What happens if you stop taking hormones?

[Elsa.G]

I've been on hormones about a year now, currently im taking pills. I haven't really asked my endocronologist about this but what happens if they are stopped? Would everything just go back to how it was before the hormones? im referring to someone like me who has all the boy parts unfortunately still intact, i havent had a orchi and im not even sure if ill ever be able to get a artificial vagina ever in my life as i have no funds i ask because i find that i really dislike taking hormones in general, i get paranoid about things like my liver and also i feel like crap most of the time, physically and mentally. Anyone ever stop taking them? i would also like to know if a person that undergoes SRS still has to keep taking hormones? info is appreciated

[AbraCadabra]

If you had orchie or SRS it be the first thing to see how old you are and the chances of getting oesteroporosis i.e. brittle bones.

Next would be that you'd get fat, as the body tries to get estrogen from body fat an altenative source.

If you still intact as you say, it much depends on your actual hormone levels your body produces from your testes, adrenal glands, hypothalamus, body fat, etc.

If you have lost body hair, it would return under the influence of lots more T, actually Free-T. If breasts had developed they would go down some... ½ a cup size maybe, but no very much.

I can't think of much more major right now - and yes, of course your moods would certainly be affected also. Becoming more male goal-oriented, some more aggro, and driven.
(Some) depression with returning GID will be a pretty good guess as well.

I hope this will help,
Axélle

[Joelene9]

  This is something that you should ask your endo.  Good chance it may, but not completely.  He or she knows your condition and can answer your question better.  The results vary.  I was put on a quarter reduced dosage of Spiro at month 10 and my T levels went up on month 13 on HRT, which is unusual for my age (59).  Usually this kind of testosterone blocking after 6 months at my age will permanently stop production of T by the testes.  You will need either estrogen or the androgen's to keep up bone mass. 
  I cannot afford a vaginoplasty either on my limited income.  You are young, you will most likely to get the better paying jobs if this economy improves than I ever will be.  At this time after being on HRT a year you can reassess your situation wether or not to revert to your former male self.  There is a danger that you might relapse into the GID anxiety as many on this forum had experienced.  A good talk about it with a therapist will help here. 
  Joelene

[smooth]

First off you will probably relapse towards GD assuming you have experienced some relief because of what you are taking. For me this happened in not much more than a week, Not Good! Maybe you could speak to your endo and try an alternative type of E or AA, it might even be as simple as a different brand. I have heard that it can be the make up of the pill and not it's active ingredient that causes problems for some. I believe liver function can be monitored fairly easily with blood tests and after an initial period of time it should be evident wether your liver is coping okay. It does take your body a period of time to adjust to the changes you have made. I was down on energy and enthusiasm for quite a while. I'd say that unless you have specific physical symptoms suggesting problems, or doubts about why you're taking hormones in the first place then keep on with it. I personally found my own GD more debilitating than the feelings of tiredness or my lack of enthusiasm, as with most things in life, there's a trade off...

[spacial]

I'm wondering why you have thought about stopping?

[JoanneB]

I've been on and off several times since my very early 20's. Whatever breast growth I had eventually faded away after a year or so.

Medical issues such as liver damage generally is a result of over dosing. Plus the Endo should/better be doing blood test to monitor not just the hormones but also for these side effects. A T-Blocker tends to make one feel like crap and tired and weak at first (Do your homework).

I can tell you from my last "WTF am I doing?" episode a few months back when I stopped cold turkey after about 2 years on estrogen and anti-androgen it wasn't pleasant. As Jolene said the GD hit big as my skin got super oily and I started stinking like a guy. The WTF soon did a complete 180 as my attitude and spirit sunk into the toilet. The simple fact is hormones always helped me mentally. With the tearing down of my personal Berlin Wall between my M & F selves stopping hormones stopped making sense I guess. I know I shouldn't stop this time

[pebbles]

Your testosterone level will increase your estrogen level will drop.

