Blood work raises questions in my mind.

[bethany]

Last week I had an appointment with my gender specialist. She talked a bit about the blood work I had done four months ago for my previous visit. She told me that my estrogen level while in the normal range seems higher than she expected given the dosage she has me on. I know we are not to give out dosages here so I will just say that it is not a high dosage what so ever.

Anyway this has got me thinking. Could I possibly be intersexed in someway? Or is my body just very receptive to the estrogen?

[Heather]

It could be your age testosterone decreases as we get older so that could be a contributing factor.

[Cindy]

It happens. When I started E my circulating levels (serum) went into the thousands and wouldn't drop, even when i stopped taking E. It caused a few problems.

My body was reacting to Progynova and it was a serious health issue. I ended up on implants that I had no problems with.

Intersex is determined by checking your karotype to see if you are XY, XX or some additional combination such as XYX.

[mrs izzy]

Everyone body process things there own way. As long as there is nothing out of the normal one aspect is you need less to do more. And less is always better when it comes to any type of drug.

Hope it get worked out.
Izzy

[Jamie D]

Last week I had an appointment with my gender specialist. She talked a bit about the blood work I had done four months ago for my previous visit. She told me that my estrogen level while in the normal range seems higher than she expected given the dosage she has me on. I know we are not to give out dosages here so I will just say that it is not a high dosage what so ever.

Anyway this has got me thinking. Could I possibly be intersexed in someway? Or is my body just very receptive to the estrogen?

Though it is possible that you have some sort of intersex condition, it is not likely, statistically speaking.

It could just be how your body processes the hormones.  To my knowledge, I have always had low-normal T and high-for-male levels of E  (I was tested once in the 1970s, and then on a regular basis in 2011 and 2012, why I was on low dose hrt.)

[Ltl89]

Hey Bethany,

Is there other reasons that are causing you to question this?  I've been doing a lot of research on intersex conditions and can tell you it is very unlikely based on what you told us.  Are there any other abnormalities?  Were you born with a defect?   If not, it's likely something else.  I too sometimes wonder if I was intersex because I was born with a genital defect and have had low t prior to hrt, but the chances are very unlikely even if there are interesting signs.  However, you can always get tested and figure it out, so it never hurts to look into it.  Personally, I'm avoiding doing that because being trans is too much for me to bear; throwing intersex on top of it becomes too much for me to emotionally handle.   

Good luck with everything!

[Ltl89]

Just a slight technicality, but transgender is officially considered to be just one possible aspect of the larger "Intersex" category.

Most intersex people hate being lumped into the trans community in any form.  I think it's wise to keep both seperate as it does tend to bother many intersex people.  Transgender is more about gender idenitity and intersex is more of a biological condition.  They are very different concepts even if they do overlap to some degree.  So, I don't know where you heard that, but most of what I have read is contrary to the quoted statement.  Though, I could be wrong on this.

[Lexi Belle]

Most intersex people hate being lumped into the trans community in any form.  I think it's wise to keep both seperate as it does tend to bother many intersex people.  Transgender is more about gender idenitity and intersex is more of a biological condition.  They are very different concepts even if they do overlap to some degree.  So, I don't know where you heard that, but most of what I have read is contrary to the quoted statement.  Though, I could be wrong on this.

There are reasons it bothers them,  a lot of transsexual people will lie and say they were born intersex to try and validate their transsexual condition,  of course with that poor display of character which happens FREQUENTLY I'd also hate to be lumped int, aside from that transsexuals are a highly back lashed group of people, so you should expect at least for the next few decades, to get some hate no matter what group transsexuals are a part of.

In all seriousness, they are right.  With all the neurological studies done regarding transsexual behavior, they fit the intersex description very well.  (Assuming it is fact!)

[Ltl89]

There are reasons it bothers them,  a lot of transsexual people will lie and say they were born intersex to try and validate their transsexual condition,  of course with that poor display of character which happens FREQUENTLY I'd also hate to be lumped int, aside from that transsexuals are a highly back lashed group of people, so you should expect at least for the next few decades, to get some hate no matter what group transsexuals are a part of.

In all seriousness, they are right.  With all the neurological studies done regarding transsexual behavior, they fit the intersex description very well.  (Assuming it is fact!)

I know very little on the topic, so I'm willing to concede.  It just appeared from my research that most intersex people prefer the separation because of the biological differences.  But I don't have a dog in this fight.

As for trans people wanting to be intersex, I'll never understand that.  There are many hardships that go with being intersex that most would never want to take upon themselves.  Sure, you get the social benefits that trans people don't, but in turn you have other issues to deal with.  While we all may have been born with a genital defect in some way, it's even harder when you are different from everyone biologically speaking.   It's hard to explain, but I doubt most trans people would like that.

I forget where I heard that but it seemed like a reliable, authoritative source.  The current prevailing theory does indicate a biological basis for transgender, it's just not readily visible from a simple physical inspection.  I realize that most people think of "Intersex" as having genital abnormalities, but it seems logical to me to include transgender as a subset of Intersex.

