Been doing HRT for about three weeks now. This week has been terrible! No energy, headaches, hot flashes, & always tired.

Good news is overactive libido gone along with semi-permanent erection! I am releived not to have to deal w/ that any more!

Taking Evanesce (same item/different name) from local health food store plus Saw Palmetto.

Any advice surely appreciated!

Big!

bigwichita (imported) wrote: Sun Jul 04, 2004 9:52 pm Been doing HRT for about three weeks now. This week has been terrible! No energy, headaches, hot flashes, & always tired.

Good news is overactive libido gone along with semi-permanent erection! I am releived not to have to deal w/ that any more!

Taking Evanesce (same item/different name) from local health food store plus Saw Palmetto.

Any advice surely appreciated!

Big!

Well, I hope that you did read my "effects of castration", now reincarnated as the FAQ.

For hot flushing, you have three choices.

1) Wait it out as the body adjusts. Although many women going through menpause will swear by Saw Palmetto and things like Evanesce, there has never been a shred of proof that any of them work as other then placebos, and the body would have adjusted just the same without them in the same amount of time.

2) Consider low amounts of testosterone HRT, which might also help with the energy problem. Finding the correct amount of T to stop the flushing without bringing back libido is going to be an ongoing problem.

3) Do what I and others have done, and take just enough estrogen to stop the flushing. As for the loss of energy and tiredness, a vigorous exercise program will be needed. Without testosterone, a lot of your former muscle tissue is changing to fat tissue. You should have thought of this BEFORE you started.

Yea Andrew, I did think of that, but it was a little bit more & a little bit quicker than I expected! Can I expect the same thing with Depo Provera if I go that way? What about if I take estrogen w/ Depo Provera?

Thanks!

Big

bigwichita (imported) wrote: Mon Jul 05, 2004 8:43 pm Yea Andrew, I did think of that, but it was a little bit more & a little bit quicker than I expected! Can I expect the same thing with Depo Provera if I go that way? What about if I take estrogen w/ Depo Provera?

Thanks!

Big

I have no idea. THIS is why you need a good physician, preferably female.

First, what are your long term intentions? Permamnently low levels of testosterone? If so, the best thing may be to wait it out for awile, and keep a good record of when the hot flushing happens, how severe it is, how long the duration, and potential triggers. If after 6 months you do not note any improvement, then you may have to consider HRT.

Big, one quick comment. Many people jump into chemical castration by going on relatively high doses of hormones right away. They are hoping for instant results. It takes time for the human body to adjust. I have always advocated starting on low doses and then gradually increasing the dose. This will minimize side effects. Over time, even small doses of hormones will produce the eunuch state. I also recommend the chemical route at first and then later on one can decide to have surgery if they want to. In my case it took about three years to achieve the complete eunuch state. At no time, however, did I ever have any significant side effects.

I also agree totally with Andrew that you should be under the care of a physician who specializes in this area.

I will also throw in that frequent masturbation at least at first will help the whole process. It tends to be an anti-androgen and also gets one more away from any fixation on sexual intercourse.

Anyway, I hope things work out.

Cut HRT in 1/2 & doing better!

I'll put a more detailed post in Health Forum.

Thanks!

Big!

Glenda J (imported) wrote: Tue Jul 06, 2004 12:03 pm Big, one quick comment. Many people jump into chemical castration by going on relatively high doses of hormones right away. They are hoping for instant results. It takes time for the human body to adjust. I have always advocated starting on low doses and then gradually increasing the dose. This will minimize side effects. Over time, even small doses of hormones will produce the eunuch state. I also recommend the chemical route at first and then later on one can decide to have surgery if they want to. In my case it took about three years to achieve the complete eunuch state. At no time, however, did I ever have any significant side effects.

I also agree totally with Andrew that you should be under the care of a physician who specializes in this area.

I will also throw in that frequent masturbation at least at first will help the whole process. It tends to be an anti-androgen and also gets one more away from any fixation on sexual intercourse.

Anyway, I hope things work out.

Which anti-androgen did you use?

Mad, I never used an anti-androgen, but rather Premarin. I want to clarify something here. The term "eunuch" is very slippery and can mean a lot of different things to different people. And, by the way, there is no "better" way except the way that works best for you. In short, the name of the game is to achieve what you want to achieve and not necessarily what someone else wants to achieve. So with that, my objective was (and is) to be able to enjoy sex, but be impotent and not able to perform as a male. I think sexual intercourse is the world's greatest way to make babies, but for me, it is not the most pleasurable. Indeed, I don't really care for it.

I want to say again that a person

Glenda J (imported) wrote: Tue Jul 06, 2004 12:03 pm should be under the care of a physician

if they are going to take hormones. There is some blood work the doctor will want to do and monitor various things such as cholestroal (sp?). Generally speaking low doses of female hormones are beneficial to a male. I started at .625 and worked up to 2.5 mg for a while. The 2.5 was too much and I dropped back to 1.25 and then back to .625. I am not taking any now at all and have achieved total impotence.

Generally once you start to have definate erectal deficiency, you can stop and go back to where you were. After a point, the effects will become permanent and you need to keep that point in mind.

Hi Glenda,I have been taking Premarin "2.5 mgs." a day for 3 years.All my blood work is good.I'll go 4 mos on 2 mos off.Just this last time, I noticed the testosterone effects didn't pop right back.On the last start up,I noticed instead of 2 weeks it took about a month before breast discomfort.So I ordered a anti-androgen.That really kicked in the breast discomfort.I love that feeling,it makes you feel so female.Would you like to comment on that? Leona

Glenda J (imported) wrote: Tue Jul 27, 2004 7:28 pm I am not taking any now at all and have achieved total impotence.

So you are saying you can't get or maintaine an erection at all? Even if you play with it? How long has this been going on?

Glenda J (imported) wrote: Tue Jul 27, 2004 7:28 pm Generally once you start to have definate erectal deficiency, you can stop and go back to where you were. After a point, the effects will become permanent and you need to keep that point in mind.

And 3 years was all it took for your impotence to become permanent? I will have to see what 3 years on DP will do.