theorybitch
in
ftm
fortnightly shots vs nebido/reandron/aveed, and mood swings
I've been on T for 7 years. I was living in Australia; I'm now living in the US and have had to change the kind of T I inject, and it's having a really bad effect on my moods.
Some background: For the first three years on T I gradually increased from a low dose to fortnightly injections of 250mgs. For a lot of that time I experienced mood swings, emotional instability, crying jags, fits of anger -- which was why I increased my dose. Then my doctor put me on Reandron (known as Nebido/Aveed elsewhere) which is a slow-release injection you have every 12 weeks. Reandron/Nebido/Aveed makes your T levels stay at a stable level with minor increases/decreases rather than the fortnightly spike and drop. At the same time I became far more emotionally stable. It felt really good: I had lots of energy, good libido, was stable and sane.
Anyhow, since moving to the US I can't get Reandron/Aveed anymore. The FDA hasn't approved it and doesn't seem likely to. I'm back on fortnightly shots, and ever since I started these my moods have been going nuts. I feel emotional, irrationally angry, depressed and teary. Oddly, I only start to feel better when I'm at the END of a cycle -- when my T levels drop. I had thought that the emotional instability of years ago was about being in early transition and going through a lot of other stresses, but maybe it was my hormones all along? I live in a fairly out of the way place place and my new doctor doesn't seem to know much about trans health; I don't think he'd know what to do about this. It's driving me crazy.
So, two questions:
a) Has anyone had a similar experience on fortnightly shots? Any suggestions on what to do? (Would cream or gel be better?)
b) Any tips on how to obtain Nebido without spending $450 per shot? Is anyone doing this? I tried to get a friend travelling in Mexico to find me some Nebido or Aveed but she couldn't. And I can't get it from Australia, they regulate its use far too carefully.
(Edit: can I also just say how incredibly angry it makes me that the FDA isn't approving this drug, which apart from one coughing fit looks SO MUCH better in terms of long term health, liver function etc than other T preparations? I smell corporate shady dealings. And it's the pharmaceuticals industry so shadiness is expected, but come on.)
Some background: For the first three years on T I gradually increased from a low dose to fortnightly injections of 250mgs. For a lot of that time I experienced mood swings, emotional instability, crying jags, fits of anger -- which was why I increased my dose. Then my doctor put me on Reandron (known as Nebido/Aveed elsewhere) which is a slow-release injection you have every 12 weeks. Reandron/Nebido/Aveed makes your T levels stay at a stable level with minor increases/decreases rather than the fortnightly spike and drop. At the same time I became far more emotionally stable. It felt really good: I had lots of energy, good libido, was stable and sane.
Anyhow, since moving to the US I can't get Reandron/Aveed anymore. The FDA hasn't approved it and doesn't seem likely to. I'm back on fortnightly shots, and ever since I started these my moods have been going nuts. I feel emotional, irrationally angry, depressed and teary. Oddly, I only start to feel better when I'm at the END of a cycle -- when my T levels drop. I had thought that the emotional instability of years ago was about being in early transition and going through a lot of other stresses, but maybe it was my hormones all along? I live in a fairly out of the way place place and my new doctor doesn't seem to know much about trans health; I don't think he'd know what to do about this. It's driving me crazy.
So, two questions:
a) Has anyone had a similar experience on fortnightly shots? Any suggestions on what to do? (Would cream or gel be better?)
b) Any tips on how to obtain Nebido without spending $450 per shot? Is anyone doing this? I tried to get a friend travelling in Mexico to find me some Nebido or Aveed but she couldn't. And I can't get it from Australia, they regulate its use far too carefully.
(Edit: can I also just say how incredibly angry it makes me that the FDA isn't approving this drug, which apart from one coughing fit looks SO MUCH better in terms of long term health, liver function etc than other T preparations? I smell corporate shady dealings. And it's the pharmaceuticals industry so shadiness is expected, but come on.)