Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Three and a half weeks ago I had an orchiectomy. I have been on HRT for almost 4 years. My question/concern is that since having the orchi my mood has been very unbalanced. I have been having moments of anger at things that used to never bother me. These fits of anger concern and scare me.

What I also don't know is if it could be my change in anti-depressant. I am now on Sertraline to help with anxiety and depression.

Has anyone else experienced anger or depression like episodes after having an orchiectomy?

Thank you.

Welcome to Susan's Place. You should have a talk with your endo/doctor who gave you the anti-depressant and hormones because your dose may need to be adjusted. I have never been on drugs other than hormones and after SRS I became moodier for a while and I suspect it was going from a high hormone level to a no hormone level. Your chemistry is different and you may have different emotions. Your doctor(s) should be able to sort it out pretty fast and solve the problem.

I'd echo to go to a doctor soon.

You could have a look here:
https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,190296.msg1695059.html#msg1695059
minus the hints for testosterone possibly...

There are feedback loops in the body.
Now with testes gone its possible the body signals low testo and tries to produce it where possible.
So it might be possible some glands try to make up for production.
Its possible this goes down after some time. A doctor could do something in the meantime.
And bioidenticl progesterone might help, it has some antiandrogenic effects.

Hey Scarlett

Welcome to Susan's  :)  Great to have you here - looking forward to seeing you around the forum.

It's not unusual to feel a bit all over the place after major surgery. I presume too that they've taken you off your HRT for the duration of the op and recovery period - that will definitely have you feel like you are climbing up the wall. If you are finding it difficult to cope or control though I would strong suggest checking with your doc.

Please check out the following links for site rules, helpful tips and other info...

• Site Terms of Service and rules to live by  (https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,2.0.html)
  
• Standard Terms and Definitions (https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,54369.0.html)
  
• Post Ranks (including when you can upload an avatar) (https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,114.0.html.)
  
• Reputation rules (https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,18960.0.html)
  
• News posting & quoting guidelines (https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,174951.0.html)
  
• Photo, avatars, and signature images policy (https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,59974.msg383866.html#msg383866)
  

Cheers

Grace

I sent my doctor a message. She did not have me change my hormones at all after surgery. She said she would get back to me if I should get off my blockers and do anything else. The test results are back but I cant decipher them and haven't heard from the doctor.

My doctor is nice and friendly but admits i'm the first trans* patient she has had pursue any type of surgery. So I am having to teach her a lot of things myself and clearly i'm no expert. Hopefully I hear back from her soon.

I appreciate the responses.

I had an orchiectomy earlier this year, and I think I experienced something very similar. For a few months after the surgery, my mood was all over the place, and my testosterone levels were running higher than they had been before the surgery (though still in the female range). I eventually went back on a much lower dose of the anti-androgen I had been taking, and that helped things to settle down. I do plan to taper off of it eventually, but for now I'd much rather not have to deal with the potential for hormone changes or mood swings. One thing you might want to consider though, is to ask your endocrinologist about taking progesterone. Progesterone is sort of like a very mild form of testosterone, without the bad masculinizing effects. There is a lot of debate about what benefit, if any, taking progesterone has for transgender women, but I think at least in cisgendered women, it plays an important role in the body's self-regulation of androgen levels by keeping the stronger androgens in check. I started taking it recently, and I think it's definitely helped to keep my mood more stable.