HRT, MTF, and Life Expectancy

[TNRobin]

I've never heard this addressed and can't find anything on it, so I'm going to show my ignorance off here.:D

Does taking all of these chemicals into the body (HRT) lower the life expectancy any at all? I guess that I could probably find some actuariel tables somewhere, but I don't want to include anything like suicide or whatever in the mix, only the effects of HRT on the body.

It just seems that since a MTF would still have the Y chromosone that the body would be in a constant state of conflict.

I hope that question doesn't sound too stupid.

[Teri Jean]

Helen, I guess it would be a question for your doctor. No clue here.

[kellycan27]

For me the point is moot. Transitioning was a matter of life or death for me. I could no longer live the lie. My life would have been much shorter had I not been able to move forward. I would have, in simple terms..ended my suffering. So I guess that in my case ( as well as I am sure a lot of others) HRT may have actually increased my life span. :) As for your OP, I have never seen any information regarding what you have asked.


KEL

[Kaitlyn Michele]

it improved my life expectancy well past the zero years i had left prior to HRT and transition.

[Stephenie S]

I fully expect that the mix of hormones in my body will alter my life expectancy. What I don't know is which way. Women live far longer than men. Is it the hormones? Or just revenge?

Stephie

[Karen564]

If it wasn't for HRT,
I would not be on the Earth today!...So I look at transitioning as life saving in my case.

Life expectancy? I have no idea really, but it sure beats Zero..

:hugs:

[CharleneT]

Being at the point of no return is unfortunately very common among TS folks ... hence the statements above about how HRT saved them ( me too, just for the record ).

The reason you probably won't get much - if any - answer is lack of research into the subject. Transexuals are not looked at much at all, I seriously doubt there have been studies of life expectancy of a genetically male patient on HRT. Now there is a lot of data about natal women. As far as I know, life expectancy is not affected greatly - but it depends on your specific regime. There are some HRT regimes that have been found to reduce life expectancy because they can cause cancers for form. I am sorry I don't know the details. There was a huge study of women and HRT that was stopped because the results were definite enough to scare the researchers.

[Schatten Lupus]

In all reality to address the OP, many women are born with XY chromosomes, so I don't think us having the XY will make a difference. However, being on HRT can be potentially life threatening. Blood clots being the most prominent danger, which is why it is very important to be under medical supervision while on hormones. There are other side effects as well, but not as severe as blood clots. Overall, if your body does not have any negative reactions to the hormones, then it shouldn't reduce your life span. If anything, living in less stress and anguish should increase ones life span.

[MJ]

For me the point is moot. Transitioning was a matter of life or death for me. I could no longer live the lie. My life would have been much shorter had I not been able to move forward. I would have, in simple terms..ended my suffering. So I guess that in my case ( as well as I am sure a lot of others) HRT may have actually increased my life span. :) As for your OP, I have never seen any information regarding what you have asked.


KEL

this is true for me to... plus what others have said

[Hope]

Of course not one has a real answer, the research simply has not been done. But I would assume (and you know what happens when you assume) that if you don't have some of the well known negative side effects (trashed liver / kidneys, blood clots, or cancer) that life expectancy would actually improve with HRT. Estrogen's effect on bone density and arterial flexibility is known to be positive. Spiro lowers blood pressure. And of course there is the whole suicide issue.

I would bet that if you are being responsible, and doing HRT in a wise manner, under the care of a responsible physician, getting your regular tests done, that you may well be looking at an increase in life expectancy.

But again - of course no one knows or can make more than an educated guess. Or better yet, a crazy screaming uneducated stab in the darkness guess.

[Traci Elizabeth]

OK! I am going to go out on the limb here.

You will live 2 years, 4 months, 16 days, 7 hours, 14 minutes, and 29 seconds than you otherwise would have.

That is as good of an answer as anyone can give you which is a no-answer.

That's like if I eat an apple a day will I live longer...well maybe, maybe not. How would/could anyone prove or disprove this?

Live each day to the fullest as healthy as you can, and be a good person. That's all you can do. The moment of your natural death is not of your choosing.

[Sharon]

I don't know if I will live more years, fewer years or the same number of years, but, no matter how many there will be, they will be happier years. If I was informed before starting HT that I would live only half the number of years that what I would otherwise have lived, I would have still jumped at the opportunity. Quality vs. quantity is my mantra of the day..., unless we are speaking about potato chips.

