Darn Endocrinologist

[Battle Goddess]

Oh - thought I'd mention how I feel today. It is very different than normal. My wife has tried to initiate several annoying interactions today to see what she could get, but whereas I'd normally have found them very irritating, today not so much. Rather, I've been able to address them without the usual amount of anger that dominates my responses. It's not that I haven't found them annoying but rather that my wrath-o-meter hasn't gone all the way up to eleven like usual.

[JanePlain]

I might not be following this but this sounds exactly like the results of estrogen working.  The 11 anger stuff and in fact the whole male binary emotions.  Angry or nothing translates to a wide range of emotions some very unguy like but that is what you get when estrogen allows your thinking to become clear and you can be actually happy.  Not just "not angry"   Thank God its possible!  I assume you found a supply of the injectable estrogen?

[Battle Goddess]

I assume you found a supply of the injectable estrogen?

Sure hope so! Had to switch my Rx to a chain with a wholesaler that had any. Pharmacy said their wholesaler was listing their stock as "intermittently available," so I'm not counting on it being easy to get my next refill, but at least I know now to alert my pharmacist early.

[JanePlain]

Sure hope so! Had to switch my Rx to a chain with a wholesaler that had any. Pharmacy said their wholesaler was listing their stock as "intermittently available," so I'm not counting on it being easy to get my next refill, but at least I know now to alert my pharmacist early.

I try to do refills as early as they allow.  Sometimes this only results in things being a little late but sometimes it results in a couple extra pills or whatever. 

I seem to be a magnet for insurance fiascos so having some prescriptions with a reserve from filling as soon as they allow it has come in handy.  Prescription prices out of pocket are just so insane.  So many pills are worth their weight in gold. Sad sad world.  I've been told by the last two doctors I've seen that I have "good insurance" because its got a rather small copay.  So many of these policies are designed to keep you from using them at all because you have to pay everything out of pocket before you reach some magic number where insurance kicks in.  The end result always seems to be that you just get to that point and its suddenly a new year with a new titanic about of money to lay out before insurance kicks in. 

I guess thats true but the times I've been billed incorrectly seems to be a yearly (at least) event. If you look at the fortune 500 (top 20) insurance companies come out pretty good.  How?  I mean how if they are honest?

[Battle Goddess]

I try to do refills as early as they allow.  Sometimes this only results in things being a little late but sometimes it results in a couple extra pills or whatever. 

I seem to be a magnet for insurance fiascos so having some prescriptions with a reserve from filling as soon as they allow it has come in handy.  Prescription prices out of pocket are just so insane.  So many pills are worth their weight in gold. Sad sad world.  I've been told by the last two doctors I've seen that I have "good insurance" because its got a rather small copay.  So many of these policies are designed to keep you from using them at all because you have to pay everything out of pocket before you reach some magic number where insurance kicks in.  The end result always seems to be that you just get to that point and its suddenly a new year with a new titanic about of money to lay out before insurance kicks in. 

I guess thats true but the times I've been billed incorrectly seems to be a yearly (at least) event. If you look at the fortune 500 (top 20) insurance companies come out pretty good.  How?  I mean how if they are honest?

I remember in B-school how we worked out the economics of whether or not to buy insurance.

In the mythical world of homo economicus, where no weird games get played by sleazy businesspeople, self-serving voters, or corrupt politicians, you're better off (on average) not buying insurance.

Problem is, that only works if you never get a big enough medical bill to wipe you out, and we all know that medical bills don't come in one size. So ultimately you pay your insurance company to cover you above the amount you're willing to pay out of your own pocket, and you have to pay extra to get your insurer to take on that kind of risk, and that's their profit.

But that's Blackboard World. In the real world, I once heard the U.S. healthcare marketplace described as a huge pool of money, and everyone - providers, insurers, pharma, etc. - are all in there with straws, trying to suck it up before the others do.

[Battle Goddess]

I thought that since I started this topic with the story about my endo, I'd turn it into a log of how my HRT experience is going.

