Mild psychoactive effects/change in general feeling on spironolactone?

[jac]

Hi! First post here. So I'm a 21 y/o nb trans girl and I have been on spiro for 5 days now, I take it once a day in the morning for now. A little bit yesterday in the morning, and now much more this morning, I almost feel a very mild sort of high? It's difficult to describe, but my head kind of feels lighter and I'm not as depressed as usual. Later in the day yesterday, the feeling kind of went away. Today, it's still going strong but I'll see how it lasts.

Is this likely just a placebo effect, or will the spiro cutting off my t-receptors do this? I read somewhere else on the forum that spiro works almost immediately, but has a short half life, which seems consistent with me getting the feeling in the morning and it fading away through the day.

Any ideas, similar experiences, etc?

Thanks!

[Daniellekai]

There's a widely reported euphoria with starting HRT, not everyone gets it, it's entirely anecdotal, but worth mentioning. After discovery of feminized brain structures in MTF individuals and vice versa for FTM, some of us (without scientific credentials) have hypothesized that some of our brains just work better on the right hormones.

[Crazycatlady]

I've been on low-dose spiro for almost 4 weeks. I recognice your feelings. My thoughts was that my journey finally started. I'm starting to break out of my jail (body). I think I feel/felt "high" because I finally start the journey to be myself.
But I don't know, maybe the feeling also came from Spiro it self? I hope I can start E 2 weeks from now,  maybe I feel even "higher" then? I know for sure that my happines is from the beginning of my new life.

[Dani]

Yes ladies, you feel it.

No matter if the feeling we get are psychological or physical, they were real for me as well. I did not feel that much when I started T blockers, like spironolactone and finasteride. Just a mild sense of finally doing what I needed to do.  But when I started estradiol, WOW. I never felt so good.

Wish you all the best and it gets better as you progress.

[Axolotl]

I think it's just your blood pressure.  Make sure you are drinking enough water, as Spironolactone will dehydrate you.  The feeling of being dehydrated or having low blood pressure can include light-headedness, dry eyes, excessive thirst, etc.  Personally, I have never felt any emotional change from Spiro or Estradiol, and am highly skeptical when others report calming effects.

[AshleyP]

I think it's just your blood pressure.  Make sure you are drinking enough water, as Spironolactone will dehydrate you.  The feeling of being dehydrated or having low blood pressure can include light-headedness, dry eyes, excessive thirst, etc.  Personally, I have never felt any emotional change from Spiro or Estradiol, and am highly skeptical when others report calming effects.

I totally agree with you on all your points.

All the best,
--AshleyP

[IdontEven]

I think it's just your blood pressure.  Make sure you are drinking enough water, as Spironolactone will dehydrate you.  The feeling of being dehydrated or having low blood pressure can include light-headedness, dry eyes, excessive thirst, etc.  Personally, I have never felt any emotional change from Spiro or Estradiol, and am highly skeptical when others report calming effects.

Wow, really?! NO emotional change at all? Not even from the estradiol?

Also, I wouldn't say it was calming, really...

...wait...

[Axolotl]

Correct.  No emotional or mood effects what-so-ever.  I believe a lot of people feel relieved because they they are making major progress in transition.  I also think that people feel emotional freedom because they are allowing themselves to.

[IdontEven]

Maybe. However, the struggle to keep my emotions in check would seem to contradict your theory that it was something I was simply allowing to happen - when I'm in fact often striving in the other direction, to keep them from embarrassing me or getting me in trouble.

Sometimes it would be really nice to not be so emotionally vulnerable, to the point that I often consider dropping HRT just so I can go back to being able to easily ignore the emotions and push them aside.

I'm sorry if you didn't get the emotional changes you wanted, or, if you didn't really want them, then awesome! Just please don't assume your experience is the same as everyone else's.

[Artesia]

After just a few days I stopped waking up thinking oh crap I woke up.  So yes some mental changes, the extant is debatable as to how much was medicine and how much was just me.

