Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Anyone know how caffeine can affect the growth? I know the whole sleep thing is obvious, but other than that...



Errrr...I need sleep and money as well...LOTS.

I don't think caffeine is good for it.  I pretty much stay away from caffeine if possible.

caffine SLOWS breast development?
heck, id be terrified to see what size norks id have now if i hadn't guzzled the black stuff like i do!
R :police:

Well I don't do coffee. The funny thing is is that it gives me worst Acid reflux than the damned energy drinks. I usually go with a Jolt or Full Throttle. I am trying to regulate my sleep schedule though...

The worst part, is when NO one else is nocturnal, and you have to deal with THEM. Unless I can find some night shift...but then its like I'm staying UP during the DAY which is the sociable time, and thats probably when I'll end up doing my comic.


I'm pretty friggin busy for a nerdy introvert.

I have the feeling I'm at a crossroads to either leave caffeine, or take it like always. Taking the stuff would probably make me SOOOO horrid though. I'm not a healthy camper...cause you know. I don't LIVE, I CAMP. In my house. YEAH :P

Another caffeine addict here. I'm Italian, coffee is my life's blood. I always drink it black and strong, preferably espresso. None of that sodapop kid stuff for me.

Yep! I loooove my coffee too. Got to have it. :icon_caffine: I like it cold too,with a scoop of vanilla icecream on top, mmmmmm yummy treat. ;)
I'm a fair sized A cup but getting to that B is a bit of a chore. :eusa_think:

I have coffee every day. I really don't see where it has affected anything.

Deb

I split a portion of the breasts topic (https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,13819.0.html) into this topic because I thought it was interesting on it's own.

I know almost every diet I've ever gone on that has been successful has called for avoiding caffeine.  It may contribute to weight loss and it may not, but it IS a diuretic, which is something that dehydrates you and with spiro being one too, many of us need all the hydration we can get.  If you can't function without coffee, here's what you can do.  Slowly ween yourself off of it and as you get tired, work on catching up on sleep.  Eventually, you should be able to function without it.  I used to drink about 2-3 cups a day, but did this over a period of about 2 weeks and stopped then.  I do have it every once in a while if my schedule gets so busy I can't sleep a proper amount, but I prefer sleep to caffeine.

Tanning is bad for your skin!

I know I am a dumb blond!

I get it I think! Right

Thanks for the kind words


Deb

Quote from: debisl on August 24, 2007, 11:35:07 AMTanning is bad for your skin!

Yes it is, and it also happens to be another thing I avoid if possible.

Quote from: morticia on August 24, 2007, 11:46:40 AM
But I know if I try to back off the coffee I'll have serious problems.  I'm already a cranky bitch as it is.  Take my coffee away and uh oh.  Take my coffee away AND my hormones and look out!

That's why you do it slowly.  Like try reducing it by 1 cup of coffee each week.  Even cutting it down to a lower amount daily, but continuing to drink it will help you.

I'm up around 6 to 8 cups a day. I read on another TG site where someone was explaining that if you're on HRT you shouldn't smoke and drink coffee,but she recomends if you were to quit them and you can't quit both, you should atleast quit smoking. because that's the worst of the two evils. I haven't smoked in two years but I couldn't give up my coffee. That would be too much for my body to take at once. Quitting these vises, puts an enormous amount of stress on it and we all know that stress is bad for the body too.
Eventually I'll cut back on the coffee too. Besides that, recently they discoverd that coffee helps fight off colon cancer.  ;D

Quote from: Karla B on August 24, 2007, 01:22:12 PM
I read on another TG site where someone was explaining that if you're on HRT you shouldn't smoke and drink coffee,but she recomends if you were to quit them and you can't quit both, you should atleast quit smoking. because that's the worst of the two evils.

That's good advice.  Smoking is so serious, that can mean the difference between a successful SRS or dying on the operating table.  Unfortunately, it's also the more difficult of the 2 to quit from what I know.

Well, it's your life and body.  I was just offering my perspective.  Congratulations on quitting so many bad things.  that must have been tough for you.

why did my endocrinologist OFFER me a coffee last time i saw him, if caffine is bad on hrt? :P

R :police:

Quote from: morticia on August 24, 2007, 01:55:44 PM

Quote from: Melissa on August 24, 2007, 01:30:11 PM

Quote from: Karla B on August 24, 2007, 01:22:12 PM
I read on another TG site where someone was explaining that if you're on HRT you shouldn't smoke and drink coffee,but she recomends if you were to quit them and you can't quit both, you should atleast quit smoking. because that's the worst of the two evils.

