Well this is bizarre. My doctor started me on low dose estradiol back in mid July... took it for three months and got some followup blood work done and was able to convince her to add some spiro and slightly increase the estradiol dose.

Well just got my blood work down and somehow my numbers have reversed and the estrogen has gone down in my body and the testosterone has gone up. To say I'm confused would be a massive understatement.

I mentioned to the lady I talked to the receptionist I guess that I don't always take it at the same time (though try to at least keep it close) but she didn't seem that would have made a difference.


Can't remember the exact numbers, but in my initial blood work my estrogen level was right around the 130 range and now it's 89?!?

My testosterone was right around 230-240 and now it's suddenly 323?!?

This sucks! I know hormone levels can be unstable, but this would explain why I've not really experienced more  in the way of breast development and emotional changes.. things of that nature.

She wants me to cease taking the spiro (seems counter productive, but I'm not the doctor) and go back to only taking the estrogen and then get checked again in a few months ugh........

quick edit:

Forgot to mention in my previous blood work it was found that my thyroid was out of wack and I was prescribed thyroid medication, not sure if that could play a role... I was a little surprised that she didn't have me get my thyroid function retested, to make sure I was at the right dosage of that medication.

Hi Tiffany-Marie,

Sorry to hear about your rough start. The body can be such a fickled thing. I really hope progress starts coming your way in the next three month assessment.

Keep us posted on how it's working for you and how you are coping.

Hang in there girl. This is a long, crazy but oh so beautiful journey. Be encouraged by the girls responding to

https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,108758.0.html

Be safe, well and happy
Lotsa luv
Catherine

Thanks Catherine

Just a fork in the road, but I'll get beyond it. I'm not looking forward to another three months of uncertainty and simply not knowing if my numbers are turning around and going in the right direction.. but it is what it is.

Are you taking progesterone too? The reason why I ask is because I known a few girls who took it daily without cycling and it shot up their testosterone levels.

Also, are you taking your spiro the same exact time daily?

Not on progesterone currently, estradiol and spiro only.

My doctor tends to be very conservative and only had me on low dose estadiol from mid July to my follow up blood work which was two Friday's ago.

My followup appointment with the doctor was actually two weeks today, but had to wait until Friday of that week to get my blood work done due to losing my insurance following the Joplin tornado and not having the money then.

That was when I was able to convince her to up my estradiol a little and add the spiro... although she only would start me at a low dose there as well (again she tends to start with really low amounts) which I've always heard anyway isn't enough to really make a positive difference.

I didn't always take it at the same time, though would always try to take it at least near the same time. Now she wants me to cease taking the spiro and only take the estradiol and then get retested in three months.

The thought of waiting three months to find out if it's started moving in the right direction sucks, am tempted to ask her if I can get blood work done again in a month or two instead and also ask her why she thinks ceasing the spiro is a good idea.

Quote from: tiffany_marie on October 31, 2011, 05:02:36 PM
snip

Someone is going to come by and say that referring to dosages is a violation of the terms of service if you don't edit them out.

While I don't personally agree with the rule (for a whole host of reasons which I'm not going to get into), it is enforced and I thought I would let you know so you can edit it.

I edited it, knew the other forum I posted on had that rule... didn't know if this one did or not

  Funny thing, Tiffany.  I was at my brother's wedding in Fresno, CA this June, and my new sister-in-law was adopted by her parents.  Her biological brother was there from Joplin and showed us the pictures and a map of destruction his pastor made that the twister caused.   One picture was a cop from another state helping out at an intersection directing traffic.  That cop was killed by a lightning bolt at the intersection not long after the picture was taken.  I hope all is well in Joplin.
  Joelene

I remember reading about that cop shortly after it happened, very sad and just another tragedy related to the tornado's devastation.

Joplin is slowly but surely getting back on track, businesses in particular have rebuilt at a fairly decent clip. It's going to be another six months to a year minimum I think until it's back to normal and certain local icons aren't coming back. Pizza by Stout for example, which had been around since I believe 1978 and not only had the best pizza in town.. but tremendous cinnamon rolls and by far the best beer selection in town. Still mourn that place and my favorite Mexican food place, which also doesn't appear to be coming back.

Appreciate your concern, doing well overall and this town is resilient if anything and will be back in no time.

your body knows it is male and is seeing the estrogen as something faulty so it has stepped up the output of testosterone to overwhelm the estrogen. 
give things time and eventually it will get used to the estogen and cut the production of testosterone. 
don't try increasing the estrogen as that will get things really mixed up.
rest assured that your body will be thinking of cutting production of T and it will settle down soon.
alternatively go for a orchiectomy.

for the record as a post op my E is about 280 and my T about 9.