I just got my blood test results from my third endo visit, 9 months on HRT.  I'm a little surprised because my dosages are pretty high and the numbers didn't move as far as I was expecting.  Anyway, my spironolactone dose was doubled so the question is for anyone that has had their spironolactone dose increased like that.  Did you notice any change in how things were progressing and how long before you noticed it?  And did the increased dose change the lab results? 

Here are the results (I'm 55 if it matters):

Total testosterone
Before - 826 ng/dl
90 days - 158 ng/dl
9 months - 120 ng/dl

Estradiol
Before - 43.4 pg/ml
90 days - 71.3 pg/ml
9 months - 117.2 pg/ml

Without writing the dosage I have been on a full strength course of estradiol and progesterone from the first day and about half of what is typically listed as a full strength dose of spironolactone.  Now the spironolactone is doubled.

As far as body effects go since I started I think it's all going pretty well.  I have lost a lot of weight so direct measurements are a little deceptive.  I see a change in the mirror, especially with proportions.  Also, the other good news with all the blood results is that I'm still healthy.


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QuoteEstradiol
Before - 43.4 pg/ml
90 days - 71.3 pg/ml
9 months - 117.2 pg/ml

Estradiol? Do you mean Estrone? They are closer to my Estrone numbers. My Estradiol numbers didn't change at all after 90 days, though they were slightly in the cisfemale range before I started. If that is truly Estradiol, those numbers are great (well into the cisfemale range).

They are estradiol.  I don't have estrone numbers on my test.  Mainly I thought the testosterone numbers were higher than they should have been.    Also, I often see people post here with estradiol numbers two and three times higher than this.


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Everyone responses differently. My testosterone number dropped like a rock and quickly and it didn't take much to jump my estradiol number up. It's something I would talk over with your Endo. Maybe a different delivery method might give you better results, I don't know but certainly ask them questions and see what you can do to get those numbers improved. I would have that your T number was a bit high and Estradiol number a tad low. I hope that helps. Hugs
Mariah

I did ask this to the endo last week when I was in for my appointment.  She doubled my spiro but said that even after nine months I should expect the levels in my body to keep changing.  That office treats a lot of trans people so she has probably seen this before.  I was just looking to see what others might have experienced to confirm what she said.


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Other than a baseline T reading my endo has never bothered to check E or T levels. He says results are what count. He does check kidney and liver function, potassium, etc. Since he is head of endocrinology and university department head at a major teaching hospital and had been seeing transgender patients for a very long time I feel comfortable with his methods.

Quote from: Dee Marshall on September 16, 2015, 09:16:48 AM
Other than a baseline T reading my endo has never bothered to check E or T levels. He says results are what count. He does check kidney and liver function, potassium, etc. Since he is head of endocrinology and university department head at a major teaching hospital and had been seeing transgender patients for a very long time I feel comfortable with his methods.

This is the approach my endo takes as well. She does plan to test levels once we reach a dose that might plausibly be the long-term transitioning dose. For now, while ramping up, there's not much sense in confirming that we're not yet where we want to be.

She was not terribly concerned about other tests either, given that I was tested early in the process (for other reasons) until I was at higher doses. I insisted, though.

My Endo doesn't check T levels but my cardiologist does. My T level after 6 months on HRT (I'm on Avodart not Spiro) was at 11. I'm 54 and I had low T to start with so that was a plus. My E level was at 579. I am very happy with the changes that I'm getting at these levels.

Stick with it Deb and you'll get there soon.

Spiro is a blood pressure medication that has a side effect of reducing T.

Be careful on the higher spiro dose - you may experience drops in your blood pressure on the higher dose.

Symptoms include dizziness when standing, sleepiness, and a general lethargy.

My endo had to cut my spiro dose back because the higher dose was causing these blood pressure drops for me, which is kind of weird considering that I have high blood pressure to start with.

I guess the question then is what objective changes are to be expected at 9 months?

If the answer is that everybody is different then there is really no way to determine if the dose is right or not.  Surely there are some commonalities.

Personally, I am happy with what's going on so far but I only have a sample size of one to compare to. 

