I have been on nothing but estrogen and progesterone creams for over a year now but I've not been taking anti-androgens. In the last year or so I've noticed that my cheeks have been getting increasingly sunken looking even though I have a very healthy diet. I'm 27 and I've always looked much younger than I am, but lately I feel like I'm looking older because of my sunken cheeks. I also feel less passable lately because of it. I am not wanting any suggestions on what I should do, I am just wondering if anyone knows whether or not this could be caused by taking too much estrogen without anti-androgens (exhausting my adrenal gland maybe???). Has anyone heard of anything like this before?

I doubt it because my cheeks did the same thing on Spiro and Estrogen.  But if you are worried go to your doctor and have your hormone levels checked.

Water loss? Progesterone is a diuretic.

Quote from: SilverFang on June 06, 2010, 12:07:05 PM
Water loss? Progesterone is a diuretic.

I really don't take much progesterone at this point since I'm not on anti-androgens and I worry that I'll convert the progesterone to testosterone. I am always dehydrated feeling though and my nails have gotten very brittle within the last 7 months or so. I drink about a gallon of water a day so I can't figure out why I'm still always thirsty. I also eat a healthy diet of mostly organic foods and I'm not a vegetarian.

Excessive weight loss, frequent urination, and being thirsty and signs of diabetes.  I would recommend go get yourself checked out.

Quote from: Janet Lynn on June 06, 2010, 12:02:39 PM
I doubt it because my cheeks did the same thing on Spiro and Estrogen.  But if you are worried go to your doctor and have your hormone levels checked.

How old were you at the time. Were you able to fix it?

It was when I was 54, 2 years ago.  Now I have had an Orchie, so I am off the Spiro.  I still have the cheeks which is good, because I have cheek bones. 

I have the feeling you are self medicating.  This is why we do not recommend DIY.   Go see a doctor, you need to be checked out.

Quote from: Janet Lynn on June 06, 2010, 12:36:39 PM
It was when I was 54, 2 years ago.  Now I have had an Orchie, so I am off the Spiro.  I still have the cheeks which is good, because I have cheek bones. 

I have the feeling you are self medicating.  This is why we do not recommend DIY.   Go see a doctor, you need to be checked out.

I wish I could. I have no job, no health care, and a crippling fear of making the right kinds of phone calls to get that sort of thing. I have severe social anxiety and depression so talking to people on the phone is nearly impossible. My mind goes blank and I can't understand anything being said. I haven't even been to a grocery store in over a year.

Is there someone you trust that can make phone calls for you?

Quote from: LordKAT on June 06, 2010, 12:53:41 PM
Is there someone you trust that can make phone calls for you?

Only my roommate who has way too much on her plate to be doing that sort of thing for someone else.

Your roommate would have more on her plate if you got really ill, though. Don't neglect your health because you'd feel like you were imposing, at the very least go to the doctor and list your symptoms. If it is diabetes, you could fall into a coma at any time without proper treatment. Be proactive and do something before that happens, okay?

Quote from: Ayaname on June 06, 2010, 12:49:58 PM
I wish I could. I have no job, no health care, and a crippling fear of making the right kinds of phone calls to get that sort of thing. I have severe social anxiety and depression so talking to people on the phone is nearly impossible. My mind goes blank and I can't understand anything being said. I haven't even been to a grocery store in over a year.

Then you need to go to the ER.

Also here is the list of symptoms for diabetics.
Type 1 Diabetes

• Frequent urination
• Unusual thirst
• Extreme hunger
• Unusual weight loss
• Extreme fatigue and Irritability

Type 2 Diabetes*

• Any of the type 1 symptoms
• Frequent infections
• Blurred vision
• Cuts/bruises that are slow to heal
• Tingling/numbness in the hands/feet
• Recurring skin, gum, or bladder infections

*Often people with type 2 diabetes have no symptoms

Quote from: Janet Lynn on June 06, 2010, 01:27:07 PM
Then you need to go to the ER.

Also here is the list of symptoms for diabetics.
Type 1 Diabetes

• Frequent urination
• Unusual thirst
• Extreme hunger
• Unusual weight loss
• Extreme fatigue and Irritability

Type 2 Diabetes*

• Any of the type 1 symptoms
• Frequent infections
• Blurred vision
• Cuts/bruises that are slow to heal
• Tingling/numbness in the hands/feet
• Recurring skin, gum, or bladder infections

*Often people with type 2 diabetes have no symptoms

Thank you for the concern but I don't have any other symptoms. As for being tired or hungry all of the time I'm the exact opposite. I'm always full feeling and I can never sleep much.

