Non-judgemental info info on being an 'active' TS??

[vicki_sixx]

Hiya,

I apologise in advance for asking a question straight off the bat without scouring the board but I've been going mad for weeks and need definitive, knowledgeable answers as quickly as possible. The information I am looking for may offend some of you and I am sorry if that is the case but I have to be true to me. I am aware I may change my mind and fall in line with the majority – after all I have changed so much recently.

I am very interested in the transition process but as it stands I want to maintain my fully functioning penis a la transsexual porn stars and top/active escorts. Initially, I just kept getting the same info: HRT kills the libido and reduces your penis size, I've since spoke to an active TS escort who told me the way around it is to not take t-blockers and to cycle hormones (she rattled off a bunch of names and her schedule/doses but it was too much to remember when bumping into someone on a night out). As a result, she and her peers, get the best of both worlds - feminisation: soft skin, breasts, shifting of fat - as well as the masculine: strong sex drives, healthy erections and the ability to ejaculate.

Can I get some advice on this please? The dangers (if any)? The viability of finding a doctor who would aid in this "half and half" approach (I assume it would be private not NHS). Has anyone done it or got any insight into it? I found a thread (on my phone that I can't locate anymore) that talked about swapping hormones (names I can't remember - spiro?) and dosage to help maintain this equilibrium between the male and female hormones coursing through the body.

Not that I should have to explain myself but sex is important to some of us and not simply because we're men. It's what sex stands for and brings. It's the physical gratification, yes, but it's also the intimacy, the bonding and the mental well-being that it provides. There is also the 'dom' nature in some of us (way more than others) and though these urges would die if we took HRT as per standard - and thus we wouldn't care anymore - we would prefer to prevent that. These are the reasons are why you have active escorts and porn stars - not for any shallow reason such as merely playing at being women or making money.

Yes, what I am asking may offend those who want to be 100% women and yes, I may well change too as I've changed so much in the past 12 months but like I said, this is where I am now and would like the inside gen so I at least know where I stand and what my options are. Even if you disagree, it's far healthier to have the full details than slivers and myth.
:lol:
Thanks in advance. Vicki xxx

[Dena]

On this site, your view is acceptable. We support the non binary which appears to be where you fit in. I suspect the NHS wouldn't provide this type of support and you would need to go private. The details I am unable to provide because I am based in the United States and have not had dealings with the NHS. We might have link information of a doctor in your area so look at the links at the top of the page and see what we have.

Some people continue to have full function while on the blockers and others lose function. For others, estrogen is sufficient to suppress T production and they lose function as well. I transitioned on estrogen alone as blockers weren't available and unfortunately I was always fully functional though it did provide more material for surgery.

You will need to work with your doctor on this. Blood test can measure your T level and the dosage adjusted to put you where your T levels are sufficient to maintain functionality. That could mean the full HRT package or you may be on a limited estrogen dosage alone. It's not possible to tell in advance how your body will respond and this will be between you and your doctor.

[Randi]

Dr John O'Dea, of Marina Del Rey (Los Angeles) claims to have expertise in HRT to obtain the results you want.  I'm sure many of his clients are porn stars.

Although travel to LA may not be financially possible, you might learn something from his patients. Perhaps your physician could consult with him,

He was also a pioneer in pellet implants.

[vicki_sixx]

Thank you so much for your replies. I'm not non-binary, though, I definitely see myself as a woman. Where can I learn about all the different hormones and dosages (I am sure one was called spiro)?

Thanks again for your help, it is much appreciated.

[Devlyn]

Here you go, Vicki, more information than you can shake a stick at! We have a strict "No dosages" policy, please be careful with your questions. https://www.susans.org/wiki/Category:Hormone_replacement_therapy

Hugs, Devlyn

[mmmmm]

If you want to keep libido and function, you will most likely need to maintain testosterone flow. This means you will most likely need to avoid testosterone blockers (like spironolactone and cyproterone acetate), and avoid estrogen administered by injections, as that could also possibly lower your testosterone levels too much. Estrogen in pills, or patch form, or gel, will give you some of feminization that you want. Feminization from estrogen alone will be somewhat compromised, in comparison to feminization without testosterone. Estrogen alone should lower your testosterone a little, but most likely not enough to stop your libido or function. Whether the feminization from Estrogen alone will be enough for you or not, also depends on your expectations. Its hard to predict how your body will react, and how much change will happen.
Many who want to keep libido and function while still want to look as feminine as possible, look at surgeons for help of feminization. Facial feminization, breast augmentation, body fat transfer, butt implants, etc...

[vicki_sixx]

Thanks for the information, guys! Much, much, much appreciated

[Devlyn]

Thanks for the information, guys! Much, much, much appreciated

Yes, and there are also people, like me, who are using supplements rather than hormones, who have seen great feminization. It's all about the genetic lottery.

