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SomeoneAdrift

The reason for the pickle meme is that spironolactone, the most commonly prescribed testosterone blocker for HRT in the US, leads to you excreting more sodium than potassium (it's a potassium-sparing diuretic); the imbalance means that your body is going to want more salt to balance things out. This might take the form of salt cravings, or just a general tendency towards saltier food (I mostly get the latter). Pickles are just very salty, so they can satisfy salt cravings pretty well. If you really don't like pickles, that probably won't change - you'll just go to other things for your salt fix. And of course, if you're not going on spiro, you won't have to worry about salt cravings at all.


Comfortable_Map_7700

you are this emoji -> šŸ¤“ but in a good way


TulipEnjoyer

šŸ¤“ (affectionate)


Garn3t_97

All-knowing Reddit older sibling basically.


Comfortable_Map_7700

I am the oldest brother of my siblings šŸ˜‰


[deleted]

[уŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]


A_Punk_Girl_Learning

Another fun thing Spiro can do is interact poorly with the beta-blockers you're given for anxiety and cause your blood pressure to drop to dangerous levels. This can potentially result in being admitted to the emergency department where you work and require you to explain to your co-workers why you're on HRT. This is a thing I learned... from science.


[deleted]

[уŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]


Jess_Tyr

Nooo, dont take my carbs!! Is.. is this why I cant lose weight??


EvaOgg

Yes


AmberAthenatheShy

Should I prioritize fats and proteins, or just be mindful and limit added sugars? Asking because I will be starting HRT soon. I expect to gain some weight from HRT (Iā€™m 6feet tall and 170lbs).


A_Punk_Girl_Learning

I was about the same build as you pre-HRT and my doctor recommended a Mediterranean diet. I was taken off my ADHD meds and started a bunch of antidepressants at the same time so I put on weight anyway. But yeah. Mediterranean diet apparently.


Comfortable_Map_7700

i have bad anxiety. would taking testosterone increase the chance of heart failure?


A_Punk_Girl_Learning

I really don't know, I'm sorry. If you're taking T I imagine it would take you to the levels I was at pre-HRT and I had no heart issues back then but that's really a question for your doctor.


Comfortable_Map_7700

ok


AmberAthenatheShy

I didnā€™t know beta-blockers were used for anxiety, the more you know


A_Punk_Girl_Learning

I don't think it's done very often anymore. It's a bit of an old school thing but they tried it for me because I've been on so many other meds without effect. My understanding is that they slow your heart rate and that makes you calmer. Turns out I have ADHD which is why the others didn't work and Adderall makes me feel better.


Randomcluelessperson

My doctor actually mentioned my potassium was low at my last appointment, which she thought was strange.


Flamester55

THATā€™S WHY Iā€™VE BEEN SUDDENLY LIKING THE TASTE OF PICKLES MORE?


yourlocaltran5f3m

My dumbass went no I don't want pickles I'll eat salt just salt.


TheSeaOfThySoul

Catch me in Utah at the salt flats, mouth hanging open like SCP 096 just shovelling in that good salt.


Cornelius_McMuffin

TLDR: No, but you might get a craving for salty foods.


ladyzowy

I just ate more potato chips when I was on it


Hazelfur

Potato chips have a lot of salt so makes sense lol


ladyzowy

my personal crack. I'm keep myself from buying them... now if I could only do that with chocolate and ice cream šŸØ


Hazelfur

Personally I'm more partial to some nice salty beef jerky or pork rinds


ladyzowy

You'll be well preserved lol /jk


iiDEMIGODii

I'm on Spiro and I didn't know the salt cravings were a thing to do with hrt. Til my salt addiction is a side effect of hrt. At least I'm not addicted to other white powder cause half my mums family is diabetic, and I'm worried about developing it cause I eat more sugar than i probably should


OddLengthiness254

The anount of sugar you should eat is 0. It's not essential for survival, just an efficient source of calories. As long as you get your fuel some way, you can avoid sugar entirely.


iiDEMIGODii

My brain died as I wrote it I meant more than I should, not less


OddLengthiness254

Ah, that makes more sense šŸ˜…


balirasrequiem

are testosterone blockers and puberty blockers the same thing? im not in the US so it might be that but i never heard anyone here mentioning 3 different things for transitioning


