too much testosterone

[tadpole (imported)]

The following is forwarded at the request of eunuchunique, who asked the lead off question. So, Nothingunderthekilt, any thoughts on an answer. Does anyone else have an answer to the question.

I submit to you that just as real men don't eat quiche, real

eunuchs know enough about what they are getting into before

they get castrated so that they manage to avoid (or comfortably

accept) osteoporosis, cognitive loss, weight gain, gynecomastia

etc.

I would like to hear from other real eunuchs. How many of you

were aware of ALL of the side effects of castration ahead of

time? How many of you expected to be taking testosterone for

the rest of your life, when you got castrated?

>>

I would, as an elective eunuch, be happy to reply to this, but only in the

forum of the Message Board of The Eunuch Archives, to be found at

http://www.eunuch.org/

[Andrew (imported)]

I submit to you that just as real men don't eat quiche, real

eunuchs know enough about what they are getting into before

they get castrated so that they manage to avoid (or comfortably

accept) osteoporosis, cognitive loss, weight gain, gynecomastia

etc.

I would like to hear from other real eunuchs. How many of you

were aware of ALL of the side effects of castration ahead of

time? How many of you expected to be taking testosterone for

the rest of your life, when you got castrated?

I was indeed aware of all the potential side effects of castration, thanks to extended conversations with both Dr. Spector and his eunuch assistent Jeff. I now have and enjoy "The Eunuch Calm". As such, I have no plans to take replacement testosterone unless things get way out of control.

But will they ever get out of control? Here again, we come to YMWV = Your Milage Will Vary. Of the 4 problems you mention, here is what has happened to date.

Osteoporosis: No sign of this at all. My physician has me taking 1,500 MG of calcium daily, and encourages bone-stressing exercises like walking. I will be given bone density scans every two years, as recommended for post-menopausal women.

Cognitive Loss: Whilst some eunuchs claim to have or had this problem, most eunuchs have not. Over in alt.support.menopause, the MenoBabes report the same pattern. Some have reported mental problems that went away with estrogen suppliments, but most have had no problems. In fact, most say they feel more alert and mentally active now that they are hypogonadal.

Weight Gain: Possible, but if you know ahead of time that this MIGHT be a problem, you can undertake a proper diet and exercise program from the moment of surgery. I stopped by my physician'soffice this afternoon, and was weighed at 185 pounds. I was 186 pounds 11 months ago when Dr. Spector castrated me.

Gynecomastia: OK, in the last 11 months I have gone from size AAA to A. So what? More and more elderly men develop gynecomastia as time goes on, from a variety of reasons including prescription medications. (Avoid Tagamat.) This, as far as I am concerned, is a trivial matter.

Your comments and suggestions in return would be most welcome. As my signature states, my PRIMARY concern is eunuch health issues.

[tadpole (imported)]

Thanks for teh quick reply. One note though. A study published a year ago last January oin teh Bristish Medical Journal indicated that only high impact exercised (e.g., basketball, tennis) will project your bones. Walking is just not good enough if you are hypogonadal.

[tadpole (imported)]

Opps. That got out before it got edited. A cleaner version is:

Thanks for the quick reply. One note though:

A study published a year ago last January in the Bristish Medical Journal indicated that only high impact exercised (e.g., basketball, tennis) will protect your bones. Walking is just not good enough

(particularly, I would suspect, if you are hypogonadal).

[Charlieje (imported)]

I don't really have much to say, Andrew has pretty well said it all. My experience is very similar to his, so I won't bore everyone by repeating it.

Tadpole, I have had more doctors than I can count warn and preach and rant about osteoporosis, but frankly I have yet to see substantiation, and I mean FACTUAL substantiation. Everyone seems to assume that because post menapausal women are at risk, that eunuchs are as well. I don't buy it, and my bones agree with me.

In my opinion there is some vague undetermined risk, but that risk is a small price to pay for the peace of eunuchism.

[Sherry (imported)]

The following is forwarded at the request of eunuchunique, who asked the lead off question. So, Nothingunderthekilt, any thoughts on an answer. Does anyone else have an answer to the question.

I submit to you that just as real men don't eat quiche, real

eunuchs know enough about what they are getting into before

they get castrated so that they manage to avoid (or comfortably

accept) osteoporosis, cognitive loss, weight gain, gynecomastia

etc.

I would like to hear from other real eunuchs. How many of you

were aware of ALL of the side effects of castration ahead of

time? How many of you expected to be taking testosterone for

the rest of your life, when you got castrated?

>>

I knew that any of the above could have happened, but I wanted castration badly enough that I went ahead anyway. The possibility of those side effects just didn't disturb me as much as the idea of letting my testicles run my body and life, because the side effects of testosterone did scare me: unwanted sex drive, a sexuality that contradicted my sense of self, further physical masculinization, and feeling miserable.

