[Lotus]

i recall it was a while back I think that you started a HRT program...at my age the common wisdom seems to be use patche or gel form.......blocker like spiro may or may not be necessary.
What di you decide to start with?

Seems like you're going to make a woman of me yet...lol..

Lmao, of course, how much time do have to work with    . It's almost been 2 yrs of HRT (1 year DIY, 11 months under doctors care HRT). I was put on 2 mg oral estradiol and 50 mg spiro (by my doctor) which I thought was low, but, I went along reluctantly. My next lab showed 2-3x normal female range estrogen and 25 ng/dL total T, at present its about eunuch amount....or zero lol. 

One thing I've learned, metabolism changes the plasma levels of sublingual oral hrt, meaning 2 mg of E2 can be raised in plasma circulation to a higher overall bioavailability.

[froger]

I wonder what this means for men who are regularly exposed to substances that mimic estrogen.

[Lotus]

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I wonder what this means for men who are regularly exposed to substances that mimic estrogen

Good question froger, 


Probably a few things we wouldn't normally expect, e.g. infections, or, lacking the ability to fight infections, (NEUTROPENIA, aka- extremely low neutrophils, which is a type of white blood cell). Toxins cause inflammation, this includes acne, boils, acidosis, foul body odor, vitamin deficiencies (B12 or folate), toxemia, IBS, thyroditis, etc.

 I can see doing a juice fast for 2-3 days to bring back balance. Or add dandelion or lemon juice, filtered water too, or other blood purifying supplements. The point is, too much toxins in our blood inhibits the ability to synthesize blood cells for NBE/HRT.

[jannet.duff]

Lotus, I read through this twice....if I understood correctly.....this is why, after over two years of PM and peony root extract, I have this female in me getting stronger and stronger. 
Now... I not only want to continue to HRT, I feel I NEED it.
She's hard to fight so it looks like its going to happen.

Join the dark side, we bake cookies.

[The First Aria]

Lotus, I read through this twice....if I understood correctly.....this is why, after over two years of PM and peony root extract, I have this female in me getting stronger and stronger. 
Now... I not only want to continue to HRT, I feel I NEED it.
She's hard to fight so it looks like its going to happen.

Join the dark side, we bake cookies.

Forget it, I prefer brownies and cakes.   Well, maybe in a pinch donuts!   

[Lotus]

Breast enlargement during chronic antidepressant therapy.
Amsterdam JD, et al. J Affect Disord. 1997.

Abstract
Recent reports of mammoplasia during selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor (SSRI) therapy suggested that this side effect may be more common than previously reported. We examined 59 women receiving > or = 2 months treatment with an SSRI or venlafaxine for changes in breast size in relation to menopausal status, weight gain and duration of drug therapy. Serum prolactin, estradiol and beta-hCG were also measured before and during treatment in a subgroup of patients. Twenty-three out of 59 patients (39%) reported some degree of mammoplasia. Significantly more SSRI vs. venlafaxine patients reported mammoplasia (p < 0.01). Eighty-four percent with mammoplasia had weight gain vs. 30% without mammoplasia (p < 0.001). The rate of mammoplasia was unrelated to age, menopausal status or duration of treatment. Serum prolactin increased during treatment in the paroxetine subgroup (p < 0.03). In conclusion, antidepressant-induced mammoplasia may be more common than previously expected.

So you know what this means right? .

[Sofia Bunny]

People being treated for depression got bigger boobs? Bigger Boobs = Happiness?

[myboobs]

People being treated for depression got bigger boobs?  Bigger Boobs = Happiness?  

Now I am depressed and need treatment for depression ????

[Lotus]

People being treated for depression got bigger boobs?  Bigger Boobs = Happiness?  

Now I am depressed and need treatment for depression ????

Not all anti-depressants/anti-psychotics are created equal, but u right bunny, "bigger boobs". Though paroxetine (Paxil) influenced breast growth more than others by 39%, twenty-three out of 59 patients. However, 84% of the study group had increased weight gain. Anti-psychotics pack on the pounds too. 

SSRI's increase prolactin, that's the increase in breast growth from what I see, which doesn't make sense cause SSRI's tend to stomp on estrogen production, so go figure. On a side note, Prozac controls appetite rather well.

I wouldn't rush for a script myboobs, the side effects are a pain in ass, imo. Alcohol also increases prolactin too, you've all heard that alcoholism can feminize livers in genetic males, raise prolactin and induce gynecomastia, too.  

Breast enlargement during chronic antidepressant therapy.
Amsterdam JD, et al. J Affect Disord. 1997.

Abstract
Recent reports of mammoplasia during selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor (SSRI) therapy suggested that this side effect may be more common than previously reported. We examined 59 women receiving > or = 2 months treatment with an SSRI or venlafaxine for changes in breast size in relation to menopausal status, weight gain and duration of drug therapy. Serum prolactin, estradiol and beta-hCG were also measured before and during treatment in a subgroup of patients. Twenty-three out of 59 patients (39%) reported some degree of mammoplasia. Significantly more SSRI vs. venlafaxine patients reported mammoplasia (p < 0.01). Eighty-four percent with mammoplasia had weight gain vs. 30% without mammoplasia (p < 0.001). The rate of mammoplasia was unrelated to age, menopausal status or duration of treatment. Serum prolactin increased during treatment in the paroxetine subgroup (p < 0.03). In conclusion, antidepressant-induced mammoplasia may be more common than previously expected.

So you know what this means right? .

[Lotus]

I forgot to mention this, if you're trying to raise prolactin for lactation, keep in mind anti-depressants/anti-psychotics are already increasing prolactin. In other words, adding other prolactin inducing herbs/drugs could push prolactin to dangerous limits (aka-hyperprolactinaemia) of prolactin in the blood.