Who experienced depression on HRT?

[Joan_CD]

Hi all

Has anyone gone through a depression from HRT ? If you did, what did you do to come out of it or did it go away on it's own over time. I am asking because I have seen it mentioned in some posts and I should be starting in a couple of months. Thanks to all who respond.

[Stephanie Anne]

I was able to sort through a lot of my root causes for depression before starting transition so while there are times when I have mood shifts on HRT (just look at my post history!), I can happily say that my overall mental health has dramatically improved since adjusting my hormone levels. Surprisingly, my physical health has dramatically improved as well. Headaches, dizziness, skin problems (oils on my skin would cause rashes), and digestions problems have vanished after having them off and on since around 18.

[Bree-asaurus]

I've been on anti-depressants for almost a year. I've been on HRT for five months I think??? I don't think the HRT has caused any additional depression that wasn't already there from my general situation. I've been far happier since starting HRT. In fact, I even had a good two month run of happiness and clarity after HRT that I had rarely, if ever, experienced before. That ended when some very close people decided I'm too trans for them... and the happy streak ended :P

I'm considering starting progesterone, and if I recall, that can potentially cause depression.

[CharleneT]

I have had depression, but HRT didn't really affect its outcome. Now, transitioning ? THAT definitely helped me !!

[Joan_CD]

These answers are very informative. So far it seems that the HRT is not necessarily causing depression and not worsening it for those that are suffering from it. Thank you girls for responding and my thoughts are with those that are dealing with it.

[sandra-leigh]

I gather that HRT can lead to depression. My doctor has a wall chart about low testostrone levels; one of the possible effects of that is depression. My wife saw a Japanese science show about a month ago that explored the topic and indicated that low T can lead to stress and depression in a feed-back cycle (the depression increases the stress, which aggravates the body condition, which can increase the depression which...)

Estrogen therapy is described in some literature as being a diagnostic differentiating those who are transgender from those who CD for sensual or erotic reasons: that those who are not TG will tend to react negatively to the low T through this cycle, or will feel disoriented and disconcerted by the mental and emotional changes, whilst the TG will instead welcome the changes.


There was a hypothesis that my continued depression was caused by low T levels, but just a few days ago I finally heard the result of a T test I did in October: the result was that my T levels are on the lower side but still within the range to be expected at my age (49). I've had some andropause symptoms, so although it is plausible that my T is getting lower, it is not very plausible that my T has been consistently depressively low for years. Not unless I am quite sensitive to low T levels, which seems rather unlikely considering my sparse body hair (that is, I've definitely not been a high-T person.)

The fact that I'm only a bit low on T now frees me to try Estrogen therapy: if my T was unusually low, then the doctor might have felt obliged to have me try T therapy first.

[Karen564]

Hormone Therapy actually cured my severe depression.....it was a blessing & I never felt better because of it....but of course still had my ups & downs due life itself..which can be a real pisser at times...lol
BUT...when I added Progesterone to the mix, I did get hit with severe depression again really bad...I confirmed it was that & nothing else when I stopped taking the P, then felt fine again soon after, gave it a break for a while then started back up on it & got depressed again shortly after, then went off & stayed off....although that's in my case, some have no ill effects from progesterone what so ever...

[sandra-leigh]

BUT...when I added Progesterone to the mix, I did get hit with severe depression again really bad...

Yup, some people react quite badly to things that make other people feel good. One of the antidepressants my doctor had me try dragged me down very far quite quickly, right back to the bad days before I was taking anything. Stopped taking it and felt better within a day.

I have read that Progesterone is sometimes recommended to "finish" breast development, to (hypothetically) take it through the last steps of full milk gland development and evening out the aereola (some women continue to have raised aereola after breast development and are then considered to not have completed Tanner Stage 6). I have, though, also read material that indicated a study was done and that the researchers could not find any appreciable development difference between those who had progesterone and those who did not; and that due to the problems that progesterone can cause, therefore recommend that it not be administered. Progesterone lowers estrogen levels, apparently.

[Joan_CD]

Thank you. These posts are very enlightening. I am very grateful to all who reply.

[dilane]

My experience has been that estrogen (oral estradiol) both reduced bouts of irritability, and increased feelings of inertia and mild depression. It also increased my vocabulary.

Progesterone put me into a fog -- I stopped immediately.

Spiro also puts me into a mental fog, so it's a no-no for me.

I think that in genetic males, suddenly decreasing the testosterone levels has a depressant effect.

I've read just the opposite effect from transmen who remark that going on T causes them to feel more energized and to perceive the world as brighter somehow.

Many of the TS girls I've known over the years are mildly depressed in my opinion. Having been through depression myself, I think I have a bit of an "ear" for it.

Whether that's a result of the many challenges in transitioning, or the HRT is an open question to me at least. The MTF's I know who are generally cheerful have good job situations and either good friend-family support or just don't care :)

I decided not to go "full-on" on hormones because of the mental and mood effects.

