Let's leave it to the Docs

[Guest Shari]

Hi everybody,

I'm been a little bit bugged by a tendency of our members to make statements about the various regimens of HRT in terms of absolutes. Specifically, statements about not getting a good result without spiro or some other kind of T blocker. I think you do a dis-service to our members, who for medical reasons, cannot take spiro. To make statements that you have to have it or you won't get a good result diminishes their hope and expectations.

I know the arguments that some Docs don't care, or use methods that are out of date, and an informed patient can ask better questions, etc. All true, but, we shouldn't speak in absolutes because there are other approaches that will give a good result. And not to forget, we are all individuals and each have our own challenges.

Hugs,

Shari

[JJ]

Shari,

I agree there are no absolutes and we need to co-operate with our Drs. We also need to always examine the source of any information. Personal experience can be a signpost or a guidepost but always needs to be recognized for the subjective and highly individual source that it is. We have all seen utterly fantastic things said by people who wholeheartedly believe them. The mind is a powerful force and can and does distort reality for all of us to some degree.

But I also think for many of us it is necessary for us to read medical sources and become as informed as possible because it is also true that many times our Drs are not up to date or as informed as possible. We have to be. Taking hormones is dangerous under the best of conditions unless you are aware of the risks and possible side effects. My Dr missed 2 potentially fatal side effects of taking T. I found them on reliable medical sites and listed by the manufacturers of T. Drs. can't know everything and just don't have the time to do the research.

I am not saying to read trans sites and go by what you find there other than indications of possibilities Sometimes myths get perpetuated even by those with the best of intentions. We have to be wise and we have to be careful. And we always have to remember that our body chemistry is so very complex that no two of us are ever alike so our experience will be different.

Thank you for the advise Shari-It is a point well taken

Johnny

[Guest Gregg Jameson]

Great advice, Shari and Johnny!

With Gratitude,

Brad

[VickySGV]

Back last September I was in a group that included the head of pharmacology at a Boston GLBT medical center. It was a round table discussion that included people from a couple of states where Mental Health therapists can prescribe certain medications, as well as several MD's. The pharmacologist was showing off a laptop with a heckuva long list of medications used for TG people, including the hormones and Spiro and the bunch. Not a single one of the monographs he had about the drugs said a thing about cross gender effectiveness, standard dosages, clinical trials, scientific control studies or safety levels. This information was ALL the type of reference that a HEALTH PROFESSIONAL is supposed to use in their reference when prescribing the drugs. The pharmacist was showing the literature off in some frustration because too many people try telling him, an advanced professional what the drugs can or will do. Good point Shari, the pro's don't completely know either, they just try to keep from killing us.

[Drea]

I'm been a little bit bugged by a tendency of our members to make statements about the various regimens of HRT in terms of absolutes. Specifically, statements about not getting a good result without spiro or some other kind of T blocker. I think you do a dis-service to our members, who for medical reasons, cannot take spiro. To make statements that you have to have it or you won't get a good result diminishes their hope and expectations.

I know the arguments that some Docs don't care, or use methods that are out of date, and an informed patient can ask better questions, etc. All true, but, we shouldn't speak in absolutes because there are other approaches that will give a good result. And not to forget, we are all individuals and each have our own challenges.

I totally agree. We don't talk of dosages because in part we don't want to give information for for self medication, but whenever it comes into play there becomes this thing of people feeling their doc isn't giving them enough compared to someone else or people telling others what their doc is giving isn't enough. Yet the same thing happens when talk of the specific drugs and regiminens occurs. I seen some make claims about certain forms being more effective or safer than others. That this T blocker is better than that. That progesterone is necessary.... That progesterone does nothing... In my opinion these things are just as harmful as discussing dosages.

What one person's doc is going to give will be based upon the paintents health history and the doctors experience. Everyone is different.

There is lots of information that can be researched. The problem in researching that information, if one doesn't have the experience and background it can be tough to judge what is good and bad and the informaiton. Furthmore much of the information out there is from secondary sources and non-professionals regurigating things they have read.

Docs certainly don't know everything, and sometimes it can be useful to ask one's doc about something one has heard to get a medical opinion. One can also seen out second opinions from other docs. I agree people shouldn't be posting things they have read as absolutes. Online know it alls are a dime a dozen and I don't give them much heed.

There is one person who stands out in my my mind as the supreme example of why one needs to take any advice and information heard in a forum such as this. This person knew all sorts of information. Gave out lots of medical advice, had researched everything, knew all the answers and even had college psych and a nursing degrees. This person was also very big on encouraging others to transition and how much better it all is. Then a couple years after transitioning male to female and having SRS this person decided that they had made a big mistake and that they were really a gay man. Makes you kinda go hmmmm.

[Guest JaniceW]

Well said Sheri. As a person who graduated from nursing school in 1973, I can say that I have seen a lot of statements made by folks that no nurse would ever say to a patient because it is incomplete, inaccurate, and misleading information. I know I find myself not replying on some medical questions because I can't think of a good way to summarize very complex biological information, especially when it is not for one specific person for whom I have all of the data.