Effectiveness of chemical vs. surgical castration

[kristoff]

Thanks for the responses. For those posters above who said that they had to (or received a doctors' recommendation to) go back on testosterone after surgery--may I ask what the medical reason was for this? I want to know as much as I can about what I'm getting into...

There is also prevention of osteoporosis

[experiment (imported)]

Having just completed a short test run using Androcur for a little over a month, I highly recommend you try the chemical approach first and see if you like the new you. From my own experience, i didnot realize I was losing interest in sexual desires and activities after just two weeks. It happened slowly. After an addition two weeks my ability to get aroused, orgasm and ejaculate was significantly reduced to point of not happening. It continued continued for several weeks after discontinuing the Androcur. It was worth the cost to experience it and realize I was not ready for castration. Just my opinion and something to think about.

[Never2Late (imported)]

Surgery was my choice. T level after was effectively zero. Initial expense and a recovery period, but now after 8 years - no regrets. I tried replacement for a while recently at my doctors suggestion - not for me! Got angry, started to swear and other bad habits returned. Not to mention having to go have the shot every week... So if you go the chemical route, your expenses will be less over the short term, but you will have to keep getting the shots for a long time if not forever... Surgery = no fuss, no muss.

Did they ever do any bloodwork to determine your T levels to get the dosage dialed in? Did you talk about the behavior changes that you didn't like? Or what your goals are as in minimal dosage just for overall health? These are important things to discuss with or mention to your MD. Plus unless there is some other aspect to your well being like IV drug use there shouldn't be any issues self administering once your dosage is dialed in.

[Brycenosak (imported)]

The biggest issue for me was that they 'forgot' to take my baseline T level before my nuts were cut. Then it took years to figure out what would work for me. The important correlation is between the fsh hormone from the piturity gland and the T levels. My T levels were in 'the box' for the the endocronologist, but my fsh levels were elavated. It will never be known what my original T levels were, when I had my nuts. What I did eventually find out that my body only uses 1/2 the TRT replacement. So a shot that is supposed to last 3 months, lasts me 6 weeks. I've tried pills, subcutasous implants and patches. Settled on intramuscular injections. Never under estimate the doctor's ability to fiddle around with the dose. After 16 years, I pretty much know my shit.

[Dekeldoh (imported)]

My impression from being around transgender communities and friends for over a year is that cyproterone acetate may actually affect libido more than a bilateral orchiectomy. Cypro also seems to harm the liver, necessitate Vitamin B12 supplementation, and carry an increased risk of depression. If I needed to take it, I would want to minimize dosages and get an orchiectomy as soon as possible.

However, I'm also envious of the libido decrease many of my acquaintances have experienced. I never did a chemical castration trial and even a year after my orchiectomy I still experienced occasional wet dreams and morning erections with no loss in length.

[Begoneboy (imported)]

You compared yourself to the transgenders, who are special, different from typical men. Sexual habits, lifestyle and genes together affect libido strongly. Therefore, different men have different libidos.

.

I am more than curious as to what actually makes a transgender male any different from any other typical male. While sexual habits and lifestyle indeed have a profound effect on libido, how do genes which are cemented before birth effect libido if habit and lifestyle play a strong roll in libido. My libido was normal compared to other males prior to castration and to be completely honest has remained what I remembered from before castration as a result of hormone manipulation. My genes were not altered by castration although hormone levels were indeed. The chemical hormone levels were altered by adding estrogen to the point that my hormone levels became lopsided towards the female hormone levels compared to the lopsided male hormone levels pre-castration. Those changes however could not alter the genes locked into my body during fetal development. You seem to proffer the idea that a transgender male has a different gene makeup than a non-transgender male. Since I don't really consider myself to be transgender do we say the concept is somehow a social designation? I am indeed me and nobody else. I have the gene markers of a male and not those of a female. While I have the hormone levels of a female rather than those of a male I still do not have female gene markers and thus am not female. It was/is society who has made some call that I am female even though I have no female gene markers nor female genitals. I also no longer have the male genital. Libido is indeed created by hormone levels which in my case were changed by lifestyle. As in consuming female hormones once I had altered via surgery the production of male hormones. My sexual habits changed with the removal of a penis since I was no longer able to have an erection of a body part which no longer existed. Prior to castration and removal of the penis the male organ called the prostate had a function of moving fluids into the penis as a result of actions of the testes. The prostate still performs a function but must be manipulated rather than it doing the manipulating. So sexual habit and lifestyle have been altered while the genes locked in during fetal development have not. In short, our own individual experiences are subjective in ourselves. And the Swiss Doctor offered an opinion from observing a small number of experiments. But it was an opinion none the less. And we all understand that opinions also are subjective. Let us not mix the actual chemical science with the social declarations or social practice. I am a nullo which means I no longer have the genitals required to sexually penetrate and impregnate a female of my species. It also means that without intervention I no longer have the chemical makeup within my body to have libido. I have libido only as a result of chemical hormone manipulation.

[Harry_07 (imported)]

Its not either chemical or surgical castration, its both First you have to go through chemical (anti-androgen therapy) to see the effect and to find out if no T path is for you. If its is - then comes surgical castration, because chemical is just a short term solution, for permanent you have to get the balls rolling

Advice for after - low doses of female hormone to offset the most of potential health issues, the best I found - Pueraria mirifica. Its a herb, natural and much safer than medicine for long term use.

[sftineun (imported)]

I found the results to be the same. I was chemically castrated, and then surgically. No noticeable change after the surgery. Chemical means buying and taking pills forever. Expensive and may have side effect problems. Surgical costs more up front but then nor more costs or pill taking.

I am a chemical eunuch. I took Androcur and Tamoxifen combination for 4 years, and had to stop in 2009 because of the side effects of low T was really getting to me. To my pleasant surprise, all the desired castration changes remained even after stopping: atrophied genitals continued to atrophy and recent ultrasound scan of my testicles were the size equivalent to a 10 year old. my penis lost over 1 inch. My free testosterone was 75 ng/dl (normal range 250-827). After 10 years of becoming a permanent chemical eunuch, I am back on testosterone supplement to help with my constant fatigue and osteopenia.

I can't say I am terribly happy with having had to get back on testosterone supplement. That wasn't the point of getting castrated. But the side effects are serious.

So, chemical castration does become permanent as well. If your goal is just smaller genitals, like me, then this is a viable option. But if you wish the junk all gone and the smooth look, then of course, surgical castration is the only way to go.

Regardless, either way often causes osteopenia / osteoporosis, depression, fatigue, among other side effects.

[sftineun (imported)]

generally a 150 mg dose of Androcur was necessary At first, I had to take as much as 200 mg of Androcur before I start losing libido. I guess I was getting excited just by the thought of getting castrated. Eventually, I managed to get by with a low dose of Androcur (25 mg/day) when I supplemented it with Tamoxifen (10-20 mg/day). And I had zero spontaneous erections. I just could not get any erection, even if I tried. And my libido was gone, completely. It was the freaky feeling of this total lack of libido. That took a while to get used to but really enjoyed it.