HRT and Your Little Friend

[Veronica Nowakowski]

I know I have seen posts on this before, but I'd like to hear something new on it nonetheless. How has HRT affected your genitals (pre-op)? Are you able to get erections? If so, how much effort is needed and how stable is it? Do you know any reason that would affect your ability to have children?

[Suzy Harrison]

I wouldn't call it my friend - more of an unwanted colleague who's is hitching a ride for now and who will get a huge shock in the next few months!

The ability for erection is really down to the testosterone level. Mine is very low, which means a little shrinkage, no sex drive and no errection. Because my drive is gone, I can't really be bothered to spend too much time to see if an errection is possible after a lot of effort.

- and yes being on an anti androgens for a while will mean that you end up sterile.

hugs
Suzy

[Karen564]

[SIZE=2]I never referred to mine as my friend....mine was more like an unwanted house guest that just wouldn't leave....[/SIZE]

[SIZE=2]After over 4 years on HRT, I'm happy to say it's dead....in other words, no erections...but I still do stimulate the nerves every so often so they don't go completely dead, because I need those to work for my clitoris...[/SIZE]

[SIZE=2]But as they say, I'm now chemically castrated...so I couldn't produce any new pups even if I wanted to..., which I wouldn't want anyway..[/SIZE]

[SIZE=2]I already had my children long before I started my transition..[/SIZE]

[luvSophia]

After six months of HRT I no longer get morning or spontaneous erections. And to be honest with you I have no interest in expending any effort in finding out if my STBX-friend is functional. I know that many still have "obligations", or just desires, with significant others, but to me that's like wanting to have your cake and eat it too.

[Veronica Nowakowski]

Well, I have not had kids, want them, primarily attracted to women so the pieces fitting would be great. I just want the softer features and real breasts beyond the A cups I have naturally. Is there a way to get HRT without anti-androgens?

EDIT: Looking a bit at it, it appears that that part of it is reversable though the breast growth is not. Perhaps I'd just have to be non-working for a period of time?

[pamela_a]

I just want the softer features and real breasts beyond the A cups I have naturally.

If that is your only goal then stay away from drugs and get breat augmentation surgery. For the softer skin get laser and/or electrolysis and a good facial routine going.

I don't understand why so many people think HRT is a game to play just because they think they would like to have breasts? It's nothing to play with. The affects are permanent and carries the risks of side affects that can cause serious health problems, including death.

OH, and there is NO guarentee your breasts will grow very much anyway

[Veronica Nowakowski]

I'd really, really prefer the natural breasts. I don't want the hard, fake ones. i do want the redistribution of fat without 50 scars all over my body and thousands of dollars.

I want all my options open. Why should HRT be off limits to me because I'm not interested in the legal sex change surgery? The more I know, the more informed of a decision I can make.

[Stephenie S]

I'd really, really prefer the natural breasts. I don't want the hard, fake ones. i do want the redistribution of fat without 50 scars all over my body and thousands of dollars.

I want all my options open. Why should HRT be off limits to me because I'm not interested in the legal sex change surgery? The more I know, the more informed of a decision I can make.

Dear Veronica,

It's not that hormone therapy is off limits to you. It's just that you have an unrealistic view of what hormone therapy will do for you.

Look, we ALL want lovely soft real breasts. Getting them through hormone therapy is a real crap shoot. You have heard us say time and time again YMMV. This is real. There is NO way of telling how much breast growth you will get on hormone therapy without actually DOING it. You MIGHT get NONE. You will most likely get SOME. Those who get breast growth similar to a natal female are few and far between. Almost EVERY transwoman I know (and I know quite a few) has eventually gotten breast augmentation.

And the redistribution of fat? Just the same. YMMV. Actually your millage WILL vary. Unless we are fat to begin with, most of us get little to no fat redistribution. Ya gotta have fat to have fat redistribution. This is not a tragedy, there are plenty of women out there with small butts and small hips. I'm one of them.

And honey, hormone therapy WILL effect your ability (AND YOUR DESIRE) to get and maintain an erection. Eventually it will effect your body's ability to produce viable sperm. If you desire to have a satisfying sexual relationship with another woman, you are NOT gonna be able to have penetrating intercourse with YOUR penis be a part of that relationship.

This is OK, you know. Thousands and thousands of lesbian women have wonderfully satisfying sexual relationships without a penis. If you are so dependent of the proper functioning of your penis that you are unwilling to lose it, forget hormone therapy. It just ain't for you, hon.

