I have been on HRT for a little over a year. I see my doctor and get blood tests done every 3 months. Although I am on twice the minimum dose of spirro as well as some progesterone (which my doctor thinks may have a testosterone blocking effect), every blood test shows that my testosterone levels are still at about 150. I am not totally surprised by this, since I started out high (around 900), but it's a little frustrating. Each time we try a new way of blocking testosterone, I get a few months of very low sex drive, and then my sex drive climbs back up again to where it used to be. I really like not having a sex drive, and if that is something I can make consistent, I would like to. I also find that my anxiety levels seem to rise at about the same rate as my sex drive.

My doctor has offered me a few things we can try to deal with this problem, but we're running out of options. One option my doctor has given me is to go on finasteride in addition to what I'm already on, but we actually already tried that before I was on the progesterone, and it didn't get me lower than about 150. Another option my doctor has given me is to try depo. Right now I'm on a pill form of progesterone, because we were worried about the possible side effect of irritability.

I'm not really sure if there's something I can do with just medicine to get my testosterone levels lower. I'm going to have gender confirmation surgery someday, but I can't afford it yet. In the meantime, I'm not sure what I can do. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Ask about GnRH analogues such as lupron, prostap, decapeptyl or zoladex. These shut down all gonadal sex hormone production.  They are 1 month or 3 month depot injections and they are highly effective.

Thanks for the help, bbepgy! I will mention those to my doctor, and see what she thinks.

Old thread but I thought I would mention to try and stay away from Depo-Provera or Provera in pill as there are many undesirable effects. Progesterone, bio-identical, on the other hand, can be quite beneficial to some mentally and healthwise, does appear to be better.

Bicalutamide is also an anti-androgen that strongly blocks (does not reduce) androgens in the body, except the brain. This could also be suggested to your doctor. Injectable E also tends to suppress quite effectively, on its own, T.

Good luck.