Stopping estrogen

[I Am Paula]

Tomorrow is the day I'm supposed to stop my estrogen until after my BA. That thought scares the hell out of me, because I vividly remember my pre HRT self, and it wasn't pretty. However, and it's a big however, my surgeon only said 'try' stopping estrogen. He says my mental well being is as important as my physical, and if I'm uncomfortable, I should go back on the E. This of course, begs the question...why even try?
He explained that stopping E is more of a precautionary thing, that the risks during a short operation (one and a half hours) were negligible, to the point of being unmeasurable. He even said the jury is out on whether stopping does more harm than good.
I trust my Dr. but it sounds like such contradictory advice, I don't know which way to go. Studying his words carefully, I take it to mean he was giving ME the descision.

Anybody been off E for three weeks?
Should I just say 'I tried' but went Neanderthal?
Should I girl-up, and stop the E?

[Angela Campbell]

When I had my face surgery I was told to stop for 4 days before......I kind of did.....

[Kaitlyn Michele]

yes I did it twice.. (FFS and SRS)

I had some emotional struggles from it and my heart did some palpitations (altho that might have been just nerves)

my advice is do it... can you imagine the irony of a major complication vs a couple weeks of being unhappy.

I did it for two weeks not three but we are on different regimens so that is irrelevant

[Stephania]

Paula, I think the worry would be a clot. not being a dr I don't know how much of a risk it is. I do know with age it is higher. Good luck.

Stephania

[Michelle.M]

It's not that big a deal. I've also done it twice, and while I could definitely feel a difference in my mood it wasn't the end of the world. Some people are worried that the physical gains they've made with estrogen will instantly vanish, but it's not like that.

All you have to do is do as prescribed, get it over with, get back in your HRT regimen post-surgery and get on with your life.

[noeleena]

Hi,

First time was 3 weeks and 2 nd time was 5 weeks , well just over , more like 6 weeks .

okay was on meds for about 2, 1 / 2 years so breast growth went from b cup down to an ,a and took allmost 11 months to regain that loss, no other detail happened that was it .

Its all to do with our age,s thats way we go off any meds , say 45 and on . blood clots,

Concerning Psychologically , and Emotionally no changes there at all and i would not have expected any, not like some though you have to remember by body reacts differently to meds and im hard wired female any way , so that did and wont change in any way my thinking,
to much female in other aspects as well ,

And iv had a few other surgerys as well no big,e .

...noeleena...

[LeaP]

Clot risk would go up with extended recovery time in bed (think SRS). I would think they would have you up ASAP with a BA, as they do with so many other procedures these days.

It seems a reasonable position would look at your serum E levels, your vascular health, whether or not you show signs of clotting issues, etc. The docs should avoid giving you any drugs that would promote clotting. It should be a discussion, not thrown over the table to you.

I have read that Marci Bowers does not require that HRT be stopped, merely reduced, offered with the reasonable explanation that women have E in their systems during surgery ...

[Kimberly Kael]

E

I have read that Marci Bowers does not require that HRT be stopped, merely reduced, offered with the reasonable explanation that women have E in their systems during surgery ...

That seems reasonable, but then you realize that reducing risk for a transwomen is as simple as not taking medication. To dramatically reduce estrogen levels in most women isn't so straightforward. It would be foolish IMHO not to take reasonable steps to reduce risks heading into surgery, however routine.

[LeaP]

I don't know that clotting risk is much different. If there is an issue with trans women, it could well be the ridiculously high levels (my opinion) with which some present. High E in GGs presents much the same risk. Reducing levels seems like the reasonable response. Eliminating E completely does not, frankly.

[Jorja]

Relax Paula, you might notice some edginess but it should not be too bad for you. I mean nothing taking out a couple bitchy people won't cure. You will be back on your HRT before you know it.

Do not try to stop cold turkey. Reduce the amount you are taking daily over a week or two week period. This will help by not shocking your system by taking it all away at once.

[Cheryl123]

There is some risk for blood clots with estrogen. Most (all?) clinics want you to stop from 1-3 weeks before SRS so this is not an unusual request. All surgery poses some risk so why take chances? Tapering off might be better than cold turkey. I went cold turkey for two weeks after being on HRT for 7 months. I had some increase in GID symptoms -- anxiety, depression and irritability. But I think this is a YMMV thing. It will be over in no time and you will look fabulous!

