Statistics on hormone therapy. Something to think about.

[Sejd]

It seems clear to me that hormone therapy is a leading cause of breast cancer, a least if you believe the statistics which comes out of the National cancer institute. If that is the case, we as trans gender people would have to carefully consider the risks involved in HRT. more to that, there is the enlightened risk of stroke and kidney failure. I am not aware of any comprehensive report on this matter , but I am deeply concerned about this issue as I watch the TG community embrace the HRT solution for a so called "Better living." The Trans Gender Therapist and Sexologist seem pretty at ease in prescribing hormones to their TG patients, but what is the downside of this practice? If Hormone therapy leads to Breast Cancer in women, would it not be a natural concern to believe that it would lead to cancer in TG patients as well? Why would we be off the hook? We are dealing with drugs which change every cell of your body, and not in a natural way. I am not trying to dis credit anyone who goes on HRT, because I have myself thought long and hard on this choice, but it just seems logically, that it is not without some real dangers. Sometimes I think of all of our sisters who lived before HRT was invented, how did they feel? did they strive to meet acceptance in society and was that enough? Is it the "FIX" of modern medicine which makes us "Real Women" or is it the acceptance of society which makes us perfect? I ask this because I don't have the answers, and I know that it is not an easy question to answer. It is important however that we don't embrace modern science just because it is there.

[GypsyKaren]

I'm not going to downplay the risks of HRT because I know they're real, but everything comes with risks. My reason for taking them are simple, I needed to have the right blood flowing through me, nothing more. They don't make me feel "more" of a woman because I've done that already for my entire life, I don't need any help there, but I had a need to feel "right" inside, and they've done that for me. The physical changes are a nicely added bonus but not necessary, I would have gone on them even if I knew up front that they wouldn't change a thing.

Studies are wonderful and statistics are nice, I'm sure they make the people who come up with them financially secure, but I could care less. I don't care what so and so said in this survey or what happened to so and so in that trial, they and the other .00001% or whatever of the population who are in these things mean nothing to me, I do. I'm still pissed that they took cyclamate out of my Kool Aid in 1969 because some idiots and their study found that you could get cancer if you drank 350 cans of diet pop a day, everyday...Kool Aid just hasn't been the same since.

Karen Starlene :star:

[Lisa Golightly]

I'm happy to take the risks thank you very much. I'd rather shave a 1/4 off my life and risk a rough end, becuse for 39 years I didn't have a life... Just an existance.

I'm happy now... and I've never known that feeling before... It's priceless... Even if only for a brief moment in time.

[Sharon]

It is a risk all who are considering hormones should be aware of. I also wouldn't just listen to what a doctor tells me -- I would research the issues as completely as possible(and did.) The resources are at our fingertips. Only then should the person make an informed decision as which avenue to travel.

I chose to accept the risk because the risk of not doing anything at all was much more unacceptable to me.

[Melissa A.]

What did people do before medicine could cure diseases, manage birth defects, change one's appearance, and fix tragedies caused by accidents? They got by, stayed sick, or they died. The whole point is, that the ability to treat all these conditions IS there. And the only known treatment for extreme gender dysphoria is hormone therapy. I can wear all the women's clothing I want, but it's not about the clothes. I can tell myself I'm female till the cows come home. I can feel that way, with or without clothes, FFS, HRT, or GRS. But cmparing myself pre and post HRT isnt even close. Life is so much easier. The peace I now feel is something I never knew existed. And the anxiety and pain I walked around with most of my life...well, there was a time when I thought that was just normal. Why do trans people have a much higher incidence of deppression, struggles with every day life, and yes, suicide? It goes with the condition, which is PHYSICAL. Most of us are smart, talented, relatively well-adjusted human beings, at least as much so as the population at large. All the other stuff I mentioned is a result of a a major birth defect. I happen to think it's a good thing that less of us kill ourselves than before. That less of us go to foriegn countries to have our testicles cut of, or try it ourselves. Yeah, there are risks from HRT, as is true with alot of medical treatments. And this isnt a game, or a hobby. you dont go on HRT just to grow breasts. You owe it to yourself to work with your therapist, and your doctor, and monitor yourself. None of this is easy. No one ever said it was all kinds of fun. It takes commitiment and hard work, and knowing definitively who and what you are. And no small amount of courage, at times. (having said that, it's a ride I'll never forget, and am trying my best to enjoy). Risks? yes, they do exist. Any ts knows them all. But the misery, suffering and death that has been alleviated is more than worth it, in my opinion. I'm not saying transitioning is for everyone. But it's there for those who need it. I for one, am endlessly thankful for that.

