like it quit.

[Brooke777]

They put me on progesterone because of my testosterone levels. Since I go to the VA, I see an endo team, not just one doctor. They believe that progesterone helps block your body from absorbing testosterone. This has allowed me to be on a lower dose of estrogen which from what they told me is the dangerous medication.

I don't know if it is related or not, but I have had good breast growth, and hip development.

I hope this helps a little.

[kathyk]

Cindy is right.  Follow advice, but watch for changes you don't like.  Let them try to find out if P can get the E level up where it's above the average female range, and lower the T way down.  I quit taking Progesterone because I started loosing hair.  .  As with anything else we take, your mileage may vary.

[stephaniec]

I think this is the usual case that no two endocrinologists agree on anything. My endo doesn't routinely use it, not for any saftey reason but she feels I would not benefit, others may. I would just trust your doctor and not get worried about it. I think I have formed the opinion that every woman whose treatment is working is happy with that treatment.

I go with this.

[Jerri]

I also found so much mixed information that i just went for it, I have been on p for 2 months and find it has no bad effects at all, much more sensitivity in my breasts and nipples, my t was still 575 that is why i need to do or try something and I was pretty high on my spiro so this was an option my doc offered. i will blood work done this afternoon so will know in a few days how well it is defeating the production of t and will post an update when i have that data. bottom for me I have no reason to consider not keep p as a standard component of my hrt program for as long as the endo will write it in.
Jerri

[lilacwoman]

P is recommended by some UK doctors but liek any other potentially dangerous medciation it is probably the basic state of health that makes some drugs kill some people - anyone doing HRT woudl be eating and drinking healthy anyway?

[Hideyoshi]

Thanks for your responses. I've decided I will go ahead and try the p. When i get my blood test next month, hopefully I'll see a change

Thanks again and ofc feel free to keep discussing it

[Joanna Dark]

I think it's because no one's done any research on how HRT affects us (or about just about any aspect of transgender medical treatment) so it's all conjecture one way or the other.

There's been so many studies with tens of thousands of transsexuals monitored long-term about the effects of HRT.

As far as P, don't take the advice of people on forums regarding meds. Take your docs. It will bring down T and it works in synergy with E and in MTFs who took P as opposed to ones who didn't, there's been one study, the P taking trans women had breasts identical to genetic females whereas the non-P group had tissue that could clearly be differentiated.

Wow, I can't elieve people's T levels are so high when on spiro. I stopped taking HRT for a week and a half, enough time for the body to rebound somewhat, and my T was 180. Now, I'm prolly chemically castrated as my testes have vanished.

I do wnt to go on P though for the hip and butt development as I heard it contributd to overall body feminization, so on Monday, I'm asking my doc and sking him to say it's for depression so my Medicaid covers it. They won't cover HRT in general, just methadone and suboxone, which I don't need.

[DrBobbi]

here's the straight scoop of progesterone...?  it can up T levels and cause bloating.

[Kelly-087]

My doctor mentioned adding it in passing at a later date. Although that has yet to come.

I don't think it's so inherently dangerous on it's own, but simply another risk factor that we're exposed to along this medication route.. And some doctors don't believe it's effective: mainly; as someone else mentioned because of lack or research. So why add in that risk if we don't know it will do anything? Also as I understand it, the risk for complications with Progesterone is somewhat higher than Estrogen.

[Missy~rmdlm]

Provera hasn't exactly blown my T number up... but perhaps down.

[sam79]

I tried P + E a long time ago while still battling my T levels, on the advice of my endo. Prior to that I was on spiro + E and still had T in the male range. After just over a week, I refused to take P any longer. I felt my T levels skyrocket and I was a complete raging mess. Spiro + E had a better effect than that so I went back on that after consulting with my endo.

From experience, I'm not a fan of either P or spiro for its anti-androgenic effects. My endo tells me that they use similar indirect mechanisms to try and slow T production. On me, they're practically useless. There are better anti-androgen medications out there which work differently, acting on the pituitary gland as my endo tells me, to stop T production.

So if you're like me and P does bad things for you, I'd highly recommend talking to your endo about more serious anti-androgens.

Good luck. Oh, and stay away from avocados.

[sam79]

Why? What happens if I eat an avocado?

As I recently discovered, they counteract HRT in some ways.

They encourage T production, and slow absorption of E. Certainly had a big effect on me .

[Jenna Stannis]

My endo doesn't routinely use it, not for any saftey reason but she feels I would not benefit...

That's what my endo said, too. He said he'd gladly prescribe it if I asked, but he said that it's outdated and unnecessary. He did tell me that some patients said that it helped, but he seemed to think the effects were too small to warrant the extra risk. My endo has gazillions of trans clients and is a very candid, upfront and altogether nice guy.

[Jenna Stannis]

As I recently discovered, they counteract HRT in some ways.

They encourage T production, and slow absorption of E. Certainly had a big effect on me .

How did you measure that effect?