Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Hi, I am a transgender male. I would like to share some of my things and need some suggestion from you guys. Actually I can't tolerate my period at all so I started taking Lynestreno for 5 months without any break. And I had no period at all. Then I read about Depo shot that one shot can stop period for three months so I thought it should be great as I don't need to take medicine everyday. But after having the shot I started to have severe pain in my body and after two weeks of having the shot I started to bleed. So I again went to the doctor and the doctor suggested me to take Norethisterone for few days. But I have started taking this on March, 2014 and still having it without any break since it stopped my period at all. But suddenly I went to a doctor for some other reason and while the doctor checked my Blood Pressure he found it high: 140/90. After that I again went to him yesterday and he found 158/100 which is even higher. I have family history for High Blood pressure but few months back on February I last checked my Blood Pressure before this and it was quite normal 120/70. And always it used to be like this normal then I can't understand why it is happening now? Is it causing by my Depo shot or Norethisterone? As I was already having Lynestrenol before for 5 months and never had this BP problem then why now? Please suggest me and share some of your experience if any.
Also I would like to mention that I don't have enough money to go for surgery that why I am taking medicine but my doctor also does not know that I am continuing like this. So, I can't seek doctors help as well. As the country I am living now does not allow such things.

Thank you.

Mod edit: No dosages thanks.

Hey Rian

Welcome to Susan's  :)  Great to have you here - looking forward to seeing you around the forum.

Hope someone can help with your questions.

Please note though, we have a policy on not discussing dosages... check out the following links for site rules, helpful tips and other info...

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Cheers

Grace

Quote from: Ms Grace on May 22, 2014, 01:25:03 AM
Hey Rian

Welcome to Susan's  :)  Great to have you here - looking forward to seeing you around the forum.

Hope someone can help with your questions.

Please note though, we have a policy on not discussing dosages... check out the following links for site rules, helpful tips and other info...

• Site Terms of Service and rules to live by  (https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,2.0.html)
  
• Standard Terms and Definitions (https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,54369.0.html)
  
• Post Ranks (including when you can upload an avatar) (https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,114.0.html.)
  
• Age and the Forum (https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,62197.msg405545.html#msg405545)
  
• Reputation rules (https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,18960.0.html)
  
• Photo, avatars, and signature images policy (https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,59974.msg383866.html#msg383866)
  

Cheers

Grace

Thanks MS Grace for you warm wlecome and correcting me for the future. I am so sorry as I did not noticed it before.  :)

Well mixing medications like that might be the cause of your high bp yes. Since depo stays in your system for up to 6 months after that initial shot. Also depo may not take full effect in stopping your periods for up to a year. And be forewarned that it is not a medication you should continue after 2 years since it's been given a black label to cause bone loss. It is also notorious for causing infertility, weight gain, mood swings, acne, body aches, headaches ect.

I don't know much about the other medication you mentioned but I would recommend googling them both for possible side effects and more information.

Thanks Hex for your reply. I know that these medication are not good to be taken for long time. But I am in a situation that I can't stop these as I don't want that period again in my life. And I can't go for surgery at this moment. Then what can I do now? Somehow I have decided not to take Depo shot again as I am taking the oral pill already.

Thanks

I take the depo and have for at least 3 years already. There was some spotting until this last year but it was never as bad as a period.

I did depo for a bit, it's fine as a short term solution, but not as a permanent fix. There are lasting harmful effects (such as bone density loss) when continued over 2 years.

There are no medications that I am aware of aside from testosterone that can safely stop your period as a long term solution. Even with testosterone, I've heard a lot of reports saying that we should have hysto done by the 5 year mark. I'm not sure if this is the case. I understand your situation but I still don't know that there are any safe medications that can stop periods permanently without side effects.

Quote from: Ayden on May 24, 2014, 06:04:45 AM
There are no medications that I am aware of aside from testosterone that can safely stop your period as a long term solution. Even with testosterone, I've heard a lot of reports saying that we should have hysto done by the 5 year mark. I'm not sure if this is the case. I understand your situation but I still don't know that there are any safe medications that can stop periods permanently without side effects.

This is something that I am in the process of looking into.  I don't plan on going on T, but the dysphoria from this monthy thing that happens is getting worse.  I have never used any kind of birth control before because I have always only dated women.  I thought about looking into that new I.U.D. that lasts for 5 years?  I think you don't get your period when you have that put in?  I think I can overcome the only few minutes (someone told me it was short), of getting it put in.

My concern is that obviously it will be messing with my hormones, and one of the reasons I am not going on T is that I am concerned it could effect past health issues.  Plus, I believe that I have lower estrogen levels than what is the norm and I certainly don't want more added.

Anyway, this thread is timely because I was just starting to research options.

If anyone has more information on stopping your period without T, I would appreciate it.

@Brett
From a quick google search it really doesn't seem like there is a marketed birth control that is supposed to completely stop your period. If it does, it's considered a side effect and not always guaranteed.
There is also a massive list of side effects included with all of these, and some even have law suits against them, such as Yaz.

