I need info.

[aalynn88]

Hi, I'm Lynn. I've crossdressed my entire adult life but just recently started going out as a female pretty much full time (except when I go to work). Anyhow, I've been enjoying it so much, I would like to find out more BASIC info on SRS. So many questions! I've read that guys like me are not good candidates for it because I dress up because its a "turn-on" for me and once you start Hormone therapy you lose male libido and wish you hadn't started in the first place. So my question for now is (and forgive me, it may sound stupid) if I just wanna keep my male libido and be a man in a womans body, why don't they let guys get the surgery without taking hormones first? What would happen to my sex-drive if I could get my vagina without taking hormones? I just know I would much rather have a vagina.

[Tracy - new dresser]

well i know very little about transitioning etc etc but from what your describing im sorry to say, seems like it would be impossible.

i really do have no idea though lol, just research and research and youll prob have to start by seeing a psychologist who specialises in gender

anyway good luck and welcome to the forums


Tracy
xox

[Stephanie-L]

To at least start to answer some of your questions Lynn, let me first recommend you see a therapist, as Tracy said, try to find a gender specialist. There are several in the area. You need to sort out who you are and what you want before you do anything permanent to your body. Are you a transsexual? I don't know. Some did start out like you, dressing more for the fun of it, possibly for a sexual thrill, until they figured out what was really going on in their brain. Others have known from a very young age that the body and mind did not match. And for many, probably a mix of both. As to your questions about hormones, yes, they may reduce your libido, but a good endocrinologist can help with that, the balance between estrogen and testosterone is delicate. As far as surgery goes, the rules regarding that are there for good reasons, both medical and psychological. Hormones cause both physical and mental changes, in fact the mental changes for me have been far more profound.

There are lots of good websites with info to give you the basics, unfortunately when you search you also get a lot of porn to sort through. One good site with a huge amount of info that is fairly well arranged is
http://www.tsroadmap.com/index.html

If you would like to contact me directly I can give you a bit of advice about some of the services and therapists available in the area (I live in Fort Worth). I wish you much luck on this journey..............Stephanie

[arbon]

Okay, wow, you want to be a man in a womans body? Just a hunch your probably going have a hard time finding a surgeon if you are not a woman.

[Sandra1746]

Not trying to be sarcastic but testes and a vagina seem likely to interfere with each other; it's really one or the other (we will ignore the ethics of the surgeon here). A "true" hermaphrodite is a VERY rare physical condition.

OTOH, from my experience I can attest that Estradiol does reduce male libido, of course at age 66 it was already pretty low. An orchiectomy or anti-androgens will reduce libido regardless of age. Performance aids like Viagra or injectables are a different issue.

HOWEVER, you MUST see a reputable medical professional to have a consultation / evaluation and decide, in your own mind, whether you want to transition or not (and how far you will go).

Above all be safe,
Sandra1746

[Michelle.M]

OK, Lynn, I don't want to be a total buzzkill but there is so much to be inferred from your post that I really don't know where to begin.

But I'll begin here. It's your first post and you come with guns blazing and asking questions that you might have had answered if you had made your first post in the Introductions and Re-Introductions forum and just taken the time to get acquainted and read as many of the similar posts regarding this topic as you can find. Don't be surprised if people quickly label you as a troll. Just sayin'.

I would like to find out more BASIC info on SRS. So many questions!

Have you read anything on the internet anywhere about transgender issues, the typical indicators that a person with gender dysphoria (those are the folks who are potential candidates for GRS) and the requirements for GRS as recommended by WPATH?

And if you're getting ready to ask "What's WPATH?" then I know the answer to my question is "No".

There's so much readily available information and it's only a mouse-click away.

I've read that guys like me are not good candidates for it because I dress up because its a "turn-on" for me

Do you think that you might find a different answer here? The likelihood is practically nil.

and once you start Hormone therapy you lose male libido and wish you hadn't started in the first place.

Some transwomen regret that, but speaking for myself (and I'm sure others will chime in soon) losing my male libido - and replacing it with something more like a female sex drive - was not only NOT regrettable but eagerly sought after.

I've crossdressed my entire adult life but just recently started going out as a female pretty much full time (except when I go to work).

Um, yeah. That's not "pretty much full time". That's called part-time. Not a bad place to start, but it is what it is.

. . . [if] I just wanna keep my male libido and be a man in a womans body

OK, now I'm confused. Just what the heck do you really want? Do you even know what you want? Do you want to transition or do you just want to play extreme dress-up?

So my question for now is . . . why don't they let guys get the surgery without taking hormones first?

