I just came back from my endocrinologist's appointment. I was hoping I'd get a concrete answer to a few of my questions. Transition hasn't been going too well for me, and that has a lot to do with my hormones and the way my body is reacting to them.
When I first started hormone replacement therapy, everything for a period in time was going extremely well and I made good progress. However, suddenly something happened and everything started regressing rapidly. The fat in my body redistributed, there are stretch marks from where arms have gotten bigger, and my body hair occasionally grows rapidly. Now, the mystery is that my Doctor says that my testosterone was in the female range when my blood was drawn.
I talked to my Doctor about it again today and she said that she'll check the labs that I had drawn today, but she says that she doesn't "have a good answer for it" and she requested that I talk to my therapist. I take estrogen via pill, and spiro. Apparently the dose is low. However, my doctor says that it keeps me within the appropriate range [35 abo for T] and she doesn't want to increase the dosage A) Out of fear of side-effects and B) Because the stats on my hormone levels indicate that much won't change.
So essentially I have no answers and no solutions. Is there anyone that can suggest what I can do? Do you think switching to injections could help? Do you think increasing the dosage would make a difference? Your answers would be greatly appreciated.
Sorry Apricot but forum rules prevent the posting of specific dosage information.
However before moderating your post, as I am required to do by TOS rules, I did read the information that you posted. I think maybe you should look for another endo and one familiar with treating Trans patients desiring to achieve feminsation, because some of the doses that you quoted did seem significantly lower than the average regimen for a preop patient.
Unfortunately we are all different and therefore there is a considerable variation from one patient to another, which is why HRT has to be guided by a properly qualified endo, and also why my opinion is NOT in any way definitive. I am merely suggesting that you get this checked. I do not think there is anything to be lost by your getting a second opinion on this.
Thank you rejennyrated. If my topic is in any way out of bounds of the rules, please amend it. That wasn't my intention and I didn't realize it was. I just wanted to know if there was anyone who experienced anything similar and what they might have done about it, or if I was just crazy.
I'm most definitely going to get a second opinion from another doctor on this though. If anyone has more input it would be greatly appreciated.
So the endocrinologist I'm seeing is the only endocrinologist in my city. I don't have access to anyone else. I'm going to make phone calls to some of the other doctors in hopes that my doctor can get a second word, but that's about all I can do.
It's a terrible feeling right now. It just dawned on me that I may never get to transition for a long time. I can't move to a different town right now so I'm stuck. It's completely understandable why someone would want to self medicate. Sometimes some people just have absolutely no choice. Right now, I'm staring that possibilty down in the face. It's that or there's nothing left for me in life.
Quote from: Apricot on November 29, 2010, 01:46:25 PM
So the endocrinologist I'm seeing is the only endocrinologist in my city. I don't have access to anyone else. I'm going to make phone calls to some of the other doctors in hopes that my doctor can get a second word, but that's about all I can do.
It's a terrible feeling right now. It just dawned on me that I may never get to transition for a long time. I can't move to a different town right now so I'm stuck. It's completely understandable why someone would want to self medicate. Sometimes some people just have absolutely no choice. Right now, I'm staring that possibilty down in the face. It's that or there's nothing left for me in life.
Maybe try to reason with her before self-medicating. Does she regularly see other mtf patients? If she's new to this, gently let her know that your dose seems significantly lower than the norm for feminization. Ask if there's any specific reason your dose should be lower than the standard. Do you have any health problems?
There is a specific reason. That's the dilemma. The reason she's not upping the prescription is because the last time I had this issue, my estrogen and testosterone hormone levels were in the female range. My point was that I'm sure they fluctuate. My hormones may have been in the female range at the time my blood was drawn but I also know that my testosterone levels go up and down, I just have no way of proving that.
Whether or not she gets a lot of MTF patients, I'm not sure :-\. I suspect it might be the estrogen dosage but I have no way of knowing anything if I don't have access to another professional opinion, or at least someone who might have gone through something similar and found a solution. That's where I am now.
Get your blood tested for both T & E levels more frequently, like 2 times a month. Your E level, like a normal female of child bearing age, should fluctuate from around 100-200 pg/ml over a 30 day period. Most endos like to keep MTF patients in the lower end of this range. By having your blood tested more frequently, you and your doc will better be able to track and understand what is happening and why.