Stopping HRT for FFS - Can I keep the anti-androgens?

[Natalia]

Hi =)

I'm going to have my FFS on September 5th and I am really very excited and happy about it.

But...

I was told by the FFS clinic to stop HRT prior to the surgery day, and probably I'll be told to stay a while longer without taking it after the surgery.

My coagulogram is normal, even with the HRT. I don't smoke nor have any medical problems. I've been on a full dose HRT for almost one year now.

The thing is:

I know estrogen increase the risks of blood clots...so ok, no problems...I'll stop the estrogen....but can I stop taking estrogen and keep the anti-androgens?

I am really fearfull of losing my hair that was severely balding...besides that I don't want any feminization to go away.

If I keep anti-androgens I'll much likely halt the feminization, but I won't have any masculinization, right?

Can I do it? Will it solve the blood clot increased risk?

I can't call my doctor and I'll have to trust you people on this one. Can you help me? ^^

[Jaime R D]

I seriously doubt there would be any real masculinization during the period without taking any of your hrt. It took a good while for the effects to show and so it will take a good while for the effects to reverse.  I wouldn't worry too much about being off them for a bit. I regularly go off all hrt for while due to finances and then go back and after doing this numerous times, there has been no issues with losing hair or losing what I've gained in feminization. Albeit, I've been on it a lot longer, but still...

[Lauren1]

Stopping the estrogen is a definite given, but your surgeon should know the answer to the AA's. Really this is more so your surgeon's call than your physician.

[Ruth Ruthless]

If you're on cyproterone chances are your T factory is ->-bleeped-<-ed up as it is even if you stop taking the drug. I've been lowering and lowering and lowering my Androcur dosage and my T has stayed the same level as it was since I began HRT in all the dosages that I've tried.

[missymay]

First of all, congratulations on having your FFS! As far as stopping your anti-androgens; don't worry, it's only a couple of weeks, and you shouldn't experience any hair loss from it during that time, but you may experience hair loss around the incision sites in your hairline; it doesn't happen to everyone, but unfortunately it does happen.

[KayXo]

Some doctors allow their patients to continue taking estrogen, even orally, if it is bio-identical. I'm thinking that since ciswomen can undergo major surgeries and still have estrogen coursing through their bodies, then if we do the same, take the same form of estrogen in a manner that it is delivered straight into our bloodstream, we should be treated the same. This is just my thought on the matter and opinion. I'm NOT a doctor and you should follow your doctor's recommendations BUT it would still be worthwhile to discuss this with them just in case they end up agreeing with you, who knows?

I also heard some anti-androgens needed to be discontinued like Spiro due to potassium/sodium effect and cyproterone due to affecting coagulation. Heard nothing about finasteride, nor bio-identical progesterone.

I personally continued taking bio-identical estrogen sublingually throughout my SRS, with finasteride, bicalutamide (stopped 1 day before surgery) and progesterone. No complications whatsoever.

As always though, I repeat...FOLLOW DOCTOR'S recommendations. These are just my thoughts and personal opinions on the matter, not intended as advice but as info you could then share with your doctor.

[Julia-Madrid]

When I did my FFS with Facial Team in July, they asked me to stop Estrogen the day before, and not to recommence until I was discharged from hospital and fully mobile. This was 4 days in total.   I stopped the anti-androgens for 3 days.

I don't think you have any risk of undoing the work of E and AA for a few days.

J

[Cindy]

Natalia,

You are spending a lot of money and emotion on this, ask your Drs advice. Think of it; I'm letting a surgeon reconstruct my face, so I'll ask advice from people who don't know one end of a scalpel to the other?

As Kay said "FOLLOW DOCTOR'S recommendations"

Why risk anything?

[EmmaD]

I'm with Cindy & Kay on this.  They both know heaps about all this than I do and still say to follow what your Doctor wants.

My FFS is in late November and my surgeon has requested all "Hormone supplements" be stopped 2 weeks before.  This doesn't bother me since I expect that by then, Androcur will have disrupted T operations enough that even with E dropping, the T revival won't happen.   I may get grumpy but I do that already!  Will I lose hair?  Too late there anyway but I wouldn't have thought so.  Think about how many years it takes for follicular damage to show up and how long it took for the repair. A week or two shouldn't matter.

Talk to your surgeon if you have any concerns.