I have been on HRT for 20 months. Until August my testosterone levels were well controlled and it didn't matter what type of estrogen I was using. I thought my uncontroled T levels were caused by the switch in manufacturers of the generic estrodiol I was taking orally. I went back to the earlier manufacturer and for two weeks things seemed to be getting better. Than they started getting worse again. My mood is depressed and I am getting acne on my face and body. I know from my experince in August that these are symptoms of increasing T.
I know that Lupron and similar drugs are used to stop T production and wonder how long it takes for this to occur. I am just wanting to have an educated discussion with my provider on Friday. I know I need to do something fast. I can't stand the way I am feeling; the T is poisoning me.
Huggs
Emily
In the US, spironolactone is the standard anti-androgen.
Are you on that?
Yes, since day 1. Just to educate people, spiro blocks the receptors for T it does not lower the production. Finasteride, durasteride block DHT. Even a small amount of DHT can stop estrogen from feminizing the body. There is some anecdotal evidence to support the idea that spiro has no effect on the brains T receptors.
Something has changed and I don't know what it is. I only know I can't continue feeling this way indefinetly
Huggs
Em
Spiro does reduce T level (production) by decreases testosterone production in the adrenal gland by depleting microsomal cytochrome P450 and by affecting the cytochrome P450-dependent enzymes 17a-hydroxylase and desmolase.
The main action of spiro that we are using it for is its ability as an adrogen antagonist. It binds with androgen receptors but does not activate them. This forms a blockade against the body using T. In a normal male the level of production reduced by spiro wouldn't. Bring them into a normal female range. The only things that can do that are high estrogen levels or GnRH analogues like Lupron. These will cause the testies to stop production and shrink in size. Spiro alone can do very little to lower a bio males testosterone.
Huggs
Emily
Spiro is effective both in inhibiting androgenic action at the receptor site, as well as inhibiting T production. The second function is not generally mentioned, I too was previously being ignorant, however after being corrected by a moderator at a chinese TS site, I have done some searching, and did find evidence of such studies. Here's one:
"Healthy male subjects were given orally a single dose of 5 mg canrenone per kg body weight. Canrenone caused a significant decrease in plasma testosterone concentration already 3 hrs after administration of the drug. Suppression of plasma testosterone concentration by 50 to 60 per cent persisted over 9 hrs. It is concluded that suppression of testosterone production is an important factor in the antiandrogenic activity of spirolactones in man."
http://www.springerlink.com/content/rq24p38607370108/ (http://www.springerlink.com/content/rq24p38607370108/)
Thanks for your recommendation on Lupron, I have not studied Lupron, also it not available here and can be expensive. however, it is not necessary to completely suppressed T production, as there could be benefit of T conversion to E2.
A T level of 50-60% lower is good, however it isn't good enough for the purposes which we are trying to achieve. It is also a YMMV kind of thing. It certainly isn't working in my case.
Lupron is very expensive and even the alternatives are expensive. If you have coverage for transition related cost or pharmacy plan it or something like it might become affordable. Here it is prescribed for the treatment of prostate cancer. My personal opinion is why not cut them off, I no longer need them and if I had prostate cancer you would have no problem removing the "healthy tissue"
I am tired of playing a stupid game in an atempt to appease my Drs. Don't try to save money at my expense. Spiro is not the cheapest alternative when we look at the whole picture.
Huggs
Emily