what drug is the "BEST" testoserone blocker and prostate shrinker

[Tamera]

I have the opportunity to get a prescription since my prostate is enlarged. When I see the urologist I want to be able to see if he will prescibe me a drug that will "BLOCK THE T" and "SHRINK THE P". T=testoserone and P=prostate. I am looking for the best drug that does both.

Thanx,
Tamera

[Stephanie Anne]

Depends on the one your insurance will cover. Spironolactone is the most prescribed but comes with some warnings. Your doctor will most likely prescribe whatever drug from whichever drug company he is currently in bed with.


Here is a great list on Wikipedia with links to each one.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antiandrogen

[Tamera]

I heard spiro is a water pill and does not shrink the prostate. Is this true or not.

Tamera

[Stephenie S]

Stephanie Anne's answer is correct. Your physician will prescribe the drug he (and his drug rep) feel is best.

I seriously doubt he will prescribe spironolactone, however. In the US, spiro is commonly used not as a T blocker, but as a blood pressure med. It's not even prescribed much for that. The drug of choice will probably be finasteride as it is very popular right now for BPH (benign prostate hypertrophy).

Stephie

If you WANT a T blocking med, why don't you ASK for one?

[Tamera]

I am looking for a drug that does both not just one. I am not sure about Finasteride.

[JOANNE]

Bicalutamide !

[Jennifer in CO]

like Steph said...your Dr will prescribe the best one for you that will do the best job ... plain and simple. The best one for me may not be the best one for you and visa versa...

Jenn

[Loni]

best to get your "PSA" test done also.
i was on a couple different drugs for the prostrate, for a couple years. with NO effect. it is gone now. as the cancer had taken over.
maybe if the numbers rise i can talk my Dr into getting me on hormone therapy??...but then she did not even want to talk about that.

.

[Persephone]

Not sure about the others, but one likely side effect of finasteride is that it prevents/delays baldness. It may also result in the slower growth of hair on other parts of your body.

[Melody Moore]

Bicalutamide !
Bicalutamide (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicalutamide) is an Anti-Androgen, with properties to help prevent prostrate cancer but there is no mention about it's ability to shrink the prostate gland.


Physiology (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicalutamide#Physiology)

Bicalutamide blocks androgen receptors. This prevents testosterone and other androgens from binding to the receptors. Bicalutamide may cause sexual difficulties and a decline in sperm count. Nevertheless bicalutamide monotherapy appears to have minimal effect on sexual activity.

Blockade of androgens receptors by bicalutamide in the brain will eliminate the negative feedback loop of testosterone on the release of luteinizing hormone (LH). This in turn will lead to a dramatic increase in testosterone and estrogen levels. Bicalutamide treatment will block the effects of rising testosterone levels but the effect of rising estrogen levels will remain unopposed and lead to feminizing effects most notably gynecomastia which is often painful.

If bicalutamide is combined with an LHRH agonist or surgical castration then the elevation of estrogen levels will be prevented and the risks of excessive estrogen will be reduced. However since both testosterone and estrogens are essential for normal bone metabolism, reducing the anabolic bone effects of both androgens (which increase bone formation by stimulating osteoblasts) and estrogens (which reduce bone resorption by inhibiting osteoclasts) will increase bone loss and promote osteoporosis.

[Gerrijerry]

Gee when I go to a doctor I hope he or she knows what is correct to give me. Like others have said if you want to go on hormones etc. just talk to the doctor. Who will most likely tell you to see a counselor first get a letter and then the doctor will give you what you want in addition to what you need.

[Tamera]

I live in a town where I have called every Endo and Gyno and no one knows how to deal with HRT for transgenders. If I lived in Ann Arbor or Columbus it would be different. Of course my insurance only covers Lucas County so I need to stay there.

So my thinking is since I need to see a urologist for my enlarged prostate(which is NOT CANCEROUS THANK GOD) I might as well see if I can get a drug that does both, shrink the prostate and decrease T level.

I just need a couple good drugs that will do this so when I go in and see him we can talk about this. Also of course when I go to see him I will also be going as Tamera so he can get a better idea of what and why I am considering this type of drug.

[Melody Moore]

I live in a town where I have called every Endo and Gyno and no one knows how to deal with HRT for transgenders. If I lived
in Ann Arbor or Columbus it would be different. Of course my insurance only covers Lucas County so I need to stay there.

I would suggest contacting http://www.transohio.org or some of the other links provided in the web pages & documents below:

http://www.ifge.org/Web_Links-req-viewlink-cid-51.phtml
http://combine.org.ohio-state.edu/resources/Transgender%20101.pdf

I also found this list of therapist who might be able to also point you in the right direction as well:
http://therapists.psychologytoday.com/rms/prof_results.php?county=Lucas&state=OH&s2=3

Even if you can't find a specialist now, I am sure your local endos can get the information they need
to help you if you do present to them as a client in this ultra-modern age of information technology.

