November 26, 2003 2:50 AM GMT
No problem with the questions, but just remember I'm a patient and a consumer, not a doctor.
Regarding Finasteride & Spironolactone:
I got a prescription for finasteride to prevent baldness. It wasn't just a preventative measure, though. I actually started to lose hair and stopped the process before I went bald. As long as I can afford it, I'm staying with finasteride unless something better is approved, such as dutasteride (Avodart
). My doctor says finasteride is unlikely to cause liver damage, and I've never read anything negative about it in that regard, certainly not compared to spiro or estradiol. I don't think taking finasteride adds any significant additional risk. If I stop taking anything to avoid liver problems, I'd give up the spiro and/or estradiol before the finasteride, regardless of what my doctor says (O.K., so I'm a difficult patient - LOL). Even back when I had surgery, another doctor told me to quit taking everything EXCEPT finasteride. It has a relatively harmless reputation, assuming you don't mind the possibility of slight feminization.
Regarding Pregnenolone:
Here's a quick description I found...
Pregnenolone is a steroidal hormone manufactured in the body. It's a precursor to many other hormones and may be able to bring the levels of other hormones up or down, as needed. It's the precursor from which almost all of the other steroid hormones are made; including DHEA, progesterone, testosterone, the estrogens, and cortisol. Despite its powerful metabolites, pregnenolone is acknowledged to be without significant side effects, with minimal or no anabolic, estrogenic, or androgenic activity. Pregnenolone may be one of the most important hormones because it seems to have a balancing effect.
Also, here's a good article that sums up just about everything else I've read about pregnenolone...
http://www.vitaminshoppe.[...]enolone
I've been debating whether to continue to take it after my current supply runs out. Pregnenolone is supposedly beneficial in several ways (aside from helping with feminizing herbs), but the fewer things I can take, the better. I've also considered just taking one multi-vitamin per day, as well. That's a good question about the cholesterol. I'll have to look into that some more.
Regarding Progesterone:
There seems to be a constant debate among doctors (and trannies) as to whether progesterone is necessary at all for feminization. I'm sure you'll find more controversy regarding progesterone than with pregnenolone. You'll also find a lot of debate about progesterone vs. progestins.
I wasn't too crazy about taking several hundred mg of that micronized progesterone (Microgest) per day, just to get the same dose into my system I'm getting with the cream. The majority of it gets destroyed in the liver when you take it orally (more so than some other medications). Unlike progestins, with natural progesterone, you have to take really heavy doses just so a small fraction will make it through (especially for M-to-F transition purposes), and that can be rough on your liver, as you mentioned. I'm already passing estradiol, finasteride, and spironolactone through my liver, so I don't want to push it.
The only reason I'm not using estradiol injections is that I need to be able to stop at any time. Otherwise, I wouldn't be using Estrace/Estrofem, because the oral method is one of the least efficient. Unfortunately, it also happens to be one of the cheapest and most convenient.
Here's the cream I'm using: Source Naturals Natural Progesterone Cream from The Vitamin Shoppe...
4 oz size =
http://www.vitaminshoppe.[...]hResult
2 oz size =
http://www.vitaminshoppe.[...]hResult
Here's an article about progesterone from that same site:
http://www.vitaminshoppe.[...]sterone
Regarding Estradiol:
Yes, it's usually better to take half twice a day instead of all at once, but I haven't noticed anything negative. In fact, I haven't noticed much of anything (psychological or physiological), other than slightly plumper breasts, but that was already happening with the herbs (assuming it wasn't just diet and exercise), so I doubt the estradiol has kicked in yet. Everything I've experienced so far has been on a very small scale. It's early, though (not even two full months), so I might eventually experience what you've experienced.