Susan's Place Transgender Resources

I just have a bit of a question, partly out of curiousity, partly just out of ignorance.

I've noticed a lot of you guys find periods particulalry hard to deal with, understandably so. Just wondering if it is a consideration to just be on the contraceptive full time? Sure you would have to take a pill everyday but you won't have to deal with periods. Or is the whole idea of getting a contraceptive pill intended for women, putting more female hormones in your body, too much to handle?

I've tried it, but the extra hormones from the birth control were too much for me. Messed me up.

There's another preferable treatment to end the menses: HRT.  Most FtMs stop menstruating once they are on T, which is even better than the reduced flow found with the pill.  However, I have known a pre-T transman who was considereing going on the pill until he could start hormones.  However, I think most are repulsed by the idea of yet more estrogen.

Quote from: Nicky on February 18, 2009, 01:56:45 PM
I just have a bit of a question, partly out of curiousity, partly just out of ignorance.

I've noticed a lot of you guys find periods particulalry hard to deal with, understandably so. Just wondering if it is a consideration to just be on the contraceptive full time? Sure you would have to take a pill everyday but you won't have to deal with periods. Or is the whole idea of getting a contraceptive pill intended for women, putting more female hormones in your body, too much to handle?

the overwhelming majority of birth control pills are estrogen based.  why on earth would an FTM want to add more estrogen to their systems? 

my doc suggested birth control pills for me and i declined.  no more estrogen for me, plus the risk of my boobs getting even bigger!  >_<

I wouldn't take the pill as it would only mess with my parts and too much E in my body would drive me insane! There is a good side but a REALLY bad side effects too.

Jay Happy I dont get visited any more! :)

I took the pill for a few years. after about a year, i got 'breakthru bleeding' for about 3/4 of my time on it. and it really messed up my mood, to violence over having to clean up a mess and walking around afraid if i'm leaking all the time. it literally felt like 24/7 i had some bloody mess down there. it was like really messy chinese water torture.
so i was like f this, I got off of it, had a real heavy insanely painful period, and havent had one 3 months to this day.
oh and no breast or hip or anything growth for me, however being on the pill made me feel ill. like how i described in my "my body is soaking in estrogen" thread.


^{edit-language}

Quote from: Josh on February 18, 2009, 03:22:53 PM
my doc suggested birth control pills for me and i declined.  no more estrogen for me, plus the risk of my boobs getting even bigger!  >_<

Lol, if I was in a girls body...

Me: I hate my period! I wish it would stop!

Doctor: Well, we can put you on the birth control pill...

Me: I hate pills though!

Doctor: Yeah, and it might make your boobs bigger!

Me: ...gimme.

Quote from: Heartwood on February 18, 2009, 04:48:32 PM
Lol, if I was in a girls body...

Me: I hate my period! I wish it would stop!

Doctor: Well, we can put you on the birth control pill...

Me: I hate pills though!

Doctor: Yeah, and it might make your boobs bigger!

Me: ...gimme.

Love it :P

I can't have the pill but I was on the injection for years and years. Then apparently new research came out that said the injection gave you brittle bones and it got worse the longer you were on it. I already have weak bones, so now I'm not allowed to have it D=

A gyno prescribed me birth control as a remedy for painful periods (painkillers had stopped working--she said this was the next step).

I asked her what they were made of; she said estrogen; I said forget it.

Of course you got tons of responses to this!

I assume I speak for most ftms when I say, "Why the f*** would we want to put more estrogen in our bodies than is already there?"

I have PMDD (pre-menstrual dysphoric disorder). I was on prozac for about 2 years, for bipolar disorder, but it should have helped the PMDD. Instead, I was completely fine for 3 weeks... then, the week of the curse, my emotions spiraled out of control.

I could have taken birth control, yes. However, I don't really want more of that crap in my body than is necessary. Nevermind the fact that birth control is often responsible for infertility in women. For some strange reason, I've seen no evidence that testosterone makes ftms infertile... yes, for the moment it does, but once the T is removed from the system, the reproductive organs go back to full capacity within months.

I'll take my chances with T. It stops my periods (which, by the way, traditional birth control does NOT do), and it keeps all those emotional roller coaster rides away.

SD

I know women who use the pill and they have so many health issues caused by it. I'd rather just go through the period once a month rather than have constant health problems.

Quote from: Sebastien on February 18, 2009, 07:28:29 PM
I'll take my chances with T. It stops my periods (which, by the way, traditional birth control does NOT do), and it keeps all those emotional roller coaster rides away.

