Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
What Causes Tenderness In The Breast While On Meprate And Progynova?
Question: Hi. I am a male to female transgender, 52 years old, and have been taking Estrofem 2mg tablets 2x a day. I am also taking Meprate 2.5 mg 2x a day, in the morning and again at bedtime. I was recently switched to Progynova 2mg tablets, and have noticed that the tenderness in my breasts has almost faded away. My concern is that my breasts may have stopped developing because of the switch from Estrofem to the Progynova. Is that possible? And if so, if I go back to the Estrofem, will the breast development resume? Also, I am currently not taking an androgen blocker. Would that help with the feminization process? Thank you so much for your time and help with this. I look forward to hearing from you.
Brief Answer:
About female transgender therapy;
Detailed Answer:
Hello and thank you for asking!
In terms of active ingredient then there is no difference between them as both contain estradiol. The Estrofem is the 'pure' drug and the Progynova is a compound containing the pure drug in combination with the valerate salt. You should be able to swap between them as needed but be aware that the doses may be slightly different so you'd need to speak to your clinic and see what they advise for an equivalent dose. The fact that the breast tenderness has faded away, means that you need a higher dose of Progynova to have the same effect of Estrofem. Doses higher than 4 mg, need a close monitoring of liver function.
Regarding to antiandrogenics; to maximize feminine desired effects and minimize adverse effects, endocrine therapy must be individualized based on the patient's goals, the risk/benefit ratio of medications and the presence of other medical conditions.
After that, you can decide rather adding antiandrogenics at this point is beneficial for you or not.
Hope i have been helpful.
Kind regards,
Dr.Mirjeta
About female transgender therapy;
Detailed Answer:
Hello and thank you for asking!
In terms of active ingredient then there is no difference between them as both contain estradiol. The Estrofem is the 'pure' drug and the Progynova is a compound containing the pure drug in combination with the valerate salt. You should be able to swap between them as needed but be aware that the doses may be slightly different so you'd need to speak to your clinic and see what they advise for an equivalent dose. The fact that the breast tenderness has faded away, means that you need a higher dose of Progynova to have the same effect of Estrofem. Doses higher than 4 mg, need a close monitoring of liver function.
Regarding to antiandrogenics; to maximize feminine desired effects and minimize adverse effects, endocrine therapy must be individualized based on the patient's goals, the risk/benefit ratio of medications and the presence of other medical conditions.
After that, you can decide rather adding antiandrogenics at this point is beneficial for you or not.
Hope i have been helpful.
Kind regards,
Dr.Mirjeta
Note: For more information on hormonal imbalance symptoms or unmanaged diabetes with other comorbid conditions, get back to us & Consult with an Endocrinologist. Click here to book an appointment.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
