If you’re a transgender man, you may be wondering how often you will need to take testosterone injections. However, the answer is not the same for everyone, and there are a few factors that come into play. However, the injections are generally given anywhere between every three weeks to every week. Furthermore, it is important to note that the body is not able to store testosterone, and that means that the changes you experience as a result of taking it will reverse if you don’t receive your testosterone injections. Therefore, most transgender men will continue to receive testosterone injections throughout their life, and this is especially true for transgender men who still have functioning ovaries. If you do not have functioning ovaries, stopping hormone injections can result in problems with your bone density.
What Determines How Often The Injections Are Required?
One factor is the dosage that your doctor recommends, and another factor is your body’s natural hormone levels. Transgender men who are just starting HRT have a significant amount of variation in hormone levels prior to beginning HRT. Furthermore, transgender men who were born with certain intersex conditions will need a different dosage than transgender men who were born with a functioning female body, and this dosage is typically lower. In addition, the length of time that you have been on HRT will play a role in determining how often you receive injections, and medical conditions that you have will influence the frequency of hormone injections as well. Certain medical conditions may require that you take a lower dosage of testosterone than would be recommended otherwise, and your dosage will be decreased by at least 50% if you have had your ovaries removed.
There are different types of testosterone that you may receive. Some trans men receive testosterone enanthate or testosterone cypionate, and this is usually given in doses of anywhere between 100 and 400 milligrams. This form of testosterone is generally given every two weeks to every four weeks. However, testosterone propionate can be given more frequently, and it’s even given as often as twice a week in some cases. However, the dosages are typically lower at around 100 to 200 milligrams. However, higher dosages of testosterone can be given, and it has been safely administered in dosages as high as 1,000 milligrams every week. Higher dosages either by greater frequency or larger individual dosages of hormones do not appear to result in more rapid changes in transgender men, and it may even have the opposite effect as excess testosterone is converted into estrogen in the body.
What Medical Conditions Can Affect The Dosage Or Frequency Of Testosterone That You Receive?
Individuals with bleeding disorders generally do not receive testosterone injections, and people with these conditions are likely to receive hormone replacement therapy through other routes of administration instead. People who suffer from migraines or sleep apnea, migraines, or acne may require adjustments to the dosage or frequency of testosterone injections. Psychiatric problems often require that a lower dosage of testosterone be given, and that’s because the hormone can have significant effects on one’s mood. This is especially true for individuals with psychiatric problems who have any history of violent behavior. In addition, people who are experiencing side effects of hormone replacement therapy may require alterations to their dosage of testosterone injections. People who suffer from coronary artery disease, liver disease, heart problems, or problems with their kidneys may require adjustments to their hormone replacement therapy as these conditions raise the risk of serious side effects from testosterone injections.
Furthermore, certain medications can alter testosterone levels, and this may affect the dosage and frequency of hormone injections that you receive. For example, some anti-depressants can cause an increase in testosterone levels, and this can require a decrease in the dosage or frequency of injections. Also, certain antifungal medications can increase the levels of testosterone in your body, and this may require a reduction in dosage. Certain forms of antibiotics cause an increase in testosterone levels, and cimetidine raises testosterone levels as well. In addition, protease inhibitors that are used to treat HIV can increase testosterone. However, phenobarbital, Dilantin, and the antibiotic rifampin reduce both testosterone and estrogen levels. In addition, testosterone injections can interfere with how certain medications work, and this may require adjustments in the dosage or frequency of the injections. For example, testosterone interacts with some diabetes medications, Inderal, and warfarin.
Get In Touch With Us Today!
If you are a transgender man in the Birmingham area, get in touch with us today at 205-352-9141 to see a physician for hormone replacement therapy!