That's good advice.  Smoking is so serious, that can mean the difference between a successful SRS or dying on the operating table.  Unfortunately, it's also the more difficult of the 2 to quit from what I know.

I quit smoking 10 years ago and I don't regret it one bit.
I laugh so hard when I go to the grocery store and see cigarettes at almost $5 per pack..
Besides, smoking killed a lot of people in my family via cancer and heart attacks.
I didn't want to join those ranks.
Now I'm the biggest bitch on the planet against cigarettes.  It makes me gag when I go outside and the neighbors are smoking, I can smell it from several hundred feet away but when they are like 20' away it makes me violently ill.
Oh I am so glad I quit!  And I quit drinking and doing drugs too.  10 years ago this year I cut out everything bad in my life except coffee..  And I really do not want to give up my precious coffee.  Think of Lord of the Rings and replace the ring with a can of coffee and Smeagol wants his precious only it's not a ring, it's coffee..  That would be me..

DA!!!
Coincidences again. I just saw that movie today.

So yeah...I'm gonna try tapering off soon again. Its not THAT hard, but I love caffeine. My comic centers around it. I decided to make my character get off it too, but I made it a worthy reason at least. Other than that stuffs, I'm pretty young, so I don't think it will last FOREVER. Here's that crossroads thing again. The thing I love the most kills my body, and makes things worse. Going to one cup of tea is such a...Lulzkiller. It sucks. But I want to live long and make TONS of stuff in my life.

As for booze and nicotine...I never really enjoyed smoking THAT much, but I can see why people would do it. As for booze, I like on occasion.

So the main things the caffeine. And Morticia...you crazy with that coffee. Don't go cold turkey, cause I heard a guys esophagus all out closed when he ditched his Jolt. Tapering is the best.

Like Morticia said... at least allow me this one teeny little vice. I don't smoke, I don't drink alcohol, I don't do drugs, I avoid sugar, and I'm vegetarian. Whew! But I'm happy this way. Estrogen is where it's at.

Yeah, Melissa, I've tapered off before, but always went back on The Bean. Just could not stay away. The last time I quit was over 7 years ago... it lasted half a year, but then I was unemployed when I quit. Soon I had a job again, and before I knew it, I started cheating with a cup here and a cup there, because my brain just could not get through the day unassisted. So I pretty quickly resumed the habit, why fight it...

Speaking of cup size, each mug of coffee I down every morning is at least a D cup! And that's probably all the D cup I'll ever have too...

The truth is, I only have coffee first thing in the morning, but for the rest of the day I subsist on green tea. It's a healthy antioxidant and helps keep my weight down and my figure svelte. No sugar or milk, of course. Plain. I have to admit, these days green tea is really what I enjoy-- my morning mug of coffee is just feeding an addiction.

Yeah. I quit and then go back on the stuff ALL the time. Its my ONE vice too.


Although, I wish I had delayed before i got into it. I'm only 18 in terms of years spent on Earth...


Now other places...we'll see.

OK, I dont mind a decaf skinny milk cappuccino every now and then and it hasnt stunned my growth, I love my cups of Tea though, have about four cups a day. The only reason that caffeine is bad for you is that it can have an increased risk of getting PD whilst on HRT.

Sara.

Unless you really abuse the Java 3-4 big cups (a whole 2 liter of coke is only equivalent to 1 big cup of coffee), I don't see why cafeine would be bad on HRT.

In fact, they've found out that cafeine if not abused, has many positivite effects on the body, who knew  :D

Of course it has positive effects...


I love many of them. If it weren't for the increase of stomach acid, and loosening of the esophagus opening, I'd hit it forever.

Oh yes I know what you mean, I used to drink plenty of the stuff when I was in radio and television and now I'm paying for it. My tummy is so full of holes I can actually feel the emptiness. Heeeeellllllllllloooooooooo in there.

Sara.

look, your more likely to get caffine abuse sypmtoms, than have it effect hrt, its like folk who cut out ALL alcohol on hrt, its not that big a deal...
hrt effects the liver, sure, if its taken oraly, but its fairly low damage. and you would have to abuse that too...
all this fliting and flouncing is stopping you doing or drinking things you like, when thier harmless in sane amounts...
R :police:

Just don't rely on the caffeine too much.  With my musical opening this week, last week was quite busy and I wasn't getting much sleep, so I was having a cup here and a cup there (only like 3 cups total that week).  Normally, the medication for my ADD that I take gives me a caffeine like boost as well, so coffee is normally unnecessary for me.  Well, I must have pushed myself too hard because about a half hour after I had a cup (while on my way home), I started to feel really hot.  Eventually I started feeling extremely nauseous.  In the car, I had to put the AC on full blast and was taking off as many clothes as could legally take off including my bra.  When I got home, I immediately got in a cold bath and sat there as long as possible.  Several times that night I ended up vomiting a lovely coffee colored liquid (yuck!) and had to miss my rehearsal.  It felt like I had the stomach flu even though I didn't have a temperature.  Eventually I was able to get to sleep and I got a nice 11 hours (and I'm still recovering).  My point is, if you push yourself too hard, and rely on the caffeine, you could really end up having to go through a miserable experience like I did.

i get that from nicotine, caffine and sugar overdoses ><
R :police:

I noticed something interesting.  In the MtF HRT and sweating (https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,15807.0.html) thread, I noticed a lot of the people who said they sweat excessively also said they tend to drink lots of coffee in this thread.  It might not be such a coincidence. :angel:

I hardly sweat, and drink coffee :P

Quote from: shanetastic on August 27, 2007, 03:48:26 PM
I hardly sweat, and drink coffee :P

Are you on MTF HRT yet?

Quote from: Melissa on August 27, 2007, 03:51:55 PM

Quote from: shanetastic on August 27, 2007, 03:48:26 PM
I hardly sweat, and drink coffee :P

Are you on MTF HRT yet?

I literally just started like 2 days ago.  I've just never really sweat for some reason.  And I just don't drink coffee either I don't really need it hehe.

Quote from: shanetastic on August 27, 2007, 05:18:37 PM

Quote from: Melissa on August 27, 2007, 03:51:55 PM

Quote from: shanetastic on August 27, 2007, 03:48:26 PM
I hardly sweat, and drink coffee :P

Are you on MTF HRT yet?

I literally just started like 2 days ago.  I've just never really sweat for some reason.  And I just don't drink coffee either I don't really need it hehe.

Well, you don't sweat much, but you've been on HRT for only 2 days and you hardly drinking coffee.  Um, that just furthers the point I was making, which was that if somebody drinks a considerable amount of coffee and has been on HRT for a while, it seems they sweat profusely.

Quote from: Melissa on August 27, 2007, 05:29:09 PM

Quote from: shanetastic on August 27, 2007, 05:18:37 PM

Quote from: Melissa on August 27, 2007, 03:51:55 PM

Quote from: shanetastic on August 27, 2007, 03:48:26 PM
I hardly sweat, and drink coffee :P

Are you on MTF HRT yet?

I literally just started like 2 days ago.  I've just never really sweat for some reason.  And I just don't drink coffee either I don't really need it hehe.

Well, you don't sweat much, but you've been on HRT for only 2 days and you hardly drinking coffee.  Um, that just furthers the point I was making, which was that if somebody drinks a considerable amount of coffee and has been on HRT for a while, it seems they sweat profusely.

Yeah, luckily I never really got into coffee, besides Starbucks once in a while.  But even then, it's not like full on coffee, always diluted with something they put in there. Either way  your point still seems valid to me :P

interesting, i might cut my coffee levels, to see if it effects me, is it all caffine or just coffee? i might die if i come off! :P
R :police:

When I first started phytos, my skin actually stopped sebumming like crazy. Now it seems normal again.

Quote from: Melissa on August 27, 2007, 05:29:09 PM
Um, that just furthers the point I was making, which was that if somebody drinks a considerable amount of coffee and has been on HRT for a while, it seems they sweat profusely.

Hi Melissa,

Interesting theory.

I do sweat a lot.  If it is hot and humid I could stand in one spot and my shirts will become visibly wet.

Caffeine is great but I do not enjoy or drink coffee.  I drink a few cups of tea a day. The quantity of soda consumed varies.

