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Question about hormones
I'm going to be starting counselling about my "gender issues" in the near future - I've had my initial consultation and have been referred so it's now a waiting game. One question I forgot to ask during my consultation was about some side effects of hormone treatment;
Can the hormones make one feel broody? Has anyone experienced this before?
I ask because my partner (who is FtM) and I really don't want to have kids. I'm looking at sterilisation anyway, but the thing that's worrying me about taking hormones is that I've heard of people getting mood swings or becoming depressed so I really need to have a good think about whether or not prescribed hormones are a good idea. I'm fine about the physical changes, but I really don't know what would happen if broodiness didn't occur and it's kinda scary!
I remember a couple of replies from the previous thread saying that they can be like rolling a dice, but if anyone can offer any further insight I'd really appreciate it.
Thanks
Evie
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Good luck Evie! Sorry that I have no answers for you but I will check later to see what the others say. No hrt for me but my E is in the normal range for a woman. My T is low normal for a man. ............Leanne
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Years of use and continuing......yes there can be mood changes....mine was a little more irritability that just did not know was happening until my sister gave me a good tongue lashing......just learned to do self control over years until got handle on it(I hope)
Just need to do self checks and ASK others if they notice.....it can be a rollercoaster.....but WHAT A RIDE!!!
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I took Premarin for five years back in the 1980s, and I don't recall any mood issues that seemed to be related to it. Of course, the hormones that nature seems to have put inside me in the first place coexist with my mood swings, so I may not be the best authority. Many MtF HRT patients report a calming experience, which the med folk seem to believe may have to do with receptors in our brains being flooded with stuff we don't want and/or starved of stuff we do want. Many FtMs report a kind of supercharging that can produce aggressiveness.
A good team of endo and therapist should be able to help you monitor and deal with any such effects.
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YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary). This is the local mantra.
While I've only been on Hormones for about five Months; I have noticed some subtle, and some not so subtle, differences in emotional intensity, for me. For the most part, in my case, I am enjoying the calmness and clarity that I didn't have before.
Everyone is different. If you go on Hormones, listen very closely to yourself and your body and if something concerns you, then consult your Doctor and/or your Therapist right away and follow their instructions to the letter. That's one of the things they're there for. Without communicating closely with them, then they can't do their jobs effectively enough. It is your health after all. All you can do is minimize the risks and do the best you can.
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The problem concerning moods and hormones is "Correlation does not imply causation". It can be difficult to know for sure if the moods are related to the hormones.
In my experience nutrition and exercise have as much if not more influence on my moods than hormones.There are many other hormones other than sex hormones that will strongly affect mood.
What I have found with the sex hormones is "balance is everything"
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Thanks for the replies. I'm probably a good while away from hormones being prescribed, but it's given me plenty to think about.
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What Kelly said! But I would like to add a couple of notes. If you take Progesterone, which is optional and not given by some docs, it has a potential side effect of depression. I and others have taken a healthy dose of it without issues, so maybe you need to be prone to depression and it brings it out more. Who knows, but be aware if you take it. Additionally, intrusive surgery, like GRS, can lead to depression while recovering. So you can experience it without HRT.
I like the way my MD approaches it. If you are depressed, he scheduled an appointment a month or two out to see if it continues and is truly medical. Otherwise, life can be depressing in its moments.