#finasteride side effects

[rolandkaros]

in addition to all of britain's various other crimes their shower water is also making my hair fall out.

[meme-loving-stuck]

aw man. i just remembered this week i had a nightmare someone in my family got me rogaine as a gag gift. ugh

[genderqueerpositivity]

TW: mention of medications and periods

In non-politics related nonsense and news, I'm starting finasteride today!

Looking back at pre-T pictures earlier this year, I started realizing that my hairline has crept way north of where it used to be originally. Which, I don't really mind as much, actually I liked the change in shape of my hairline at first. The thing that really bothers me is the hair thinning I've had this year. I've always had super thick hair, and since I've started growing out part of my hair, I've been starting to miss it. Call me vain or whatever you like, but I'm not ready to go bald yet now that I can enjoy growing my hair out without being constantly misgendered because of it and without major dysphoria.

I carefully tried the rosemary oil thing with no luck, and it wasn't worth it because I was constantly scared of my cats getting exposed to it. Minoxidil was out as an option immediately because again, I have cats. So finasteride it is. I'm also going through a thyroid med dose adjustment in case that is causing the hair thinning (as it has definitely done in the past), so this should cover all the bases I guess.

Anyway, I was finally able to pick the finasteride up today. The prescription was sent to the wrong pharmacy originally, then after it was sent to the correct pharmacy I discovered that my insurance won't cover it and the listed price to pick up the prescription was $219.

So shout out big fucking time to the hero of the day, the pharmacist who did some kind of magic online and found a coupon for the medication. 90 day supply for only $18.

Hopefully it works without any scary side effects. I found a couple of random reddit threads from guys who started having periods again on fin and that sounds absolutely fuckin horrible, so wish me luck I guess.

[pymander-real-prosthesis]

BOTTOM GROWTH

Comprehensive Overview on FTM Bottom Growth

FTM Bottom Growth

FTM bottom growth refers to the physiological transformation where clitoral and labial tissues enlarge and adopt a scrotum-like configuration under the influence of testosterone hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in transgender men. Testosterone promotes growth in the clitoris and labia majora, leading to size increase and structural changes resembling a scrotum. This process typically begins within weeks to months of starting HRT and continues over several years.

Notably, hormone therapy is not universally chosen among transmasculine individuals, with some opting for alternative genital surgeries. The rate and extent of bottom growth vary significantly due to factors such as age, genetics, and testosterone dosage.

Experiencing FTM Bottom Growth

FTM bottom growth represents a significant aspect of physical transition for transgender men, requiring a realistic understanding of its developmental course. Initial stages of HRT may entail mild growth and heightened sensitivity in the clitoral area, accompanied by sensations like tingling or discomfort. As treatment progresses, further changes may include increased clitoral girth, length, and reduced vaginal lubrication.

Over time, these changes intensify with ongoing reshaping of the labia majora into a flatter contour and continued clitoral enlargement. Variability in the pace and magnitude of these transformations underscores the individualized nature of hormone-induced bottom growth among those undergoing HRT.

Self-Care During FTM Bottom Growth

Maintaining self-care practices is crucial for overall well-being and satisfaction during FTM bottom growth:

Hygiene Practices: Ensure meticulous hygiene to prevent infections by using gentle soap and lukewarm water for genital cleansing, avoiding harsh chemicals or scented products.

Safe Sexual Practices: Employ barrier methods consistently during sexual activity to minimize the risk of STIs, including condoms and dental dams.

Exploration of Sensation: Embrace evolving genital sensations by experimenting with different forms of stimulation to discover what feels pleasurable and fulfilling.

Effective Communication: Foster open communication with sexual partners about evolving needs, preferences, and boundaries during this transition phase to enhance mutual understanding and satisfaction.

By prioritizing these aspects of self-care, individuals navigating FTM bottom growth can foster a supportive and empowered approach to their physical transition journey.

FTM Bottom Growth and Stimulation with Pymander Packers

Questions often arise regarding pleasure and usability of Pymander Packers' stimulating mouths:

Inclusive Pleasure: Our products are designed to maximize pleasure for users of any body type, regardless of their hormone therapy status.

Customization: We recommend exploring our diverse range of products, including rods with various mouthpieces, to tailor your experience and find what suits your preferences best.

Personal Satisfaction: Our goal is to provide inclusive and effective solutions that cater to the diverse needs of all customers, ensuring a positive and fulfilling experience with our stimulating products.

Preventing Bottom Growth

For transgender men wishing to manage or slow down bottom growth during hormone therapy:

Adjust Testosterone Dosage: Consult with healthcare providers about potentially lowering testosterone levels to mitigate the conversion to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which drives clitoral enlargement and other masculinizing effects.

Dutasteride/Finasteride: These medications can block the conversion of testosterone to DHT but may cause side effects like menstrual return and reduced body hair growth. Discuss benefits and risks with healthcare providers for informed decision-making.

Enhancing Bottom Growth

For those seeking to enhance bottom growth under hormone therapy:

Clitoral Pump: Safely increase clitoral size and sensitivity using non-medical suction devices, particularly effective post-HRT initiation.

Usage Tips: Follow manufacturer guidelines rigorously to avoid discomfort or injury, gradually increasing suction and using appropriate lubrication for smooth operation.

DHT Cream: Topical application of synthetic testosterone can promote genital growth and secondary sexual characteristics development, though individual responses vary.

Considerations

Individual Variability: Responses to hormone therapy and enhancement methods differ among individuals.

Consultation: Seek guidance from healthcare providers specializing in transgender healthcare to personalize interventions aligned with individual needs and goals.

[chubote]

So I’ve been on a (non-finasteride) hair loss medication for the last ~8 months or so, to combat the thinning I have on top of my head.

I took some comparison pics today and wow. My goal was mostly to ward off further loss, but I’ve actually had an impressive amount of regrowth. I wasn’t expecting much because the med I’m on can be hit or miss but I’m very pleased.

(Also as a side effect it continues to make me grow more and more body hair, which is very hot 😇)

[mothdogs]

Feel free to ignore. I have been on the fence about considering starting T. I'm not even at the considering stage, I'm still at the considering to consider stage. The reason for this is that I'm not a "full male." I would only want some masculinizing effects. (On the verge of TMI, I'm particularly interested in bottom growth, but don't necessarily want all the other masculinizing effects, or at least I'm not SURE I want any others, but i am positive I want bottom growth.) Considering you're nonbinary, I was wondering how HRT has been treating you as a nonbinary person. I'm asking a few other people as well who are not binary, as I'm still researching if this is what I want to do moving forward in terms and if so, how high a dose, which form of application, whether I can focus on bottom growth only or not, how a nonbinary person feels with masculinizing while not being male, etc. I do want to retain some feminity which may not be your goal, but your insight would still be useful as a nonbinary person on T, if you feel comfortable sharing.

Hi anon! I can tell you a few things. I started out on testosterone in November of last year taking a tiny tiny dose (.15ml injected weekly) along with a daily dose of finasteride, which mainly blocks some of the hair growth and loss effects of testosterone. In March I increased my weekly dose to .4ml and have seen a gradual increase in effects.

The main reason I personally wanted to go on T was for a lower voice and body fat displacement/increased muscle mass. I was/am indifferent about bottom growth, although it’s definitely… a thing. That is happening. Currently. My voice is also getting deeper, thank god, finally.

I’m not sure how much the finasteride is blocking the effects of my dose—I haven’t started growing facial hair, although my head-hair has gotten slightly thinner in general and my body hair has gotten slightly thicker. (P sure that’s thanks to my dad’s genetics—his side of the family is fair-haired.)

Long answer short, you can’t really pick and choose the effects, although a low dose paired with finasteride might be a good place to start if you don’t want to aim to be Fully Male from the jump. If you start T you will almost certainly get bottom growth, but you’re gonna get the other stuff too. Definitely talk to a doctor and consider bringing up finasteride in the conversation. Also, insert “I am not a medical professional” disclaimer here but there may be differences in your absorption levels and thus your rate of changes with different methods (injection vs gels)—I don’t care about needles so I went with injections and it hasn’t been bad at all.

If you do decide to go for it, there’s nothing wrong with starting with a small dose. Go slow, give it half a year to a year, and then see if you wanna increase. Good luck! You can always message me off anon too but I’ve kind of covered a lot of what I’ve experienced so far here.

[queerdeer]

I'm ethereal 💫

I started Finasteride again 8 days ago! Here's to hoping I can mentally handle the side effects. Also last shaved my head 8 days ago, so it's starting completely fresh.

[aleshakills]

If you're ever feeling unhappy or even just neutral about your HRT regimen, I strongly recommend talking to your doctor about potentially changing it up. And I mean trying out different meds, not just upping your doses.

After a few years on just spiro and estradiol, I was feeling really unsatisfied so I started taking progesterone. It was a fucking gamechanger. Then I decided to cut out the spiro, because some of the side effects really sucked for me. I was doing *okay* without taking any t-blockers, but then a few months ago I got on finasteride and it has been amazing.

Not to say these meds will be the right choice for everyone, but you should absolutely take the opportunity to ask and to try new things because there are so many more options than anyone will tell you about when you're first getting started.

[askfucktoyfelix]

I'm definitely asexual, never dated either, but I have stupidly high libido for some reason. I don't know why. It wasn't even this bad when I was a teenager. I want to go on T at some point but I'm a little scared to because I don't think I could handle being any hornier on the regular. If you don't mind sharing, did T mess with your libido? What helped, if it did?

T made my libido several magnitudes higher, yes. I had a decent libido before but I'd say it increased it by about 5x. Im extrasexual so this was a desirable effect for me personally, I've never tried to reduce my libido on purpose. (If anything, I sometimes lower my t dose for a few months and then increase it again as a kind of 'tolerance break' to get the initial VERY HIGH horny level back. ) Though you can maybe use that to some advantage. basically the increase in libido is highest in the first year. After that it levels out as your body gets used to the new t levels. Once that happens, you can lower your dose to help ease libido. Your ability to do this will depend on your levels, your happiness with your transition rate and such though. I would also recommend going on finasteride which is a medication to prevent hairloss. You should be easily able to get this prescription when going on t. It blocks DHT and can reduce libido as a side effect. If you actually struggle with depression or anxiety, you may want to consider certain SSRIs or MAOIs which have reduced libido as a side effect. (Do NOT do this if you dont need them for depression or anxiety already though.)

[informatikerin-freyja]

Just some advice on hair loss (from someone who's going through a similar situation.) I've found it's really difficult to get all the information together in one place, so here you go.

AMAB baldness is caused by a hormone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a form of T. For some reason, hair follicles have a receptor that gets triggered by DHT that tells them to "close up" when DHT is around, constricting at the base. Too much DHT interacting with hair follicles causes them to close all the way, literally snipping hair off at the base. (All hair follicles have this receptor. No one knows why this happens specifically to some people and not others, or why this happens to only some areas of the body and not others.)

Any hair loss medication that does not address DHT is essentially a stopgap for the root problem. Rogaine, minoxidil, etc. are all hair regrowth agents - they stimulate hair growth and health, but they can't prevent or stop the actual root cause that ends with the hair getting snipped.

Finasteride inhibits one of the main enzymes that produces DHT, decreasing DHT levels and thereby letting the hair follicles reopen on their own and grow normally again. But DHT is a hormone that does more than just snip hair, and its removal has an impact on sexual function, gut bacteria (in rare cases causing PFS, gut-bacteria induced depression and sexual dysfunction), muscle mass, and other such things. DHT's removal also raises estrogen levels slightly, causing gynecomastia in rare cases (although I expect that would be a bonus for you anyway.) And, because evolution is a horrible programmer, sex hormones are very important to the motivational system, so DHT's removal results in depression and emotional numbness. (The last one happened to me, and it's why I stopped taking finasteride.)

There are treatments in clinical trials which promise - using similar technologies as the mRNA vaccine - to completely delete the DHT receptor from hair follicles. But those are still several years away and will be patent-encumbered anyway.

Since you are transfem, my advice to you would be: go the full mile and get on E. E decreases T and therefore DHT significantly, and therefore fixes the entire balding situation just by itself. Estrogen has major side effects, of course - but you want E's side effects. It won't cause depression, either.

Keep in mind that hair follicles develop and grow over years, and the closing and opening of the follicles also takes years. Finasteride or estrogen will let all of your hair follicles grow back in, and the ones that have died will eventually get replaced. Eventually. You'll see 40% results in six months, and 80% by two years, but to get to 100% will take ten years.

Good luck to a fellow sufferer.

Thank you! I really hope this vision of being able to recover all the hair in the long run is accurate, as there is a lot of hope to be had in that.

[10001gecs]

I been on finasteride for a few months now, side effect is a lower libido BUT I just started Zoloft because of seasonal depression and I’m SO HORNY.

The absolute worst of all is my town has a top surplus and a bottom deficit. THERES NOT ENOUGH HOLES FOR ME TO FILL.

thats crazy that zoloft makes ur dick harder it did the opposite for me

[knightochan-official]

transfems only: so my new doc says that my testosterone levels are so exceedingly low that I could consider reducing or even totally stopping spironolactone and could just do estradiol and finasteride. I generally don't like spironolactone's side effects so this is a really tempting proposition to me.

for the record, I'm currently on 100mg/day spiro, 6mg/day oral estrogen, some typical amount of finasteride. is this a good idea or is he being overly optimistic about monotherapy?

[trendz-m-a]

Unlock the Secret to Hair Growth: Discover the Science Behind the Growband Pro

Are you struggling with hair loss and frustrated by ineffective treatments? You’re not alone. Millions face the challenge of thinning hair or receding hairlines. But what if there was a natural, scientifically-backed solution that could make a real difference? Enter the Growband Pro – an innovative scalp massager designed to address hair loss and promote regrowth. In this post, we’ll dive into the science behind this game-changing device and why it could be the solution you’ve been searching for.

What Is the Growband Pro?

The Growband Pro is a fully automated scalp massager that aims to combat hair loss by increasing blood flow to your scalp. Unlike traditional treatments that can come with side effects, this device offers a natural approach to promoting hair regrowth. Let’s explore how it works and what makes it stand out.

The Science Behind Hair Growth

The foundation of the Growband Pro’s effectiveness lies in its ability to enhance blood circulation. Here’s how this works:

Increased Blood Flow: Scalp massages have long been known to stimulate blood flow, but the Growband Pro takes it to the next level with its automated design. Research shows that increased blood circulation delivers more oxygen and nutrients to hair follicles, which are crucial for hair growth and thickness. Studies, such as those found in the National Center for Biotechnology Information, highlight how this stimulation can significantly increase hair thickness and promote healthier hair.

Scientific Evidence: Various studies support the benefits of scalp stimulation for hair growth. For instance, research published in "Dermatologic Therapy" and other scientific journals confirms that improved blood flow to the scalp can positively affect hair growth by rejuvenating hair follicles. This evidence reinforces the Growband Pro’s approach to tackling hair loss.

Why Choose the Growband Pro?

Here are some compelling reasons to consider the Growband Pro for your hair care routine:

Scientifically Proven: Backed by scientific research, the Growband Pro uses proven methods to increase hair thickness and promote regrowth. This sets it apart from other treatments that may lack scientific validation.

100% Natural, No Side Effects: Unlike minoxidil and finasteride, which can have unwanted side effects, the Growband Pro offers a natural solution with no known adverse effects. It’s a safe alternative for those concerned about the potential risks of traditional hair loss treatments.

Fully Automated and Portable: The Growband Pro is designed for convenience. Its fully automated functionality means you don’t have to manually perform scalp massages. You can simply wear the Growband Pro, and it will handle the rest, allowing you to go about your day or relax while it works. Plus, its portable design means you can use it anywhere, making it easy to fit into your routine.

Cost-Effective: Compared to expensive hair transplant surgeries, the Growband Pro is a more affordable option. It offers long-term benefits without the high costs associated with surgical treatments.

Professor Andrew Huberman talked extensively about blood flow on his podcast about hair loss recently. Huberman is a highly respected professor at Standford School of Medicine.

How to Use the Growband Pro

Using the Growband Pro is straightforward:

1. Place the Growband Pro on your head and adjust for a snug fit.

2. Connect the controller, turn it on, and let it inflate to provide a comfortable massage.

3. Relax for 10 to 20 minutes while the device increases blood flow to your scalp.

Final Thoughts

If you’re seeking a natural and effective way to address hair loss, the Growband Pro offers a promising solution. Its scientific backing, natural approach, and user-friendly design make it a standout choice. Give it a try and see how it can help you achieve the fuller, healthier hair you’ve been dreaming of.

For more information and to stay updated on the Growband Pro, visit their website and checkout below!!

[ukftm]

hi there! i wanted to ask generally what peoples experiences are with hairloss. i'm approximately 7 years on T and i always felt confident my hairline would be mostly fine cause the other cis men in my family still have a lot of hair. however this year my hair has thinned dramatically and i'm worried about going bald. i had a hysterectomy last year in september so i'm wondering if that had anything to do with it? is there anything my gp can do?

Hi,

Hair loss is so different for everyone and unfortunately even with a family history of good hair, you can end up experiencing hair loss.

You can discuss this with your GP and ask them to prescribe hair loss medication like Finasteride, for example. Not all GPs are happy to prescribe this however.

Caffiene shampoos/conditioners can also help when experiencing hair loss/thinning. There are a lot of different ones to choose from so you may want to try different ones to see what works for you. There is also minoxidil which can also help with this and has been found to be effective.

From personal experience, my hair goes through periods of thinning and thickening. I initially used minoxidil which I found did help. I then started using caffeine shampoos and conditioners and have found my hair does not appear to be thinning and is in good condition. What is recommended is if you want to try caffeine shampoo, change the brand every couple months as your hair can get used to the shampoo and you’ll no longer benefit from its effects.

As with any treatment nothing is guaranteed to help, but when it comes to things like shampoos you can’t do any harm and looking after your hair is always a good thing. In terms of medications, these do come with side effects so you would just have to make sure you know what these are and stop the medication if you were not happy.

[salternator]

Hey! I saw you comment you were on DHT blockers, mainly to stop hair loss but keep voice/muscle changes. If you're okay to talk about it, are there other benefits/effects that you know about?

Yup! I'll write out what I've read up on for my own purposes. Standard disclaimer: I don't know what I don't know, speak to an endocrinologist if possible, get regular blood tests if you can.

The main two DHT blockers (that preventing testosterone being metabolised into DHT) are finasteride and dutasteride, with dutasteride having a stronger effect.

I used to take 1mg/day finasteride, the recommended medication and dose for hair loss prevention. However it has a short (6 hour) half-life in the body and I often forget to take it, so I switched to 1mg/3days dutasteride which remains in the body for a much longer time (several weeks half-life). This is not a recommended dosage or regimen - normal dosage is 0.5mg/day for hair loss - but is likely safe since it can be prescribed up to 5mg/day.

Potentially desirable effects of DHT blockers (compared to testosterone without DHT blockers)

Prevents head hair loss on DHT-sensitive hair follicles. For some people it can also reverse existing hair loss, though I wouldn't completely count on that.

Somewhat prevents body and facial hair from increasing. I haven't seen any evidence for reversal though.

It suppresses bottom growth.

Reduces skin oil production and thus may reduce acne.

DHT blockers likely don't affect: muscle growth, voice deepening, fat redistribution, height increase (if your bones are not fully ossified).

Side effects

DHT blockers affect fetal development, so all precautions should be taken to prevent anyone who is pregnant / trying to get pregnant from accidentally ingesting it. This means pill cutters shouldn't be shared for different medications, and you can't donate blood for as long as the DHT blocker is in your body (1 week for finasteride, 6-12 months for dutasteride).

Studies done on cis men taking DHT blockers show a potential increase in depression and lowered libido. However I don't have any information on whether the same effect applies to somebody with starting at a baseline of low testosterone and low DHT, then taking testosterone with a DHT blocker.

This systematic review is quite helpful and uses fairly understandable language.

Things I know that I don't know

The metabolism of testosterone doesn't end at DHT - DHT is then metabolised into other products, and so on. I have not looked into the downstream effects of blocking production of DHT yet, which may be significant if you are taking a near-total DHT blocker like dutasteride long-term.

I have seen many posts on bodybuilding forums (most reliable source of information /s) saying that DHT blocks the effects of estrogens by competing for estrogen receptors. As far as I can tell, DHT does not seem to bind effectively to estrogen receptors, so I somewhat doubt this claim. There is convincing evidence that DHT blockers increase the risk of gynecomastia in cis men, but I haven't yet been able to find out what the mechanism is.

I hope this long post is somewhat useful, and I'm happy to talk about other aspects of non-standard transition if you're curious.

[nixiemcretro]

Me, Myself and Progesterone

I touched on progesterone (P4) in my last transgender update post. I am not quite sure if progesterone is working in the way I want it to. My biggest annoyance with it is feeling like my brain is on fire just before trying to sleep.

Rewind to late February 2024, for almost three weeks my progesterone dose was doubled to 400 mg of oral, micronised, compounded progesterone – 200 mg twice a day. That’s up from the 200 mg once at night.

I had also ceased finasteride. And finasteride interferes with the progesterone (oral) pathway conversion to neurosteroids such as allopregnanolone. This is because finasteride blocks *most* of the activity (~70%) of the 5-alpha reductase (5AR) enzyme. In turn, reducing levels of allopregnanolone – or at least slowing their conversion to neurosteroids.

My sleep quality has been pretty broken for a while now. Look at those orange blocks. And here I was looking forward to some of the benefits from progesterone. Anxiolytic? Yes please! Sleep improving? Definitely!

Instead I get this whole brain fire thing and feel like I’ve taken an anxiogenic. That got me thinking, brain on fire? Throw in some formication and it’s what feels like a glutamate rebound or surge. Excitotoxicity perhaps?

I’ve experienced similar feelings while withdrawing from pregabalin (decreases glutamate levels) and trusty old diazepam (increases GABA levels). Definitely that same feeling though. It appears that taking what I would consider a small dose (2 mg) of diazepam negates the insomnia pretty well. Even though diazepam isn’t a terribly good choice for sleep. It takes me from being a wired insomniac to sleeping beauty in about an hour.

Another interesting side effect I am seeing a lot more of is dissociation. Ordinarily, I would only experience this while in high stress, high anxiety situations but recently I’m noting it a lot more just doing chores around the house – which is a little concerning.

Regardless, it seems that something is messing with my GABAergic system and metabolites of progesterone fit the bill. Armed with my two-thirds of a biomedical science degree I went digging for more information on the metabolites. Up above is an image from my last health blog post. Note the action of finasteride on progesterone – blocking allopregnanolone (THP) and isopregnanolone.

I wonder if moving to a more potent 5AR blocker, such as dutasteride, would reduce the side effects of a higher dose of progesterone? A question for my endocrinologist I suppose. I restarted my finasteride to at least partially block some of the following progesterone metabolites. Let’s look at the metabolites a little closer and how they act.

Allopregnanolone (Tetrahydroprogesterone or THP) Positive allosteric modulator 9 hours

Pregnanolone Positive allosteric modulator 1 – 3.5 hours

Isopregnanolone Negative allosteric modulator 14 hours Targets allopregnanolone only

Epipregnanolone Negative allosteric modulator Half-life unknown

Alright, so a bunch of neurosteroids are doing a bunch of things. A few are being blocked, but also produce negative side effects when they weren’t blocked. Hormones are messy. Where does that leave me? I guess I am left questioning whether I should be taking progesterone at all. At minimum a dose reduction is definitely called for. I will probably return back to 200 mg and see what symptoms, if any, follow.

My search revealed some interesting data with overlap in symptoms shared with premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) in cisgender women. 

PMDD is believed to be caused by fluctuations in gonadal sex hormones or variations in sensitivity to sex hormones.

If sensitivity to level shifts is reason for the negative side effects, then single or even twice daily doses are probably not enough to smooth out the levels of neurosteroids for me, allowing me enter a withdrawal state, perhaps? Brain on fire? This paper offers some great insight into the mechanisms behind it all with some interesting side notes on SSRIs.

Interestingly, SSRIs increase allopregnanolone levels in the brain, rapidly and at low doses, as demonstrated in rodents as well as in patients with depression.

Could this be one of the reasons why I can’t tolerate SSRI/SNRIs? At the very least, it’s some food for thought. Worth noting that the original study has been questioned a little further along in the paper. Let’s circle back to those progesterone levels again. From Wikipedia

Progesterone levels tend to be less than 2 ng/mL prior to ovulation and greater than 5 ng/mL after ovulation.

What were my most recent levels again? 9.1 nmol/L or should I say 2.6 ng/mL (freedom units). That’s at 200 mg once daily at night, measured in the trough. I really need to ask myself, do I want to have symptoms of PMS/PMDD? Is that even a question that needs to be asked?

Looking at the levels on Table 1 in this paper give an idea where my levels line up. If you factor in the short half-life of most of the metabolites, once daily dosing is probably a bad idea. Ideally, I should look into getting the dose split to 100 mg twice daily.

Of course I have to be mindful of negative risk such as the androgen backdoor pathway. This has the potential to generate unwanted androgens like DHT – which will affect the hair on my head. That’s why the finasteride is here to stay until most means of testosterone generation is removed from my system…

It’s not all bad though. Finasteride competes with progesterone for the 5AR enzyme – which results in even less 5AR being available for testosterone -> DHT conversion. Another point worth considering is that progesterone has a positive effect on bone-building cells (osteoblasts). This can help with avoiding or reducing effects of osteoporosis.

Touching on side effects I’ve noticed, Progesterone should increase libido. Which is something I do not want due to past trauma. However, I wonder if the finasteride side effects are at play here. Again, I don’t consider them negative side effects either.

Other oddities I’ve also noticed my facial hair has become darker at the higher progesterone dosing at 400 mg. My upper lip now has dark black hairs, that’s new and unwanted. It might be useful for IPL treatment. But now there’s shadow on my upper lip I never had before. It isn’t just the thinning of skin either. The hairs are black instead of blonde.

One big uncertainty is that I’m not sure what my levels of estradiol will be at the next blood test. Are the 200 mg of pellets doing their job properly? Or did they fail? Does the dose need to be increased?

For now, I’ve been supplementing the implant with the remainder of my 2 mg estradiol pills while the pellets stabilise. One pill gives me ~85 pmol/L in estradiol levels. I’ve only just ran out of those so now I’m adding in some of the estradiol gel (Sandrena branded). These gave ~200 pmol/L estradiol per dose according to my most recent blood tests. In theory with one a day, I should be guaranteed to be in the late follicular phase – regardless of the implant levels.

Anyway, that was one heck of an info dump. I think that sums everything up that has been on my mind lately.

TL;DR 400 mg oral progesterone makes my brain go on fire. Progesterone metabolite levels shifting around are very activating for me. I will now target cisgender progesterone levels in the late follicular phase. Hormones are complicated. One size fits most seems to be at play when it comes to progesterone. Nothing like some trial and error! 🙃