Breast Development on Low Dose HRT

[OCTrisha]

I have been on and off a low dosage of Estradial and Finasteride (t-blocker) for the last 6 months and started noticing my breasts starting to enlarge about 6 weeks ago.  They aren't really any bigger at this point, but I've noticed considerable sensitivity and the breast buds can be felt just underneath my nipples.

I wanted to start a low dosage HRT regimen to help deal with my dysphoria while still being unsure of whether I will ever want to transition.  My breast development this early on in the process has me concerned of whether a low dose plan is really feasible for me right now. 

Have others experienced such breast growth at this point?  Assuming I don't increase my estrogen intake, is this something that will level off or should I expect them to grow more?

[jill610]

Low dose will yield the same result just at a slower pace. Also, verify that you are actually on a low dose - a lot of docs prescribe a half or quarter transition dose which isn't really "low" by traditional standards according to my therapist at least.

[Dani]

+1 for the previous comment.

Breast development is not dose dependent. How much you develop is really determined by your genetics and long term exposure to female levels of estradiol. The exact dose is not that important.

If you are hesitating on transition, then stop all estradiol until you have a plan or if you feel you cannot live without the emotional effects of estradiol. All HRT is a trade off between benefits and risks. If the risks are too great, then stop and see if you can live without the benefits.

A good long talk with your counselor is a must to help you sort things out.

[Jailyn]

I can't say for sure on this but, you are still on "e". Even at a low dose as i understand it, that it stills feminizes you just at a slower pace. I am not sure you want to feminize or not by your post. Yes, you will still grow breasts and they will fill out eventually. The sensitivity does mean they are growing, but couldn't tell you how much or anything. I am not on the low dose and my growth started about 2 weeks in so it's really not all that early at 6 months. It may or may not level off but, again you are doing cross gender hrt. Good luck and hope it works out for you and you decide what you want to do.

[luna nyan]

They will grow, albeit slowly, and how much will depend on your luck/genes/etc.  Growth will top off sooner on a lower dose.  Personally, my growth levelled off on oral dosages and then I had more growth after switching to pellet.

Loose dark clothing is your friend.  And also not giving a stuff about what others think.  If you're really self conscious, just avoid situations where you may end up bare chested, and pass them off as man boobs.

[KayXo]

Breast development is not dose dependent.

The exact dose is not that important.

I personally disagree. In my 13 yrs on HRT, I have personally witnessed this. Nothing happened on lower doses (of oral estradiol) and finally, on higher doses, it did. If development wasn't dose dependent, then why are we even taking any estrogen at all or why is there a minimum?

J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2003 Aug;88( 8 ):3467-73.

"breast growth was enhanced with higher estrogen levels (14)."

Arch Sex Behav. 1981 Aug;10(4):347-56.

"The higher the dosage of estrogen of either type, the more breast development occurred."

"Since a majority of the patients had no change in dosage, one cannot assume that the greater response in breast growth, testicular size reduction, and hormonal suppression by the higher doses of medication were due to the total length of treatment."

Also,

Horm Metab Res. 1994 Sep;26(9):428-31.

"Pseudopregnancy had been used in sterile patients with hypoplasia of the uterus and for hypoplasia of the breasts (Kaiser 1959; Lauritzen 1992)."

"pseudopregnancy may be useful and effective in osteopenia and lacking secondary sexual development due to gonadal dysgenesis like in Ullrich-Turner syndrome (after completion of growth), where substitution doses of ovarian hormones may be not sufficient enough to guarantee satisfactory response."

During pregnancy, levels of estrogen and progesterone significantly increase and as a result of this and other factors, breasts significantly increase and expand.

[Dani]

KayXo,

And I respectfully disagree with studies published in 2003, 1994 and 1981. These were published a long time ago, the earliest being 15 years ago and the oldest 38 years ago. I went to Pharmacy school in the 1970's and much has changed since then.

My main point is that to feminize your body, you just need to have your Estradiol blood levels be in the normal female range and the normal female range is quite large with lots of room for variables not related to dose. What ever dose it takes to get you there will work. There is so much individual variation, that any one's personal experience cannot be taken as the average for all people who take Estradiol.

What works for you is different from what works for me. We must all respect this because we are all individuals and we respond to any given dose or route of administration differently. 

[Cassi]

 

[linda troung vu]

Hi girls I've been on hrt for 10 months and I've got a b cup with low dose. 😆i suppose that im very lucky enough to have a b cup in 10 months so excited about having big boobs. Lol.😆 I feel that my body is slowly change at a slow process and you can notice the difference. I am a little bit chubby and if I loose the fat tummy my boobs would look much bigger than now. Lol.😆 so yeah I'm happy with a low dose of hrt  at the moment. I'm not in a hurry I'll let it happen as it takes time with different levels of hrt for some girls. Xoxoxox

[OCTrisha]

They will grow, albeit slowly, and how much will depend on your luck/genes/etc.  Growth will top off sooner on a lower dose.  Personally, my growth levelled off on oral dosages and then I had more growth after switching to pellet.

Loose dark clothing is your friend.  And also not giving a stuff about what others think.  If you're really self conscious, just avoid situations where you may end up bare chested, and pass them off as man boobs.

Thank you, Luna (and everyone else here).  Your low dose thread was really inspiring for me to try this path.  I cannot express how awesome it is to hear your journey in this.

[KayXo]

And I respectfully disagree with studies published in 2003, 1994 and 1981. These were published a long time ago, the earliest being 15 years ago and the oldest 38 years ago.

And transwomen are no different today than they were back in 1981 or 1994.

My main point is that to feminize your body, you just need to have your Estradiol blood levels be in the normal female range and the normal female range is quite large with lots of room for variables not related to dose. What ever dose it takes to get you there will work. There is so much individual variation, that any one's personal experience cannot be taken as the average for all people who take Estradiol.

Everyone is different, I agree. BUT, if you assert that one simply needs to have their blood levels be in the normal female range and given the normal range is anywhere from 20 to 800 pg/ml, then 20 pg/ml should suffice because that is in the normal range, right? Why even aim for more if 20 is in the normal range? And do you truly believe there would be optimal breast development and feminization in transwomen at that level?

This is what I disagree with. The normal range is so wide and to say one simply needs to have levels within that range seems to me incorrect and quite simplistic.