microgynon / Ethinylestradiol – is it safe?

[bee]

I was also prescribed this drug and yes I am still alive. It is a stronger form of contraceptive pill (35 being the ‘norm’).

I suggest you read the makers Consumer Medical Information for this drug. You can find a pdf file here

http://www.bayer.com.au/html/images/upload/CMIs/Microgynon_50ED_CMI_Apr08.pdf

It is wise to be aware of the possible side effects so you know when/if they happen. HRT is a bit of a ‘hit and miss’ science I feel – as everyone is different. If this drug is not having the desired effect, or the side effects are too much for the patient there are many other drugs your health professional can suggest.

DVT can be a concern for all on HRT, and when flying the use of leg stocking is one way to help prevent it. Also you will normally be advised to stop HRT a few weeks before and after if you have any planned surgeries. This again is to reduce the risk.

You can read what drugs I have taken here
http://bambi.freeo.net/hormones.html

~bambi~

Moderator

Quote:

WARNING
TrannyRadio is not a medical forum and any comments you may read in TR forums are only the opinions of the member posting. You should not assume that a posting on TR implies any verification or independent review and whilst the advice is honestly offered it is made without knowledge of your particular medical conditions. You should always seek professional medical advice before taking any action that might affect your health.

[Anonymous]

Sarah everything we do in life has it risks. Walking out on the street we can get hit by a bus and it has happened to someone. Bambi is right with her comments and monitor your side effects.

Everyone is different and the drugs they give us will work differently on everyone. Estradiol even at 8mg did not have any effect on me yet other girls 2mg is enough. I had to change to a different type of drug to get it to work and I understand a few other girls had the same experance.

So the doctors will start you off on estradiol in lower amounts and see what effects it has on you. They will adjust the amounts to suit your body’s recations. This is why it is important to do as your doctor tells you and tell them all of the effects it has on you.

The end result will be the same, they are trying to administor hormones into your system in the safest possiable way. The different tablets have different levels and different ways of getting into your system. Bambi has outlined these risks with good suggestions.

xxx

Kelly Jones

[Anonymous]

I’m on microgynon too.

Sometimes people see the list of possible side effects for a drug and freak out. And then when one person panics, it can start a silly rumour in the community. But the thing to remember is that the things on that side effects list are possible, not inevitable side effects. Some are very likely, some are very unlikely, and some don’t happen unless you take a massive overdose.

Millions of women take microgynon every day without worrying about it, and if it was killing millions of women, somebody would probably have noticed by now and taken it off the shelves.

Taking any kind of estrogen + progesterone by mouth increases the risk of blood clots, but the risk is small. Swallowing a microgynon tablet is still safer than getting into a car.

If you’re worried about being killed by blood clots, you can significantly reduce the risk when you’re taking the plane to England by wearing tight stockings, moving your legs around, or going for walks up and down the aisle every few hours. If you’re not sitting still for 15+ hours at a time or lying unconscious in a hospital bed, it’s just not that much of a worry.

Incidentally, the estrogen in microgynon is ethynylestradiol, whereas a lot of trannies take estradiol instead. The upside is that ethynylestradiol has a longer half-life in the body, so it should keep your hormone levels more stable, and it works at much lower doses; the downside is it might be a little harsher on your liver. But if your liver is healthy to begin with and you’re not taking huge overdoses then it’s probably OK.

[Anonymous]

hi
thanks to you all for your comments

Quote:

What are your intentions to transition

Yes, that’s the idea. I am a TS woman and intent to finally do something about it

Thanks Bambi (again!) – the info from Bayer is the kind of thing I was after. Glad you are still alive by the way!

