Quote from: JanePlain on January 14, 2019, 08:28:48 PM
I wonder if the effects might be so subtle your not picking up on them?   Sense of smell was an odd one for me.  My sense of smell increased and my own ahh... smell seems to have decreased or at least doesn't "stink" like sweat anymore.  The thing about muscle to fat seems to be a change thats slow but the longer you go the more obvious it seems.  Libido which was zero before HRT is now "on" again.  Anyway - perhaps your endo can run labs and adjust?  Or maybe you just can't dial the testosterone down enough with spiro?

I was  partial biological female all my life.  I always had female emotions, and probably smell, too?.  Libido is zero for me for about 10 years now, and estrogen seems not to do anything about it either.
according to my urologist, my one functioning testicle must have given up producing testosterone a few years ago.  Natural estrogen seems to be Ok high, because I started to grow boobs a few years ago, long before I ever heard about HRT.  I will have labs run in a month, and have to see what is going on with me.

I cannot detect anything different about me and with me.  Maybe, I am the new medical wonder who can take estrogen like candies?

Quote from: Dietlind on January 14, 2019, 08:46:07 PM
I was  partial biological female all my life.  I always had female emotions, and probably smell, too?.  Libido is zero for me for about 10 years now, and estrogen seems not to do anything about it either.
according to my urologist, my one functioning testicle must have given up producing testosterone a few years ago.  Natural estrogen seems to be Ok high, because I started to grow boobs a few years ago, long before I ever heard about HRT.  I will have labs run in a month, and have to see what is going on with me.

I cannot detect anything different about me and with me.  Maybe, I am the new medical wonder who can take estrogen like candies?

Were you at very low levels of Testosterone all the time?  It seems like that would come with a certain number of effects.  I'm curious what your labs show?  Actually I'm curious what anyone else's labs look like. 

Quote from: Joanne ONeal on January 06, 2019, 05:54:47 PM
I must stop the Spiro!!  It makes me very sick, and unable to eat. The low dose E patch probably won't work like we hoped, but I can't continue to feel sick all the time. I sent a message to my Endocrinologist explaining my bad reaction to the blocker. Hopefully, there is something I can take to replace it.   

@Joanne ONeal

Have they got you sorted? How are you doing hun? Hope you're feeling better.

Quote from: JanePlain on January 16, 2019, 04:44:23 PM
Were you at very low levels of Testosterone all the time?  It seems like that would come with a certain number of effects.  I'm curious what your labs show?  Actually I'm curious what anyone else's labs look like.

I never got seriously tested for Testosterone or Estrogen.  But I was also told that I never finished puberty.  When I was younger, nobody ever thought about testing those things.  One was either male or female, nothing else or in between!
One just looked different (like I did), but nobody had an explanation for the reason of this.  All the intersex stuff was discovered starting in the late 50's, early 60's.  But at that time it was just in laboratory rats, it took another 10 + years until those discoveries were made in humans, and it was not until the mid 90's until real direct research for this was done.

At that time I was almost of the point that i exploded because of the bottled up dysphoria!

Quote from: JanePlain on January 16, 2019, 04:44:23 PM
Actually I'm curious what anyone else's labs look like.

Hello again Jane

I just thought you may wish to see my "Comparison" thread which is attached below. Please feel free to comment on it or provide your E&T results on it but only if you wish of course. Hope you enjoy reading the statistics.

https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,242549.0.html

Hugs

Pamela

Quote from: pamelatransuk on January 18, 2019, 07:21:58 AM
Hello again Jane

I just thought you may wish to see my "Comparison" thread which is attached below. Please feel free to comment on it or provide your E&T results on it but only if you wish of course. Hope you enjoy reading the statistics.

https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,242549.0.html

Hugs

Pamela

Thanks Pamela your the best!  I really do appreciate being here and able to talk about this with people who understand.  At my next Endo Visit I will have labs done.   My doctor has me officially on a pretty tame amount of estrogen but she told me its ok to dial it up (Within limits) until I feel right.   The only labs I could provide now would be my totally screwed up ones.  Plenty of testosterone and abnormally low estrogen (for a man) which really really sucked. I'm really feeling great since starting on HRT.  I feel like framing my prescription for Estrogel.   

Thank you Jane for your kind words.

I am so happy you have found the right path with Estrogen.

Hugs

Pamela

Quote from: Joanne ONeal on January 06, 2019, 05:54:47 PM
I must stop the Spiro!!  It makes me very sick, and unable to eat. The low dose E patch probably won't work like we hoped, but I can't continue to feel sick all the time. I sent a message to my Endocrinologist explaining my bad reaction to the blocker. Hopefully, there is something I can take to replace it.   

Congratulations on starting, you may be lucky with just the patches. Im on Patches Evoral 150 and my E is 655 and T 1.6 from Just taking patches and no Blockers (Im 45 and had quite high testosterone when starting), so fingers crossed the patches alone might do the trick for you. I also went up gradually with the patches and just reaches 10 months.

I slowly start to feel like a medical novelty.  I do not see or feel any reactions of either estrogen nor of spiro. 
Well, to tell the truth, estrogen makes my feet swell a little, and spiro helps to get the swelling away.  That is the only reaction I have to either of them!

I have re-started the spiro, albeit 1/2 the original prescription dose. I tried it in the mornings for a while, but the ill feelings returned. Currently, I am taking the 1/2 dose at bedtime and I can tolerate the morning sickness.

The 7 day patches have been a challenge. Placement is critcal. They hold up fairly well while showering, but if you apply them too high on your belly, your pants will rub them off. If you apply them too low, your low rise panties will rub them off. I have an appointment with my endo this month and we will discuss placement/application methods.

