Is it possible to cycle Estradiol so I don't lose fertility?

[annemarie]

The loss of fertility is my biggest problem by far with HRT and it is the only thing stopping me from starting hormones. I've heard that estradiol on it its (without testosterone blockers) causes fertility loss after 6 months of continuous use. But what if I took it for say 3 months but a 3 month break as a cycle? I understand that GD would return but I'm desperate at this moment for any change.

[JoanneW]

From my own personal experience you would be all over the place mentally / emotionally etc. Big assumption here but if being able to parent your own children is the fear of losing fertility, then a sperm bank may be your best bet.

Don't underestimate the power of hormones on far more than your outward physical self. They are crazy powerful drugs and work wonders when used correctly, but can do the exact opposite when not.

Good luck.

[Sarah.VanDistel]

Hallo Anne Marie!

As Joanne pointed out, sperm bank is by far your safest bet. Your endo is supposed to ask you about that before prescribing you HRT (he did ask me). I never really cycled E but in the past I did self-medicate on a couple of occasions (only E, no anti-A) and after 2 months there was already a discernible shrinking of my testes and, a correspondent decrease in my sperm count, volume of ejaculate and probably quality of sperm. After I stopped, the testes never got back to their previous size; the volume of ejaculate recovered; about the quality of the spermatozoa, I have no idea. I was comfortable about it because I didn't intend on having more kids, but if I did, I would with all certainty go for a sperm bank. My two cents... [emoji66]

Hugs, Sarah

Sent from my SM-T810 using Tapatalk

[SadieBlake]

You'll have to work with your PCP to get sperm counts, 3mo on / off sounds like a good bet or you could go on HRT and come off a few months before wanting to be fertile. Banking isn't cheap but seems like a smart backup.

[SailorMars1994]

This too was a major cause for concern for me. I had always wanted childern of my own. I could have adopted and maybe one day still will, but in Canada they dont make the adoption process easy. Its costs a fortune and the waiting lists are harshly long. So I did the only thing I could do to both me a mama one day and keep my sanity at that time and continue forth of transition. I banked my sperm. It was the day of my 21st birthday in 2015. The place I went to was a nice modern set up and they were all super friendly and could tell I want there due to transition. They brought me to a room where they gave me a cup and said ''come out when your done''. Now, I will warn you it is awkward. Very awkard. I had to lie on this bed knowing that other people were doing what I was about to do probably for years, then I had to ''work those bits'' , something I did not (and still dont) like doing to release it all into a tiny cup. They did have a television there with a lot of erotic videos to , erm, set the mood we will put lightly.

So yes, freeze your sperm is the best bet. It will allow you to transition uninterupted. You can fully allow yourself to feminize  and not have to deal with the extreme poles of hormones. Going from estrogen to testosterone in general but in this case dicatated every few months would be horrid for me and I can garuntee you that as soon as you go on E you will not want to ever go back!

Now that my potential offspring is sitting in a freezer in a safe facility all I need is to find a willing mate one day and then I have my kids

Best of luck

[JoanneB]

From my own personal experience you would be all over the place mentally / emotionally etc. Big assumption here but if being able to parent your own children is the fear of losing fertility, then a sperm bank may be your best bet.

Don't underestimate the power of hormones on far more than your outward physical self. They are crazy powerful drugs and work wonders when used correctly, but can do the exact opposite when not.

Good luck.

+1

My wife warned me that HRT will "Mess with my head". Having been on/off low dose HRT a few times I was aware of some of the benefits. Yet, after even 2 months on low dose and having gotten my much desired "Brain Reset" I still started to take a hit below the beltline.  For me lack of libido & performance were likely the first signs of lowered T. I doubt sperm count since the little swimmers still bit like crazy

[annemarie]

This too was a major cause for concern for me. I had always wanted childern of my own. I could have adopted and maybe one day still will, but in Canada they dont make the adoption process easy. Its costs a fortune and the waiting lists are harshly long. So I did the only thing I could do to both me a mama one day and keep my sanity at that time and continue forth of transition. I banked my sperm. It was the day of my 21st birthday in 2015. The place I went to was a nice modern set up and they were all super friendly and could tell I want there due to transition. They brought me to a room where they gave me a cup and said ''come out when your done''. Now, I will warn you it is awkward. Very awkard. I had to lie on this bed knowing that other people were doing what I was about to do probably for years, then I had to ''work those bits'' , something I did not (and still dont) like doing to release it all into a tiny cup. They did have a television there with a lot of erotic videos to , erm, set the mood we will put lightly.

So yes, freeze your sperm is the best bet. It will allow you to transition uninterupted. You can fully allow yourself to feminize  and not have to deal with the extreme poles of hormones. Going from estrogen to testosterone in general but in this case dicatated every few months would be horrid for me and I can garuntee you that as soon as you go on E you will not want to ever go back!

Now that my potential offspring is sitting in a freezer in a safe facility all I need is to find a willing mate one day and then I have my kids

Best of luck

Thank you for your response! I'm only 19 years at this moment and other than my girlfriend (who I want to have children with one day), no one knows about my GD. Since I am still a student, I can't afford sperm banking either and personally I wouldn't want to lose my fertility fully anyway even if I had a sperm bank back up. I really don't see any other way of going about my situation

[SadieBlake]

I would try going on HRT for 3 months, have your sperm count checked (it will probably be very low, at that point I could only produce a few drops of semen, tho I have no way of knowing sperm count). Then go off and see how long it takes for sperm production to come back up. Without an anti androgen, you may not even be effected - I had great feminization without taking spironolactone but I was also taking injected estradiol valerate for me fully suppressed T and which others have reported as blocking T.

The thing is, as I understand it, a regimen that doesn't reduce testosterone won't give you the results and reducing testosterone will probably cost you fertility. As long as you have good access to healthcare, I think your plan is both good and safe.

P.s. imx you will need that 3, maybe more months off HRT to regain sperm count, a month off HRT only saw tiny increase in my ejaculate volume, T takes some time to reassert itself as far as I can tell.