Upper age limit?

[Amanda Shaft]

How do people feel about the age at which people transition? or how old is too old? I'm going to hit mid fifties soon which is close to 60 which is close to 70, is there a point where there's no point in going through with the whole transition thing? Is there a time when one has to just finally accept life's misfortune and settle for something less than a full transition? :sad:

[Ann Louise]

In my opinion, no, but tempered perhaps by some physical realities. Like, if you are certain that sex is not in your future, maybe no SRS, but just an orchi so you can stop using a t-blocker. Or maybe go slower on your HRT (but the doctor will probably go slower, anyway), if you are pushing up against your personal "age limit" . But, IMHO if you truly are gender-incongruent, and are healthy, why not try to be happy for the remainder of your life, too? That's the basis of my personal decision to move ahead. Best of luck dear, Ann

[mikiSJ]

I would suggest you let your health, finances, family relationships control; not your age.

[Cheryl Ann Owens]

A few years ago a close friend had SRS and was about 50 at the time. She told me she met someone who was 70 and having SRS. I'm 60 and not planning on it, yet! I have noticed that a severe drop in my T levels has softened me a lot, and in the past few years I've developed gynocomastia and now have almost B cup breasts. The "things down south" have also shrunk a lot and look more feminine now. At this point I'd consider orchiectomy if a doctor was willing.

Cheryl Ann

[traci_k]

Amanda, I have to agree with Ann. If you are suffering from GD and are healthyand since you're from the UK, if the NHS deems it appropriate care, why not try to be as happy as you can be? I'm giving it some serious planning and I'm older than you.
Wishing you the best!
Hugs

[JohnH]

My experience is quite like Cheryl Ann's. I am not planning on SRS at all, and my breasts are almost a C cup. I am 60 years of age and going onto 61. I have lost 1.5 inches (3.5 cm) in height.

John

[Deborah_UK]

So by your reckoning - am I too old? I was 57 on my last birthday, I'm now almost 12 weeks post op

I didn't want to meet my maker with regrets - so no I don't consider myself too old.

[drag n fly]

Wow Deborah...Way to go..I'm 67 and have been contemplating an orchi for years now...It's a tough subject to broach with your wife...Jackie

[Kathryn Martin]

Is there a time when one has to just finally accept life's misfortune and settle for something less than a full transition? :sad:

For me: never!!!!!!! for you: who knows if you don't.

[Jorja]

Health, finances, family relationships among others are the reasons commonly used to not fully transition. I think it depends on how GID affects you personally. If GID is mild maybe you can get away with only doing the bare minimum. However, if GID is strong, you may have no choice but to transition fully. So my answer is no, age is not really something that should be a factor in the decision. In one of our support groups we have a young 93 year old considering full transition.

[I Am Paula]

My plan, which is quite fluid, is to transition as far as possible short of SRS. I'm 54 now. Although I started late, it gets more important daily. I lucky that body/facial hair is not an issue (pretty much never grew any). Breast are on there way (from wherever they're manufactured). I'm not too concerned about SRS as I think I could live quite happily never having sex again. (Remember my comment on plans being fluid), but an orchi may be in the cards. Too old? Nothing wrong with being a sexy senior citizen.

[Rianna Humble]

@Amanda, if you continue your logic, 50 is indeed close to 60 is close to 70 is close to 80 is close to 90 ... but what is the point of that?

You are not dead yet as far as I am aware, so it is not yet too late to live a life true to yourself. I was about the age you say you are now when I began my transition.

If you get to 4 times your current age and have not yet made a start, it might then be worth reflecting on how much difference transition will make to you, but to the best of my knowledge no-one has yet managed to reach 220 :heehee:

[tori-e]

I had SRS at 50 and know at least two that were 60. To me its only two late when your health doesn't allow for it.

[Stephanie-L]

There is a saying, the only time it is too late to start your transition, is the day after you die. How much you can do with that transition due to age and health, and other factors, is another question. While I was recovering from my FFS, I met a gal who started her transition at age 76, and she was happy. So, don't let your age be a factor in your transition. I am 53, and well into transition, and plan to finish in a few years.........Stephanie

[CharleneT]

I started to transition at age 52, GRS/etc at 54, now 55 (56 soonest)... I'm very happy - no - elated, that I finally took the right course for me.

