spironolacton

[tall_brianna]

After jumping through the hoops my MD wisely put in front of me (tests, consult with endocrinologist, more tests, ...) I hovered several weeks on the button of starting HRT.

On Friday, I filled my first prescription for spironolacton. I went to pick it up at the pharmacy and the pharmacist comes over to do the initial consult. She starts by hesitantly asking, why are you taking this? I don't know why I wasn't ready for that question. "Do you really need to know?" was my reply. I suppose a better question would have been, "Do you really need me to say it?" If I'd had any courage maybe I would have just said it, "I'm a transsexual."

For now, it's just spiro - but yeah, I want it all. There will be another hesitant decision to be made before starting estrogen therapy. Even though I'm clearly in the process of transitioning, I want to keep the road to retreat open. Although I'm not sure I'll ever go back or even want to, I just like knowing there is an option.

I feel like I've crossed a boundary. Imaginary for sure, but I feel like I can't rightfully say that I'm just a cross dresser now. Not that either ts or cd is bad. Maybe I was a ts all along. All of my TG friends are part time cross dressers. They seem to have an ability that I don't have - the ability to switch it on and off. Last time I tried to go back to "acting" like a man I felt like such a fraud and hated every minute of it. I don't know how I pulled it off for so long.

I'm not sure where this road ends - I do know that I've never been happier about who I am. Now if I could just have a chest and hips... :heehee:

[Stephenie S]

Welcome, Brianna.

You are gonna have a blast! What dose did you start on?

Stephie

[GypsyKaren]

Good for you Brianna! BTW, there's no need to be afraid about telling the pharmacist the truth, I know mine was real cool about it.

Karen Starlene

[melissaK]

Nice comments on your feelings at this point. Where you have been, where you are, where you are going . . . Spiro has other medical uses so the Rx q's were probably legit, not meant to embarass. I battle with self esteem over my TS nature so I am sure I'd have been equally put-off by the q.

Hugs,
'lissa
_______________________________
I met a girl who sang the blues,
I asked her for some happy news,
she just smiled and turned away . . .

You get what anyone gets, you get a lifetime - N. Gaiman

[RachelDenise]

Congratulations Brianna. You have begun the journey and now it's up to you to get comfy on the trip. Good luck and thanks for sharing.

[Sharon]

It actually sounds like you have a good pharmacist, Brianna. She was doing her job by asking you questions, since she is responsible for their dispensation.

Congratulations on the new step you are taking, and I am happy you are striving to understand yourself more before proceeding further. Good luck! :happy:

[tall_brianna]

Welcome, Brianna.

You are gonna have a blast! What dose did you start on?

Stephie

25mg - twice a day for the first week and doubling each week up to 100mg twice a day.

[Stephenie S]

Whoa!

That's a lot of spiro pretty fast.

I do not want to second guess your doctor (I can't second guess your doctor), but whew, you are ramping it up pretty quickly, hon.

Spiro is a powerful diuretic. (That's exactly how it lowers blood pressure) (Which is really what spiro is after all, a blood pressure med). The fact that it blocks testosterone is a side effect.

So, hon, watch out for signs/symptoms of low blood pressure. You are not really giving your body much time to aclimate to the med. Watch out for dizzyness on standing up, watch out for a high (quick) heart rate, watch out for feeling faint on exertion. And get ready for frequent urination (that's what a diuretic does). You already (being tall) are at a disadvantage as far as suplying your brain with a good blood suply when you stand quickly. So just be carefull.

I did the same regemin, hon. I just did it over a period of several (10) months, not weeks. You may have no problems with this. That's why you are doing it under a physicians' care, after all.

Welcome to the start of your new journey.

Lovies,
Stephenie

[Marcie Sexton]

Good for you, you've taken the first step to becoming the woman you desire...

Good luck

[Stephenie S]

Yay, Brianna!!!!

[helenr]

Best of luck with your regimen, but I concur with others about a slower progression. I frankly had to quit Spiro and use other anti androgens (Fincar and Bical) as it was keeping me up quite a bit with painful urination. I believe I am an exception-most seem to tolerate it, but go far slower on the dosage upping. I may try it again,but would stick to 25 mg daily. best wishes, helenr

[AmberTG]

Hey, congrats Brianna!
I know how you feel right now about leaving the back door open, I felt the same way when I started. It'd be kind hard to talk me out of HRT now unless it caused medical problems for me, but I'm 5 months in now and don't ever want to go back to testosterone! I started with 25mg twice per day also but I stayed there for a month before I went up. I went to 75mg daily for 2 weeks and then went to 50mg 2 times daily. I never had to increase it from there, that works well enough. I will tell you that if I bend over for any length of time, such as pulling weeds in my garden and then just stand up, I get the typical low blood pressure reaction. Everything goes black for a second or two, then I'm ok. Of course, I've had that for years, I was borderline low blood pressure when I was younger. I pee more then I used to, but not so much as to interfere with life, of course, everyone reacts differently to it.
I hope it goes well for you.
BTW, I took spiro for about 2-1/2 months before I started on the estrogen.

[tall_brianna]

Thanks for both the words of caution and encouragement. I don't think I could have even taken even the first steps out of the house without the support I've received here along the way.

I have met some of the most amazing and truly special people over the last nine months. :hugs:

[Kayla Smith]

I have been on hormones for over a year now and my doctor started me out on 100mg of spirotactone twice a day along with 4 mg of estradiol then after 6 months added another 2mg to the 4mg of estradiol along with 100mg at night of prometrium. I now take 2mg estradiol and 100mg of spiro in the morning then another 2mg estradiol and 100mg spiro at lunch then at night 2mg estradiol and 200mg prometrium.

My doctor got the information from being in contact with doctor Bowers in Trinidad.

Hope this helps. :happy:

formally known as Kayla Smith

[Lisa Maren]

Good for you, Brianna. I have just started on Spiro and Estradiol myself. I understand what you mean when you say that trying to be male again is a fraud. I feel that, too. Good luck to you!

Hugs,
Lisa

[Katie Ashe]

Congrads, It took about 3 months of being on 100mg 2xday before seeing any results. For me it well worth it. Welcome to the other side :hugs:

[tall_brianna]

Congrads, It took about 3 months of being on 100mg 2xday before seeing any results. For me it well worth it. Welcome to the other side :hugs:

Thanks!

What results have you seen?