Coming Off Hormones Prior to SRS

[Anonymouse]

I will finally be having SRS with Dr Suporn in November.

Suporn recommends stopping oral hormones at least 1 week prior to surgery but my specialist recommends I stop at least one month before surgery.

Obviously I don't want to risk DVT but I've not been without HRT for more than three days since 1999 and I'm quite worried about my mental & emotional stability without them.

I'd be really grateful for any advice.

Ann

[Steph]

I had my surgery with Brassard and he also wants his patients to stop HRT prior to SRS.  Like you I too suffered a little anxiety over the prospect of stopping HRT, however I suffered no ill effects and I don't recall any emotional changes.  Additionally you will no doubt have to reduce your doses once post op and even eliminate some meds as they will no longer be required.  Remember to discuss this with your doctor.  Just think of it as being a part of the journey and you will be fine.  Girls got to do, what a girls got to do.

Steph

[debisl]

I have just gone of them since Aug 29th. I seam to be ok so far. I do feel myself being a little on edge, but I am thinking it may be the anticipation of SRS. I have been off of them before for a while with no problems.

I just wonder if your body somehow evolves after long exposures to harmones and starts to produce a little amount of female harmones on its own??

Deb

[katia]

i just had surgery with dr. bowers on the 29th of last month. she recommended i discontinue hormones three weeks before the big day.  i didn't notice any significant changes, yet i didn't feel "right".  dunno how to explain it.  maybe displaced is the right word?

[Keira]

Deb, it takes a while for the T factories to come on line, especially in your case... And even when they come back up, its not at full blast, it takes a while to ramp up.

As for diminishing HRT doses post-SRS, there is controversy on this issue.

I myself believe that unless you've been 10 years on HRT, you should not cut anything except maybe the anti-androgen.

[Steph]

Deb, it takes a while for the T factories to come on line, especially in your case... And even when they come back up, its not at full blast, it takes a while to ramp up.

As for diminishing HRT doses post-SRS, there is controversy on this issue.

I myself believe that unless you've been 10 years on HRT, you should not cut anything except maybe the anti-androgen.

Just to add a little more, and may be stray off topic a little...  I'm presently 8 months post op and I discontinued spiro and my estrodiol dose was cut in half.  I've been to my endo 3 times since my estro dose was halved and my estrogen levels are still a little higher than expected in a natal female, which is what she wants to maintain.

The best advice is to consult with your Dr/endo as everyone reacts differently to medication.

Steph

[lisagurl]

It takes awhile to feel the effects . The first week is hardly noticeable. It is the second week after surgery the weird feelings get stronger but by then you are on pain meds so when you start estrogen in the 4 week the whole experience is negligible.

[tinkerbell]

I also stopped aldactone and estrogen prior to my SRS.  Afterwards, the aldactone was discontinued permanently and my estrogen dosage decreased to what a natal female would take during menopause.

For additional reference, this is the thread I created months ago asking the same question:

https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,8515.0.html


tink

[lisagurl]

I also stopped aldactone and estrogen prior to my SRS.  Afterward, the aldactone was discontinued permanently and my estrogen dosage decreased to what a natal female would take during menopause.

For additional reference, this is the thread I created months ago asking the same question:

https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,8515.0.html


tink

That might work for you but my blood tests indicated that I needed about half of what I was taking preop. Others have said low doses leave you with headaches, tired, mood swings, low sex drive and faster aging skin.

[LynnER]

i just had surgery with dr. bowers on the 29th of last month. she recommended i discontinue hormones three weeks before the big day.  i didn't notice any significant changes, yet i didn't feel "right".  dunno how to explain it.  maybe displaced is the right word?

Wow... last I had heard and last time I had checked she didnt have you stop HRT at all... just reduce your dosage to a post op level 3 weeks or so before the surgery....  Oh well, I guess things change...

[Sheila]

I was told to cut out the estrogen about 6 weeks prior to surgery. I had all ready stopped my spiro as I had an orchi to stop production of testosterone. I had a few hot flashes and I got a little irritable, but other than that I was fine. I had been on hormones for about 5 years when I had my surgery.
Sheila

[katia]

i just had surgery with dr. bowers on the 29th of last month. she recommended i discontinue hormones three weeks before the big day.  i didn't notice any significant changes, yet i didn't feel "right".  dunno how to explain it.  maybe displaced is the right word?

Wow... last I had heard and last time I had checked she didnt have you stop HRT at all... just reduce your dosage to a post op level 3 weeks or so before the surgery....  Oh well, I guess things change...

this is true lynner as long as your endocrinologist agrees with dr. bower's questionnaire.  if you lack plateletes in your blood (a condition known as thrombocytopenia) then you need to take the necessary precautions stated under your medical chart.  forgive me for not having gone into details about  my personal medical history as it isn't relevant to anyone here.

[Keira]

During FFS, not that minor an ops (5-6 hours), didn't have to stop estrogen at all (with brassard). Not quite sure why you should since women don't have to cut estrogen before major surgery? Its administration mode and genetic clotting risks that increase the risk of DVT during surgery; if you get HRT through patches and have no predisposition, there should be no problem t all.

As for having the same level as natal female post SRS, since HGH (human growth hormones) are lower than when younger, I still maintain that unless devellopment is finished (7-10 years on HRT), you will be shortchanged at natal premenopausal levels. I don't really get the conservatism of doctors regarding HRT; I've read plenty of studies on none really explain it.

[gothique11]

I have just gone of them since Aug 29th. I seam to be ok so far. I do feel myself being a little on edge, but I am thinking it may be the anticipation of SRS. I have been off of them before for a while with no problems.

I just wonder if your body somehow evolves after long exposures to harmones and starts to produce a little amount of female harmones on its own??

Deb

I wonder if that is true, since I have more hormones in my body than should be there with drugs alone. Over time, my E levels have kept going up and up. It maybe that it takes a long time for the E to go out, but your body can produce E. My T levels are way down and keep going down and down (I've actually had my Spiro cut once, since I didn't need such a high dose anymore, and since the cut it has gone down once again). It could be that the E is just building up in my system and not leaving as fast as it is supposed to.

My T factories are pretty much gone -- and I'm pretty sure they are actually dead, since it's all mush and trying to find what tiny bit is left isn't always easy... maybe the size of a raisin. So, I don't know if stopping my HRT for a month is going to be a long enough time for my factories to work again (assuming they are permanently damaged) ... I don't think they actually produce anything much (if anything) anymore, if the numbers are an indication of anything.

[regina]

I just wonder if your body somehow evolves after long exposures to harmones and starts to produce a little amount of female harmones on its own??

Wishful thinking, but no.

ciao,
Gina M.