So I have been seeiong my endo since mid Summer and she has been raising my doses at a glacial pace. She finally has my on 10 mg of injectable estadiol every two weeks, 75 mg of sprionolactone and 2.5 mg of finasteride. I feel like compared to everyone else Im only on half a dose of everything. Its really starting to frustrate me because I want to be more feminine. I want to start living as a woman and really feel more developed. I dont know if I should say something to my Dr. or if Im just being dramatic and maybe I really am on a good dose. Does anyone have any advice? Anything is appreciated.

I would advice to "rush slowly", more is better does not work with hormones.

Everyone is different and responds differently to medicine / hormones and so on. What is a good dose for one person could be dangerous to another. Sharing your concerns with your endocrinologist is probably a good thing. If your concerns aren't satisfied you can seek a second opinion.

Your doses are correct and appropriate. Injectable estradiol is practically 100% effective, versus 80% for sublingual. FHunter's advice is also entirely accurate. Hormones take time, not larger doses. It takes months before breast development begins, and many more months before they take shape. When it's not working on your breasts, it's working on your hips and the rest of your body, including your brain.

Be patient and trust your doctor. They know what they are doing.

One of my favorite quotations is from the work of the late (died circa 1954) neuropsychiatrist, Dr. Abraham Low, "If my patients had patience, I would not have patients."

That quote works best for me when read aloud.

From the time when it had become vividly, blatantly obvious to me that I met no social standard convention for being a "boy" or a "man," to parting company with testicles and ordinary testosterone levels was around 45 years.

I waited, waited patiently, until I became the patient of a doctor who understood my situation well enough to do the orchiectomy.

Having been patient, having been a patient patient, I have yet to be met with so much as the first hint of a twinge of regret.

I do not regret patiently waiting, I do not regret becoming that doctor's patient.

I choose, to the practicable limit, to live at peace with the pieces of my shattered-by-human-society life, and to live at peace with the effort I make to gather those pieces into a life which is whole and unbroken.

For myself, impatience is a luxury I cannot decently afford.

And it is not for me to make decisions for others; I am amply occupied with the making my own decisions.

However, some of the doctors I consulted were sadly clueless about what they were, and were not, doing. Their cluelessness led very directly to my dad's and brother's deaths in spite of my vigorously expressed protests regarding likely outcomes for the medical treatment they were (and were not) receiving.

Unless you have learned biology well enough to walk circles around the doctors under whose care you are able to come, PLEASE do not attempt to emulate the path I took. I actually have the depth and detail of biology knowledge and understanding to do what I do.

It is usual for a doctor to be the ranking expert on serious medical concerns involving a doctor's patient.

I have yet to hear of anyone who has familial adenomatous polyposis who was successful in doing a total colectomy with ileo-rectal anastomosis as self-surgery.

I need the help of doctors to stay alive, even though I came to the doctors with both the diagnosis and the treatment plan.

What I do may be uncommon, yet I also find that every person is actually, in every way not trivial, actually perfectly unique in forever and beyond.

Patience as a patient may be of penultimate virtue?

oogie292 (imported) wrote: Wed Dec 21, 2011 6:29 pm So I have been seeiong my endo since mid Summer and she has been raising my doses at a glacial pace. She finally has my on 10 mg of injectable estadiol every two weeks, 75 mg of sprionolactone and 2.5 mg of finasteride. I feel like compared to everyone else Im only on half a dose of everything. Its really starting to frustrate me because I want to be more feminine. I want to start living as a woman and really feel more developed. I dont know if I should say something to my Dr. or if Im just being dramatic and maybe I really am on a good dose. Does anyone have any advice? Anything is appreciated.

I have listened to hundreds of trans women discussing their hormone regimens. Your dosage is on the low side of normal. There could be reasons she doesn't want to go higher, How big are you? Some Drs prescribe on a dose per pound basis. Are you seriously overweight? Estrogen can exacerbate health problems associated with obesity. Do you have other problems that stress the liver? Do you smoke. A number of Dr.s either will not prescribe estrogen to smokers, or will not give them full dose. Is your Dr monitoring your E & T blood levels. If they are in the normal female range I wouldn't worry. One question to ask is how much experience does she have with trans patients. If there is a Trans support group in your area they may be able to give you information about local Dr.s that treat Trans women, and the results they report. Would suggest a conversation with your Dr, regarding what dosage she wants to go up to and her reasons, You should be asking her these questions. If you are not satisfied with her answers, you may have to decide whether you need to or can switch endos.

Transward

I am almost 5' 7" and about 130lB's. Not big at all. I dont smoke either. I know she has had a couple trans patients. She's very friendly and eager to help but I guess I think she questions how serious I am. Atleast, thats my assumption. My estradiol beta 17 level was over 400. No idea what that means. Does anyone? I appreciate the help everyone!

oogie292 (imported) wrote: Thu Dec 22, 2011 3:44 pm I am almost 5' 7" and about 130lB's. Not big at all. I dont smoke either. I know she has had a couple trans patients. She's very friendly and eager to help but I guess I think she questions how serious I am. Atleast, thats my assumption. My estradiol beta 17 level was over 400. No idea what that means. Does anyone? I appreciate the help everyone!

From your post you it sounds like you are asking us things you should be discussing with your doctor. You need to have a serious talk about your plans and her ideas about managing your transition. Both of you are involved in this business of transition. She should have a clear idea of your goals and you should have a clear idea of the proposed medical managment of your transition. Unfortunatly, too often we as trans patients have to educate our doctors. Sometimes we know more about trans hormone regimines that a lot of doctors. There are several online sources of information about trans hormones and regimines. This site has http://www.eunuch.org/forums/showthread ... feminizing which has excellent info (though remember the term biweekly means every two weeks, not twice a week) TSRoadmap (http://www.tsroadmap.com/physical/hormones.html) has excellent stuff as does Anne Lawrence (http://www.annelawrence.com/regimens.html) Before your next appointment do your homework, figure out what questions you want to ask her. One thing I am curious about is you ultimate goal. In your profile you post

My birth sex is: Genetic Male

My identity gender is: Male

My sexual orientation is: Gay Are you looking to live and function as female, or are you seeking to be a feminized male. If the latter you may find it difficult to get a Dr to go along with the full program.

The estradiol levels are measured in picograms per milliliter; normal values for women before menopause is 20-750 picograms per milliliter (pg/mL), which puts you right in the middle of normal for women.

Transward

transward (imported) wrote: Fri Dec 23, 2011 2:05 am The estradiol levels are measured in picograms per milliliter; normal values for women before menopause is 20-750 picograms per milliliter (pg/mL), which puts you right in the middle of normal for women.

Transward

So long as your E levels are over 200 and lower than 650, you're precisely where you need to be, with regards to hormone levels. I'd say your endocrinologist is doing an excellent job managing your hormones.

The reason why my profile says gay male is because I made it many years ago when I didnt know who was. I do plan to live as a woman; hopefully by July.

But I did end up talking with my Dr., she told me that I am in the drivers seat and that we can up my doses every month a little bit as long as I still feel like that is what I want. So I feel a lot better about the whole thing and last night she told me Ivia email I can up my spiro to 100 mg. Thaniks everyone for all your advice! I'll probably update again in a month how Im doing. =)