Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Community Conversation => Transitioning => Hormone replacement therapy => Topic started by: Kendra on May 12, 2017, 10:57:29 AM

Title: MTF pre-HRT with very low P, marginal T
Post by: Kendra on May 12, 2017, 10:57:29 AM
MTF age 53, never been on HRT.  Test results from ZRT Lab:
Title: Re: MTF pre-HRT with very low P, marginal T
Post by: Kendra on May 12, 2017, 11:03:59 AM
Sorry - hit Send too soon. 

MTF age 53, never been on HRT.  Test results from ZRT Lab:
    Progesterone <5 pg/ml   Range 12-100
    Testosterone  44 pg/ml   Range 44-148
    Estradiol    <0.5 pg/ml   Range 0.5-2.2
    DHEAS        1.6 ng/ml    Range 2-23

This is the first time I've checked hormone levels.  My T levels would be average for an 85 year old male but I am 53.

The numbers indicate I need to make some decisions - some of these numbers correlate to potential health issues.  My father is age 86, he has pretty bad osteoporosis and I see that listed as a symptom of low T.   Should I see an endocrinologist instead of just going for HRT? 

I know most of us here are not physicians -just seeking others' advice and experience on which type of professional I should go see.  I'm in the Seattle area.
Title: Re: MTF pre-HRT with very low P, marginal T
Post by: Devlyn on May 12, 2017, 11:11:45 AM
You need one hormone or the other, I don't think it matters healthwise which way you go. MTF HRT will put you in normal female ranges. Plus the transition benefits!  ;)

Hugs, Devlyn
Title: Re: MTF pre-HRT with very low P, marginal T
Post by: Kendra on May 12, 2017, 11:21:00 AM
Thanks Devlyn - I had been postponing HRT decision somewhat, but these numbers indicate I shouldn't delay. 
Technically I could go the other direction (become chemically more male) but that's the opposite of where I'd want to go. 

I'm curious if MTF starting out with low T and P is common, or somewhat rare among us.
Title: Re: MTF pre-HRT with very low P, marginal T
Post by: Devlyn on May 12, 2017, 12:28:13 PM
I had low T and normal (nonexistent) estradiol levels for a male  at my baseline blood draw.

Hugs, Devlyn
Title: Re: MTF pre-HRT with very low P, marginal T
Post by: KayXo on May 12, 2017, 01:30:36 PM
A little confused about the units as usually for P, it is ng/ml (or nmol/L), T, it's ng/dl (or nmol/L) and E range is usually 10-60 in males and 20-650 in females during menstrual cycle, in pg/ml. I suspect the FREE levels were measured, not total (free + bound).

P is low in males and low in females during the first phase of their menstrual cycle. E and T are indeed low in you.
Title: Re: MTF pre-HRT with very low P, marginal T
Post by: Deborah on May 12, 2017, 08:17:54 PM
Quote from: Kendra on May 12, 2017, 11:21:00 AM
I'm curious if MTF starting out with low T and P is common, or somewhat rare among us.
my experience reading lots of posts here is that mtf pre HRT hormone levels are all over the place.  Some are low, others are high, and the rest are in between.  There doesn't really seem to be a pattern to it.



Conform and be dull. —James Frank Dobie, The Voice of the Coyote