Adrenal Burnout and Hormone Levels

[Lenkusov (imported)]

So, I got castrated a little over 2 years ago. For the first 9 months or so I was on estradiol, and off-and-on since but mostly off hormones. I've had a number of baseline level tests where my endogenous hormone production (peripheral in skin, hair follicles, and most importantly, adrenal glands) was consistently within the safe range, but back in late December I noticed a shift in my hormone balance - might be TMI but my cum went from being the clear, slippery, sweet-tasting "girlcum" type to a very watered-down and tiny amount of white, sticky, and not-that-good-tasting default AMAB cum. I figured it was just my body being weird, but over the next couple months I start finally feeling the effects of menopause that I shoulda been feeling a LONG time ago by conventional wisdom, but ALSO I'm noticing I'm starting to get burnt out by the pace my life's taking me.

I finally had another level test a few weeks ago and it confirms my suspicions - my endogenous hormone levels have absolutely TANKED since my previous bloodwork in November, and for the first time, T is actually HIGHER than E at 19ng/dl versus 14ng/dl. Usually my T sits at 7-14 and my E hovers in the mid 30's, so SOMETHING's changed, and I have a very strong suspicion that the hormone inversion back in December was a warning sign that I was about to burn out on life. I don't know what I'm going to actually DO about it, cause I've painted myself into a corner where if I take a few months off to recover from burnout like I've done the last couple times my 3-year burnout cycle runs out, then my polycule becomes homeless and I ruin my credit score. The previous times I still lived with family, but now I'm probably gonna have to figure out how to power through it which every internet resource on burnout says is the worst thing you can do.

IDK, all I know is, it sucks being broke but at least my body now comes with a free "burnout imminent" warning light. Anyone else who's mostly no-HRT noticed similar things, where the more burnt out they are the lower their hormone levels get? And for the record, I've had the same burnout cycles pre-HRT as well as on HRT and pre-orchi, so that's a symptom and not the cause.

[WheelyFixed]

Interesting... FWIW, back in my ballsy days, post injury for a few years we found that I was about 1/2 normal... I went on supplemental T to get back into normal range for several years.

When I started on this path, the first thing they had me do was go off the supplemental T, and I went back down to the 1/2 normal level. Then I got Lupron shots for about 3 months. My T was "undetectable" after the first shot. I started on E about the time of the 2nd shot, and have been on it since. After the first Lupron shot I have NEVER had detectable T.... (no idea about cum taste, as I haven't been able to ejaculate since my injury)

What is your insurance situation? Can you get Medicaid and / or Medicare? (In my state Medicaid is fairly easy if you are poor, from your profile you aren't old enough for Medicare unless you are disabled...) I'm wondering if you should look at going back on E or increasing the dose... My doc says that my E level should be around the average for a pre-menopausal woman, or around 90-150 if I'm remembering the range right.... She says I don't need to care about the T level... Even when you were at 30, that seems low, so perhaps you need to get back onto some sort of HRT?

WheelyFixed

[Lenkusov (imported)]

Normal pre-menopause E range is 30 to 400, pretty broad range and 30's the well-recognized minimum for avoiding menopausal symptoms and bone degradation. I have HRT lying around still, I just kinda don't like it much, eunuch-as-gender is kinda my whole thing and I've really liked being able to feel good without HRT. Unfortunately with the burnout I think I need to actually bust out the hormones again, which sucks cause I've been selling/giving away my vials to pre-op trans gals who need it more than I do, all I got left rn is like half a vial kicking around since last September but I've got another appointment for refill on Wednesday. It's mostly just an observation of the link between adrenal burnout and sex hormone level, more than anything, and I've heard from a few other eunuchs on other platforms that they've had similar observations. Might be worth a study if Dr Wassersug is still lurking on here or something.

[WheelyFixed]

As I understand it, that 30 to 400 range is the 'swing' that a woman goes through as part of the menstrual cycle... Guys normally have a pretty stable level of T, but a woman's E level fluctuates widely as she goes through her cycle, which is at least some of the reason for all the various ''female complaints" that some women have (including PMS, bloating, etc.) My doc says the 90-150 range I mentioned is the average you'd get if you flattened out that curve...

I did find this on the Transfeminine Science website https://transfemscience.org/articles/no ... -overview/ which seems to suggest that 30 is very much the minimum to prevent bone degradation... They cited one study that found significant bone loss at 20-30, but minimal at 30-50... (BTW, I recommend the Transfeminine site quite strongly for those wanting to get a better handle on the science... The folks running it claim very good credentials, and they are focused on translating research into more accessible language. While more targeted at folks doing full M->F transitions, it still has a lot of relevant information...)