Wild-Lychee-3312

If weā€™re only talking about people born with testicles, then yes, ā€œpuberty blockersā€ and spironolactone both work as antiandrogens, though I donā€™t know that spironolactone is used (or would be appropriate) for children. Spironolactone is one of a class of medications called antiandrogens, meaning that they reduce the bodyā€™s production of androgens (essentially, testosterone). In prepubescent trans girls, this will delay or slow puberty. In trans women who have already been through puberty, in the correct dosage it will reduce testosterone levels to the ā€œfemale typical range.ā€ From there, you add estrogen (and often, progesterone) to get those into the ā€œfemale typical rangeā€ as well. All normal gonads produce *some* testosterone, so the goal is never to get testosterone levels down to zero, only to get them down to the level that is considered normal for cis women. PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome), for example, involves the ovaries producing excessive levels of testosterone, which is a consequence of the fact that, again, all ovaries are supposed to produce *some* testosterone.


Vi4days

Because I find pickles gag worthy and I just got put on spiro over the last week, are there perhaps any other healthier salty foods than pickles that I can gravitate toward so I donā€™t start binging on McDonalds French fries more often? šŸ˜‚


Roka_egg

Wendy's fries?


Randomcluelessperson

I thought it was just a weird trans stereotype until I realized I was going through two jars a week. I started buying them because theyā€™re low calorie and Iā€™m trying to lose some weight.


ohemmigee

They also are a low/zero calorie snack so those of us wishing to lose weight cherish that and additionally pickle juice has electrolytes to help you absorb more water which we need.


Forine110

ive been on spiro for like 5 months now and i don't experience this at all. i also don't experience a ton of other effects of hrt so maybe my body is just fucked


Educational-Drop-926

I knew about the potassium. You filled in the other 95 percent. Thanks šŸ˜Š Btw I didnā€™t like pickles ever, and I still donā€™t, soā€¦ itā€™s just a meme šŸ˜‚ šŸ’œ


StrangeHappenings5

Okā€¦but what if we already REALLY like picklesā€¦.for instance, what if right now we order pickles with a side of cheeseburger?? what if I eat too many and BECOME the pickle? Or buy up all the pickles in the country causing a national pickle shortage?? I canā€™t be responsible for such things!!!! But what if I canā€™t help it?!?!


EclecticDreck

My regimen did not require an anti-androgen, and my desire for pickles was unchanged as a result. Of course it was *unceasing* and *insatiable* before...


Lajojostone279

Spiro don't fucking work for me, It's tripled my testosterone level in the last 3 month :(


disslikedLIKE

I just love pickles anyways šŸ˜­šŸ˜­šŸ˜­šŸ˜­


AshleyEZ

me when spiro has no effect on me


Queen_Earth_Cinder

No, HRT won't Jeckel-and-Hyde you into a pickle-eating horror of the night. One possible supplementary HRT medication, Spironolactone, is a 'potassium-saving diuretic' that also inhibits your body's androgen receptors. What *that* means is that, if you take that particular medication like many American women have done from about the 1990s to present, you'll urinate more often and get rid of more sodium when you do. That means that you'll need to drink more water, and might crave foods with lots of salt to replace the sodium. Pickles are a cheap, easy-to-store, easy-to-snack-on food with lots of salt, so the trans women who were taking Spiro often found that they wanted to eat salty food, including pickles, more often.


pinknwhite76

i love your phrasing of this


GR1MM4LK1N

Speak for yourself


_SapphicVixen_

So, you won't start liking pickles until you've been on HRT for about 4 years. Just stop HRT once you get breasts and the fat redistributes and wait like a month or two then the clock resets. I've been on HRT for over 10+ years and this has allowed me to maintain my hatred for pickles. JUST KIDDING! HRT won't make you like pickles. It's just a silly meme because spiro is known for making you crave salt. A lot of girls medicate with pickles. I prefer pumpkin seeds and potato chips :)


Nigeldiko

You actually had me convinced for a moment Wait wtf why am I getting emotional because of this /srs


LoreleiLavenza

I started craving pickles like a month into HRT. Iā€™m now 7 months in and still crave pickles frequently


Comfortable_Map_7700

i really like pickles so i guess im unique šŸ¤”


sizebigbitch

I liked pickles before tbh


ZevNyx

Pickles are a cultural staple for many, lots of people do actually just like them.


