Testosterone

[Randy]

So, I've been on half a normal dose of injectable T for a little over 3 months now. Changes are coming along nicely, but I am continuing to be plagued by, shall we say... a certain monthly visitor (which, as I'm sure you guys can imagine, depresses me immensely). After over 3 months shouldn't this be gone by now? I tried to talk to my doctor about raising the dose, but she won't discuss it. It's not as if she even gives me an explanation. It's never "we can't raise your dose for medical reason A, B, ... etc" it just doesn't get discussed.

There's nothing I can do about it this month, the damage is done, but I'm determined that this won't happen again. My next appointment isn't for months. I've just resolved that if it happens again next month, I'm making an appointment and she will raise my dose, or I'll find someone who will (though I'm not sure there is anyone else in the area...). Anyone had similar experiences? Advice?

[Elwood]

It can take longer. Are you at least spotting (a really light flow)?

[sneakersjay]

I had one last 'visitor' my first month on T...and the anger and rage that induced was not pretty.  I hated that thing my entire life but being on T and getting it sent me over the edge.

Can you discuss that with your doctor?  I was lucky to get a hysto right off the bat, which ended things permanently.

Sorry I can't be more help.


Jay

[Randy]

It can take longer. Are you at least spotting (a really light flow)?

No, it's still fairly normal if not a little bit lighter... Nothing I would refer to as "spotting". It does seem to want to stick around longer though.

I had one last 'visitor' my first month on T...and the anger and rage that induced was not pretty.  I hated that thing my entire life but being on T and getting it sent me over the edge.
Can you discuss that with your doctor?  I was lucky to get a hysto right off the bat, which ended things permanently.

Sorry I can't be more help.


Jay

Yeah it defintely sucks to be three months in and then wake up to that. Except in this situation I tend to lean more towards depression than anger.

I did talk to my doctor (sort of). Basically I got the nurse's version of what the doctor said. Basically that

A. This is how my body was designed to work (yeah thanks that's comforting)
B. If I'm that upset about it I just need to talk to my therapist (which I sort of did briefly/will do tomorrow. But I resent just being passed on to him when my problem is PHYSICAL, which he can't do a damn thing about.)
C. We'll discuss it at my appointment months from now.

I can't do this for another few months. Ugh..... At this rate hysterectomy is beiginning to move past top surgery on my list of priorities.

And I just wrote out all of this out on my iPod touch. It took like half an hour! Never again...... 

[Jay]

I was still having periods with a full dose until about 3/4 months so I wouldn't worry to much.

As for your Dr not discussing raising your dose, I find this un-acceptable as it is your medication and it needs to be discussed. If the answer is no you can't then you need to know why.

Plus if it is for a medical condition which you don't know already then they should damn well tell you..
GRRR people...

Jay

[Ender]

I did talk to my doctor (sort of). Basically I got the nurse's version of what the doctor said. Basically that

A. This is how my body was designed to work (yeah thanks that's comforting)
B. If I'm that upset about it I just need to talk to my therapist (which I sort of did briefly/will do tomorrow. But I resent just being passed on to him when my problem is PHYSICAL, which he can't do a damn thing about.)
C. We'll discuss it at my appointment months from now.

Personally... I wouldn't accept that kind of treatment from anyone that I was paying to take care of me.  If it was at all possible, I would switch doctors.  The first two statements indicate that your doctor/nurse have little sensitivity towards FtM trans issues ("that's how your body is supposed to work"?!--that's what you're undergoing HRT to stop).  The third... how can any doctor refuse to discuss an issue that's bothering his/her patients?  It just seems like bad practice.  I don't know what other medical issues you have that's preventing you from raising your dose, but they really should be willing to discuss your issues with T therapy not suppressing your period.

I'm on a full dose of T and I had a light period one week after my first shot and haven't had one since (but it's only been 2 months--hope it doesn't come back).

[Luc]

I've been back on T for 2 1/2 weeks now, and right before my last shot, the third one, I got my period. Most likely, I figure, if you've ovulated before getting on T, all that junk has to go somewhere, so you'll get a period regardless of T's influence.

