Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Hi all,

  My therapist suggested I think about a low (or maybe very low) dosage of female hormones (none specifically discussed). She said it might help with my dysphoric feelings and tendencies while unlikley to produce any significant physical changes other than softer skin.  I just wanted to know if anyone else is having, or has had experience with this?  What was it like?  What were the physical, mental, and emotional ramifications for you?

Love,
Kass

My Endocrinologist went straight to the recommended high doses, since I wanted to fully transition.

If you just want a low dose to partially relieve the dysphoria, then there is nothing wrong with that. Just keep in mind that we all respond to HRT differently. Some of us have a great response and others not so much to any dose. Most all of us feminize with constant exposure to HRT. The exact dose, whether high or low, does not determine the degree of feminization. Your personal ethnic heritage and constant exposure to estrogens have a much greater effect.

Having said that, there is very little current objective information in low dose HRT. Years ago, some homosexuals were  chemically castrated in order to decrease their sexual desires. Reports on exact doses are hard to find.

Try this post

My low dose HRT experience (was 9 month low dose HRT)
https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,130268.0.html

Quote from: Dani on May 21, 2017, 06:26:19 PM
My Endocrinologist went straight to the recommended high doses, since I wanted to fully transition.

I know we're not supposed to talk about personal but I don't know what the recommended high dose is supposed to be. I told my dr I planned on fully transitioning and wanted to develop fully functioning breasts.

My doc seems to be slow playing my dosage and I feel like I'm fighting to get my dosage upped.


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Have been on an very low dose of E and Spiro for three months and are feeling much better in general. I see quite a lot of changes to my body and mind and if speed of it doesn't slow down people soon will be discovering. I'm not really shure that dysphoria is any better but i feel calmer and more relaxed in general.
So despite very low doses there can be significant effects as Dani wrote.

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Hello Kass,

I've been on HRT and non transitioned socially for 5 years now.  Details of my experience in the thread j. My signature along with a few others experience as well.

Low dose has kept the dysphoria manageable but it is a tightrope - it is all too easy to end up going all the way.   At this point in time, I have transitioned hormonally - fortunately in my case at my current levels the degree of feminisation is manageable.

Feel free to PM questions once you've waded through the thread.  :)

Hugs,
Luna

Over several decades of my life I relied on the ultimate weapon to battle the GD several times, Low Dose HRT. After a few weeks it gave me the much needed brain reset or emotional reboot. Which also had it's "relative" down side, conflict with The Prime Directive. After 2 failed transition experiments I knew no-way, no-how, could not and should not transition no matter how much "The Dream" may have reawaken. I needed to just be as much of a guy as I could. In my case, after a few months on low dose things started taking a hit below the belt  :o I'll avoid the temptation to finish"It's hard to be a "Normal(ish)" guy when...." That always led to me stopping.

5 years is when I fell off the low dose tightrope. Still not socially transitioned though. Not sure I'm going to make it much past 10, or how much I'm going to regret this path.

Quote from: AnonyMs on May 22, 2017, 01:52:05 PM
5 years is when I fell off the low dose tightrope. Still not socially transitioned though. Not sure I'm going to make it much past 10, or how much I'm going to regret this path.

What would cause you to regret this?  Today is D1 of my low dose route.   :-\

Quote from: OCTrisha on May 26, 2017, 12:20:57 AM
What would cause you to regret this?  Today is D1 of my low dose route.   :-\

Perhaps if/when I finally transition I'll be so happy I'll look back on these years as being wasted. Kind of how I look back on the decades before I started HRT (and I didn't even realize I was trans until 10 years ago).

I've been on low dose Estradiol and Spiro for two months.  It hasn't eliminated the dysphoria but it has changed how I experience it.  Before, it was often times connected with seeing women I found attractive, seeing women doing activities that I would like to be a part of, or seeing outfits that I wished I could wear and look good in. Any of these would potentially trigger it and I spent almost every waking hour of every day dealing with it on some level.

Now it has shifted, it's really more about my body and being seen as a man now.  Where it used to feel more panicky and anxious, now it's more of a depressive feeling when it hits.  It happens far less often but it can be very intense when it hits.  I haven't had any panic attacks as a result of it, but I have had it ruin what was otherwise a perfectly good day on a couple of occasions.

I hope that makes sense and is helpful.

Hi Kassa - I started a low dose of spiro & estrogen about 6 weeks ago. The primary physical change has been some weight loss that I attribute mostly to water loss. The mental effects have been low key, but I have noticed that I don't get episodes of such overwhelming dysphoria like I did prior to starting HRT. I also seem to be able to focus better than before. These are not huge shifts but seem to subtly emerge over time. It allows me to function and better engage with the circumstances around me.


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Thanks for all the thoughtful responses!

All I can say is my feeling of hopelessness about everything regarding my trans situation abated, significantly, within a couple of weeks. To me that alone was worth the price of admission. I am much more calm and mellow. Both my partner and therapist noticed. My therapist said to me: "you're in control - if it doesn't work then you can back it off". Rock on HRT.

Quote from: laurenb on May 29, 2017, 06:47:50 PM
All I can say is my feeling of hopelessness about everything regarding my trans situation abated, significantly, within a couple of weeks. To me that alone was worth the price of admission. I am much more calm and mellow. Both my partner and therapist noticed. My therapist said to me: "you're in control - if it doesn't work then you can back it off". Rock on HRT.

Congrats, I'm glad it has helped you.

Quote from: laurenb on May 29, 2017, 06:47:50 PM
All I can say is my feeling of hopelessness about everything regarding my trans situation abated, significantly, within a couple of weeks. To me that alone was worth the price of admission. I am much more calm and mellow. Both my partner and therapist noticed. My therapist said to me: "you're in control - if it doesn't work then you can back it off". Rock on HRT.

I have also experienced the same feeling of mellowness and calm just after a few days... and softer skin too!

I was prescribed low dose patches for dysphoria.  In my case physical changes came with the mental benefits and have become very noticeable.  Not necessarily welcome but they come with the process!