WheelyFixed

[Lenkusov (imported)]

Yea, 30-50 is pretty low but safe, sub-30 is the danger zone for a lotta stuff. Typically though, transfem HRT regimens shoot for 300-400 and that's really just... too much for me, doesn't feel right and I'm always having acne and bloating. Until I burned out, I felt the best completely off HRT in the 30-50 range, it's hard to explain but I kinda just liked it cause it's my default setting, it's safe to stay at and has essentially zero changes or symptoms, but now that my adrenal glands have worn out (in a cycle that's been going on since long before I even figured out my gender) I'm not making enough to keep in the safe zone. I don't really wanna go back on E cause I'm happy with where things are and don't want more changes, I don't want the gut cramps and water retention, I just want my body to work the way it did less than 3 months ago and as far as I can tell that's basically just "be less burnt out". I could maybe try dosing down my HRT but with the needles I have easy-ish access to, I'm already kinda just eyeballing things when I am actually on hormones, any lower and it'd be a complete guessing game cause nobody sells Luer-Lok 23ga 1" syringes/needles in 1ml, only in 2.5ml

[WheelyFixed]

Possibly you can get the doc to give you a scrip for patches instead of doing shots? I'm on a 0.1mg / day patch now, but they also make a 0.05mg / day patch - I'm guessing, but that would likely get you into the 30-50 range, but not be excessive. The patches are basically something you change twice a week, and are very low hassle, about like putting on a Band-aid. Supposedly they can even be cut into smaller pieces....

I'm surprised that you have bad reactions to such a low level, but everyone is different... Actually I can't say I noticed much difference between when I was on T and now being on E - I'm a bit more mellow but feel about the same physically.

WheelyFixed

[Lenkusov (imported)]

At one point I was on an EXTREMELY HIGH AND DANGEROUS dose of E for a concerningly long time because my out-of-state informed-consent doc misplaced a decimal point when they wrote the script switching me from pills to shots, most of my HRT side effects started happening during that time period and when I finally got in at a local place that actually did blood tests and stuff, the side effects unfortunately continued. IDK what the hell's going on with my hormones most of the time but when my adrenal glands AREN'T burnt out I feel better OFF of HRT.

As it stands now, I did actually go back on it at a low dose a couple days ago and haven't been able to sleep right since I did...

[Lenkusov (imported)]

Imma update this post, after taking a day off work for some extra recovery time and getting back in with my old therapist, and having a weekend where I just sleep in and not feel guilty about doing stuff or pressured into going to events or whatever, my menopause-type symptoms have kinda just disappeared. I went back on HRT for a total of, like, 3 days with some estradiol pills I had kicking around cause I gave my vial for shots to a friend who needed it more than me and my pharmacy's being weird about HRT as usual so I can't get a refill on my actual shots, but now I'm feeling a lot better and my menopause type symptoms have disappeared. Seems like once I stop being burnt out my hormone levels go up some, at least enough not to set off my body's "check engine" light. I'll keep yall posted as things pan out, my life's still pretty stressful but significantly less so now that I've made a few changes.

[WheelyFixed]

I am glad to hear you are doing better... I know that I find that I need to occasionally pull "sleepy days" where I mostly just sleep in, and don't try to do anything much - definitely helps my feelings and state of mind.... Fortunately I can get away with doing this, though I sometimes have to push it a couple days to find one that works.

WheelyFixed

[Lenkusov (imported)]

Aaaand now I remember why I stopped taking my HRT

I did my estradiol shot at like 2pm today, it's now 9pm, and after working on the car and organizing the shed, I've apparently managed to grow a big painful zit on my face in the span of 7 hours. My alcohol tolerance has tanked too, which is a positive thing and not a negative, but all told I don't feel much better than I did before my shot. All it really seems to do for me anymore is make my acne worse in exchange for some kinda effect I can't even see happening, but I hope this week sucks less than the last few weeks with my adrenal glands no longer having to pull double-shifts as gonads so I can get over this burnout. Not got high hopes though, cause I know whenever my hormones change my sleep goes to shit, but maybe the new sleeping pills fix that problem and the only intolerable side effect is the acne.

I'll keep on updating this thread, it's kind of a personal case study for me and also a way to show that eunuchs can do fine for quite a while without hormone therapy, cause for the last year or so I'd only be on hormones for maybe 2 or 3 weeks out of every 3 months leading up to a blood test, then sell or give away my E vial.