Overall your breasts they are permanent they won't go away however they might become saggy. along with any hip bone development you got (this factor depends on your age)
You male physology will begin to reassert itself your facial hair might well regenerate to an extent body hair will also regenerate your fat will redistribute to a male type and you will regain lost muscle mass.

Your sterility as induced by HRT is probably permanent (As 6 months is the usual limit on this) you might regain a minimal level of fertility but you would probably need fertility assistance to actually conceive a child.

If you suffered from gender dysphora before you will probably start suffering from it again.

[spacial]

If you're having a WTF moment, then can you say, what brought it on?

[Sad Girl]

OMG SWEETIE YOU'RE CRAZY!!! 

If you have an SRS and stop taking hormones you can get bones problems, it can become as brittle as a chalk. ALL Post-OP HAVE TO TAKE HORMONES FOREVER ONCE OPERATED.

You think you're only one who jumped in this adventure of life of starting to live as girl without knowing if you'll be ever to operate or not? Me too I CRAVE to operate but I have no money but I just wish a miracle happens one day. But at least I'm living my life as a woman. So what you wanna do now? Live as a MAN? Me I'd rather die struggling to become a woman than live as a MAN. At least now you can express yourself and live life my wearing clothes you want, act as you want etc...

You are paranoid about liver damage? Then take shots(once every 10 days) or patch, they are best alternative and are very safe for the liver and doesn't pass by the liver but goes directly into the bloodstream and use safe anti-androgens are Spiro. (not cyproterone acetate).

[Bishounen]

OMG SWEETIE YOU'RE CRAZY!!! 

If you have an SRS and stop taking hormones you can get bones problems, it can become as brittle as a chalk. ALL Post-OP HAVE TO TAKE HORMONES FOREVER ONCE OPERATED.

No, they don't have to, they should, yes, to ensure against development of Osteoporosis, but, they don't have to.
In Thailand, for instance, a lot of transitioners just have silicone implants and SRS, perhaps Feminising Facial Surgey, and then are happy like that.
I know a Post-op that haven't taken Hormones ever in her life. She looks great, but her Bone quality may ofcourse not be so great. On the other hand, not all bio-males that are castrated develop Osteoporosis, so it is alittle like Russian Roulette.

You think you're only one who jumped in this adventure of life of starting to live as girl without knowing if you'll be ever to operate or not? Me too I CRAVE to operate but I have no money but I just wish a miracle happens one day. But at least I'm living my life as a woman. So what you wanna do now? Live as a MAN? Me I'd rather die struggling to become a woman than live as a MAN. At least now you can express yourself and live life my wearing clothes you want, act as you want etc...

It seems that the only two options of Gender and Gender expression you are aware of, is that of either Woman OR Man.
In reality, however, that is not the case at all, and just because Elsa.G stops taking hormones for whatever reason, that do not mean that she has to live like a Man.

If that was the case, then there would not exist any subforums here on Susan's for categories like "Androgyne" or "Transgender", if the only two options were Man or Woman.

Take Norrie May-Welby, as an Example, the first legally recognised person chosing to be neither man or woman;

SWTS.news.image.e
Scot Norrie May-Welby has now been recognised as neither a man or a woman

Published on Sunday 14 March 2010 21:54

A SCOT looks to have made history after winning the right to be recorded as neither male nor female.

Paisley-born Norrie May-Welby now has a birth certificate that states: "Sex Not Specified."

The 48-year-old, who was born a man and had a sex change operation 20 years ago, now lives in Australia and last week convinced authorities there to create a genderless option on all official documents.

Doctors recently declared that they were unable to determine whether Norrie's body was male or female because several years after the gender reassignment operation Norrie stopped taking female hormone pills.

Last night Norrie, from New South Wales, told how government agencies pledged to accept the "no-gender" breakthrough.

