Darn Endocrinologist

[Battle Goddess]

Two kinda cool things to report today:

1) My chest jiggles when I go down the stairs! I'ma be making sure to hold the bannister because I know I'm going to be jogging.

2) Went to get re-vaccinated for the measles (I'm in that special age bracket) at my old pharmacy. Told the pharmacist I'm transitioning. He said I look so much better than I ever did, as though a huge weight has been taken from my shoulders.

[JanePlain]

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?

Of course your human but if this helps I don't think there is a cis man with T levels anywhere near that low.  I think your E levels would be considered fine for typical cis female levels.  Getting them above 200 would be around the max I think?  Pam if your around can you comment on this?  I did want to say please don't ignore your prostate.  It might be less likely to get cancer but there are many reasons for cancer.  Genetic stuff is I think a real possibility that might not care what your hormone levels are at.  *Although I think lots of estrogen and very little testosterone will make cancer operate in slow motion.  Anyway catching that early and not letting your doctor blow it off may save your life!  Take care of yourself.  Some of us enjoy your posts!  ;-)

[Linde]

  I did want to say please don't ignore your prostate.  It might be less likely to get cancer but there are many reasons for cancer.  Genetic stuff is I think a real possibility that might not care what your hormone levels are at.  *Although I think lots of estrogen and very little testosterone will make cancer operate in slow motion.  Anyway catching that early and not letting your doctor blow it off may save your life!  Take care of yourself.  Some of us enjoy your posts!  ;-)

This is very important, because that baby does some unexpected things once in a while.  Untreated prostate cancer become, in most cases, bone cancer, and that means the end of the game (and it is extremely painful).  early stage prostate cancer can be treated relatively easy. 
I have a non functioning (at least not functioning the way it was meant to be) prostate for many years now, but still have my PSA levels checked once a year.

[pamelatransuk]

Getting E level above 200 would be around the max I think?  Pam if your around can you comment on this?

Jane/BattleGoddess/Linde

Yes Jane I agree. Indeed I am advised by my Endo here in UK that the max target E level should be 800 (Intl) which is 218 (US). My E level after 12 months in February was 558 (Intl) or 152 (US).
I recall Linde you stating that in May you were hoping for an E level around mine. I assume you now know the result? Perhaps you could post it on my "Comparison after 12/13 Months" thread on HRT Board which incorporates all E&T results after 3/4 6/7 9/10 and 12/13 months please. Thanking you.

Sending love and happiness to all of you.

Hugs

Pamela  xx

[Linde]

Jane/BattleGoddess/Linde

Yes Jane I agree. Indeed I am advised by my Endo here in UK that the max target E level should be 800 (Intl) which is 218 (US). My E level after 12 months in February was 558 (Intl) or 152 (US).
I recall Linde you stating that in May you were hoping for an E level around mine. I assume you now know the result? Perhaps you could post it on my "Comparison after 12/13 Months" thread on HRT Board which incorporates all E&T results after 3/4 6/7 9/10 and 12/13 months please. Thanking you.

Sending love and happiness to all of you.

Hugs

Pamela  xx

My endo was very happy with my E level of about 140, and he plans to keep me at this, with my T around 5.  The next blood test is planned for end of October, and he keeps my E dosing at the same level I have been at starting about a week after my orchi.
I do not know how much influence E has on my breast development, because i was close to a B cup when I started with E 6 months ago, and am now close to be a C.  The breast seems not to grow any faster than it did prior to starting E.  The only things I feel that E does to me, it did change my emotions and eating away on my upper torso strength.  I am told that my face got a little rounder, though.
All other measurement parameters do not apply to me, because i never had any hair loss on my head, and never had any hair on my body.  I don't think that it influenced my slow beard growth either.  I still have to shave once or twice a week.

[JanePlain]

This is very important, because that baby does some unexpected things once in a while.  Untreated prostate cancer become, in most cases, bone cancer, and that means the end of the game (and it is extremely painful).  early stage prostate cancer can be treated relatively easy. 
I have a non functioning (at least not functioning the way it was meant to be) prostate for many years now, but still have my PSA levels checked once a year.