Hugs, Devlyn

[Devlyn]

Hmm, could have sworn you asked another question and I was answering it! 

Hugs, Devlyn

[vicki_sixx]

Howdy all,


Sorry for the late reply but I've been doing a lot of thinking and needed time out. I won't bore you with the ins and outs but suffice it to say I've been trying to get a handle on whether my desire to transition is real or just 'a nice idea in principle', whether it's real and I should go for it or whether I'm too old to start now, and a hundred other things to be taken into consideration.

One of the conclusions I've come to is that if I do transition, the chaces of me finding love (or even a relationship) are pretty much zero so there's going to be little point in having a working penis after all! I'm also booking in with Dr Lorimer of Gendercare for psych evals in the new year. However, I still have a few questions regarding the male member.

1) Is it possible to take HRT without shrinking him? I assume there is as there's plenty of well-endowed trans porn stars and I'm not built liek a porn star so I cant afford to lose any if I want to stay active!

2) If shrinkage is unavoidable, is it reversible if - worst case scenario - I go on HRT then decide its not for me, after all? (Apparently 50%+ quit the transition process).

[kelly_aus]

Some shrinkage is unavoidable, it's not something that can be entirely avoided when hormones are part of the equation. As far as reversal goes, I really have no idea, but I imagine there would be some recovery.

I've been on a full transitional dose of both estrogen and cypro since Day 1 and have never had any issues with function. However, it requires more warm up.

And as for 50% quitting transition, I think that is a major exaggeration.. I can't think of many at all that have started and then gone back..

[LShipley]

It really only shrinks the testes unless you stop using everything completely.

I've been on what most consider the average dosages for a long time now and I haven't lost any function at all besides "amount". Spontaneous erections were gone within the month but any effort to get aroused never fails. So I already consider having the best of both lol. Low libido but normal function and that's with blockers and estrogen. No need to skip the blockers

[jentay1367]

I think a good deal of the porn stars have forgone the whole HRT thing. Feminization comes from ffs and other plastic surgeries including electrolysis. That gives you the whole chick with a %^&* thing you're looking for. 

[Devlyn]

It's funny how "I'm a woman with a penis" is a statement of pride, and "chick with a click" conveys a much different feeling. Was that the best non-judgmental answer you could come up with? 

[LShipley]

It's very obvious who the non-HRT porn stars are. I mean, REALLY obvious. Hormonal trans stars are much prettier and have that "natural fem" look that makes it clear that they are transitioning. A lot of popular ones I know only do creams and such but no pills or shots. Minimal results thoug, it was used more as maintenance and even then a few have switched back to regular hormones again the past few months.

[vicki_sixx]

Hmmm, conflicting information! It does shrink vs it doesn't shrink - guess I'm still no wiser but I appreciate your advice anyway so thank you. Regarding the side point of ->-bleeped-<- porn stars, all I can say is I've never seen a non-HRT porn star. Yasmin Lee, Eva Lin, Sarina Valentina, Jesse Debai, Joanna Jet, Bailey Jay etc are all on the 'mones or as with Eva now, post-op. And if they all experienced shrinkage then they must've been sporting monsters beforehand 

As to how they still perform after the effects of HRT - I have no idea - unless they just don't take the blockers?

[jentay1367]

FWIW.....I've heard it said, and this is apocryphally, mind you.......that Viagra may be involved in those movies. I'm not sure of its mechanism, but it may very well be what makes it possible.  Seems  quite reasonable, actually.

[AutumnLeaves]

Personally, even after an orchiectomy AND full doses of estrogen, I never had a problem with libido or becoming aroused (though the "donor material" did shrink a bit after 10 years or so.) My sexuality felt different and and less "male" but I still remain pretty sexually active with my male partner(s.) If you are wanting rock-hard erections and a masculine sex drive and all that, however, HRT may or may not give you the result you want. Keep in mind that androgen blockers are a relatively new addition to the HRT story (in yesteryear many a woman transitioned on estrogen only) and high enough doses of estrogen can suppress testosterone to an extreme degree on its own.

[KayXo]

Keep in mind that androgen blockers are a relatively new addition to the HRT story

Not so new though.

A study from 1989:

Arch Sex Behav. 1989 Feb;18(1):49-57.

"The clinical and hormonal response to 12-month therapy with the antiandrogen, spironolactone, in conjunction with near-physiologic doses of female gonadal steroids in 50 transsexual males, is presented."

And this,

Clinical Endocrinology (1988), 28, 583-588

"Between 1972 and 1986 303 male-to-female transsexuals were treated for more than 6 months."

"Recommended treatment consisted of a standard regimen of (...) ethinyloestradiol (EE) and cyproterone acetate (CA) (...) orally (n = 169)"