"Guys" who get PARTIAL surgery (ie: breast augmentation) with little or no hormone use are commonly referred to as ********. You know, the same ones you see in porn movies and making themselves available for "companionship" on Craigslist?

Is that your goal? If so, that's your choice and I do not make it a habit to question others' choices, but this may not be the site for you to find thoughtful answers to those questions.

As for getting GRS without following WPATH protocols, good luck. Sure, there are people who do it, but the few people I know who've taken that path generally spent many more years trying to make it happen than they would have had they gone about it the right way.

[aalynn88]

First off, thank you for your input. You are right. I have not done enough research. Thats one reason why I thought I could get answers here. I'm not really good with words and not sure if I even got my question right BUT, I just made the decision to go see a therapist about it. Thanks!

[kimdl93]

If you want to spring for surgery in Thailand, I doubt that anyone will stop you. However, you won't be physically male afterwards, and won't have male hormones and sex drive. Without female hormones, you would not develop feminine traits associated with them either. N But more importantly, SRS is major, life changing surgery that be contemplated by someone who clearly needs to become female. if you just want too look female, but want to remain male, save yourself some time, physical trauma, lots of money and unforeseen side effects or complications and buy some good breast forms and shapers.

[aalynn88]

I have a brother that lives in Thailand and he tells me guys come there all the time and get breast implants for $500.00. Of course im not sure if this is true, however, I definately want implants. I'm just afraid i may have to find another way to make a living before I get them because right now, I'm a self-employed tile-setter and I may not get as much business if they see a guy with breast wanting to do their tile work. I know its gonna take a lot of time to figure all this out but it will be nice to talk to others on this site about their experiences and how they got to where they wanna be.

[Catherine Hopkins]

I have a brother that lives in Thailand and he tells me guys come there all the time and get breast implants for $500.00.

Anything is possible with a backstreet surgeon but you'd get pretty much what you paid for.

The reputable Thai surgeons (Suporn and Chettawut spring to mind as the only two I'd trust myself, and only Suporn for the actual SRS) wouldn't touch you without psychiatric referrals and would cost thousands more than your brother quotes.

[arbon]

I'm just confused, are you wanting to do all this because the idea is sexually exciting? If you like all the turn on the just keep dressing and fantasizing there is not reason to consider anything else.

[Michelle.M]

I have a brother that lives in Thailand and he tells me guys come there all the time and get breast implants for $500.00..

Crikey, can you even comprehend the ramifications of that? Yes, surgery prices in Thailand are much lower than those in the US, but $500 for BA is roughly one-tenth of what it is here. Does that even make sense? That's back alley cheap even by Thai standards! Would you really lie down on the operating table of some hack who's that cheap?

Of course im not sure if this is true, however, I definately want implants.

You know, this really is starting to sound worse than it did in your original post. You really have no idea what you're saying, do you?

Do you, or do you not wish to transition? Sounds to me like you're all about vagina worship, boob envy and extreme crossdressing.

I know its gonna take a lot of time to figure all this out but it will be nice to talk to others on this site about their experiences and how they got to where they wanna be.

As far as I can see there is practically nobody here in the Transsexual forum who wants to be where you think you want to be. If you derive any information from anyone here about our experiences it will have no bearing whatsoever on the path you seem to want to take.

I'm sorry, but I doubt anyone here can help you unless we're giving you a lift to your first therapist appointment, which you desperately need. Now.

[aalynn88]

Again, I apologize. As it said in my original post, my question may sound stupid. Im brand new to this site. By the way, i took your advice and started again from the beginning with introductions. I also just came out of the closet a couple of months ago and Im just excited about all this. So please forgive me. There is no need to be mean to me.

[Miranda-E]

It seems that you are more interested in hiding the fact that you're a man and assuming a safe/accepted role than becoming a woman. I think you really need to examine what direction that libido leans and come to terms with that before rushing to SRS.

[Catherine Hopkins]

Again, I apologize. As it said in my original post, my question may sound stupid. Im brand new to this site. By the way, i took your advice and started again from the beginning with introductions. I also just came out of the closet a couple of months ago and Im just excited about all this. So please forgive me. There is no need to be mean to me.

Aalynn. It sounds to me like you're in what we call the pink fog. The euphoria that comes with realising you can be more feminine.

You need to slow down, think about your own goals and then start some serious research.

Taking hormones, and especially testosterone blockers will kill the male libido - but so will SRS or an orchiectomy as the primary source of libido is testosterone and any and all of those methods will kill off the main suppliers of testosterone so planning on SRS without hormones will just mean it happens suddenly and irrevocably. Probably better and safer to try testosterone blockers FIRST so see if you actually MISS the libido. Many say they will and cannot imagine not having erections but come the time they're gone, many don't miss them.

