Quote from: A on September 30, 2013, 07:02:27 PM
But uhm yeah. The big cities of California are probably very special. It seems that transsexuals from the whole US (and even from outside of the US I think) just gravitate there.

I moved here from Texas for a job (which is funny since everyone is moving the other way). I didn't know what to expect from California but I really, really like the LA area.  I knew that I was trans but had never had therapy before. LA's got therapists!..... So i was REALLY fortunate to land a job out here where the law is on our side and the therapy and the medical care is truly top notch.

I'll report back in this thread what my endo's opinion of P is when I see him in a few days. I'm very curious now what he'll say.

My endocrinologist wont prescribe me micronised progesterone instead he gives me a low dose of MPA. I think he is uncomfortable about the whole thing because he knows so little about trans health care. I am seeing another endocrinologist in 6 weeks time. Hopefully I will get my micronised P then. I have had very little breast growth. For a while they seemed like they were going to be about be a B cup but then they shrunk back to an AA.

I managed to get my doctor to prescribe me micronized progesterone on my last visit, even though she tried to tell me that it was no better than provera, almost everything I've heard says that's not the case. I've only been on it for 12 days so I'm not really sure what it's doing for my development, but I've been feeling calmer and in a better mood since I started taking it. It kind of sucks though because I can't get it covered through fair pharmacare, they only cover provera, so I have to pay out of pocket for it. Pharmacare covers all my other meds though, but it costs me $55 to get a one month supply of progesterone, I did manage to get a financial assistance card for it, but that only takes $5 off the price, so it isn't actually that much assistance. I'm really hoping it does help with my boobs though because I'm just under an A cup right now after 1 year and 8 months on estrogen, though my hormone levels did some crazy yoyoing at the beginning of this year that seriously interupted my breast growth but everything seems to be back on track now though.

I met with my endo today and I asked him what his opinion is on progesterone. He said that he believes that there is a synergistic effect between estrogen and progesterone and he thinks it's beneficial. He also says that he leaves the choice up to the patient because of the side effects of progesterone that some people experience. He's got some patients on progesterone and some patients not on it.

When it's time I'm definitely going to take his advice and see if progesterone benefits me.

I have been on progesterone pellets  for 2 years along with e pellets, the result is 2 cup increase in size. I just  went for a new bra fitting now 38H.

Thought I'd throw my two cents in here as a new O'Dea girl myself:

With both breast size & anti-androgen effects, the Progesterone is the key.  Progesterone will lower your testosterone w/o the nasty side effects of low T & High E.  You have to figure, even if a genetic girl had 0 Progresterone she wouldn't feel right.  Cis women have progesterone, so why deny yourself of it when transitioning?

Quote from: Kristina77 on October 30, 2013, 04:48:35 AMnasty side effects of low T & High E.

What side effects?

Well my next doctors appointment on Monday I'll be prescribed progesterone and well see how it works. Hopefully I'll really grow the girls!

In pregnant genetic women, one of the things progesterone does is stimulate the development of breast tissue.  You may notice that pregnant women become very buxom as their breasts get ready to lactate.

"The following chart shows the average growth in the level of progesterone within the body during a pregnancy.  The dotted line shows what would happen if no fertilization happened during normal menstrual cycles."

Quote from: Jamie de la Rosa on October 30, 2013, 10:49:00 AM
In pregnant genetic women, one of the things progesterone does is stimulate the development of breast tissue.  You may notice that pregnant women become very buxom as their breasts get ready to lactate.

"The following chart shows the average growth in the level of progesterone within the body during a pregnancy.  The dotted line shows what would happen if no fertilization happened during normal menstrual cycles."

So Jamie that is not to infer that nothing would happen for MtF development right? From puberty on there is an uptick in progesterone levels at one point during the natal female cycle which supposedly has some bearing on the breasts internal development of ducts and glands.

I believe that estrogen and progesterone work in synergy to form the adult female body.

I also believe that progesterone is necessary to form Tanner V breasts.

Next week there's a TS care conference in Sweden, where all the psychiatrists, psychologists, counselors, endocrinologists, voice therapists and surgeons who work with TS care meet to discuss possible changes for the future. I've heard that one thing the endocrinologists will discuss is whether or not to include progesterone in HRT. I'll have my second meeting with my endo soon, I will ask her what conclusions they reached.

 

Quote from: Jamie de la Rosa on October 31, 2013, 03:41:08 AM
I believe that estrogen and progesterone work in synergy to form the adult female body.

