The Progesterone Saga

[Liv]

The Progesterone Saga

by Liv Site Admin Published on Sun Dec 09, 2007 8:49 am Rift: eTransgender :: Transgender Forum

Multum-prometrium_200_mg.jpg (5.19 KiB) Viewed 3919 times

For those of us who are being treated with main stream doctors, ones which aren't necessarily trained in endocrinology, or familiar with HRT in the male body, then you've probably heard the following word murmured from a few of your doctors in response to the need for Progesterone as apart of your regime.

Why?

You see, most of the doctors I've been too, associate Progesterone with pregnancy and menstruation, both of which unless one of us begins birthing another baby Jesus will ever have to deal with. But it's more then that. I've written about it, here and there, but it's clear that Progesterone effects much more then just the lining a women's reproductive tract. It effects sleep patterns, receptor sensitivity at the cellular level of thyroid and adrenaline, and can even effect a personas insulin and make someone diabetic, because the cell doesn't have the capability of absorbing glucose.

For all the things we're fond of estrogen, it's mostly an inhibitor to most of the bodies other chemicals. It requires the progesterone as a pathway to the cells, and without it you become like most post-menopausal women with out proper HRT, and get weak and less healthy.

In fact, (and the reason I write this) men have progesterone in their bodies similar to that of a females during most of the month. A female's progesterone level increase approaching menstruation in what's called the Luteal phase, but do you know where men get their progesterone? Their testicles. Something a transsexual whose gone through orchiectomy, vaginoplasty, won't have. Furthermore a small amount is produced in a person's glands, by which the precursor is testosterone. So if you're on an anti-androgen, you could be effecting your Progesterone levels.

Since most progesterone in males is created during testicular production of testosterone, and most in females by the ovaries, the shutting down (whether by natural or chemical means), or removal, of those inevitably causes a considerable reduction in progesterone levels.

So why Doctor?

Because it's one of the most important hormones produced in the male or female bodies. It's derived from either the testicles or the ovaries in women. In a transexual where they have neither, the importance of supplementing these chemicals via HRT is critical

[Alli]

I was on 5mg daily of Progestin and was only on it for a year. My endocrinologist and my own research indicated that it was dangerous when used in the long term.

Is Progesterone safer and if so do you have any links to reports supporting this?

Respectfully.

Allison

[Liv]

I was on 5mg daily of Progestin and was only on it for a year. My endocrinologist and my own research indicated that it was dangerous when used in the long term.

Is Progesterone safer and if so do you have any links to reports supporting this?

Respectfully.

Allison

I don't think neither are all that risky. Progestin is merely synthetic Progesterone. The inteded effect is supposedly the same, but I've seen many people argue that "real" progesterone is the only way to go. I can't describe the difference of being on Prometrium, then without it, and I can't imagine ever going with out it.

Are there risks? Yes, but to me the consequences of not taking it were becoming more evident then the "possible" risks of taking it.

At this point, I'm inclined to say that if you're post-op and on estrogen only, then you're doing some serious damage to your body.

Thats something more to be worried about then anything.

[Nicoleccsf]

I am post-op. I have been having a hard time reaching orgasm on estrogen alone. I ordered Microgest and it arrived today, so my routine will be 4mg progynova and 200mg microgest. I feel like I am my own lab rat but the doctors at Kaiser were clueless (when I had health insurance)