Testosterone replacement therapy?

[Bea_]

I've got smallish breasts that are ultimately just man-boobs. They're somewhere between an AA and A. When I was young and thin, my chest was totally flat with very little pectoral muscle or anything. At one point in my early to mid thirties I worked a physical job and worked out in the gym and actually had a V shape and pecs. I moved to a less active job and away from the gym and everything got softer. But, I never really noticed anything that resembled breasts until I saw a shirtless photo my wife had taken of me from the side. That photo was taken a few years in to my dressing.

Well, my natural breasts have come to look and feel more and more like boobs rather than leftover pectoral muscle. Taking off my bra tonight and looking in the mirror I saw my breasts in an even more significant light and it brought some questions to mind. I'll give a timeline before I get to my point...

In the early 2000's I began testosterone replacement therapy and and have continued taking injection since then. The injections started a couple of years before I ever contemplated wearing anything from the woman's department. One of the major potential side effects of TRT is breast growth. Seeing my boobs in the mirror tonight got me to thinking about the potential source of the growth. And, that led me to wonder if the same underlying cause could be encouraging my feminine aesthetic.

I am just wondering if anyone else has any experience with TRT and could relate the timing to the beginning of their crossdressing. It could obviously be a total coincidence, but it could be a cause/effect scenario.

I'm not bothered if it's the outright cause and just the possibility makes me feel more justified in having my taste.

One side note, the testostone has increased my body hair and beard A LOT. I always wanted to grow a beard, but never wanted to have a hairy body. So, my beard is long and much of my body hair is shaved with every shower. The stubble in certain areas is just too intense to deal with and my wife prefers a certain amount of body hair. It's where we compromise...

[Samantha51]

Hi. I started TRT in June this year. My dressing has 100% increased from occasional panty wearing to it becoming obsessive. I certainly wondered if the CD was due to the TRT though I didn't find anything online and the TRT quack didn't think it likely (I'm not convinced of his credentials though). I had small man boobs at the time and wondered if that was increased gym use OR the TRT.

I suddenly stopped TRT (another story, probably unwise). I'm "hoping" my natural T production restarts without HCG... I suspect I've been foolish... again. The man boobs have sadly gone.

So, yes, I've suspected a link between the TRT and CD.

I've always been hairy so I didn't notice if that increased. Keeping it off has proved difficult, like you the stubble is too much and my wife likes the hair though begrudgingly accepted it's removal. In due course I'd consider nor permanent solutions.

HTH and interested to continue this thread, so happy to chat! Accuse on stopping TRT itself would be good.

[CharlotteCD]

Testosterone from external sources usually only becomes an issue if the free testosterone can be turned into oestrogen.

I have slight gyno on my left breast due to use of certain steroids I am sure we cannot mention here.

What I will say though is that in my experience I am less likely to dress when my test levels are up.

[GretchenM]

About 4 years ago I had prostate cancer immunotherapy treatment with testosterone reduced to castration level for 6 months. It was not a fun experience as my muscles atrophied and I became quite weak and my sexual ability and desire went to zero. But my boobs grew some as a result of the natural estrogen that all males produce in small quantities took over. It had no effect on my female-like behaviors - they remained the same, but it was nice to have some degree of breast development even though it was unbalanced with the left side enlarging a bit more than the right. After the suppression stopped my testosterone increased, I got muscles again and the change in hair growth which was minimal came back. But my testosterone never returned to its previous value although still more than adequate to maintain some male function in strength but very low sexual behavior levels. The boob growth remained the same.

Your mileage may vary as each person's endocrinology pattern is unique. On the whole it was not a good experience but it left me curious about what would have happened with estrogen boosting. Maybe an increase in female feelings? Or just a continuation of muscular weakness - my wife was stronger than I was. I couldn't open tight jars even with a leveraged jar opener tool. I don't recommend it, but then each person is different.