[TerryTerri]

My "opinion" has been reflected by most, a functioning penis and natural boobs are mutually exclusive. One or the other, not both. The option of going on hormones long enough to produce boobs and then getting off them to get the sperm generating again is probably not doable either. Seems to me, if one wants viable sperm at any point in the future then I wouldn't recommend hormones at all. To much a chance for permanent bad side-effects on the sperm from the hormones. Seems it'd be a really big crap shoot. And, I'd be way too concerned not just on the quantity of sperm but also the quality. I don't remember reading anything anywhere about how long term hormone use affects the quality of the sperm, but I wouldn't want to risk my kids life on possibly deficient sperm. Know what I mean.
Good luck to you hun.

btw, my penis shrank to about a third it's pre-hormone size and it doesn't get erect at all anymore. My testees shrank some, but it's hard to discern how much. At first, when I stopped producing sperm, my orgasms were very anti-climatical. But, as time has progressed the quality has definitely improved. My libido suffered greatly in the beginning but is rebounding. For men, testosterone provides libido. It's all simple. In female, libido comes from numerous, sometimes complicated places. I find my libido much more womanly these days, it's there, it comes from differnt places in different ways and as I'm growing accustomed to it, I like it this way very much, It is so nice not to truely be able to not have sex on the brain all the time. But, I can definitely be a sex kitty!

[Veronica Nowakowski]

Well, I appreciate your concern. There is an overwhelming opinion that there is no saving the sterility. I looked into implants and the safe, saline ones are hard and will make wrinkling of the breasts when I add that much with so little breast mass, and silicone are still dangerous, despite feeling more like breast tissue. I don't know if there are different kinds than that.

[Linda Z]

finding a balance is always harder than going one way or the other.
Some of us still have function, of our little friend.
Find a good DR that will help you with gender desire, remember the symbol is a rainbow for a reason. your options vary as you move from your birth gender, you need to read, and consult as you need. All ways remember to think it out, with input from you selected DR.

There is room in the middle, options may vary!

Lindia Z

[Veronica Nowakowski]

Thank you Linda, that is much more of the attitude I was hoping to see. If you have any suggestions for what to look at, I'd be all ears.

[jennaj]

I think most that are concerned with saving their fertility while on hormones will put some of their swimmers on ice. This is my plan and should be starting my HRT real soon if everything goes right with my psychiatrist this week.

Like the last post mentioned I know of a few trans working girls that tweak their hormones to be able to maintain an erection. Personally I think this is a horrible idea, HRT is hard enough on the body when properly administered and supervised.

Anyway my 2 cents,
jenna

[CharleneT]

One of the reasons that questions like this tend to get stern answers is because along with the possible good outcomes of HRT, there are significant risks - and many of the changes are not reversable. Hence we are actually trying to save folks from possibly making a mistake they will regret.

As for HRT without anti-androgens, the fact is that estrogen, all by itself - with no other drugs, will cause all the affects people are talking about. The reasons we take a group of drugs is to get the maximum possible results - and to a small degree, to hurry things along. HRT isn't and Ala' cart menu; you get what you get, no choices. It cannot be tailored to result in breasts and not <fill in blank>. There are a few things that you can be sure of, regardless of what drugs you take.

One: you will be made sterile after a while. When ? No one knows, so if you want kids later, bank some sperm prior to starting therapy.

Two: you will lose some or all of your ability to have erections. How much ? Won't know till you get there. I've been on a seriously strong regime for 9 months and I can still get an erection with the right stimulation. I do that on purpose, weekly. As others have said, need those nerves working for later !!

Three: your body will stop producing much Testosterone and after a point, even if you stop the hormones, your body will not start testosterone production at a normal level again in your life. Hence you'd have to go on Testosterone shots or the like if you wanted off the HRT. Fact is you need to have one of the two hormones systems up and running for healthy living.

Four: breast development, regardless of all things, is a crap shoot. Most likely you'll get some, most likely not much. Even if you have some now ... You cannot not trust what people say they have, or pictures you see. Many exaggerate their results. Sure, there are some folks who get great natural results. As mentioned in other posts ... it is rare. Ask any GG about breast development and they will tell you that ya just don't know till it is done. The only way to increase breast size, for sure, is to get pregnant.

I do not mean to sound harsh or condescending ... it is just that HRT is serious medicine and is something that a person should consider carefully.

[Karen564]

[SIZE=2]If this is more about just wanting breast & keeping your man part functioning....then why not do what the she-males do.......get on a small dose of estrogen, then get breast implants,...thats how they keep their thing working well...Guarantied...if that's what floats your boat...[/SIZE]

[SIZE=2]If you want softer facial features on low dose HRT, then get some Botox injections too...just another trick of the trade..[/SIZE]

[SIZE=2]But if the millions of GG's that have had breast implants are their fine with it...why is that not good enough for you?? [/SIZE]

[SIZE=2]I'm even thinking of a BA myself later on because I want to move into the larger D or DD cup range...since I have reached my peak growth at a C cup..[/SIZE]

[SIZE=2]If you want to take a chances playing around with HRT & hope for the best with your reproductivity down the road, then so be it...but the advice you were given is solid real world experience....not wishful thinking...[/SIZE]

[SIZE=2]So do as you will...[/SIZE]

[Byanca]

After six months of HRT I no longer get morning or spontaneous erections.

