Poll for those on HRT: Progesterone / Progestins

[mfox]

I couldn't find a poll for this already.  Just how many of us are taking progestins, or progesterone, as part of our HRT therapy?

If you can post why you do or don't take it that could be interesting too.  For example, if you answer no, is that because your GP declined to add it for a reason?

[katrinaw]

I started Progesterone to try and recreate the monthly cycles... Emotion and minor body changes (like boob tenderness).

Yes I do go through some tenderness and slight emotional changes... Progesterone or other factors? Really don't know....

So cycle starts on first day of month, till around 10th, vary it slightly each month...

L Katy

[Sunderland]

No, I'm not on it, myself. It wasn't given to me. I don't know what the reasons are. I never even thought about it until now.

Forgive me if I'm inferring this wrongly from the posts in this thread so far, but is it something some people take monthly?

[Muffinheart]

No, I'm not on it, myself. It wasn't given to me. I don't know what the reasons are. I never even thought about it until now.

Forgive me if I'm inferring this wrongly from the posts in this thread so far, but is it something some people take monthly?

I took it daily for 5 years as per endo, but off it now.

[Sabrina]

I take progesterone every evening with all my other hormones.

[ainsley]

I have injected depo provera monthly for more than two years.  My Dr. questioned it once, but I insisted that I wanted to continue it because of the possible positive effects it has on breast growth, and that my mood is more balanced with it and my nails don't break so bad.  She may nix it now that I have had BA, but I am not bringing it up.  I am used to it and feel good now. 

[ChloëAri]

I'd love to add Prometrium, but haven't yet.

[Cindy Stephens]

I hated spironolactone and switched over to injecting depo-provera.  Much better.  Yes, I have read the lit. and except for slightly elevated clotting issues in the first year, it is very safe.   i really noticed breast growth from a "fullness" perspective, and my T has virtually disappeared.  My wife is a bit jealous because I only have to shave my legs every 6 weeks or so.

[Brenda E]

I take medroxyprogesterone acetate daily.  My endo regularly uses it to lower T levels rather than increasing the dose of spironolactone.  Works very well in my case - T plummeted once the MPA was introduced, and I can certainly feel plenty of tenderness in the chest area.  Not sure if that's attributable exclusively to the MPA though, as my estradiol dose was raised at the same time.

[ainsley]

My wife is a bit jealous because I only have to shave my legs every 6 weeks or so.

Yes, I forgot to add that, too.  lol
My wife, daughter and I were all comparing our leg hair growth.  It just kills them because after 3 weeks of no shaving you have to look real close to see anything on mine.  Theirs is apparent after a few days.

[Jenna Marie]

Why not is that I used to be a professional medical librarian and can still access the critical databases; I did the research and decided that the benefits don't outweigh the risks for me. I'm *not* interested in debating it - other people can make their own decisions - but that's the answer to "why."

(5 years HRT, 42DDD and clearly mature/Tanner V breasts, so I don't regret it. The benefits seem likely to have been minimal to nonexistent for me, which affects that risk/benefit ratio too.)

[Sunderland]

Why not is that I used to be a professional medical librarian and can still access the critical databases; I did the research and decided that the benefits don't outweigh the risks for me. I'm *not* interested in debating it - other people can make their own decisions - but that's the answer to "why."

(5 years HRT, 42DDD and clearly mature/Tanner V breasts, so I don't regret it. The benefits seem likely to have been minimal to nonexistent for me, which affects that risk/benefit ratio too.)

42DDD? Wow. Thank you for posting this! It certainly alleviated my anxiety that I might be missing out on something. I feel a lot better now.

[bibilinda]

Hello!!!

I voted "Yes, I take it continuously". The explanation of why I do, is below:

The first years of my HRT I didn't take any progesterone.

Then I started taking natural micronized progesterone (Prometrium or its equivalents) to try and make my breasts grow fuller, because of their cone shape and lack of size. It helped a little.

When I took full dose, along with full dose of estrogen (estradiol), my breasts got a bit fuller, but I also gained weight, specially in the waist and stomach area, besides the breasts, and my face sort of masculinized a bit (lost softness and shape, looked rougher, specially in the jaw and chin area). I just took full dose for six months non-stop.

I was about to stop it altogether, but I am on half dose, once daily, in-between my estradiol intakes, because of a VERY IMPORTANT issue I describe below:

Many doctors agree that, for women who are menopausal, or younger ones who had a hysterectomy (equivalent to getting into menopause instantly), and of course for MTF transwomen, who are not hermaphrodites and never had any ovaries to start with, progesterone is NECESSARY because:

Progesterone counteracts the negative effects of estrogen. There has to be some sort of a balance between the two hormones. So, many doctors and scientists, based on real studies, have concluded that, when somebody takes estrogen alone FOR A LONG PERIOD of time, or what they call "unopposed estrogen intake", there's an increased risk of the following negative effects, caused by an estrogen-only therapy:

- Breast cancer
- Blood clotting
- Fluid retention
- Weight gain (obesity) and the myriad of problems that this may cause.

Bottom line, in my particular case, being a person with a mother-side history of circulatory problems, and being a diabetic as well, which makes me prone to many complications non-diabetics are not as likely to have as I do, AS A PRECAUTION, I take half of the maximum Prometrium dose, every day, in between my estradiol intake, just to prevent the ill effects of long-term unoppossed estradiol intake (July this year will be my 6th HRT anniversary, so I have been taking estrogen for a long time now).