Kelly: re: risks – totally agree. I guess it’s about being informed (and wiht the mediacal community inparticular, being assertive) and weighing up the risks with a cool clear eye on the outcome

Robyn:

Quote:

Millions of women take microgynon every day

. That’s what I was thinking! Seemed weird that TS women, however, are dropping off like flies…

I guess it’s a case of considering the Dr’s oppinion, the manufacturer’s info and the experiences of users. Thanks again. Feeling better informed and will proceed with this medication very shortly under my Dr’s watchful eye

cheers
Sarah

[Anonymous]

Yeah but cis women take microgynon for completely different reasons. microgynon is a contraceptive pill, there are other more suitable forms of estrogen that you can take.
I know people react differently to some hormones and some can only take a certain type but to be started off on microgynon sounds bizarre to me.
Are you taking any anti-androgens?

[Anonymous]

Of course its not safe, everything these days isn’t safe, didn’t you know that! Seriously tho, never take anything unless you’ve thought it through, read the leaflets about it and its sides effects and considered what they all means and are you prepared to live with the risks etc.
Just because a GP prescribes something doesn’t mean you ave to take it, nor does it mean its necessarily the better thing for you. Take the time to chat with the GP about it, don’t blindly accept. Of course, when it comes to HRT stuff, what choices are there, very little since I’ve yet to find any that are tailor especially to transitioning people without side effects including stuffing out your sex drive or sending it into overdrive, leaving you feeling like total rubbish/ depressed/ sleepless etc.
Simply put, there is little choice, but there are choices within the options to try and see what works better for you.

[Anonymous]

The safety aspect of Microgynon comes down to age IMHO. There seems to be strong opinion elsewhere that if you are over 45 that the risks of microgynon are too high. I’m in my mid 50’s and I went to an endo that would precribe transdermal patches….just for safety. If you are younger well then Microgynon is certainly effective and cheap. Normal dose is 2 per day. Additional antiandrogens are also normallly required. If you subscribe to the yahoo groups crone and doitoyurselfhormones you
will find a wealth of information…..and sometimes disinformatrion lol
Hope you have a eventless transition
Gwen

Moderator

Quote:

WARNING
TrannyRadio is not a medical forum and any comments you may read in TR forums are only the opinions of the member posting. You should not assume that a posting on TR implies any verification or independent review and whilst the advice is honestly offered it is made without knowledge of your particular medical conditions. You should always seek professional medical advice before taking any action that might affect your health.

[Anonymous]

I have been on Microgynon 50 ED for some time now and have had no problems! I take one tablet a day!

[Anonymous]

HI All

Both endo’s I have seen have put me on Microgynon, When I first started, I had no access to an Endo, as Alice only has a visiting one that comes up about every 3 months and the waiting list is usually about a year, depending on urgency of the case, as the endo is usually booked solid, so my GP was proscribing my hormones and at that time I was on progynova, this was in early 2007, I was finally able to get to Melbourne in 2008 and saw an Endo there affiliated with the Monash Centre and he put me on 1 tablet of Microgynon 50 ED a day, then when I came back from Having my surgery in Thailand in 2009 I saw an endo in One of the Suburbs of Brisbane and he proscribed 1 tablet a day of Microgynon 30 ED and have been on that ever since and so far I have not had any problems being on it but now that I am in Adelaide I want to get an update, so have an appointment to see an Endo in November, to see whether I stay on the Microgynon 30 ED’s or Change to something else.

All the best
Hugs
Sharon

[Lisa_W]

Hi all
Everything that everybody has previously said has some truth to it.
There are many forms of HRT. Microgynon is one form.
Oestrogen itself is a testosterone inhibitor but it is usually combined with an anti-androgen such as Spiro.

The whole package is a combination of; such things as age, risk factors, past medical history & goals of the TG etc.

The source of oestrogen can be oral, transdermal or injection. It is usuallly combined with an anti-androgen plus or minus progesterone. Each HRT formulation must be individualised. So generalisation can potenially be harmful.

I suggest that each Tg must make themselves aware of the various forms of HRT and their side effects. With that knowledge then have an informed discussion with their doctor. I strongly advise against self medication & unreal expectations.

If anyone wants more info then they can contact me directly by an email.

