Hello all

in next 2 months i am going to start HRT, at least I hope. Having first endocrinologist appointment in a month. I would like to ask several questions which I am not sure about before I start. I just would like to be informed best as I can and learning from the experience of others is one of the best way. First few questions are going to be about hair on the body.

1. Will the light hair on face become thinner? I already had 2 Laser hair removal sessions and it was working very well on the dark hair on my face, but under my lips, I have a lot of blonde hair which is pretty thick. I am asking that to know if I would need electrolysis for this in the future or I am going to shave several months and then it will be thinner.

2. Will the hair on the chest and around the nipples which is thicker black hair become lighter and thinner? I know that most of the hair will become thinner and turn to "baby" hair, but I would like to ask about this area especially. I have pretty much hair there especially around the nipples. And it is really black and thin. If this hair will turn lighter color and not become thinner I will have to do electrolysis which is much more expensive. I would like to know that, because i have very good experience with laser hair removal and I would rather do it now, then later. Just also I do not want to spend money on things which will disappear by time.

3. Will the higher (faster) metabolism has lower effect of HRT? I have heard that fast metabolism has negative effect (lower effect) on HRT even on higher dosages and I will be on low ones maybe for a year in my country, as the transition here is extremely slow and my metabolism is faster.

4. Do you think that progesterone should be included from the start of HRT? I am pretty sure from the experience of others and info I have gained that I would like to get progesterone. But would like to know if it is good to start along with estrogen and anti-androgens or a later.

5. Strange Question . Do you think simulating women cycles in a future will have any effect except mood swings, etc. ?

6. Last question that i could not find the answer, maybe a little bit earlier to ask. Which anti-androgen drug you would choose? I am asking that, because in my country is prescribed Androcur as far as i know and most of you here are on Spiro. Should I ask that if there would be possibility? I have read that Androcur is making more damage to a liver, drying you, gaining more weight, more exhaustion and mood swings.


Thank you for your answers .

Michelle

1. Will the light hair on face become thinner? I already had 2 Laser hair removal sessions and it was working very well on the dark hair on my face, but under my lips, I have a lot of blonde hair which is pretty thick. I am asking that to know if I would need electrolysis for this in the future or I am going to shave several months and then it will be thinner.

Yep you'll still need to get electrolysis to completely get rid of those hairs. Hrt does lighten them some and slows their growth.

2. Will the hair on the chest and around the nipples which is thicker black hair become lighter and thinner? I know that most of the hair will become thinner and turn to "baby" hair, but I would like to ask about this area especially. I have pretty much hair there especially around the nipples. And it is really black and thin. If this hair will turn lighter color and not become thinner I will have to do electrolysis which is much more expensive. I would like to know that, because i have very good experience with laser hair removal and I would rather do it now, then later. Just also I do not want to spend money on things which will disappear by time.

Yes and No, like just depends on your genetics. I'm pretty hairy due to my Spanish genetics. The hairs on my chest took a long time to diminish and lighten but I still have a few stragglers that never went away. Most of the other hairs thinned out and are very fine, so like I have vellus hair around my areolas and breasts with a few dark hairs.

3. Will the higher (faster) metabolism has lower effect of HRT? I have heard that fast metabolism has negative effect (lower effect) on HRT even on higher dosages and I will be on low ones maybe for a year in my country, as the transition here is extremely slow and my metabolism is faster.

My endo told me the exact opposite. I have a super high metabolism and experienced great results. He said to me that because of my high metabolism, I should expect changes pretty fast and expect good results, which is exactly what happened. I hit my 3.5 year mark next month 

4. Do you think that progesterone should be included from the start of HRT? I am pretty sure from the experience of others and info I have gained that I would like to get progesterone. But would like to know if it is good to start along with estrogen and anti-androgens or a later.

I was put on progesterone from the beginning and I'm glad I was. It helped with gaining weight and stabilizing my mood. As far as breast growth goes, it's been very steady and I've matured pretty well. Mine look full and rounded out finally in the last year or so. I do have a small bust but that's just cause of my genes.

5. Strange Question .Do you think simulating women cycles in a future will have any effect except mood swings, etc. ?

I've never cycled, I was prescribed P for daily, so I can't say much about this. I do experience weekly pms from injections though.

6. Last question that i could not find the answer, maybe a little bit earlier to ask. Which anti-androgen drug you would choose? I am asking that, because in my country is prescribed Androcur as far as i know and most of you here are on Spiro. Should I ask that if there would be possibility? I have read that Androcur is making more damage to a liver, drying you, gaining more weight, more exhaustion and mood swings.


I personally can't stand spiro and I cannot wait to be off of it. Sorry can't really answer AAs suck lol, at least for me.

1. Will the light hair on face become thinner? I already had 2 Laser hair removal sessions and it was working very well on the dark hair on my face, but under my lips, I have a lot of blonde hair which is pretty thick. I am asking that to know if I would need electrolysis for this in the future or I am going to shave several months and then it will be thinner.

