Body fat changes after surgery already

[FairyGirl]

Plus I have my initial consult tomorrow, so by this time tomorrow I'll have a date. Squeeeeeeeee!

congratulations!!

[Debra]

Ladies, if you want to get trim and healthy, may I suggest longboarding as an excellent all body work out (well apart from your arms). hee hee.

Serious stuff though, I took a picture today and I'm amazed I managed to convince anyne that i was male. Plus I have my initial consult tomorrow, so by this time tomorrow I'll have a date. Squeeeeeeeee!

I usually only see guys longboarding but I did see a cute girl longboarding the other day....maybe it was you! hehe

I was just thinking I need to start roller skating or something

[Rosa]

Congrats on being three months post-op!!!! weeeeeeeeeeee!

I'm only a week behind ya ...I think I got my hopes up that it would somehow magically be the end of the tough pain and torment.... but hhmmm... we'll see xP

So far I've noticed my nipples and areolas are starting to develop finally.. They didn't do much at all before and I was a little worried but now.. boom! And only after 11 weeks. Also my boobages have recovered from being off hormones and possibly gained some? Hard to tell
I'll wait until closer to six months before I look in the mirror properly.. it's too cold here right now >__<

But don't forget that its likely that we did not receive the same amount of testosterone in our mother's womb as cis males, so our brains are probably more physically female than male, right?

[Muffins]

But don't forget that its likely that we did not receive the same amount of testosterone in our mother's womb as cis males, so our brains are probably more physically female than male, right?

there is no hard set answer for this as ....who really knows? I feel that just because perhaps some had less exposure to T in the womb doesn't mean they don't go on to develop in a way that will show normal T levels during and after puberty. Even if they do have lower T levels it's still enough for the brain to develop predominately in a male way simply from Testosterone exposure. Brain development, structurally begins to slow down between 20-25 years of age which is nothing compared to 3-6 months in the womb. Studies on intersex brains would be more interesting when it comes to such questions.

[Susan Kay]

After all these years and what I have gone through and what I have put myself through to reach where I was supposed to be, I remain unconvinced that there are major differences between "male" brains and "female" brains, EXCEPT - people with "male" brains almost, but not quite always, get "male" bodies and hormonal development thus receive "male" stimulus. People with "female" brains almost, but not quite always, get "female" bodies and hormonal development thus receive "female" stimulus. So the nurture vs nature argument is personified. We - OK, I, I don't know and can't tell about you - are the exceptions.

The around-the-horn approach to my position is this, I guess: Male brain - female brain; all I know is this: I was enough off center that the male body ached for femaleness. If it was caused by having a female mind, so be it. If it was caused by having a male mind that was not following the dictated pattern, so be that. What I do know is that I now have a female body, as much as scientifically possible. Of course I have a female mind.

This is probably rambling - I'm not tracking very well today. Must be my time of the month! 

Susan Kay

[Muffins]

not to mix up gender-identity and brain formation ...which is a result of what hormones are in your system during development. It's just simple logic really. But yeah tis cool.

[FairyGirl]

our brains are probably more physically female than male, right?

The short answer appears to be, yes...


http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19751389
Neuroimaging differences in spatial cognition between men and male-to-female transsexuals before and during hormone therapy.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19341803
Regional gray matter variation in male-to-female transsexualism.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18980961
A sex difference in the hypothalamic uncinate nucleus: relationship to gender identity.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10843193
Male-to-female transsexuals have female neuron numbers in a limbic nucleus.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/829048
Electroencephalographic changes in transsexualism (author's transl).

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20132527
Regional cerebral blood flow changes in female to male gender identity disorder.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18761592
Specific cerebral activation due to visual erotic stimuli in male-to-female transsexuals compared with male and female controls: an fMRI study.
(I thought this one was interesting)

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17875490
Sexual differentiation of the brain and behavior.

Zhou JN, Hofman MA, Gooren LJ, Swaab DF. A sex difference in the human brain and its relation to transsexuality. Nature. 1995 Nov 2;378(6552):68-70.

This study corroborates Zhou et al
Kruijver FP, Zhou JN, Pool CW, Hofman MA, Gooren LJ, Swaab DF Male-to-female transsexuals have female neuron numbers in a limbic nucleus. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2000 May;85(5):2034-41

As does this one...
Garcia-Falgueras A, Swaab DF. A sex difference in the hypothalamic uncinate nucleus: relationship to gender identity. Brain. 2008 Dec;131(Pt 12):3132-46. Epub 2008 Nov 2.

More studies:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15854782
Sex steroid-related genes and male-to-female transsexualism.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15724806
Sexual differentiation of the human brain: relevance for gender identity, transsexualism and sexual orientation.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14560698
Consequences of disturbed sex-hormone action in the central nervous system: behavioral, anatomical and functional changes.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12573812
Androgens and male behavior.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7477289
A sex difference in the human brain and its relation to transsexuality.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8850137
Hormones and psychosexual differentiation.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1302528
The clinico-biological aspects of transsexualism.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1778227
Gene- and environment-dependent neuroendocrine etiogenesis of homosexuality and transsexualism.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3282489
Neuroendocrine response to estrogen and brain differentiation in heterosexuals, homosexuals, and transsexuals.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7271684
Neurobiological approaches in human behavior genetics.

[Muffins]

^^^^^^^was referring to>>>>>>>

"In a separate study, the team used the same technique to compare white matter in 18 male-to-female transsexual people with that in 19 males and 19 females. Surprisingly, in each transsexual person's brain the structure of the white matter in the four regions was halfway between that of the males and females. "Their brains are not completely masculinised and not completely feminised, but they still feel female," says Guillamon."

