Could PCOS have an effect on dysphoria?

[darkblade]

I'm really new to all of this (here's my introduction https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,177038.0.html) and most of the time I'm not even sure I know what dysphoria is anyways, but..

So I know I have PCOS (at least two and a half years ago I did), and thus slightly elevated testosterone levels. The doctor at that time said it would help reduce the PCOS and normalize my hormone levels if I lost some weight, but I didn't care to do anything about it (guess I always liked the idea of having higher than normal levels of T). I think I took birth control pills to help with that for a month but then stopped, probably made me gain more weight. Anyways, for entirely different reasons I've managed to loose over 10kg over the last several months, my BMI is normal now, though I still plan on losing some more weight. My period has also been regular for the last 3 months (first time this has ever happened). And over the last month and a half my thoughts have sort of built up to my current state of confusion over who I am.

So my theory/question right now is: could my weight loss have significantly affected my PCOS and made my testosterone levels go down to normal? Might be the case. But could a reduction in my testosterone levels have triggered a sense of dysphoria in me?

Just wanna know whether you guys think this makes any sense as I'm pretty new to all this but I was just thinking. It's crazy how hormones can mess (or fix) things up.

Not even sure I'm posting this in the right place.

[Kreuzfidel]

Well, it could - and that's about the best answer you'll be able to get from any of us here because we're not your doctor.

Drops in T levels have been known to have an effect on the intensity of dysphoria for some - for others, perhaps not.  I would certainly say that there's a good chance it's caused a surge in dysphoria, but speak to your doctor about it.

[ryanjoseph]

it's interesting that you mention that. my endo diagnosed me with PCOS the same day that she gave me my prescription for T (so like a week ago) but i'm pretty sure i've had it for longer than that. (i've been able to grow as much facial hair as it takes some dudes months on T to get to, and that was pre-T). so i've been thinking about the link between PCOS and being trans masculine for a little bit. i know there are a lot of women who PCOS who start taking estrogen, actually, meaning that they want to appear more traditionally feminine (so i guess that would kinda be dysphoria, in a way).
i don't think having higher levels of testosterone while being afab is what causes us to have dysphoria, though. i don't think those things are related. personally, i feel like i have an advantage because i know what it's like to have more testosterone in me than my birth sex i guess haha.
i think it just takes a lot of being honest with yourself and figuring out who you want to be/how you want to look in the future and go from there.

[darkblade]

Well, it could - and that's about the best answer you'll be able to get from any of us here because we're not your doctor.

Drops in T levels have been known to have an effect on the intensity of dysphoria for some - for others, perhaps not.  I would certainly say that there's a good chance it's caused a surge in dysphoria, but speak to your doctor about it.

All I was hoping to get was a "yes maybe," or "no that doesn't really make sense" honestly, so your response is enough for me :p

I was thinking about this because a therapist I spoke to last week asked "why now?" As in, why has it taken me 20 years to think about this stuff. I didn't have a proper response to his question then but as I was thinking I came up with this theory and was just wondering whether it makes sense or I was just making stuff up.

[Ryan55]

weight loss I don't think would do it. I have PCOS too, they put me on birth control to make my hormones "normal". My weight was never a factor with it. The birth control really didn't trigger the dysphoria for me cause it made the cramps and ->-bleeped-<- feel a lot better. I think what really triggered it for me, was trying to be a girl in this serious relationship with my ex, and I couldn't do it. I was so unhappy. It made me realize I couldn't pretend to be someone I'm not to make others happy, cause it felt like it was killing me. Your pcos could of been a trigger, and it could be other factors that triggered it too mixed in.

[darkblade]

Therapist said my theory didn't make any sense. Haha