I  have not noticed any significant physical changes yet. My shaved body hair still grows back. It may not be as coarse as it was but it stills grows! I hate it!! My breasts have not become tender at all. I message them daily and apply moisturizing cream. This keeps them very soft, and I love the feeling of cupping them in my hands. According to the bra sizing charts, I am a B cup now. However, I have lost 22# since my hip replacment surgery in November, so this may not be accurate.

The biggest and most important change is emotional! I feel so relaxed. My wife has noticed a big change along with my therapist. The mutiple anti-depressants I was taking all those years were nothing compared to the low dose  estrogen I am now on. I look forward to increasing the dose, and excellerateing the process!

Thanks to all on this site! Your support is so helpfull.

Hugs,

Joanne           

I have my estrogen and testosterone values now, fresh of the press.  I have 74 nono testosterone, and 63.8 nnos estrogen.  My doctor said that the testosterone is extremely low, and that my testes are shut.
I have not found anything to compare the estrogen levels with, but I have the feeling I am low at that font, too!
My endocrinologist does not want to increase the estrogen because of fear of DVT.  I might have to find a different endo.

I do not understand why those people feel they have to be gatekeepers?

Dietlind, what does your last post have to do with my HRT update?

Quote from: Joanne ONeal on February 05, 2019, 07:31:12 PM
Dietlind, what does your last post have to do with my HRT update?

I have to apologize, slipped under the wrong heading!

@joanne O'Neal

Glad they were able to figure out a starting point for you. I'm sure there will be many tweaks along the way. Don't be discouraged progress is progress. It's a long journey. As with all things HRT YMMV. Are you taking spiro with food? For me if I take spiro on a empty stomach, & not eat anything within 2 hours I feel bad.

Jaime320,
I have tried it both ways. My system just dosen't like Spiro. We will see if it is worth it in the next blood test. I started with a T level of 1.7. Maybe an increase in E doseage will eliminate the need for Spiro. My Endro did say she would switch me to Finesteride, but I don't know anything about that stuff.

Quote from: Joanne ONeal on February 06, 2019, 09:07:30 AM
Jaime320,
I have tried it both ways. My system just dosen't like Spiro. We will see if it is worth it in the next blood test. I started with a T level of 1.7. Maybe an increase in E doseage will eliminate the need for Spiro. My Endro did say she would switch me to Finesteride, but I don't know anything about that stuff.

OK, now I can chime in and make a contribution that makes sense!  I am on Finasteride for 5 or 6 years now (for another eason than HRT).
I am on the strongest dose recommended (way higher than they use for HRT reasons), and I do not feel any side effects.  Finasteride stops any hair loss you are experiencing, and might allow some hair to regrow, as long as the follicles are not dead.  Finasteride in a higher dose, will cause your prostate to shrink, but it is not a testosterone blocker like spiro (I am also on spiro, and don't like the stuff, and actually don't really need it, bcause I have no T that needs to be blocked).
What do they want to achieve with you and Finasteride?

I think she suggested it for a replacement of the spiro because I was not tolorating it very well. I am completly bald and been that way for 35 years. I doubt there are many live follicals left. My cancerous prostate was removed 2 years ago, so Finensteride is of no use there. PSA level is undectecable now, that means cancer free! I am really hoping I can use the the Spiro, or find another T blocker that will work.

Quote from: Joanne ONeal on February 06, 2019, 10:57:22 AM
I think she suggested it for a replacement of the spiro because I was not tolorating it very well. I am completly bald and been that way for 35 years. I doubt there are many live follicals left. My cancerous prostate was removed 2 years ago, so Finensteride is of no use there. PSA level is undectecable now, that means cancer free! I am really hoping I can use the the Spiro, or find another T blocker that will work.

I am not an endocrinologist or urologist (that was the discipline who put me onto Finasteride).  No prostate means no nee of Finasteride for that one.  Here is what the Mayo Clinic (the people who put me onto it) has to say about it: "Finasteride is used to treat men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and male pattern hair loss, also called androgenetic alopecia. ... Finasteride blocks the action of an enzyme called 5-alpha-reductase. This enzyme changes testosterone to another hormone that causes the prostate to grow or hair loss in males."

I would ask my doc what the purpose she sees in putting you onto the stuff!  As I said, I do not feel any side effects, but everybody reacts different to medications.  And any chemical you can keep outside of your body, is a pretty darn good chemical!

Its Working!! I had a 6 week re-visit with my Endrogrinologist today.  Blood work shows my "T" level is now below 1!  (.81) My  "E" level is rising!  The emotional changes are great. No noticable changes in body hair, but my breast are bigger.  She is going to keep me at the same dosages of the Spiro and low dose E patches for now.  I WANT MORE!! But she is the Doctor.  It is amazing how different I feel!   

Quote from: Joanne ONeal on February 13, 2019, 01:20:45 PM
Its Working!! I had a 6 week re-visit with my Endrogrinologist today.  Blood work shows my "T" level is now below 1!  (.81) My  "E" level is rising!  The emotional changes are great. No noticable changes in body hair, but my breast are bigger.  She is going to keep me at the same dosages of the Spiro and low dose E patches for now.  I WANT MORE!! But she is the Doctor.  It is amazing how different I feel!   

Great!  Do you feel like your emotional range is being expanded.  HRT effects people different but I think most here report little change in hair.  I'm not an expert but I believe what I've read says that going below typical female levels for Testosterone can cause unwanted side effects.   I did a search and most of the data says that typical female levels of Testosterone range from 8 to 60ng/dL.   Less then 1 will probably zero out your libido and energy.