I'm just wondering if they work effectively like the ones Doctors prescribe. Is it bad to get over the counter? Any other info about it will be nice. Thanks

Go to a doctor. Doing anything else will put your health at risk.

Seriously, go to a doctor if you want any kind of hormonal medication. You have no idea how your body will react or what tests you would need to have done to ensure that everything you're taking is working as it is supposed to. If there are non-financial reasons that you can't get to a doctor, you will probably want to get those squared away before you even think about medically transitioning.

I usually figure anything strong enough to actually work needs a prescription. Unregulated drugs are unregulated because they don't actually do anything, apart from making lots of money for the people who sell them.

Quote from: AnonyMs on May 18, 2016, 08:21:53 AM
I usually figure anything strong enough to actually work needs a prescription. Unregulated drugs are unregulated because they don't actually do anything, apart from making lots of money for the people who sell them.

I would that were true, but plenty of unregulated drugs/herbs/herbal drugs actively cause harm. Before it was banned, ma huang killed several Americans, and it was ONLY banned because DEA was trying to shut down meth production, NOT because it was dangerous to use. (FDA actually tried and failed to ban it after 9 ppl had died.) Tests on herbs available for sale right now showed nasty concentrations of poisonous substances including heavy metals. Not even homeopathic concoctions are safe sugar pills. Instead, plenty of stuff that is pharmacologically active is being sold under the "homeopathic" label. For example, Zinc nasal sprays, sold as homeopathic, not at all in homeopathic concentrations. Many people have lost their sense of smell after using such sprays, as it is NOT a safe way to ingest Zinc.

Quote from: AnxietyDisord3r on May 18, 2016, 12:15:19 PM
I would that were true, but plenty of unregulated drugs/herbs/herbal drugs actively cause harm. Before it was banned, ma huang killed several Americans, and it was ONLY banned because DEA was trying to shut down meth production, NOT because it was dangerous to use. (FDA actually tried and failed to ban it after 9 ppl had died.) Tests on herbs available for sale right now showed nasty concentrations of poisonous substances including heavy metals. Not even homeopathic concoctions are safe sugar pills. Instead, plenty of stuff that is pharmacologically active is being sold under the "homeopathic" label. For example, Zinc nasal sprays, sold as homeopathic, not at all in homeopathic concentrations. Many people have lost their sense of smell after using such sprays, as it is NOT a safe way to ingest Zinc.

That's true, I was thinking they don't have beneficial medical effects. In most cases the pharmaceutical industry would have long ago used them if they did.

Sorry to hijack this post but was just curious. So you can simply go into a pharmacy in the US and pick up some estrogen blockers or are they herbal 'estrogen blockers'; which haven't really been proven to work? I live in the UK and haven't heard of this.

Quote from: Elis on May 18, 2016, 02:03:28 PM
Sorry to hijack this post but was just curious. So you can simply go into a pharmacy in the US and pick up some estrogen blockers or are they herbal 'estrogen blockers'; which haven't really been proven to work? I live in the UK and haven't heard of this.

I don't know about blockers, but I do know there are some kind of over the counter "testosterone boosters" that are meant for bodybuilders. They're in the same section as the protein shakes. Not sure if they're herbal or some kind of chemical concoction. It wouldn't shock me to know that there are similar products claiming to block estrogen production.

I don't think there's a medicine in the world that isn't based on an herbal or organic substance. They all get their roots there. Roots...see what I did there? 

Hugs, Devlyn