Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Hi, Susanites,

I haven't come across this question as a poll yet and I think it's something we should begin talking about...

First, let me give you my background:  I'm 5 years post-op and have been off HRT (hormone replacement therapy) for four months with no problems (I quit cold turkey, though obviously this may not be best for everyone - check with your doctor).

In the news media, doctors are seemingly united in feeling, given the latest medical findings, that unless genetic women are experiencing terrible hot flashes, they should QUIT HRT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.  To continue would, as some of the doctors say, be "dangerous."

When I quit, my best friend looked stunned at me, asking, "Will you still be Teri?  It was like she was asking if I was giving up being a woman.  I think she wondered if my breasts would suddenly shrink (that would be impossible) and suddenly I'd revert to being, er, Joe (not my former name).  I assured her that, "No, I am just following the advise given to genetic women."  I told her that I'd even heard of a few post op women at Susan's who had given up HRT.  I explained that current studies indicate that continuing HRT increases your chances for breast cancer and so I asked my friend, "You don't want me to die of that, do you?  My breasts aren't going away and I will continue being me."

I don't look at taking a pill as being necessary to define my gender.  In 1999, doctors used to DEMAND that all preop TS's had to be on HRT for 2 years in order to get "permission" to get SRS.  I was on it for over 2 years and so there was no problem with that.  Given the latest medical findings about HRT, though, I wonder if doctors have adjusted this demand.  I feel that, after you develop breasts, they should allow you to stop -- for your own good health!  Why should TS's be more at risk than genetic women?  Granted, the chances of getting cancer depend on a variety of things, including your genetic background.  But still, I've always been risk averse (I realize that a risk averse post op TS seems like an oxymoron, lol).

So, what are your feelings?  What have you decided?  Pre-op and post-op TS's should feel free to offer their opinions.  As I said above, I think it's something we need to begin talking about.

Hugs, Teri Anne

Hmm, I'd vote, but there is no choice for me.  I'm pre-op and quitting would make me revert back because I'm still pre-op.  I also don't plan on continuing it forever.  I plan to continue it for probably the next 5 years or so because that's about when the changes should be complete and I would be post-op at that time.

Melissa

I'm post op and although I voted plan on taking HRT forever the jury is out on that as I've not had a chance to consult with my endo/Dr on wether there is a need for me to continue.  Personally I believe that the less meds we have to take the better and if I can get away from HRT I will.  But I know that there will a bit of a psychological side to quitting as there is this thing that I can't produce estrogen and do I need it?

Steph

There are benefits to the feminine hormones which we should not neglect.  They help your skin stay soft and pretty.  They help to prevent osteoperosis and hot flashes.  There may be some relationships with weight gain.

Personally, I had a miserable time getting off Premarin.  I still have hot flashes at night (in a bedroom at 57 degrees) and it has been 4 years.

I too believe that I don't want to take any more drugs than I have to.  I already take too many.  So with my doctor's support and advice, I quit taking hormones.

Cindi

Quiting HRT???

My guess is that it would depend on the reason.  There are many reasons Not to use these drugs and every so often you meet someone who physically could not continue to use them and remain in good health.

I for one had major disagreements with family and friends about starting HRT, but from my view at the time it was a necessity.  I faithfully took my doeses for two years and suffered a stroke that healed very quickly.  The doctors at the time took away my Premarin and told me I should never use it again.  My psychologist, Dr. Dea in Redwood City told me I could get by on lower doses if I had a Bilateral Orchiectomy.  I agreed to the operation and Kaiser did it for me and I restarted on a light dose of estrogen and after some months had the amount doubled.  All went fine for me until Jan 24 of 2006 when I passed out at work.   I was evaluated with having had another Stoke, a little more then a year after the last one and I was again taken off estrogen and what I had at the house was thrown away by my wife.

It has now been a year and a week since then and I have not had any estrogen at all.  There has been no effect that I can determine, I'm doing fine and this last month has almost restored me to full health.

I have little to say for psychological reasons for quiting, that all depends on the persons envolved and thier Dr.'s but from personal experience I can say that quiting made no difference to my enjoyment of life and living it truthfully, I had been on estrogens for 3 years and have what they gave me.  My mental life is what I make of it.

So thats all I can say .... I quit cold stroke and never had a symtom of any problems over it.

Terri

After surgery, my estrogen regimen was reduced, and I also stopped taking the spironolactone, but no, I have not quit HRT.  If I did,  I'd go berserk  >:D


tinkerbell :icon_chick:

 

Quotebut no, I have not quit HRT.  If I did,  I'd go berserk 

Why is that Tink?  I always thought I'd need it forever, but when it became life threatning, I just quit, are you that dependant on it?