It has been two weeks since we raised my Spiro dose to a high maintenance level. Still not necessarily feeling its typical side effects. I'm not particularly thirsty, nor am I peeing frequently. No cravings for sodium, no hypostasis. Not a lot of sex drive, but there wasn't a ton to begin with. Won't go into the gory details, but I tested the equipment, and it still works. 

So, rats.

On the plus side, I gave myself my second shot of E yesterday, and OMFG I freakin' luuuuuurve estrogen!

I mean, it's like the very instant I put the spike in, I started feeling good, and I'm still buzzing today. I. Want. More. Lots more.

I guess I hadn't realized how punk I'd been feeling the day before, and I truly was feeling down in the dumps before I gave myself the shot in the late morning, but I had a very fine day afterwards.

Other physical effects: I can probably imagine myself into thinking my skin is getting a little softer. My nipples feel just the tiniest bit tender. My friend and my tdoc both say they see changes in my face, and sometimes I think I can almost see myself in the mirror, but it's still a long way to go.

[JanePlain]

I thought that since I started this topic with the story about my endo, I'd turn it into a log of how my HRT experience is going.

It has been two weeks since we raised my Spiro dose to a high maintenance level. Still not necessarily feeling its typical side effects. I'm not particularly thirsty, nor am I peeing frequently. No cravings for sodium, no hypostasis. Not a lot of sex drive, but there wasn't a ton to begin with. Won't go into the gory details, but I tested the equipment, and it still works. 

So, rats.

On the plus side, I gave myself my second shot of E yesterday, and OMFG I freakin' luuuuuurve estrogen!

I mean, it's like the very instant I put the spike in, I started feeling good, and I'm still buzzing today. I. Want. More. Lots more.

I guess I hadn't realized how punk I'd been feeling the day before, and I truly was feeling down in the dumps before I gave myself the shot in the late morning, but I had a very fine day afterwards.

Other physical effects: I can probably imagine myself into thinking my skin is getting a little softer. My nipples feel just the tiniest bit tender. My friend and my tdoc both say they see changes in my face, and sometimes I think I can almost see myself in the mirror, but it's still a long way to go.

I think once it really starts to work you get a euphoric feeling as things change.  Going on estrogen seems to be all additions with the exception of sex drive.  Additional emotions, added sensation of smell, ability to think clearly and so on. *Adding small amounts of testosterone (after my orchiectomy) fixed the drive problems.  I think women have a great thing but they are just used to the benefits.  Of course they have to deal with up and down cycles where we avoid that so maybe they don't see it as great?

I wish some of these anti trans "experts" could be put on HRT for a month or two so they had some small clue about a topic they clearly don't get.

[Jeal]

I think once it really starts to work you get a euphoric feeling as things change.  Going on estrogen seems to be all additions with the exception of sex drive.  Additional emotions, added sensation of smell, ability to think clearly and so on. *Adding small amounts of testosterone (after my orchiectomy) fixed the drive problems.  I think women have a great thing but they are just used to the benefits.  Of course they have to deal with up and down cycles where we avoid that so maybe they don't see it as great?

I wish some of these anti trans "experts" could be put on HRT for a month or two so they had some small clue about a topic they clearly don't get.

From what I read between the lines regarding anti trans activists, they would be able to turn their experience around to bite us anyways. It seems to me that they either are extreme black/white thinkers who we terrify, or/and probably have their own deep seated gender discomfort. Honestly, I think the only hope for most of them is to be forced to come to terms due to a loved one.  I really feel sorry for any trans child, girl in particular, who draws one of them as a parent. I'm just glad that I'm not so filled with hate. I can't imagine what they are ignoring on the inside and protecting onto us.

[Jeal]

I thought that since I started this topic with the story about my endo, I'd turn it into a log of how my HRT experience is going.

It has been two weeks since we raised my Spiro dose to a high maintenance level. Still not necessarily feeling its typical side effects. I'm not particularly thirsty, nor am I peeing frequently. No cravings for sodium, no hypostasis. Not a lot of sex drive, but there wasn't a ton to begin with. Won't go into the gory details, but I tested the equipment, and it still works. 

So, rats.

On the plus side, I gave myself my second shot of E yesterday, and OMFG I freakin' luuuuuurve estrogen!

