HRT - increase in sex drive!

[Elaine]

I've been on HRT for well over a year and FT for 6 months, and in the past month (since switching from Premarin to Estradiol as my estrogen source), my sex drive has gone through the roof! When I first started HRT my sex drive diminished but never went away. Now, since this change in my hormone regimen, I'm thinking about "things" 24-7! I think this is especially interesting considering I've only ever heard of other women's sex drive dropping from HRT. I suppose I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced this. It's especially frustrating considering I'm still pre-op!

Also, I remember reading once that way back when MtF transsexuals were only prescribed estrogen (no anti-androgen), they really had to make an effort to avoid sexual arousal, because it would cause a surge of testosterone thus ruining the effects of the estrogen. I'm wondering if anyone knows if this still applies at all to us today, considering pretty much anyone on spiro is chemically castrated and has much lower amounts of T in the body.

Essentially I don't mind a sex drive -- its just that I'm worried I'm canceling out (or at least lessening) the effects of the spiro whenever I get aroused. The last thing I want to do is reverse any of the progress I've made just because I can't keep my hormones in check!  (pun intended?)

It's probably more a question for my endo, but I'm not seeing her again until December.

[Fae]

This would probably be something to ask your endo, as it would depend on the dosage of the Premarin vs the Estradiol.  I've been on Estradiol and Spiro for 5 months now and have noticed a huge drop in sexual thoughts and arousal, but as someone said, "your mileage may vary."

If you're taking an Anti-Androgen with the Estrogen, it really helps I think because of the chemically-induced castration.

~Fae

[Laura Eva B]

I've been on HRT for well over a year and FT for 6 months, and in the past month (since switching from Premarin to Estradiol as my estrogen source), my sex drive has gone through the roof!

Mmmmm ... shouldn't happen  .

Are you sure your body is metabolising the estradiol, and that doseages are correct ?  What form of estradiol have you been given ?  Have blood tests confirmed the level ?

That said sex drive is about suppressing testosterone (in which estradiol helps), estradiol in itself feminises but has no impact on sex drive which is all to do with testosterone even in women.

In the UK we can get Androcur which really kills sex drive.  Since being off it "post op" my sex drive has rocketed (multiple daily "clitoral" erections) despite having estrogen readings at the upper end of female norm, guess its because my testosterone is now at normal female levels and not totally supressed ?

Not sure if having erections and even orgasms pre-op would "surge" testosterone into the body or would be in anyway detrimental to feminisation (other than the mental anguish it must cause) - can anyone confirm this ?

Laura x

[Keira]

Laura,

au contraire, estrogen, even in men, has an impact on libido.
Men with low level of estrogen in the brain (because they do not aromatise in properly from T, will have a lower libido).
Female libido changes with the level of estrogen so they will receptive when fertile.
We are the same as with animals.

At menopause you'll notice that women lose sexual interest,
what they lose then is mainly estrogen, not testosterone from the adrenals.
(some women have a low T level from adrenals and that will also impact libido).

A study showed (by filming women who were asked to regularly come in for an experiment, without telling the exact esperiment), that women wore more accessories and makeup when their level of estrogen is higher.

Also, women seek out more rugged men when estrogen levels are high and have a tendency to be more promiscious (if they are inclined to do so) during those periods.

[Keira]

Was your estrogen levels at the high end of the female cycle Tink, you need to have higher estrogen levels to have an increase in libido. I noticed it clearly when my estrogen intake increased.

[Elaine]

Thank you everyone -- pretty much confirmed that I should go see my endo asap. I will call to reschedule today.

Thank you again.

BTW: On Premarin, my estrogen was higher than female norm at the time of my last blood test. Hmm.

[Laura Eva B]

Actually Keira, my endo who is also my GT doesn't believe in estrogen readings.  She never meausured my estrogen levels.  Her philosophy is that as long as T levels are below a genetic male's levels, feminization will happen. 

