HRT restart after 10 + years

[akash]

Howdy Brilliant minds,
I bring to you all a quick story and questions.
I  was on HRT for SRS/GRS in the late 90s, I was in my later 20s. I had finished the program and was ready for surgery in Melbourne, but through so much pressure, mainly from family and lack of work, I gave up .. Hair fell out, and later it fell into weight gain, depression GAD and baldness. Besides all of that, I know who I am inside and over 10 years later want to start up a more gentler approach to HRT for oestrogen and progesterone (but not the extreme as before). I have a high regard for Norrie MAy-welbe, and through the last decade or so feel I am defiantly Agender/neotrois. The young girl inside still remains and is part of my DNA.

The questions are these ..
- Has anyone heard of or had experience in going back on HRT M2F after such a long time?
- I am an artist, musician and multimedia geek. I feel much of my creative side has been diminished since I gave up HRT in the early part of 2003.
- Does Agender/neutrois have issue re: Dr's when no it comes to HRT? Does it fit in these days with GID/GD as it did in the early 2000's?
And last of all
- if anyone has hone off M2F HRT, have they also stuffed for depression and Anxiety.

Thank you all for reading this. I have a high regard for the many who through all diversity and rubbish from family and community have stuck with achieving their goal. Reading and following many of your stories has literally kept me alive to know there is hope.

Cheers

Blondy (Akash)

[LordKAT]

Welcome to Susan's.

I know some have restarted HRT and not had any ill effects.

[V M]

Hi akash 

Welcome to Susan's    Glad to have you here

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Hugs

V M

[Ms Grace]

Hi Akash, welcome!

Plenty of Aussie girls on this forum, a number in Melbourne, I'm in Sydney.
I was on HRT for 26 months in the early 1990s before coming off (also due to family, employment and other concerns). I was in my mid 20s. Yes, it was horribly depressing at first although I did use the down time to get my emotional house in order. Really I could have tilted at transition again at least ten years ago, that's when I started to realise that the gender issues hadn't gone away, but I was too stuck in denial about being trans*. I only started again mid last year, so 22 years later...a fair bit more than you...not that it's a competition! 😉

Like you, my hair thinned although I seem to be having some regrowth on HRT and using Minoxidil - so fingers crossed. I'm also an artist and although my art suffered for a while I did get it back on track - I have to say it has suffered again since going on HRT again, but only due to different priorities with transition and work eating into my creative time. I was concerned the medical professionals wouldn't take me seriously as a retransitioner, but that wasn't the case, however my shrink wanted to make sure there wasn't a repeat of the dramas that saw me come unstuck the first time! Hope that helps answer some of your questions. 🙂

[akash]

Thank Ms Grace for your response. It has really lifted up my spirits that other people such as yourself have and are going through a similar difficulty. I will take the next daring step and go back to my old hormone specialist and see where it goes and also mention the medication you mentioned.

It will be interesting second time around, and also going more fem neutral than going through my first journey ...

I hope it all goes well with your art and career.

Cheers

Akash

[Gina Taylor]

Hi there Akash, and welcome to Susan's.

Lots of luck on restarting your journey. You'll get lots of information here and you'll meet lots of really nice people here as well!

[Ms Grace]

You're welcome, all the best!

...the medication you mentioned.

Minoxidil is a topical application available as a lotion/cream or as a foam and is available over the counter from most chemists. Typically you apply it to the affected area twice a day and rub it into the scalp. Results take at least four months (even then it will only be in the form of baby like tiny white vellus hairs that will eventually grow and mature into adult like terminal hairs). Results vary from person to person. Depending on how advanced your hair loss is it may help, or not - I understand that once the scalp has gone shiny that the treatment has little effect. Being on HRT will also help as it will cut your T down and therefore the DHT which kills off scalp follicles, but again if the follicles are already dead there might not be much that can be done...but it is worth a try! 🙂

BTW, in case you're wondering that's a wig in my pic, my real hair is recovering but is not yet as gorgeously long or thick as depicted! I live in hope!

[Jamie D]

Hi Blondy!!  Save what hair you can by getting on Minoxidil or Finasteride.

Welcome 

[Catherine Sarah]

Hi Blondy,

A big Aussie welcome to Susan's family. It's good of you to drop in and say "Hi". Hope you like it here, and you stay for a while.

There is a mountain of information, resources and friendship waiting for you here, you just need to jump in start talking and ask any question you like. You're quite safe here and we are very accepting.

Grace has already addressed some of your questions. I'll attempt to fill in some other blanks. Agender/neutrois is no longer an issue with Psychs, or any that know what they're talking about. And yes, depression/anxiety is a common withdrawal symptom of HT. 

Looking forward to hearing more of your story in time to come, but in the meantime, be safe, well and happy.

Lotsa huggs
Catherine