I mean, it's like the very instant I put the spike in, I started feeling good, and I'm still buzzing today. I. Want. More. Lots more.

I guess I hadn't realized how punk I'd been feeling the day before, and I truly was feeling down in the dumps before I gave myself the shot in the late morning, but I had a very fine day afterwards.

Other physical effects: I can probably imagine myself into thinking my skin is getting a little softer. My nipples feel just the tiniest bit tender. My friend and my tdoc both say they see changes in my face, and sometimes I think I can almost see myself in the mirror, but it's still a long way to go.

Glad to hear you are progressing well! I will hopefully add in E to my blockers this week. It has been hard waiting 6 weeks

[JanePlain]

Congratulations! What form does your doctor prescribe?  Topicals, injections or?

[Battle Goddess]

Congratulations! What form does your doctor prescribe?  Topicals, injections or?

It's in my .sig block at the bottom of my posts.

Started with gel, got nowhere, and have recently converted to injections. YMWV.


I must admit that one baseline emotional reaction has not changed. My daughter's boyfriend has been particularly rotten to her lately, and she's suffering for it terribly. I'd like nothing more than to take up a baseball bat and discuss with him why he ought to mend his ways.

You can call me Mama Bear if you want, but Papa Wolf strains to be set free.

[Battle Goddess]

I've made the observation that getting my weekly shot feels good. Like REAL good. REALLY REALLY REAL GOOD.

This last Thursday's was no exception. I think I accidentally took a little bit more than recommended. I doubt that it felt any better than with a normal dose, though, so I can put to rest the idea that the euphoria is dose-dependent within a small range. That's cool. I have enough addiction issues without wanting to chase an E high.

All the same, it did leave me with something of a happy buzz. I was getting my highlights redone that morning and ended up in this long discourse with my hair gal about Dante, who is one of my great literary loves. I'm sure she doesn't typically expect to discuss medieval Italian literature with her Clients, but what else can one do?

Had my periodic check-in with Pdoc last Thursday, as well. She asked me to characterize what it felt like to get E, and the best I could think to say was "a flood of well-being." Boy howdy. I'd sure like to take two shots a week - it's Tuesday today, and I'm wearing a little thin.

On the physical front, changes are definitely happening!     My nipples are becoming tender, so it's much more comfortable to wear a bralette. I can feel changes in my skin, too - it's becoming softer all over. I mentioned this to my sponsor, and she tested the skin on the back of my hand. Said it felt not only soft, but soft and young. Bonus!

Best of all, I tested the downstairs equipment, and pretty much nobody was home. Just wasn't worth the effort after a while. I'm sorry if this is too much detail for anyone, but it's very affirming to me.

[Maid Marion]

Great to hear that you have found something that helps!

[Linde]

Best of all, I tested the downstairs equipment, and pretty much nobody was home. Just wasn't worth the effort after a while. I'm sorry if this is too much detail for anyone, but it's very affirming to me.

Everybody must have left my downstairs home a few years ago!  Get used to it, it is waste of time and energy!

[Battle Goddess]

Grrrr... it's Tuesday, and I don't get my shot until Thursday.

I... want... ESTROGEN!

[Stephk]

I heard today that the patches worked really well.

[Linde]

I heard today that the patches worked really well.

They do, as long as your skin can tolerate them.  I had to stop using them because my skin blistered pretty bad under them.

[Battle Goddess]

That's all well and good, but endo has me doing injections.

Got a freaking hormone monkey crawling up my back. This is humiliating.



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[Jeal]

I hope your appointment went well!!  Good luck!

[Linde]

No progesterone for this girl.  My endo felt the study was flawed and seemed to have been manipulated!  Teenagers get their progesterone come in about two years after the beginning of their ovulation.  I am kept at the estrogen level typical for a cis woman on their 10 day of their ovulation period.  He prescribed me E to last me 9 months at that level!
He feels that I am currently still at the highest T level i ever will be, and that T will go down even further.  T testing will never ever again be required for me.
From now on, for the rest of my life, I will be solely fueled by E!