SD

You know... I've never understood why people hate those emotional rollercoaster rides... it's better then having T in your system and feeling close to nothing, or a dulled down version of the emotion.

Then again, everytime I say that, I always get the same responce "That's because you're a girl and I'm a guy!"

Which makes me wonder why people only say I'm a girl when it helps them win an arguement. <_<

Quote from: Heartwood on February 18, 2009, 07:59:04 PMwhen it helps them win an arguement. <_<

Because it does?

The problem (I believe) is:

Male brain (FTM's) + Estrogen = feeling crap + unresolved body issues
Female brain (MTF's) + Testosterone = feeling crap + unresolved body issues


Like someone once say (cant remember where) things work much much better when the software (mind) has the proper hardware (body) and with the correct drives (chemical balance)

HRT its used too for controlling hormonal imbalances and help with things like PMS.

I like how it's "Uncle Flow".

I guess I'm the only transguy that was on birth control.  I was on that three month stuff and I was prescribed long before I really came to terms with anything.  It really helped out, actually.  It evened out my mood with bipolar, which was helpful and helped with the pain.  Also, it made my periods shorter and lighter and didn't make my small boobs any bigger (yay!).  Since the time I feel the least comfortable with my body is when I'm bleeding ... it was nice that it only occurred every three months.  However, now that I'm getting ready to start T, I've stopped taking it.  My body has to reregulate itself.

Quote from: Kayden on February 19, 2009, 02:05:06 AM
I like how it's "Uncle Flow".

I guess I'm the only transguy that was on birth control.  I was on that three month stuff and I was prescribed long before I really came to terms with anything.  It really helped out, actually.  It evened out my mood with bipolar, which was helpful and helped with the pain.  Also, it made my periods shorter and lighter and didn't make my small boobs any bigger (yay!).  Since the time I feel the least comfortable with my body is when I'm bleeding ... it was nice that it only occurred every three months.  However, now that I'm getting ready to start T, I've stopped taking it.  My body has to reregulate itself.

Pretty much everything he said, except when I tried the 3 month type, it didn't work out for me at all.  I found I did very well on otho-cyclene, though.  Made everything more manageable, and less horrible.  It took a little while to find a formula that didn't make me crazy, though. 

Quote from: Nicky on February 18, 2009, 01:56:45 PM
Just wondering if it is a consideration to just be on the contraceptive full time?

That is what I do. Being loaded with E sucks, yes, but getting a period makes me a high suicide risk. I'd rather be slightly more feminine than dead. This might be because I identify as a very feminine male, though...

I a sexually active and PARANOID about the possibility of "cross contamination" with possible dire side effects...
Thus, I am on the pill. Because I will do anything and everything to not get pregnant (never again!).
At least until I can do something to change the situation I am in.

A little extra feminine hormones as such seems like a much better idea than pregnancy.

Years ago when I was young and newly married I went on the pill to prevent pregnancy (long before I knew what my gender issues were).  Yes, I liked that I barely got my period, but I also gained 20 pounds without changing my diet or exercise habits.  I stayed on it for a little over 2 years, when we decided to have kids.  And then I couldn't get pregnant.  Took me 2 years and a lot of grief to get my daughter, and then using no BC took me 4 years to have my son (but no extra help).  I dont' know if the pill totally effed my system or if I just wasn't very fertile.  But female hormones made me feel like sh*t.

As soon as I started T, all of my mood swings and anger issues dissipated.  I'm so much calmer and focused.  And having my hysto and knowing those parts were gone for good also had a huge mental boost.

So yeah, I think the wrong hormones for the wrong gender have a negative effect on mood and overall sense of well-being.  Female hormones really messed me up.

Jay

Quote from: Sebastien on February 18, 2009, 07:28:29 PM
I'll take my chances with T. It stops my periods (which, by the way, traditional birth control does NOT do), and it keeps all those emotional roller coaster rides away.

SD

I wish :(

I was much more calmer on E than I was on T and I have changed my prescription twice now and still getting the anger. :(

I could handle it pre T, I just didn't like all the emotions and the inconvenience of it. But with T it is a bloody nightmare! GRRRR!!

Quote from: Jay on February 26, 2009, 04:17:07 PM
I wish :(

I was much more calmer on E than I was on T and I have changed my prescription twice now and still getting the anger. :(

I could handle it pre T, I just didn't like all the emotions and the inconvenience of it. But with T it is a bloody nightmare! GRRRR!!

if your shot cycle is biweekly, switch to half your normal dose every week.  totally levels out your, erm, levels.  if you already are see if you can get on Sustanon (you're in teh UK, right?)- it's formulated to keep levels steady.