Hugs
Lisa

[Anonymous]

Doctor guidence is best when taking HRT, not all doctors have the same methods so it’s best to do a little research first! I’am very happy with what hormones have done for me under my doctors guidence, my only regret is not taking them earlier through my teenage years due to a lack of knowledge on the topic of gender dysphoria growing up through school! For me though it was a pretty easy transition when starting HRT as i had a little help from birth with undescended testicles which were removed from birth such below my lower abdomen due to complications, although i grew up as a boy through my teenage years due my parents decision i always had the mould of a female through my teenage years and was always commentied on my body shape! It wasn’t till after i left school i found out that i had a testosterone deficiency… also add in the mix a low self esteem with a good case of gender dysphoria! I guess that pretty much explained the hot flushes later on, i think i’am more disappoinited with my doctor & parents though, leaving me in limbo from birth not knowing what the complications will be down the track and finding them out on my own! But thats the cards you can be dealt with in life i guess! Such to quote when i first started HRT i had Size 14B breasts on a slim frame with very little down below, i think taking a lot of soy products helped with some growth before hormones, but really the hormones put the edge on things! Also a good diet helps, as i’ve followed a similiar diet to Elle Macpherson for some time now and it has done wonders, although you have to be very strict on yourself! As for me it has taken a while to put everything in perspective, but i am very happy with life now! Finally being myself i wouldn’t trade that for anything in the world! Main thing is to always believe in yourself & good things will happen! Lot of Love Jess!

[Adrian]

Moderator

Quote:

Please note this thread is not about anything to do with hormones.

The topic is “microgynon / Ethinylestradiol – is it safe?” and only posts that address that issue should be added to this thread.

[Anonymous]

After about 18 months or more on 1 tablet of Microgynon 50 a day, my GP has changed my medication. Apparently there’s a correlation between being on Oestrogen and progesterone together for more than around 2 years and breast cancer. I’ve just started 2 x 2mg progynova per day (still no need for AA’s)

So there you go.

PS: Amanda, please insert the usual disclaimer…

My pleasure!
Moderator

Quote:

WARNING
TgR is not a medical forum and any comments you may read in TgR forums are only the opinions of the member posting. You should not assume that a posting on TgR implies any verification or independent review and whilst the advice is honestly offered it is made without knowledge of your particular medical conditions. You should always seek professional medical advice before taking any action that might affect your health.

[Lisa_W]

Unfortunately Sarah we don’t go anywhere on your information.

It appears that your GP has confused the 2 different types of HRT. One is for postmenopausal women & the other is for MtF transexuals.

About 10 years ago the Women’s Health Initiative study was stopped early & the data published as there was a statisical increase in breast cancer in post menopausal women who had been on combined oestrogen & progesterone therapy for more than 5-6 years. There was a lot of criticism about that study because they initiated treament in women in their 6th decade of life. Approximately 10 years after the menopause. There are other concerns about how the study was conducted & analysed as well. But the women were definitely not given Microgynon 50 or even 30.

HRT for T-girls is to induce a new puberty & is often started with Microgynon 50. As everyone has acknowledged it is a contraceptive pill. It was one of the early ones. Remember COC (combined oral contraceptives) were released back in the early 1960’s. Since then they have been intensively studied & yes they have many side-effects (Raised BP, migraines, DVT’s, acne etc are just a few) but they have never been shown to cause breast cancer. Can you image the press coverage if that were the case!

I have many concerns about using Microgynon as a HRT agent in MtF’s – one of which is that the blood level cannot be measured. There are many others that are a safer alternative – but every drug has its own side effect profile, so none can be considered risk free.

However you have raised an interesting subtopic; what is the breast cancer rate in T-girls & when &/or if they should have mammograms?

Lisa

[Anonymous]

Ok, thanks for your reply. Though I got the impression my Dr was citing something more recent than the study you refer to

I understand, while annoying, triangulating e levels through examination of blood test results and patient response and health is sufficient