All,
This has been a year on HRT. The differences in the physical and mental states from that time is quite vivid. The mood swings I had from before had flatlined. The acceptance from my family does help here. I am doing more things now more smoothly without the internal 3-way committee that was in my head all of my life. That took some time to get used to at age 59. My physical health has improved. Below is a synopsis. No specific dosages will be mentioned.
Herbals: Nov. 2009-Oct 2010:
Saw Palmetto: Oral, supposed to help the prostate, an aldrosterone blocker. This did neither, It aggravated the prostatitis.
Red clover: Oral, phytoestrogen.
Fenugreek (Greek fennel): Oral and topical, phytoestrogen. Supposed to stimulate prolactin production for breast growth. Well known to increase milk production in lactating mothers.
GABA: Oral horse pills, supposed to stimulate HGH for transgender breast growth or those who are trying to bulk up in the gym.
Wild yam: Topical, phytoestrogen.
Soy Progesterone, USP: Topical, rubbed in the inner thighs or inner arms. Supposed to help postmenopausal women. Taken in 10 day cycles per month.
These orals were taken 3 times daily. The topicals were taken as a breast massage mixed with cold cream, morning and night. The wild yam extract rub in the morning, the fenugreek extract at night due to the smell. Fenugreek has a strong maple syrup smell and is used to make imitation maple syrup. I smelled like an IHOP when I went to bed.
These did help some in the first three months of using them. My breasts went from nothing (not even pecs) to a sub-A cup and stayed there. There was some tenderness with maybe a marble sized knot that nearly disappeared toward the end of the year I was on it. No hair growth supression. No change to my mental state except for some more aggravation. The already high libedo even increased adding to my dysphoria, probably stimulated by the breast massages. This regimen cost more the the maximum HRT dosages I was taking in the early part of the year! It did next to nothing to me except upping my PSA levels!
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HRT: Nov. 2010 to present, 1 year. All orals.
Spirolactone: Aldosterone blocker, potassium saving diuretic.
Estrodiol: Estrogen.
Provera: Progesterone. Taken in cycles.
These did the effect in 2 1/2 weeks when the spontaneous erections finally subsided. I was on half dosages on all 3 the first two months, full on all to 11 months. Half on all three at 11 months. Quarter on Spiro starting today with my new prescription, still half on the estrogen and progesterone. Once daily now. The breasts are a sub-B now, the sensitivity down a little now with a more conical shape. There are a few finer hairs left on my chest, butt and legs, none on the knuckles! The skin is lot smoother and still dry with no scaling, large pores nor the itching I had. My hair on my scalp is finer, drier with no curl, a fine platinum with some color returning and with some regrowth in the widow's peak bare areas. The hair was coarser gray with a few bright silver streaks with some large curl, normal oilyness.
My mental state imporved after 2 months on HRT when I noticed that I was no longer hating myself. I now cuss at the mechanizms that break down instead of at myself. I get those things repaired quicker without the committee that was going on in my head before this. Bad moods last a few hours instead on weeks now with a lot less severity. The 4 different antidepressants given me before had not even come close to be as broad or as long in the treatment of the depression I had. This was not anticipated!
My health has improved. The PSA (prostate) level is down below the normal level at my age after being too high in the cancer screening levels the 4 years previous. The TSH (thyroid) levels is back to normal as well as the cholesterol levels. The potassium and uric acid levels are still normal. My testosterone level is at 27, thus the further cutting of my spiro dosage.
I saw the light at the end of the long, loud tunnel of my dysphoria and depression at two months and emerged this past June. I am fully in the light now. This metaphoric passage from an earlier post I made not long ago to answer the original poster mentioned that she was passing from Mars to Venus. The conditions on these planets are real:
This Dyslexic was from the northwestern part of Syrtis Major on Mars. A lot of dust storms coming off of Mare Acidalium there, no rain. Temperature swings of -160°F at night to +65F during the day. I had enough after 58 years there. So I left to go to Venus, but halfway there I found out it was a 850°F hellhole on the surface with battery acid rain in the cloudtops. Instead I found this blue rock in the distance and went there. I found out from the inhabitants that there was another way to Venus: HORMONES!
The Martian weather reminded me of the nasty mood swings I had before HRT. The dust storms reminded me of the blinding misinformation, lies and the carrot and stick method some Martian cretans used on me about my condition. And the atmosphere? It really sucks! I felt that my blood was constantly boiling in that rarified atmosphere! The hellish conditions on Venus? It is telling me not to go there. I'll stay here on Terra instead, in between...for a while.
Joelene