I never had those, a few times, maybe 10-20 my entire life. So lucky, since those are uncomfortable.

I don't understand why so many people think HRT is a game to play just because they think they would like to have breasts? It's nothing to play with. The affects are permanent and carries the risks of side affects that can cause serious health problems, including death.

What are the long term affects? I'm fine with making my life 20 years shorter, if those 0-30 years left is of higher quality.

The more I know, the more informed of a decision I can make.

Exactly. But science isn't absolute either.

Look, we ALL want lovely soft real breasts. Getting them through hormone therapy is a real crap shoot.

I'd settle for small boobs any day if the rest could fix itself.

And the redistribution of fat? Just the same. YMMV. Actually your millage WILL vary. Unless we are fat to begin with, most of us get little to no fat redistribution. Ya gotta have fat to have fat redistribution. This is not a tragedy, there are plenty of women out there with small butts and small hips. I'm one of them.

Tragedy / non tragedy...I can't have any fat is it is, that would be a disaster....

And honey, hormone therapy WILL effect your ability (AND YOUR DESIRE) to get and maintain an erection. Eventually it will effect your body's ability to produce viable sperm. If you desire to have a satisfying sexual relationship with another woman, you are NOT gonna be able to have penetrating intercourse with YOUR penis be a part of that relationship.

I only care about the orgasm, and if I look at the media, I'm not the only one, woman or man. Especially women are focused on in this regard. It's an important aspect for satisfaction. I tend to do it to get the stuff out of my body(the few drops that comes slowly out of it, how this is supposed to impregnate I dunno, hope the are good swimmers, would for sure have to lay on top so it could drop down). Uuh..these things confuses my my little head...

At first, when I stopped producing sperm, my orgasms were very anti-climatical. But, as time has progressed the quality has definitely improved. My libido suffered greatly in the beginning but is rebounding. For men, testosterone provides libido. It's all simple. In female, libido comes from numerous, sometimes complicated places. I find my libido much more womanly these days, it's there, it comes from differnt places in different ways and as I'm growing accustomed to it, I like it this way very much, It is so nice not to truely be able to not have sex on the brain all the time. But, I can definitely be a sex kitty!

When you say sex on the brain, do you mean physically? Or sending out sexual signals, with body language, create attraction. I've never quite understood this notion.

finding a balance is always harder than going one way or the other.
.
.

There is room in the middle, options may vary!

In my country you dont get hormones unless you are approved for SRS. No in the middle.

you will be made sterile after a while. When ? No one knows, so if you want kids later, bank some sperm prior to starting therapy.

Seems like an excellent solution. But who knows, maybe the sperm isn't even potent as it is. Now that would truly be ironic/hilarious/tragic.

If this is more about just wanting breast & keeping your man part functioning....

I guess it's more like getting the stuff out of the system. It goes out instead of in, or something like that.

[Arianna Aine]

as i think the others have been good at iterating, there is always some effect on genitalia. just what effects, and how much, is impossible to predict, as it changes person to person. take me, for instance (i could make a joke but i won't). i've been on HRT for six months, and, as far as i can tell (as i haven't been having sex anyway), there has been very little effect. contrasts quite a bit with the others here, eh?

also, HRT is, again, VERY SERIOUS MEDICINE. treating it as anything less will only contribute to the stereotypes out there against us........oh, and possibly risk yourself.

and as a side note, i always thought of mah danglies as an enemy rather than a friend.

[Hope]

You know, whenever I read one of these threads I tend to think the same thing: If you don't consider erectile disfunction a POSITIVE outcome of HRT, HRT is probably not for you.

[JulieP]

my little friend has been anything but a friend. it's more of a nuisance to me and if i could be rid of it tomorrow i would.

[Byanca]

You know, whenever I read one of these threads I tend to think the same thing: If you don't consider erectile disfunction a POSITIVE outcome of HRT, HRT is probably not for you.

That makes sense, but you make it sound so simple..Frankly I'm more concerned about the rest of the body. The penis, how much is that? like 1% of the surface area. And in my case, really tiny as well. My height, hands, skin, face, shoulders, hips, feet, voice, inverse body hair growth. Those are the things that really make me hate myself. I've never understood this obsession about something as tiny as the penis. Is something one use for urination, and occasional orgasm-and supposedly can produce children. But having children, and status as mother, that however may be a big deal, depending on how strong the mother instinct is. The sexual aspect I presume is taken care of with a good surgeon and a good man.

