Did you get shorter after you started transitioning?

[Jay Cee]

I had just read this chapter in a story about Michelle Dumaresq, a MTF transexual DH (mountain bike) racer. She was 33 at the time (2003), so I don't think that age had that much to do with her becoming shorter. It's a rough sport, so I suppose compression impacts to the spine could have some influence. Then again, she was mountain biking for years before her transition


As a man, Dumaresq was six feet and weighed 210 pounds. She now stands 5 feet 9 and weighs 180 pounds, claiming her blood testosterone level of two nanomoles per liter is well within the range of an average women.

Has anyone else here lost some height due to now having female hormones?

Here's the link: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_game/mike_fish/news/2003/06/24/fish_dumaresq/index.html

[Frances]

I have been on hormones for two years and have lost an inch. I am now 5' 7". I wish I could lose some foot width as well (length is not a problem). Buying shoes would be so much easier.

[Jennifer Marie P.]

I havent seen a change in my height and Im on hormones for 15 months.

[Kelly DeWinter]

Lost 3 inches in height ?!? I did not know you could do that ? I know there is space between the vetrebrea, but i thought the most you could loose was about an inch. Astronauts gain height, about 1/2 inch in a weightless environment, and I read that fighter pilot can have the spinr compressede1/2 to 3/4 during an emergency ejection.

Does transition include massive calcium loss too ?

Self Edit:

I found an article that says after age 40 we loose up to .4 inches in height through ostiporosis(sp)

http://www.ehow.com/how_5295348_understand-shorter-age.html


So I guess if you combine mountain biking, thereapy, and getting old, it is possible.

[Melissa A.]

I dunno. I always thought I have remained 5'8", and never saw any reason to re-measure my height. Even my doctor only does my weight when I visit. Humans do lose some height with age, however. Huh. I will have to take a look. Thanks.

Hugs,

Melissa:)

[noeleena]

Hi ,

I know some test pilots have had compressed spines due to the injector seats . as to the change of T to E in male / female not very often i know some have said it has happened . your bones are set , age ...seems... to have an effect ,

tho with out true tests of the before & after dought youd lose 3 in s the spine does have the cushon in between . iv got wear in mine due to being in the heavy building trade plus other details . & i have not lost any height in over 40 years , im on H R T . & have been for over 6years.
this hard out bike rideing would more likely have the same effect as continuly jumping up & down with a g force on you.
have a look at the workings of your body . what ever net thinge wording on the net.

...noeleena...

[Kaitlyn Michele]

only when i get on my knees are pray...

3" ?? I call bullcrap on that...

if its true then so be it...but without stooping i don't believe there are three inches of space between vertebrae to lose..

losing weight sure, but my guess is that if she really is 5'9" , she was no more than 5'10ish before..

i bet she was close to 5'11" and called it 6' and she is now close to 5'10 and calls it 5'9

one of my closest friends says she is 6' and she is taller than me and i am 6' 1 99/100"

i tease her all the time about it...she won't measure it..

[Jorja]

3" ??? Ok if you say so.
I have only lost maybe a 1/2" in thirty years of takng hormones. I think most of that is from ageing.

[Hope]

You know, I can see loosing some hight (and width) as you loose muscle mass (and hopefully blubber mass) and the space between bones becomes smaller... but 3 inches? Add me to the list of shenanigans callers.

[Karen564]

3" ?? I call bullcrap on that...

if its true then so be it...but without stooping i don't believe there are three inches of space between vertebrae to lose..



Believe what you want...And you matters well call me full of sh*t too..

I was once over 5' 10" (almost 10 1/2") from the time I was a teen through much of my adulthood...Today, I'm 5' 6 3/4" .... It's all documented in my medical records & on my past DL & most recent DL, which they put 5' 6" because I was under 5-7...

Why this happened to such a large degree, nobody has ever been able to give me a definitive answer....all I ever hear is that we shrink as we get older...but I personally believe it had more to to with me being obese for too long..

Funny how people choose to believe what they want..but I cant blame you, because if it didn't happen to me, it very well be me saying it was BS too..

