Darn Endocrinologist

[Battle Goddess]

Give us this day our weekly E.

Bliss.

Actually given yesterday, Friday. Had to wait an extra day because Endo wanted me to get my levels checked (has been a month since switching to injections because gel wasn't working), and he explicitly stated that I needed to do the blood draw in the morning.

He also wanted me to do the draw at the very end of my weekly cycle, before I took my next shot.

Unfortunately, I had stuff to do Thursday morning, so like I said, I couldn't take my weekly shot on Thursday like usual but had to wait until after Friday's trip to the lab.

Guess where that leaves this girl all Thursday? Bitchy, grumpy, and miserable all day. Total PMS. At least I have Spironolactone to help with the bloating. 

On the plus side, people are starting to notice changes! Was at Ma's house the other day, and she said I looked "peaceful." Then yesterday she called to say that she realized that it was actually because I'm starting to look more femme! Yayyyyy!

Tdoc and bff say they can see it, too. Tonight we're having a neighborhood party. Let's see if anyone comments.

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[Battle Goddess]

Tdoc and bff say they can see it, too. Tonight we're having a neighborhood party. Let's see if anyone comments.

Yep!

One of the neighbor women who knows me pretty well and sees me often came up and said, "you look different!" Feigning ignorance, I asked her how, then took her into better light. She stood with a quizzical look, so I started prompting her. Hair? New earrings? Have I lost weight? Nope, Nope, Nope. Just couldn't put her finger on it...

[Battle Goddess]

Aargh. Nipples hurt nipples hurt nipples hurt.

[Linde]

Aargh. Nipples hurt nipples hurt nipples hurt.

Get used to it.  Mine hurt for almost 5 years now!

[mm]

Nipple hurting is part of female puberty; every girl goes through it some a short time and many for a long time.

[Battle Goddess]

Get used to it.  Mine hurt for almost 5 years now!

Well, aren't you little Mary Jugs o'Sunshine!

Five years? Yeesh.

My high school girlfriends always seemed to enjoy it when I played with theirs, but if anyone tried fooling with these two, I think I'd give them a black eye.

[Linde]

Well, aren't you little Mary Jugs o'Sunshine!

Five years? Yeesh.

My high school girlfriends always seemed to enjoy it when I played with theirs, but if anyone tried fooling with these two, I think I'd give them a black eye.

I tell everybody to please not hug me, because they may as well stab me with a red hot knitting needle!

[Battle Goddess]

I tell everybody to please not hug me, because they may as well stab me with a red hot knitting needle!

Knitting needles in your nipples?  And all the trouble you had with your nads?

I am *so* not going to ask about your knees or your nose.


In other news:

My test results came in, and I'm either happy, unhappy, confused, or vexed.

The happy: T has apparently collapsed. Went from 650 ng/dl last month down to 14.

The unhappy: E hasn't budged. After a month of shots, it has only moved from 46 pg/ml to 48.

I am confused for a couple of reasons. It does seem reasonable to think that T should be going down, but I'm not really feeling the classic symptoms of such a steep drop: no night sweats, no change in body odor, nothing like that. Endo didn't predict anything like this, either. In addition, no change in E? Wtf? I figured we'd need a higher dose than any original attempt simply due to my metabolism, but this is certainly surprising.

And finally, the vexed: my spider-sense tells me that all of this hints at tests that spit out highly variable results. In other words, I'm not sure how seriously one should take these results if they're subject to large fluctuations. So why take them instead of relying on subjective reports from the patient?

Thoughts?

[Linde]

Knitting needles in your nipples?  And all the trouble you had with your nads?

I am *so* not going to ask about your knees or your nose.


In other news:

My test results came in, and I'm either happy, unhappy, confused, or vexed.

The happy: T has apparently collapsed. Went from 650 ng/dl last month down to 14.

The unhappy: E hasn't budged. After a month of shots, it has only moved from 46 pg/ml to 48.

I am confused for a couple of reasons. It does seem reasonable to think that T should be going down, but I'm not really feeling the classic symptoms of such a steep drop: no night sweats, no change in body odor, nothing like that. Endo didn't predict anything like this, either. In addition, no change in E? Wtf? I figured we'd need a higher dose than any original attempt simply due to my metabolism, but this is certainly surprising.

And finally, the vexed: my spider-sense tells me that all of this hints at tests that spit out highly variable results. In other words, I'm not sure how seriously one should take these results if they're subject to large fluctuations. So why take them instead of relying on subjective reports from the patient?

Thoughts?

OK, I am as T-less as they come, it went out of the door with the balls!  I did not gt night sweats, I don't think I smell different (my dog does not feel this either).  What I feel is that my emotions are definitely not the tough guy stuff anymore, my urine does not smell as strong and is not so deeply colored, and I have to run to the bathroom way more than I used to!  That suck it up and hold it for a few more hours does not work anymore, when I have to go, i have to go urgently!
I think my sense of taste has changed a bit.  I used to raelly like beer, I can't stand the taste of the stuff anymore!

[Battle Goddess]

In other news:

My test results came in, and I'm either happy, unhappy, confused, or vexed.

The happy: T has apparently collapsed. Went from 650 ng/dl last month down to 14.

The unhappy: E hasn't budged. After a month of shots, it has only moved from 46 pg/ml to 48.

I am confused for a couple of reasons. It does seem reasonable to think that T should be going down, but I'm not really feeling the classic symptoms of such a steep drop: no night sweats, no change in body odor, nothing like that. Endo didn't predict anything like this, either. In addition, no change in E? Wtf? I figured we'd need a higher dose than any original attempt simply due to my metabolism, but this is certainly surprising.

