Question

[Leen]

I am new to this group but I have a dear friend who is TG and am wanting to learn all I can so I can be as supportive as possible to him.
first let me say that I am supprotive of any action he may decide to take towards beginning female hormones or etc. but he seems to be wondering if perhaps by increasing male hormones that this might help him to "feel" less like a woman inside himself and maybe alleviate some of his struggle with how much he might need to "come out" in order to keep his job and marriage. (but not his friendship with me which is unconditional)

I was wondering if anybody had any comments. thank you. Leen

[cindianna_jones]

I don't believe that male hormones will not work. Your friend could best be helped by a qualified therapist.  There are many who find a way to live their lives without transitioning.

Cindi

[Leen]

Thanks for your reply. I appreciate the fact that this site exists!! Leen

[Sarah Louise]

Your friend is lucky to have you as a friend Leen.  A therapist who is familiar with gender issues would be very important at this point in your friends life.

Sarah L.

[LostInTime]

There are some less civilised nations that do the testosterone treatments, as did the US a long time ago, and the results are not what your friend is looking for at all.  Qualified therapist and a qualified doctor.

Thank you for being such a great friend. 

[jeri]

injecting male hormones into a transsexual woman would be like injecting holy water into a vampire. bad bad ju-ju! maybe that is a bad analogy, too. therapy is the best step your friend can take. once you start on hormone therapy one way or the other you know pretty quickly if it is right for you - at least that was my own experience. your friend is lucky to have you...

[Leen]

Thank you for your replies. I deeply appreciate your responsiveness to me as well as offering me opinions sand information regarding my friend. He is starting therapy and hopefully that will be the beginning of a good experience that will clarify for him what direction he feels is best for him and the ones he loves.
Thanks for your comments about him being lucky to have me as a friend but truthfully (and I'm not saying this out of false humility) he is a person that anyone would be lucky themselves to have as a friend.
Also, I feel closer to him now that he has "come out' to me and I struggle and worry with him. and his family. He doesn't have an easy road ahead but I predict that he will ultimately be a shining example of the quality, faith and character of people who become true to themselves no matter what. thanks again, so glad you are available for all to learn and give/get support. Leen

[Kate]

but he seems to be wondering if perhaps by increasing male hormones that this might help him to "feel" less like a woman inside himself and maybe alleviate some of his struggle...

If anything, it'll just make the struggle more painful. As others mentioned, it was tried back in the days when people wanted to "cure" this as a mental problem - but it always failed.

Heck, my pre-HRT testosterone level was 800... fairly high apparently. And I swear I could feel every drop of it scathing through my body and mind.

Ironically, the opposite might be true; that is, some people find that a low-dose regimen of estrogen is enough to alleviate the angst from the GID - at least to the degree where they don't HAVE to transition fully. It's mentioned in the Standards Of Care I believe, though it doesn't seem like many therapists support the idea.

Kate