Long term effects of HRT/Transition?

[placeholdername]

Hi everyone!  I'm thinking a lot about transition and one of the things that's on my mind is long-term effects.  I'm relatively young (26), so if/when I transition it's going to be for a substantial portion of my life.  So I'm wondering about the experiences of people who transitioned say... 10+ years ago.  I'm mostly thinking about physical effects -- what kind of changes have you gone through in the time from 'finishing transition', by which I mean SRS, or if you didn't have SRS, from the point where HRT had achieved its full effect.  Do you feel you aged like a woman would or were there complications that made life difficult?  Did you expect those things ahead of time or did they come as a shock?

I know us girls don't like to think a whole lot about getting older but it would be really helpful in my decision process, so thanks in advance .

[Naturally Blonde]

Hi everyone!  I'm thinking a lot about transition and one of the things that's on my mind is long-term effects.  I'm relatively young (26), so if/when I transition it's going to be for a substantial portion of my life.  So I'm wondering about the experiences of people who transitioned say... 10+ years ago.  I'm mostly thinking about physical effects -- what kind of changes have you gone through in the time from 'finishing transition', by which I mean SRS, or if you didn't have SRS, from the point where HRT had achieved its full effect.  Do you feel you aged like a woman would or were there complications that made life difficult?  Did you expect those things ahead of time or did they come as a shock?

I know us girls don't like to think a whole lot about getting older but it would be really helpful in my decision process, so thanks in advance .

I wish I got physical effects from HRT but after 10 or more years of HRT it's hard to tell I ever took it. I haven't had SRS because I am disappointed with my lack of physical development and feel I don't cut it enough. If my physical shape changed I would be more inclined to go for SRS. For me it's more important to look female than to have SRS and not look female.

[Bellaon7]

hrt effects all of us a little(or a lot) differently. i've been on hrt for 7yrs, have not had srs, but would have yrs ago if could have. yes you'll begin aging more like a female, but again we're all different so there's never gauranties. the first thing that jumps to mind is that sooner or later, possibly within months, become permanetly sterile, but not neccisarily impotant. some things can & will start to reverse if you stop srs, but again we're all different & there's no gauranties. best of luck, Isabella   

[jennifer jane]

I'm fifty six years old -- I daresay I've been that age for some years now ... yet I stick to my estrogen because it helps me along with a more feminine attitude. You are lucky to begin so young! If you are truly convinced -- be patient dear; it takes a while!

jj

[Northern Jane]

I transitioned/had SRS at 24, 35 years ago. I had started hormones (legally) at 18 and had no trouble "passing", not even in a bikini. I didn't develop the hourglass shape I hoped for but it wasn't in my genes - I turned out exactly the same as my mother LOL!

I was on oral oestrogen until about age 40 until my doctor wanted me to stop because of the supposed health risks. About age 53, I asked for a referral to an endo and she immediately put me on the patch to bring my levels up to pre-menopausal and said I should NOT have been off for so long - she was right - I had bone density loss (which has since been corrected).

Many of the supposed "health risks" for long-term hormone treatment have been disproven (according to the best informed endocrine specialists) but bone density loss is a certainty if hormone levels are too low for too long.

Generally I am pretty happy with my body (though I still wish I had got the hourglass genes LOL!)

[placeholdername]

Thanks everyone for responding!

Part of why I asked is that I'm pretty confident about passing body-wise at this point, even pre-HRT (not counting boobs obviously, and also face, which is what FFS/hair removal are for ), but I have a habit of being a short-term thinker so I figured I'd ask about long term.  I guess all girls have to worry about staying in shape and so on as they age, so I guess I just wanted to know if there's anything specific we have to deal with on top of that.

[Naturally Blonde]

I transitioned/had SRS at 24, 35 years ago. I had started hormones (legally) at 18 and had no trouble "passing", not even in a bikini. I didn't develop the hourglass shape I hoped for but it wasn't in my genes - I turned out exactly the same as my mother LOL!

