Susan's Place Transgender Resources

I know, I know - everyone's different. humor me!

So, I saw my NP today for the 6 moth A1C for diabetes (I am JUST barely over the line diabetic) and i ask her about Spiro (I have borderline numbers on blood pressure too so it makes a convenient "cover story" for others who might question)

she said it would take a blood test for some reason but she seemed perfectly willing to write a script for it (and this after I just blew some money ordering some from a certain website Doh!) She's also going to check to see if she can legally write me a script for estridol (assuming i can come up with the money for an endo) upon my request - i expect that answer might be "no" but if she can, apparently she will - WOO HOO!!!

Aaaaaany way...

So it looks like I could be taking Spiro before the end of the month and will be taking that alone for a while (I'm assuming nothing will come along to make it possible for me to afford the endo unless a job falls out of the sky)

My question here is this - with the understanding that everyone is different:

What changes can i expect from Spiro alone and in what sort of time frame.

I rad on another thread that appetite decreased (and thus weight) - THAT would be joyous indeed.

I've seen various accounts on sex drive and function but I don't have a real agenda there either way.

I like what i'm reading about the emotional issues and not so much the stuff about the increased urination (I already go entirely TOO much)

One big thing on my mind is my excessive body hair and whether i can expect a positive effect there.

So - what say you? if you started your hormone regimen with a notable period of spiro-only, what was your experience like over the first few days, weeks, and months?

here are the things I'd LIKE to see, and thus have questions about:

1. marked decrease in body hair
2. some alterations in fat distribution, particularly in the face
3. notable weight/appetite loss
4. changes in upper body strength
5. loss of aggressive emotion, anger (not a real angry person to begin with) - more emotionalism (of the "weepy" variety)
6. testicle shrinkage
7. softness of skin
8. fullness of hair or quickness of scalp hair growth
9. I can't find it now but someone in some thread alluded to something about "feeling more naturally female"

i'm not sure what the poster meant on that but how it struck me is this - sometimes when I'm out at a place where lots of women are, even though i understand myself as female I'm keenly aware of the potential for "not fitting in" - as if there's something, some magic ingredient (mentally) that they have and i'm missing. The way i read that comment is that you (or rather then) kind of "become comfortable in the mental skin" of a female.

so, that's the stuff on my mind - and i know some of that wil likely be much more realistic than others - just don't know which is which

I can tell you what happens in two days :)

lowered blood pressure can lead to headaches
I urinate more regularly
minor aches in my upper back (don't know what that's really about - may be unrelated)
I'm more hungry than I've ever been in two years
I need fluids like a fish
Just a tiny bit of the edge is off (I'm a little bit more laid back)

I was not prescribed a small dose either, but like you mentioned, we're all different :)

Edit: sex drive was always low, so no notable change there.

Emma,

I got aches in my back too. Not in my spine..more in my muscles. Kind of like I excercised a couple of days ago.  I also have some aches in my arms.  Is it muscle atrophy or something?

I have been stretching like crazy.  It feels so good to stretch..there must be something going on in muscles.  I've been losing weight at the same time..so I'm never sure what's from spiro and what's from weight loss and healthy eating/vitamins.

I mellowed out a TON but have no appetite rather then gaining.  So much intensity is gone. 

Tammy
There is some nice information on Wikipaedia, type in HRT and follow the obvious links. There is a list of known effects, side effects etc. People outside USA seem to be on Crypto. Not sure why they are two different AA's as far as I can tell with different pathways of action - even if the affect is the same.

Good Luck,
Sounds as if life is moving positively for a change.

Hugs
Cindy

Quote from: Tammy Hope on March 19, 2011, 01:34:45 AM
here are the things I'd LIKE to see, and thus have questions about:

1. marked decrease in body hair
2. some alterations in fat distribution, particularly in the face
3. notable weight/appetite loss
4. changes in upper body strength
5. loss of aggressive emotion, anger (not a real angry person to begin with) - more emotionalism (of the "weepy" variety)
6. testicle shrinkage
7. softness of skin
8. fullness of hair or quickness of scalp hair growth
9. I can't find it now but someone in some thread alluded to something about "feeling more naturally female"

It's only been a few weeks for me but there are changes.