You will need electrolysis. The hair will become thinner and grow slower.

2. Will the hair on the chest and around the nipples which is thicker black hair become lighter and thinner? I know that most of the hair will become thinner and turn to "baby" hair, but I would like to ask about this area especially. I have pretty much hair there especially around the nipples. And it is really black and thin. If this hair will turn lighter color and not become thinner I will have to do electrolysis which is much more expensive. I would like to know that, because i have very good experience with laser hair removal and I would rather do it now, then later. Just also I do not want to spend money on things which will disappear by time.

I would let the torso go for 6 months on HRT and see how it is changing. I had very very little hair on my chest and it is now gone and replaced with villous hair, so I may not be a good indicator


3. Will the higher (faster) metabolism has lower effect of HRT? I have heard that fast metabolism has negative effect (lower effect) on HRT even on higher dosages and I will be on low ones maybe for a year in my country, as the transition here is extremely slow and my metabolism is faster.

E will tend to favor fat and not muscle. I exercise a lot and eat 1/2 the calories. I am getting lean muscle where I want it but it is tough and a lot of work. My calorie choices are all super healthy. Getting enough protein is my issue.  I gained 25 pounds the 1st year on HRT and I have lost 10 of those pounds and probably gained 5 pounds of muscle. My metabolism is slower on HRT. So, perhaps your HRT will slow your metabolism.

4. Do you think that progesterone should be included from the start of HRT? I am pretty sure from the experience of others and info I have gained that I would like to get progesterone. But would like to know if it is good to start along with estrogen and anti-androgens or a later.

I had to wait 6 months to get progesterone. It has some positive effects on breast size and mood.

5. Strange Question . Do you think simulating women cycles in a future will have any effect except mood swings, etc. ?

I do not know but think not.

6. Last question that i could not find the answer, maybe a little bit earlier to ask. Which anti-androgen drug you would choose?  I am asking that, because in my country is prescribed Androcur as far as i know and most of you here are on Spiro. Should I ask that if there would be possibility? I have read that Androcur is making more damage to a liver, drying you, gaining more weight,

I am on spiro and do not now anything about any other anti-androgens.

You will still need to help the body hair and especially body hair along. Try getting some body waxes... hurts but oh so worth it. Keep getting laser on the beard until it is cleared that way, HRT has little effect on beards.

I have a high metabolism but it fortunately doesn't effect the HRT. Everyone is different.

It should be up to your endo/doc what they start you on. Usually it is a low dose, they need to make sure you don't have an adverse reaction, before they up it and start introducing other drugs. I'm on progesterone, some say it makes no difference but my endo thought otherwise.

Imitate the menstrual cycle if you want to feel great one week and a total wreck the next. Did that during my first attempt at transition... no thanks. This time there's no cycle and I feel so much better.

Thank you all for the answers .

So as summary: I will be shaving blonde hair on beard before I get money on electrolysis, because I need to save money for GRS ASAP. In my country, if I change documents, by gender, name etc. I will loose all my education and that I am studying now last 2 years on university, I need to interrupt study and hope that I will be able to finish everything in 3 years .

It looks like everybody is individual, maybe from your experience the HRT will be boosten, but time for me will show.
I hope I will get Progesterone ASAP if it would be possibility here and would ask about AA drugs. You actually cannot decide a lot here, you have to follow the rules, but I will try to .

Quote from: Lady_Oracle on August 15, 2015, 01:07:55 PM

I personally can't stand spiro and I cannot wait to be off of it. Sorry can't really answer AAs suck lol, at least for me.

It might be possible with implants or injections to raise estro levels a bit, which might be enough to bring t levels down into the female range.
Levels of estro well over 2-300 pg/ml for example.

Bioidentical progesterone can compliment that with some anti androgen effects.

You might talk that through with your endo.


hugs

I'm on injections and have had my levels that high but my endo doesn't like high levels so my estrogen dose was lowered and spiro dose was increased forever ago. I've been on bio identical progesterone since 2012 and its great, medroxy is terrible though.

I would get on pellets if I could but my endo doesn't offer them unfortunately.

Quote from: Lady_Oracle on August 16, 2015, 11:31:48 AM
I'm on injections and have had my levels that high but my endo doesn't like high levels so my estrogen dose was lowered and spiro dose was increased forever ago. I've been on bio identical progesterone since 2012 and its great, medoxy is terrible though.

I would get on pellets if I could but my endo doesn't offer them unfortunately.

Well you might discuss with them estro levels again.
After injections levels of way over 600 are common in the first days. With pregnant women they are much higher.

Studies concerning levels often refer to non bioidentical estrogen, and not internal applications like implants or injections.
Many endos consider implants or injections much safer.


Here should be sufficient info for your endo concerning implants, or you might look for another:
https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,192044.msg1713877.html#msg1713877

By the way there are also progesterone implants.
https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,193313.msg1723623.html#msg1723623

hugs