for female hormone takers

[_g (imported)]

The effects of estrogen on a man, there are many variables genetic and age having the most effect on the outcome. The older you are the less mental and physical effects there will be. And if testosterone is not block the effects will be less. No effects happen over night, Breast growth can be felt before it is noticeable 2-3 weeks(felt) can be hidden for months/years but shirt less noticeable in about 2 to 6 months.

Before I became Hypogonadism (Low-No Testosterone) estrogen just made me more horny and gave me very minor gynecomastia

_g

[transward (imported)]

I know that the hormone effects your body, but im interested to know-

does it affect your brain to? do you also start think and analyze (spelling?) things like a woman?

can female hormones can be taken if u have testicles? and if its a yes, What is the feeling diffrent from a man?

curious as hell, thank you.

:dong:

This is a subject I have considerable experience in. I ran trans support groups here in Seattle for the better part of a decade, and have watched and listened to hundreds of trans women talk about their experiences going on (and occasionally off) hormones and blockers. In addition of course to being trans myself and taking them for more than a decade.

There is a simple test you can do to find out the most likely effects of hormones on your mind. Go sit by yourself with a beverage, (alcoholic, caffeinated or other, your choice) Look into the crannies and nooks of your mind for all your opinions, prejudices, and stereotypes about the differences between men and women. Those are the effects you are likely to see. Hormones and blockers are powerful and profound drugs that have great and predictable effects on the body, and equally great but much less predictable effects on the mind. But they are also among the most potent placebos known to man. If you believe that women are worse drivers than men, and you begin to transition, it is very probable that you are going to be a poorer driver after transition, without any voluntary effort on your part. If you believe that women can write good code just as well as (if not better than)men, then it is likely that after transition you will be able to write code every bit as well as before. (This, however, is no guarantee that your co-workers will perceive that fact. I knew a high tech trans woman, who after going all the way, through SRS, implants, Facial Feminization surgery, etc. and after going back to work at her old job she found that while before (s)he transitioned (s)he was the idea person for her team, the one people came to help solve their problems. But after transition she was the one who got the coffee while others took over her old role of wonderkid troubleshooter. Female to Male transsexuals report the opposite change in co-workers attitude. Eventually she had the implants removed and detransitioned back to living as a man. Said she would go back when her career was further along or she could retire.) I even knew a couple of trans women who claimed that the decision to transition and go on hormones and blockers caused perceptable physical changes towards femininity even before they began taking the drugs. Since it is well known that the mind can affect hormone levels it is certainly possible. For instance the T levels of winners in poker games usually show higher T levels than those of losers.

Transward

[devi (imported)]

As a hormoneless person that never used to take anything, not even coffee until I was about 40 or so, I'd say that you probably really don't need hormones until you're older. But everyone's different. I now take a minimal doseage (the smallest pill) of estradiol every other day since I do feel that I need something. I do think it keeps my brain more focused throughout the day. There's probably better alternatives for hormones for eunuchs but this is the easiest and cheapest way. (Oh I've had boobs since I was fifteen without taking hormones but very small like most of my female relatives.)

[foxytaur (imported)]

This is a subject I have considerable experience in. I ran trans support groups here in Seattle for the better part of a decade, and have watched and listened to hundreds of trans women talk about their experiences going on (and occasionally off) hormones and blockers. In addition of course to being trans myself and taking them for more than a decade.