1. Hair- I don't want to scare anyone but I actually gained body hair on spiro.  I never had hair on my upper arms or back before but really thin hairs sprang out.  My upper arms are covered and there are maybe ten hairs on my back..but they popped out long and thin. My partners calls it "willowy"  My body hair seems thinner but not less sparse.  I am actually stopping shaving for a while to see if there is a difference.
2. Fat- No fat distro noticed. I imagine it all the time though but did before hrt.
3. Weight- I've lost about 8 pounds since starting.  I have much less of an appetite. Nothing seems intense anymore, including food anxiety.
4. Strength- Not noticed.
5. Emotion - Huge change there. I was quick to anger and cry before but dont' feel like bothering with either now. I am so much more in control of my emotions.  I had high T levels though.
6. Testicles - They seem tight and dull.  Not smaller, but everything down their is duller. My sex drive is a fraction of what it was. It takes some effort to get aroused.
7. Skin - Totally.  I have almost no acne now and my skin feels very soft.  My partner was rubbing my head and said "you're head feels so feminine"
8. Hair - Some reversal of baldness but it's light, like body hair..not like head hair.  Kind of pointless.
9. Female - Yes!  Having "girl's blood" makes me feel like "I am."  I also think that since the skin is the largest organ in the body, having female skin is more important than the organ between my legs.  Being on HRT alone has done wonders for my sense of female self. 

I'm much happier...have a spring in my step.

Quote from: japple on March 19, 2011, 02:14:37 AM
Emma,

I got aches in my back too. Not in my spine..more in my muscles. Kind of like I excercised a couple of days ago.  I also have some aches in my arms.  Is it muscle atrophy or something?

I mellowed out a TON but have no appetite rather then gaining.  So much intensity is gone.

I doubt that the muscle would atrophy this early, I don't know what it is.

I haven't noticed a decrease in intensity yet, just a shift. I can tell you now, with certainty, that I will need more than HRT (even if it's without the R part as of yet) to come anywhere near denting my GID. It will require surgery(ies).

Edit:

Please understand, I envy you a little, Japple I do not wish to undermine your experience. I wish I could note such subtle differences. Maybe E will help me move out of this mind state a little.

Quote from: EmmaM on March 19, 2011, 02:44:17 AM
Please understand, I envy you a little, Japple I do not wish to undermine your experience. I wish I could note such subtle differences. Maybe E will help me move out of this mind state a little.

Well my testosterone was super high.  I went bald in high school and have always been super intense.  (which was great for starting a company and having some success, but not so hot personally)  So the drop was probably a lot higher.  From your photos, you don't look like you had Hulk levels of testosterone.   

My doctor says that almost all of her patients gain weight on HRT.   Some significantly.

I cant' imagine that happening to me now.  For the first time in my life I want to take care of my body.

My therapist said that "freedom" is what therapists shoot for.  She said it's not just the Spiro that's making me feel great..we've been working together for almost a year, twice a week, and I've been feeling better and better the entire time.  Wiping away shame, losing weight, coming out (everyone supportive), dancing more, traveling more, super accepting partner, amazing career experiences.  Things are going my way.   So I don't know what's Spiro and what's general life awesomeness.  Plus I've been reading all this Feminist stuff about how our concepts of gender are completely f**ed anyway...so that edge has been lifted a bit.   I am still sorting out what is brain sex desire and what is learned social desire.   What's misogynistic or patriarchal perceptions of female and what the female me actually needs to be happy.

My transition is going to be a lot longer than yours.

When I was about nine years old, I was diagnosed with strep at the base of my brain, and was given a ridiculous amount of steroids to kill the imflammation. My dad is under the impression that they included an estrogen in that regimen. My mom says no. who knows what it actually did to me, but my growth was stunted, thank god. The men in my family typically tend to resemble oaks.

Quote from: Tammy Hope on March 19, 2011, 01:34:45 AM
here are the things I'd LIKE to see, and thus have questions about:

1. marked decrease in body hair
2. some alterations in fat distribution, particularly in the face
3. notable weight/appetite loss
4. changes in upper body strength
5. loss of aggressive emotion, anger (not a real angry person to begin with) - more emotionalism (of the "weepy" variety)
6. testicle shrinkage
7. softness of skin
8. fullness of hair or quickness of scalp hair growth
9. I can't find it now but someone in some thread alluded to something about "feeling more naturally female"

i'm not sure what the poster meant on that but how it struck me is this - sometimes when I'm out at a place where lots of women are, even though i understand myself as female I'm keenly aware of the potential for "not fitting in" - as if there's something, some magic ingredient (mentally) that they have and i'm missing. The way i read that comment is that you (or rather then) kind of "become comfortable in the mental skin" of a female.

so, that's the stuff on my mind - and i know some of that wil likely be much more realistic than others - just don't know which is which

I was never just on Spiro alone, but after 7 months of both Spiro + E my answers to the above would be:

1. Some. It really depends on genetics. I've had laser, so that's hard for me to gauge.
2. Not much. A little more in the cheeks maybe?
3. Nope. I diet and exercise now more than ever.
4. Again, I work out a lot, including free weights, so my upper body strength at most has gone down by 10-20% +/-.
5. Huge decrease in agression. Really a big change here.
6. Little to no shrinkage.
7. Yup, much softer, smoother, less oily.
8. A bit. But Avodart also plays a part in this, so again that hard for me to gauge on juts Spiro alone.
9. In many cases, all these little changes are additive, and do in some measure help you feel more "at home and comfortable" with yourself. How big or little of an impact they'll have on you is really a personal thing, and depends on the degree of dysphoria you're currently experiencing.

~ 6 weeks on spiro only

No noticeable body changes other than body hair seems to grow back slower/finer and -maybe- skin is smoother? I had headache/dizzy for first few days but think this was more being dehydrated. You need to drink water! Dehydration will make your muscles hurt etc too. Also didn't sleep real good the first few days, could be anxiety from starting HRT?

I def lower "male" sex drive of feeling -the need for sex-. Feel much calmer and  happier. As someone else "A spring in my step". Also feel like I have more energy? All very welcome changes.

Later this week I plan to add some e to the mix, got my letter today but he might want to up my spiro instead?  He's been doing this a long time so gonna follow his instructions.

Quote from: Tammy Hope on March 19, 2011, 01:34:45 AM
here are the things I'd LIKE to see, and thus have questions about:

1. marked decrease in body hair
2. some alterations in fat distribution, particularly in the face
3. notable weight/appetite loss
4. changes in upper body strength
5. loss of aggressive emotion, anger (not a real angry person to begin with) - more emotionalism (of the "weepy" variety)
6. testicle shrinkage
7. softness of skin
8. fullness of hair or quickness of scalp hair growth
9. I can't find it now but someone in some thread alluded to something about "feeling more naturally female"

Hi Tammy!

I was on Spiro only for more than a year back in my early twenties (stopped like 6 years ago), I'm not sure how much difference there will be because of the gap in ages, but maybe my experiences will help.

1) Decrease in body hair- Unfortunately I've always been somewhat hairy, on Spiro I noticed that the little black, shoulder and upper arm hair went away. The hair on my arms got lighter and thinner and the rest of my bodyhair growth slowed. I didn't notice much effect on chest hair...

2)Fat Distribution- I noticed a fair amount of this, not nearly what I would expect on E, but some for sure

3)Weight and appetite loss- can't comment on this as I was going thru some digestive issues at the time also

4)Muscle Loss- I would say this was about the same as the fat, a fair amout of loss

5)Emotional Changes- I noticed a loss of aggression and had far more mood changes

6)Teste Shrinkage- Yes, erections pretty much gone too

7) Sortness of skin- Yes, decrease in body acne also

8)Funllness of hair- Can't comment on this either as I had recently gone from essentially a crew cut to long hair

9) Feeling more naturally female- I would put that under what I said in #5

I would say that 5 came first, within the first week or three, followed by #6. #7 came within the first 3-4 months, everything else was longterm, 6 months plus.

Maybe because of my age, but I actually noticed some breast growth too after the 6 month and they stayed sore after that until I sopped Spiro and went back into denial/the closet.

Hope that's somewhat helpful! :)

~Sara

I'm not keeping track of weeks but my skin now feels super soft.  Like a slight layer of fat is covering it. 

I let my body hair grow out to see if there were changes.  There are a lot of follicles that have no or invisible hairs.  My chest hair is patchy.  The hair that is growing is much thinner.  My leg hair is very light.

I used to get a lot of acne but now have no acne.  I noticed that if I do pop a zit or deal with an ingrown hair my skin stays red longer. 

My erections are softer and my sex drive greatly reduced but when I do get horny I finish much faster.  The over all effect is less.

Hi Tammy
I was on Spiro for 28 days before I had my first prescribed Estrogen injection  The Spiro lowered the disgusting T level an my breasts are a slightly larger an   slightly sore nipples decreased body hair growth, The Spiro is potassium sparing an I have to avoid high potassium foods Very High potassium levels are fatal.
It will also make you pee a lot an have to drink plenty of fluids an with the low T I was cranky an having hot flashes etc an after I had my estrogen injection I was feeling a lot better. The Spiro lowers blood pressure also I was on a blood pressure med that was also potassium sparing an not on the other blood pressure med anymore .

When taking Spiro also take E to avoid the the effects of the low T having hot flashes etc ...