Here is what has changed so far. 

- Body hair' is virtually invisible; not that I had a lot to start with.
- Waist to hip ratio has changed from 93% to 86%.
-Waist from 38 to 33.
-Hips from 41 to 39.
- Upper chest/bust/rib cage measurement has changed from 42-43-39 to 38.5-42-36.5.
-breasts have been continually sore for 6 months sometimes more and sometimes less.
-Thigh size went from 25 to 24.
-Subcutaneous fat on my arms is thicker than previously at this weight.  They usually get veiny,  they haven't this time.
-Face has not gotten gaunt as it has in the past in this weight range.
-Neck from 16.5 to 15
-Bicep from 14 to 12.5
-weight from 205 to 167
-Head hair is as thick as ever.  I never had any hair loss.
-Feet are still the same size but they were bony to begin with and height is unchanged.  I wasn't expecting these to change anyway.

HRT is coinciding with other stuff like cleaning up my diet, running again, stopping smoking, and stopping drinking so all of those things are contributing and make figuring this out a little harder.

So, given that info are my changes in line with what is reasonable in that timeframe, 9 months, or should I be concerned and bring it up with the endo?

I know something is working because last time my waist was this size a couple of years ago both my hips and bust were both smaller than now.  I also weighed about 8 pounds more.  I'm not really stressing about it but just want to be sure things are moving along as well as they can.

And that is my dissertation for today, LOL.


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Quote from: Eva Marie on September 16, 2015, 10:15:18 AM
Spiro is a blood pressure medication that has a side effect of reducing T.

Be careful on the higher spiro dose - you may experience drops in your blood pressure on the higher dose.

Symptoms include dizziness when standing, sleepiness, and a general lethargy.

My endo had to cut my spiro dose back because the higher dose was causing these blood pressure drops for me, which is kind of weird considering that I have high blood pressure to start with.

I had a similar experience, but my PCP chose to stop my other BP med instead of playing with the spiro. For close to a year now that's been the status quo, but my pressure's up a bit and if it doesn't go back down he says he'll add something when I see him in February.

I was having a little of the increased dizziness and such since last week but it has gotten better.  I've increased my sodium a bit and drink a lot.  At my blood test last week my sodium was at the bottom end of normal.  Potassium was just barely above normal. 


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Quote from: Dee Marshall on September 16, 2015, 11:31:19 AM
I had a similar experience, but my PCP chose to stop my other BP med instead of playing with the spiro. For close to a year now that's been the status quo, but my pressure's up a bit and if it doesn't go back down he says he'll add something when I see him in February.

Mine did something similar. I was taking amlodipine-benazepril which was a combo pill. With spiro she took away the benazepril part and prescribed just amlodipine and spiro.

My blood pressure has been great, 110/75 to only occasionally 125/85.

Ok. So I went this afternoon, Did my labs last week. I did not get exact numbers @ 7mos on hrt. Proscar spiro & estrodiol  gel & oral.  I am 54 like Deborah. my T is still over 400 Darn! and my E is over 400 too! darn!. However it's only my second run on labs so he say's we are closing in on the right numbers. . . . K my boobs are lopsided, darn!
Well ladies all i can say is, poop i am working really hard to keep my weight normal under 190, i like my food so i workout on my mtn bike alot, a lot. he say's weight is and can be a big problem for us.  So thats good. All my other numbers look excellent,he said. I had major shoulder work 25 yrs ago, he stated that is affecting my boob? humm i say!. ones just a lil bigger than the other ? i have heard it's normal from my GF. he says my working out and diet are keeping my T high, I buy that one. I cleared hep-c on my own when I quit smoking and drinking/using bout 2 yrs ago. I did that one due to short jail stay and wanting to get on HRT, my E is higher than should be cuz i use it rectally, to avoid liver stress, I have fatty liver & its recovering from addiction & hep-c. All in all i grateful and I have never felt better
Peace Clear