I knew from the start that I would never take testosterone, because I hated it so much. I did hope to take estrogen, and I finally obtained a prescription for 1mg Estrace last November.

I really don't know if my bones were affected by my 31 months of hypogonadism before I started taking Estrace. I did have a dramatic increase in dental cavities after castration, but that was really inconclusive as to whether or not I had osteoporosis. All I know now is that I no longer have to worry about it now that I am on estrogen.

I did have some memory loss after castration, but that reversed after I started the estrogen.

The weight gain just never happened to me after castration. Indeed, I lost a few pounds after my castration. Even more surprising is that I am still not gaining weight after starting estrogen. I still weigh less that I did on the day I was castrated. But I was thin to begin with, and a transsexual in my area admonishes me that I won't get all of the feminization I desire if I don't put more fat on. I would like more hips, but my appetite just won't cooperate, and the onset of warm weather further represses my appetite.

I would have welcomed gynecomastia, but I didn't get that until I started taking estrogen.

[tadpole (imported)]

Hi Sherry,

Good to see you on this list and to know that you are doing well. [You have a great home page.]

I do not believe there is any link between dental cavities and osteoporosis.

By the way, after spending a lot of time on a lot of lists, I have come to believe that folks like yourself, who are dedicated MtFers, are not eunuchs... except in passing.

Estrogen will certainly do the job of protecting the bones.

Did you ever get a telephone?

[Andrew (imported)]

Hi Sherry,

Good to see you on this list and to know that you are doing well. [You have a great home page.]

I do not believe there is any link between dental cavities and osteoporosis.

By the way, after spending a lot of time on a lot of lists, I have come to believe that folks like yourself, who are dedicated MtFers, are not eunuchs... except in passing.

Estrogen will certainly do the job of protecting the bones.

Did you ever get a telephone?

Perhaps you missed Sherry's posting titled "Three Years Ago Today" where she explains why she posts here even though she is now on estrogen (and the Eunuch Archives is much better off for her presence, in my abject, humble opinion).

Now as for estrogen protecting the bones, yes it can. And there is no reason why non-transgendered eunuchs cannot use SMALL amounts of estrogen to fight osteoporosis and hot flashes. Taking small amounts of estrogen may or may not result in mild feminization, but probable nothing that would be noticed if you keep your shirt and pants on.

The big problem for many is that this is, after all, a female hormone being introduced into a male brain, and the changes in feelings and attitudes may NOT be acceptable to the non-transgendered. But the only way to find out would be to try it, I guess.

I personally won't at this point in time, since I prefer the euncuh calm and can accept the side effects. And in my case, coming from a family history of heart attacks and strokes (but none myself), the dangers of estrogen causing an increased risk of heart attack and strokes cannot be ignored.

[tadpole (imported)]

Andrew,

You are right. I had missed Sherry's early posting on "Three years today..." I went back and read it right now.

What can I say..."Sherry you are an ace human being." You make me feel good to be eunuch. I greatly appreciate the time you have taken to correspond with me in the past.

[Sherry (imported)]

Hi Sherry,

Good to see you on this list and to know that you are doing well. [You have a great home page.]

I do not believe there is any link between dental cavities and osteoporosis.

By the way, after spending a lot of time on a lot of lists, I have come to believe that folks like yourself, who are dedicated MtFers, are not eunuchs... except in passing.

Estrogen will certainly do the job of protecting the bones.

Did you ever get a telephone?

No, I don't have a telephone. I really have no social life as a male, so I prefer to not have a monthly phone bill, and that helps me to save for my transformation.

You do have good insights. Many TGs and TSs reject the eunuch label. Some girls feel that eunuch is a male label, and therefore it doesn't fit them. Although one woman (the owner of the bed and breakfast I stayed at during my castration) advised me, "Don't think of yourself as a eunuch.", I am actually indifferent to the label. Well, I even claim to be a 'transgendered eunuch' on my profile here. I think I've heard of the term 'female eunuch', so I don't think of it as a male thing and it just doesn't bother me, even though it would bother many MtFs. If someone refers to me as a eunuch on the internet, usually I neither confirm or deny it.

Many TG/TS persons seem to spend a lot of time arguing over labels and their meanings, who is really TS and who is not, and who is a real woman and who is not a woman. Read the Usenet newsgroups soc.support.transgendered or alt.support.srs for a couple of weeks, and you will see what I mean. I have come to despise the idea of transgendered labeling because so many feelings get hurt over this. Another one of the many things I like about the eunuch community is that they don't shove labels on everyone like I've seen many MtFs do to each other.

Thank you for your kind and understanding comments here, and also in your other post.