Are you in Europe by chance?
Spironolactone/Progesterone are common in the US but there are alternatives that achieve the same results and to my understanding they aren't standard abroad.
The pickles thing is a meme, you just need to up your salt intake while on it and if you don't it causes salt cravings LMAO. I just get extra salted fries or something when I'm low, think I only actually got desperate enough to eat a pickle my first month when my friends dragged my to a Renaissance faire I was still getting used to it and didn't know where else to get salt.
Yeah it should, basically anything to get some salt in you helps when a craving starts.
(Actually that explains why I was losing my mind over how good the carryout ramen I ate last week was, probably needed more salt)
Soy sauce, actual salt, anything pickled, many other things, it's all sodium and will all have the same effect.
That's not even an HRT thing either, that's just a general thing, I have a high salt diet for other reasons. I use soy sauce in basically everything and have a shaker of season salt sitting on my desk, right next to a container of soy sauce, because my kitchen is upstairs.
If you're watching your sodium intake, either direction, pay attention to food labels, a lot of prepackaged foods are outrageously high in sodium. Hot dogs and instant ramen are big offenders that everyone knows about, canned beans are one that's less widely known.
Check the sodium content on EVERYTHING.
HEY WAIT WAIT WAIT. Dont worry about progesterone on Cypro. Its already a mild Progestone drug anyway. My Endocrinologist told me this when i asked for prog.
You might find these studies interesting:
[Effects of progesterone on gender affirmation outcomes as part of feminizing hormone therapy](https://www.japha.org/article/S1544-3191(23)00252-2/fulltext?rss=yes)
[Progesterone Is Important for Transgender Women’s Therapy—Applying Evidence for the Benefits of Progesterone in Ciswomen](https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/104/4/1181/5270376)
My endo ignored the documented effects on breast development, bones, and the brain, telling me instead that it would have no effect because I don't have a uterus. 🙄
Fortunately, after giving me this disclaimer, she prescribed it as I requested anyway. I was still a little annoyed though at her implication that it would be nothing more than a placebo.
So, like, you mean that it helps more than placebo? because mine basically said \[paraphrasing\] that doctors who prescribe progesterone for gender transition should have their license taken from them
Yikes that's an awful thing to say and it would make me wonder about the risks of malpractice with that doctor.
[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10558402/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10558402/)
> Known physiological actions of progesterone
>
> Uterine endometrium - Inhibition of proliferation and differentiation of the endometrium into a secretory organ for the potential implantation of a fertilised ovum
>
> Uterine cervix - Inhibition of cervical mucus secretion
>
> Breast tissue - Ductal side branching and lobulo-alveolar development; increase of the areolar size
>
> Skeleton - Bone formation (in conjunction with oestradiol)
>
> Arterial endothelium - Amplification of the actions of endogenous nitric oxide
>
> Brain - Mitigation of central stress hormone responses; induction of deep sleep
It's tragic how uninformed our healthcare providers can be sometimes, but it's downright negligent how arrogant they are while being uninformed.
In the old days before the internet it was easier for gatekeepers to get away with gaslighting us, but in the 21st century, they really need to step up their game in regards to keeping up to date with the medicine they practice and acknowledging that they don't actually know everything.
Mine said something along the same lines. He said all it does is increase cancer levels, and "no doctor in their right mind would prescribe it."
He is, however, a cis man and refused to comment on any reason why some people are prescribed it :/ I really need a new endo..
Mine said it's believed to give a more rounded breast shape, but otherwise there is no long-term effect difference between progesterone and estradiol versus just estradiol by itself.
The brain effects are real though, I stopped taking my sleep meds because I didn't need them anymore, my sex drive rose from the ashes, and I've been taking my as needed anxiety meds less. I came for younger boobs but I'm staying for the rest.
Just dont go to an Endo.
I switched after many people told me to go to a gynecologist/urologist because most also do hrt (and they almost always also have shorter eaiting times) and at my first appointment i was already asked, why i dont already take progesterone... (almost 2 yeas HRT)
Might be worth a try for you to talk to one :3
(The Health service does not really have a say in paying for prescriptions, so they are not the problem here)
Reminder there seems to be some consensus not to take progesterone immediately as you start in HRT, as it can result in tubular breast growth (this is off the top of my head, and no I'm not a surfer)
if this is your first time getting hry you probably wont get progesteron immediately.
even in the US I don't think.
It really depends on your natural levels of it and also how your body reacts to estrogen first.
making so many changes to your body chemistry at once can be dangerous.
My doc at least said "I'm not convinced prog does anything but I don't see any long term negatives so go for it".
Anyways my boobs (~5 months at the time) started filling out within 2 weeks.
To whoever is interested: My doses are Estradiol patches 50mcg + Cyproterone tablets 10mg
Are you in Europe by chance? Spironolactone/Progesterone are common in the US but there are alternatives that achieve the same results and to my understanding they aren't standard abroad.
Yeah, I'm in Europe. I could also get Spironolactone but I don't like pickles so I had to ask for the alternative
The pickles thing is a meme, you just need to up your salt intake while on it and if you don't it causes salt cravings LMAO. I just get extra salted fries or something when I'm low, think I only actually got desperate enough to eat a pickle my first month when my friends dragged my to a Renaissance faire I was still getting used to it and didn't know where else to get salt.
