I give up my best advice to my friend I refered her to Howard Brown clinic in Lakeview and have her talk to a professional. THanks ladies for all the info.
I give up my best advice to my friend I refered her to Howard Brown clinic in Lakeview and have her talk to a professional. THanks ladies for all the info.
In my HRT, I've not experienced any wide mood swings. If anything, it has moderated my mood swings. The effects are very subtle. I can't say anything about beard, as most of it was removed already. Body hair deceased markedly. Male pattern baldness reversed a bit, but not completely.
That's one data point only, YMMV, LSMFT, etc.
I think mood swings, at least at a level of concern, are a huge red flag that hormones are not right for the person. Eryn, like you, I found them stabilizing. In my case, very much so.
Viewed another way, T blocks and E unblocks emotions. Trans men find relief in the former. Most trans women, the latter.
My experience, too. Like mother's milk; worst day of my life when I had to stop. Can't wait to get back on, if I'm able.
Lallie
Time for a change.
Much has been said in response already but thought I would add my personal experience. I have been on hormones consistently now for almost 4 years but prior to that I had started and stopped twice with 3-4 month periods in between . I can assure you , at least in my case, Hormones do not eliminate beard growth but did slow it down significantly for me. Personally, I have had no major mood swing differences just a calmer feeling over all for me when on them verses not being on them.
First of all, why not invite your friend to join this forum and ask her questions directly.
Second, aren't mood swings normal for a woman? She might be getting there and just doesn't realize it.
I have literally sat down crying because I was so overwhelmed try to choose a bra early in my transition and the sales assistant was a twenty something who looked more interested in her Facebook than helping me. And I've broken down crying over a clients dog being hit by a car and dying before I could do anything to save it (not that I could have saved it anyway the injuries were so severe). And I've been astonishingly and ecstatically happy just sitting down having dinner with my partner and our kids. And I have also had intense waves and marked pleasure just at the thought of my partner holding me.
I don't know if I would call them mood swings as opposed to just everything is now so much more intense and less dull. Those things would have given me the same feelings before just not as intensely.
All that being said I absolutely love it. I love the intensity of it. Even the sad stuff. I would never give up my HRT voluntarily. I think as others have suggested if HRT is affecting your friend that badly then perhaps they should get reassessed by their doctor + / - psych to make sure this is the best pathway to make them happy.
Yes, Kelly--good point about "the challenges of fitting into society at large." Yes, that was my biggest challenge, i.e., penetrating the gg barrier to establish female friends-- particularly if you weren't stealth during transitioning and/or following SRS. Compared to that, mones were a piece of cake. A few adjustments perhaps, but easier and more forgiving than the social aspect.
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OMG, so sorry. My above post was for another thread, Ooppss
Marie
It is anecdotal, but I know plenty of TS over the years, and spend a great deal of time with some of them when they first transition and go on HRT etc. It seems many, probably most, I have known have those mood swings in the beginning. They may get weepy at times, which seems to happen early on. Some also complain of a mental fog, some of depression, but not all. The ones who were once type A males can even get pretty aggressive at times (a couple even scared me once.) Again this is anecdotal... but I have plenty of experience around TSs in both as friends and as a professional.
HRT will not affect the beard like it can some body hair. If it did, I (and many others) would be out of business.
Last edited by Vickie_CDTV; 12-12-2016 at 07:00 AM.
Note: This response is pure anecdote ... but it's mine, so at least I can attest to it 100%
HRT is said to free the expression of emotion, not create or distort it. That squares with my experience. I used to suppress without a thought - whatever and however I felt. I felt something, I killed it. Simple. Now I have to choose to hold back (i.e., from being open), and suppression isn't a major factor any longer. I get weepy on occasion. I get "gooey," as I call it (lovey) on occasion. I'm happier more often than ever. Alas, I still get depressed, too, even with ADs. Can't avoid that, though, it's more inherited than gender-related. Even so, the positive impact that HRT has had on my depression issues is hard to over-state. Still, none of this considerable change falls into the category of "mood swings." I'm not feeling things differently. Rather, I'm freed to experience the emotions that were always there and not suffering the fallout from suppressing, channeling, and compartmentalizing them.
