So, I got the lab results in after my first month on HRT!

My doctor told me that my Estradiol Levels above pre-menopausal levels, but not nearly as high as she would like to see them.   (Currently at 95 pg/mL.  She said she'd like to see it around 200.)

And after a month on Spiro, I have normal Natal woman levels of T apparently.  I currently have .3 ng/mL of Testosterone and 7 pg/mL of Free Testosterone.  I have no idea what those mean, but she said it was good.

Anyone have any sites with what levels should be for a Transgendered person on HRT that I can reference and better understand all this means??

This link gives the blood reference ranges for sex hormones. You pretty much go by the regular female ranges.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reference_ranges_for_blood_tests#Sex_hormones

Most docs like to keep their MTF patients total T level below 40 ng/dl (or .4 ng/ml)... and yours is below that. 

As for E, here's a chart describing a normal genetic female of reproductive age E level over a 30 day period (it changes like a cycle ):
http://www.larkfieldpublishing.com/media/estrogen_levels.pdf

My endo likes to keep his MTF patients E level around 120 pg/ml +/-, however I have read that some endos like to keep it higher at or around 200 pg/ml, but that is usually the high end limit.

Thank you for the info, ladies!  That's very helpful!

Congratulations on starting HRT!

CONGRATS!!!!

Hehe thanks.

Since this post started, I talked to my Doctor and she upped my Estrogen.  I'm now using enough patches to make small designs on my body ... or shield me from bullets ... or use the shininess of the patches as a small mirror to blind people on the other side of a stadium if I wanted to.

She likes patches because it's easier on the liver.   Are shots any better?  I'll be honest, It's hard to find a good place for the patches while I'm trying to get the sticky goop off my skin from the last batch I had used.

I use injectables. I prefer it as I only need to worry about my HRT once every 2 weeks.

Quote from: Epigania on December 17, 2010, 08:22:08 PM
Hehe thanks.

Since this post started, I talked to my Doctor and she upped my Estrogen.  I'm now using enough patches to make small designs on my body ... or shield me from bullets ... or use the shininess of the patches as a small mirror to blind people on the other side of a stadium if I wanted to.

She likes patches because it's easier on the liver.   Are shots any better?  I'll be honest, It's hard to find a good place for the patches while I'm trying to get the sticky goop off my skin from the last batch I had used.

LOL I'm probably in the same boat with you on the patches!  I'm going to ask my Doc if I should stay on those...but I'm a chicken when it comes to needles.

Needles don't bother me so much, but I don't want to have to go to the doctor to get the shots.  That's hugely inconvenient.  I might ask her when I see her again (my next appt is in ... March hehe) if I can do the shots on my own or not.

Something tells me she won't like the shot idea.  But we'll see!

I do my shots at home. The nurse trained Sevan and I how to give eachother HRT shots and I have not had to go to the nurse since the first time she showed us how to do it.

I'm a big fan of the E patchs myself, I've been going for almost two months now and have the weekly patch switching cycle down to a science. 

Congrats Epigania! Have you started noticing any differences yet?

I give myself a shot once a week. It's not to challenging. I just do it in each of side of my rear in an alternating pattern.

I'm not sure how it would go on someone who is scared of needles though so if you are maybe stick with patches?

Quote from: Amy85 on December 22, 2010, 02:04:52 AM
Congrats Epigania! Have you started noticing any differences yet?

Thanks!

I actually started noticing changes within 3 days of starting HRT.  I'm a very perceptive person, so it's hard not to notice things.

There's the obvious stuff like the tenderness around the nipples and the larger nipples.  But I've also noticed my face rounding a bit.   Before you could see my cheekbones fairly well, but now my face is much more of a softer shape and texture.

My skin has gotten very soft, but dry.   I'm not sure if the dryness is because it's winter and the heater is always on or if it's because of the HRT.   

And then there's the emotional effects.   I haven't gotten angry and frustrated with someone in a long time.   That used to be an almost daily occurrence pre-hrt.  I'm much more mellow these days.  I still have my days where I get annoyed with someone, but that's because they are just annoying people.  It's not because they are breathing in my general area.

I've been feeling a little depressed in the last week though.   I'm tired of being alone in the world and need to find people I can hang out with.   But I'm finding that a challenge.   That's what I've been trying to focus on lately.

Going the injectibles route gives you a huge dose of E upfront with a diminishing dose over the weeks between injections.  The patches provide a more stable daily dose.  Alot of it has to do with doc preference and of course there's the whole needle thing.

Quote from: Epigania on December 22, 2010, 09:37:36 AM
I actually started noticing changes within 3 days of starting HRT.

Wow. I'm super jealous. I started HRT 3 weeks ago and, as far as I can tell, have no changes. 

Congrats. You're so lucky. 

..

Quote from: HitOrMiss. on January 08, 2011, 12:37:41 AM
Wow. I'm super jealous. I started HRT 3 weeks ago and, as far as I can tell, have no changes. 

Congrats. You're so lucky. 

Thanks ... I'm not sure how T works on the body during HRT.  But just like E, people are all different and it takes time for the body to do it's thing.  I'm sure things will fall into place soon for you.

Needles aren't a bit deal for me.   They suck, but I have a higher pain threshold.   I think the biggest annoyance I have with HRT right now is the 5 pills I take every single morning.   Between that and the water I drink with the pills, I am full and don't want breakfast.  But the Spiro kinda upsets the stomach a bit if I don't eat. :|

A couple weeks after my dosage was increased a bit to try and get me up to natal levels of Estrogen, I have no more pain associated with HRT anymore.  I don't know if it's that or the Asprin I was put on to help prevent blood clots, but I've finally stopped having achey boobies which is good.   The constant itching and aches were starting to annoy me.