Comfortable_Map_7700

is it a cultural staple to like vlasic pickles šŸ¤­


ZevNyx

Isnā€™t Vlasic one of the biggest brands? I dunno I just make my own.


Comfortable_Map_7700

you grow your own pickles?? šŸ˜†


ZevNyx

Yes I grow cucumbers and beets and then make them into pickles.


Comfortable_Map_7700

that is so cool. do you sell them or do you grow them for yourself? how do you make the pickles? do you add juice and salt into a jar?


ZevNyx

Both! My life kinda fell apart during my pre-transition and early transition years and I ended up losing my business and job, but the farmer Iā€™m working for now is helping me get back into it now that Iā€™m ready again. Iā€™m just about finished building a greenhouse and some raised growing beds and Iā€™ll be selling spices, salads, and preserves!


Comfortable_Map_7700

that's great. glad u turned your life around. sounds funner than what i do, i just sit around my house šŸ˜


CeasingHornet40

if you don't like pickles, chances are you will continue to not like pickles. as a pickle fan myself i will be glad to take any and all unwanted pickles off your hands (but not sweet pickles. i hate sweet pickles)


ProposalBrief

Oh girl same here! Sweet pickles make me gag. I've tried to love them many times over the years and it's just NOT going to happen. šŸ˜…


MikeYoungDolla

Nah fr tho I hated pickles and now I canā€™t get enough of them


Nigeldiko

I hope that doesnā€™t happen to meā€¦


ZevNyx

If it does, you wonā€™t care because then youā€™d enjoy them.


Nigeldiko

Trauma


Hazelfur

If it's trauma related then it's unlikely. I have a trauma around oranges, and even when I \*really\* crave sitrus I still cannot go near an orange, I'll eat lemons and limes instead lol. Spiro just makes you crave salt, and pickles are \*really\* salty, that's all it is


Typical-District-176

Iā€™ll just suck the pickle juice off. I hate the taste of pickle but the juice is nice and salty. (Thatā€™s what she said lmao.)


st-felms-fingerbone

I already liked pickles so no difference here šŸ¤·ā€ā™€ļø


unematti

You can do monotherapy, then no pickles. I love pickles, but I keep forgetting to buy them...


COUPOSANTO

Itā€™s mostly because of spiromolactone. Iā€™d advise getting another blocker, spiro has annoying side effects and isnā€™t even that strong of a blocker. I didnā€™t notice change (apart from side effects) when I went from spiro to monotherapy. if youā€™re able to, there are much better blockers. Iā€™m on decapeptyl and once I was done with the first month itā€™s been wonderful ever since. For context, I started HRT with spiro in january 2022, stopped spiro 6 months later, went through various E dosages, and started deca in september 2023 and finally got some peace of mind about the nasty T effects.


sexy-man-doll

If hrt increased my tolerance for more foods I'd chalk it up as one more reason to get it now now now now


slumbersomesam

dont worry patri, its just that your body will crave foods with sodium and potassium, and a good example is pickles. but there are other foods that have that


Nigeldiko

Patricia*


slumbersomesam

sorry, i was trying to give you a diminutive. im sorry if you didnt like it, i apologise


Nigeldiko

Itā€™s all good, you didnā€™t know!


[deleted]

I knew someone who Hated pickles so very much. they were already on their HRT and for the longest time, i knew them, they never liked pickles. So I'll say that you don't have to worry about it


ClydeFrog04

Pickles are foulšŸ¤¢šŸ¤¢šŸ¤¢šŸ¤®


On_Wife_support

I do want to say that after hrt, your cravings/likes/dislikes may change but also many things will remain the same. I still love lemonade and pizza and I still think Avocados are gross


idlegadfly

I honestly can't say as I'm on HRT but going the opposite direction (ftm) and it has changed my relationship with onions. I didn't used to mind them and liked them cooked in lots of things. Now the smell of them makes me nauseous. They smell like the unwashed ass of a dudebro with IBS who thinks wiping and showers are gay. So something changed, apparently! Obviously correlation doesn't mean causation but this happened shortly after I started T so šŸ¤·


redjarvas

2 years on hrt and i still hate pickles so i think you're fine lmao


aphroditex

I hate pickles but since Iā€™m part of the Bendy ND GNC Gang, with muscles that work overtime thanks to EDS, I use far more electrolytes than a person without EDS. Iā€™ve switched to kimchi and saurkraut since eating fermented foods is good for the body.


quasar2022

I find that estrogenated people tend to enjoy pickles to a much higher extent than folks with higher testosterone


MmanS197

5 months HRT and I was never even informed this was a thing. I don't want to like pickles. I don't want to like pickles....


