Life Of Michelle K

[Lilis]

Just a thought. Kind of wondering if maybe a year ago, the endocrinologist noticed the scars on my wrists and sent me to a psychologist to make sure that my depression was under control enough to receive estrogen. Maybe deciding that I was too depressed to get the estrogen.

Hey Michelle, yeah, it's frustrating when healthcare systems drop the ball like that, especially with something as crucial as estrogen.

Those scars from your wrist surgeries shouldn't have been a red flag without context tho.

Just to clarify one thing, even if there had been a history of self-harm or depression, that's not an automatic "no" for HRT under current guidelines like WPATH's Standards of Care.

Mental health concerns need to be managed, sure, but they're not contraindications, on the contrary, studies show gender-affirming hormone therapy often reduces depression and suicidality significantly.

For example, trans folks who start HRT report lower rates of moderate to severe depressive symptoms and fewer suicidal thoughts over time.

It's ironic how withholding care can sometimes make things worse.

Is there any way to contact your endocrinologist for an explanation of the denial?

~ Lilis 🌷

[Michelle_K]

I had two other appointments prior for my estrogen therapy. Both were canceled by the VA. This appointment was for after d.j.t. was elected, at a gender clinic connected with the university.

At the my appointment with the endocrinologist, I was asked what I expected estrogen to do. I told her I wanted to look more feminine and have bigger breasts. I was told estrogen would not do that. I mentioned that I might have Klinefelter Syndrome, and got told it was not in my records, so it was not possible. My thinking was that due to my very low testosterone, I will not need a testosterone blocker. She recommended a psychiatric therapist, and the appointment was made for Feb 6 (after D.J.T. made his executive orders). The VA paid for the endocrinologist and Medicare paid most of the therapy, with me paying the rest.
It was my understanding that the therapist wold talk to the endocrinologist about seeing me again. It may be due to d.j.t., the VA would no longer pay for gender treatments and would not approve future appointments.

I am looking at a website from North Memorial Health Clinic. Advertised gender care. Still, it would be about 80 miles one way. I haven't heard anything from my local provider since she messaged me about getting me a statin prescription after looking at my test results.
Michelle

[Michelle_K]

A little clarification about the local provider. About two years ago my cholesterol was in the normal range, both the LDL and HDL. I needed tests for clearing me for the operations, and on both, my LDL was slightly elevated above normal. It got put into my records that I have a genetic condition for high LDL, without the test being made. Back in October, she sent a message, that my LDL was still above normal and because of the genetic part, she has sent the prescription order to the pharmacist. I was not consulted, and there has been no followup. The timing was bad, starting a statin the day after hernia surgery. Not knowing if my pain was from the statin, the surgery, or if my hip was just out of place again. The day after my surgery my blood pressure was back to normal at 117. Does it drop into the danger zone with a statin. My last testosterone test showed 262, how much lower does it get with the statin.
I had been told that my LDL needs to be in the normal range, before I can get estrogen.
I don't know if there was no intention of getting me estrogen to begin with, and the whole deal was to get her points with the hospital by getting me on a statin.
The provider at the VA has pretty much ignored the LDL being above normal, making me wonder what is going on.

About my car, I think I finally have the answer. I stop at the stop sign, I start out turning the wheel to turn right, and the car goes straight. It is very unnerving going almost into the lane of oncoming traffic. I know the road is slippery at that part. but at that low speed I should still be able to turn. My problem is the traction control doesn't know I turned the wheel, and is using the brake system to keep the car from turning. The cure is to push the button on my dash to turn the system off. The way the car acts has made me afraid to drive when there might be ice on the road.

If I can get things sorted out, the little KIA soul under control, new glasses with anti-glare, then make a pest of myself at the urgent care at the VA. The aches and pains are legitimate, as was the back pain from shoveling corn into the feed grinder when I was no older than a teen.

I'm a bit tired downloaded an update for my navigation system, and it took several hours to transfer to a SD card. It could take another hour to do the update once I plug the SD card into the system. It is suggested to have the motor running to keep the battery from going dead during the update.
Michelle

[Lori Dee ✅]

My last testosterone test showed 262, how much lower does it get with the statin.

Michelle,

High LDL and statin use can slightly lower testosterone levels. However, you are nowhere near "low testosterone" levels at 262. My last two labs showed my testosterone at less than 12. Ideally, my endocrinologist wanted to keep it just below 50. I think you might be confusing different things and assuming they are related.

I also have a genetic condition where my white blood cell count is barely higher than the lab reference range. Not high enough to signal an infection, but slightly elevated. My healthcare team now ignores that, but monitors it for any changes. The same could be true for your genetic LDL condition. They are not alarmed by it, just watching to see if it will change.

You are correct about turning off the ABS in your car under certain conditions. In my Jeep Owner's Manual is a discussion about how that affects braking and turning off-road or during braking/turning on ice or snow. Normally, leaving it on is safest. Check the Owner's Manual and see if you can find a similar discussion for your vehicle.

[davina61]

A lot of vehicles use the ABS as traction control so should make it better in slippery conditions as it cuts engine power.

[Michelle_K]

What we have here is a failure to communicate. Traction control is not ABS, traction control is anti-skid, to straighten the car on ice if it starts to go sideways. In other words, traction control stops a spinning wheel when you try to get unstuck. ABS stops wheel slide when you try to stop.

