Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Hi girls, I really need your help.I had my orchie 3 month ago and stopped Androcur.
Now only on E (the same dose as pre-orchie)
But my hair and skin just getting more and more oily ,like what it was before I had started my HRT 2years ago.
I got the blood test last week and my T is 0.28ng/ml ,which is exactly in female range.
Doc told me that maybe it's kind of "recovery", but I didn't stop Androcur until the day I have my orchie and the blood test just show me such a low T level
And it has been 3 month...It just getting worse and worse..no any improvement.
I'm so depressed and confused. Do you have any idea what's going on with me? Or maybe it's a thyroid/adrenal problem?

Thank you :)

I've been experiencing the same thing (post SRS), and I think with me it's mostly due to high progesterone levels - but I have a hunch that being on AAs for so long might disrupt the balance of the skin.

What's your skin routine?

Refer to this thread too https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,184591.0.html

Moexis, I had the same problem after my SRS, that's why I'm still on some AA even more than 12 years after it.
It is about genetical predisposition, androgen receptors seem being over sensitive to even those little adrenal
androgens. E hardly helps, if this is the case (I'm still trying to study my personal condition). OTC, some scientifical
publications would suggest that E can actually increase adrenal androgens output.
Please ask your doctor to have them checked (DHEAS and Androstenedione). They will possibly be in range,
but your receptors still too sensitive to them. The fact that your T is 0.28 means nothing.
Do you even suffer some degree of hairloss and/or body hairs other than greasy hairs ?
Progesterone and some synthetic progestogens usually worsen such issues (but NOT CPA, even if it's a progestogen),
however I don't think you may have any meaningful basal P level by your own, if you don't take any P.

Also consider that switching off CPA abruptly may cause some T rebound effects, adrenal fatigue and other annoyances -
even if I think that after 3 months such effects should already stabilize.

You may discuss with your doctor to adjust your E dosage (both loweing or increasing it) to see whether this
has some infuence (both positive or negative). Otherwise, discuss with him the opportunity of taking some low dosage
of CPA or (better) Bicalutamide.

Prior to HRT, I had extremely oily skin.   It was a good change to have it dry out.   

I've been on HRT for 4 years and postop for 2 years.   My dosage of E was cut in half with no Spiro after surgery.  The oily skin has resurfaced to some extent in the last 6 months.   Due to economic reasons, I don't know what E & T levels I have, unfortunately.

Quote from: Mirian on March 15, 2015, 08:11:26 AM
Moexis, I had the same problem after my SRS, that's why I'm still on some AA even more than 12 years after it.
It is about genetical predisposition, androgen receptors seem being over sensitive to even those little adrenal
androgens. E hardly helps, if this is the case (I'm still trying to study my personal condition). OTC, some scientifical
publications would suggest that E can actually increase adrenal androgens output.
Please ask your doctor to have them checked (DHEAS and Androstenedione). They will possibly be in range,
but your receptors still too sensitive to them. The fact that your T is 0.28 means nothing.
Do you even suffer some degree of hairloss and/or body hairs other than greasy hairs ?
Progesterone and some synthetic progestogens usually worsen such issues (but NOT CPA, even if it's a progestogen),
however I don't think you may have any meaningful basal P level by your own, if you don't take any P.

Also consider that switching off CPA abruptly may cause some T rebound effects, adrenal fatigue and other annoyances -
even if I think that after 3 months such effects should already stabilize.

You may discuss with your doctor to adjust your E dosage (both loweing or increasing it) to see whether this
has some infuence (both positive or negative). Otherwise, discuss with him the opportunity of taking some low dosage
of CPA or (better) Bicalutamide.

Just had my dhea and acth tested 2 days ago and waiting for the result.I also found my hair to be brittle.
I also become not so sleepy but amnesia
Have you tested your thyroid hormone like tsh ft3 ft4？

Quote from: Mirian on March 15, 2015, 08:11:26 AM
Moexis, I had the same problem after my SRS, that's why I'm still on some AA even more than 12 years after it.
It is about genetical predisposition, androgen receptors seem being over sensitive to even those little adrenal
androgens. E hardly helps, if this is the case (I'm still trying to study my personal condition). OTC, some scientifical
publications would suggest that E can actually increase adrenal androgens output.
Please ask your doctor to have them checked (DHEAS and Androstenedione). They will possibly be in range,
but your receptors still too sensitive to them. The fact that your T is 0.28 means nothing.
Do you even suffer some degree of hairloss and/or body hairs other than greasy hairs ?
Progesterone and some synthetic progestogens usually worsen such issues (but NOT CPA, even if it's a progestogen),
however I don't think you may have any meaningful basal P level by your own, if you don't take any P.