There is a simple test you can do to find out the most likely effects of hormones on your mind. Go sit by yourself with a beverage, (alcoholic, caffeinated or other, your choice) Look into the crannies and nooks of your mind for all your opinions, prejudices, and stereotypes about the differences between men and women. Those are the effects you are likely to see. Hormones and blockers are powerful and profound drugs that have great and predictable effects on the body, and equally great but much less predictable effects on the mind. But they are also among the most potent placebos known to man. If you believe that women are worse drivers than men, and you begin to transition, it is very probable that you are going to be a poorer driver after transition, without any voluntary effort on your part. If you believe that women can write good code just as well as (if not better than)men, then it is likely that after transition you will be able to write code every bit as well as before. (This, however, is no guarantee that your co-workers will perceive that fact. I knew a high tech trans woman, who after going all the way, through SRS, implants, Facial Feminization surgery, etc. and after going back to work at her old job she found that while before (s)he transitioned (s)he was the idea person for her team, the one people came to help solve their problems. But after transition she was the one who got the coffee while others took over her old role of wonderkid troubleshooter. Female to Male transsexuals report the opposite change in co-workers attitude. Eventually she had the implants removed and detransitioned back to living as a man. Said she would go back when her career was further along or she could retire.) I even knew a couple of trans women who claimed that the decision to transition and go on hormones and blockers caused perceptable physical changes towards femininity even before they began taking the drugs. Since it is well known that the mind can affect hormone levels it is certainly possible. For instance the T levels of winners in poker games usually show higher T levels than those of losers.

Transward

Thanks for info Transward. My personal thought is I won't loose my libido,it'll drop but not to zero levels, it'll change profoundly or alternate somewhat. I never liked to penetrate and firmly believe that if I try it'll stay limp as a noodle so meh there goes trying to penetrate guys or gals but pfttt again the idea is revolting to me . However being the penetre, sub or bottom makes me frisky to no end.

Ive noticed that even as a male I get pissed off for no reason(i usually like being more reserved but i get the feeling E will change this)and start spazzing at my mom or sister(especially sis) so id expect more cat fights with her. Yeah anger management is a huge problem on my mom's side. And go figure over ridiculously insignificant things such as dirty laudry(OMFG she's a clean freak) or dirty kitchen that doesn't look dirty at all but a stain would make her go ape shit.

And sometimes it happens for no reason at all. Like cheetaking described in her earlier posts

Lonliness?

feeling ugly?

old?

wrinkles?

Nb = My fear is to become my Mom

[Hildy_ (imported)]

Ive noticed that even as a male I get pissed off for no reason(i usually like being more reserved but i get the feeling E will change this)and start spazzing at my mom or sister(especially sis) so id expect more cat fights with her.

Or maybe you'll become more confident with yourself and are better able to resist your mom's antics. I have the same problem by the way, though not with the same magnitude as you. What I've noticed is that, even with my measly hormone dose, I've been able to be much more "adult" in our conflicts. It used to be that I'd rant and rave at her like a 14-year-old, but now I can just tell her "I don't like that, please don't do that for the good of our relationship".

But yeah, moms.. sigh

[cheetaking243 (imported)]

You know, I had an epiphany today, and I really think that a lot of the things that I've said about estrogen making my emotions feel very roller-coastery, and getting down on myself, actually have nothing to do with the hormones. I think it's more of a personal problem of mine, having to do with how basically, because EVERYTHING has always come easy for me, I've never learned how to work at anything, so I'm kind of stuck in this mindset of expecting instant results with everything that I do. So because hormones, and voice training, and all of these other transgender things simply cannot happen over night, and take months of persistence, I'm expecting the impossible, and that is what's leading to me getting so depressed all the time. I'm so used to getting everything immediately, that when things don't happen quickly, I start feeling like a failure, and getting down on myself. So I really don't think my complaints over mental issues are valid anymore. Those are very likely completely my own problems. Everyone else that I have talked to has reported an amazing sense of mental calmness on HRT. So yeah, this one might be just me.

[Hildy_ (imported)]

You know, I had an epiphany today, and I really think that a lot of the things that I've said about estrogen making my emotions feel very roller-coastery, and getting down on myself, actually have nothing to do with the hormones. I think it's more of a personal problem of mine, having to do with how basically, because EVERYTHING has always come easy for me, I've never learned how to work at anything, so I'm kind of stuck in this mindset of expecting instant results with everything that I do. So because hormones, and voice training, and all of these other transgender things simply cannot happen over night, and take months of persistence

I hate to break it to you, I really do, but it's more like years. The hormonal processes alone take around 2 years (that is, after 2 years there won't be much more improvements). Also don't forget the very important social integration. Hormones and surgery can only make you look like a girl. Being a girl in the eyes of society takes around 10 years of socialisation (quoted from the local Dutch gender team). And then there's the rest of your life: you won't be just a girl, you'll be a transgirl, with special challenges along the way.