I also believe that progesterone is necessary to form Tanner V breasts.

I believe that you are right.

I had some progesterone left over from my 'quest for lactation' last fall so I decided to drop the E patch and take progesterone alone for the last 4 days of each month (because of the beneficial effects I noticed when I was on high doses of it).

Starting yesterday I found my mood had badly deteriorated - I was tired and short-tempered and couldn't understand why. Today I realized I am on day #4 of the progesterone only. Oh, I guess this is PMS!  Good thing I live alone .... hope my dog comes out of hiding soon 

Quote from: Northern Jane on October 31, 2013, 12:51:31 PM
I had some progesterone left over from my 'quest for lactation' last fall so I decided to drop the E patch and take progesterone alone for the last 4 days of each month (because of the beneficial effects I noticed when I was on high doses of it).

Starting yesterday I found my mood had badly deteriorated - I was tired and short-tempered and couldn't understand why. Today I realized I am on day #4 of the progesterone only. Oh, I guess this is PMS!  Good thing I live alone .... hope my dog comes out of hiding soon 

I cut my E patch in half one week out of the month and use a topical P, it rounds out the whole HRT program but I notice that I do get slightly darker circles under my eyes during that time.

Hey girls.

I am curious does progesterone have an effect on libido and erections because I've noticed since started on them 3 months ago I tend to get erections more frequently and even get the morning wood every few days or so. Could this be because of the P?

Yes - That's one of the main reasons I have taken it for 30 years. I am androgen insensitive, Progesterone DOES trigger my libido in a way Androgens couldn't.

From my lecture notes as given by our consultant obstetrician - Progesterone also has the following physiological effects. It relaxes ligaments. It lowers the blood pressure by around 10 points by dilating blood vessels thereby decreasing peripheral resistance, but it increases cardiac output by increasing the stroke volume, which is a necessary adaptation to protect the placenta from excessive pressure which could damage it. The chorion needs a good supply of low pressure rapidly moving blood to function.

Progesterone also increases urine output to cope with additional waste products coming from the fetus.

Finally it is psycho-active and has a calming effect on the mood preparing the woman for motherhood.

Yes it can help to increase breast development - but actually, as you can gather, there are a LOT of reasons to take it aside from that. Just one reason why I think that those doctors who fail to prescribe it are probably not think about the benefits in the round, and instead are concentrating too much on its role in protecting against endometrial neoplasm.

Dr. O'Dea's new website is finally up, with a page detailing sex hormones.

QuoteProgesterone and the Progestins

The other feminizing steroid hormones of women are the natural hormone progesterone and a family of synthetic related hormones known as the progestagens or progestins. When administered orally, progesterone is converted vigorously by the liver into metabolites such as allo-pregnanolone which are mind-altering and some of which may be carcinogenic in genetic women. When estrogens are administered, particularly in generous dosage, the concomitant use of progesterone appears to offset the mental side effects of the estrogens, and both progesterone and progestins powerfully complement estrogen as both a feminizing and especially a demasculinizing force. They particularly stimulate breast development and both nipple development and nipple sensitivity. Some practitioners believe that transsexuals should not be given these hormones, and use estrogens only.

http://gendermedical.com/Hormones.html

Quote from: Jennygirl on November 05, 2013, 06:16:20 PM
Dr. O'Dea's new website is finally up, with a page detailing sex hormones.

http://gendermedical.com/Hormones.html

Good article, thanks for posting Jenny!

Quote from: A on October 30, 2013, 09:41:58 AM
What side effects?

I took orals for almost 2 weeks before changing to pellets.  I was on a pretty high dosage of orals as I understand it, but overall my experience was-

Orals (T Blocker & Estriadol):  Crazy mood swings.  I'd take my dosage, and feel relaxed & calm, hungry and sleepy.  Then four hours would pass and I'd feel like my old hormonally male self again... and the swing back usually would make me irritable and emotional.  It helped splitting my 2 times a day dose into 4, but not a lot.  Oh, and Spiro dried my skin out like CRAZY.  I'd sleep 8 hours a night and still need a 2 hour nap.

Pellets & Progesterone Shots (No Estriadol, 1/4 my dose of spiro):  I have more energy than ever before, I feel like a teenager again.  I feel more emotionally stable and happy then I did before the orals or after.  I actually cry less, get angry less, and am happier in general.