Quote from: clearleeraines on September 21, 2015, 11:44:06 PM
Ok. So I went this afternoon, Did my labs last week. I did not get exact numbers @ 7mos on hrt. Proscar spiro & estrodiol  gel & oral.  I am 54 like Deborah. my T is still over 400 Darn! and my E is over 400 too! darn!. However it's only my second run on labs so he say's we are closing in on the right numbers. . . . K my boobs are lopsided, darn!
Well ladies all i can say is, poop i am working really hard to keep my weight normal under 190, i like my food so i workout on my mtn bike alot, a lot. he say's weight is and can be a big problem for us.  So thats good. All my other numbers look excellent,he said. I had major shoulder work 25 yrs ago, he stated that is affecting my boob? humm i say!. ones just a lil bigger than the other ? i have heard it's normal from my GF. he says my working out and diet are keeping my T high, I buy that one. I cleared hep-c on my own when I quit smoking and drinking/using bout 2 yrs ago. I did that one due to short jail stay and wanting to get on HRT, my E is higher than should be cuz i use it rectally, to avoid liver stress, I have fatty liver & its recovering from addiction & hep-c. All in all i grateful and I have never felt better
Peace Clear

breasts are often different size, my smaller side is the side that has a torn rotator cuff, but I tore it long after having boobs so just coincidence

A weird thing has been happening this week, He cut mt E back to 3 1/2 the 1/2 being gel, cuz it was a lil over 400.
Spiro @ 200 a day & finestride @5 my T was over 400 too, He said should be under 200.
Anyway I  have had A hard time this summer with exhaustion & leg/foot cramps. It still over 100+ here but, Poof it's all gone !. In fact I've had more energy the last few day's than I've had in years ? No cramps ? 
So I am running with it. Anyone else have this happen ?
Thanx Clear             

Quote from: Dee Marshall on September 16, 2015, 09:16:48 AM
Other than a baseline T reading my endo has never bothered to check E or T levels. He says results are what count. He does check kidney and liver function, potassium, etc. Since he is head of endocrinology and university department head at a major teaching hospital and had been seeing transgender patients for a very long time I feel comfortable with his methods.

That makes A lot of sense to me, I dunno why really, It just doe's .

Peace,Clear

Hi Recently had an appointment with the endocrinologist myself. and upon discussing the levels, have discovered that chasing levels is pretty pointless. My estriodol level is still below average even though i am on the highest dose they will prescribe. However while the levels are still lower than average the effect the HRT is having wouldnt suggest that.  In fact the results i have gotten (while yes i do wish there was a magic pill to do all this instantly) are pretty good. facially i have changed and i have some reasonable breast growth. So i wouldnt worry about levels too much as they are not as important as people think.

Quote from: Deborah on September 15, 2015, 04:41:06 PM
I just got my blood test results from my third endo visit, 9 months on HRT.  I'm a little surprised because my dosages are pretty high and the numbers didn't move as far as I was expecting.  Anyway, my spironolactone dose was doubled so the question is for anyone that has had their spironolactone dose increased like that.  Did you notice any change in how things were progressing and how long before you noticed it?  And did the increased dose change the lab results? 

Here are the results (I'm 55 if it matters):

Total testosterone
Before - 826 ng/dl
90 days - 158 ng/dl
9 months - 120 ng/dl

Estradiol
Before - 43.4 pg/ml
90 days - 71.3 pg/ml
9 months - 117.2 pg/ml

Without writing the dosage I have been on a full strength course of estradiol and progesterone from the first day and about half of what is typically listed as a full strength dose of spironolactone.  Now the spironolactone is doubled.

As far as body effects go since I started I think it's all going pretty well.  I have lost a lot of weight so direct measurements are a little deceptive.  I see a change in the mirror, especially with proportions.  Also, the other good news with all the blood results is that I'm still healthy.


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My spiro and estrogen dose was doubled six months ago.  I'll find out Monday 9-28-15 if my levels changed.  I'm certain my t levels will be down but not sure about estrogen. My body seems to just soak it up like a sponge.  I've seen profound changes though.

Quote from: clearleeraines on September 21, 2015, 11:44:06 PM
my E is higher than should be cuz i use it rectally

you insert E oral tabs rectally? How do levels compare to when taken orally?