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Oh my god, i can't believe the day is finally here!!! I picked up my prescription last night for Spiro after discussing my blood work results over the phone. All my blood work was in normal range. Then i go back in two weeks for my first Estradiol injection. This has literally been like 5 years in the making, and its finally come. i want to jump up and down and scream for joy!!

its like 8am and I'm about to eat breakfast, start my photo journal, and then take my first dose and go to work. I have my water bottles, and my low potassium snacks! hopefully its an uneventful day LOL. I'm going to shoot for drinking 2 liters of water a day. And try and keep my potassium intake from food around 1000mg's a day (roughly 25% of the daily recommended value).

Good bye evil Testosterone, may you never poison my body again!!!

wish me luck!!

Congrats! ^_^

One word of caution many foods include potassium but don't list it on the packaging so do be careful and the standard amount of fluid may not be enough to keep you hydrated. Lots and lots of fluids are a must on Spiro. Congrats.
Mariah

Quote from: michelle82 on March 19, 2015, 06:54:58 AM
Oh my god, i can't believe the day is finally here!!! I picked up my prescription last night for Spiro after discussing my blood work results over the phone. All my blood work was in normal range. Then i go back in two weeks for my first Estradiol injection. This has literally been like 5 years in the making, and its finally come. i want to jump up and down and scream for joy!!

its like 8am and I'm about to eat breakfast, start my photo journal, and then take my first dose and go to work. I have my water bottles, and my low potassium snacks! hopefully its an uneventful day LOL. I'm going to shoot for drinking 2 liters of water a day. And try and keep my potassium intake from food around 1000mg's a day (roughly 25% of the daily recommended value).

Good bye evil Testosterone, may you never poison my body again!!!

wish me luck!!

Yay. Congrats. :)

Quote from: Mariah2014 on March 19, 2015, 07:49:48 AM
One word of caution many foods include potassium but don't list it on the packaging so do be careful and the standard amount of fluid may not be enough to keep you hydrated. Lots and lots of fluids are a must on Spiro. Congrats.
Mariah

Thanks Mariah i had a strange feeling that not all foods were listing potassium amounts.

Its funny because my doctor said not to really worry about changing my diet. His philosophy was that the drug should fit my lifestyle not the other way around. 

Also thanks for the heads up on my water intake drink more!!

Congrats Michelle!

I really haven't done much adjustment to my diet however I don't eat a lot of bananas anyway and I read labels much more often and I notice that by watching what I eat I am much healthier.

Drink enough liquid and he is right. Don't drink enough liquid and unchecked potassium can eventually be a problem. Secondly as long as you normal kidney function you should be fine to not have to change anything except the amount you drink.
Mariah

Quote from: michelle82 on March 19, 2015, 08:44:45 AM
Thanks Mariah i had a strange feeling that not all foods were listing potassium amounts.

Its funny because my doctor said not to really worry about changing my diet. His philosophy was that the drug should fit my lifestyle not the other way around. 

Also thanks for the heads up on my water intake drink more!!

One thing that might help to know what foods contain potassium is to look at a renal diet (kidney problems). Not saying you have to be that strict but it will give you an idea of what foods have it.

Some I know that are not obvious are: dried fruit (apricot the worst), beans/lentils, cooked spinach (raw is good though). Anyway just a few and sometimes some foods are if they are cooked or not makes a difference too. My mom just happen to run into some kidney problems (she is doing fine btw) and didn't realize some foods had the potassium or like spinach its ok raw but once its cooked its bad. As I said before you shouldn't have to stress that much on some foods but at least get a better idea of what does and doesn't have as much potassium.

Hope this helps and if a little off please correct me since I haven't started hrt either so don't really know what it feels like.

To a very excited Michelle,

Absolutely too cool for words!  This post just radiated everything I first felt, I'm so happy for you (and if you want to.....go ahead and jump for joy, you deserve it).  ;D.   Dani

Congrats! I'l do a bit of jumping for you! Hope the rest of your day goes as well as it has begun!

Quote from: michelle82 on March 19, 2015, 06:54:58 AM
I have my water bottles, and my low potassium snacks!

Don't forget SALT. On Spiro, you will lose more sodium, it's important to eat as salty as you want.

QuoteI'm going to shoot for drinking 2 liters of water a day. And try and keep my potassium intake from food around 1000mg's a day (roughly 25% of the daily recommended value).

Don't drink too much water either. Listen to your body. When thirsty, drink. When craving salty, eat salty. Potassium just avoid those junk foods or sodas/energy drinks or fruit juices and limit diuretics. Play it smart.

Congratulations, and good luck.

5 years in the making, moments in the taking :)

thanks all for the feedback. the first day was uneventful as expected. however towards the end of the night and while i was sleeping i started getting stomach/abdominal cramping and was very gassy. not sure if its related.

Quote from: michelle82 on March 20, 2015, 05:38:55 AM
thanks all for the feedback. the first day was uneventful as expected. however towards the end of the night and while i was sleeping i started getting stomach/abdominal cramping and was very gassy. not sure if its related.

Stomach upset is common. Not sure about the gas.

Congratulations !!! <3 <3 <3 A little bit of cramping isn't completely abnormal.  I've had some since I've started hrt too ^.^

Congrats! I have experienced only two real side effects of taking spiro - found that I will experience light headedness if I get up to quickly, and I have to go to the washroom more often. After 2 months, the later is not as frequent. I do feel like little has really happened for me. Maybe my expectations were too high.

I can hardly wait for the next 3 weeks to pass as I will be meeting with my endo to hopefully be prescribed low dosage E!

the cramping seems to be subsiding a bit and its very mild. It's weird though because i take two pills in the morning, rather than splitting them between day and night. And the crapping only comes right as i go to bed. My stomach is fine throughout the day.

Its now day 5, I'm already starting to notice a reduction in spontaneous erections, yay!

I split my spiro and if need be eat something when you take it.

Congratulations.

Usually, it's best to take Spiro twice daily due to short half-life, perhaps double check with pharmacist and doctor but if doctor insists you take all at once, then you should.

My doctor didn't really specify. He said a lot of people take both in the morning because its easier. Is more effective to split the dose??

My doctor directed me to take 2 tablets in the morning with breakfast.

Day 5 -
hmm so last night i fell asleep on the couch, and then woke up at like 2am to go my bedroom. However my breathing was a little off and I Couldn't fall back asleep. I felt very anxious like the medication was doing something bad and throwing off my heart rhythm. Then I was having a small panic attack. I started to kind of worry that i was having hyperkalemia or something and lots of thoughts were racing through my head.

I took my dose early that morning, and i drank a good amount of water atleast about 64oz. So it seems weird that i would be experiencing side effects almost 20 hours later? Given that the medication has a short half-life from what I hear.

i feel a little better this morning, but still a bit slightly like butterflies in my stomach and nerves. I can't tell if its stress induced or from the medication.  I tend to be a worry wort, and especially when it comes to medical issues I always think i have every illness or condition. I had some fears upfront about taking Spiro (Hyperakalemia killing me etc)

As long as you do everything your suppose to you have nothing to worry about with Spiro. My doctor's were more scared of Spiro than I am and I proved to them this exact point. I'm a worry wart too, but when it came to this I knew exactly how to handle it and didn't have a worry in the world. A relative who has transitioned too couldn't take Spiro, but then they weren't doing everything your suppose to do when on it. It's probably still the butterflies and just getting used to being on the medication. Good luck and Hugs.
Mariah

Splitting the dose AP and PM keeps the levels more consistent and decreases the medicine spike. It is best to check with your doctor to make sure how she/he wants it administered.