When were allowed or safe to take HRT again after surgery? Same dose or lesser?

[jojo702]

Hello everyone, just wanted to know when YOU were able to take hormones again after surgery and did you take the same dosage as before surgery or less now that testosterones are no longer being built up? And how did you feel or what did you go through once you started taking estrogen again after surgery? Did you get dizzy or felt like the first time you took HRT?

[spooky]

I think it was at my ten day post-op visit that my doctor told me I could start using hormones again, and I just went right back to my normal dosage. 

For me the only immediate observable effect of hormones is change in libido, which dropped off very quickly - probably faster than when I originally went on hormones, which makes sense because at that time I was on a lower dosage.  Breast tenderness took three months to start happening when I first went on hormones, and also took three months to resume after going off and going back on them.

[MichaelJTritter]

Two weeks for me, I went to my normal dosage for it, but I had my hysto well before hand, so your hormone dosage may need to be changed if you hadn't had an orchi prior to SRS.

[jojo702]

Ok thanks for the insight. I haven't had orchi or any surgeries prior to my SRS+BA so I guess I'll start off with a lesser dosage just to see how it goes then if everything is ok then continue with my normal dosage.

[mrs izzy]

I started day I got back home. Same dosage.

Have had it increased since.

[Jenna Marie]

I started the day I left for home, which was 9 days post-op. I went back on the same dosage as before, but it was super low (within the range of what's used for menopausal cis women) so my endo figured why not see how that worked out. All the follow-up tests she did at 3 months post-op were perfect, so we stuck with that so far.

I now tell other doctors I am in surgical menopause and on HRT, which is 100% true; I got the idea from a friend who had a hysterectomy at around the same age, and has had to say the same thing. It's uncommon for a mid-30s woman to be menopausal, but not unheard of.

[Vicky]

Once again, I am the odd girl out.  My in-hospital meds the morning after surgery had my surgeon's recommended post op dose of E in it, and oh was that a relief to get.  Back home, my Endo halved the surgeon's level (after a phone contact) and put me back on my pre op dose.  We are coming close to 2 years post here, and life is same ol' same ol'.  I still have Spiro since it is my diuretic for control of hypertension.

[jojo702]

Today I took a half dose of estrodial and progesterone injection shot. I was a bit scared because I thought it might kill me or I would faint but I didn't and I fell asleep 2 hours later and felt so tired like what hormones do to you after you take them. So glad it worked out and thanks everyone for the insight.

[PinkCloud]

Two weeks, same dosage. I use patches.

[suzifrommd]

I went back on E two weeks later. Initially I used the same dose, but a few months later, my regular HRT doctor tested my blood levels and found them alarmingly high, so he brought my dose down a bit.