Susan's Place Transgender Resources

I am 24 years old MtF and live in Sweden. People who are TS got the swedish authority to get treatment and I want to get hormones the "legal" way through the swedish medical authority. Still I haven't started HRT. The doctors found that I had too high level of estrogen...it only crossed the line above the normal level. So they want to keep it the safe way and wanted to investigate why I slightly higher estrogen than normal. But...like 2 months or so I had a terrible pain in my stomach. It was so painful that I couldnt stand up. But the pain passed out, so I didn't call for an ambulance. And like 2 weeks ago I was thinking if it could be kidney stone. Read that the kidney could loose it's function if left untreated. But luckily, the hospital gave me a time 6th November wants me to do X-ray of my adrenal gland for this investigation of my slightly high estrogen levels, and they probably should see if there is any kidney stone of if the kidney is damaged. I will mention this whole kidney thing for the X-ray staff at place. Also I have to take a blood sample before the X-ray to see if my kidneys can handle (I don't know the word for it in english) that kind of liquid they want me to drink for better contrast on the X-ray. I was thinking that they possibly could see early signs at the blood sample. But...I don't know. I feel fine fysical. My urine doesn't seem to contain blood, I don't have fever or any serious pains in my stomach. I've also been drinking more water for the last few days.

Does HRT required 2 functional kidneys?

I am very desperate for an answer.

The answer is simple. If you have something wrong with your kidneys then go see the doctor. Get it fixed. Never mind HRT, get the kidney fixed.

what Bev said

You need your kidneys more than you need HRT. Get those checked out.

But google Spiro and Kidney Disease. There are a ton of things coming up...so your doc may not give you spiro if you have kidney disease.

But that's not even on the radar right now...your kidneys are.

Kidneys filter out toxins and monitor the water levels in your blood.  The liver also filters out toxins.

Both are tested during blood tests.  Kidney problems can cause more problems during HRT.  Have your doctor check both liver and kidney functions.  And talk to your doctor about the effects of HRT n the kidneys.

HRT is not worth your health. See your doctor.

Androcur has just as bad side effects on the kidneys as spiro.

"Who should NOT take Androcur?

Do not take this medication if you:

    are allergic or sensitive to cyproterone or any ingredients of this medication
    have active liver disease or reduced liver function
    have reduced kidney function"

what about GnRH anatagonist's?

One good kidney would do just fine. Worst case scenario, and orchi and estrogen would be a solution. You are young, my suspicion based on what you told us is that perhaps you may have a suprarenal tumor (benign) that is causing the [pain and the excess estrogen.

Courage, see a doctor

As I wrote... the fastest way for me to see a doctor is when I am going to do the X-ray. I can see one immediatly if I go to emergency hospital, but they only send you home with a pack of painkillers and wont check things up, unless you've been shot or got your limb decapitated in a car crash...and I know that they will send me home without taking me seriously. I've been there and the people at the emergency just closed the hatch unless it's more severe...

Quote from: Ave on October 30, 2012, 08:28:33 PM
what about GnRH anatagonist's?

Don't they block the action of oestrogens as well though?

I wouldn't get too worried.

Radio contrast media for the X-Ray will not affect anything, and you will be under a Radiologists care while you are having it. Increases in Oestrogen can be due to a lot of things, one is an adrenal gland tumour, these are comparatively rare in a person of your age, and in most cases at your age very treatable. The chances you have one are low. Most people with an adrenal tumour do not know they have one they are usually picked up secondarily to hormonal assays.

Acute mind blanking pain in the abdomen that goes away after a while is a good description of passing a kidney stone. I have had the little buggers and the pain can be beyond belief. Unless they are very large they cause little damage to the kidney, and even large ones are usually removed easily. One of the current treatments is to put you in a 'bath' sonicate the stone to pulp, fill you full of pain killer and let you wee the bits out.

The pain is usually associated with the stone entering the ureter and then being passed through the urethra, this is were girls win for once as their urethra is shorter than a males and girls don't have the Glans at the end for extra 'fun' of passing the stone. Blood in the urine as in red urine is a poor indicator of passing stones, you can see RBC's without the red colour (haemaglobuin) in most patients.


Does this stop HRT? Not in itself. High E2 levels will slow down most endocrinologists from proceeding with Oestrodiol in compound form, such as Prognova, as it (they) are processed through the liver and high maintained E2 may be due to liver damage. So in that case endos tend to suggest straight oestrodiol implants. These are not common in the USA for some reason but in Australia they are (where I am), straight oestrodiol is not metabolized in the liver before it acts on the hormone receptors so it can be effective in people with liver problems or those who have high E2 for unknown reasons.

As far as anti-AAs the two most common are Spironolactone  and Andorcur. They work in different ways but are both effective anti-AAs. They have different side effects and that is what the Endo usually looks at for prescription. To put it simply Ando has a well known side effect of causing or synergising with depression, if you suffer from depression and are on depression medication let you Endo know. Spiro has an effect on blood pressure and tends to reduce it, it was developed as a blood pressure medication,  so again your medical history is important for your Endo to give the right anti-AA.

Do you need an anti-AA? This is commonly forgotten. Many, no I don't have the reference handy, MtF have very low levels of T after they go on Oestradiol compounds. This is because they increase the thingy called SHBG, sex hormone binding globulin, which removes T from the body and so decrease androgen levels. If the level is low enough going on anti-AAs is a total waste of time and money. You don't have enough androgen to suppress. We need a level of androgens (T) to keep a sex drive going and to allow calcium absorption etc.  If you don't you may develop fragile bones, one reason to make sure your Vitamin D levels are OK. Without Vit D you don't absorb calcium.



So where does this leave us? Go to a good medical team that know about this stuff, Sweden has an excellent medical system so trust them and now you should be able to ask them questions.

Hugs

Cindy

Quote from: Isabelle on October 31, 2012, 03:37:39 AM
Don't they block the action of oestrogens as well though?

GnRH antagonists block the endogenous production of estrogens/androgens

Honestly, I don't trust the swedish health care. I actually called today and talked to a nurse. They said that they think that it's not serious.

I have always had a high pain tolerance but I can tell you that  kidney stone or gall stone will get your attention. It hurts so bad that I would have let them remove them without anesthesia, just to make the pain stop.  Damage occurs from long term blockage (unbearable pain) or from constantly getting short term blockages.

If it was a kidney stone, you passed it quickly and the chances of damage are almost zero. The pain could have been MANY things.

Quote from: Frostice on October 31, 2012, 05:03:11 PM
Honestly, I don't trust the swedish health care. I actually called today and talked to a nurse. They said that they think that it's not serious.

Look - sometimes you have to trust that medical people know what they are talking about. I know they can make mistakes just like anyone else can but since no one seems that concerned about this then I guess it is generally not that serious. I guess that their experience has taught them that.

Quote from: bev2 on November 01, 2012, 08:57:41 AM
Look - sometimes you have to trust that medical people know what they are talking about. I know they can make mistakes just like anyone else can but since no one seems that concerned about this then I guess it is generally not that serious. I guess that their experience has taught them that.

The swedish medical team rarely do mistakes. It's the medical system that tells how they should act.

But now that my endocrinologist want to do X-ray on my adrenal gland to investigate my estrogen levels - It's cool. Cause treatment for transsexuals have higher priority in sweden. If I walked in and said that I want to do a X-ray cause I suspect that I could have problems with my kidney, they would have to put me on a long waiting list to get treated or saying to me that I should come back if I would have pain again...maybe next time could be already too late.

But checking up this kidney thing in a regular way hasn't something to do with treatment for my transsexualism.

I am done with this....