Again, no dog in this fight.  Just curious as it went against what I have seen in the past.  Personally, I wouldn't mind a more inclusive community.

[bethany]

Hey Bethany,

Is there other reasons that are causing you to question this?  I've been doing a lot of research on intersex conditions and can tell you it is very unlikely based on what you told us.  Are there any other abnormalities?  Were you born with a defect?   If not, it's likely something else.  I too sometimes wonder if I was intersex because I was born with a genital defect and have had low t prior to hrt, but the chances are very unlikely even if there are interesting signs.  However, you can always get tested and figure it out, so it never hurts to look into it.  Personally, I'm avoiding doing that because being trans is too much for me to bear; throwing intersex on top of it becomes too much for me to emotionally handle.   

Good luck with everything!

No there are not any outward signs that I might be intersexed. It was just a question that came to my mind, because of the elevated hormone level. Like somehow my body might be producing more estrogen than a normal MtF. Sometimes my mind goes into warp drive trying to figure out why I am the way I am. 

[Lexi Belle]

I know very little on the topic, so I'm willing to concede.  It just appeared from my research that most intersex people prefer the separation because of the biological differences.  But I don't have a dog in this fight.

As for trans people wanting to be intersex, I'll never understand that.  There are many hardships that go with being intersex that most would never want to take upon themselves.  Sure, you get the social benefits that trans people don't, but in turn you have other issues to deal with.  While we all may have been born with a genital defect in some way, it's even harder when you are different from everyone biologically speaking.   It's hard to explain, but I doubt most trans people would like that.

Again, no dog in this fight.  Just curious as it went against what I have seen in the past.  Personally, I wouldn't mind a more inclusive community.

That is probably a good reason WHY they get offended, because they have to live with those troubles, yet they only get mocked by people who are lying about it just so they can feel better about their situation.  Personally, I don't much care what I am.  In the end I'm still a girl, I'm still going to have the HRT I'm going to have.  Why does it matter if I was intersex or not?  This is me, I am me.  Conditions are conditions, it should never matter if you do or don't have them, just live with yourself.

[Jamie D]

It think is is pretty well established that hormonal levels in the body affect the way we perceive the world, and our behavior.  Look at how teenaged boys and girls act during puberty; PMS; female and male menopause.

When my mom had an undiagnosed adrenal carcinoma, she at times raged from the skewed hormone levels in her body.

For me, estradiol therapy opened my mind to a new understanding of myself.  Even though I am largely off hormones, those psychological changes remain.

[Ltl89]

That is probably a good reason WHY they get offended, because they have to live with those troubles, yet they only get mocked by people who are lying about it just so they can feel better about their situation.  Personally, I don't much care what I am.  In the end I'm still a girl, I'm still going to have the HRT I'm going to have.  Why does it matter if I was intersex or not?  This is me, I am me.  Conditions are conditions, it should never matter if you do or don't have them, just live with yourself.

That's a good outlook.  Quite the healthy perspective.  For me, it does matter.  Not because it makes things easier, but because it would be hard for me to accept even the possibility of being intersex.  I'd rather be trans and just that. There is nothing wrong with being intersex, but I just couldn't accept it and glad that my situation is different from theirs, despite our similarities.  This is just me.  No offense to any intersex people out there for any ignorance shown in this post.  I have unresolved issues that I need to work through in this regard.  Having read this a couple of times, I realize I have to look further into this in a healthy way and productive way moving forward.  Forgive me for my stupidity shown in my posts, I've probably spoken up more than I should have. 

No there are not any outward signs that I might be intersexed. It was just a question that came to my mind, because of the elevated hormone level. Like somehow my body might be producing more estrogen than a normal MtF. Sometimes my mind goes into warp drive trying to figure out why I am the way I am. 

Don't worry about it.  We all over think some of these things.  However, you can always get it tested if you really want to find out.  That way you will know for sure.

[Lexi Belle]

That's a good outlook.  Quite the healthy perspective.  For me, it does matter.  Not because it makes things easier, but because it would be hard for me to accept even the possibility of being intersex.  I'd rather be trans and just that. There is nothing wrong with being intersex, but I just couldn't accept it and glad that my situation is different from theirs, despite our similarities.  This is just me.  No offense to any intersex people out there for any ignorance shown in this post.  I have unresolved issues that I need to work through in this regard.  Having read this a couple of times, I realize I have to look further into this in a healthy way and productive way moving forward.  Forgive me for my stupidity shown in my posts, I've probably spoken up more than I should have. 

Don't worry about it.  We all over think some of these things.  However, you can always get it tested if you really want to find out.  That way you will know for sure.

I don't think you were too bad, I think a lot of intersex would agree with you.

[JoanneB]

YMMV...

Many factors can influence how E is processed by your body. I also know that others in my TG group have different reactions to different types of E and the delivery system. Then there are other external factors like diet and Life in general

[wkly1269]

i am a FTM and i havent started any Testosterone but i do think i have more testosterone than a girl should have. my voice is deeper than most and i also grow facial hair which is just really on my chin. i would think maybe there would be the same thing for a MTF.