As far as I know IUDs do not stop periods. If they do, it's a side effect. I've known quite a few women who were on different types of IUDs and none claimed it stopped their periods.
I was on depo for 2 years and did not have a period personally. BUT the side effects of depo were awful for me. It made me miserable and caused more issues than it fixed.

The only viable options I'm seeing are T and hystos. T of course has it's own side effects and if it's none of what you're wanting, then a hysto might be something to look into to. Of course having a full hysto with removal of the ovaries, also brings up the topic of hormone imbalance and you would either need to replace the estrogen with testosterone or take doses of estrogen in placement of loosing the ovaries. There are hystos that only take the uterus and leave 1 or both ovaries to keep estrogen in your system(which helps with bone density) So that is something to consider.

@Ayden
Yes, it is recommended that persons on T for long periods of time who plan on staying on T for over 5 years have a hysto because it's been documented through studies that T has a higher chance to cause cervical cancer and cause POS and worsen things such as endometriosis. Which can cause severe complications.

IUDS don't stop periods, my girl had one, and somehow (she blames me) might have gotten stuck up in her uterus <.<...sooo she had to have a mini surgery where the gyno had to go up there and take it out, needless to say she just doesnt use birth control anymore lol I use to be on the birth control pill, and i would still have a period once every month but hardly any bleeding or cramps

Hex, thanks so much for all of that information.  I have a friend who is on the IUD and says she gets no period, but I hear you that it is hit or miss.

Ryan, thanks for jumping in too, with your info.

Quote from: Brett on May 24, 2014, 09:01:42 AM
I thought about looking into that new I.U.D. that lasts for 5 years?  I think you don't get your period when you have that put in? 

Yes you will. An IUD only stops are severely limits conception physically. It does nothing biologically. :)

Quote from: maxman on May 23, 2014, 09:02:10 PM
I did depo for a bit, it's fine as a short term solution, but not as a permanent fix. There are lasting harmful effects (such as bone density loss) when continued over 2 years.

That's exactly what happened to me :'( I took it over 3 years and when I had it checked the test result showed the reality and I am screwed up now even off the depo. My Vitamin D is so low, it's sad. There is really no win situation with any medication and there is unfortunately always side effects. Even with T now, I am struggling on how long I should continue it. My backup is (that I am still taking just in case T wont do the job of stopping it since it's a low dose) by taking mini birth control pills called Errin that doesn't contain estrogen.

Quote from: Jessica Merriman on May 24, 2014, 08:02:57 PM
Yes you will. An IUD only stops are severely limits conception physically. It does nothing biologically. :)

Actually the Mirena IUD does release small amounts of progesterone, so one could argue that it's a biological contraception. Like other progesterone BC, it may stop your periods and/or make them lighter.

I have had the Nexplanon implant for 2 years and it kept me from having periods for the first year and a half (it's supposed to last three years as a birth control method, but I am very overweight so it's possible the dosage dropped off earlier than expected - the drug hasn't been studied in obese people). It's a non-estrogen method, I believe.

Personally, I've been considering finding an alternative method of avoiding periods (this is the primary reason I got the implant). I find that other side effects make it not ideal for me, and I'd kind of rather start to transition (start T &etc.) than replace this one with another 2-3 year implant.

However, if you want a solution that lasts about 2-3 years, it did work pretty well for a decently long time, and I haven't had to get a check-up on it or anything. I don't really notice it and it doesn't hurt me, so that is nice.

The biggest downside, I think, is the cost. I got it when I qualified for the Take Charge program at Planned Parenthood. Not sure if that's still going after the Affordable Care Act or if other programs have taken its place, but it was only available to me because I was low-income and uninsured at that time. Paying out of pocket it costs about a few hundred dollars.

EDIT: So sorry, I didn't notice you said something about the country you are living in, so the last bit probably doesn't apply to you as it's very US-centric!

I've been on two different ones since last summer and they would work fine for a while, then hit me later (ex: shark week took place for three solid months).

Hey everyone thanks a lot for taking your time and discussing on this matter..But I would like to inform that I have checked my blood pressure regularly these days and it was all fine. So, my doctor suggested it might be the pressure machine problem for the first time I had checked it. Because first 3 times I used to check with a same blood pressure monitor. But I hope I am quite al right now as I have rechecked my BP twice using other bp monitors and clinics. 

So, I would like to know if I take testosterone will it immediately stop the period? If so then definitely I would like to go for it. As I don't want to take this female hormone pills any more. But I have to say that this birth control pills works too fast. For example if I take today then it will start working right after taking it and by tomorrow the period will stop until how long I want by taking the pill regularly.

There is no set date that Testosterone will stop your period by. I had one shot and I haven't bled since. But, I was lucky. Some folks keep bleeding. I've heard up to 3 months is standard, and up to a year is not unusual.

Remember that even if your blood pressure is good, taking medications in a manner that they are not prescribed can cause some pretty serious health conditions and you may not always have symptoms until it gets serious.

I understand how you feel. If I got my period again I don't know what I would do. But, please be careful with taking hormones or anything medications outside of their intended usage.