Here's my two cents. Take it for what you will. From some of the reading I've done, the overwhelming majority of doctors treating MtFs do not believe PG is necessary, regardless of whether or not she has had an orchiectomy. It is claimed it had no effect on breast growth and development. Yet, there are a small number of doctors who do use it as part of their standard TS protocol so they must see some benefit to it.
In a male who wants to remain male, is not trying to grow breasts, and has no GD, etc., estrogen dominance is a little harder to pin down. Male hormone regulation today is mostly uncharted waters. Honestly, they know more about hormone regulation for the MtF than they do for the average male. I'm having one hell of a time trying to convince doctors that it isn't just about T, but also about the ratio of T to E. They accept that in genetic females, there needs to be a balance of hormones, but in men, it's all about T and nothing else. In this respect, compared to female hormone balance, males are in the 1930s. So, yes, about all a male can do is treat with PG until symptoms ease, if he has symptoms of estrogen dominance which can be quite similar to symptoms of low T.
Doctors tend to be extreme in their approach to things. Until something is hugely wrong, it isn't a problem. Look at things like the recommended daily allowance of vitamins and minerals. Until very recently, they were set to the minimum level necessary to prevent the signs of deficiency such as scurvy, rickets, or beriberi. This wasn't a level necessary to promote good health, just the barest minimum necessary to keep you from dying or turning to jelly or losing all your teeth or something. What about the person who gets nothing but the minimum levels of nutrients but seems to catch every cold or flu that goes around, is weak, and looks pretty unhealthy? He just has a weak constitution. Could it be that if he consumed more than just the bare minimum, he might feel better? I suspect so. Well, this is where things stand today for male hormone regulation. Until something is markedly wrong, it is too subtle a problem for doctors to recognize with any certainty, and those who claim to see it are considered heretics and whackos. They are labeled as "natural practitioners" who use vague, undefined terms like "estrogen dominance" or "adrenal fatigue." I guess in a male, estrogen dominance would be a more subtle form of T deficiency just as adrenal fatigue is a more subtle form of adrenal insufficiency. Doctors officially recognize the latter two conditions because they have blood tests with defined ranges and agreed-upon guidelines. The former two conditions require more of a gut feel to diagnose and treat because the person's blood work is probably within the wide range of normal, but they don't feel well, and their levels are probably near the bottom (or top, depending) of the normal range, or the ratio of different things is off, but both values are in the normal range.
On a final note, when it comes to T, one cannot forget about the adrenals and the role they play. I know a MtF who had an orchiectomy many years ago, but last I knew still had not had SRS due to cost. She still has to take spironolactone because her T is too high, and they attribute it to her adrenals.
This post was last modified: 18-03-2013, 12:55 AM by MonikaT.