That is good!  Something to ponder. Discovering you have cancer is harder now with this attitude that since some forms of prostate cancer are slow growing and something else will probably kill you. So why bother looking for cancer? Besides testing for cancer costs insurance companies money. And I'm pretty sure they would prefer not paying.

So the one test that we have (PSA) is becoming an only if you ask type of thing. There are detractors saying because PSA testing is not perfect we should go with no PSA. So now what?  As far as I know the PSA is still the only test so since its not perfect you just aren't tested.

Yes most doctors still do a DRE (Digital Rectal Exam) and by digit we are talking about your doctors finger not a digital computer.  The DRE is better then nothing but its only going to detect cancer if the tumor has grown to a fairly large size.  In addition the tumor has to be in the right place to be detected. And when you have the "bad" kind of cancer you might be told there is a problem after the DRE but its already too late.

Anyway I think it gets worse because when you are diagnosed with cancer doctors are now giving you the option of "Watchful Waiting" which is to do nothing and hope you have the slow growing cancer. When you think about the typical male patients who are doctor phobic. What are the odds they will choose avoiding doctors / treatment? I spoke to a urologist about this and asked, "If you had prostate cancer what are the odds that he would choose "watchful waiting" over other options like surgical removal (Which if done soon enough removes all of the cancer) or radiation. The doctor very quietly told me "zero"

[AnneK]

So the one test that we have (PSA) is becoming an only if you ask type of thing.

Because of BPH, my urologist has asked my doctor to include the PSA test on the blood tests for my physicals.  I also get "the finger".   

As for being reliable, my impression was that the PSA test is nothing more than an indicator that further testing is needed, rather than proof in itself.

[Battle Goddess]

Yes most doctors still do a DRE (Digital Rectal Exam) and by digit we are talking about your doctors finger not a digital computer.

I'm fine with getting my annual DRE.

I just wish my doctor didn't seem to enjoy it so much.

[Battle Goddess]

I'm fine with getting my annual DRE.

I just wish my doctor didn't seem to enjoy it so much.

:rimshot:

[AnneK]

I'm fine with getting my annual DRE.

I just wish my doctor didn't seem to enjoy it so much.

My doctor is female.   

BTW, I prefer female doctors, so mine, along with dentist and optometrist are female.  However, the specialists I've been referred to have all but one been male, including my urologist.  I don't enjoy a male poking around those parts.  I also find the male doctors tend to have more of an attitude about things like my nail polish.  The exception being the endocrinologist that prescribed my HRT.

[Battle Goddess]

:rimshot:

Sorry. Couldn't resist.

Anyway, one more new phenomenon. Went to see tdoc today. Her offices have gendered bathrooms out in the hallway with locks on their doors, and they're fine with my using the women's. Unfortunately, when I went to grab a key today, only the men's was available.

Okay, whatever. Keep in mind that I'd be deluding myself if I thought I pass. To be in a place where it's safe to use the ladies' room is a treat.

But when I got into the men's room, a real feeling of alienation crept over me. A sense of squick. It just felt icky, hinky, unnerving, not right. Deep down, it felt like I didn't belong there.

This, to me, is a sign of my deepening acceptance of who I am. I'm moving beyond having realized the truth of the matter and having decided to try to stop fighting it but still being shell-shocked by the whole thing. I think I'm getting to the point of, "Well, duh. Who did you think you were, and where did you think you belonged?"

It's as though I've sailed past a faint dotted line somewhere, a liminal boundary.

My internal representation of myself is changing, and changing fast.

Something tells me I'm going to have to run fast to keep up with it.

[Linde]

Anyway I think it gets worse because when you are diagnosed with cancer doctors are now giving you the option of "Watchful Waiting" which is to do nothing and hope you have the slow growing cancer. When you think about the typical male patients who are doctor phobic. What are the odds they will choose avoiding doctors / treatment? I spoke to a urologist about this and asked, "If you had prostate cancer what are the odds that he would choose "watchful waiting" over other options like surgical removal (Which if done soon enough removes all of the cancer) or radiation. The doctor very quietly told me "zero"

My brother in law and a friend did not like to go to the doctor, because thy felt they were never sick.  Both died on a very painful version of bone cancer, because their prostate cancer was not discovered!

