Starting HRT (mtf) during or after weight loss journey?

[thelittlemermaid]

Hey all - very glad to be here please bare with me if I misuse any terms as I just joined the forum yesterday. I apologize in advance.

I have a few concerns related to transition and my weight loss journey that maybe some of you may have advice on.

For a bit of back story: I am 22 years old and used food to cope with depression/anxiety for many years... I had lap band surgery in spring 2013 and have lost 135 lbs to date. It has been the best decision I have made for myself and I feel like it's given me the courage to start my transition with excitement.

I am 5'8 and am about 220 lbs at the moment. My goal weight at present is 160-175. I probably have 10-15 lbs of excess skin that will eventually be removed surgically (which is common after weight loss surgery patients meet their goal).

It's gotten to the point where I am very eager to start HRT; however, I am concerned with how best to prioritize the timing of it all and have heard before that it is easier to lose weight as a cis-male. I have assumed it would be smart to get close to goal weight, get skin removal, then HRT, but is there a better way?

Thank you for reading!

[KayXo]

Much easier to lose weight as a male than female! I think your plan sounds good.

[thelittlemermaid]

Thank you both! Yeah, having the lap band is a bit more complex -- its job is to limit hunger/food intake and I knew when I had the surgery that ideally it would be with me for life. I'm having my one year appointment with my surgeon soon and I plan to bring it up transition to him, as well as skin removal. I'm sure there is a way to have it all go as smoothly as possible but in the meantime, it's making me nervous having so much unknown. I am roughly losing 10 lbs a month the way things are right now, but I also have not been exercising (which I hope to start soon).

[AnonyMs]

I've found the difficulty with weight loss is psychological more than anything. I know how to do it and I've done it before, but I'm quite overweight now and until recently I've been unable to do anything about it. Losing weight while depressed has been beyond me, even though its slowly been killing me (and I'm not exaggerating).

I've no doubt its easier to lose weight before starting HRT, but its not necessarily difficult afterwards either. I'm losing weight it rapidly right now, and the only difference is I'm no longer depressed and I have some goals I desperately want to achieve. I'm actually on a much higher does of HRT than before as well.

Obviously this is all very personal, and I've no idea how it relates to you. You might find starting HRT makes you feel great and want to continue with the weight loss or if the idea of starting HRT is motivating you perhaps it would do the opposite.

[Wynternight]

I waited to start HRT until I was under my original goal weight. At my heaviest I was 351 lbs. I had the vertical sleeve done March 2013 at 288 lbs. and am currently 158. I'm actually finding it easier to lose weight on HRT. Stress eating got me up to 173 but since starting HRT I've dropped to 158 and want to do seven more lbs.