[Karren H]

I did not have TRT but I have a similar issue. Or couple issues. First, 20 plus years ago I was diagnosed with a pituitary tumor, prolactinoma. Prolactin causes T to plummet and when successfully treated, come back to full strength. I went from no desire to dress to full out obsessive crossdressing in a mater of months. Has not slowed down in 20 years.

Last year I was diagnosed with prostate cancer and am taking a few drugs.

I started out an A cup 20 years ago and now I measure greater than a DD. Do not think because of my T levels or the drugs I take but mainly because of the exercises I do to increase my breast size. Do them every night sometimes for hours. The results have been amazing.

I do take other otc meds and try to take ones that cause gynecomastia. Just to help it along.

[Bea_]

What I will say though is that in my experience I am less likely to dress when my test levels are up.

Without the injections my testosterone levels stay at the very low end of normal. When I first started on the injections my dosage pushed me well above the top end of normal. My desire or need to dress hasn't really changed throughout the years. But, I think I find that with the higher levels of testosterone in my body, I tend to be more assertive in my dressing at home. I tend to defer to my wife's sensitivities a bit more when I take a break from the injections. I feel like I become overly sensitive to the slightest hint of her disapproval. When my levels are on the higher end, I tend to assert myself a bit more in expressing my tastes.

I don't believe I've ever gotten to be overbearing in expressing my taste as I am still very sensitive to her opinion of me. I am my wife's caregiver to a big degree and I tend to think that, the same tendencies that encourage my feminine taste, make me a better caregiver. It's just a hypothesis...

[Genifer Teal]

This is all very interesting and seems to go against conventional thinking at least my conventional thinking.
You would think male harmones would prevent breast growth. If I had low t levels i'd try to run with it as long as it was safe.
I wouldn't want to enhance the male in me artificially. I don't have a partner that wants the male in me, So I don't have that concern.

[Samantha51]

Hi Genifer, I've never been an "alpha" type male. I went onto TRT to get more oomph, more mojo, more energy and vitality. My experience of TRT wasn't conclusive (hence I've stopped) but possibly I found that I became a somewhat better person. Less anxious, more considerate. Only explanation I can give is that I felt, perhaps, that I had less to prove. Same explanation, to me, why subsequent CD has enabled me to be a significantly nicer man, more attentive, more romantic, more patient. My journey has made me confront my previous phobias (used to be SEEN to be manly to avoid attention/attack/derision) and I'm am blessed that my wife is open minded enough to accept me, so far. I think our relationship is better for me not hiding so much.

A small example from church today. Until today I've never knelt to pray because of what my fellow choirmen might think of me (belief isn't required to be in the choir). Having talked to my incredilous wife this morning I did pray on my knees. Significant to me. It's all about me choosing what I do, not being constrained by societal/birth family norms.

[Bea_]

This is all very interesting and seems to go against conventional thinking at least my conventional thinking.
You would think male harmones would prevent breast growth. If I had low t levels i'd try to run with it as long as it was safe.
I wouldn't want to enhance the male in me artificially. I don't have a partner that wants the male in me, So I don't have that concern.

I've read for years that gym rats who used steroids to get muscle growth also were at risk of gynomastia. So, from that perspective it makes sense. I've also looked at other potential side effects of testosterone injections and found that testicular atrophy or shrinkage was an almost certain side effect. It only makes sense that if high artificial levels could affect physical traits, it could also have unforeseen mental effects. I doubt any studies have ever been done.

Personally, I love being a dude, even if this dude likes pretty things. I tend to celebrate the things that make me male and the things I have in common with females. I'm glad my wife likes me as a male, but i wish her definition of male would ease a little.

I've been on TRT for so long that I'm not sure what coming off would feel like. I do know that my levels would drop to at or below the bottom of the scale that they use to prescribe the treatments. It definitely hasn't made me too masculine. The body hair is a downside, but I've been fortunate not to have the side effect of male pattern baldness. That would be a deal killer I think.

[Di]

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