She went up the hill and down again..

[Berliegh]

This is something that has been worrying me......

I have a friend who is Male to Female transsexual and when I met her she looked gorgeous and at first I had no idea she was TS.....she had long blonde hair and looked every inch the stunning woman and men would always be flirting with her...

Now she started her transition about 14 years ago but over time she seems to have become more masculine which really upsets her and people where she works think she is a man. She drives a bus and customers think she's a man as well. Her shape has become very thin and boney and her hair is breaking off and she has had to have it cut shorter. She had facial surgery in the past and the signs if that also seem to be eradicated. Can these problems be caused by long term HRT use I wonder?

So what's happened to her is she went up the hill and now she's coming down again. But what worries me is this could happen to any of us and I have seen other long term transexuals who through time seem to become more masculine with the passage of time.

She also had a boob job in 2001 but this doesn't seem to be noticed by the people she works with who percieve her as a guy. She seems to be coping with it quite well and now preaches to me saying that transition doesn't work. She has many years experience and is right about most things. I have noticed a complete change in her physical appearance and it worries me that transition may only work in the short term and then years later it turns around. what went wrong with her?

[gothique11]

*shrugs* I don't know if that happens to everyone. Who knows. I don't know. But then, again, one could not transition and be miserable. So, what choice do you have other than to go forward and have hope that things will work out.

I don't know my future. I can't predict what's going to happen 15 years from now. But at the same time, I can't live my life based on what if's, so I might as well enjoy what's going on now -- I know that not transitioning made me miserable, and transitioning has made me happy. And some happiness is better than none. And what comes next? And why do I keep going? Because I have hope. That's all we really have in the end. I know that transitioning brought me hope and happiness, while not transitioning only brought me hopelessness and misery.

[Wing Walker]

This is something that has been worrying me......

I have a friend who is Male to Female transsexual and when I met her she looked gorgeous and at first I had no idea she was TS.....she had long blonde hair and looked every inch the stunning woman and men would always be flirting with her...

Now she started her transition about 14 years ago but over time she seems to have become more masculine which really upsets her and people where she works think she is a man. She drives a bus and customers think she's a man as well. Her shape has become very thin and boney and her hair is breaking off and she has had to have it cut shorter. She had facial surgery in the past and the signs if that also seem to be eradicated. Can these problems be caused by long term HRT use I wonder?

So what's happened to her is she went up the hill and now she's coming down again. But what worries me is this could happen to any of us and I have seen other long term transexuals who through time seem to become more masculine with the passage of time.

She also had a boob job in 2001 but this doesn't seem to be noticed by the people she works with who percieve her as a guy. She seems to be coping with it quite well and now preaches to me saying that transition doesn't work. She has many years experience and is right about most things. I have noticed a complete change in her physical appearance and it worries me that transition may only work in the short term and then years later it turns around. what went wrong with her?

I will give-up my estrogen when they pry it from my cold, dead fingers.

Berliegh, I believe that your friend might have some problems with her diet.  Weight loss, hair loss, gaunt appearance, to me that says diet or something that is not necessarily transition-related.

I wish her well.

Wing Walker

[Berliegh]

This is something that has been worrying me......

I have a friend who is Male to Female transsexual and when I met her she looked gorgeous and at first I had no idea she was TS.....she had long blonde hair and looked every inch the stunning woman and men would always be flirting with her...

Now she started her transition about 14 years ago but over time she seems to have become more masculine which really upsets her and people where she works think she is a man. She drives a bus and customers think she's a man as well. Her shape has become very thin and boney and her hair is breaking off and she has had to have it cut shorter. She had facial surgery in the past and the signs if that also seem to be eradicated. Can these problems be caused by long term HRT use I wonder?

So what's happened to her is she went up the hill and now she's coming down again. But what worries me is this could happen to any of us and I have seen other long term transexuals who through time seem to become more masculine with the passage of time.

She also had a boob job in 2001 but this doesn't seem to be noticed by the people she works with who percieve her as a guy. She seems to be coping with it quite well and now preaches to me saying that transition doesn't work. She has many years experience and is right about most things. I have noticed a complete change in her physical appearance and it worries me that transition may only work in the short term and then years later it turns around. what went wrong with her?

I will give-up my estrogen when they pry it from my cold, dead fingers.

Berliegh, I believe that your friend might have some problems with her diet.  Weight loss, hair loss, gaunt appearance, to me that says diet or something that is not necessarily transition-related.

I wish her well.

Wing Walker

She has an excellent diet, fresh fruit and vegtables, oily fish, lean meat, she drinks plenty of fruit juice. .......It's me who has the bad diet...

Her problems are definitely transition and long term use of HRT related especially the hair and weight loss. She's been on Zoladex (Gosalaren) endosed by her endocrinologist (at guess where?) which I think doesn't help and I told her to stop taking it. Her face is thin and her legs are very boney. I have seen this in a few other long term transsexuals and she is very upset and devistated by the problems she is having. By the way she is younger than me..

