Hormone Levels
Immediately following my electrolysis appointment I had a review of my hormone levels with the nurse. As I expected my oestrogen levels were still well below the optimum levels. The check was performed just prior to me coming off of oestrogen in preparation for my Gender Reassignment Surgery.
In the past my highest estrodial level was 111, now 120 is my new target to beat!
My liver function test had increased, which might partly be due to me not having fasted or maybe due to me being on 40mg of Furosimide in order to help with water retention.
The nurse is going to check if my Sandrena Gel can be increased to 4mg daily from the 3mg does I had been taking.
I am currently on 2mg of Finastride and the nurse will check to see if this can be increased to 5mg in order to help combat male hair growth issues.
The nurse advises also that I go back onto Vaniqua Cream and was surprised that this had been discontinued after 3 months as this normally takes 6 months or more to start to have a noticeable effect.
As part of this assessment I was weighed and measured, my body mass index was checked and my blood pressure was taken.
I have piled on the pounds lately and my waist measurement was only just under the point where many girls get refused surgery!
My body mass index was okay, so I may have just scraped passed. It is not uncommon for the surgeon to assess someone on the day of the intended surgery only to send them away until the weight issue has been addressed.
There was also a little concern over my blood pressure reading, but it was felt that it may be due to the hormones, the nurse will check this with the Doctors too.
I am now officially on a diet!
The nurse is going to send out her diet pack and I am under instruction to follow the plan. In addition I also have to somehow find a way to eat at regular times and before 8pm. All very difficult as I don’t have time to eat breakfast and I feel sick if I try to eat too soon after getting up. I normally rush off to work and have a oat biscuit once I have arrived.
Bread is off the menu so I can not even have a sandwich at lunch time.
I don’t leave work till 6pm and it is nearly 8pm by the time I arrive home. If money was no object I could eat my main meal at lunchtime, but money is a problem! My wife likes to have dinner with me too.
In addition to the diet I am also to exercise for 50 minutes 3 times a week. Quite where I am going to find the time is unclear at the moment. Every minute not busy working is devoted to hair removal in preparation for working! To add to the complication there is simply no place large enough to exercise in our flat.
Another suggestion was that I get off the bus a stop early and walk the rest of the way into work. That would make me even later into work and subsequently later leaving work. So I would not get home until well after the 8pm food curfew!
I thought having to cancel my surgery was going to be distressing, but actually the prospect of following the diet and exercise regimen is much harder to cope with.