SO, age ? Not really an issue. Sure it can affect (a little) how your surgeon (someday) might treat you - but it is not really all that important. Happiness and living life fully has no expiration date. Age just isn't important really.

That said, cheer-leading aside, do read my sig line as that is the other important thing to remember....

[Deborah_UK]

I'm not saying that this is the case here, but I have seen in the past (and heard at meetings), "Oh I'd transition but I'm too old". I'd suggest that the ones who say that are looking for any excuse not to transition (or aren't actually TS). Like those who say, I'd transition tomorrow but it would affect my (delete as applicable) job/parents/wife/girlfriend/boyfriend and I can't put them through that and before anyone jumps up and down on me I was one of those people 10 years ago - but I guess I used the excuse because in my own heart I wasn't ready, my GID wasn't overwhelming but when that GID became life threatening then my excuses fell away and I knew my only course to save both my life and sanity was to transition.

That's why its never too old!

[LaurenB]

A very long time ago, when I was twenty something, a close friend opined while we were observing an elderly couple that as we age, men turn into women and women turn into men. Men become weepy and sentimental and women sprout hair on their faces. Now that I'm fifty something I keep that in the back of my mind whenever I think I might want to start down that path. It helps.

[Kaitlyn Michele]

when i was in group therapy a woman in her 70's joined...she was really nice and i learned that she decided to transition because she was diagnosed with cancer...that's what it took for her and she still transitioned...

she was doing well for a couple years but sadly passed away... she had very little money and in philly we have a thing called William Way CEnter which helps poorly served transsexuals with no money...she learned about the plight of teenage ts people and how so many of them are suicical and homeless and dedicated the last years of her life to helping them...

after meeting her, i never thought of age as even a little bit of a factor if you are truly contemplating transition...

[elizabethamy]

The upper age limit is whatever age you are plus two years. Which is how long it should take?

e.a.

[Barbara Ella]

I have leaned on the excuse that at 66 i was too old, and was informed, just as you have seen here, that it is not an absolute. I have been bouyed by the discussions of elderly transition. The only block to transitioning is how far you wish to go. As you see here, GRS is not in everyone's future, but is not eliminated by age. Transitioning later might limit your clubbing time a little...lol.

What do you want to do? What are you comfortable with? How badly is it affecting you now, because it will not get better. What is your life situation..Mine is in control of me right now, and will it change.

You only live once, and it is a continuum, but you do get a chance to change, just think it through, and don't let age dictate your happiness.

Barbara

[Melissa Rose]

Your age should be low on the list of reasons to or not to transition as compared to the other factors previously mentioned. In a round about way, it is similar to the question of whether to take college courses or get a college degree in your 50s. What are you going to do or be if you don't? You probably have 20-30 years left on this earth so how do you want to live it? However, do not lose sight of how it will affect those close to you and are you willing to live with the consequences. You are the only one who really knows if the gains and costs may be worth it.

[josee]

If you are someone who has been suffering with gender dysphoria most of your life then personally I think as long as you still have breath in your lungs you are not too old to transition. You are only too old when you are dead.

[Janelle_C]

I'll be 55 this year and I'm just about to start. My GD is pretty bad I think about it from when I wake to when I go to sleep. I've been in therapy for almost 1 1/2 years. A couple of weeks ago I told my wife of almost 32 years that I was going to transition. We plan on staying together a get some couples counseling. My therapist asked me a few weeks back how I wanted to be buried, and I said that's so funny you ask me that because I was just thinking about that the other day and I said as a woman. I know for me once I let out those feelings that I have been stuffing for 50 years terrified that some one would find out. I can't put the Jeannie back in the bottle. Janelle

[Jorja]

I can't put the Jeannie back in the bottle. Janelle

That depends on how well Jeannie likes the bottle and whether or not there is some Jack Daniels, Jim Beam, or Wild Turkey in the bottle. ;)

[Kaitlyn Michele]

Ok Amanda that's sorted...

next excuse:heehee:

[Sandra1746]

Hi Amanda,
I am going to be 67 this month and have been on HRT for almost a year now. I'll echo the comment that the age limit is your age at death, you won't get a second chance.