I'm far less volatile. No explosions. No shutdowns for weeks at a time. Quick to recover from everyday issues. Less reactive. More open to change. Manic episodes are fewer and lesser in intensity. Less aggression and "quicker" (as opposed to never) to apologize when I offend. And I try NOT to offend or be abrasive, which used to be the norm. I've found I like people (that was new).
Again, no "mood swings," which is minimally a negative term when not actually pathological. I guess there are two uses, though. One that terms a more open emotional expressiveness such. The other an intrusive, uncontrollable and unpredictable change in emotional state. Anyone experiencing the latter might revisit whether HRT is appropriate. I wish people would stop using the phrase for the former.
Mental fog? This can be a side effect of anti-androgens, particularly Finasteride. Aggression in a MtF on HRT is a HUGE red flag. It's expected to a degree in FtMs.
It took me a while to truly, fully stabilize on HRT. It's complicated ... There are some immediate, minor mood benefits (for most people). T coming down is a relief. But behavioral change takes time. Emotional and psychological integration takes time. Feeling natural while feeling like yourself - which is fundamentally how I experience HRT - takes time. Overcoming life-long fears and reactivity takes time. Emotional damage doesn't fade overnight ... if at all.
Getting back to the OP theme of discontinuing HRT, I stopped 2-3 times for a week to 2 weeks. Each was in a fit of pique where I wanted to just say F*** it all because things were too hard. What I've learned about stopping is this: A) Things get really, really bizarre after about a week! B) I learned to take advice to get over myself and just take the meds I require. My biggest issue continuing HRT these days is logistics - my inability to get to my doctor for an exam and blood work. No insurance (unemployed), she's 800 miles away, and the local doctors who prescribe HRT aren't taking new patients.
(4 years on HRT last August.)
Last edited by LeaP; 12-13-2016 at 01:25 PM.
Thanks to all on the recent responses to this thread,I came to believe that my friend is dealing with some serious demons and her blaming it on the hermones was her escapegoat.A lot of you have posted some good facts and I appreciate your comments and toughts.
I really appreciate all information you are sharing about hormones. I'm just about to start and your comments really help me to understand better what to expect.
Thanks.
11 princess I like to ask question to inform myself and this forum is very helpful good luck on your journey
I'm living proof that M2F HRT does not raise the voice pitch. When I get up in the morning my speaking voice is like Sylvester Stallon and my singing voice is in the oktavist range just like a deep Russian basso. My trying to sound like a genetic woman is a lost cause. However I no longer have the masculine scent and I have become fairly busty (bra size 40DD), and I get ma'amed frequently even when I am dressed in drab.Originally Posted by Sue
Last edited by JohnH; 12-17-2016 at 08:22 PM.
John (Legal name)
Preferred pronouns: he, his, him
On the topic of HRT side-effects / is-it-just-me? questions -- the charts all mention skin smoothing/softening and in hindsight I suppose I should have anticipated this, but am I the only one who finds this lovely, soft, smooth skin to be unnnervingly fragile? I've never been a graceful person, so I bump into things a lot. And when I use tools, I just go at it -- it's how I learned. But lately I take off my shirt at night and find my arms scratched or take off my jeans to find my shins showing signs of abuse and when I try to remember anything that might have happened out of the ordinary I just can't come up with an answer. I mean, I'm pretty sure the answer is I no longer have armor-plated male skin. But it was a surprise to me that this beautiful skin is not scuff-resistant.
NB: I'm not talking about damage that would indicate a serious medical problem -- unmotivated bruising or the like. Just things that seem to indicate my skin is less resilient than it used to be.
Last edited by Pat; 12-18-2016 at 02:45 PM. Reason: NB
I am not a woman; I don't want to be a woman; I don't want to be mistaken for a woman.
I am not a man; I don't want to be a man; I don't want to be mistaken for a man.
I am a transgender person. And I'm still figuring out what that means.
Me too Jennie........I fix trucks now and fabricate things. Many times I have bruises and wonder what the heck I did to get that.
I suppose the whole tender skin thing is at least partly why women are gentler and little less bull in china shoppish. You learn what you need to to get through this life.
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