How do hormones affect libido?

[Anonymous]

I’ve been on hormones (progynova) and an anti-androgen (Aldactone) for over 3 years. My libido has dropped off a lot: I no longer have that incessant male “itch” to have sex ALL THE FRICKING TIME. However, it has not affected my potency in that I can still get aroused when I am in the mood. I no longer get spontaneous erections, however. I notice that erections are beginning to become a bit painful, though. Maybe there is a loss of muscle tone somewhere down there that is causing that, but I don’t really know. It’s not extremely painful, but noticeable. Anyway, a little pain can be nice in the right circumstances. 😉

If your sex life is already limited, then going on hormones may cause it to disappear completely.

[Anonymous]

This is very good advice from a list that I suggest you join if you are contemplating HRT. Age is an issue and if your libido is in decline, then HRT may accelerate that. I believe that it is all ‘in the head’ so you may have little or no libido problems after HRT. Many don’t, but some do to a significant degree compared to their previous male responses.

Hormones alter the brain and many associated functions. Be aware of this and consider that your thoughts, emotions and perceptions will also alter apart from any physical changes.

Join CRONE at

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/CRONE_portal

I would definitely agree with the following.

Amanda

> By taking appropriate amounts of hormones, it is usually possible to
> develop a feminised body *and* still retain some degree of basic male
> functions – typically less spontaneous, but still possible to maintain the
> usual male role if the emotional side works well, and both partners are
> sensitive about things being a little different. ( Be aware that after a
> some time, impotence may be somewhat reversible, but infertility may > be permanent!)
>
> We are also different from each other – more so than is generally realised.
> While some general rules usually apply to M>F hormone therapy (e.g.
> appropriate quantities of estrogen and/or anti-androgen in a male will
> usually produce some degree of infertility, impotence, and breast
> development), the exact details of “which, when, how much, and in what
> combination” for optimum results and/or minimal health risk, will depend
> on the individual – and on what they want !
> Most T*s want to go definitely in one direction or another, and for most
> of them, one of several ‘typical’ HRT regimes based on their doctor’s
> or other T*s previous experience, with a bit of adjustment, will usually > > be close enough.
> But, if you want a body which can function reasonably well in typically
> male *and* female ways at the same time, then your hormone
> regime may need to be adjusted individually – and more
> carefully than usual.
> At a minimum, you will need either a good and sympathetic endo,
> or you must listen very carefully to what your body is telling you.
> I would suggest both of these!

[Anonymous]

Good on you Amanda. Your reply is spot on
I am also a member of CRONE. I find the information comming thru is valuable but also beware of individual opinions and read between the lines again. I will be entering interesting information and very important information that can be future potential life threating once confirmed, but at the moment very strongly suspected and being investigated. Probably six weeks or so

As for myself. I have been on non synthetic hormone replacement for 18 or so months and lost virtually all libdo. Frankly I don’t miss it and don’t care about it. If I never have sex again as a man would not bother me at all. My life never revolved around sex anyway a I have lots of other things to do. I remember someone telling me that many years ago as well.

It does not diminish my disire to become female though.

Well lets update that on 1/6/2012

Yes. I was on synthetic hormones. As per other posts I mentioned I was on a self admisistered natural hormone replacement from http://www.life-enhancement.com, called thyroplex, for over 40’s.
Having been on synthetic and thyroplex I can feel a lot of difference. As synthetic hormones can create breasts in male with some feeling in the breast area, the estrogen component of thyroplex, being a complete hormone with all/most co-factors goes beyond these boundaries and I now have very strong feelings where a vagina should be. Complete with muscle movement and satisfaction. Very interesting . I am not making this up. The feeling is like a strong feel for sex although there is no vagina there. I can now relate to when a genetic female says that she is uncomfortable there needing completement

Jeorjette Anderson

[Anonymous]

Hmm.. I’m 31, and I had been on anti androgens about 2 weeks, at half dose, and all of a sudden there was little or no feeling or desire, down there.. its great, cos thats one less thing to worry about..

just threw this in, cos every one is different i guess.. remember there is only a few teaspoons of hormone really between male and female.

I wasnt expecting results like that, or the lack of tetostorone to have that sort of imediate effect, but its great, who am I to argue?? *EM*

[Anonymous]

Hormones and the low sex drive/ libido thang?
No-one can truly prepare you for what the hormones are going to do you, you can talk until the cows come home but until you start to feel the efects, your in the darkness. I have been under this for ages now and trying to address the subject is very difficult… what does the mind now think and what does the body now do?
Am I feeling this or that?
Am I this way or that ay now?
Growing breast tissue is what I wanted from hormones and I have that, but the low libido, hmm, what does a person do now. I used to be slightly tartish but gave that up because I became sick of the one off events. I met a girl but that never really worked for either of us and I left the relationship for many reasons, including her depression and views on sex and intimacy. However I came away with a mental scarring that is proving near darned improbable to overcome.
Its that scar and the not wishing to tart about that, not been seen by men as a pure sex object and, what now turns me on? It was suggested that I try to have some casual encounters but….

So yes, the hormones will effect your sex drive/ libido soif you are thinking serious about them, get ready for the MASSIVE cruve ball from out the left of field, wham!!! Its going to get you somewhere, somehow and at sometime, all you can do is look for the warning signs. Also I suggest you consider that the low drive is what many, not all, but many women feel too? Very few women are intersted in it all the time and most men appear to display the eagerness to have sex frequently. Is this hormones at work for both these Male and Female Genders?