But to answer the question, I don't know. :)

[Karen564]

:iagree::iagree:

I really couldn't agree more with what Sharon said....so true....:hugs:

I also concur about the potato chips too...:thumbsup:

[pickles]

Read this: http://www.transgendercare.com/medical/hormonal/hormone-tx_assch_gooren.htm

They take about 10 years off, but if you can't go on living otherwise...me, I'm happy with people just thinking I'm a fruitcake of a guy.

[dilane]

Virginia Prince lived to be 96, and took hormones.

The type and the number of years she took them I do not know.

The blood clotting issues seem to be the most dangerous. It may be that the patch mitigates that, but it's more expensive and troublesome than pills.

[NathalieX66]

[QUOTE=dilane;2105403]Virginia Prince lived to be 96, and took hormones.
QUOTE]

Interesting.
I was under the impression that she had a philosophical disagreement with those going in the TS direction. Hey, what do I know?
My question for TS's is:......do you ever worry about osteoperosis in your later years?

[dilane]

Virginia Prince lived to be 96, and took hormones.


Interesting.
I was under the impression that she had a philosophical disagreement with those going in the TS direction. Hey, what do I know?
My question for TS's is:......do you ever worry about osteoperosis in your later years?

Virginia was a hormone taking / fully electro'd, full time non-op TG from at least 1969, when I first saw her in person giving a guest lecture at a psych class at UCLA. She had a fully ample busom, and was much thinner back then, too.

I believe that her biography (I haven't read it, this is second hand) discusses that she lived as a woman and had affairs with men, but she publicly preached that Transvestites were overwhelmingly heterosexual.

An acquaintance got some Osteoporosis from *not* taking estrogen after an orchiectomy. I believe either estrogen or testosterone is protective.

[Nicole Erin]

Maybe this statement could be more vague but think -
You don't often hear stories about TS dieing from some strange death due to bad health.

Some girls get hormones on the black market, some go thru a doctor. Being under a docs care is best, if you can afford it however.

Good thing is - the really famous TS women you hear of tend to pass away at old ages. Considering life expectancy for a GM is like 72 (of passing from old age) then most of the time, I would not think HRT would drastically cut your life short.

Virginia Prince lived into her 90's, I mean that is longer than a normal GG life span. HRT or not.

As I sit here puffing on a cigarette, I realise that tobacco is probably more harmful than HRT.

[Stephanie-L]

As has been posted, there probably has been no serious research on the subject. Yes there are anecdotal stories of TS/TG folks on hormones living to a ripe old age, and there is the potential for reduced suicide numbers. The only thing I can think of is that it is a trade off. Being on estrogen and reducing/eliminating testosterone does have some good effects, better heart health, reduced prostate problems, some cancer risks are lessened. However, there are also potential bad effects, primarily blood clots, but also certain other cancer risks are increased. Since the way the body knows to be "female" is due to the effects of hormones, most of the body won't really have a lot of reaction to the change in hormone levels, of course as we know, the earlier you start the better effect you get. In my opinion, having a healthy lifestyle, managing your weight, not smoking, dealing with other health problems (blood pressure, etc), is going to have a far greater impact on your life expectancy than HRT will. Just my thoughts, any endocrinologists might be able to give you a more exact idea.....Stephanie

[Simply_Vanessa]

Yes, it does in fact increase morbidity slightly (I'll try finding that particular resource again if you need it). But at this point, does a few measly years really warrant not following your heart?

[noeleena]

Hi.

Remember most meds are synthic that we take . so allso the amount will deteremin how our body will react so for most people the less we take the better it will be , a John Lee , did a study some years ago on about 1000 women to see how & what happens with short & long term takeing of meds that we talk about & take, most were for women only , so they do in many cases work for us, yet my experance with Jos & meds goes back 37 years & i can say be very carefull .
Because they can cause a lot of damage & they have for Jos . so if we did not need them it would be better . fact is we do when our bodys change from t over to e & all of us are different & what works for one may not for an other .
There is some were in the u k that were doing some tests i tryed one with out results . so at this stage not much info .

What i would like to see is a registrar that we can have access to that would help those of us who are on h r t . other wise its back to our womens notes .

...noeleena...

[TNRobin]

Thank you for all of the information, though it's obviously something that's lacking in terms of study. I read with interest, and a medical dictionary in hand, Pickles link that she referenced and while a hard read it is interesting.

But like everything involving HRT it seems to be a real crap shoot on the effects. I heard from many of you that HRT is something that had such a profound effect on your lives that without it you'd likely not be with us today, and I'm sure that the world is a much richer place with your presence in it.:hugs:

[Melissa A.]

Hormone therapy, among other things, has changed my life to a degree that makes the time remaining for me secondary, by a long shot.(Please, nobody send this to my mom)

Hugs,

Melissa:)