Why do some still take anti-androgen and DHT blockers despite they already have undergone sex reassignment surgery? If the testicles are no more there to produce testosterone/androgen and the adrenals do not produce that much, what's this non-sense of taking anti-androgen & DHT blockers post-operation? Why do still some do it, can someone explain please?

That is usually something that you would want to discuss with your endocrinologist post-operatively or while preparing for surgery.

About 90% of the testosterone comes from the testicles and either orchiectomy or SRS will remove them.  About 10% of the testosterone (as well as some of the estrogen hormones) are also produced by the adrenal gland.

Depending on your post-op blood tests, your doctor may choose to keep you on anti-androgens to suppress this testosterone as well if your testosterone levels are above the minimum for a woman.  You do need some amount of testosterone for proper health and sexual function so having no testosterone can be an issue as well.  It is a balancing act that we have to do for the rest of our lives.

I stopped my spironolactone just before my SRS and I have not needed it since according to my blood tests.

-Sandy

Quote from: Sandy on July 11, 2009, 12:59:04 PM
Your doctor may choose to keep you on anti-androgens to suppress this testosterone as well if your testosterone levels are above the minimum.

But are the testosterone production not suppose to be automatically stopped after SRS? I don't think the adrenal could produce that much to cause an issue.

The amount of testosterone produced by the adrenal gland is not affected by the removal of the testes by SRS or orchiectomy.  It is produced regardless.

As I mentioned it is appropriate for a healthy female to have about a tenth of the testosterone in her system as a healthy male at the same age/development.  It usually does not cause any masculinization such as beard hair, upper body muscle development or other secondary sexual characteristics normally associated with a male.

-Sandy