Castration ?

[Joy Carter]

I have been reading some personal accounts about having this done. Most report a calming effect with some reporting having mood swings for a while after. I'm doing OK but I wonder if this would help with the bouts of depression and some times anger (LOL).
Interestingly enough, I was on Prozac for many years and I was diagnosed with lowered T because of it. My MD wants me to take T shots but I'm not happy doing so. I kinda think It's a positive thing not having the higher T thing coursing through my body. One thing is true about lower T is that I'm more in control of my emotions.
So tell me anyone. What do you know about castration ?

[Teresa Amina]

Usually referred to as Orchiectomy it eliminates all but an insignificant amount of testosterone in the system. Those who take this path don't need to take anything like Spiro along with Estrogen for feminization. But it's not a good idea for those who merely want to eliminate the effects of T due to the increased chance of Osteoporosis in someone without a predominant sex hormone of either kind. For those seeking an active sex life after GRS it may not be a good idea as the scrotum will not provide as much tissue for "construction" as would be the case in someone who kept the 'nads until then. Lots of information can be found at TsDoItYourselfHormones at Yahoo, just search the site by keyword search.

[Kate Simmons]

Some of my friends in the TG Org I used to belong to had it done. I guess they are happy with it. As Teresa said, however, it does preclude a lot of tissue that would be needed for GRS if you decided to have it on down the line. It depends on how much the T is affecting you with depression, etc. and each case is different. It may offer some relief such as in the case of my friends but it's nothing I would consider for myself. If I ever decided to go through transition, I would go all the way but that is me. I guess you would have to decide and weigh the options if you think this would help or not. As we all know, there is no "magic bullet" for everyone.:happy:

[Maggie Kay]

There is a way to remove the testicles though slits in the lower abdomen and the surgeon pulls them out after severing the cord. It leaves the scrotum intact. The scrotum will shrink and eventually be absorbed but if one pulls on the skin regularly, this can be reduced. This is the method that the testes are removed for testicular cancer.
I found that as I hit 50 my emotions went into a major roller coaster. It was not until I started estrogens and anti-androgens that they calmed down. I have seriously considered removal of these things many times. Interestingly, the lowest cost treatment for prostate cancer is removal of the testes. It was the Government's method of choice for those on Medi-cal here in California. One could approach a doctor with the idea of removal as a precaution.

[AmberTG]

I was wondering how they did that without affecting the scrotal tissue, now I know, thanks for the info Kay.
Joy, instead of getting T shots, which will likely increase all the things that T is known for, you should try a small dose of estradiol to see if that helps. For many of us, it has a real calming effect and as a side bonus, helps with lowering the osteoporosis risk. Also, a small dose won't cause much feminizing for a while, so you have time to decide if it's right for you before any changes are noticable.

[Andi]

Is Orchiectomy an elective procedure in the medical community or do you have to look for out of country surgeons?

Andi

[Scotty]

I was thinking seriously of getting this procedure done but I went on the T-blocking meds.

My understanding is they actually block *ALL* Testosterone whereas with a bilateral orchi you'll still have SOME produced from the pituitary gland....

But after the T-blocking, and maybe it was just the meds or lack of T, I chose to not think about doing that.

I'd do it in a heartbeat if it were Testicular cancer though but until then...Saw Palmetto gives just enough to make it comfy.

Then therre's that Osteoporosis thing, THAT is the real scare right there. Thinking 30 or 40 years down the road things could get ugly.

So for anyone considering it, definitely get on some T blockers full force, you might like it or you might change your mind.

I LIKED the T blockign effects, just not that I got depressed...I don't get depressed very often.

[AmberTG]

Scottie, it's interesting that you had depression as a side effect of lower T levels, or was it the medication? For me, it's not a problem, I'm actually happier these days without the T in my system, I also find it interesting that some people take large amounts of spiro to block their T, 200mg to 300mg in some cases and I do very well on 100mg daily, and my T was 803 before I started, 1000 being the extreme upper end of normal and 40-60 being roughly normal for a woman with 100 on the high end for a woman.

[geri]

there is a doctor in philly that will do it. ( $2000.00 ) get on google and put in castration surgeons. i think his name is kimble.

[Teresa Amina]

there is a doctor in philly that will do it. ( $2000.00 ) get on google and put in castration surgeons. i think his name is kimble.

I think it's actually Kimmel. From what I've read they have you stay at an hotel down the street from his surgery and you walk back afterwards :eek:
The procedure sounds a lot like getting a vasectomy except they take the little buggers right out the slit.
I wonder if you can keep them in a jar of formeldehyde as a souvenir? :D Then when someone says "You've got balls!" you can get the jar and say "Yep! Got 'em right here" :D

[Joy Carter]

I think it's actually Kimmel. From what I've read they have you stay at an hotel down the street from his surgery and you walk back afterwards :eek:
The procedure sounds a lot like getting a vasectomy except they take the little buggers right out the slit.
I wonder if you can keep them in a jar of formeldehyde as a souvenir? :D Then when someone says "You've got balls!" you can get the jar and say "Yep! Got 'em right here" :D

Ohhhhh Teresa your a bad girl tonight.:heehee:

[Tamera]

I wonder if you can get em' CHOCOLATE COVERED?

