Susan's Place Transgender Resources

I know this is kind of a yuk topic but it's really been starting to bother me. I was under the impression that hrt would subdue my sex drive somewhat, and while it has taken the edge off it a little, I would hardly call it subdued. It's different...but not subdued by any means. My lab work thus far comes back perfectly in genetic female ranges and I feel great, beyond great in fact I feel fantastic, except for this nagging urge to get laid. I don't want to use or be used, and I don't really have much to offer a partner as I transition, so meh.

I guess it's not really a problem per se, it's not as bad as a blood clot or any of the other things I was so afraid of going into this, so I guess I shouldn't complain. I'm just worried because it kinda makes me wonder if I'm doing it wrong. I do exercise, a LOT, in an effort to help the hormones along in reshaping my body. Is it possible that I'm actually giving it juice to work against them as my genetics come into play and everything in general starts working better?

Anyway I know it's kind of an icky topic and I'm sorry. It's really bothering me though. Is there a general time frame on hrt where it really gets serious about declining or is this it? I've been on all the right antiandrogens since November and estrogen since February, so I would think everything is at full potency by now.

Some people have differing sex drives, but whatever yours is, it will seek you out.

Too much exercise can work against HRT, by stimulating T production. Surely it doesn't mean you should stop exercissing just don't overdo it... my endo said that few times a week is enough, to keep the balance... You probably already heard that it is commonly recommended for men with low T to start exercising in other to normalize T levels, so--- exercisse is good just don't overdo it, no weight lifing and those stuff but i don't think you do it anyway... yoga, jogging, cardio, pilates, stretching is all good and recommended.
As for the sex drive, as tekla said, everyone's is different, so...

Becca,

I think the lack of sex drive thing gets a little overstated by some. My sex drive dropped a lot when I ramped up on on spiro, but it never disappeared. It seems to be driven a lot more by mood and situation than straight up biological imperative now. But it's still there. Some days it's there a LOT.

If you didn't see any change at all, that would be surprising. But just lowering it so you feel like a normal sexual being sounds pretty normal to me.


Diana

Well I'm thoroughly obsessed with it now, and only labwork showing correct hormone levels are going to set my mind to ease. Lucky for me I have the routine ones coming up. I found some information about exercise stimulating testosterone production, BUT that was in weight lifters who were not deliberately supressing it, and the increases were minimal. I like exercising for several hours every day...on top of my gender issue I spent most of my life overweight, and am just about phobic about backsliding, so it's worth a lil extra spiro to be able to keep it up. My doctor is counting the days until she has to fix my knees because of it, but it is holding the depression and dysphoria at bay like nothing else can.

I started anti-androgens and my T dropped from 23 to 1.9.  I felt wonderful.
Then after about 5 months, despite continuing the AA's, my T climbed to 19.
Last week they started me on three-monthly depot injections which should finally stop it.
My buddy has a very similar tale.

So...... just because the AA's worked great at first, don't assume they are still doing so - get blood-work.

not all women have low sex drives.

Like Nero said, there are a lot of women who have a very active libido. Now since your labs say your hormones are all in check I doubt your high sex drive is from too much T in your system, especially since you say that it's different than before you were on hormones.

It might be an annoyance but I don't think anything is wrong.

I'm sure it would be one of those things where YMMV. Sex drive did diminish for me and it was a welcomed relief. But even if the drive had not diminished so much, the difference between male and female sexual response as Diana mentioned has been nothing less than amazing to me, and even more important than any decrease in libido.

Mine would come and go but when it was around, it was in force.