I was diagnosed as hypogonadic at age 57. That was nine years ago. My testosterone level was 150 in a 300-1100 scale. One of my symptoms was nodding off to sleep during the day, even though I had adequate sleep the night before. I immediately started weekly shots of testosterone cypionate.
It was immediately successful. I started walking... first just around the block and then 1 mile, working up to 3 or more miles per day. I took up water aerobics and sometimes did two classes in a row, three days a week. A few summers ago I logged walks totaling more than 500 miles.
Here's the paradoxical thing. I'm overweight, if not obese, and fat cells contain an enzyme called aromatase. Aromatase converts testosterone to estradiol, the most portent type of estrogen. Six months after starting hormone replacement, my nipples were erect all the time. My breasts were budding.
In my youth, from my earliest memories, I had wanted to be a girl. By the time I was 16 I had been introduced to sexual intercourse by a girl who had taken a liking to me. At this point I forgot all about my earlier desire to be a girl. From age 16 to 57 I was a fairly typical CIS male.
I don't know if it was the testosterone or the estradiol, but, as Cindy mentioned above, I became very dysphoric. I remembered that when I was in the seventh and eighth grades, and my girl friends were developing breasts, I envied then and wanted to be like them. I also remembered the long suppressed desires from age 3 to 16.
Now, nine years after starting testosterone replacement, I consider myself female. I went a few months without taking testosterone and my T levels were barely measurable. They were the same at a 66 year old woman. So I no longer have the ability to produce any testosterone naturally.
I am driven to become female. I started using small amounts of estrogel and later injections of estradiol. I find I still need small amounts of testosterone.
Hormones are very powerful and my experience shows the results can be paradoxical. Now that my estradiol levels are those of a typical female, the dysphoria has largely disappeared. I'm largely indifferent to my gender. I could accept being either male or female without much difficulty. If I bring up my T levels, my desire to be female increases.
Despite my male pattern baldness, my appearance is distinctly feminine. I have substantial breast and a full rounded butt. My face is feminine.
I'm afraid my story will be of little use to you. Nine years ago, when I started testosterone, I was ready to become a stronger, more masculine person. Now, for reasons I just don't understand I'm female. If someone had told me I would be changing my sex, I would never have believed it.
Transsexual psychologist Anne Vitale has written about a few of her patients whose dysphoria increased after taking testosterone.
http://www.avitale.com/TNote15Testosterone.htm