Like a like M&M's. Plain or w/nuts:heehee:

LOL
Tamera

[Joy Carter]

I wonder if you can get em' CHOCOLATE COVERED?

Like a like M&M's. Plain or w/nuts:heehee:

LOL
Tamera


I ain't touch-in that one !:eek:

Maybe I can snaps sewn on to them. So when I have the feeling.........
"Some times you feel like a nut. Some times you don't":heehee:

[AmberTG]

You people are NUTS! :-)

[AmberTG]

Well, at least if I have them removed, they won't have to cut the cords, got that done 25 years ago. From what I understand, the people who had mood swings after having them removed weren't on anti testosterone drugs before the surgery. You shouldn't have hormone induced mood swings if you've been taking something to block the T for a while before you decide to have it done. I would highly recommend that, just so you know if not having testosterone in your system is really what you want, once they take em out, you can't put em back in! It's quite permanent.

[MistressWickedness]

I had an orchiectomy 5 years ago, because the testosterone was actually making me sick, gave me extream migrains till I had them removed, ok well actually till I started spiro, but spiro has alot of side effects too, at that time I went to a Dr in Portland OR. who was aproved of by Dr Toby Meltzer in Portland Or.

[Stephenie S]

I am going to talk to my endocrinologist about getting this done for health resons at my next apointment. I would LOVE to be able to take less HRT. I think we are just as much at risk as GGs taking HRT. I will let you all know just how it goes when I get back.

Lovies,
Steph

[helenr]

As I am 60, I was advised to stay away from oral estradiol . The Climara 100 patches I order from www.inhousepharmacy.com are not inexpensive, but they provide a week's estrogen and I was advised that a person gets more benefit from the transdermal with less side risks to the liver,etc since they don't take that route. I am still learning. helen in CO

[Sally24]

It's my understanding that after an orchi. there is about a 50/50 chance of still having an active male sex life. That is a consideration for some, but not all.

[Teresa Amina]

I read an old post elsewhere on the 'net that Dr K is quite a character- he'll let you watch the op! :eek: Also that the old boy is ready to retire.

[Eva Diva]

Every time I see this subject heading on the main page I cross my legs. :eek:

[Scotty]

Scottie, it's interesting that you had depression as a side effect of lower T levels, or was it the medication? For me, it's not a problem, I'm actually happier these days without the T in my system, I also find it interesting that some people take large amounts of spiro to block their T, 200mg to 300mg in some cases and I do very well on 100mg daily, and my T was 803 before I started, 1000 being the extreme upper end of normal and 40-60 being roughly normal for a woman with 100 on the high end for a woman.

I think it was the meds. I was taking 100mg of Cypreterone Acetate and that was overkill. I'm on 50mg now and have been for a week, I like this level.

I already had reduced T levels.

Got a lot of crap going on in my life right now, seems never ending but one thing is for cer t ain, when i quit saw palmetto I got angry and could not cope with the things that I'm dealing with.

But now, on the 50mg , life is good. I still get pissed off at idiots but what can you do. It's a lot better this way.

I'm seriously considering having them removed in the near future.

[MistressWickedness]

Sooo here goes, lol. Actually I only needed 1 note from my Dr. and an aids test, and it was 1500.00 but that was 5 years ago. Psychologically I had no problems, in fact it felt totally liberating, and it was the best valentines gift I could have given myself, since mine was done on Feb. 14 lol. The Dr I used was Dr. Robert Barttam at Oregon Clinic. Pain wise I spent 3 days at a friends place just to be safe, but to be honest it wasn't at all as painful as I thought it would be. But I'm sure, the ice packs for those 2 days were a great help. And as to umm sex life, Dr. Barttam told me that after the Orchiectomy the Penis would no longer function, I said great never was a big fan of it anyways, lol. But 5 years later and boy did he lie, but my regular Dr. says "Christy how many times do I have to tell you, your a hermaphrodite, no one can tell you what your body will do with 100% certainty, theres just not enough knowledge about the various types of hermorphaditism." so as for a ts I dont know all I can say is remember an orchiectomy, or anti-androgen meds is what they used and in some states still use to deter child molesters and rapist from recommitting their dirty deeds. So it is supposed kill the normal male sex life. One other thing I'm not sure about the rest of you but once I started the Spiro, I became less visually stimulated and more sensually stimulated, meaning a girl walking by naked before would have exited me but afterwards it took more of an emotional connection to excite me. Also as to the scrotum, the Dr made 1 small incission in the sack and removed them leaving the scrotum intact this is why Dr. Toby Meltzer recommended him when he was working in portland.