Men think with their erections. Losing them allows a new clarity of thought as to where you want to go, long term.

[docrobbysherry]

Hi Aalynn. Welcome to the site. I cannot speak for u or anyone else. However, my experience sounds like it may have been similar to yours.

I began suddenly dressing out of the blue at age 50. What I wanted more than anything was my own breasts. And, I fantasized about becoming a female. Unfortunately, I wanted to also be a young and pretty one. To make a long story short, I bought a silicone female suit and now I can see myself as the young, pretty woman I imagined in my mirror any time I like! Years later, I still find that image extremely exciting! Rite after I got the suit my desire for real breasts and to possibly try hormones and have GRS disappeared! I now clearly understand I'm not a TS. Simply a CD that enjoys extreme realism in my mirror and photos.

I think anyone who feels they may be confusing the desire to look female with becoming one could easily clear that up be trying what I did. For less than $1000 to can see yourself as an anatomically correct female. And, switch back and forth at will!

Obviously, my solution is probably like a joke to TSs. However, if there's just one other person like myself out there, maybe they can relate to my experience?

[Michelle.M]

Obviously, my solution is probably like a joke to TSs.

No, I wouldn't say that at all! The solution you've chosen is perfect - for you - and nobody should criticize. As you say, you're not TS, so why would this be a joke?

But for someone to consider surgery or other radical procedures when they really don't seem to want to transition is, at the least, absurd.

[max]

"Guys" who get PARTIAL surgery (ie: breast augmentation) with little or no hormone use are commonly referred to as ********. You know, the same ones you see in porn movies and making themselves available for "companionship" on Craigslist?

Do you find this manifestation of their gender identity illegitimate? It seems so considering you immediately paint the whole group with the "sex worker" brush.

[Angela Campbell]

It may be time to talk to a professional therapist and get the information you want. It is difficult to separate what you may want from what you need, and learning the realities can be a good place to start. Some of the things you are talking about are permanent and care should be taken to know as much as possible before doing anything that could be a problem later on. Slow it down, Do what you can that is not un doable, and start some real research with a professional.

[Badtranny]

I love this thread and I hope a decent dialogue gets started because I think a LOT of CD's would be interested in this exact course of action. Of course there is a fundamental problem with being a "man" with a vagina and that is the testicles, or rather lack of the testicles. Once the berries get plucked you will need to undergo some form of HRT in order to remain healthy. I suppose 'T' instead of 'E' is possible, but let's all sit for a moment and ponder that possibility.

Lovely.

[LeaP]

Once the berries get plucked you will need to undergo some form of HRT in order to remain healthy. I suppose 'T' instead of 'E' is possible, but let's all sit for a moment and ponder that possibility.

Hmmm - I think that would make one a "bad tranny."

[TeresaL]

..and once you start Hormone therapy you lose male libido and wish you hadn't started in the first place.

Losing your libido is not all you'll lose. HRT will cease and desist the desire to cross dress. I don't know for how long, but I'm starting the third month without dressing as a female to go out. Of course, I won't get dressed just to stay at home. I can dawdle, and do my chores around the house in drab.

But tomorrow, as an experiment, I will FORCE myself to dress, go into town, run errands, and have lunch dressed in my preferred gender style of clothing. It just seems like a lot of trouble, putting on makeup and don my women's jeans, sweater, and coat - when I could just slide into drab and go. But I'm planning for it ahead of time just because it is more of a chore than thrill. My SO has to go to work during the day, but I'm letting her know that tomorrow is my girls day out.

My hopes are that I will regain the pleasure, joy, and warmth I once enjoyed when wearing women's clothes, smelling like a woman, conversing with men and women I meet on my way, and all the other things I have enjoyed. And like you, I've done it quite frequently. But right now? It's just a dream. I have to wait and see what my day will be like.

[Beth-Lock]

Well, that stirred up the nay-sayers!

[Tammy V]

You have made the right decision to go to a therapist, howver that comes out. And what exactly is meant by a "male libido"?

[Ceri Anne]

I have a brother that lives in Thailand and he tells me guys come there all the time and get breast implants for $500.00. Of course im not sure if this is true, however, I definately want implants. I'm just afraid i may have to find another way to make a living before I get them because right now, I'm a self-employed tile-setter and I may not get as much business if they see a guy with breast wanting to do their tile work. I know its gonna take a lot of time to figure all this out but it will be nice to talk to others on this site about their experiences and how they got to where they wanna be.

If you pay for the trip to Thailand, you might as well have it done here, proabably still cheeper. Although since your brother is there could be another reason to visit.