Why am I still flat?

[Ayaname]

For some reason I just can't seem to grow breasts. I started out taking plant based estrogen and progesterone and was on it for about 14 months. It only caused minimal changes (as was expected), but it did change my face a little and added some fat to my thighs and butt, however it wasn't doing anything for my chest so I switched to bioidentical hormones. I've been on them for over 3 months now and it's changed my face a bit more and has added even more padding to my legs, but my chest is still flatter than most guys:( I'm not taking t-blockers because of the health risks, but I've always had naturally low testosterone levels. Is it possible that I just don't have the genes to grow breasts?

[Sarah Louise]

Estrogen you get from your local health store won't do much if anything.  Has your doctor checked your hormone levels?

Genetic girls don't grow their breasts overnight, so 3 months is nothing in the scheme of things.

When your not taking a testosterone blocker you are just fighting yourself.

I think your probably self medicating, if so, Stop, see a doctor and get a prescription you will be much better off and maybe even finally see some growth.

[Flan]

what's your blood levels like?

I think your probably self medicating, if so, Stop, see a doctor and get a prescription you will be much better off and maybe even finally see some growth.

* FlanHusky whistles

http://www.parknicollet.com/Methodist/Doctors/Find_a_doctor/provider_detail/provider_detail.cfm?ID=502

[K8]

There should be someone along soon who knows a lot more about HRT than I do, but in the meantime I'll offer a few thoughts.

If you are taking hormones without a doctor's supervision there is not telling what results you will get.  And if the hormones are black market or internet, there is no telling what they really are.

My T levels were normal for a male.  Even with T-blockers, any breast growth in the first three months was mostly in my imagination.  Now, after almost 11 months I fill an A cup plus a little extra.  I think it takes a while for something to happen before there is actual growth.  (I saw it explained once but don't remember the explanation. )

If you are at all concerned about health risks – as you should be – please see a doctor to supervise your hormones.

And not everyone can grow breasts – it depends on the receptors in your tissue.

- Kate

[pebbles]

Anti-androgens fill a critical role you can't just omit them... Well you can but you'd have to be doing something really terrible to yourself like massively overdosing on the Estrogen to get any effect and that's just such and old dangerously outdated method.

It's the 5α-Dihydrotestosterone or DHT... It directly interferes and disables oestrogens. It also competitively binds with the same androgen receptors as estrogen thus will mute it's effects.

[Janet_Girl]

Once you are under a doctors care, there is one thing that is missing.  Time.  I have been on HRT, Spiro and Estrogen.  But even at 21 months and an Orchie, I am just getting to a B cup.  I shall see what things are like come next November, when I am a year post-orchie.

[Nicky]

I think the risks from an antiandrogen like spiro is actually a lot less than taking estrogen.

Maybe you need to do more research.

[tatiana]

I think the risks from an antiandrogen like spiro is actually a lot less than taking estrogen.

Maybe you need to do more research.

Spironolactone is pretty safe minty stuff - just makes you go to the washroom often. haha. That makes me curious what the OP meant by risks too.

[Nigella]

Hi, genetics does play a part but also hormone levels and time. It took me 9 months before breast buds formed and another 11 months to get where I am, a B cup. I am on a T blocker and estrogen. You need to be under an endo and be monitored for your hormone levels.

It takes between two to five years to fully develop and is not unlike that of natal females at puberty. Of course there is a possibility that you will not be lucky and develop as much as you would like, hence some go for a BA. A good indication is perhaps one cup smaller than a genetic female relative in your close family, but even this is not a given. Some don't respond to hormones at all.

If it helps you to understand breast growth, google, "breast growth and tanner stages." It will give you an idea of the growth stages and development of breast tissue.

Hope that helps

Stardust

[Asfsd4214]

As far as my understanding of it is, and keeping in mind I'm not a doctor.

It largely comes down to your hormone levels, regardless of what you're taking.

Your androgen levels need to be low enough and your estrogen levels high enough. The only way to find that out is with blood tests. If your androgen's are too high you need antiandrogen's or castration to lower it, once low you need estrogens or your body will suffer side effects from hormone deficiency, to increase it you add estrogen drugs.

So why aren't you seeing the breast growth you'd like? Nobody here can tell you that but we can speculate that it's most likely your regiment and you need blood tests to really know what's up.

Really, you need to consult a competent doctor to find out if the problem is related to hormone levels, but it's the most likely explanation.

[Christine Eryn]

At first I was taking only estrogen once a week. Bodywise I was developing OK as far as butt and breast area. I stopped for almost a year, then found a new doctor. I started last summer with a daily combo of spiro + estrogen, and now it's getting kinda hard to hide my breast development. I am still transitioning in stealth. It's a double edged sword, but a pleasant one. 

[Anne Selene]

1) Plant estrogens has a different chemical structure then i.e. E2 so they can't be measured

2) Most chemicals in plant estrogens are "regulators" that makes your own E2 production to be regulated into a better way then without the plant estrogens.

3) We must remember that the most important factor in E2 is not how much E2 you have or take but how many estrogen receptors you have in your body and both ER1 and ER2 counts. So taking herbal estrogens might also regulate ER1 and ER2 and that's it might be good for some but not so good for others.