And finally, the vexed: my spider-sense tells me that all of this hints at tests that spit out highly variable results. In other words, I'm not sure how seriously one should take these results if they're subject to large fluctuations. So why take them instead of relying on subjective reports from the patient?

Thoughts?

Update: Just discussed results with Endo. He is as perplexed as I and suspects lab error on both tests. Going in for another draw Friday morning.

[Linde]

Update: Just discussed results with Endo. He is as perplexed as I and suspects lab error on both tests. Going in for another draw Friday morning.

I hope you have better luck this time around!

[Battle Goddess]

Oh yeah. Sweet, sweet, estrogen.

Is there such a thing as the Pink Cloud? I ain't denying it.

[Battle Goddess]

I saw Her in the mirror yesterday.

Just a fleeting glimpse, mind you, but my face is definitely changing. I take a photo every day, and the transformation isn't as apparent in them, as the foreshortening limits how much it shows, but even I can't pretend anymore that nothing is happening.


Other new physical phenomena:

• My nipples don't ache like they did a little while ago, but they they're still sore to the touch. Going without a bralette is no longer an an option.
  
  
• Two days ago my nipples actually tingled all day. Not particularly pleasant or unpleasant, but too strong to ignore. The sensation was rather like what I get from the electro-stim unit my chiropractor uses on my back. Truly could have done without that.
  
  
• Gave the downstairs equipment a test. It still functions for the most part, but my orgasm was completely dry. I recognize that one can't operate under the assumption that one is permanently and irreversibly sterile, but I sure hope so! Feels like one more step along the road away from maleness.
  
  In addition, I imagine that all this has to be doing something suppressive to my prostate. My great-grandfather died of prostate cancer, my grandfather had elevated PSA all through his later years, and my dad was treated for an aggressive prostate cancer at an early age. Clearly, prostate issues run in my family.
  
  My PSA levels have thankfully always been very low. All the same, I hope that anything we can do to prevent what's probably a very susceptible little bugger from giving me life-threatening problems down the road can only be all to the good.
  
  

Lab results still aren't back from last Friday's blood draw. Stay tuned.

[Battle Goddess]

More unsolicited feedback on my appearance tonight. A woman friend at my AA meeting tonight (who I'm out to) commented that I was "looking good." When I asked if she noticed anything different, she added that I looked "pretty."

All right!


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[AnneK]

Lab results still aren't back from last Friday's blood draw. Stay tuned.

Aren't your results available on line?  I can check my blood test results a few hours after the vampire strikes.   

[Linde]

Aren't your results available on line?  I can check my blood test results a few hours after the vampire strikes.   

I think those policies differ from lab to lab.  I do my tests with the largest lab in the country, LabCorp, and their policy is to make them available online for the patient eight days after they send them to the doctor!

[Battle Goddess]

I think those policies differ from lab to lab.  I do my tests with the largest lab in the country, LabCorp, and their policy is to make them available online for the patient eight days after they send them to the doctor!

My insurance company sends me to my local Quest lab, and I can view results online whether or not Endo has reviewed them.

Last time they were available within two business days of testing. This time it took five. Meh.

However, they did arrive today.

T: 5 ng/dl. I guess there's no disputing that it's really super low.

E: 122 pg/ml. More consistent with what we've been up to, at least. Endo has made noises in the past about wanting to have E in the 200s at a minimum, so let's see what he says. Won't hear from him until Monday.

Net net: endocrinologically speaking,  perhaps I occupy a space that is not exactly male and not exactly female?

Am I even human?

[Linde]

My insurance company sends me to my local Quest lab, and I can view results online whether or not Endo has reviewed them.

Last time they were available within two business days of testing. This time it took five. Meh.

However, they did arrive today.

T: 5 ng/dl. I guess there's no disputing that it's really super low.

E: 122 pg/ml. More consistent with what we've been up to, at least. Endo has made noises in the past about wanting to have E in the 200s at a minimum, so let's see what he says. Won't hear from him until Monday.

Net net: endocrinologically speaking,  perhaps I occupy a space that is not exactly male and not exactly female?

Am I even human?

Your T is about at the same level as mine, it can't go much lower.  200 E would be on the high side, my endo is concerned about DVT when the E is high.  He wants me around 140 to 150.

About your question about if yo are human? Well going by your avatar, you might be not, and just might be a staue that looks like a human?

[Battle Goddess]

Your T is about at the same level as mine, it can't go much lower.  200 E would be on the high side, my endo is concerned about DVT when the E is high.  He wants me around 140 to 150.

About your question about if yo are human? Well going by your avatar, you might be not, and just might be a staue that looks like a human?

True, I can be kind of a stiff sometimes.

That's a statuette of the Greek goddess Athena. More on her in another post.

Endo just called. He's fine with my numbers as they are, so no adjustments for now. I asked about his having mentioned shooting for E numbers in the 200s, and he mumbled about the tests being imprecise and said that my E should be up there by the time of my next test.

Come to think about it, I didn't ask him when that should be. We'll have to close that loop.

I feel good about our discussion. I feel fine physically and have plenty of energy, and changes are moving apace. Now that I know to anticipate Cranky Wednesdays, they're a bit more bearable. Don't see any need to press for any changes.

Onward and outward!

[Battle Goddess]

Just gave myself my weekly shot.

AND had driven home to me the hazards that healthcare providers face in working around needles and other people's blood, for I took my eye off the tip of the syringe for a only moment afterwards and almost immediately jammed it into the side of my thumb.

Phlebotomists of the world, my respects.