Read more: http://www.care2.com/causes/study-shows-transexuals-may-display-brain-differences.html#ixzz1R1LrsqiG

[Francis Ann Burgett]

It's my understanding that even though your testosterone can be 'blocked'...it's still running around in your system. So once you get an orchiectomy or SRS, there literally is no more T in your system AT ALL and this apparently can make a big difference in fat redistribution and results in general.

That is great news!. I plan to have an orcie first to for sure remove all the T stuff & later complete SRS. Such great news.

[caitlin_adams]

That is the most comprehensive list of academic material related to transsexualism I've ever seen.

That's awesome. Thanks FG.

The short answer appears to be, yes...


http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19751389
Neuroimaging differences in spatial cognition between men and male-to-female transsexuals before and during hormone therapy.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19341803
Regional gray matter variation in male-to-female transsexualism.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18980961
A sex difference in the hypothalamic uncinate nucleus: relationship to gender identity.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10843193
Male-to-female transsexuals have female neuron numbers in a limbic nucleus.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/829048
Electroencephalographic changes in transsexualism (author's transl).

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20132527
Regional cerebral blood flow changes in female to male gender identity disorder.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18761592
Specific cerebral activation due to visual erotic stimuli in male-to-female transsexuals compared with male and female controls: an fMRI study.
(I thought this one was interesting)

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17875490
Sexual differentiation of the brain and behavior.

Zhou JN, Hofman MA, Gooren LJ, Swaab DF. A sex difference in the human brain and its relation to transsexuality. Nature. 1995 Nov 2;378(6552):68-70.

This study corroborates Zhou et al
Kruijver FP, Zhou JN, Pool CW, Hofman MA, Gooren LJ, Swaab DF Male-to-female transsexuals have female neuron numbers in a limbic nucleus. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2000 May;85(5):2034-41

As does this one...
Garcia-Falgueras A, Swaab DF. A sex difference in the hypothalamic uncinate nucleus: relationship to gender identity. Brain. 2008 Dec;131(Pt 12):3132-46. Epub 2008 Nov 2.

More studies:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15854782
Sex steroid-related genes and male-to-female transsexualism.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15724806
Sexual differentiation of the human brain: relevance for gender identity, transsexualism and sexual orientation.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14560698
Consequences of disturbed sex-hormone action in the central nervous system: behavioral, anatomical and functional changes.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12573812
Androgens and male behavior.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7477289
A sex difference in the human brain and its relation to transsexuality.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8850137
Hormones and psychosexual differentiation.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1302528
The clinico-biological aspects of transsexualism.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1778227
Gene- and environment-dependent neuroendocrine etiogenesis of homosexuality and transsexualism.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3282489
Neuroendocrine response to estrogen and brain differentiation in heterosexuals, homosexuals, and transsexuals.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7271684
Neurobiological approaches in human behavior genetics.

[Debra]

That is the most comprehensive list of academic material related to transsexualism I've ever seen.

That's awesome. Thanks FG.

That is pretty amazing

[hilah.hayley]

5 weeks out from my surgery so I CAN HARDLY WAIT AT ALL!!!!!!!!!!!

[jade]

First of all, thanks to those who contributed with scientific literature, its great to see solid facts and more updated knowledge.

We might take notice of these research papers because we already have the fundamentals about our condition but every Tom, Dick and Harry down the road have no idea so it doesn't help.

In my opinion, general public need to be educated at school about the diversity of sexual orientation and gender identity in nature.

That's the only way Harry Benjamin Syndrome / Transsexualism / Whatever you like to call it is going to be tolerated better.

What worries me is, the day they find the exact causes of the condition, are they going to try and 'correct' this congenital mutation to try and assimilate the existence of transsexuals?

Let's hope not 

[Veronica S.]

Hi:

I'm a long-time reader, first-time commenter.

Actually, I finally joined Susan's Place (and will likely make a donation shortly) after reading these posts on bodily changes post-SRS.

I'm working on getting my second letter, and hope to experience the wonderful results you ladies did. 

Best,
Veronica

[Kendra]

Hello Veronica, welcome to Susan's!

Since this was your first post I'll add information to help with navigation, and site guidelines.

Things that you should read

Site Terms of Service & Rules to Live By	Standard Terms & Definitions	Post Ranks (including when you can upload an avatar)
Reputation rules	Cautionary Note	Photo, avatars, & signature images policy

When you get a chance, would be great if you introduce yourself in the Introductions Forum.  We would all like to meet you!

Thank you for joining Susan's - and great to hear you are taking charge of your future. 

All the best,

Kendra

[Assoluta]

Yes, pre surgery I was one of those annoying people that could each huge amounts and remain stick thin with a washboard stomach. Since SRS six years ago I've gained wait from 48kg to 62kg (although as I'm 5'7 my previous weight was actually underweight). I will say that now my body is very distinctly female with the fat distribution that happened post op, particularly with hips and boobs.

Regarding the brain issue, it appears to be very easy to misunderstand each other as it seems that there are differing definitions of Male and female brains. It is key, however to differentiate between brain hard wiring and gender identity from birth (theoretically as far as we understand from current research) and the brain being washed with Male or female hormones at puberty. I don't think Male hormones at puberty make a "Male" brain, but might masculinise it, in the same way testosterone injections would masculinise a biological female's brain.