[Tamera]

Hi Melody
I called the Pharmacy in Columbus on the Transohio website.

Proscar/Fenasteride - Will shrink the prostate and lower the t level some.

Spirolactane - Will lower the t level more than Proscar but will not shrink the Prostate.

Still looking for other results.
Thank You,
Tamera

[Kathryn Martin]

I live in a town where I have called every Endo and Gyno and no one knows how to deal with HRT for transgenders.

Can I just ask why you think you have an enlarged prostate. There must be a diagnosis of some sort. Both Finesteride and Dutasteride are used in the treatment of BPH. Their main action is to suppress metabolizing testosterone into Dihydrotestosterone, which is the culprit. Spironolactone suppresses testosterone production in the gonads. It is not generally used to treat BPH but was in the past.

Here is my problem with this: you don't seem to want to discuss the issue of hormone treatment for feminization purposes with your doctor, which is an entirely different issue than the prostate. Since there are potentially significant side effects if you take these drugs in doses that would give you the wanted effects, my recommendation would be don't do it.

[Tamera]

Hi Kathryn,

Can I just ask why you think you have an enlarged prostate. There must be a diagnosis of some sort

Answer - Already diagnosed with a BHP.

you don't seem to want to discuss the issue of hormone treatment for feminization purposes with your doctor

Answer - The Urologist will not treat for HRT or feminization. He will only treat for the prostate.

So if I can get him to prescribe me a prescription that does both, then I am not only satisfying him taking care of my prostate but I am also satisfying myself by taking care of my T-level.

[Stephanie Anne]

You do know that having testosterone too low is a health concern right? I would not want to be on anything that messes with my hormone levels without a valid medical staff that understood the risks and was knowledgeable.

I say take care of your medical issue and do not worry so much about the blocking of testosterone and using this urologist. Find a doctor who is knowledgeable in HRT.

[Karen564]

Still looking for other results.
Thank You,
Tamera

You should be asking your Doctor, not us, since this is regarding a medical issue....Your Doctor is best qualified to tell you what drugs you need, not you or anyone else..
He may likely prescribe you Avodart, that drug will block the DHT very effectively & shrink your enlarged prostate....there is no reason for him to prescribe another drug to block all your T, which would be unhealthy for you Unless you plan on taking E... And for all that, it would then be best for you to see an Therapist & Endocrinologist if you plan on transitioning to female.

[Stephenie S]

It's BPH, girls, not BHP. Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy. BPH.

S

For goodness sake, stop trying to trick your doctor. Only bad can come of it. "Man up" and talk to your doctor about what you want to do.

S

[Kaitlyn Michele]

when i started taking estrogen, i did it with a transdermal patch...i also was quite aggressive in taking spiro... i didnt care about the prostate... all under doctors care. over the first couple months it was great...but over my 6-12 th months.. i felt very anxious, i lost weight (but it was sickly...i looked very down and tired all the time...my HAIR started to fall out!!! and i craved salt as if it was air...now i told my doctor all this, and my doctor was a very well known transdoctor.....well it turns out she tells me that i have to change my perscription to pills (which i wanted to avoid..)... it turned out i had very low T AND very low E...the patch was so ineffective that the blood showed my estrogen level had DECREASED!!! to LESS then reference male!!!!!!!!!!!!....wtf...so i got a 2nd and 3rd opinion, and i changed to estrogen valerate once per week and my little surgery took care of the spiro.

the LACK of T, without a corresponding increase of E made me sick...my cholesterol and prolactin shot up...i never had bad cholesterol....now that i'm on the right estogen my E is high and i'm getting the feminizing effects seemingly later..which sucked then, but feels good now! this is part of the risk of what you would be doing...so be careful

i would never a judge a person for getting desperate enough to be less than direct (ahem) with their doctor, hoping to get a certain medicine..but you need to know the risks...maybe really knowing the risks will get you to spend that desperate energy in making more phone calls and finding a doctor...if you are going to transition, you will need very thick skin..being afraid to talk to doctors about your own mental and physical health ? what makes you think you can go to work as a female?
do what you feel you have to do...sorry to be so blunt..all i'm saying is try to do everything you can do to get a good doctor to help you.. good doctors make a huge difference in a transsexual's quality of life

[Melody Moore]

For goodness sake, stop trying to trick your doctor. Only bad can come of it. "Man up" and talk to your doctor about what you want to do.
I was really trying hard not to be so brutal & direct, but since you have taken on the bull by the horns I would
also like to share a few more honest feelings about some of the things Tamera has said, especially this comment:


I live in a town where I have called every Endo and Gyno and no one knows how to deal with HRT for transgenders.

