Hey there!


I've been transitioning for one year in six days (woo?) and it's been a wild ride. I live in the Pacific Northwest and have found myself physically safer when I present than I felt I was in my previous area, but not exactly accepted and often fear how I'm going to make money and get a job. I'm not passing at all and am even considering going back to dude mode just so I can get a job. Sometimes I even get so upset and dysphoric I think about detransitioning entirely and rocking some genderqueer thing. IDK. I've been really disappointed with my results. Namely, muscle mass decrease. I'm 24 years old.

Anyway, the point of this topic is this:
When I started, I was on  of Estrace (oral) and  spironolactone. My levels are fine and I've been getting them checked regularly. For the first six months I saw a lot of changes and a lot of muscle mass reduction, but I switched to injections around December and have felt like I have been stagnating since. The scale supports my theory because it refuses to budge no matter my exercise or diet plan.

Everyone always says that injections are "better" (though, they never quantify this in any measurable way), but is it possible that oral pills might actually work "better" for some of us? I'm not talking about "levels of estradiol" in pg when you get your tests (mine are definitively higher on shots), but, rather, absorption and binding and allocation of estrogens.

I was on progesterone for a couple of months as well, but I wasn't really sure what I was experiencing with that. Sometimes I think I should go back on it. IDK.

Thoughts?

Mod Edit- no dosages please. TOS 8

6 months is not long enough to say it isn't working

It can take awhile and 6 months isn't that long really. I would take it up with your doctor if your concerned about your progress. As always our mileage may very on hormones. I know for me the changes have been slow and gradual. Hugs
Mariah

Definitely take the issue up with your doctor.

I had to ask to have my e-pills raised twice and I had to ask to go on injections. When I was on injections I had to ask to have my time interval reduced. I went from 14 to 10 days. My T is below 20 ng/dl, as low as that test goes.

Progress is slow but for me steady.

You could have a look here :
https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,190851.msg1700545.html#msg1700545

Some light activity might help... a few minutes of walking for example...


hugs

 Just a thought. Rome wasn't built in a day. I'm ALMOST on the 6 month mark. Started January 08 2015. and I figure it will take awhile to undo Testosterone's poison. Patience even I'M learning that.

Quote from: Mariah2014 on June 21, 2015, 02:16:33 AM
It can take awhile and 6 months isn't that long really. I would take it up with your doctor if your concerned about your progress. As always our mileage may very on hormones. I know for me the changes have been slow and gradual. Hugs
Mariah

No, sorry, I must not have articulated we'll enough.
It's been six months since I changed my dose. It's been a year since I started HRT.

Talk with your doctor, tell her/him what worked best with you and perhaps they will agree to go back to oral.