No more spironolactone and switch to progesterone

[Charla]

My current endo suggested that I eliminate spironolactone and switch to progesterone 4 months ago. His reasoning was that progesterone would enhance feminization and that I could eliminate spiro and it?s side effects. We gradually decreased the spironolactone dosage and switched over to progesterone. I?ve been quite happy with the change. I?ve noticed that my breasts have increased to almost a cup size greater and they are fuller. My skin has become softer and the tone is different - whiter? Losing the spironolactone has eliminated the frequent bathroom breaks. Mentally, I?ve noticed that I?m more at peace with myself. The calm that I felt by going in to estrogen was enhanced. The effects will stop after about a year so we?ll discontinue the progesterone at that point. I?ll consider an orchioectomy at that point.

[RicciMarie]

What about mood swings and depression Before and after the change?

[Charla]

I’m generally happier with myself and glad that I’m on this path. I haven’t been depressed in years.
Ive had outbursts of grief since my younger son committed suicide just 20 feet down the hall from me on April 22, 2012 at noon. It just hits me when something triggers me.
I didn’t have extreme mood swings on spironolactone but was more prone to tears. I’m a little less prone now.
On the negative side, there is some moderate increase in temper since I’ve been on progesterone. Little things that didn’t bother me before raise my hackles and I don’t like that.
I am real pleased with the breast growth. They’re really filling out.

[Katya@]

The effects will stop after about a year so we?ll discontinue the progesterone at that point. I?ll consider an orchioectomy at that point.

I started taking progesterone on the advice of my endocrinologist in January 2019, right after a paper was published suggesting for health benefits for transgender women to take progesterone for life.

[Edit] I can't post the link but you can easily find the article by searching why Progesterone Is Important for Transgender Women’s Therapy. The article was published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism in January 2019.
Please note that oral progesterone have very short half life, of half a day. So you can check with your doctor on the dosage and frequency to account for it. PM me for details if needed.

I never took Spironolactone or an equivalent drug. My breasts got fuller and rounder pretty fast but it didn't result in a cup size change. Interestingly, my breast are still growing and started to grow again after 3 years on HRT on the same regime as before.

[LeaP]

Good cite, Katya. Thank you.

[Lana Mae]

Interesting read, Katya! Thanks for sharing! Hugs Lana Mae

[Aunt Kelly]

On the plus side, this is the first citation of an article in what appears to be a respected professional journal. We need more of that here.
That said, the paper is a synthesis of other sources, with the aim of suggesting that progesterone may be efficacious for the purpose of enhancing breast development in transwomen. While the paper is rather compelling, it does not represent any kind of controlled clinical study on that population and such therapy. Sadly, since our population is so small, it will likely be quite some time before such a study is undertaken, if ever.
Bottom line: Talk to your care provider if this is something you would like to consider.