However, I absolutely agree with Eryk. If you're paying to see a doctor who's overseeing your transition and is supposed to be helping, she should have your best interests in mind. I don't know about you, but for me, menstruation is the biggest problem for me in terms of dysphoria. I've never had one past the first month on T, and I assume that on a full dose, it should stop... though, as Jay said, some people might have different reactions.

I'd advise finding another doctor. Obviously your body, being genetically female, was made to menstruate. And obviously, as a transsexual, you don't want that! If your doc isn't more understanding, she's doing you a disservice. Find someone else who actually knows what a transsexual is, and will give you what you need.

SD

[Elwood]

I hated that thing my entire life but being on T and getting it sent me over the edge.

You had your period your whole life...?

[Andrew]

Randy, this is HIGHLY unusual. First, that you're on a half-dose in the first place. Why? There's no discernable reason that you shouldn't be on a normal dose, unless you've got a medical condition that interferes. (And then your doctor should TELL YOU that's the reason!) Second, that she won't talk to you about it! She's working for you. She's your health professional. You are entitled to know every single minute detail of your care. I think you should switch doctors if money or trans acceptance isn't an issue. Get an appointment with another doctor in the next week or so, tell them what your problems were with the other doc, and have them help you with this.

[Dennis]

It isn't highly unusual to start on a lower dose than the end dose. My endo started me (and starts others) on a quarter dose, and only increases it by another quarter dose after three months. She says her reasons are that way she can monitor changes in the blood and make sure that the usual dose is suited to you. So there are medical reasons a doctor might put someone on a lower dose. I still think my endo's method is slow, painful torture, but I'm not the doctor. I had the bloody period for 6 months or so after I started. Maybe 7. Don't remember, I've blocked it out, but I remember it seemed to go on forever.

Smug little comments about how your body is "supposed to work" are not particularly helpful in a care provider. Dunno whether it'd be more trouble to switch or to take the time to educate. Might be something to ponder. Also the nurse could have paraphrased the doctor incorrectly.

Dennis

[Andrew]

True, there could be a medical reason -- but the doc should definitely tell him what that medical reason is. I'm not sure I get the lower-initial-dose thing. My doctor works primarily with the trans community and currently treats hundreds of transpeople, and my first dose was actually higher than normal -- a loading dose that stopped my periods completely -- followed by the normal dose after that. Could it just be skittishness on the part of physicians who don't treat a lot of transpeople? Or do different guys need different levels depending on their body size etc.?

[kestin]

I had a half-dose my first shot... then my next shot was four weeks later which was the full-dose. Have been having it regularly every three weeks since then. My period stopped around 3 months in? I think I had it twice since starting T.

[Luc]

Shots every 3 weeks? You guys have some strange doctors.... Testosterone cypionate has a half-life of 7 days... which means that if you don't do shots once a week, you can end up with strange moodiness around the time the T levels are dropping off. I do mine once a week... can't imagine doing them any less often, because when I miss doing my shot for 4 days or more after that first week, I end up going just about nuts emotionally.

I just have to repeat... if you're paying for a doctor, he/she should cater to YOUR needs, not his/her own.

SD

[kestin]

I haven't noticed any moodiness... but I'm not a particularly moody type of person anyway, pre-transition including. I take Sustanon... does that make a difference? I'm happy with my current doseage and timetable, I've been getting the desired effects regardless.

[Randy]

Talked to my therapist yesterday. His suggestion (and my current plan of action) was to find out exactly what my endo's plan is as far as dosage, try and talk about modifying it (if I'm not happy with it), and as a last resort switch doctors. The thing about that is that there aren't many around. He's going to look into it for me, but I don't know that I really want to switch unless it's absolutely necessary. She isn't solely an endo (which may explain the nurses' comments), she's also an OBGYN which would save me the trouble of having to find one who's trans-friendly.

[Jay]

I was having the shots every two weeks, that was all I was allowed. When I was trying to finish shots off before I started my gel I was having them once a week and oh boy was I a psycho!

Jay

[Luc]

I imagine Sustanon is different... my dr didn't give me a choice, just prescribed Cypionate, and explained to me that I could choose whether to do a single dose once a week, or a double dose once every 2 weeks. Only weird moodiness I've experienced is, right on topic for this thread, when I've gotten periods while on T. Must be something about the testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone all jockeying for position.

SD