Sometimes when I am perspiring I drink cold sugar-free caffeinated soda as if I were on a dessert.

I sweat a lot regardless of hormones or caffeine. 

However sweating a lot now is very embarrassing. The sweat rolls down my neck and saturates the center of my shirts and underneath my boobs.  I am not sure I sweat more now but I am a lot more self-conscious when I sweat.

tea actually contains more caffine than coffee... for the record...
R :police:

Quote from: Rachael on August 27, 2007, 10:15:32 PM
interesting, i might cut my coffee levels, to see if it effects me, is it all caffine or just coffee?

I don't know.  I just happened to notice that trend in both threads and found it interesting, plus coupled with my typical reaction from when I drink coffee, I just came up with that theory.

Quote from: Rachael on August 28, 2007, 11:02:50 AM
tea actually contains more caffine than coffee... for the record...

Not necessarily, according to this: http://www.holymtn.com/tea/caffeine_content.htm (http://www.holymtn.com/tea/caffeine_content.htm)

Quote from: Melissa on August 28, 2007, 11:16:04 AM

Quote from: Rachael on August 28, 2007, 11:02:50 AM
tea actually contains more caffine than coffee... for the record...

Not necessarily, according to this: http://www.holymtn.com/tea/caffeine_content.htm (http://www.holymtn.com/tea/caffeine_content.htm)

Yeah, I think that the reason that that fallacy comes up regularly is that tea leaves, by weight, have more caffeine per gram than coffee beans. A cup of tea generally has less caffeine than a cup of coffee.

When I was in university, my first year chem lab had an experiment where you measured the caffeine in tea leaves and coffee beans. Probably a lot of universities still have that, which may be the source of the rumour.

Dennis

Thanks for finally clearing the whole tea coffee thing up. GEEEZZE.

Took me forever to find that one out.

Quote from: deviousxen on August 29, 2007, 01:32:40 AM
Thanks for finally clearing the whole tea coffee thing up. GEEEZZE.

Took me forever to find that one out.

I found the chart I referenced pretty quickly with google, but Dennis' explanation is very helpful and makes a lot of sense.

Funny enough, I don't drink coffee that often. Maybe a couple of times a week. I enjoy a good cup of coffee from time to time.

There is one thing that I do that isn't probably good for HRT and my health in general. I smoke (and yes, I'm trying to quit). I don't know if smoking has really affected my breast development, although. I'm a B cup and my cup size is starting to get too small. I've been on HRT for a year.

I plan on quitting before surgery, of course. Although I have several friends who have smoked before and after surgery with out complications. Still, it's not a good idea because it can pose risks during and after surgery (healing takes longer, etc).

Quote from: gothique11 on August 29, 2007, 05:05:11 PMThere is one thing that I do that isn't probably good for HRT and my health in general. I smoke (and yes, I'm trying to quit). I don't know if smoking has really affected my breast development, although. I'm a B cup and my cup size is starting to get too small. I've been on HRT for a year.

I think smoking affects your skin more than anything.  I've never smoked a cigarette in my life and I've had several people compliment my complexion before.

Quote from: gothique11 on August 29, 2007, 05:05:11 PMStill, it's not a good idea because it can pose risks during and after surgery (healing takes longer, etc).

According to my doctor (who has one of the biggest TS patient pools in the US), the few people who have had complications were also smokers.

Quote from: Melissa on August 29, 2007, 05:17:41 PM

Quote from: gothique11 on August 29, 2007, 05:05:11 PMThere is one thing that I do that isn't probably good for HRT and my health in general. I smoke (and yes, I'm trying to quit). I don't know if smoking has really affected my breast development, although. I'm a B cup and my cup size is starting to get too small. I've been on HRT for a year.

I think smoking affects your skin more than anything.  I've never smoked a cigarette in my life and I've had several people compliment my complexion before.

Quote from: gothique11 on August 29, 2007, 05:05:11 PMStill, it's not a good idea because it can pose risks during and after surgery (healing takes longer, etc).

According to my doctor (who has one of the biggest TS patient pools in the US), the few people who have had complications were also smokers.