So for me a erectile penis means two possibilities with time. Orgasms(should be preserved, as it is sexy, and stress reliever-the difference I would think is that you can live it, and not be in a fantasy anymore, like really be there), and motherhood(only option is the sperm) (for some this may be the reason to live).

[Kaitlyn Michele]

Veronica..

what is your goal with the HRT?...

whatever you decide..you need a clear goal in mind or you will be taking a meaningful health risk and be disappointed...

physical results are not satisfactory without testosterone blocking..you may completely lose function of your penis, you may not...you will definitely go sterile and you can't control how fast..

if your goal is specific and related to how your body looks (breasts/fat distribution), they you have to know that what happens happens...you may gain significant weight with marginal breast growth..thats part of the reason why the transitioners here jump on folks that say they want to start HRT to get breasts....it doesnt work that way all the time...you may want subtle changes, and changes may be quite noticable..

if your goal is mental health, or to test the waters and get the feeling of having the right hormones, then i actually say go for it...but if you are worried about your little friend, then that's not the reason or you are tricking yourself...

get your sperm frozen so if you proceed at least you'll have that...

all the best,
Kate

BTW
Silicone breast implants are not dangerous..its not even clear they ever were unless you just inject the silicon...

i'm getting breast augmentation and i'm using silicon ..

http://www.justbreastimplants.com/br...s/silicone.htm

[sfwarbonnet]

I have seen Estriol identified as a therapy for MS, as relapses seem to be absent in pregnancy, However, Estroil is a form of estrogen so I wonder if it could enlarge breasts, but cause ED, if taken in sufficient doses to mimic pregnancy.

[Veronica Nowakowski]

Veronica..

what is your goal with the HRT?...

whatever you decide..you need a clear goal in mind or you will be taking a meaningful health risk and be disappointed...

physical results are not satisfactory without testosterone blocking..you may completely lose function of your penis, you may not...you will definitely go sterile and you can't control how fast..

if your goal is specific and related to how your body looks (breasts/fat distribution), they you have to know that what happens happens...you may gain significant weight with marginal breast growth..thats part of the reason why the transitioners here jump on folks that say they want to start HRT to get breasts....it doesnt work that way all the time...you may want subtle changes, and changes may be quite noticable..

if your goal is mental health, or to test the waters and get the feeling of having the right hormones, then i actually say go for it...but if you are worried about your little friend, then that's not the reason or you are tricking yourself...

get your sperm frozen so if you proceed at least you'll have that...

all the best,
Kate

BTW
Silicone breast implants are not dangerous..its not even clear they ever were unless you just inject the silicon...

i'm getting breast augmentation and i'm using silicon ..

http://www.justbreastimplants.com/br...s/silicone.htm

It would be:

1) breast growth (for that natural feeling)
2) softening of the facial features
3) reduction of body hair growth
4) redistribution of fat, especially away from the gut area which is where all my fat goes.
5) ideally, removing the adam's apple (which stays far to the top of my throat I hide it without problem) to feminize my voice, though I understand that's not an actual effect

[Kaitlyn Michele]

all that stuff may or may not happen

in the 20 months of HRT (and i take massive t blockers)

I've seen modest breast growth..just enough that i could not go topless..but nothing that shows under a shirt

Modest changes to face

no change to hips (i already had a curvy fat butt though)

i've been very disappointed at the impact on my hair (i still have LOTS of hair on my chest arms and belly) , even with the T blockers

i was able to keep the weight off, but i have friends that have gained alot of weight and have massive cravings for sweets after starting HRT

i really find myself wishing for more changes,

i'm very satisfied though with the "feeling" of being authentic and having the "right hormones" in my body...i felt the placebo effect from the moment i started taking HRT...LOL

are you transitioning?
i'm not against HRT for non transitioners, however, i would say that one should be very careful to manage expectations if you are not doing it with an eye towards transition..especially without T blockers..

[EnglishRose]

i'm very satisfied though with the "feeling" of being authentic and having the "right hormones" in my body...i felt the placebo effect from the moment i started taking HRT...LOL

I'm sick of this feeling (of dysphoria, not your feeling)... now THAT'S what I'm talking about Gimme! (sorry for the flippancy but this is what I'm looking for right now).

Do T-blockers make you swear less in- or ex-ternally at all? I've been having a lot of Debra Morgan moments (re: Dexter on the telly) in the voice in my head and I'd like them to go away, please.

Anyway, Veronica, I think you mis-spelled "fiend". All mine wants to do is pee (but never in public), erect itself at the worst times, and attract my wife to it far more than me at any point. It did bring my son into the world so I can't go hating too much I guess.