Sorry to be posting on here (again) as a SO but I've been curious about something and Dr Google isn't providing any answers.
My partner went on Spiro for 3 months last year (online purchase, foolish, not medically supervised etc). I noticed at the time that he got a bit of breast growth (just a bit lumpy under the nipples, this is how I knew he was on something). When he stopped, that disappeared. However, he now has very errogenous nipples. He goes wild if I pull, fondle, bite (gently) on them. Could this be an effect of the spiro? He's always liked having his nipples fondled, but this is really something else. He thinks he could reach orgasm from nipple fondling alone. Could this be a long term effect of the spiro? (I'm not complaining, just curious). He stopped taking it in October.
I have to add that he is obsessed with breasts, and won't leave mine alone either. In his most questioning moments about whether he is trans or not (he is still quite confused) he says maybe he's 'just an old perv who wants boobs'!
He is due to start proper, supervised, HRT in the next couple of months.
TIA for any insights!

Quote from: Sylvia on April 27, 2018, 04:12:53 AM
Sorry to be posting on here (again) as a SO but I've been curious about something and Dr Google isn't providing any answers.
My partner went on Spiro for 3 months last year (online purchase, foolish, not medically supervised etc). I noticed at the time that he got a bit of breast growth (just a bit lumpy under the nipples, this is how I knew he was on something). When he stopped, that disappeared. However, he now has very errogenous nipples. He goes wild if I pull, fondle, bite (gently) on them. Could this be an effect of the spiro? He's always liked having his nipples fondled, but this is really something else. He thinks he could reach orgasm from nipple fondling alone. Could this be a long term effect of the spiro? (I'm not complaining, just curious). He stopped taking it in October.
I have to add that he is obsessed with breasts, and won't leave mine alone either. In his most questioning moments about whether he is trans or not (he is still quite confused) he says maybe he's 'just an old perv who wants boobs'!
He is due to start proper, supervised, HRT in the next couple of months.
TIA for any insights!

If he is overweight there could be natural breast tissue that could be contributing to his sensation in that area. I'm not sure that breast buds ever go away once developed. For example I exercised a lot to get healthy before my SRS I lost almost 20 pounds and unfortunately about two cup sizes because I had to stop all HRT prior to surgery. While I got very flat I still had sensitive large nipples. Also if he is taking anything for prostate health that can cause breast tissue development as well hope this answers some of your questions and it's awesome that you're supportive of your husbands transition. It is a difficult road and he will need lots of support.
Kind Regards
ScarletRed


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sylvia don't be sorry for asking questions.

It is possible for Spiro to help encourage breast growth slightly. Since it blocks the androgen receptors it prevents testosterone from affecting cells. Testosterone naturally acts as a surpressant to the effects of estrogen in breast cells. 3 months could have been long enough for growth to start. Also as men age their body's T production drops. Often older men have slight breat buds develop. More if they carry a good bit of belly fat. Fat is one of the body tissues that produce the aromatase enzyme that converts T to E.

I had minor breast buds since a teenager. They were not visable unless my nipples were erect like when cold. When I decided to seek transition I had to wait 3 months for my therapist to write my HRT letter. Durring this time I used dietary suplements to help lower my bodies T production. Things like ground flax seed, black liquorich, saw palmetto lower T and block production of DHT. I began feeling my breast tissues ache with growth by the second month.

Thanks both. Sounds like it is an effect of the spiro - the areola around the nipples have stayed quite big too, but like I said, the boobs are totally flat again. It's the amount of sexual pleasure he is getting out of them that I was wondering about.
He's not overweight - he's thin as a rake, but he is getting on in years - 62 - so I suspect the T level has dropped anyway. He's not taking any meds for anything.

Scarlet - I'm not as supportive as you assume! I'm finding it extremely difficult to cope with and really wish he'd change his mind. But I won't leave him, and I love him, so we are working through it all.

Thanks again.

Quote from: Sylvia on April 27, 2018, 04:12:53 AM
My partner went on Spiro for 3 months last year (online purchase, foolish, not medically supervised etc). I noticed at the time that he got a bit of breast growth (just a bit lumpy under the nipples, this is how I knew he was on something). When he stopped, that disappeared. However, he now has very errogenous nipples. He goes wild if I pull, fondle, bite (gently) on them. Could this be an effect of the spiro? He's always liked having his nipples fondled, but this is really something else. He thinks he could reach orgasm from nipple fondling alone. Could this be a long term effect of the spiro?

Before my transition, I was taking Spironolactone for prostate issues. I did get a slight amount of breast growth that just increased when Finasteride was added. The real change was that I really enjoyed fondling my own breasts. Even though I was in denial for many years, the feeling in my breasts was just overwhelmingly enjoyable and pushed me to full transition. There were other things that lead me to transition, but the breast growth and later when Estradiol was added to my medications, was a major factor in motivating me to full transition. So, in a sense, when the genie is out of the bottle, so to speak, and the changes are permanent. I could never go back to my old self.

Some gynecomastia is a normal male thing, so males can grow breast tissue.  Normally, testosterone blocks breast growth.  But if you block the T with spiro, there is nothing preventing a little breast growth even without adding estrogen.

As for the residual effect, breast tissue is more or less permanent once the growth has happened.  There can be some shrinkage when the hormones/blockers are stopped, but the breast won't go away.  Trans women are warned prior to starting HRT that, if they ever change their mind and want to transition back, they would need a double mastectomy.

It's hard to say. I have had gynocomastia since puberty started (now in my mid 30s). Always had a small amount of breast tissue.

I never had any strong erotic feelings in my nipples until I got serious about not using or stimulating my penis anymore. The first time I went like 6 weeks or so without any penile stimulation, I began to experience really strong erotic sensation if my nipples are stimulated. I can almost reach orgasm that way. Not quite, but close. With the exception of twice in the last year (prior to coming out to my wife) when we tried having intercourse, nipple stimulation and other stimulation of other erogenous zones have been my primary form of sexual pleasure.

This was all well before I started HRT. So what caused me to develop new erogenous zones when I stopped using my penis? I'm really not sure. Maybe it's adaptation by the brain to find other routes for sexual stimulation. Some paraplegic and quadriplegic people experience the same thing. The loss of sensation in their genitals often leads to new areas becoming sexually sensitive. Or maybe it's a matter of my brain "rewiring" my sexual senses to match who I am.

All I can say for sure is that your partner's experience may not be entirely related to the hormones he took. In fact, since I have started HRT, I noticed a decrease in the sexual sensitivity of my nipples.