My skin is actually pretty good, and very few people guess my age correctly. But then again, it's still a good idea to quit. My mom is the same way, and has been smoking forever with no health problems and looking 10 years younger. Same with my grandma, who lived to be 93. It's kind of weird and goes against what people say. But then, I think genetics play a role somewhere. Still, quitting is a good idea.

i look like a reasonably tall (and fat) 16-17yo thanks to hrt. i love loosing 3 years :D
R :police:

The whole losing years thing seems odd.


On a side note, I'm tapered off energy drinks and most sexual activity now. The hormones released I hear from these activities interfere with progesterone.

So cool?

Because of reading this thread, I've cut my daily coffee consumption in half. I can manage that at least. My love affair with  green tea continues unabated.

Quote from: Hypatia on September 07, 2007, 12:54:17 AM
Because of reading this thread, I've cut my daily coffee consumption in half. I can manage that at least. My love affair with  green tea continues unabated.

Ditto. Love Green tea and Earl Grey...

your having less exercise and sex so your hormones work better? what is the point? if you spend your time lamenting about perfect drug function, youd live on an IV for  food and nutrition and live in a bed.....
get out, live your life, no woman has 100% hormone function.
R :police:

Quote from: gothique11 on August 29, 2007, 05:05:11 PM
There is one thing that I do that isn't probably good for HRT and my health in general. I smoke (and yes, I'm trying to quit). I don't know if smoking has really affected my breast development, although. I'm a B cup and my cup size is starting to get too small. I've been on HRT for a year.

Actually Gothique a B in one year sounds better than most.  I have started exercising every day and eating better.  I think exercising should be good.

Quote from: Melissa on August 29, 2007, 05:17:41 PM
According to my doctor (who has one of the biggest TS patient pools in the US), the few people who have had complications were also smokers.

Yeah I've done one thing right.  Thanks Melissa for that comment.

................
I have been very conscious of sweating since I read this thread.  I do not have a scientific measurement of sweating but it seems to be even heavier than before.  Any chance HRT by itself increases sweating or is it just the power of suggestion?

b in a year is better than most?
does that make my small C cup in 8 months somewhat fandabydosy?
R :police:

I'm coming into this discussion rather late, but I'm going to insert my 2 cents.

Studies have indicated that caffeine increases estrogen levels in women.  This would be because caffeine stimulates the adrenal glands.  That's how it wakes you up.  These glands produce not only adrenalin but also estrogen and testosterone.  What effect this has on transsexuals on HRT has not been studied, so we don't know if the genetic women's results apply to us.  It could potentially increase your estrogen, your testosterone, or both.  At this point, nobody knows.

Caffeine and the Adrenal Glands (http://www.caffeineawareness.org/forum/adrenal_glands.html)

Quote from: Wendy on September 07, 2007, 09:17:47 AMAny chance HRT by itself increases sweating or is it just the power of suggestion?

Of course there's a chance, but we don't know either way.  The original correlation was just a hypothesis that has not been proven one way or the other, but evidence continues to suggest that this is the case.

Posted on: September 07, 2007, 10:32:07 AM

---

Quote from: Hypatia on September 07, 2007, 12:54:17 AM
Because of reading this thread, I've cut my daily coffee consumption in half. I can manage that at least. My love affair with  green tea continues unabated.

Cool, I'm glad to hear that. :)

again, why give up sex. you realise abstenance from sex when you WANT it increases your testosterone level?
R :police:

Quote from: morticia on September 07, 2007, 09:51:56 PMOh, and I drink plenty of strong green tea too every night.  Spearmint tea made from home grown spearmint, not store bought bags.  Spearmint is a documented AA, it's proven to help with hirsutism in GG's by blocking androgen receptors (http://clusty.com/search?query=spearmint+androgen&tb=opensearch&).
And we all have heard about how green tea in general is supposed to be healthy for you.

By "green tea" are you referring to Camellia sinensis (the same plant as black tea, only in the raw state) or Mentha spicata (spearmint)? There are lots of herbal teas made from green plants, but I've never heard anything but Camellia sinensis called "green tea."

Relationships I initiate usually end in disappointment and or despair. I'm dragged into others. Mostly emo girls.


I really haven't found someone as messed up as I am. The one that was slightly up to the bar was so paranoid nothing came of it except malicious rumors.

As for caffeine. I'm a person with a spending problem I think. Tradition kills me, not peers when I go into drugs and food. Damn Valero Station and Full Throttle. But I still hardly do it...so yay.



Lets hope my adrenal glands can HEAL...