I think yes or maybe about 99.9% yes that it is…. so what is important to you, the sex drive or the hormones to change your body? I don’t say that you must choose between the two, but beware things are going to change if you take hormones!!!!

Not all things remain the same in a dynamic environment.

Cheers AbbeyJane

[Anonymous]

I have been on HRT for nearly 12 months now and my libido is dead dead dead and I couldnt be happier. One less “issue” to deal with. For me going on HRT has been the best thing that has happened to me for a long while…

Karen

[Anonymous]

The speed of the changes varies a lot between people, but it is very dependent on age (older folks take longer to see noticeable changes) and dose (determining whether your Testosterone production is completely suppressed). Beginners generally start on a low dose and work their way up. For me, it took a couple of months before my breasts started to feel tender, but much longer before they became visibly noticeable, and only really after I increased my dose and started on anti-androgens. Breasts can continue to develop for many years. I haven’t experienced hormonal mood swings, though I am on antidepressants so that may be helping in that regard. It took about 2 years for my skin texture to change: Loss of body hair, softer, drier skin. I think I’m starting to get a bit of fat redistribution about now, after about 3 years.

Some people get some sort of milk production, but I don’t think I’ve ever read of anyone who has had the right quantity and quality for breastfeeding. You could induce that by taking other hormones (prolactin and oxytocin), but I don’t know how hard it would be to get your endocrinologist to agree to that.

Simone.

[Anonymous]

Hi Girls,
I’m 54 and it’s been about 6 weeks on low dose hormones. So far I have significant loss of libido which I don’t miss, noticable fat redistribution to the hips and bum and the “fat” is getting softer, slight breast development and a slight softening of the face. As for mood, I am feeling mostly wonderfull unless someone really annoys me then …grrrrrrrrr. I can barely describe the feeling…so aware…so beautiful…so feminine…sigh.
When I heard that hormones are VERY powerfull on one of the lists I thought hmmm ok but they seriously are.
Take with care.
Gwen

[Anonymous]

hi girls, No more morning glory!! that is he first thing that happened and was a great releif !!! I still show lust for a women and I am seeking a relationship but not in the male sense … I have had an incredible orgasm but it had nothing too doo with the male appendage !! Cant wait too have surgery soo i can feel comfortable in my new gender .

[Anonymous]

Just an update. Development continued and my libido fell off considerably (sex about once a month). After 14 months something strange happened in that my libido returned (sex 3 times a week) but was no longer focussed in the penis. It seemed to be centred just south of the scrotum. If you are preop and you feel like exploring I would recommend you give that area a try. Apparently I’m not alone
I am now post op and have a libido stronger than before (orgasm mostly daily) . Apparently that aspect of life is as variable in trans women as it is in the natal female population.

[Anonymous]

Hi everyone…
Wow….such diverse reactions. Well, I’ve been on HRT for almost 18 months now but even before that when I was taking only “Spiro” anti-Androgen,
I noticed sore breasts and a sudden drop in erection/ejac. ability within a couple of weeks. In fact it was suddenly quite painful.
Note also that I’m in my fifties !
I did have a sharp drop off in libido but I found that it later returned albeit “different” somehow…..peaceful. So now I dont get erections ( good ridance!) but I do get horney.
It’s sort of like someone turns the power switch on, the current is present and active but the light-bulb is blown…lol !!
I still phantasise and have some really sexy thoughts but nothing happens.
I am so glad though, that I am not ‘driven’ uncontrollably by that powerful testosterone any more…..it put me through hell for so many years.

Monique

[Anonymous]

ohh and i thought i was going nuts. I was reading an erotic story a few days ago, and got a tingly sensation and a little hard. Its been 3 months since the last time, and i was not expecting to orgasm again with a penis. Its quite odd.

I was starting to think my spiro wasnt working.

[Anonymous]

A reduced libido doesn’t mean your love life has to end.

Since I started hormones last year I’m still interested in intimacy, snuggles, romance and expressions of sexuality. Intercourse is still fun too. I still get turned on when I want to, but I just don’t get horny at random for no reason anymore like I did when I was a boy!

Honestly I think it’s an improvement.

I’ve only been on hormones for about 5 months, though. For long term hormone use I suspect you might want to be open to the idea of pleasuring your parter without sticking your thingy into him or her just in case it, you know, doesn’t get quite as hard as it used to. There’s more than one way to have sex and you never know, your partner might even prefer another way.

[Anonymous]

The schedule of hrt is to reduce male properties and increase female.
The reduction of testosterone will reduce libido and you wont get aroused easily. In heavy dosage it does tend to shrink the gonads dramatically and the penis as well.
A happy medium can be found.

[Anonymous]

Quote:

Duphaston is really really good, it’s a progestin and unlike others it doesn’t increase ones libido and actually keeps me stable emotionally.

Hi Muffin, I’m not so far down the track as you, I am only about 5 months into using Progynova. I was interested in your comment that Duphaston doesn’t increase one’s libido. Why is this an issue? Do you find that your libido is increased above what you would consider “normal”, or are you happier with a lower libido than you were used to as a boy?

I have read a few comments over the years where girls have been happier on HRT as they haven’t had to wrestle with their male hormones; or words to that effect. I’ve never had the sensation of being hassled by testosterone and I wouldn’t want to lose my libido even when I’m full time. Am I the odd girl out here?