HRT and Sex Drive - A Personal Anecdote

[Dana_W]

As I was conditioning my hair in the shower today I was suddenly reminded of the way HRT (in my case Spiro plus Estradiol) has affected my sex drive. At the risk of getting to the point of "over sharing" I'll explain.

I have used a particular hair conditioner for some time, going well back into pre-HRT days. It's a kind you work into your hair and let sit for three minutes before you rinse it out. Three minutes... that's important.

Because prior to HRT I would quite often fill that three minute period with a little act of ... ahem... self love. Hey, in a small house with three kids and a chilly marriage, you don't get a lot of alone time for that kind of thing. And... at least in my experience... living on male hormones you feel a pretty constant desire for some physical sexual release. Anyway, that's how it used to be.

Today as I finished working the conditioner into my hair and I was waiting the three minutes, I suddenly remembered those days (they weren't all that long ago). And it was all I could do to stop myself from laughing out loud. I'm not a prude. A little act of self-love doesn't seem wrong or disgusting to me but.... in THREE MINUTES?! I can't even get warmed up in three minutes these days. And it certainly doesn't occur to me to try to squeeze it in while I'm conditioning my hair! When I'm doing that these days I'm thinking about... well my hair.

This little experience made me reflect on the main differences in sex drive I've discovered through HRT. I still have a sex drive, but it's not constantly in "ON" mode. I can go for days in a row without thinking about such a thing these days. I couldn't finish a shower without thinking of it back then.

But the other big difference is in a definite preference for quality over immediacy. The idea of a "quickie" leaves me feeling kind of turned off. I'd prefer to wait and do something sensual and memorable, even if it means it takes a while to find the opportunity.

That's my observation anyway. Too much information?

[june bug]

Ha ha.  Right there with you.

I used to have a "quickie" to help me sleep, and I still like to orgasm before bedtime (puts me right out usually) but my goodness it's much more of a process (with greater benefit!), and sometimes I just get tired trying to get in the mood and end up falling asleep just as easily.

I tell you what though, it beats always being "on". 

[inoutallabout]

One of the curses of HRT is that it puts your libido well below the norm, even by female standards.  One of the brighter aspects that I've noticed in my ventures is that when the time is right for my partner and me, I can repeat the act several times and over again, without rest.  Fair trade.

Also, the intensity is overwhelming; it's a complete, full body orgasm.

[Hannah]

little act of self-love doesn't seem wrong or disgusting to me but.... in THREE MINUTES?!

This made me lol, preach on 

[gqueering]

Hormones are amazing. I'm female and started the pill a couple of months ago due to heavy periods. I used to have a healthy libido but now it's practically non-existent, which is fine because I'm single but I don't know how str8 women on the pill ever want to have sex.

[rejennyrated]

One of the curses of HRT is that it puts your libido well below the norm, even by female standards.

Why am I always the odd one out... Nearly 30 years on HRT and these days I'm actually pretty highly sexed.  Not that I'm really complaining you understand!

[inoutallabout]

I haven't ever had trouble finding boyfriends or having frequent sexual activity.  For me though, yeah it's nice from that end but I'm getting sick, and I mean sick, of the way those relationships yank my heart all over the place.  I'd rather stay abstinent than endure more of it.