There are however things that will affect your path. For me full SRS is not an option but an "orchi" may be, if I can find a cooperative surgeon. My wife is OK with that level of surgery and my "plain-Fem" mode of dress so that works for me. Your situation will certainly be different. Your general health is also a consideration. Everyone is different and each path is different so you have to choose what works for you and go follow that path. There will be others who object but remember, they aren't living in your skin.

Good luck and best wishes,
Sandra1746

[mary something]

don't settle honey, make the choices that are best for you and your situation. Mid fifties is an excellent time to transition!

[Amanda Shaft]

Ok Amanda that's sorted...

next excuse:heehee:

Thanks for all the interesting input ladies. The more I think about it the more I'm inclined to agree with the general argument: with determination and application no one is too old for anything!
And yes Kaitlyn I am now working on my next excuse! Or at least that is to say that sometimes my personal GD drives me to utter despair; to the depths of a very dark place, but most of the time I can handle it and rationalise the pros from the cons. My life is pretty easy compared to some and to jeopardise that would be self defeating at this time, I can however imagine that there could, or will be, a time when prudence and safety become secondary to sheer self preservation. So good luck to you all in your journey and although our destinations maybe the same there are many paths and many speeds. x

[Kaitlyn Michele]

whatever age we are, we were younger once...

and we "fought it" then...

for many of us its still "then"..

good luck amanda!!
we all know there are plenty of excuses to choose from and i'm always here to crap on them...!!!...in that spirit..my life was much much better than easy...it was fricking awesome...of course that was "then"!! hehe

[Nicole Erin]

Today is the first day of the rest of your life - I love that expression.
One excuse some folks make or dwell on is "I never got to do the things a young woman or TS got to do". That is true, but it only goes to show that you should not risk missing out on things a middle age or mature woman gets to do.

No one really knows how much longer they have. You may have another 40 years on this earth. Do you want to be 70 or 80 and be saying, "I wish when I was only 55, I had..."

In life, the only pointless thing is spending too much time dwelling on "what never was and cannot be now". You have a life to live right now, today.

[Michaella]

Very much a personal thing I think. Except as what I think of as a total fantasy the only possible transition for me would be living and preseting as a woman, but no surgery (which is scary to me) and no hormone use. I wonder about the effect of estrogen in a body that has never been used to it and with aging may be less able to accept change. HRT has been shown to be risky for women, so for an aging male I can only think it may be even more so. But I don't know any data on that.

Maybe it is just something I tell myself as rationalization for all the other fears I have about transitioning. At my age (61, which is always surprising to me) I think the only transition possible would be one not involving physical change. And if I am to be honest with myself the chances of even that are as close to zero as you can get. But others seem to be able to do it, and I admire them for that.

Michaella

[JohnH]

I have thought about my M2F HRT at my age of almost 61 years. I am an old geezer (geezerette?) so for me it is not such a big thing. At my age my testosterone(T) has been greatly diminished so there is not much of that to worry about. I take the estrogen by injection. Injection and patch methods do not stress the liver as much as oral estrogen dosages.

I could have gone with T supplements with my low T but there is the risk of baldness, enlargement of the prostate with possible cancer so that path is not without its risks.

However, right now I can piss like a race horse (reduced prostate size) and I have a nice full head of hair. As I have written before I don't have the suicidal depression that I had before, my blood glucose is normal, and I LOVE the feminization of the body, especially the breasts and the soft skin. I had blood work done recently and except for a slightly decreased thyroid function which does not need treatment at this time everything checks out fine.

So I say no genetic male is too old to undergo M2F HRT.

John

[Susan4]

I'm 62 and just starting transition.

Your comments are very encouraging. Thanks for a great question ... And thoughtful replies.

Hugs,
Susan

[lauraabdl]

Well I'm passed 60 and just started down the HRT road, feeling wonderful about my decision and no regrets. Looking forward to my journey now:)I really only wish I had started down this road earlier in life, but better late than never.:thumbsup::)

Hugs'
Laura Lee

[JamiLee]

Of course there isn't an upper age limit! Once you know in your heart what you want, you deserve it to yourself to go get it! Age is just a number anyway (I channeled my mother on that last bit)