Community Conversation => Transitioning => Hormone replacement therapy => Topic started by: Emily R on June 03, 2016, 11:10:28 AM Return to Full Version
Title: MTF - My Testosterone has gone up to 500 from the 200 that I had!
Post by: Emily R on June 03, 2016, 11:10:28 AM
Post by: Emily R on June 03, 2016, 11:10:28 AM
Hi everyone,
Do you have any ideas, theories, suggestions, experiences, all of them are welcome, in helping figure out why my testosterone level is increasing ? As a MTF on HRT that is one of the last things you want to see. Of course I won't do anything until I have seen my endo so you don't have to worry, I just want to see if anyone has had a similar experience
I started my hormonal transition about a year ago and had 612 ng/dl of testosterone as a baseline measurement.
Due to my age, currently 62, my endo decided with total agreement of my part to start very slow with all of the normal MTF HRT treatments and I started with 1/3 of the normal Estradiol dosage and no spironolactone to see how my body would react, since then and slowly I increased to 2/3 of normal estradiol dosage and then the full estradiol dosage, then she introduce spironolactone at 1/2 of the normal dosage and my potassium increased to maximum normal range of 5.3 mmol/L and she suggested for me to go to a low potassium diet, which basically consisted of no or very limited potatoes, ketchup, beans, bananas of course, dairy products and a few others and my potassium level has gone down to 4.9, which is kind of the high end of normal as the limit for normal would be 5.3. But I also have broken the diet a few times since I was out of town.
Now the Testosterone problem:
Initial a year ago 612 ng/dl
9 months ago about 500 ng/dl
6 months ago about 430 ng /dl
Dec 2015 306 ng/dl
Jan 2016 about 255 ng/dl
Feb 2016 about 205 ng/dl YES!!
May 27, 2016 499 ng/dl
Why? Can anyone shed some light on this beside the endo which I have an appointment with her on Tuesday of next week? That is what the blood work was for...
I am feeling down as I am going backwards and there has only been a significant change in my life which is I started taking Zoloft (generic of course) to relieve some of my anxieties plus I have been out of town and have eaten more meat than what I normally I eat, as I think I am growing feathers of all of the chicken that has become my regular diet in trying to lose weight.
Any and all comments are welcome.
Emily
Do you have any ideas, theories, suggestions, experiences, all of them are welcome, in helping figure out why my testosterone level is increasing ? As a MTF on HRT that is one of the last things you want to see. Of course I won't do anything until I have seen my endo so you don't have to worry, I just want to see if anyone has had a similar experience
I started my hormonal transition about a year ago and had 612 ng/dl of testosterone as a baseline measurement.
Due to my age, currently 62, my endo decided with total agreement of my part to start very slow with all of the normal MTF HRT treatments and I started with 1/3 of the normal Estradiol dosage and no spironolactone to see how my body would react, since then and slowly I increased to 2/3 of normal estradiol dosage and then the full estradiol dosage, then she introduce spironolactone at 1/2 of the normal dosage and my potassium increased to maximum normal range of 5.3 mmol/L and she suggested for me to go to a low potassium diet, which basically consisted of no or very limited potatoes, ketchup, beans, bananas of course, dairy products and a few others and my potassium level has gone down to 4.9, which is kind of the high end of normal as the limit for normal would be 5.3. But I also have broken the diet a few times since I was out of town.
Now the Testosterone problem:
Initial a year ago 612 ng/dl
9 months ago about 500 ng/dl
6 months ago about 430 ng /dl
Dec 2015 306 ng/dl
Jan 2016 about 255 ng/dl
Feb 2016 about 205 ng/dl YES!!
May 27, 2016 499 ng/dl
Why? Can anyone shed some light on this beside the endo which I have an appointment with her on Tuesday of next week? That is what the blood work was for...
I am feeling down as I am going backwards and there has only been a significant change in my life which is I started taking Zoloft (generic of course) to relieve some of my anxieties plus I have been out of town and have eaten more meat than what I normally I eat, as I think I am growing feathers of all of the chicken that has become my regular diet in trying to lose weight.
Any and all comments are welcome.
Emily
Title: Re: MTF - My Testosterone has gone up to 500 from the 200 that I had!
Post by: Rachel on June 04, 2016, 10:29:03 AM
Post by: Rachel on June 04, 2016, 10:29:03 AM
Hi Emily,
Discussing it with your endo is best.
I had low T to start but it crashed on spiro and Estrogen pills. I was between 22 and 36 ng/dl total T. My T was not broken out between total and free T. Do you know your total and free T? From what I understand, E pills tend to have a lot of sex hormone binding globulin which binds to T and makes it ineffective as a sex hormone.
When I switched to inter muscular injections my total T went to below 3 ng/dl. The test goes to 3.
Make sure you eat salt. I eat a lot of salt. I do not like it so I eat salt as well as salted sweet potato fries and radishes. I do not know this but it makes sense to eat plenty of salt to help lower you P. Ask you doctor about this.
Spiro lasts 12 hours in your system and E pills have a quick spike and decline over 8 or so hours. So perhaps the time you take your pills has an effect on your T when you take your blood test.
Write down your questions before seeing the doctor and discuss the situation.
Discussing it with your endo is best.
I had low T to start but it crashed on spiro and Estrogen pills. I was between 22 and 36 ng/dl total T. My T was not broken out between total and free T. Do you know your total and free T? From what I understand, E pills tend to have a lot of sex hormone binding globulin which binds to T and makes it ineffective as a sex hormone.
When I switched to inter muscular injections my total T went to below 3 ng/dl. The test goes to 3.
Make sure you eat salt. I eat a lot of salt. I do not like it so I eat salt as well as salted sweet potato fries and radishes. I do not know this but it makes sense to eat plenty of salt to help lower you P. Ask you doctor about this.
Spiro lasts 12 hours in your system and E pills have a quick spike and decline over 8 or so hours. So perhaps the time you take your pills has an effect on your T when you take your blood test.
Write down your questions before seeing the doctor and discuss the situation.