[Starling]

I was on estradiol and t-blocker for two months, and went off two weeks before major surgery--during which my BP dropped dangerously, and I had to go to ICU for a few hours. I'm thinking the abrupt change messed up my system. Perhaps it would have been better to leave things they way they were. Ultimately though, I stayed off HRT because I was facing more surgery and had cardio issues. Bummer.

Lallie

[sandra-leigh]

My personal experience: I drop off estrogen a fair bit, with little short term effect. In time my breasts might start reducing. In time my libido goes up. But even just one pair of patches quashes my libido again for another month or more.

In practice I notice little difference between being on estrogen or not. My mood varies considerably more from my other medications. Missing a single one of my secondary antidepressant knocks me flat for half a day, for example.

The implication is that my body has adjusted to be mostly self-regulating in estrogen vs testosterone, a bit higher than "target" but still decent. But that's me and my subtly odd biochemistry, and if your millage does not vary then the tests must have been rigged

[Kathryn Martin]

Just as an aside - I stopped E two weeks before surgery and started again one week after. I had no ill effects.

[Starling]

Kathryn, it may have been because you were on HRT much longer than I before you paused, and your hormone balance was more stable. My body just went ape. My doc said it wasn't necessary to stop, but I was at an informed consent clinic, so there were fewer safeguards. So given my age, I decided to go with conventional wisdom, but perhaps I should have trusted my doctor.

Lallie

[I Am Paula]

Thanks girls, Y'all are right. A bit of discomfort to reduce the risk by ANY degree is worth it. This morning- Coffee and T blockers, what a breakfast. I have warned my wife, and she has barrackaded herself in the TV room, in case I start walking semi-erect, and gnashing my teeth. A strange desire to go outside and howl is coming over me.

[Jorja]

A strange desire to go outside and howl is coming over me.

Oh, I get that too. Don't worry about it, it's normal.

[Aprilrain]

I've had surgery 4 times since starting HRT. The first time I was off E for 3 weeks, 2 weeks before 1 week after. That was FFS. The second time I had BA and the Dr. Did not ask me to stop at all. The third time was lipo, same thing, didn't stop at all and the forth was FFS again and again I took my hormones the morning of surgery.

The only thing I really noticed the first time was an increase in libido after about the second week.

[Kathryn Martin]

libido is more linked to Spiro than E. Once you SRS you will find that E intake generates a new and different libido, lovely.....

[Krisi]

I would take advice from my doctor over anything from strangers on the Internet. I have to woner though, why take T blockers when (I would assume) you have the option of having the "boys" removed. Wouldn't that be safer? It's not like you're going to change your mind and want them back.

[I Am Paula]

Krisi- the boys are going as early as next spring. Most of us use t blockers because surgeons won't even talk about SRS untill we've been on HRT at least a year. There are lots of reasons to use t blockers, and keep the boys.

[Jorja]

Krisi, please remember, most doctors doing SRS today will not take you on if you have had an orchi (removing the boys) done. So it comes down to how bad do you need to be complete to live with yourself. Some of us needed it real bad.

[Laura912]

The risk of clotting is more associated with prolonged venous stasis in the legs when one is post OP and not moving around a lot. I doubt that BA is going to have you down that long. I operated on many who continued their estrogen through the surgery with no problems. If you have any concerns take the E every other or every third day. The excretion rate is slow enough to give you a lower level during that time.

[Krisi]

Thanks Paula. I understand now.

[I Am Paula]

Been off Estrogen for a few days now. I didn't stop right on schedule because I was afraid. Common sense prevailed, and the tiny reduction in risk was worth stopping.

Almost immediately, I got a low level headache, and a feeling of 'Not quite being there'. Sorta like a really low level hangover. The hot flashes are back.

All in all, not overly uncomfortable, but I'm a little out of sorts. I'll live, but I'm bringing my E to the operating room. If he clears me immediately post surgery, I'll be dosing myself in the recovery room toilet.