"Those concepts, man or woman, just don't fit me, they are not my actual reality, and, if applied to me, they are fiction," Norrie said. "At 48 years of age I'm less inclined to just humour other people's delusions about gender and try to conform to one of their expected options.

"I've never felt completely male or female, except for a brief period in early transition when I first identified as a transsexual because I thought there were only two gender options and male was wrong and female felt better.

[Dahlia]

In Thailand, for instance, a lot of transitioners just have silicone implants and SRS, perhaps Feminising Facial Surgey, and then are happy like that.
I know a Post-op that haven't taken Hormones ever in her life. She looks great, but her Bone quality may ofcourse not be so great. On the other hand, not all bio-males that are castrated develop Osteoporosis, so it is alittle like Russian Roulette.

Lot's of Thai MTF can only afford to buy over the counter hormones. Hormones of any kind are over the counter for sale in Thailand.

I know several post op MTF's who quit HRT and started looking very, very strange within a couple of years. Weirdly emaciated for starters.
And very weird masculine looking too plus very strange deep facial wrinkles. One is 20 years post op and hasn't used hormones since; she's 50 and looks like she's in her 70's.
The rest are -40 and look like very strange way older 'men'...

[Bishounen]

Lot's of Thai MTF can only afford to buy over the counter hormones. Hormones of any kind are over the counter for sale in Thailand.

I know several post op MTF's who quit HRT and started looking very, very strange within a couple of years. Weirdly emaciated for starters.
And very weird masculine looking too plus very strange deep facial wrinkles. One is 20 years post op and hasn't used hormones since; she's 50 and looks like she's in her 70's.
The rest are -40 and look like very strange way older 'men'...

True, it can go both ways. However, it doesn't have to, as all MTF's reacts individually.

I know, however, which look you are referring to, when you describe the "emaciated" look after stopping hormones. I guess it could be compared to the look some Cis-women develops in old age after Menopause, too.
However, on the other had not all Cis-women develop this look at all but keep a a very feminine look and skin-texture.

Interesting thing is, by the way, that this drastic change in look seems to be very rare in Hijras and Eunuchs that have never ever taken Female hormones at all. For some reason, these "Males" seems to never develop that masculine, emaciated look at all, interestingly enough, but remain, or even develops, a smooth and firm skin-look.

[Dahlia]

True, it can go both ways. However, it doesn't have to, as all MTF's reacts individually.

I know, however, which look you are referring to, when you describe the "emaciated" look after stopping hormones. I guess it could be compared to the look some Cis-women develops in old age after Menopause, too.
However, on the other had not all Cis-women develop this look at all but keep a a very feminine look and skin-texture.

Interesting thing is, by the way, that this drastic change in look seems to be very rare in Hijras and Eunuchs that have never ever taken Female hormones at all. For some reason, these "Males" seems to never develop that masculine, emaciated look at all, interestingly enough, but remain, or even develops, a smooth and firm skin-look.

No, not really. I work with elderly people/women and I've noticed their skin becomes like crepe paper and their hair very thin...almost all of them.

Most Hijras and Eunuchs don't look that feminine; no matter how young they were castrated; lots of them develop a very masculine forehead and facial features anyway.

I think their skin looks full because it's dark and not so thin as white people's skins plus the roots of their beardgrowth makes their skin appear 'thicker'..

[Bishounen]

No, not really. I work with elderly people/women and I've noticed their skin becomes like crepe paper and their hair very thin...almost all of them.

Most Hijras and Eunuchs don't look that feminine; no matter how young they were castrated; lots of them develop a very masculine forehead and facial features anyway.

I think their skin looks full because it's dark and not so thin as white people's skins plus the roots of their beardgrowth makes their skin appear 'thicker'..

I do know which features you are referring to, but I must nonetheless disagree that they are typical standard-features.
Lots of Hijras that have been castrated pre or during puberty, do indeed have very feminine looks, in regard of features like Skin-texture, hairline and subdermal fat-proportion. And those that have beardgrowth, are those that have been castrated Post-Pubertaly in adulthood after they have already developed beardgrowth- Not during or before it.

