Pulmonary embolism and oestrogen treatment

[RuthChambers]

Can anyone help with the following:



I wonder if you can give me any possibility of a person who could advise me how to help my daughter over the next few months?

She changed sex a few years ago from male to female and had had all the necessary surgery, with good effect, in February 2005. She has of course been on high dose oestrogens for some years and has recently been found to have had quite severe pulmonary embolism(S), with about a third of her lungs infarcted and her heart suffering back pressure.

I am myself a doctor so know the medical aspects of all this perfectly well. The part that I need help on is how to enable her to face a future with no prospect of continuing oestrogen therapy ever again.

There must be other people who have had the smae problem and I wonder how to get in touch with someone who can advise on this or can talk about it from their experience.

Your help would be greatly appreciated as she is becoming very despondent and depressed.

Many thanks, Margaret

[Priss]

Can anyone help with the following:


Well, as my doctor tells me, we all need some hormone... Without it, there come the other risks such as osteoporosis and others. There probably is no need however to be on high doses. I myself took large doses prior to surgery, however am on a low maintenance dose since. She should see a doctor who specializes in TS care, as to determine what dose she should be on.

[CaptLex]

The part that I need help on is how to enable her to face a future with no prospect of continuing oestrogen therapy ever again.
This sounds really drastic to me - at least I know how I would feel if I was told I could never have my hormones again. Is it possible to have the dosage adjusted and see if that helps? I've known transguys who had to have their T dosage lowered because of health problems, and that was enough. I hope this can be worked out. Personally, I couldn't function without my T. :p

[Nyx]

Since she's operated, she can indeed take much less. Perhaps she would be fine with a very low dosage, like 0.5mg per day, or even 0.25mg.

If you think she should stop hormones completely, then she is going to go through what would seem like menopause, and she won't like it, since it will make her less feminine looking (and give her all the associated health problems).

I would personally look into how much she can reduce her hormone dosage, and avoid blaming all the health problems on the hormones (even if you don't like her transsexuality)... Because, as much as they do increase the risk of such things happening (especially at high dosages), PE does happen to people who have never taken hormones at all.

[RuthChambers]

Thank you everyone for your suggestions. I have been put in touch with Dr Allison, who is a cardovascular expert as well as being TS, so she understands the predicament Margaret's daughter is in and she was kind enough to copy me the email she sent to Margaret :)

I know Margaret would like to put her daughter in touch with others in the same position as she is, so please let me know of any contacts you may have.

Thanks, Ruth

[~Kitty GG~]

She changed sex a few years ago from male to female and had had all the necessary surgery, with good effect, in February 2005. She has of course been on high dose oestrogens for some years and has recently been found to have had quite severe pulmonary embolism(S), with about a third of her lungs infarcted and her heart suffering back pressure.

I am myself a doctor so know the medical aspects of all this perfectly well.

This is really odd.. if someone were a doctor and "knew the medical aspects perfectly well" they would know that post op requires a small dose of estrogen. Its more hazardous for her to go with no hormones because of osteoperosis and if she's post-op she no longer has testosterone.

This sounds like a story to me. Do you know this person personally?

~:star:Kitty:star:~

[Julogden]

This is really odd.. if someone were a doctor and "knew the medical aspects perfectly well" they would know that post op requires a small dose of estrogen. Its more hazardous for her to go with no hormones because of osteoperosis and if she's post-op she no longer has testosterone.

This sounds like a story to me. Do you know this person personally?

~:star:Kitty:star:~
Hi Kitty,

Interesting response, I had the exact same thought when I saw the original posting, but didn't want to sound negative, now realize that it doesn't sound negative, it's a legitimate concern.

Carol

[michelle19845]

what does she take prescription drug like premarin? there are safer forms of estrogen called "bio-identical natural hormones",they have barely any side effects,not to mention that they are pulled from soy and yam plants-sources of natural estrogen.pm me if you have any questions.let me know aht kind she is taking.thanks and good luck.



michelle19845

[Julogden]

what does she take prescription drug like premarin? there are safer forms of estrogen called "bio-identical natural hormones",they have barely any side effects,not to mention that they are pulled from soy and yam plants-sources of natural estrogen.pm me if you have any questions.let me know aht kind she is taking.thanks and good luck.



michelle19845
Hi Michelle,

From what I have experienced and also heard from other people who have used them, as well as what I've read, they are nowhere near as potent as prescription estrogen and progesterone, most say that they are useless, that was my own experience as well.

I'm assuming that you're talking about over-the-counter supplements, as I've never heard of any prescription hormones derived from plants.

Is that what you're referring to?

Carol:hugs: