Looking fabulous!
~H
~H
You look lovely hun, love the progress.
DD's, Johnny, iaboy - Thanks for your encouragement. It means alot as we navigate these waters often alone. Knowing that there are others who understand and support the journey we're all on is a huge help. Much gratitude 
I thought I'd finally share my test results. I had a test in April and a followup in July. The results are interesting to me and hopefully can help add to the information that is accumulating here to support the thesis that breast development is possible with NBE techniques and programs. I know I'm getting breast development as they fill up my hands nicely now
Test - April - July - normal range
Estradiol - 17.0 pg/ml - 9.3 pg/ml - 7.6-42.6
Estrone (E1) - 13.1 pg/ml - 16.5 pg/ml - <60
DHEA 200.8 ug/dl - 182.5 ug/dl - 44-331
T - Total 524 ng/dl - 475 ng/dl - 280-1100
T - Free <2.51 ng/dl - 2.29 ng/dl - 1.6-22
SHBG >200 nmol/L - > 200 nmol/L - 10-80
IGF-1 70.4 ng/ml - 69.9 ng/ml - 110-238
Progesterone 0.65 ng/ml - .40 ng/ml - 0.2-1.4
DHT - 35.8 ng/dl - No retest?? 11.2-95.5
T3, Free 2.9 pg/ml - 3.6 pg/ml - 1.8-4.6
T4, Free 1.08 ng/ml - 1.00 ng/ml - 0.9-1.7
TSH 5.120 ulU/ml - 2.65 ulU/ml - 0.27-4.2
Normal ranges are the ones given by my lab.
What does it all mean. To me, in general it means I'm in good health, that my liver is not being overtaxed and that I've got some female energy flowing and the male energy somewhat under control. My total T is mid-range meaning I'm still producing it but it's not available (see free T). The SHBG is very high meaning that the Total T IS bound up and apparently being converted to E (I think). The change in the TSH into normal levels is through a simple thyroid pill I take daily. My doc was very interested in getting that to level out so I'm happy to see that in range.
I guess the big question I'm left with is do I want to add a synthetic Testosterone blocker or continue with my herbal mix in this department. I do like the occasional role in the hay with the Mrs. (and so does she) so I don't want to eliminate that at this point in my transition. Still, I'm tempted to see what happens when adding a synthetic T blocker.
Another thing that surprises me is the amount of breast growth I've had with my E levels at relatively low numbers. At least, that's the way I read these results. The E is not really very high at all and yet I've had substantial breast growth in just 8 months. I thank Lotus and others here who have contributed their time and knowledge to the task of putting the information together for those of us on the MTF journey. Thank you!
I'm open to thoughts and questions. I will say that I feel a LOT better being on this journey with lab results and regular medical advice. I'm gong to always do my own research but without this level of detail, I'd be flying blind and I don't like that feeling. At least this way, I know I'm not blowing out my liver and have a chance to get my thyroid levels to balance.
I'm looking for some feedback on the elevated SHBG if anyone has any good information on that. I'm thinking it's coming from the GTE and White Peony. Not sure though.
That's it for now. I'm off to see the doc today and will update if I get any good new information. Hope this is helpful to at least one other person on this journey! Best - Marcy
I thought I'd finally share my test results. I had a test in April and a followup in July. The results are interesting to me and hopefully can help add to the information that is accumulating here to support the thesis that breast development is possible with NBE techniques and programs. I know I'm getting breast development as they fill up my hands nicely now
Test - April - July - normal range
Estradiol - 17.0 pg/ml - 9.3 pg/ml - 7.6-42.6
Estrone (E1) - 13.1 pg/ml - 16.5 pg/ml - <60
DHEA 200.8 ug/dl - 182.5 ug/dl - 44-331
T - Total 524 ng/dl - 475 ng/dl - 280-1100
T - Free <2.51 ng/dl - 2.29 ng/dl - 1.6-22
SHBG >200 nmol/L - > 200 nmol/L - 10-80
IGF-1 70.4 ng/ml - 69.9 ng/ml - 110-238
Progesterone 0.65 ng/ml - .40 ng/ml - 0.2-1.4
DHT - 35.8 ng/dl - No retest?? 11.2-95.5
T3, Free 2.9 pg/ml - 3.6 pg/ml - 1.8-4.6
T4, Free 1.08 ng/ml - 1.00 ng/ml - 0.9-1.7
TSH 5.120 ulU/ml - 2.65 ulU/ml - 0.27-4.2
Normal ranges are the ones given by my lab.
What does it all mean. To me, in general it means I'm in good health, that my liver is not being overtaxed and that I've got some female energy flowing and the male energy somewhat under control. My total T is mid-range meaning I'm still producing it but it's not available (see free T). The SHBG is very high meaning that the Total T IS bound up and apparently being converted to E (I think). The change in the TSH into normal levels is through a simple thyroid pill I take daily. My doc was very interested in getting that to level out so I'm happy to see that in range.
I guess the big question I'm left with is do I want to add a synthetic Testosterone blocker or continue with my herbal mix in this department. I do like the occasional role in the hay with the Mrs. (and so does she) so I don't want to eliminate that at this point in my transition. Still, I'm tempted to see what happens when adding a synthetic T blocker.
Another thing that surprises me is the amount of breast growth I've had with my E levels at relatively low numbers. At least, that's the way I read these results. The E is not really very high at all and yet I've had substantial breast growth in just 8 months. I thank Lotus and others here who have contributed their time and knowledge to the task of putting the information together for those of us on the MTF journey. Thank you!
I'm open to thoughts and questions. I will say that I feel a LOT better being on this journey with lab results and regular medical advice. I'm gong to always do my own research but without this level of detail, I'd be flying blind and I don't like that feeling. At least this way, I know I'm not blowing out my liver and have a chance to get my thyroid levels to balance.
I'm looking for some feedback on the elevated SHBG if anyone has any good information on that. I'm thinking it's coming from the GTE and White Peony. Not sure though.
That's it for now. I'm off to see the doc today and will update if I get any good new information. Hope this is helpful to at least one other person on this journey! Best - Marcy
This post was last modified: 20-07-2016, 11:54 AM by Marcy.
Met with the Doc today. She thought things were progressing nicely, especially with my Thyroid numbers. We discussed and decided to make the switch to Spiro 100mg once or twice daily. I'll start at 50 mg twice a day for awhile and see how my body reacts to that.
I'll cut back a bit on the reishi and discontinue the licorice root at mid-day as the Spiro starts to do it's job. I'll stay on two reishi tabs a day, astaxanthin twice a day and GTE 3 times a day as they are all beneficial in other ways as well.
We decided to see how this change works through my system over the next few months and consider pharma E in the future. For now, I'll continue with my current program of phyto estrogens.
Started the spiro tonight and so far no strange side effects. I wasn't expecting any : )
The journey continues...
I'll cut back a bit on the reishi and discontinue the licorice root at mid-day as the Spiro starts to do it's job. I'll stay on two reishi tabs a day, astaxanthin twice a day and GTE 3 times a day as they are all beneficial in other ways as well.
We decided to see how this change works through my system over the next few months and consider pharma E in the future. For now, I'll continue with my current program of phyto estrogens.
Started the spiro tonight and so far no strange side effects. I wasn't expecting any : )
The journey continues...
Marcy- your test results have me a bit bewildered, but very intrigued. 
T3 & T4 look normal, TSH looks elevated (hypothyroidism), glad you and your doc are addressing it, low energy is pain huh?.
E2 is low, which is truly amazing is the considerable (very nice) growth you've had. SHBG is um, skyrocket (like ICBM bound lol). Perplexing is how you'd have a 524 ng/dL total Total T, so......after checking, your killing the free T .048% and Bioavailable T @ 11.3%, in other words, (in my opinion) your smashing aromatase.
I could be totally wrong though. However, your free E2 is nearly 2% though, that's higher than my pseudopregnancy estrogen of 950 pg/mL
Perplexed.
T3 & T4 look normal, TSH looks elevated (hypothyroidism), glad you and your doc are addressing it, low energy is pain huh?. E2 is low, which is truly amazing is the considerable (very nice) growth you've had. SHBG is um, skyrocket (like ICBM bound lol). Perplexing is how you'd have a 524 ng/dL total Total T, so......after checking, your killing the free T .048% and Bioavailable T @ 11.3%, in other words, (in my opinion) your smashing aromatase.
I could be totally wrong though. However, your free E2 is nearly 2% though, that's higher than my pseudopregnancy estrogen of 950 pg/mL
Perplexed.
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