[cindybc]

Hi Berliegh
I am not a doctor but from the description you have given us I would say that whatever her problem is caused by something on the inside. I have not heard any other TS claim having such deterioration of their physical health except for maybe the normal process of aging. I know that just a few years ago I experiences anorexia and it kind of fits the same symptoms I had. I am thankful for my soul mate intervening put weight back on.

Hi Natalie

But at the same time, I can't live my life based on what if's, so I might as well enjoy what's going on now -- I know that not transitioning made me miserable, and transitioning has made me happy. And some happiness is better than none. And what comes next? And why do I keep going? Because I have hope. That's all we really have in the end. I know that transitioning brought me hope and happiness, while not transitioning only brought me hopelessness and misery.

Right on honey, your right on the money. I will be showing up at Saint Peters gate sliding  up to him sideways on my bicycle, raising a cloud of dust. A ghetto blaster perched up on my right shoulder and ruffled long hair from the wind, wearing a black leather jacket studded with all those little silver stars you know, and I say, "Man! what a trip that was!" then proceeded to pick the bugs out of my teeth.

Cindy

[tekla]

Fact is, we are only now getting the results in about the effects of long-term HRT are.  And not all sort-term solutions are long-range answers.

P.S.  Often, any statement about the effects of drugs on the body and mind that begins with "I'm not a doctor" should really stop there.

[Berliegh]

At one of your great UK public funded health clinics? Why Zoladex Berligh? Found a good FDA description <a href="http://www.drugs.com/pro/zoladex.html">HERE</a>. If your friend had a successful transition in the past why mess with what worked? Has she always used it? I do not believe for an instant we build up a gradual intolerance to the usual meds we are taking but sounds like your friend does need a change. I sympathize with what appears to be a frustrating lack of choices in the U.K but if I felt something was affecting me adversely the way you describe I'd probably be off it in a heartbeat and deal with the "consequences" later . . .

U.K NHS gender clinics are the worst in the world (fact).....which we pay our high taxes towards.....it's not  free ride and I personally have never had any NHS treatment even though I attended an NHS gender clinic for over 6 years...

Sad how each of our transition experiences are so different, I'm sure the 'ole saying "you get what you pay for" does often apply but life is chock full of a series of risks and choices that ultimately only we can decide.

Is that a dig at my friend for attending an NHS clinic? you are probably right and transitioning is an expensive process....and you never know if it's going to work or not..

Having been a HRT for a year now I am so happy to report[/size] that after much procrastination and delay I finally have my first appointment with a gender therapist scheduled for next week! I chose her based on an recommendation from another successful TS (my wife's gyno ), I like the fact that her husband is an endo in the same office (with one stop shopping ) and having told her over the phone yesterday that I have been on "my own transgender therapy" since last Nov she didn't express any real surprise at all and simply wanted to know if I was currently "feeling fine".

My answer was a resounding "yes" & Wednesday It Is!

Best gift I could ever give myself with next stop being Hawaii for Christmas?

Love 

I've been on HRT for many years and I haven't got the same problems as my friend. I tend to try different medication all the time......and Cindy no she is not anorexic, she eats like a horse...

[melissa90299]

I don't know what is going on with your friend but I do know that TSs become more and more feminine as they go along. The only variable is that people are getting more and more trans-aware.

[Kate]

I don't know what is going on with your friend but I do know that TSs become more and more feminine as they go along.

I agree. Some of the women in my support group are in their 50s and 60s and have been on HRT for a decade or more... and look fantastic.

She's getting read because she's thin and gaunt. If she can't maintain her weight, she really needs to have a doctor look into it... it could be something serious. She needs blood tests. I can't imagine it has anything to do with HRT though.

~Kate~

[melissa90299]

Maybe I shouldn't say this but the thing that pops in my mind is HIV. And she might not want to share that info with B.

[Berliegh]

I don't know what is going on with your friend but I do know that TSs become more and more feminine as they go along. The only variable is that people are getting more and more trans-aware.

I don't know what is going on with your friend but I do know that TSs become more and more feminine as they go along. The only variable is that people are getting more and more trans-aware.

Well, my friend has been on HRT and anti - androgens for more than 14 years and as time as gone on she has got more and more masculine. At the start after only a few years on hormones she looked a babe, gorgeous and guys used to be chatting her up. Now everyone thinks she's a bloke.....especially at her work..

I doubt if she has got HIV as she has never had many relationships, just one partner but I have seen this kind of thing happen before with other transsexuals who are long term. I don't know the cause or reason and it may be related to ageing. I am a little older than her but I am slowly improving with more fat on my legs. I 'm a bit like a bull in a china shop and keep trying different things, she seems to have lost hope and more of less starting to giving up..