[JanePlain]

My brother in law and a friend did not like to go to the doctor, because thy felt they were never sick.  Both died on a very painful version of bone cancer, because their prostate cancer was not discovered!

I'm so sorry to hear that.  I noted that in a male (only) waiting room every single guy (Which was a lot) had his wife or girlfriend with him.  Who I have no doubt dragged them in.  The PSA test is not perfect.  A perfect one would just say cancer or not.  PSA results need to be monitored for a sudden rise.  And I shudder to comment on the bone cancer but yes this is a horrible way to go.  Painful to the point where narcotics don't work.  Prostate cancer can also spread to the brain which is a double horrible way to die.  One of my relatives went that way and it was torture to watch.  Gosh do I ever agree with you all about male doctors. They are just the worst. Zero empathy and just plain rude.  Some of the things I've heard male doctors say while I was supposed to be out still burn me up.

[Quinn]

After reading this about prostate cancer I think its time for me to get checked. I have never been checked in my life and im 53  guess its time

[AnneK]

After reading this about prostate cancer I think its time for me to get checked. I have never been checked in my life and im 53  guess its time

Assuming to regularly go to the doctor, I'm surprised you haven't been..  My doctor started giving me the finger years ago.   

[Quinn]

when I was younger I would go maybe every few years but it was always the same doctor from 19 to 50 yrs  switched to Kaiser when I decided to transition because they seemed like they had the best care for it. And have been to so many doctor during the last three years and no one ever mentioned anything about it .
I honestly never thought about the prostate and embarrassed to say have no idea what it does but im going to be proactive and make an appointment to get it checked after reading this thread

[TonyaW]

If you're over 50 they should be doing the digital exam once a year and PSA as part of regular blood tests.  I never went to the doctor much but did start annual visits when I turned 50. That turned into 4 times a year with transition. I'm back down to twice a year regular visits now.

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

[AnneK]

I honestly never thought about the prostate and embarrassed to say have no idea what it does

Cancer aside, you're at the age when BPH (enlarged prostate) often appears.  This makes it more and more difficult to urinate and can cause damage to the bladder and kidneys.  This is why I'm on dutasteride.  As for prostate cancer, the finger test and PSA levels are used to determine whether it might be there, though proof requires a biopsy.

[Linde]

I'm so sorry to hear that.  I noted that in a male (only) waiting room every single guy (Which was a lot) had his wife or girlfriend with him.  Who I have no doubt dragged them in.  The PSA test is not perfect.  A perfect one would just say cancer or not.  PSA results need to be monitored for a sudden rise.  And I shudder to comment on the bone cancer but yes this is a horrible way to go.  Painful to the point where narcotics don't work.  Prostate cancer can also spread to the brain which is a double horrible way to die.  One of my relatives went that way and it was torture to watch.  Gosh do I ever agree with you all about male doctors. They are just the worst. Zero empathy and just plain rude.  Some of the things I've heard male doctors say while I was supposed to be out still burn me up.

Brain cancer is commonly the end stage of bone cancer.  By the way, breast cancer goes a similar route as prostate cancer if not treated in time.  Breast exams are very important, for us trans ladies, too.  It is easy to do a self exam, at least once a week.  I do it daily because this way my fingers get a memory of how the normal tissue feels, and will detect any unnormal tissue very fast!

I do not understand your negativ experiences with male doctors.  I never have been seen by a female doctor, but am pretty happy with the treatment of my male doctors.  It might be different for me, because all know that I am a member of that profession, too?
I think you have as many bad male as female doctors, female doctors may hide it under a better facade?

I have an endo who is an idiot  (in my eyes), but that has nothing to do with male or female, he is just an idiot, but I am stuck with him.

[Linde]

when I was younger I would go maybe every few years but it was always the same doctor from 19 to 50 yrs  switched to Kaiser when I decided to transition because they seemed like they had the best care for it. And have been to so many doctor during the last three years and no one ever mentioned anything about it .
I honestly never thought about the prostate and embarrassed to say have no idea what it does but im going to be proactive and make an appointment to get it checked after reading this thread

here you can read anyting you wanted ever to know about that baby!

https://www.webmd.com/urinary-incontinence-oab/picture-of-the-prostate#1