[Inna]

I have gained 5" since the transition....................oh wait! I totally forgot! I was wearing stilettos:-)

[dilane]

I agree with Kaitlyn and call BS on the 3 inch loss.

My 88 year old father has lost nearly 2.5", but that's in the normal range, given his age.

I'm well into my 50's and have lost 3/8"; my mother is over 80 and has lost less than 1/2", so it varies. (My folks have been marking a door jamb with everyone's height for many years).

I have a couple of friends my age who were once taller than I was, and now the situation has reversed :) Maybe my years of running has kept the bones and disks from wasting away?

Francis, if you lost a real inch in just two years post-HRT, I'd suggest getting thyself to a bone scanner to rule out osteoporosis.

-- Diane

[OnlyJen]

Its quite natural for certain parts of the body to reduce in size once testosterone is no longer in the system.

Testosterone is a muscle-building steroid. Take it away and muscle loses mass. Whilst bone doesn't change tendons do so any boney anatomy seperated by lots of tendons can reduce in size, backbone loses length, hands and feet get smaller, even neck girth can reduce in size.

[Karen564]

I agree with Kaitlyn and call BS on the 3 inch loss.



Anyone, Please explain to me why I or anyone would LIE about our heights whether be past or present or if we shrank or grew or not?...what exactly would that accomplish ? I fail to see what would be gained from such a thing since it's not something worthy to brag about.....I'm right here, not in some article, so you can address this directly with me...

I'm not gonna show you my medical record, so why don't you just flat out call me a lier & be done with it..
I have absolutely No reason to make this sh*t up....

[dilane]

:drink:
Anyone, Please explain to me why I or anyone would LIE about our heights whether be past or present or if we shrank or grew or not?...what exactly would that accomplish ? I fail to see what would be gained from such a thing since it's not something worthy to brag about.....I'm right here, not in some article, so you can address this directly with me...

Sorry, Karen, I was referring to the young TS bike racer, not you.

First off, you've lost a bit over 2", not 3, and second, you appear to be of an age to have age-related "shrinkage" (I'm way over 50 myself, btw). One of my friends who is my age has lost 2", so that isn't way out of line in my experience.

Have you been checked for osteoporosis? If you catch it early, many bad things are prevented ...

Regards,

Diane

[Kathryn Martin]

What the hell is going on here. Stop calling each other names, liars and other things. If you read this "age related height loss" (http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa4022/is_200509/ai_n15744282/) article you will find that height loss is very common. I was 195 cm in 1980 (measured by an official at the passport office in Germany) and today I was 189.5, that is a 5.5cm loss or 2 1/4 inches. Height loss varies and is usually much more in in taller people.

[Karen564]

Sorry, Karen, I was referring to the young TS bike racer, not you.

First off, you've lost a bit over 2", not 3, and second, you appear to be of an age to have age-related "shrinkage" (I'm way over 50 myself, btw). One of my friends who is my age has lost 2", so that isn't way out of line in my experience.

Have you been checked for osteoporosis? If you catch it early, many bad things are prevented ...

Regards,

Diane

Not a problem, & I wasn't just addressing this to solely you...

I have lost OVER 3 inches...not 2 and I was thoroughly checked twice for osteoporosis which was a negative both times..my bones are healthy..
I should note that I used to always have to wear tall sized shirts since a teen & through the years even though I only had a 30" pants inseam...so my torso was long for my body....but presently, that has changed some ..so most of the shrinkage has occurred in my spine..the rest I guess is the other joints below the waist..idk..

I may be going slightly off topic here, but maybe it's revilent..... Once upon a time (late 70's), I used to compete in the 250cc Motocross events locally here until my accident during practice laps @ 60- 65 mph that totally destroyed my right knee, (luckily it was only my knee & not my neck or back) but in the process many hours later that night, set a new record in the ER at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield Mass for the most blood & fluid ever aspirated from a knee joint (my knee looked like it swallowed a basketball) ....which I still remember the whole accident & hospital experience very well to this day..
Anyway.....
Anyone that has driven a 250cc dirt bike to it's max potential competitively on the roughest terrain possible can attest to the fact that your body does get absolutely pounded to death like you'd never think possible.. But I really don't think it was the cause of my shrinkage, because I was over 5' 10" well after my accident.