[DawnOday]

Spiro's primary use is as a diuretic for Congestive heart failure. I have been on it for 25 years. What I am assuming is that it is doing it's thing and making you pee.  Which dehydrates and makes one dizzy. Drinking more water will probably help out. I get dizzy quite often and usually when I don't drink enough water.  Just my guess.

[josie76]

I think it's just your blood pressure.  Make sure you are drinking enough water, as Spironolactone will dehydrate you.  The feeling of being dehydrated or having low blood pressure can include light-headedness, dry eyes, excessive thirst, etc.  Personally, I have never felt any emotional change from Spiro or Estradiol, and am highly skeptical when others report calming effects.

I have to say, for me estradiol was a complete change. I had been using supplements to lower my T before HRT RX was given to me. I know when my T dropped off hard I added a menapause supplement tablet. With it I was back to OK, without it I can't describe how aweful I was emotionally, mentally. I could function, but just barely. I was feeling hopeless, suicidial at times, my general anxiety was at an all time high. The supplement made out of soy isoflovones and plant phytoestrogens helped keep me sane. About an hour after that first Estrace pill dissolved in my cheek I was overcome by this weird sense of calm. I began to notice that the background anxiety that was ever present had all but vanished. My feeling rushed disappeared. I am almost comfortable in my own skin for the first time in my life. It has done what years of Zoloft could never accomplish. To be honest I didn't realize how bad my anxiety had been until it was gone. I thought it was some placebo effect, but it continues to work. I am also better able to control my emotions but still feel them. Even in heated moments with my wife I have been able to remain calm and both listen to her and actually explain my self at the same time.

Everyone has their own experience.

[Rambler]

I'm not sure what exactly to attribute it to, but I've definitely had some psychological and physiological euphoria since starting hrt. It sort of reminds me of when I tried ecstasy in college (not advocating drug use) but much more mild. I've noticed some occasional body tingles, my skin is generally more sensitive to the touch. Wearing shear fabric feels more sensitive. Total feelings of bliss and calmness. I noticed that I seem to appreciate physical intimacy way more. My wife and I shared a long hug the other day and I just sort of blissfully melted into her. All in all, pretty cool.

[Arctophile117]

I've been on spiro since last October. I generally stay hydrated but there were times I needed to go for periods without much fluids, and noticed those effects during those periods. I picked up a hydration-compatible backpack (I always have books and stuff on me anyway) and that helped tremendously.

[KayXo]

Estrogen only when taken by injection also gives me that sense of calm where I don't seem to be bothered by much, have a really hard time getting angry, and just feel good overall. I sleep like a baby. It reminds me of how I felt on the antidepressant Paxil. I added a little testosterone (i.e. gel) recently as I'm post-op and that helps me feel more positive about life, less 'dead' inside.

On oral E, I became easily irritable and couldn't sleep well.

I've been on HRT since 2004, post-op since 2005.

[Jacqueline]

jac,

This is a little late getting to you but Welcome to the site.

Thanks for jumping in, sharing and posing some good thoughts.

I know I felt a calming effect. For me it was like a bit more clarity and relief.(self induced?- don't know but I felt it)

I also want to share some links with you. They are mostly welcome information and the rules that govern the site. If you have not had a chance to look through them, please take a moment:

Things that you should read

Site Terms of Service & Rules to Live By	Standard Terms & Definitions	Post Ranks (including when you can upload an avatar)
Reputation rules	News posting & quoting guidelines	Photo, avatars, & signature images policy

Once again, welcome to Susan's. Look around, ask questions and join in.

With warmth,

Joanna

[Katya]

testosterone does have very significant effects upon neurotransmitters in the brain, and removing it has very real changes to brain chemistry right off the start.  How that may or may not be perceptible to you consciously is totally subjective and everyone's experience is different with this stuff.  I found it to be a subtle but quite definitely real shift in my perceptual and cognitive fields.