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slightly awkward question about sex drive

Started by ftmcal, September 03, 2011, 11:08:14 AM

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ftmcal

Hey guys, I haven't been on in a while so I hope everyone is doing well.
I've got a quick question... I started T at the end of April, so it's been just over 4 months.  I was told that one of the effects of T is heightened sex drive but I actually haven't had any drive the past couple months.  In fact, I had much more before I ever started T.  Any thoughts as to why this could be? I have an appointment with my endocrinologist in a couple weeks so I may ask him, I guess I just feel a bit weird asking him this question lol.  Yeah, so any thoughts or personal experiences would be appreciated.  Thanks so much guys!
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JesseO

By any chance, have you started any other new medications or supplements in the past few months?
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Arch

Are you getting all the other effects? I was thinking that maybe your dose is too high and some of your T is converting to E. Or maybe you're just unusual.
"The hammer is my penis." --Captain Hammer

"When all you have is a hammer . . ." --Anonymous carpenter
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Dominick_81

Quote from: ftmcal on September 03, 2011, 11:08:14 AM
Hey guys, I haven't been on in a while so I hope everyone is doing well.
I've got a quick question... I started T at the end of April, so it's been just over 4 months.  I was told that one of the effects of T is heightened sex drive but I actually haven't had any drive the past couple months.  In fact, I had much more before I ever started T.  Any thoughts as to why this could be? I have an appointment with my endocrinologist in a couple weeks so I may ask him, I guess I just feel a bit weird asking him this question lol.  Yeah, so any thoughts or personal experiences would be appreciated.  Thanks so much guys!

Maybe if your on a low dosage that could be the reason? But if not, I dunno. I've heard of a lot of guys saying that like within a week their sex drive sky rockets, but I'm like you... I don't feel like my sex drive has changed. It could possible be sightly higher...? But I can't really tell and I don't really want it either.
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ozoozol

This is something I also had to research at roughly the same point in my transition.  From what I've been able to gather, not having that spike likely happens more frequently than guys are willing to discuss.  After all, an insatiable/uncontrollable libido is an almost universal mark of male adolescence, and if we don't experience it, what does that say about us?

Libido is more than "just add testosterone."  As Arch noted, estrogen does play a role, as well (low levels and high levels can both suppress male libido).  It's also largely a brain game, as we know (depressed? stressed? have trouble visualizing things in general?).  But more specifically, the guidelines that our doctors frequently follow to determine what ranges our estrogen levels should fall within promote an upper range limit that falls well above the level where cis men begin to report feminization and libido issues.

For myself, it took a while to get my estrogen levels below those recommended.  I do hope to see a change in my libido once my ovaries are removed (no ETA on that), but I'm not putting stock in it (I am 2.5 years on T).  Aside from "spontaneous arousal," it's easier and faster than it ever was before T for me to get off, so there is that.

(Hah, how's this for a first post? The longer I've lurked, the harder it's been to introduce myself, but this is something I've researched and feel like my opinion could have some value, though I am not a doctor).

J
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ftmcal

Thanks for your replies guys.
JesseO:  The only supplements I've added recently are Vitamin C and a multivitamin to assist in healing from my top surgery.
Arch:  Yeah, so far I've noticed other changes as a result of being on T.  My mom has noticed a definite drop in my voice and I've been growing more hair on my legs and there's even a few black hairs above my lip.  I don't want to shave because it'll take 3 weeks to come back lol.
Dominick_81:  I'm with you on this one.  I don't want it to sky rocket, I just don't want it to decrease either.  I want it to be normal (well, whatever normal is).
ozoozol:  I'm glad you decided to post on this topic.  You mentioned a couple things that I had been overlooking.  I hadn't really thought about the brain connection.  I've definitely been extremely stressed (started a new job, attempting stealth, leaving my old job full of really great people, chronically depressed sister, alcoholic brother, full time program on top of a full time job).  I know I need to become balanced mentally and emotionally, I just don't know where to begin.  Counseling perhaps.
I have an appointment with my endocrinologist this Friday and he'll have my lab results for testosterone and estrogen, so hopefully that will shed some light as well since I have no idea where my estrogen level falls. 
I appreciate you sharing your research on this topic.  Congrats on being 2.5 years on T by the way.  That's pretty awesome :) Have all your changes pretty happened? (A lot of guys say that they didn't have any more noticeable changes after a couple years so I was just curious).
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ozoozol

Cal:  I haven't given it a lot of thought recently, but yeah, I'd say that all the easily observed changes I'm likely to see have already happened, though I expect hair/fur related changes to continue for quite a while.  Whatever the reason for the lack of impact on my libido, it didn't hinder my progress in other areas.  I started transition with moderately high endogenous levels of testosterone, so everything came by a matter of degrees (as opposed to stark differences).  No one mistook me for female after less than half a year on T, and now I'm reaching the point when I'm again not necessarily being carded when I purchase alcohol, so I must be starting to look closer to my age (mid-30s).

Anyway, hope reducing stress is "all" you'll need to do :)  Good luck,

J
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