hormones for those not consider GRS [Read WARNING]

[Anonymous]

Hi Abbergale….
Yes, sure you can. I know a few girls who are on HRT but are not planning any SRS ( but then some change their minds later…..lol)
Just make sure you see a good Doctor who is experienced with Gender issues.
Nothing like a good recommendation in regard to Doctors and psychs.

Hugs

Monique

[Adrian]

The simple answer to the question is pretty obvious – yes of course you can take hormones without intending (at the time) to transition.
It is any one’s guess but I estimate that about 5% of TR’s members are definitely on hormones but up to another 20% could be. In this I include girls who currently, or in the past, have had medical hormones prescribed by doctors, or purchased them over the internet – and not girls taking herbal supplements (to put on weight .

The more interesting question to me (and one you will need to answer honestly before approaching a doctor) is why would you do this?
[ul]It might be that you feel you should live full-time as a woman – but are prepared to forgo being legally a woman because having SRS would be a risk (medically or financially).
Or perhaps you want to feminize your appearance without the intent of transitioning at work or full-time.
Or maybe you just want to grow boobs.
Or some may have a budding film career ahead of them as a ‘she-male’!
[/ul]
The reason the reason is important IMHO is that HRT carries with it risks. And the appropriate level of therapy (and consequently level of risk) almost certainly depends on the outcomes being sought.
Pretending to want to transition in order to get medically prescribed hormones, when all you want is some breast tissue , is I think dishonest and dangerous. On the other hand, self-prescribing hormones at the levels needed to proceed to SRS is possibly suicidal.

That said I know many people do dabble with hormones as part of their exploration into who they are. The reality is this is little talked about. And certainly has no published medical evidence to guide you.

[Anonymous]

Hi Abbie

I think you need to work out what you want as hormones is a really big step. If you plan on living as a full time woman but you are not looking to have SRS is different then living partime in ether mode. Hormones are not something to play with if you are not planning fulltime female.

Not having SRS is not the end of the world for some people, and is for others. Keep an open mind if you decide to go down this path, as a lot of things will change as you progress down the transition road.

I agree with Monique and Amanda, but would like to add that the changes are more than just on the outside. Hormones will change the way you think, the way you interact with the world, all your feelings will be questioned and at time you will be reduced to tears for no reason. Your confidence male persona will be reduced to you been so unsure about everything. What you like as a boy can change depending on what it is, other dont.

If you are depressed then hormones will make it worst, so sort out your problems in life before you start as this will not fix anything.

I went into this with an open mind when it came to my life. I knew I should have been a girl all my life and that was the only sure thing. Before I started I only liked girls and been with a guy was not an option ever, I have not blocked the way I feel, just let the hormones do there thing, now I have a BF, although I still dont know where I will be in the future, but thats how much hormones changed me inside.

Remember hormones will also attack all your males body parts including down there, so long term on hormones will stop all that from working. This will not only have impact on your sex life but your health, as our body needs one of the hormones to survive, you will not be producing any hormones your self long term, so you will be on tablets for life.

So my advice is to work out what you really want, if you dont want to be a woman but just look like one then look at the surgery options.

Hope this helps.

xxx

Kelly Jones

[Jennett]

There are Hormones and hormones. I know many who have no intention of transition, nor of losing their ability to function as a male. Really we should all be proud of our maleness and it is not something to be embarassed about just because we desire to wear a dress.
Breasts are the epitome of feminess and they too feel strongly about their breasts.
The other thing with Hormones is that they are mind altering, you can get into a differnet world, maybe a femme mentality, but it can be addictive and overpowering to the extent that you make stupid baseless decisions that were never your intentions. It is a fine line but be careful.
Yes there is a regular cocktail for SRS that delete the c..k but there are more middle of the road things too.
Aldactone, under various names, is one hairy females use. It is sort of incredible, I used it and it makes your primary hair grow better, head and it decreases the secondary hair. Whether it would grow hair on a billiard ball I have no idea.
As a female hormone it can and not always start breast development, which supposedly is if your Mum had big breasts you might grow some too. Yes it does, sometimes.
It is also basically a diuretic so fairly harmless. See your Doc first for medical advice first!
But, and there is always a but, when you stop the hair reversal effects REVERSES and you could become hairy all over like I did! Sure I still have a healthy head of hair, just more elsewhere.
I am very happy with my little man Boobs though.
If and if I ever started again it would have to be basically forever. Not so easy when your personal life can change from week to week.

[Anonymous]

I have just been referred to the Monash gender clinic. For all the reasons mentioned above this is serious sh*t; physically and emotionally. I figure that putting myself in the hands of professionals is the only way to go. Let the next leg of my journey begin.

[Adrian]

Quote:

I figure that putting myself in the hands of professionals is the only way to go.

I don’t think that anyone is proposing (or I hope that they are not) that it is wise to take HRT at the levels necessary to prepare for and recover from GRS without taking medical advice.

The thread asked a specific question – and that was about the taking of hormones if one’s current intent is not to have surgery.

In this case I think a faith in ‘the professionals’ may turn out to be misplaced.
A doctor is only as good as a) his/her experience of past patients, b) the training received, c) the labelling and clinical trial data on the drugs he/she uses.

In all these areas I think one will find the professionals are very much finding their way – when treating someone who does not wish to go post-op.
If someone wants to refer me to published medical information to disprove my position I will be happy to change it – and a start a separate thread to discuss the woeful lack of objective data on which to make decisions about transgender HRT.

Till then it may be that one’s peers know more about the process ( in a very subjective way) than do the professionals.

Just a provocative opinion I know…..but what I believe!

[Anonymous]

To the original question, there are people out there that decide to take hormones but not change their sex they’re regarded as non-ops (I know of at least one personally). I haven’t researched it myself but I would say (don’t quote me on this) that there are a number of safe hormones that you can take without the risk of long term liver damage or other.
MOST IMPORTANT: it is imperative above anything else that you understand completely what being a non-op entails. AND EVEN MORE like everyone else has pointed out, ask your GP to send you to a specialist who can advise you on your needs/questions. You never hinted towards self-medication but like everyone’s pointed out it’s very dangerous.
So research research research and sleep on it a 1000+ times, and just be yourself.
S.x

[Anonymous]

I always knew it was a serious thing to do just wondered if I could do it without surgery but have thought long and hard and I am going to just diet and get breast forms no drugs for me would have just loved to have had breasts and hair growth.

[Anonymous]

I’m getting mixed messages here. There seems to be a message of don’t self administer hormones and yet don’t trust professionals. Perhaps I should have said get as much information from all sources as I can and then make my own judgment.

[Anonymous]

Every city has it’s fair share of questionable doctors and every city has it’s knowledgeable doctors with a background in TG issues. It’s researching and finding resource pages that provide proven recommendations within your local TG community. I recently changed my GP to one that has a history in my area and she is amazing, best thing I’ve done in awhile. Network and find the best and have peace of mind.
Personally I’ve found where ever there is ‘doubt’ there is more often than not a ‘no’. Good luck.
S.x

[Anonymous]

Quote:

Every city has it’s fair share of questionable doctors and every city has it’s knowledgeable doctors with a background in TG issues. It’s researching and finding resource pages that provide proven recommendations within your local TG community. I recently changed my GP to one that has a history in my area and she is amazing, best thing I’ve done in awhile. Network and find the best and have peace of mind.
Personally I’ve found where ever there is ‘doubt’ there is more often than not a ‘no’. Good luck.
S.x

Hi all,

From what I understand from other girls, the Monash Gender Clinic definately know what they’re talking about. You should be a safe hands there.

Robyn