I've noticed that my breasts decreased in both fullness and size after I stopped taking full progesterone dose, but I have also noticed that the circulatory problems, like varicose veins, numbness and others, have decreased as well, not to mention my weight loss, which has been caused as well by the anti-diabetic medicine that I started taking last year, which regulates the fat absorption in the body and changes the distribution of fat into less risky areas.

So that's my experience and some science based on my decision of taking half dose every day, I hope this was insightful to anyone!

Cheers

Bibi B.

I couldn't find a poll for this already.  Just how many of us are taking progestins, or progesterone, as part of our HRT therapy?

If you can post why you do or don't take it that could be interesting too.  For example, if you answer no, is that because your GP declined to add it for a reason?

[katrinaw]

Maybe Bibi B has a good valid point, might see my Dr to address the potential of risk? Thanks Bibi 

L Katy

[Lady_Oracle]

I've been on prometrium since october of 2012 was on medroxy before that. It was giving me terrible side effects like depression so I made the switch.

My doc prescribed me progesterone when I started hrt so I've never really been off of it. I don't cycle it either. I take it everyday. I do notice that when I go a few days without it I start to get mood swings and just feel really irritable. My breast development has been pretty steady and gradual, they've matured quite a bit. They're at the 4th tanner stage and still growing. I don't come from a busty family so they're not huge or anything. I'm a full A cup. I'll probably reach a full B cup at some point, especially if I gain weight.

[bibilinda]

Jenna Marie, are you intersex by any chance? Or did you start HRT during your puberty? Those are the only cases I know of, where a MTF woman can reach, naturally --no implants-- anything beyond a full B cup, without being overweight or fairly obese. If you are not in any of those classifications and still developed such big breasts only through HRT, then you must bee one of the luckiest trans women on the planet and I am not kidding about it!

Cheers

Bibi B.

Why not is that I used to be a professional medical librarian and can still access the critical databases; I did the research and decided that the benefits don't outweigh the risks for me. I'm *not* interested in debating it - other people can make their own decisions - but that's the answer to "why."

(5 years HRT, 42DDD and clearly mature/Tanner V breasts, so I don't regret it. The benefits seem likely to have been minimal to nonexistent for me, which affects that risk/benefit ratio too.)

[Beth Andrea]

I take an OTC progesterone cream, applying about 1 tbsp twice daily (with the E pills). My endo dr knows of this, and says that as long as my bloodwork is good, there's no worry.

I started originally to mimick the cycles, but after a while I noticed that the breasts would..."deflate"...a little when off for just a few days, and would reinflate (for lack of a better word) soon after resuming P cream.

deflate = less firm, a little smaller
inflate = more firm, a bit bigger

Been on HRT for 3 years now, P cream for about 2.

[Eva Marie]

I was on a transitioning dose of HRT for about 6 months and then my endo introduced prometrium. I've been on the prometrium for about 8 months and the high level dose of HRT for about 14 months now. I cycle it on a 12 day cycle each month as my endo prefers.

The emotional effects include sometimes mild sometimes wild emotional mood swings, mild headaches, mild queasiness, mild irritability, short on patience - sort of a PMS lite deal  Each month when it's time to start a cycle i'm always kind of excited and by the end of the 12 days i'm ready to stop taking it. My friend describes Progesterone as "cloying" and I think that's an apt description of the way I feel on day 12.

I knew something was up physically when I began having trouble pulling my jeans up past my butt; my butt has just about grown out of my size 10s at this point  . My boobs lost the traffic cone shape; they rounded out and look like adult women's breasts now. And I am gaining weight around my middle because I can't get enough to eat during those 12 days 

[Muffinheart]

Linda...you, and everyone bring up good points.
(Funny you mention boob siizes...I've read in these blogs about size D cups after six months, smh)
I was on progesterone for five years, but following blood work after my GRS, my endo reduced my estrogen by 50% as my levels were almost triple, and I was sort of irritable (so my partner says), almost like I was PMSing.
Everything has been fine, now about 3 months in just the reduced estrace.
I'm 50, mom died of breast cancer at 49.
I'm not really sure why my endo took me off progesterone, but I want to call her today and ask if the risks outweighs the benefits at my age and now on HRT over six years.
I know I don't want to lose what boobage I have, modest B cup at best (my mom was a B, plus I have a low BMI, so not a lot of excess tissue I can even squeeze into that area to enhance)
Any thoughts?

[Jenna Marie]

Bibi : Not intersex, started HRT at 32, but I'm definitely not skinny. (My GP says about 3/4 of this is glandular breast tissue, though, and breasts can be half fat or more... I'm kinda hoping they don't get much bigger from fat!) Dunno about the luckiest in the world, since I'd kill to have gotten off more lightly in terms of T poisoning with the face and belly.

With that said, I think there've even been polls on this very site where plenty of women report being bigger than a B cup. And of course cup size isn't static - a 40B is the same volume as a 38C and 36D, so a trans woman with a bigger rib cage may have a B cup that's considerably larger than a cis woman's 36B, etc. I figure it's mostly genetics and luck of the draw, just like for cis girls.