Hugs,

Melissa:)

[Lorileah]

Hormones, male and female have benefits and risks. However, one has to consider dose and exposure. Most TS start hormones at a late age after years of being bombarded with testosterone. Then for at least a few years they try to override this with female hormones. Then, if they are lucky, they have the male hormones eliminated and they get a few years of total female hormones.

So over the long run, the amount of female hormones is below average for a GG.

Consider that female hormones will decrease prostate cancer risk. You will have to balance that with the risk of breast cancer.
I would NEVER suggest that anyone do any hormonal therapy without the direct and specific direction of a physician.
Not to be flip about this but the number one cause of breast cancer is having breasts. About 50% of tumors are non-hormonal. I know there seems to be an increase in cancer in general today but you have to balance the numbers with many things. We are better at detecting cancer earlier. We are living longer. We have eliminated many of the causes of death that were common earlier. Also many things that were called "Natural causes" before are now given specific names like metastatic breast cancer.

Consider that estrogens are deemed heart protective, would we see a larger increase in heart problems on women who are not on HRT? For that matter, nd I don't know if there are stats on this, do we see a decrease in heart problems in post op TS's? They also protect bones.

One has to take in consideration all the good and bad and make an educated decision.

[carolinoakland]

For me, while the physical effects of the hormones is exciting. It was and always has been what the effect they would have on my brain. And I haven't really had any mood swings of any consequence (yet), I have been MUCH calmer than I have ever been in my life. I haven't had a panic attack since I started HRT and that's the real benefit to me, and the bellweather. I was sure I was Trans, I wasn't sure I really was a woman until I started getting the right chemical balance in my head. I'm happy to take the risk, in fact I was terrified that after taking this long, and the milage I've put this body through that I would find out that I wasn't a good candidate for HRT. That would have crushed me. So,yeah, no matter the cost. i'll pay it to be this good looking, and feel this good about myself.Carol

[Sarah...]

The concept of risk is a difficult one to get across, even using figures. The concept of "increased risk" is even more opaque to most people.

I used to work in risk management and have first hand experience in seeing how the way a risk is explained causes particular behaviour responses in individuals. An increase in risk from, say, 1 in 1000 to 1 in 999 is, arguably, very small. It is also statistical. It might be 1 in 1500 one day and 1 in 500 the next, when looked in the context of that day only. How do you factor that in? This is not to belittle studies - they present findings based on solid work extrapolated across a population.

What it means is that the concept of risk has no real substance until it is applied to an individual and his / her own circumstances. One person may accept an increased risk of 0.1% whilst another may not. But we may all reject an increased risk of 50%. It depends on one's own criteria.

Sarah...

[Kaitlyn Michele]

i have always been aware of this issue///..

but
i'm a woman and i'm stuck as a man....i am being careful with me regimen bu taking a cream for my estrogen and i've had 4 blood tests since i started..

i know there is add'l risk...we could still get prostrate cancer!!! how crappy is that!!???

but when i compare my increased risk of breast cancer, i can't put that ahead of being able to look at my own female body, feel female on the inside, and know that i female blood going through me and doing to me what it does to all females...for me thats the game

I was probably increasing my risk of strokes, heart attacks, etc by how wound up and anxious and unhappy i was....(btw...i still feel alot of that now, but i'm hoping that goes away once i'm able to get this hair off my face and start my transition)

its' a great point tho that there is risk and everyone should consider it...
one should consider that many ts folks pretty much blow through every risk to their transition because really its all that matters to them

most often taken way too much hormones, or too much spiro, and causing themselves all kinds of problems

[Kimberley]

Transgender Care have been collecting stats on HRT for decades and to date all indications from their patient follow up is that HRT has not caused any increase in cancer among the M2F population. They do not downplay the risks elsewhere; in fact they emphasize them to ther clients.

I tend to consider their information reliable since they are a prominent gender clinic with a long history.

:hugs:
Kimmie

[melissaK]

From my reading particular synthetic hormone PremPro is the major offender. Studies of other hrt compones didn't show the same cancer rate. This is from memory so do a fac check before quoting me. :-)
Hugs,
'lissa

[tgirlinva]

Like many people said, there are risks with any medicine. There are side effects even with aspirin. It just shows me that I need to be careful. Breast cancer and heart problems are detectable. With the right and consistent testing, any TS can mitigate the risks to a certain level. I don't think it would make it worry too much. I think I would worry a lot more if I didn't take hormones. I mean, do we have an alternative? Not really.