All I'm saying is, I can believe the article, only because it happened to me too, so YES, it is possible....If it didn't happen to me, I'd probably right there with you guy's & say it was bs..

:drink:

[Melody Moore]

Actually the difference in Karen's former Male licence (5'10") and her current female
licence (5'6") indicates a change of about 4 inches if you do the maths correctly.

I was 5'10" as a male, so it will be interesting to see if I do actually get shorter because
I tower at 6'3" over most guys in 5" heels as it is. So I say please bring on the shrinkage!

[Danni Bear]

shrinkage in height

no, hormones do not cause a shrinkage in height. age and lifestyle do as does genetic predisposition to contraction in soft tissue surrounding and between joints. On average a genetic male can expect to see a loss of approximately 2 ins in height in his lifetime due to these factors. injuries can hasten this as can participation in some of the more extreme activities when you are younger. genetic women usually see less of a height difference due to age, theirs is more often in concert with osterporisis and other calcium robbing diseases that afflict them more often than men. Estrogen does have a role in how the body uses calcium and the lack of it can mean a lesser asbortion rate not only for genetic women but for transitioned women as well. height is not only bone lenght but also the tissues and soft structure surrounding them.

Danni

[Hope]

Ok - no one called anyone a liar. So simmer down yourself. Goodness folks are on edge tonight. Is it because Hanukkah is over?

The question wasn't about Karen, or about age related height loss. Most folks are aware of age related shrinkage. The question was about HRT related shrinkage in a person who is 33, who is not on the forum... not age related, not Karen.

While I fully believe that age related shrinkage can add up too 3 inches of shrinkage... HRT related shrinkage of 3"? I am not at all convinced. And trust me, as a 6'2" girl - I WANT to believe.

[jamey]

Aaaw! I want hormones, even if i might get shorter!

[Karen564]

The question wasn't about Karen, or about age related height loss. Most folks are aware of age related shrinkage. The question was about HRT related shrinkage in a person who is 33, who is not on the forum... not age related, not Karen.


IDK....Is this a nice way to call me an old fart or what ....lol:lol:

Don't forget, I've been on full HT for 6 years..And can get very hormonal, so be very careful what you say ! :devil: ...lol

[Aprilrain]

I'm 34 and 6'1" please tell me it's true! I don't mind being a tall girl it just limits when I can wear heels.

[Stephanie Anne]

I was once 6'3". I am now a hair above 6'1" so while transitioning has not been the sole cause, I have shrunk. Oh and screw limits, I wear heals when I want.

[Traci Elizabeth]

Believe what you want...And you matters well call me full of sh*t too..

I was once over 5' 10" (almost 10 1/2") from the time I was a teen through much of my adulthood...Today, I'm 5' 6 3/4" .... It's all documented in my medical records & on my past DL & most recent DL, which they put 5' 6" because I was under 5-7...

Why this happened to such a large degree, nobody has ever been able to give me a definitive answer....all I ever hear is that we shrink as we get older...but I personally believe it had more to to with me being obese for too long..

Funny how people choose to believe what they want..but I cant blame you, because if it didn't happen to me, it very well be me saying it was BS too..



Now I am NOT one to call Karen a BullS-----er and I know she speaks the truth. How? I was 5" 9" for many decades also proven by many medical exams. I am now 5' 7" EXACTLY and have been measured as such by several different doctors. So despite peoples belief's to the contrary we do "shrink." In my case, I think it has to do more with age and gravity than anything else. Nevertheless, I am EXACTLY 2" shorter!

[Jorja]

IDK....Is this a nice way to call me an old fart or what ....lol:lol:

Don't forget, I've been on full HT for 6 years..And can get very hormonal, so be very careful what you say ! :devil: ...lol

Your not wearing your heels backward are you? :D