Is it possible to take anti androgens as needed instead of daily??

[Belladona]

I'm currently waiting for an appointment with urologist to ask about getting an orchiectomy and some other problems I've been having. I don't think that the orchiectomy is covered by the health system here as transgender resources are pretty much the bare minimum.
I really want to get off the anti androgens, I take cyproterone . When I think back to before I was on hrt I had way more energy and motivation, nowadays I am fatigued all the time and kind of emotionally numb., I was fatigue and depressed all the time which improved when I cut down . I still think my quality of life is reduced being on these pills, I don't want to spend my life too tired to do anything. I hate how reliant I am on them and terrified of going back to being male.

If I stop taking them how long does it take for testosterone to come back??
Can I just take them as I feel I need them? My testosterone is well below the female range so I have some wriggle room for my levels to raise.
So far I felt better missing a day but now its day 3 without them I've been getting withdrawals and had to take a small amount to not feel so bad.
How long do cyproterone withdrawals last normally? I've never gone completely off them before.
Also I can't change to spiro because of bladder problems and no way I'm going on a diuretic when it hurts to pee, is this an estrogen thing cause I've had so many tests and no doctor can tell me anything so far. No other anti androgens are available to me.


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[Cindy]

This were a good endocrinologist comes in to balance the level of T to suit your mood and lifestyle. You may well need to increase the amount of T that you have. Normal female levels mean very little in transgender people. Please consult your medics

Please don't post dosages as it is against the Terms of Service

[RabbitSpectre]

Cindy said it best. And you should always consult professional medical advice for the final say in anything.

Typically, it's a very bad idea to take something 'as needed' in cases of transitioning. You may be able to take something less frequently than others, depending on your own physiology and your doctor's recommendations based on your own unique medical characteristics with this, but a dedicated schedule will help your body, as it needs to establish a routine of what you're taking to transition properly without going haywire, or having imbalanced and confused levels in your system.

[Dani]

If I stop taking them how long does it take for testosterone to come back??
Can I just take them as I feel I need them?
How long do cyproterone withdrawals last normally?

To specifically answer your questions:

Cyproterone has an elimination half life of about 38 hours and may be up to 100 hours for older men. It is widely accepted that after 5 half lives any drug is essentially out of your blood system. For cyproterone, this means that after a week, the drug is gone from your blood system. If and when your testosterone returns to normal will be during or soon after that time. The exact time for you depends on your specific physiology, but expect some where around that time frame. On occasion, some people never recover to their full premedicated Testosterone blood levels, achieving only a partial recovery.

Taking any medication for a specific purpose only when you feel the need really defeats the purpose of that medication. Of course, mood altering drugs are dosed according to how the patient responds based on how they feel. Cyproterone is NOT a mood altering drug. All anti androgen drugs are dosed on the patients specific Testosterone blood levels. You really need to be closely monitored by an Endocrinologist to get the proper dose for effective reduction in your Testosterone.

Testosterone is a very powerful hormone, that when the drive is properly focused into something constructive can be of immense benefit for both men and women. I suspect that what you are feeling is an extreme consequence of your Testosterone reduction. Some people just are not comfortable with the loss of their Testosterone. I know of one person who is not willing to take Estrogens because of the loss of energy, but has a female persona. She has breast implants and keeps her weight down by extreme diet and physical exercise. She is also non-op and does not plan on getting any surgeries. She is happy with herself and it works for her.

When we make the changes in our bodies to more closely match our mental image, there are going to be consequences. If the consequences are unacceptable for any reason, then we can opt for a partial or middle ground, as long as we are comfortable with the results. Your response to your loss of Testosterone may just be a matter of too much too soon. Maybe a lower dose of your Cyproterone will get you where you need to be more gradually and give you time to adjust your mental image. Your Endocrinologist must be involved in this decision.

I wish you the best and I hope I have answered your questions.

[Belladona]

Trying to cut back too quickly was probably not the best idea. I think its right not to take these as needed I really seem to get knocked around unless I'm taking a consistent amount. I'm feeling not so bad now, still not quite adjusted to my new dose.
With the dose that I was taking before my testosterone levels were pretty much undetectable, I haven't had any testosterone in my system in over two years (this isn't healthy is it), so I don't know how I should be feeling?
I think I have a negative association with testosterone from before I was on hrt and the feeling of my testosterone levels changing now is a bit triggering. I don't want to be reminded what testosterone feels like I was poisoned for far too long by it.
Does anyone get what I mean? I feel lost and emotionally tangled up over all this.
Also when is a good time to get a blood test to check my levels? When should I be leveled on my new dose?

[Devlyn]

"Is it possible to take anti androgens as needed instead of daily?"

No.

I've had an orchiectomy, and the testosterone from my adrenal gland has me at the higher end of normal female range. I feel great, never had any lack of energy.

A lot of transgender girls celebrate their T being knocked down to zero, but that isn't where you want to be.