The large foreheads in the Hijras, if you are referring to high hairlines, are only occurring in those that have been castrated post-puberty and/or have already experienced a male hairloss. A castrated male, however, will never ever loose more hair after Castration.
It is a biological impossibility for a 'Eunuch' to loose hair pre-orchidectomy.
So, If s/he have a high forehead, then the forehead was that way already before the Surgery.


As for castration in childhood(from Lynn Conway's SRS-page);

The surgical methods and the effects of castration were everywhere for the ancients' to see. It's use in the domestication of animals quickly taught ancient people that removal of a human male's testicles at a young enough age would prevent his masculinization too. Such a person would forever be childlike - or "girly".

Many of the changes are also true for Western Eunuchs that have been castrated in adult age, and their features almost always soften noticeably after removal of the testes, even if no HRT is given in replacement.
A Castrated male, regardless of age for the surgery,  will always de-masculinize to a degree, although it is highly individual to what extent.

[MyKa]

If your having 2nd thoughts about your hormones you might strongly consider talking to your therapist for this might not be the right path you have choosen. As for stopping the mones i heard you need to do it gragually and yes as for what everybody else said speak to your endo. I had to have surgery last month and was freaking out because i had to stop a week before hand. I wish you the best of luck!!! As for the bone turning very brittle i find that hard to believe

[Jamie D]

... currently im taking pills.

... i find that i really dislike taking hormones in general, i get paranoid about things like my liver and also i feel like crap most of the time, physically and mentally.

You might consider a transdermal patch for a more even dosing of your hormonal medication.  It is less taxing on the liver.

This is not medical advice; see your doctor for details

[Ash_Lee]

I've been on and off several times since my very early 20's. Whatever breast growth I had eventually faded away after a year or so.

Medical issues such as liver damage generally is a result of over dosing. Plus the Endo should/better be doing blood test to monitor not just the hormones but also for these side effects. A T-Blocker tends to make one feel like crap and tired and weak at first (Do your homework).

I can tell you from my last "WTF am I doing?" episode a few months back when I stopped cold turkey after about 2 years on estrogen and anti-androgen it wasn't pleasant. As Jolene said the GD hit big as my skin got super oily and I started stinking like a guy. The WTF soon did a complete 180 as my attitude and spirit sunk into the toilet. The simple fact is hormones always helped me mentally. With the tearing down of my personal Berlin Wall between my M & F selves stopping hormones stopped making sense I guess. I know I shouldn't stop this time

Hi, so what did you do from there? I asked because i had to stop taking estrogen due to antibiotic therapy. When i resumed estrogen, i feel like its not making any difference. My skin is so oily, i smell like a dude, and muscles start to grow back. Your thoughts please 😊

[LizK]

Hi, so what did you do from there? I asked because i had to stop taking estrogen due to antibiotic therapy. When i resumed estrogen, i feel like its not making any difference. My skin is so oily, i smell like a dude, and muscles start to grow back. Your thoughts please 😊

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[JoanneB]

Hi, so what did you do from there? I asked because i had to stop taking estrogen due to antibiotic therapy. When i resumed estrogen, i feel like its not making any difference. My skin is so oily, i smell like a dude, and muscles start to grow back. Your thoughts please 😊

Me stinkin like a guy and the oily drippy skin was affected more by taking an AA then with E. Perhaps after a long enough time on E it would? But I only do both. I learned my lesson when you even try to stop the AA after 4 years on E when my T levels creaped back up

[Charlie Nicki]

Me stinkin like a guy and the oily drippy skin was affected more by taking an AA then with E. Perhaps after a long enough time on E it would? But I only do both. I learned my lesson when you even try to stop the AA after 4 years on E when my T levels creaped back up

So 5 years ago you decided to stop HRT only to go back to it. So how do you feel about your decision? Are you happier now?