I understand that endocrinology (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocrinology) in summary is a branch of biology and medicine dealing with the endocrine system, its diseases, and its specific secretions called hormones. And one would expect that a qualified endocrinologist would have the training necessary to provide transgendered endocrine management as being transsexual is more common in today's society. I also mentioned earlier about how a qualified endocrinologist who didnt have the experience or expertise in this field could find out relative information to treat such a transgendered client in today's ultra-modern age of Information Technology. I just did a quick search and here is such a document I just found:
http://transhealth.vch.ca/resources/library/tcpdocs/guidelines-endocrine.pdf

So now I have to question Tamera's motives for asking us these types of questions when she could find out the right information from someone suitably qualified. So I to endorse exactly what Stephanie said here about being honest to your doctor about what you expect from HORMONE THERAPY. I would also like to mention here as well that HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy) is not an appropriate term for transgendered clients. The reason is because we were not born natal females who are looking to replace missing or an imbalance in our hormones - we are endeavouring to use hormones for feminisation effects but do it like Kaitlyn just mentioned - under the management of care of your doctor which can make a huge difference in a transsexual's quality of life.


the LACK of T, without a corresponding increase of E made me sick...my cholesterol and prolactin shot up...i never had bad cholesterol....now that i'm on the right estogen my E is high and i'm getting the feminizing effects seemingly later..which sucked then, but feels good now! this is part of the risk of what you would be doing...so be careful

Also my cholesterol has caused me huge problems recently (http://www.crossdressers.com/forums/showthread.php?143912-A-Mystery-spend-the-whole-day-in-Hospital-amp-noone-knows-why.) with respect to my gall bladder, because excess oestrogen converts to cholesterol (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1207227/From-weight-gain-low-libido-womens-hormones-make-MEN-ill.html) which forms cholesterol crystals (Gall Stones). I have been diagnosed with Cholecystitis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cholecystitis)and now I go back in 6 weeks now to have my gall bladder out after just spending 8 days in hospital suffering in severe pain. So if these are some of the risks you are considering taking with self-medication I urge you to strongly rethink the path you might have chosen.

I would also suggest having a GOOD READ of this article (http://www.crossdressers.com/forums/ENLARGED%20PROSTATE:%20It%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%99s%20tho ught%20too%20much%20oestrogen%20might%20contribute %20to%20an%20enlarged%20prostate,%20an%20agerelate d%20condition%20where%20the%20gland%20surrounding% 20the%20man%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%99s%20urethra%20grows,% 20affecting%20urine%20flow%20and%20causing%20the%2 0need%20to%20use%20the%20lavatory%20more%20often%2 0at%20night.%20%20Meanwhile,%20too%20little%20oest rogen%20might%20be%20linked%20to%20prostate%20canc er.%20A%20study%20published%20in%20the%20Journal%2 0of%20Endocrinology%20has%20suggested%20that%20boo sting%20men%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%99s%20levels%20of%20the %20hormone%20might%20prevent%20the%20development%2 0of%20prostate%20cancer.%20%20%20Read%20more:%20ht tp://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1207227/From-weight-gain-low-libido-womens-hormones-make-MEN-ill.html) because it sheds a lot of light into the possible complications
& why hormones need to be monitored & correctly balanced for our health - especially of you are on Hormone Therapy.

[dilane]

Just a note on my experience with Spiro -- it put me into a mental coma, I was tired, and I swear it took away 20 IQ points (and I need all that I can get!!). So I stopped it and felt much better.

-- Diane

[Melissa A.]

On a related note...my doctor, who sees only trans patients, had me switch from Finasteride to Avodart. I mostly added the Finasteride originally for hair growth, and it has worked quite well. I also take Spiro. I haven't noticed any real difference, but I also have not heard of anyone taking Avodart as an anti-androgen. Anyone know about this?

Hugs,

Melissa:)

[Kathryn Martin]

On a related note...my doctor, who sees only trans patients, had me switch from Finasteride to Avodart. I mostly added the Finasteride originally for hair growth, and it has worked quite well. I also take Spiro. I haven't noticed any real difference, but I also have not heard of anyone taking Avodart as an anti-androgen. Anyone know about this?

Hugs,

Melissa:)

Avodart = Dutasteride which has the same action and effect as Finesteride except more effective

[Melissa A.]

Thank you, Kathryn.

Hugs,

Melissa:)

[Hope]

I would bet $ to donuts that is you don't go to your Dr. with a letter from your therapist explaining why you are seeking to reduce your T level and feminize your body, along with shrinking your prostate... you will get nowhere. I could be wrong, but I tried that little end-run when my PCP put me on a medication for high blood pressure... I asked him for spiro, and he squinted at me and told me that there were some "other side effects" to spiro and no matter how much I told him I understood the risks and side effects, he wasn't going to do it. It is all about the malpractice.

If you want this, you are likely going to have to pull up the big-girl panties and do it right.

[TerryTerri]

Not trying to jump into the fray of what's best. Just wanted to say I take both Spiro and finasteride (by prescription). Seems to be working as desired for me.