It was my understanding that in a male, testosterone protects the bone density, aids in clearing the blood of cholesterol, and provides sexual function. Not knowing how much estrogen I have, I don't know if I have enough to take over the function of protecting the bone density. Not knowing if my low testosterone is due to being converted to estrogen, or if my body is not converting enough cholesterol to testosterone.

Maybe you didn't understand, I have never been on estrogen therapy, I am not now on estrogen therapy. I am not on testosterone blockers. Could you imagine having depression due to low testosterone and ED problems, go to the doctor and have testosterone tested. Then told that the testosterone is normal, and then given a prescription for a anti-depression drug known to lower testosterone. It makes the ED worse, but that does not matter since there is no sex partner. That doctor even insisted that due to my history of above normal PSA, I needed a biopsy done. He would not take no for my answer. My testosterone was in the bottom third of the normal scale.

I don't know if its a hormone problem, that body has problems regulating my temperature, regulating my blood pressure. I sit here shivering, as the temperature in the house has dropped to 61F (16.11C). At 9:30, my computer showed -21F (-29.44C) outside, now at noon it shows -15F (-26.111C). I'm tempted to find my ski pants and thermal vest to wear in the house, I already have a small quilt over my legs. The furnace has been running non stop since yesterday.
Earlier this week, I went out and shoveled snow for about a half hour. It was 20f (-6.666C), even with heavy duty gloves, I was feeling pain in my fingers from the cold. I think I was once told that as long as I can feel my fingers, the pain shouldn't matter, we will worry about your fingers when you can no longer feel them. Now that I think about it, when I am still in the cold and can no longer feel my fingers, then are are damaged by frostbite.

Somebody remind me how record low temperatures are caused by global warming.

Random thoughts, Biology class, A girl remarks that the sex of the child is determined by the sex gene in the sperm therefore the father is responsible for the sex of the child (1960s) Can we now say the egg chooses the sperm so the mother is responsible for the sex of the child. At one time it was thought that the sex of the child was determined by which ovary the egg came from. My aunt was told that after having one ovary removed, all future children would be the same sex. She proved them wrong.
Michelle

[davina61]

The point I was getting at was turn ABS off and it can turn traction control off as well.

[Michelle_K]

I do a lot of speculating, and sometimes I can go back and read what I had written. Not knowing about my own body can be converting testosterone to estrogen, and a medical doctor practically telling me intersex people don't exist, I would look for another reason I commonly get mistaken for being female. Doing some reading, I now find that a doctor might lie to avoid getting into that type of conversation. It might be, the more patients he sees, the more he gets paid. The deal with the statin, is the bonus the doctor gets for prescribing a new statin patient.
I mentioned my aunt(aunt-in-law?). She was found in her singing,unaware of her surroundings. The first thing the doctor who was called asked, was how much she had to drink. Her condition was caused by the diseased ovary. It may be that it was that one particular doctor that missed the class on sex, and totally believed the ovary the egg came from determined the sex of the baby.

I was born in the range of years that had the high estrogen morning sickness pills, though not likely it would have been available in my area. Living on the farm, we did not use the herbicides and pesticides, but there was the powder coating the seeds. It seems everything I look at becomes not likely.

One clue comes from the occupational therapist after I broke both wrists, she made a comment about my long fingers. Not that noticeably long, a bit longer than average. I was complaining about the video game not fitting my hand, but not to her. Add to it the deformed ribs, the popping of my joints, and the pain in my knees if I try to lift the proper way. Stuff I have gone through my entire life, to me is just normal day to day living. I did not know about the damage to my internal organs, until the ct lung cancer screening was done.
Even the discoloration of my toenails can be added to the symptoms. My VA provider referred me to a podiatrist. All the podiatrist did was trim my toenails back. Typical male nail cutting, all the way to where the nail is attached to the skin. I should have been sent to a dermatologist, someone who knows about skin issues, someone who would know if it was a fungus problem or blood flow problem, or even both.

At the moment, it is showing 9F above zero. I need to shovel the walk between the house and the recycle bin. I know that due to the cold and my poor blood circulation, even with my heavy duty gloves, I will get pain in my fingers and toes. The same applies to driving, at some point I will have pain in my fingers until my car gets warm enough that my hands can warm up. I'm just waiting for the weather to get warm enough to make my drive to urgent care
Michelle

[Michelle_K]

Finally, I remembered to check the humidity. I remembered one clock shows temperature and humidity besides the time. I had some difficulty as the clock was up higher and finally I focused and read 5%. looking on the internet determined 30% should be optimal. At first I tried my electric tea kettle, I think the water ran out too fast. Grabbed the 3 quart pan, and put in on the stove before going out. Later turning up the dial, checking later still not boiling, but bubbles on the bottom. Just where I want it,just hot enough to put moisture into the air. It surprised me how toasty warm the kitchen felt.

Going out to shovel snow, I tried something different. On my right foot I removed the diabetic sock, and put on the knee high sock and boot. Before removing my diabetic sock on my left foot, I had a thought and just put the knee high on over it. then removed my boot from my right foot and put the diabetic sock over the knee high. Not that I need diabetic socks, but it was a way to get multiple white socks without buying a bunch of other colors. 12 inch high leather boots, with zippers. then my ski pants (snow pants), cloth wrist bands, and finally a heavy duty jacket that goes down to the knees. My heavy duty gloves and stocking cap. When my fingers started getting cold I stopped and went into the house to warm up. Once warmed back up, then out to do more shoveling.
Michelle