I was on oral oestrogen until about age 40 until my doctor wanted me to stop because of the supposed health risks. About age 53, I asked for a referral to an endo and she immediately put me on the patch to bring my levels up to pre-menopausal and said I should NOT have been off for so long - she was right - I had bone density loss (which has since been corrected).

Many of the supposed "health risks" for long-term hormone treatment have been disproven (according to the best informed endocrine specialists) but bone density loss is a certainty if hormone levels are too low for too long.

Generally I am pretty happy with my body (though I still wish I had got the hourglass genes LOL!)

I had various tests a years or so ago as they thought I may be possibly intersexed despite HRT not working that well on me. My bone density tests resulted in a bone density profile which came out as female and 10 years younger than my actual age, so that was very pleasing but I thought long term oestrogen would actually damage my bone density and not improve it!

[Valerie Elizabeth]

I don't think it's the estrogen that weakens the bone, I think it's if you take it for a long time and stop taking it, similar to post menepausal women.

From what I understand, you need hormones to support bone health.  Your body has multiple types of osetocytes.  Osteoclasts remove bone for bone resorption.  Osteoblasts build bone.  When your hormones are missing or very low, the osteoblasts have a harder time pulling calcium and minerals from the blood stream, and the osteocytes have an easier time removing bone.  Thats why your bone density goes down.

Thats just what I remember from anatomy.

[jennifer jane]

Osteopenia is a condition where bone mineral density is lower than normal. It is considered by many doctors to be a precursor to osteoporosis. However, not every person diagnosed with osteopenia will develop osteoporosis. More specifically, osteopenia is defined as a bone mineral density T score between -1.0 and -2.5.[1] (from good old Wikipedia) -- yes, definitely there could be a mild consequence, and Valerie Elizabeth is quite right (and she's a lovely lady too!). I find the worst side effect from HRT (estrogen valerate and finasteride, I can't stand Spiro) is a bit of tachycardia -- so I take arrhythmia mediation: Two years on now and doing fine!

Hugs *JJ

[Valerie Elizabeth]

Valerie Elizabeth is quite right (and she's a lovely lady too!)

Thank you!  You're so sweet!

[Naturally Blonde]

From what I understand, you need hormones to support bone health.  Your body has multiple types of osetocytes.  Osteoclasts remove bone for bone resorption.  Osteoblasts build bone.  When your hormones are missing or very low, the osteoblasts have a harder time pulling calcium and minerals from the blood stream, and the osteocytes have an easier time removing bone.  Thats why your bone density goes down.

Thats just what I remember from anatomy.

Your not gretting my point. Genetic males usually have major problems if they have a lack of testoterone and by giving them oestrogen it should actually make their bone densisty worse. Thankfully in my case it improved. But it could go either way depending on your genetic make up and response to hormones.

[placeholdername]

Your not gretting my point. Genetic males usually have major problems if they have a lack of testoterone and by giving them oestrogen it should actually make their bone densisty worse. Thankfully in my case it improved. But it could go either way depending on your genetic make up and response to hormones.

Everything I've been told about hormones is not what you've said -- the danger is not being on *any hormones*, for example taking anti-androgens without estrogen, or being on low estrogen after menopause.  As long as youre either on T or on E, then bone density is supposed to be fine.  I'm not an expert but I've heard all that multiple times.

[Naturally Blonde]

Everything I've been told about hormones is not what you've said -- the danger is not being on *any hormones*, for example taking anti-androgens without estrogen, or being on low estrogen after menopause.  As long as youre either on T or on E, then bone density is supposed to be fine.  I'm not an expert but I've heard all that multiple times.

I see exactely where you are coming from but I would have thought if you give a genetic male female hormones it would decrease their bone density and provide all kinds of negative side effects. But as we have seen it doesn't work that way and my bones were far worse before oestrogen than they are now.