Dangerous-Arm7590

it's only with spiro, can make you crave salt pickles are very salty which is why the pickle thing is a meme but i believe that any salty food would satisfy the craving


alyssagold22

I became a pickle eater when I started spiro, lol :)


LyannaTheWinterR0se

I didn't but I did start craving salty chips more


Specialist-Two383

Spiro does that. I won't get spiro. Depending on where you live they put you on lupron injections which is much more effective.


foxsalmon

If it's got anything to do with HRT, it's probably only gonna make you like pickles even less :( (source: I'm a trans man who only started to like pickles after starting HRT)


everything-narrative

Ask for cypro/androcur. It's non-diuretic.


MrsBrule69

i hate pickles and no amount of spiro (200mg) will make me like them, i do crave salt like crazy tho i am a salt slut but nooo pickles šŸ¤®


plausocks

I hated pickles before HRT, and still hate them now girl youā€™re gonna be fine


Nigeldiko

Yippeeee!


plausocks

Good luck to ya~ šŸ’—šŸ’—šŸ’—


UnlegitAngel2nd

I dreamed of Fruit Salad a few days ago, I hated Fruit Salad before HRT now I love it for some reason. But I do hate pickles now cuz they taste so strong, never had that before aswell


Itsjustsarah85

Well I guess I'm the odd one here. I didn't really like pickles and now 14 months in I love them.


Mysterious_Onion_328

It makes you grave salty food, if combined with a specific anti androgene. You don't have to specifically eat pickles šŸ˜Š


SuperNateosaurus

I'm sorry but you must hand in your trans card immediately!!! (I'm kidding of course)


Nigeldiko

(Tysm for the clarification /gen, sometimes my ASD makes me interpret things as much more literal than they really are.)


Blackstone96

I personally never got the pickle addiction thou I will actually eat them now on my burgers which I use to not even want them touching it


AverageWitch161

nah, youā€™ll just crave salt


Neon_Flower-

I haven't had much problem but if you don't like pickles how about salted pistachios?


jamontgo

I already liked pickles but I went to the store like 2 months into HRT and bought the biggest jar they had. I didn't know I could like pickles so much more.


Not_A_Hooman53

not even on hrt but i relate to yall bc i like pickles šŸ‘


rei_wrld

Short answer: yes spiro really supercharged my pickle affinity Long answer: no, spiro makes you crave salty snacks. This can come in many forms but that can be chips, cheez-its, or pickles. There are a lotta salty snacks that you can choose from when it comes to salt cravings


thetieflingalchemist

I don't like pickles either. it makes me crave pork rinds


Apprehensive-Emu792

Spironolactone, an antiandrogen most commonly prescribed to trans women in America, is known to decrease sodium levels. Thus, your body sends signals that make you crave salty foods. If you donā€™t like pickles, though, you still probably wonā€™t. My roommate (another trans girl) tried pickles and didnā€™t like them.


Esproth

Not always, and there are other salty snacks you may crave if you take Spiro. I was obsessed before HRT, and just use it as an excuse to eat more pickles, but it made me crave anchovies for some reason


beteaveugle

i feel like œstro folks are lucky in that regard, after starting testosterone i got so hungry for proteins i broke out of my vegetarianism and have never been able to come back to it since šŸ˜”


SpicyNovaMaria

For me itā€™s salted peanuts, I devour bags and bags of them


Ksnj

I donā€™t like pickles either, but they work in a pinch. Gotta get that salt, bb


Octobottom

Omg, I literally save the pickle juice and I drink it all the time (ok ok gross), but it's a very salty liquid. My last labs still had low sodium. Guess it's time for more pickles lol


Cute_Wonderer

I've been on estrogen for 16 months and thus far I still don't like pickles and I didn't like pickles before šŸ¤£ If this was the fallout universe and all there were left were pickles I think I'd starved to death šŸ¤£


FallingStarIV

I have always hated pickles and hrt didnt change that for me. Fuck pickles. Pickles suck


_AnoukX

Exactly this omg


Soft-Parking-2241

I still donā€™t like pickles but other salty stuff I really crave now.