Strange as my endo did the opposite !  She never had my T measured (pre-op because Androcur would have supressed it almost totally, post-op no point). But my estradiol is measured regularly to check that my HRT doseage is about right.

BTW Keira, you are right about estrogen having a role, what you wrote makes sense, but I'd always read that it was T that dictated sex drive (e.g. F2Ms on T) ...

Laura x

[jonnismith]

I suffered from male hypogonadsim all my life so I never had much of a sex drive. So in my case no need for antiandrogens. I have noticed an increase in my sex drive since I have been on Estrodiol. My endo said that it might happen and it even says so on the listing of side effects for E.

[Elaine]

Oh wow Jonni, thank you for posting that... At least we know we're both having the same experience with estradiol.

I have been generally disapointed with estradiol, though. My breasts always had some sensitivity on premarin, but that seems to have diminished a lot with estradiol. Breast growth in general has been disappointing and I was hoping it would improve with the change in meds. Will have to talk to my endo about that.

Another question for everyone...

In thinking about the above (poor breast growth), I know that at the time of my last blood test my estrogen levels were higher than normal for a genetic female, but than we decided to switch to estradiol and my endo seemed inclined to give me a lower dosage of estradiol than I had of premarin because of the blood results. So would you generally say that estrogen in the body should be about the same as a genetic female, or should it really be higher during the pre-op phase of treatment to facilitate change? I always thought estrogen should be a bit high for the first couple years (or until GRS), like the way a genetic females estrogen goes up during puberty -- this is kind of a second puberty.

Just asking questions... I always want to make sure I'm getting the best results, as I'm sure we all do.

P.S. Very excited because I finally scheduled my surgical consultation!

[Keira]

Because you HGH (human growth hormones) levels are lower than a female at puberty (goes down with age at a different rate from person to person), you should get a higher level to get changes in a decent amount of time. If not, you'll still get the changes but the timeframe will be longer.

[Sara]

Hi Elaine, yep the same thing happened to me. I used to be on oral Androcur/Spiro and Ethinyl Estradiol and my libido was almost zilch but since switching to Estraderm patches with Spiro and Finasteride only my libido keeps jumping up. My T level is low and E is about mid range so what I am doing now is upping the dose of Estraderm and lowering the Spiro a bit to see if that makes a difference. I think with patches they dont stick good enough and levels can be a bit lower than on orals.

Sara.

[tinkerbell]

I always thought that your estrogen levels were supposed to be higher than those of a genetic female to achieve feminization in a much faster manner.
Funny that your therapist decided to prescribe a lower dose of estradiol when your prescription was changed.  Mine did totally the opposite.  . 

As far as breasts are concerned, well, I never developed anything bigger than a small A cup despite the many years of HRT.  When I switched to estradiol, my breasts started to hurt again, but they didn't increase in size.  Ultimately I had to seek the help of a breast fairy.


tink

you mean you left a boob under your pillow when you went to sleep? 

LOL    No, I actually left 5K   

tink

[Julie Marie]

Since I didn't have a control group (no clones available) I can't say for sure what caused my jump in sex drive but there's no doubt it happened. 

I had just started Depo injections when I decided to return to my therapist and request the GRS letter.  When I got the green light I was escatic!  For the first time in my life I could actually see myself as a total woman.  And with that there was the thought of hetero sex.

I know the injections affected me.  And I'm not one of those girls who experiences emotional reactions form HRT.  While I know I feel different, the changes have been slow to come.  And I'm fine with that.  But the Depo really did have an effect on me.  But why shoudn't it?  It's telling my body I'm pregnant!

So I get the green light for the letter.  I can picture myself having a vagina.  I take that to having hetero sex (I've never been with a man, they just don't interest me).  My body thinks it's pregnant (which has to make anyone feel total woman) and suddenly I find myself really horny.

But I shouldn't be surprised.  My hormone levels are that of a teenage girl.  And a pregnant one at that.  At least I don't have my parents and teachers upset with me!   

Julie