Good luck and listen to your body and mind :)

-- Diane

[Melody Moore]

Since being on Hormones, I have no more anxiety & depression because I believe my gender issues the root cause of this secondary issue. My
moods have changed from being shy & reclusive to more outgoing, confident & positive. I only wish I did it years ago - no regrets or blues yet. :)

[CharleneT]

Hormone Therapy actually cured my severe depression.....it was a blessing & I never felt better because of it....but of course still had my ups & downs due life itself..which can be a real pisser at times...lol
BUT...when I added Progesterone to the mix, I did get hit with severe depression again really bad...I confirmed it was that & nothing else when I stopped taking the P, then felt fine again soon after, gave it a break for a while then started back up on it & got depressed again shortly after, then went off & stayed off....although that's in my case, some have no ill effects from progesterone what so ever...

If you do not mind me asking, what version of Progesterone caused this ?

[Kathryn Martin]

I am experience a marked improvement of my decades long depression and have been told by my doctor that I can discontinue one of my antidepressant shortly. I am also aware of the progesterone causing depression issue. Most modern regimens leave progesterone out in any event.

[Inna]

I have experienced severe depressions before coming to terms with my transsexuality. Decision to go ahead with HRT was provoked by such and after introduction of estrogen I have sensed much more clarity and my anxiety has lessen. Depressions have subsided however a new condition has surfaced which I never experienced before. Similar to depression but with much more intense onset and several day life span, PMS has become part of my life. At first it felt like a depression, but would totally dissipate within 3-4 days and have become fairly regular occurrence. My understanding of female psyche has gone from sympathetic to clearly living the part. Now I almost embrace it with open arms although to be truthful, it is a very confusing and uneasy time to deal with.

[Karen564]

If you do not mind me asking, what version of Progesterone caused this ?

1st round was Provera, then switched to microgest for the 2nd ..

[morgan51]

The estrogen really stopped my depression cold and I experienced no negative side effects from progestin. I am now getting off all of the hormones because my wife had too much trouble with it and I am experiencing a lot of depression body aches and sleeplessness. I really hope the symptoms level off soon. Most days I feel totally out of sorts with everything and everyone. I am a week out( actually 9 days) and miserable.

[noeleena]

Hi,

For most trans well many , depresssion is a part of thier lifes . yet many women non trans as well i talk with , it is as well & yes some meds can cause depression & mixing drugs meds can as well. for some of cause the depression leaves after they are on H R T.

This can allso depend on the person & theres a lot of factors involved with this as well. . After liveing with a s o for 37 years iv seen a lot of details in this many different meds & so on. a real hornets nest i can tell you.


As for my self i did not have it before well so i thought. & after again so i thought.

what did happen was i did now i know what depression is about im involved with people who have it.

even after id been on H R T & every thing was working out so i thought. i went down rock bottom now im very strong mind wise & mentaly & so on .

i learned first hand what depression is & i can tell you its not good , & it does effect us in different ways.
& some meds can help tho they must suit each one what works well for one may not work in the same way for others & some have worse probs than if they never went on them in the first place.
When you deal with people who have this going on you sure learn a lot. & yes have a better understanding & when youv had it your self you know,

...noeleena...

[Joan_CD]

Thanks again to all who are telling of their experiences. I guess there is not one set path on this journey and all who take it follow different ones.

[Karen564]

I guess there is not one set path on this journey and all who take it follow different ones.

That would be true, there are many paths to take & you follow the one that is best for you, some are longer, some shorter, but all paths eventually end up at the same destination ....

[morgan pure]

IF one has experienced depression before HRT, it can happen again. Steroids seem to alleviate a lot of psychological situations, but in my experience not all of them. Depression because of estrogen-I think rare.

[morgan pure]

By the way, this is the best forum in the world.
In fact, I have been a lot, a lot, less depressed since taking hormones. It was like somebody turned off a buzzer in my soul that I'd lived with forever and gotten used to. Did pro for a while and noticed little difference. I'm going to order some more tonight.

[TeaD]

Noticed a decrease in energy level not depression. Not prone to depression so those that are may find a correlation. The mood swings are more extreme. When it is symptomatic I let it pass or use the energy to go running and tell myself that I am just happy to be at the point where I am able to be on HRT. Am just so happy to be transexual.

[sandra-leigh]

6 days on Spiro so far, and I haven't noticed anything that could not be reasonably attributed to some other trigger (like not getting enough sleep.)

[Traci Elizabeth]

I for one have never experienced depression on HRT. Hot Flashes, Emotional outbursts, crying spells, sure thing, but not depression.

[Traci Elizabeth]

6 days on Spiro so far, and I haven't noticed anything that could not be reasonably attributed to some other trigger (like not getting enough sleep.)

SIX DAYS! My Lord by now your testicles should have shrunk up and retreated back up inside of you! But I did hear in Canada that the Canadian Government edict to the medical profession was that they give placebos to 50% of the patients. Guess which group you are in Sandra? :lol::lol:

[sandra-leigh]

SIX DAYS! My Lord by now your testicles should have shrunk up and retreated back up inside of you!

6 days falls in to the "No news is good news" category: I understand that the people who are going to react badly to anti-androgens usually do so fairly quickly.


Guess which group you are in Sandra?

Remember in The Life Of Brian, the lone crowd member who puts up his hand and says, "Excuse me, I'm not different, I'm the same as everybody else." That's the group I'm in. :D