I had an appointment with my endocrinologist today, and the news is not good... Apparently my measurements are pretty much exactly where they were at my last appointment four months ago. Now although I have made good progress on HRT so far, development in the breast area is still seriously lacking. And given my genetics, there is really no reason why this should be the case. So far, my best theory is that Androcur is the culprit, because I have read many things about people taking Androcur who had their development stall out until they had SRS or an orchiectomy and didn't need to take it anymore. I'm also not sure exactly where my estrogen levels are right now, because there was a scheduling mix-up in getting my lab work done, so it's possible there is still some room to increase my dose. And I haven't tried progesterone either, which is something I also want to look into before abandoning all hope and whatnot.
But I was wondering... has anyone else here had their development stall out for a significant amount of time, and then later done something (non-surgical) that allowed them to make further progress? I'm not opposed to implants, or other artificial means of breast enlargement. In fact, I was assuming there was like a 50/50 chance I would need to do something beyond HRT to get good results anyway. But still, if there's any chance that I might get significant further development (I'm somewhere between an A and B cup right now), I would like to know about it. I might make me feel better at least. ::)
Not sure where you heard about Androcur but that is a super killer of t. It will or should get you to castration levels fast.
I used Sprio when i was in the states and Androcur here in Canada and there is like night and day.
I would say you are low on your estrogen.
I am not a advocate of progesterone but maybe it is something that could help move things forward.
Also you have to remember that first things will take time being you remove t and it will lower muscle density so it can seem that you are not having any growth.
I know for some reason (new school thought of HRT) most doctors are way to low on dosages. You need to get into the range of females or males at puberty.
And 4 months is early for any endo to get your levels where they are needed.
Everyone reacts differently and there is no one dose fits all.
Hugs,
Isabell
Well, to give a little bit more history just for context, I've been taking Androcur for nearly three years now, and my T levels have been consistently in the female range for the past two. For the first two and a half years, I was taking a fairly low dose of estrogen (enough to get my levels up to about 30, which I think is still in the normal male range). I doubled my dose about three months before my first endo appointment because I was getting frustrated with the waiting, which put my levels at around 60. And I don't know exactly what my levels are now, but given that I am on two high dose patches (can't say the exact dose), I don't think it's that likely that my estrogen levels are the problem. It could be, but I guess I'll find out when the tests come in.
Edit: Oh, and most of the breast development that I noticed actually did happen in the first year, which is funny because during that period I was still experimenting with my Androcur dosage to see if a female level of testosterone was really what worked best for me. So for a lot of the time I was actually taking half the dose of Androcur it actually takes to keep my levels completely in the female range.
Ok,
Hmmm let your endo work on what they feel is needed.
Maybe a reset or break is needed and then restarted. I know a few who have done this but due to they self medicated and it was needed.
So yes talk to your endo. Things do progress over time but 3 years HRT and maybe you have peaked? hard to say.
Isabell
Maybe. I know it's possible I have peaked, though given where my development is currently at, my endocrinologist didn't think I had. I would be open to the idea of completely going off HRT for a while after my orchiectomy in order to give things a reset, if that was something that could actually work. I can live without estrogen for a while, as long as I don't have to worry about dealing with testosterone at all.
I've been on hormones for 10 yrs and post-op for 8 yrs. I live in Canada too.
Breast growth has been especially good as of late, in the last couple of years. In my case, what helped was first increasing my oral estrogen (taken first orally, then later sublingually) and then adding some progesterone. Then, switching to injections made things better on some level, skin and hair got softer, I felt better in general, all others things remaining equal more or less. Progesterone really did a number on my breasts as did higher doses of oral estrogen and injectables.
I was on Androcur pre-op and got pretty good breast growth too. But, I also took bicalutamide near the end, some progesterone here and there, finasteride and estrogen, always sublingually. Post-op, for several years, my breasts had shrunken and there was very little going on. :( Like I said, it's really only in the last couple of years that things REALLY resumed.
This is my situation so I think there's still hope for you. I'm still not quite 100% satisfied with breast shape and volume but slowly getting there.
By the way, Androcur is a progestogen so exerts progestative actions on the body, similar to progesterone BUT they also differ in many ways, side-effects and all. Just thought you should know.
My endo did say injections were a possibility if I continued to not get good results with the patch... Okay, so I think the current plan is:
1. Get orchiectomy
2. Stop Androcur
3. Reevaluate estrogen dose
4. Take estrogen for a while with nothing else
5. Add progesterone
6. Take a break from HRT for a few months and see if I get a reset effect
7. Switch to injections (I hate needles, otherwise this might be higher >.<)
8. Screw it, just get the implants already :P
If anyone has any other ideas, I'm open to suggestions. ;)