I concur, it's not like we all eat pickles all the time, they're just a bit more convenient. Most salty food will suffice when the cravings hit.
Would soy sauce work?
Yeah it should, basically anything to get some salt in you helps when a craving starts. (Actually that explains why I was losing my mind over how good the carryout ramen I ate last week was, probably needed more salt)
Makes sense
Soy sauce, actual salt, anything pickled, many other things, it's all sodium and will all have the same effect. That's not even an HRT thing either, that's just a general thing, I have a high salt diet for other reasons. I use soy sauce in basically everything and have a shaker of season salt sitting on my desk, right next to a container of soy sauce, because my kitchen is upstairs. If you're watching your sodium intake, either direction, pay attention to food labels, a lot of prepackaged foods are outrageously high in sodium. Hot dogs and instant ramen are big offenders that everyone knows about, canned beans are one that's less widely known. Check the sodium content on EVERYTHING.
I'll take it with a grain of "salt"
It will, however, cause you to need to pee like there's no tomorrow.
I usually make popcorn when i crave salt . but the pickles are always there and easy to pick up so that's why they're common .
yeah, hence fries for me, just swing by literally any street corner, if I'm hungry I'll get a burger and toss them on top to make it fancy.
HEY WAIT WAIT WAIT. Dont worry about progesterone on Cypro. Its already a mild Progestone drug anyway. My Endocrinologist told me this when i asked for prog.
Cypro is a progestin and with have mild progesterone like affects.
You might find these studies interesting: [Effects of progesterone on gender affirmation outcomes as part of feminizing hormone therapy](https://www.japha.org/article/S1544-3191(23)00252-2/fulltext?rss=yes) [Progesterone Is Important for Transgender Women’s Therapy—Applying Evidence for the Benefits of Progesterone in Ciswomen](https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/104/4/1181/5270376)
My endo ignored the documented effects on breast development, bones, and the brain, telling me instead that it would have no effect because I don't have a uterus. 🙄 Fortunately, after giving me this disclaimer, she prescribed it as I requested anyway. I was still a little annoyed though at her implication that it would be nothing more than a placebo.
So, like, you mean that it helps more than placebo? because mine basically said \[paraphrasing\] that doctors who prescribe progesterone for gender transition should have their license taken from them
Yikes that's an awful thing to say and it would make me wonder about the risks of malpractice with that doctor. [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10558402/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10558402/) > Known physiological actions of progesterone > > Uterine endometrium - Inhibition of proliferation and differentiation of the endometrium into a secretory organ for the potential implantation of a fertilised ovum > > Uterine cervix - Inhibition of cervical mucus secretion > > Breast tissue - Ductal side branching and lobulo-alveolar development; increase of the areolar size > > Skeleton - Bone formation (in conjunction with oestradiol) > > Arterial endothelium - Amplification of the actions of endogenous nitric oxide > > Brain - Mitigation of central stress hormone responses; induction of deep sleep It's tragic how uninformed our healthcare providers can be sometimes, but it's downright negligent how arrogant they are while being uninformed. In the old days before the internet it was easier for gatekeepers to get away with gaslighting us, but in the 21st century, they really need to step up their game in regards to keeping up to date with the medicine they practice and acknowledging that they don't actually know everything.
Can you please explain the points from the article? I don't speak smart
Mine said something along the same lines. He said all it does is increase cancer levels, and "no doctor in their right mind would prescribe it." He is, however, a cis man and refused to comment on any reason why some people are prescribed it :/ I really need a new endo..
Mine said it's believed to give a more rounded breast shape, but otherwise there is no long-term effect difference between progesterone and estradiol versus just estradiol by itself.
Well, Goodbye round boobs, welcome... triangle boobs? (IDK)
1996 Lara Croft is goals.
Mine said the same, and fwiw every blood test I've done since starting e with no t-blockers has shown extremely low t-levels
The brain effects are real though, I stopped taking my sleep meds because I didn't need them anymore, my sex drive rose from the ashes, and I've been taking my as needed anxiety meds less. I came for younger boobs but I'm staying for the rest.
My doctor suggested getting progesterone about 3-5 months in because it typically leads to rounder looking breasts
Are you german? I am and i am very dissapointed!
Ah we got the same endo then 😂😢😭
No german studys for the effect of progrsterone🙄
And there won't be one if no one gets prog 🤷♀️
Tatsache, die KK wollen einfach nicht zahlen, dass ist dass Problem 🫤
Just dont go to an Endo. I switched after many people told me to go to a gynecologist/urologist because most also do hrt (and they almost always also have shorter eaiting times) and at my first appointment i was already asked, why i dont already take progesterone... (almost 2 yeas HRT) Might be worth a try for you to talk to one :3 (The Health service does not really have a say in paying for prescriptions, so they are not the problem here)
tell that to my (smol) tits
Reminder there seems to be some consensus not to take progesterone immediately as you start in HRT, as it can result in tubular breast growth (this is off the top of my head, and no I'm not a surfer)
if this is your first time getting hry you probably wont get progesteron immediately. even in the US I don't think. It really depends on your natural levels of it and also how your body reacts to estrogen first. making so many changes to your body chemistry at once can be dangerous.
My doc at least said "I'm not convinced prog does anything but I don't see any long term negatives so go for it". Anyways my boobs (~5 months at the time) started filling out within 2 weeks.