Progesterone!

[EllieM]

Aahhhhh, otays. Which one would that be? I'm on the white ones they look like pearls lol These ones, can they be taken sublingually?

I've been on those for over a year, recommended by my endo.  I tried the sublingual thing with them, it's not nice. I don't know how effective it would be anyway, the micronized progesterone is suspended in peanut oil and I doubt that there would be much uptake buccally. I have been careful about avoiding food for two hours before ingestion and one hour after, however.

When I rise from my bed in the wee hours, for my mandatory nightly "stroll", I take the morning dose (sometimes being older has a hidden advantage). The evening dose comes just before I leave work at the end of the day. That give me a comfortable foodless time window. As for the drowsiness, I have found that I require more sleep but then people my age do anyway, don't they?

[gabimoneratt]

I've been on androcur,  which is also a progesterone, and it always ends up giving me anxiety and depression... Since I've pretty much always been on it I'm not sure if it does have an effect on boobs, mine didn't grow aaall that much... It did lower my testosterone levels like no tomorrow though.
EDIT:
Not a progesterone,  a progestin,  has similar effects to progesterone but it isn't  the same.  Sorry for the wrong  info, I just had read this online and believed it. Oh well,  living and learning  🙂 I do get it prescribed as an antiandrogen by my endocrinologist and I get regular blood tests to make sure everything is OK. Thanks for correcting me kira21 and for talking about the side effects of the drug, wynternight. Next time I'll make sure about what I post about before doing so. Continue on, people 🙂

[kira21 ♡♡♡]

Androcur (cyproterone acetate) is a progestogen/progestin, not 'a progesterone'. There is progesterone and then there are progestins. They all have differing effects, for example some of them have androgenic effects such as Levenorgestrel, and others have anti-androgenic effects such as cyproterone acetate.

They are all separate and distinct in their own right with their own side effects and risks. The fact that they are all lumped together and called progesterone by many has lead to confusion such as the DVT risk, which is associated with progestogens such as medroxyprogesterone acetate, but much less with micronised progesterone, such as that in prometrium.

Whichever side of the argument that you are on re breast growth, prometrium is still the one to be on due to the fact it is regarded as better tolerated and, depending on which side of the fence you are on, arguably more effective.

[Wynternight]

Cyproterone acetate is banned in the US due to it's hepatoxicity so I hope your GP is following your liver functions closely. It''s also has a nasty habit (30% in the literature) of increasing depression and when used in conjunction with ethinyl estradiol increases the risk of DVT  six- to seven-fold.

There's other side effects notes like decreased cortisol levels due to suppressed adrenal function which can lead to metabolic side effects, endocrine issues and electrolyte imbalances so I hope they also do fairly regular Comprehensive Metabolic Panels on you.

[Isabelle]

Keeping in mind that the plural of anecdote is not data and absolutely no one knows because a (as far as I'm aware) proper, peer reviewed, controlled and double blind study has never been published.

Now, personally (remembering, anecdotal evidence is not evidence) I think* progesterone cycling helped with breast tissue development. I also think* it makes me have some pretty wild mood swings and makes me to a little nuts with depression, anger, frustration etc.. Basically I become a psychotic bitch for about a week. It's not fun.

*think doesn't equal know, I could easily be mistaken

[AnonyMs]

Basically, remember your doctor works for you. If you want progesterone, and there are no high risk reasons for you not to take it, your doctor should prescribe it, if you insist. It is YOUR transition, not your doctor's.

People need to remember this. We give our docs too much power.

I couldn't agree more with this. Fire your doctor.

It seems to me that all medicines are potentially dangerous and are going to kill someone, somewhere, its just a matter of risk/benefit. Life itself is risky and ultimately fatal. I'll bet your doctor can't give you a estimate of the risk of taking progesterone, but say it was 1% lifetime death rate (but lets hope not). Just to put it in perspective that's less than your chance of dying in a car accident. Plenty of people smoke or are overweight. We all take risks, and its our responsibility. It's the doctors responsibility to inform your of the risk. They might not agree unfortunately, but then its time to find another one.

I'm not really sure myself if progesterone is beneficial in the long term, but I'm taking it regardless. Perhaps it is, and I'll take the risk for that potential benefit.

And for what is worth, my endo supports progesterone. So far as I can tell he sees just about every transgender person in Sydney. Its a big city, and a lot of trans people.

[Beth Andrea]

I take an over-the-counter cream. It works for me, enough that my gf could tell when I went off it (I cycled it, 3 weeks on + 1 week off).

Been on HRT (E + S) for 2.75 years, P for about 1 year +ish. Started P with an A+ cup (almost filling a B bra), now filling a B completely and thinking about getting into a C.

Bloodwork has been 100% for the entire time, my endo knows and doesn't feel there's a problem. (He is very pro-TS, btw)

YMMV, fwiw, etc.

[justpat]

   I am on the peach colored prometrium  it is half the dose of the white. My GYN said it is the only one she prescribes for us and she has around 20 patients and has been caring of us since 1997. My CVS Carmark guide directions say with or without meals and I have been taking it with along with the other meds after supper.
Sleep has been wonderful ,literally pass out for around four hours which is a lot for me, get up and take care of business and go right back to sleep. Never was able to do that before. No side effects what so ever.Had great growth before and still do, B cups are long gone, no complaints at all. Think I will try taking it at the mid sleep break like some one suggested and see if it changes anything.

[TSJasmine]

I couldn't agree more with this. Fire your doctor.

It seems to me that all medicines are potentially dangerous and are going to kill someone, somewhere, its just a matter of risk/benefit. Life itself is risky and ultimately fatal. I'll bet your doctor can't give you a estimate of the risk of taking progesterone, but say it was 1% lifetime death rate (but lets hope not). Just to put it in perspective that's less than your chance of dying in a car accident. Plenty of people smoke or are overweight. We all take risks, and its our responsibility. It's the doctors responsibility to inform your of the risk. They might not agree unfortunately, but then its time to find another one.

I'm not really sure myself if progesterone is beneficial in the long term, but I'm taking it regardless. Perhaps it is, and I'll take the risk for that potential benefit.

And for what is worth, my endo supports progesterone. So far as I can tell he sees just about every transgender person in Sydney. Its a big city, and a lot of trans people.

I guess that is an option now although I don't think I would. I only gave him "so much power" before because I was under age & he *is* a doctor. It seems he's beginning to listen a bit more now though especially since he upped my dosage when I asked as before he would always say no. For the people who are curious, I just turned 18. I have to go to a children's hospital to see my doctor & I'm somewhat afraid to see another because it seems that the other endocrinologist in town just aren't as professional.

[EllieM]

the plural of anecdote is not data

This! ^^^

[AnonyMs]

I can understand why you'd want to stick with him. It sounds like you were fortunate to get HRT at all. I guess the other approach is to collect lots of information on safety and keep pressuring him.