Herbs before initial bloodwork

[Amy Chislett]

Should I cut back or out herbal hormonal supplements before seeing my first doctor for lab work?  Iow, to get the proper dose (I intend to quit herbs) quit now?  I don't know what to expect.   I think I'll ask for pills rather than shots.

[KayXo]

Herbs won't increase estradiol levels in the blood but some might reduce the concentrations of androgens.

[Devlyn]

I took herbals up to my initial HRT blood work. Based on my physicians assurance that I would be  prescribed hormones a week later as long as the blood work results came back healthy, I stopped then.

Anecdotally, my estradiol was essentially non existent (normal male range) and my testosterone was well below normal male range.

Hugs, Devlyn

[Ashley3]

Should I cut back or out herbal hormonal supplements before seeing my first doctor for lab work?  Iow, to get the proper dose (I intend to quit herbs) quit now?  I don't know what to expect.   I think I'll ask for pills rather than shots.

I assume you mean blood work as part of an HRT onboarding process... regardless...

Golden rule of thumb: Check with your physician.

Personally, as a non doctor, my feeling is yes you should stop any self-dosing prior to the visits because the doctor is looking, contingent on observing your viability for HRT, to get you on a dosage that interacts with your body in a perfect way, which means without other interfering medications getting the way of either the assessment or dosing thereafter.

Based on what I've read of others above, it seems it may not be a big deal but my first recommendation is to simply give the doc's office and call...they will gladly tell you what they prefer. Or, if you feel that may get in the way of your process... I can see that happening actually, where a clinic says "yes stop" and postpones... then I'd simply stop on my own if it were me.

I feel there's so many logistical gate-keeping and other things that can get in the way of approval processes... best to cross T's, dot I's, and be 100% in line with the clinic you're going to. Aside from good wisdom, it's actually respectful of their process and of them.

All that said, I'm probably a square in this area so forgive me if that comes off! 

Whatever you do... congrats and best of luck with it all!

Cheers,
Ashley

[Devlyn]

To add to what Ashley is saying, I told my doctor that I had been self medicating and told her how much of what substance I had been using. I'm sure she took it into consideration.

Hugs, Devlyn

[Amy Chislett]

The phyto estrogens I am pretty much quitting independently of any appointment as they are giving me serious dehydration issues.

The T blocker I am taking for reasons additional to gender.  Even though I was not able to open a jar recently (side effect?), I think would like to keep taking them.

I need to be organized and disciplined in communicating with health care people.  I have been documented as a person with confused thinking.  So I need to work extra, so as not to be like when I go to a hair salon; and am not able to communicate exactly what I want. 

Let's hope I don't come across as Eve the hypochondriac from the TV show Northern Exposure...

[Dena]

So I need to work extra, so as not to be like when I go to a hair salon; and am not able to communicate exactly what I want.

That may not be your problem. Hair dressers are notorious for listening to what you say then doing what they want. Mine gave me a pixy cut when I was attempting to grow it out and I lost several month of length. If you don't have a proper name for the cut you want, bring in a picture of the cut so the hair dresser know you aren't going to settle for anything else.

[Amy Chislett]

To clarify Dev, you were taking herbals up until the day of your appointment?

[Devlyn]

Yes, up to the night before the blood draw.

Hugs, Devlyn