Most pharmacies sell sticks which you can dip into fresh urine to test for sugar.

If you have any sugar in your urine, then you have a problem.

Please don't ignore this. Diabetes isn't something you can treat yourself. It will kill you. It can also lead to excessive bleeding as the blood doesn't clot very well.

The list of symptoms doesn't mean you need to have all of these. I've know perfectly healthy people develop diabetes and the only symptom was thirst.

Just because you don't have all of these doesn't mean you are not diabetic.

Get your urine checked. Remember. Sugar in the urine means you have a problem.

Anyway, like I said, I'm not looking for suggestions, only knowledge about whether too much estrogen without t-blockers can be damaging to anything that is responsible for keeping a healthy balance of fat in your body/face. I do appreciate any concern though. I'm concerned for my health as well.

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Post Merge: June 06, 2010, 01:06:50 PM

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Quote from: spacial on June 06, 2010, 02:05:31 PM
Most pharmacies sell sticks which you can dip into fresh urine to test for sugar.

If you have any sugar in your urine, then you have a problem.

Please don't ignore this. Diabetes isn't something you can treat yourself. It will kill you. It can also lead to excessive bleeding as the blood doesn't clot very well.

The list of symptoms doesn't mean you need to have all of these. I've know perfectly healthy people develop diabetes and the only symptom was thirst.

Just because you don't have all of these doesn't mean you are not diabetic.

Get your urine checked. Remember. Sugar in the urine means you have a problem.

Thank you. I will definitely look into that.

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Post Merge: June 06, 2010, 02:40:04 PM

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Also, I don't know what this means but I only feel thirsty a lot when I drink a lot of water. I usually feel dehydrated in the mornings but if I don't drink a bunch of water the thirst goes away and I can be fine off of drinking hardly anything. The only reason I started drinking more water was because I was getting eczema which goes away when I drink more water. I know eczema can be a sign of dehydration but I don't get why I don't get thirsty often when I don't drink a lot.

when I tried estro plus progesterone it turned into testo and I went flat as a pancake and hairy as a gorilla in just 2-3 weeks so I immediately stopped the testo and dropped to low estro and in 2-3 weeks the thick black hairs on my hands and body started to fall out and hasn't returned...it was an awful 3 months experiment... but the boobs didn't grow back and I had to spend $3000 on implants.

your flat cheeks could be due to fat and muscle redistribution of which there is only personal experiences but no real laboratory evidence.

Quoteyour flat cheeks could be due to fat and muscle redistribution

this.

I think worrying about your cheeks are the least of your troubles at the moment. IMO you should seek help for your social anxiety and depression. There are medications available from a doctor that can get you out of the house again. You've got a lot going on and each needs to be dealt with to get better. 

A quick update:
I cut my estrogen intake down by almost a third last week and I've been doing much better. I even noticed that my breast growth immediately sped up. I was obviously taking too much. Also, I get my first bottle of Spiro on Monday which should allow me to cut back even more on the estrogen.

Quote from: Ayaname on June 06, 2010, 11:25:54 AM
I have been on nothing but estrogen and progesterone creams for over a year now but I've not been taking anti-androgens. In the last year or so I've noticed that my cheeks have been getting increasingly sunken looking even though I have a very healthy diet. I'm 27 and I've always looked much younger than I am, but lately I feel like I'm looking older because of my sunken cheeks. I also feel less passable lately because of it. I am not wanting any suggestions on what I should do, I am just wondering if anyone knows whether or not this could be caused by taking too much estrogen without anti-androgens (exhausting my adrenal gland maybe???). Has anyone heard of anything like this before?

I have have the same problem recently. I have lost a lot of weight in my face and it looks almost skeletal now (unlike my profile pic which is not a recent pic). I've been keeping up the HRT and anti - androgens but gained weight in the wrong areas such as the belly. Note: I don't take progesterone.

I am going through the same thing! My cheeks are very sunken in and my friends are telling me that I look sickly looking.  Have lost over 50 pounds in the last sixe to seven months since I have been on HRT. My current regimen is estradiol, spiro and finasteride.  What is going on here?  Is it the estrogen, spiro or something else entirely?  I see my endocrinologist next week and will be demanding an answer.  I have borderline low blood pressure, so I wonder if the spiro is the culprit since it is designed to lower your blood pressure.  Which brings another question up, is it possible to take estrogen alone without an anti-androgen? Finasteride is kind of like an anti-androgen in that it blocks DHT, the byproduct I guess of testosterone.  My doc origionally wanted to only put me on the estrogen injections without an anti-androgen.  I requested the spiro.

Suzie