life without HRT

[thirtysleuths (imported)]

Succinctly, I couldn't deal with the hot flashes, fatigue or malaise. They were more powerful and crushing to me than I would have imagined. I'm on low doses of estrogen and progesterone now, and feeling pretty darned good!

My lack of motivation--that's something else altogether!

[devi (imported)]

Is it possibly to maintain one's health after being castrated without HRT?

I think I'm liking being as I am now, without E or T.

Yes it is very possible to maintain your health without hrt. Just eat your vegetables like your grandmother told you. They have phytoestrogens for your heart and calcium plus other minerals and nutrients for your bones. Yes they do. They really do. No, honestly they really do. The argument against the spiel about testosterone for your heart and osteoporosis is this: The body takes all estrogenic compounds (of which testosterone is one) and slightly alters their chemical structure for what the body needs anyway. If you don't have enough the body skimps somewhere and if you have plenty then your heart and bones are taken care of. It's that simple. It really is. Of course the body ages anyway no matter what you do for it but if you take care of it then it will go that much further. I myself am dealing with prediabetes (since I am mtdna haplogroup B2a which is prone to diabetes) and I have limited my carbohydrates to only so much and at certain times. But I have never been on hrt.

[homptydumpty (imported)]

Yes it is very possible to maintain your health without hrt. Just eat your vegetables like your grandmother told you. They have phytoestrogens for your heart and calcium plus other minerals and nutrients for your bones. But I have never been on hrt.

Thank you for this Post!

I have been looking for eunuchs or people who have lost their sex organs and do not medicate with hrt. This is truly inspiring to me. I wish you would share more about your experiences.

[BossTamsin (imported)]

Just be very careful.

Even with eating right, and taking in lots of calcium, D, etc, if it still possible to wind up with issues regarding bone density. If you are determined to go without hormones in your life, I would highly recommend that you keep up with regular bone scans, just to be on the safe side. They can't hurt, and could save you from future troubles down the road.

[Kangan (imported)]

I have now been a full eunuch for 12 days now. The hot flashes that come at night are very strong and annoying as they interfere with normal sleep. Despite this, I do not plan to take any HRT. I'm hopeful that the hot flashes will subside in time.

[cordonone (imported)]

much of the ground has been covered.

nearly everyone has picked up on bone density issues. they are real and, the younger you are, the more you should think about this as a long term concern.

i think "energy" and how one feels are different for everyone. i went off my HRT for a while and didn't notice a major difference in energy before and after, but maybe I'm just lazy or something anyway.

the other area is muscle mass. testosterone assists in muscle development. without it, there will be a difference; once again, the degree is probably a function of the individual, but it will happen. i noticed a change in what i am going to call "skin tone" after restarting the testosterone and i think it is a function of underlying muscle tone.

without testosterone, you will probably have bigger breasts. i'm not sure of the physiology of this, but i think that fat deposits more readily in the breasts without testosterone; i am, however, open to being corrected on exactly how this happens. but it does.

of course, most body hair will stop growing. your facial hair growth will slow, but not stop completely.

[little robie (imported)]

Been without T for almost 8 years. Have been on estrgen and got feminized. Doctor suggested that I try plant estrogens. These are for post menopausal women. You can find a selection at any health food store or larger pharmacy. I have taken calcium supplements and bone mass is good per the doc. Upper body strength is very low. Get used to it! Proper exercise is the key to staying in shape. The plant based estrogens keep the hot flashes and irritability under control and allow me to control mood swings.

[Hash (imported)]

I tried going without HRT after being castrated, but couldn't do it. Depression got me, so I started a low dose regimen until I found a level that I was comfortable with, between 100-150mg's. Normal male is anywhere between 300-1000, or so I'm told. I do get erections, though nothing like before. I use compounded testosterone made at a compounding pharmacy. I pay $60.00 for a two month supply, but insurance pays the others $60. I don't think $30. bucks is bad, especially since some smokers pay more than that for their habit. I may eventually try to stop HRT, but I am not sure when. To each his own.

[Kangan (imported)]

Here's something that I want to share with everyone. Since being surgically castrated, I am having difficulty doing the daily Sudoku puzzles in the newspaper. Crossword puzzle solving is not affected. It seems as if my math/logic/3D thinking has been altered or diminished by a lack of Testosterone.

I know that there is a difference in the male versus female brain with regards to logic and math ability. How much difference does Testosterone make?

Does anyone else report having such an experience?

[Uncle Flo (imported)]

I can't do Sudoku puzzles since I've been castrated. But, I couldn't do them before castration. I do find that I have problems using unfamiliar maps and charts when I'm not using testosterone. Keep in mind that I use very small amounts of testosterone - not enough to test anywhere near normal but just enough to keep some small problems at bay. --FLO--