Also consider that switching off CPA abruptly may cause some T rebound effects, adrenal fatigue and other annoyances -
even if I think that after 3 months such effects should already stabilize.

You may discuss with your doctor to adjust your E dosage (both loweing or increasing it) to see whether this
has some infuence (both positive or negative). Otherwise, discuss with him the opportunity of taking some low dosage
of CPA or (better) Bicalutamide.

Please be careful about your advise, there's no substitute for consulting our actual physicians.

*Disclaimer! From my understanding! There is no "rebound effect", especially with cyproterone acetate - it's a pretty potent anti androgen, the effect of which can linger for a long time, if not somewhat permanently. This is why it's used to chemically castrate sexual offenders (harsh I know!). Testing dehydroepiandrosterone and androstenedione isn't really worth too much time. Post-op the body can use all the testosterone it can get its hands on.

If you're really worried about oily skin or whatever else, a dihydrotestosterone blocker like finasteride or dutasteride may be something worth looking into, but common misconception is that androgens are the enemy. They're not!

Quote from: Blush on March 16, 2015, 12:55:14 PM

If you're really worried about oily skin or whatever else, a dihydrotestosterone blocker like finasteride or dutasteride

"Please be careful about your advise, there's no substitute for consulting our actual physicians."

PS Please read Wikipedia entry about CPA and the harmful risks of suspending it.
Please don't talk of things without knowing them.

Quote from: moexis on March 16, 2015, 04:47:25 AM
Just had my dhea and acth tested 2 days ago and waiting for the result.I also found my hair to be brittle.
I also become not so sleepy but amnesia
Have you tested your thyroid hormone like tsh ft3 ft4？

Trolls aside, I talk simply because I have the same problem to share and so far I happen to have
gathered all the needed skills, still without being a physician.
I reiterate: some individuals appear being genetically over sensitive to androgens, unfortunately...
Those advocating pro or against AA post-op should really retain from giving advices because
we are all made differently, and such rules are pointless... including doctors and theorists.
My thyroid hormones above, I checked them recently but they're finely in range (I won't post
the results here for fear of being flamed by somebody).

Quote from: Mirian on March 16, 2015, 02:02:22 PMPS Please read Wikipedia entry about CPA and the harmful risks of suspending it.

Wikipedia isn't the place to find concrete information at all, especially concerning serious subjects that can concern our health. From my research (let me highlight, MY research, do your own!!) simply suspending cyproterone acetate isn't a problem at all, in fact post-op it'd be strange to still be on cyproterone acetate - however, stopping it literally cold turkey can potentially be, especially in moderate to higher doses. It potentially could lead to a few issues, eg adrenal deficiency, that really our physicians would be better off managing rather than a public forum.

Quote from: Mirian on March 16, 2015, 02:02:22 PMPlease don't talk of things without knowing them.

No need to be bitter!  :)

Hi!

I had a similar problem post orchi.  I changed shampoo. 

I went out and read what women use for soap, shampoo, skin cleanser and the like.  I just started taking care of myself the way a woman would.  It helped.  Part of my skin is oily, part of it is dry.  It's now the same.

Hugs,

Jen

Quote from: JLT1 on March 16, 2015, 08:50:49 PM
Hi!

I had a similar problem post orchi.  I changed shampoo. 

I went out and read what women use for soap, shampoo, skin cleanser and the like.  I just started taking care of myself the way a woman would.  It helped.  Part of my skin is oily, part of it is dry.  It's now the same.

Hugs,

Jen

:(I tried changed my shampoo but no good

Quote from: Mirian on March 16, 2015, 02:07:19 PM
Trolls aside, I talk simply because I have the same problem to share and so far I happen to have
gathered all the needed skills, still without being a physician.
I reiterate: some individuals appear being genetically over sensitive to androgens, unfortunately...
Those advocating pro or against AA post-op should really retain from giving advices because
we are all made differently, and such rules are pointless... including doctors and theorists.
My thyroid hormones above, I checked them recently but they're finely in range (I won't post
the results here for fear of being flamed by somebody).

Just get my result.DHEA-s is 600+, the HIGHEST of MALE (2 times HIGHER than the HIGHEST of female).
But normal cortisol and ACTH. :(
Endo says there's nothing to lower DHEA alone , so advised me to go on with Androcur.

Might be due to androcur. I had the same after SRS. Androcur blocks all androgens, not only testosterone also other hormones needed to produce sebum. It should settle down after couple of months.

Quote from: 2cherry on March 20, 2015, 04:13:29 AMAndrocur blocks all androgens

Cyproterone acetate is actually a progestin as well - meaning they have similar effects of actual progesterone. Like I noted above or in some other thread progesterone stimulates the production of sebum (oil). Cyrpoterone acetate isn't a good option as it'll either continue or potentially exacerbate the problem.