Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Hi ladies,

For anyone who is a post-op, I am curious if you experience any bodily changes from HRT after SRS? I know of a girl who said that after SRS, because there is no testosterone that competes with the estrogen, the effects of HRT become stronger (not sure "stronger" is the right word). In her case, she said she was on HRT for 2 years but after SRS, she saw growth in breast tissues, even more fat distributions, softening of the skin, etc. I'm curious if this depend on person and she just happens to be lucky or if anyone else experience this? 

Any feedback/comments would be much appreciated!  Thank you!

-Giselle

I definitely had breast growth and fat redistribution continuing long after GRS, but I had surgery at about 2.5 years on HRT so I have no way of knowing if that's due to removing the T factories or just a continuation of the same progress I'd been having. I had a bit of a growth spurt in both departments shortly post-op, but again, that had happened before too. (Still seeing slight changes now, at 5 years on HRT.)

I have not experienced bodily changes after SRS that could be traced to estrogen, though I'm only 7 months post-op. My estrogen levels were alarmingly high after surgery and my doctor lowered my dose, so there was certainly an effect.

One think I have noticed is that my hips are far more "flexible". Don't know if that's an effect of estrogen, lack of T, or the surgery itself.

I'm with suzi on this one, 2.5 months post. Have yet to notice any difference, maybe the body is still using it's resources to heal. No "hurting" boobies either YET. The only thing I've noticed is that I'm gaining weight, but it might be from lack of exercise, stopping spiro (retain water), eating too much, etc LOL.

I definitely had a growth spurt after SRS and it lasted for a while. My end seemed to be dead on when he said it would take about 7-10 to make the full change through the process. That's been my experience.

it  takes  a  lil  bit,  and  everyone  is  different,  but  the  boobs  grew,  @  glad  I  waited  to  get  breast  aug,  lol.    also,  sans  the  male  hormones,  you  get  squishey,  that  thin  layer  of  fat  that  just  appears  under  your  skin.  maybe  soft  is a  better  word....  ? 
  then  i  realised  a  substabtial  loss  in  strength.  no  way  i  could  lift  things  that  i  had  before,   so  muscle  changes?  who  knows. 
  oh  yeah,  the  biggie,  used  to  be  able  to  throw  a  baseball  a  country  mile. 
now,  i  throw  like  a  girl....   ;D

Like several others had mentioned I had changes too,some physical like,  most noticeable was breasts growth, and sensitivity,  a change in strength and my endurance,  as well as some fat changes including gaining of.  Than I had some emotional too, such as I became more sensitive and aware.  But it seems the noticeable growth Has tapered down by a year after,  and now at coming up on 2 years (march) I still has highly sensitive (like they are growing) nipples. And after 6 months I had adapted to my increased emotional sensitivity. But everyone's mileage varies,  it all really depends on how long you where on HRT before and we'll as your genetics,  and of course there can as well be some placebo effects which of course lends itself to he mental changes.

Although I am yet to have my SRS, I have had an orchie which in terms of hormonal changes has the same effect. To get a definitive answer you will need to know your hormone levels just before the op and what they are a few months post op. It will also depend on how long you have been on HRT as to whether or not you get extra changes. There is a limit what hormones are able to alter and if you've already reached that limit then SRS will not do much except as Calico said give a placebo effect.

In my case although I'd been on HRT for about 3 years when I had my orchie, When I started taking Spiro after 2 years of HRT my development stopped happening so when I had the orchie my hormones went wild and things began to happen for me  ;D

Hope that helps :) Cannot wait to join you folks in the postie club in 7 weeks  ;D

Hugs

Sorcha  ;D

well in my case, I am 4months post op and I noticed that I am starting to lose fat distribution on my face and body that feels like I am slowly defeminizing but when I checked my lab results, my estrogen level was very low like half of its level decreased.

After srs I decreased my E dose into half and continue to take progesterone. I guess this is why my E was low. I am going to return my dose into preop dose again and see what happens.

It looks like experiences varies as I suspected. Thanks ladies.

I too am interested in this answer. And if bodily changes do occur, are they less experienced if SRS is done after 3 years of constant HRT. I remember reading somewhere that it is recommended to have SRS done within 3 years of starting HRT. I can't remember exactly why though.

I think it's safest to say that "your mileage may vary". As with so many things related to transition, until each of us gets there, we simply won't know. Genetics, variations in HRT, age, diet, general health - all these and more are involved in a complicated web of interaction helping us to move from where we were to where we wish to be.

Zero changes for me body wise, but my estrogen level was way up

Yes a lot of us gain weight!

I have been on injection hormones with progesterone for about 15 years already and just recently had my srs in November. I'm now 5 month post op and my dilations I do once a day. My hormones are now a lower dosage than what I took before my srs. In fact I take pills now just to be safe.

I'm not sure about others who took hormones for 2-5 years but it's hard for me to tell since I've been taking it probably longer than anyone in this website and it confuses me whether my skins become permanently soft each year or my boobs grew but it still looks the same as it did before surgery. My husband says my skin is very smooth and soft but he said that before my surgery too so I dunno.

I`ve been taking HRT for well-over 30 years and I`m now 21 years post-GRS.....yes, there were changes after the surgery; 'filling out' here and there, and the softening of features carried-on for a year or two, but like any other aging woman; the body`s tone, skin and hair ages.....but I`d say it`s doing it at a visibly {some say remarkably} slower rate than my CIS-female peers, even the one`s whom have taken HRT.......but, it`s only a small advantage in exchange for my girlhood, forever lost.
What matters more, is that we stay healthy and fit post surgery......keep monitored for HRT-levels and look after that hard-won body! :angel:

Best wishes,
Deb. :-*