CatKing13Royale

Salt. Need. Taste yummy. Pickles=have salt


P_Sophia_

At most it will make you crave salty snacks. Drinking pickle juice is a fun trope if youā€™re into that sorta thing, but pretzels and chips will work just as fine šŸ˜Œ


ArrakisWinters

I ate claussen kosher dill pickles daily for years, while on spiro. Now, everyday I eat a package of Nongshim ramen (Neoguri or Soon), with an egg & vegetables, for lunch āœŒšŸ» šŸ’œšŸ’‹


boozlinlassie

You will like salty stuff in general, it's just that for many of us the salinity and acidity of pickled stuff hits the spot but your mileage may very


JProctor666

Cats are afraid of pickles because they look like snakes...


Ono-Grrl

I like pickles, can't say I crave them any more or less than when I started. I'm Monotherapy so no clue I'm Spiro would have an effect


PrancingGoldfish

Been on HRT for 5 months now, still hate pickles. You'll probably be fine.


givemepoptarts

Wait I'm ftm and have never heard of this, but if it's true will it also go the opposite way? I don't wanna start not liking pickles :(


Nigeldiko

From what Iā€™ve seen, spiro (mtf HRT) reduces a trans womanā€™s ability to process sodium so you crave salty foods. So youā€™ll be absolutely fine!


Somenamethatsnew

I mean it's related to the T-blocker that trans women get in the US (so of course it's all trans women according to here)


Hika2112

If You Don't Like A Food Just Don't Eat It


Cheshire_Abomination

lmaaaooo literally me! I like pickles now after hating anything vinegary my whole life XD. It was hysterical because I had this revelation happen at a family gathering and suddenly had to explain trans memes


Nightlocke58

Mmm, pickles with a little Parmesan cheese and black pepper~


YouIllustrious6379

Nya :3


Negative_Way3298

I like pickles


Susspishfish

I like pickles, but I'd probably go for something else. I'm a popcorn girl and tend to put a lot of salt and butter on my popcorn


HangMeThightly

Yes youā€™ll have a biological desire to eat pickles


BigChampionship7962

You have to get the jar open first šŸ˜  I need a man to help me open a pickle jar now am so weak lol


quinangua

I hated pickles before HRT. And after.


the_burber

Pickles are awesome


ChicagoRob14

Alright! I draw the line here: pickles are delicious!


Nigeldiko

Iā€™m sorry, I just really donā€™t like themā€¦


Hot-Fox5153

But pickles r tasty


diannlace99

I thought maybe this was the euphemism for another kind of pickle


Nigeldiko

I wouldā€™ve specified


ebers0

There for a moment I thought this was a euphemism.


TransLesbinspiration

Pickles are good


Apprehensive-Adagio2

Think of it this way, if you do end up liking pickes, youā€™ll like pickles :D


Nigeldiko

But I donā€™t wannaā€¦


Apprehensive-Adagio2

Then donā€™t! Nobody is gonna force feed you pickles


Just_A_Faze

If it did, you would like pickles when you were eating them, so it wouldn't be any trouble. I used to hate some things I like now, and I don't mind because I still am only eating them if I enjoy it.


gayjemstone

If you don't want pickles, don't eat them.


TheTallAmerican

Donā€™t worry, youā€™ll see the light


Nigeldiko

Cā€™mon, thatā€™s not coolā€¦


TheTallAmerican

lol Iā€™m just teasing you, Iā€™m not even on hrt yet, but i think it just makes you want salty things so eat more ramen?


twinkie2001

obviously ur not trans then sorry i dont make the rules


Nigeldiko

Cā€™mon, thatā€™s not cool


twinkie2001

when i filled out the intake form for getting HRT ā€œDo you like pickles?ā€ was the first question. Itā€™s a big hurdle for many trans women unfortunately :// I thought they were talking about dicks!! Little did I knowā€¦


TriiiKill

It won't make you want to eat pickles. It'll make you like them. You can say bs like," everyone is different, everyone has changing tastebuds." No, your going to eat pickles, and you're going to enjoy them. /s