Have To Stop Estrogen D:

[Guest Soph]

Got a call from my doctor today. Blood work showed my estradiol rates as far too high (even though i've been taking it as prescribed).

I know the people here aren't doctors, but I can't ask him as he's busy and its tough to get in contact with him, but hes having me stop the estrogen (staying on the spiro, though) for a month and then return to a lower dosage.

Now, i pretty much understand that if I'm getting too much estrogen its not going to make the changes faster; it will just increase risk of medical complications. But stopping estrogen completely for a month? I'm at a point in my life where I really need the emotional range and expression that I believe the estrogen has given me (FT at college for the first time in my life), and it would be terrible to lose that right now. I've heard reports of girls here who stopped estrogen for a bit and got really irritable... I can't have that now.

I mean, missing a month of what could have been progress is bad enough.

However, since I'm staying on the anti-androgens will my physical appearance pretty much remain in stasis (like, will the spiro keep all masculinizing at bay) waiting to pick up on a healthier amount of estrogen (somewhat unrelated question--is estradiol just the name for synthetic estrogen in general or is that the brand name thing of what I'm taking?), or will losing the estrogen cause me to do things like gain muscle, grow more body hair, etc? I'm fairly sure the former, but I'm terrified regardless of losing progress.

Any helps would be greatly appreciated... I'm really upset right now (crying,etc. Then again, I cry a lot nowadays (read The Lovely Bones... could barely get to the end of the third chapter >_< ))

[Guest viv]

Hi Soph,

A month wont do you and harm, you wont undo the positive results

of you HRT. In any case the Spiro will doing its job, stopping androgen pro-

duction. Estrogen/Estrodial???dunno hun, one of the other women will , Im

sure know. Dont fret, your cool hun,,,, luv,viv Oh , the book, thanks.

[Guest]

Don't cry hon. Without the blood test your high levels wouldn't have been caught and you would have been at a serious health risk.

Many people think that drug effects are instant when many build up their effects over time. Anti-depressants do that which is why patients who stop them are weaned of gradually. Recently I had one prescription dose of anti-depressant doubled. Within a week I had Parkinsons syptoms of shaking. They had me stop the medication but it took a month for the symptoms to go away. Hormone levels don't jump instantly and rise or fall gradually. Being off the hormones for a month won't masculinaize you in any way because some estrogen will remain in your system for a month though it will slowly decrease. The spiro will also protect you. Your mood could change. You'll be back on hormones before you know it and all will be well.

Laura

[Sally]

Just an observation of my own - the emotional aspects are greatly from within do not attribute all of them to the Hormones - you need a month to lower the levels to acceptable then you will be put on a better reginime - as Laura said you will not lose anything but the risks!

Love ya,

Sally

[Guest Soph]

Thanks for the responses, I'm not crying anymore

Still somewhat upset, though. I honestly do understand the doctors reasoning, but it certainly did come at an inopportune time

With this setback, when people ask (in the future) how long I've been on hormones what do I reply? Do I say something like "6 months, but there was a month where I didnt have the estrogen" or "5 months" (when 6 months have passed since I first started, simply subtracting the one month) or can I pretend this month never happened? >_< Not really a major issue, I know, but I like being able to keep track of progress myself like that (theres not much else I can do on my transition up here... although theres not much to do in general. Just voice and laser... after that is operations, I suppose... but I digress)

[Guest Soph]

Shoot, forgot to ask (in both posts >_< ) if diet might have anything to do with my estrogen levels.

Simply because I've been dealing with anorexia. So if my diet has anything to do with it I can at least know that it can be changed, an I don't have to irrationally fear that my body just can't take any supplemental estrogen for some obscure reason.

[Guest NatalieRene]

I'm glad your doctor caught it now while it hasn't caused any long term serious health issues.

You look great already and before you know it that month will be over and you'll be back on hrt without the unchecked health concern.

[Guest ChalenAustin]

I don't know about the diet.... Very poor deits coupled with poor health choices, exercise lack thereof, and sleep deprivation might but you'd be talking to a deathly extreme before it would make a difference in you either way!

I feel bad I can't offer anything for eating disorders as I've never had one even though I used to be preassured by other people to do it.

If you are getting the right balance of vitamin and minerals you should be fine even if you don't get them directly through foods a.k.a. supplements.

Save that one for your doc.

And never start a vitamin or supplement product without discussing it with your doctor and getting their approval first!

[Guest Donna Jean]

Soph.....

Honey you've gotten some very good responses here...

And when asked how long you've been on hormones..tell them the entire time, because even when you're not taking them, they're still in your system!

LOVE

Donna Jean

[Guest i is Sam :-)]

You might end up in what would effectively be PMT for a month, how much you'd struggle with that I don't know, it varies with cis women. If you're really worried about it, then talk to your doc, maybe he might be able to say you can stay on a very low dose.

etrogen or more correctly oestrongens are a group of female sex hormones, there are at least 20 different types of estrogen, but they're all very similar, estradiol is by far the most abundant in a woman's system, the other two more abundant ones are estriol and estrone, but estradiol breaks down into both of these over time, and the many others don't seem to be important (they aren't missed in women on HRT). the drug is also called estradiol (because it is 100% that) and unless otherwise specified will be synthasised, premarein is natural but probably isn't as good for you as it contains a lot of other things you don't need.

There are a few reasons why your estradiol might be too high, it might not be breaking down for some reason, or might not be being absorbed at the receptors. Your body can under some circustances also make estrogen from testosterone. Or there could be a bunch of other stuff that a doctor would know about and someone who gets 90% of their research from wikipedia wouldn't

yes the spiro will stop you from being masculinised, and yes without the estradiol you'll halt feminising but won't revert at least not for quite a while. it will probably take a little while for the effects of what you've taken to stop working tho, especially with your levels being high, but then it will take a few days to kick back in again after you restart it.

and when people ask you how long i'd just suptract a month. you can always give a second number of "i started transition x long ago"