Susan's Place Transgender Resources

How long did it take to get off Spiro?  I went from  last week. I feel a bit odd but not ill. Should I go to  or just stop now?

Maggie




Removed doseages

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Post Merge: October 06, 2009, 11:39:10 AM

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I'll restate. Do you stop spiro cold turkey or taper off?

BTW, for a post op section, posting dosages of spiro doesn't seem out of line.  But if it is in the TOS, so be it. 

Where could one discuss this at Susan's openly? "Just for us"?

Maggie

First off discussion of dosages is verbotten everywhere at Susan's.

However, I'll go out on a limb here and state that your dosage, post-op orchi, should probably be: ZERO.

You were on spiro to suppress testosterone.  No testes, no testosterone.  Hence, no need for spiro.  Now, of course, you do get about 10% of your testosterone from your adrenal, just like other women, but that small amount will not masculinize you, but it will peak your libido a bit and give you a bit more energy.

Also, you can stop immediately.  I am curious that your doctor didn't mention that when you had your orchi.  He may have forgotten, but you could give him a call.

There is nothing in spironolactone that produces any dependency on your system for the purpose that you use it for.  Your prostate may swell a small amount but that shouldn't be an issue, it would have done that regardless of how you stopped.

My doctor, did have me continue spiro after my orchi, but he had me on a hyper feminization track and suppressed my testosterone to the point that it was immeasurable.  But that is not good for the long term and I did have some ill effects as a result of no testosterone in my system.  Non-existent libido, loss of energy and general malaise.  I stopped spiro just before my SRS and I have not used it since.

Chat with your doctor to be sure, but stopping cold turkey should not be a problem.

-Sandy

On a side note, purely out of curiosity I wonder how much water weight you'll gain?

I kept going on it partially because of high blood pressure but I am switching to meditation to control that.  My blood pressure is almost entirely because of stress. I used to do TM in the 70's and it helps a lot to do it again. 

Not much was said by my surgeon or the doctor that is handling my HRT about how to quit. I was just curious about how others did this.  BTW, it didn't make me urinate much more than normal so I don't expect much water weight gain. It also didn't lower my BP very much either.

I have been very tired and feel a malaise but the libido is remarkably active.  That aspect is maddeningly frustrating because I am alone.  GRRR  I suspect that in time, it will be even more of an issue.  I just hope I don't go around wanting to rub up against random women... more than I do already... ;)

Maggie

I've read (but don't recall where) that some forms of testosterone have rather long half lives, so they can take the better part of a month to get out of your system.

I did cold turkey after my orchi and experienced some hair loss. I also noticed my body smell was more masculine. Later in the month, when I read the bit about half lives, I freaked out and resumed spiro for a long time.

I stopped again leading up to my GRS (7 weeks ago), and have been off of it for good since then.

Everything I have read has said to stop Spiro.  No weaning, just stop.  I am planning to stop after my Orchie.


Janet

I had my orchi January 9th so any possible left over T is long gone. I wasn't worried at all about re-masculinization but I didn't want to get into trouble with huge BP swings etc.  Now, I won't worry.

Thanks so much.

Maggie

I stopped spiro cold....No problems after srs.

Beni

I just stopped taking it a couple of weeks before my SRS and didn't bother to take it after. I don't believe spiro is like other drugs where there's addictive properties that produce withdrawal symptoms or where you'll have major health problems if you just stop talking it -- however, talking to your doctor about it always good if you're concerned about any risks from going off spiro.