So do focus on the journey, not the destination. You're journeying away from your birth gender; you're transitioning, that's the important part.

I think you should also take a moment to focus on your circumstances. You mentioned that you work at a casino, where you have direct customer interaction. Quite a lot of people feel uncomfortable with visibly-trans people, which at some point during your transition you're going to be. How is your employer going to react to the news? Are they maybe going to fire you? Might it be better to look into getting a back-room position where you don't interact with customers that much?

Everyone else that I have talked to has reported an amazing sense of mental calmness on HRT. So yeah, this one might be just me.

If every transperson mentions to every other transperson that they feel an amazing sense of calmness on HRT, any transperson starting out, looking for validation, is going to echo that same statement, even if they feel like crap. You just went off the deep end; your body and mind need time to adjust.

I'm going to be honest here and speak of my own experiences: it's a roller-coaster for me too. For me, HRT, especially anti-androgens, slowly but surely undermines my being able to cope with being male. But my self-esteem, that's been very low at times and needs to improve to start taking on the herculean task of transitioning, is only slowly improving and occasionally still takes a heavy beating. I obsessively ruminate about if I'm ever going to pass, if I'm ever going to be accepted, or if I'll just be dumped by the wayside like so many of society's outcasts...

hugs.. I think I know how you feel.

Edit: reading the articles in the Gianna E. Israel Gender Library (http://www.firelily.com/gender/gianna/), though they're mostly aimed at older transitioners, helped me a lot in dealing with this.

Edit: Also, quoting Julia Serano:

People often say that female hormones make women "more emotional" than men, but in my view such claims are an oversimplification. How would I describe the changes I went through, then? In retrospect, when testosterone was the dominant sex hormone in my body, it was as though a thick curtain were draped over my emotions. It deadened their intensity, made all of my feelings page and vague as if they were ghosts that would haunt me. But on estrogen, I find that I have all of the same emotions that I did back then, only now the come in crystal clear. In other words, it is not the actual emotions, but rather their intensity that has changed-the highs are way higher and the lows are way lower. Another way of saying it is that I feel my emotions more now; they are in the foreground rather than the background of my mind.

This does match my experiences so far. Where I could just push away my dysphoria as nonsense before I admitted what I really wanted and started with hormones, now it's something that's sitting at the forefront of my mind and won't budge.

[plix (imported)]

Everyone else that I have talked to has reported an amazing sense of mental calmness on HRT.

I always thought it was the other way around. Back when I first started taking E, I read about these intense mood swings that it was supposed to cause and was quite disappointed when they did not happen for me. I don't seem susceptible to mood swings when my hormone levels change. I am a bit jealous because I would love to know what those mood swings are all about! I think I do get some emotional effects from hormonal changes, but they are subtle and appear over a period of time.

[jbird1955 (imported)]

I'm currently in transition after a few bouts with simple chemical castration (finally figured out what it was I was looking for). As for the anti-androgen I would say that alone it really doesn't do anything except clear you mind of being anything - Male or Female. Once you start the estrogen though things do change mentally (and of course physically too).

For me the estrogen add completed my mindset. Being A-sexual wasn't anything, it lacked "something." The estrogen then made me see things a lot clearer and I was able to figure out what it was I was looking for.

BTW, for me I'm classed (hate that) as a bi-gender. I don't expect to have my penis removed nor obviously make the full transition.

[foxytaur (imported)]

http://forums.somethingawful.com/showth ... id=3447636

This site gave me some insight and made me feel better about hormones.

I think age 28 will be the age I'll start taking those hormones.

I think for the most part I've avoided the greatest skull aka bone density structural changes with my body that comes with T.

Please correct me if I'm wrong with my way of thinking atm.

I'm starting to calm down given well I really can't do much to change the situatin im in atm. So i'll try to say fuck it and postpone the worry for laters.

I don't want to kill myself over the stressful with something I have not much power atm to change things drastically.

I'm an emotional train wreck many times.(Anger primarily)

I'd be surprised if I became calmer on E. Like really