Terri

once you realise you don't really need it anymore it passes ok.  There are other treatments for bone reduction and all.  Just do as you feel you must.

Terri

As a pre-op I quit a combination of two hrt drugs for a little while and I thought that I was going insane. As a post-op I am only on one hrt drug, I quit that for a little while and had some hot flashes but over all it wasn't a big deal.

Im PreOp TS..... I quit HRT Voulnterily once for 6 months or so.... that was TRUE hell for me....
I stopped again for over a month due to lack of funds.... that was really really bad too....

After the experiances I had going off like that I will NEVER NEVER NEVER stop HRT untill the day I die...  seriously... I cant function with out the stuff.... and the withdrawl symptoms I go through seem to be way worse than they should be... so yeah....  never going to stop.... after my op and after the timer ticks out for the effective physical changes for HRT I'll move to a reduced dosage... and when I get way older I may go on a further reduced dosage, just enogh to stay sane... but I will never again stop.... <unless Im totaly broke and thats only temporary>

Lynn, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but to have the op, you do need to stop hrt for a while beforehand and usually up until you get home.

Melissa

#2, although I am actually partially post-op.

Osteoporosis will result from the cessation of HRT.

No thanx. :(

Actualy Melissa, from what I understand Dr Bowers will allow the op with out stopping...you just go on a reduced dosage for a period of time... after all GG's have operations all the time with estrogen in there systems and there fine.

I expect to remain on HRT even after GRS but at a lower dose. It took years to get on a comfortable dose and I still have horrible hot flashes on occasion.


Karen Lyn     :icon_female:

Quote from: LynnER on March 12, 2007, 08:41:24 PM
...after all GG's have operations all the time with estrogen in there systems and there fine.

It's not the estrogen in itself; amongst other things, it's predominantly the first-pass effects on the liver from oral estrogen that raise the likelihood of blood-thickening and clots forming.

I doubble checked her website <Dr Bowers> she dosnt require you to stop estrogen, but she does ask you cut it back two weeks before quitting to what your post operative dosage will most likely be... and she asks you stop any AA's and progestrone and any other meds you may be takeing. I dont know what the requirements would be sence my script is for injectables anyways but Im sure I'll find out later on this year if I can find a suitable way to afford it  :)

I've been post-op for two years now and haven't stopped it.  Can't say I will.

   This has been a very interesting and informative thread for me. I haven't begun HRT yet, but I thought once you started, you were on for life. I had a fear that when I am post-op, that the pharm companies would all go out of business and I would be in agony because my HRT meds would be unavailable.

   Now, I know I don't have to rely on the meds once I've reached a certain point in treatment. This is very important for me to know.

   I had read early on that taking NO hormones would wreak havoc upon a person. I guess this is not true according to what I've read.


Love,

Rebecca

Quote from: RebeccaFog on March 14, 2007, 08:27:44 AM
   I had read early on that taking NO hormones would wreak havoc upon a person. I guess this is not true according to what I've read.

I'd assume it's merely the same as becoming a post-menopausal woman, with all the usual complications (such as bone loss). Although I'd guess post-menopausal genetic women still have more estrogen in their systems than M2Fs who stop taking E completely.

Kate

Someone mentioned cardiovascular benefits of taking estrogen -- the day the world changed for women is when it was found out, a few years ago, that estrogen DIDN'T have cardiovascular benefits.  As to bone loss, I'm not really concerned about it.  I figure that my bones, being originally male, are probably stronger than genetic women's bones.  Yes, we will all have bone loss inside our bones as we grow older but, as Terri Gene mentioned, there are safer ways of adding calcium to bones.  Maybe they're not as good but they pose far less risk.  It's that way with all medicines:  risk vs. benefits.

I'm surprised that some of you mention "hot flashes."  I'd never heard of TS's getting hot flashes and can't imagine how they could be caused.  If you're taking estrogen, that wouldn't be a cause.  It would be a cure.  Tapering off estrogen would seemingly not CAUSE hot flashes but I suppose I could be incorrect.  I luckily, as mentioned earlier, had NO bad effects when I quit estrogen cold turkey. 

As an aside, I noticed that I became more emotional when I started taking estrogen.  My highs were higher and my lows were lower.  I still have high highs and low lows.  Stopping taking estrogen didn't change that.  Sometimes I wish it would have.  I love the highs but hate the lows.  I feel that estrogen (and I have no proof of this) has probably permanently changed something inside my brain, perhaps the hypothalmus, so that I will always be more emotional.  This is a negative, in my opinion.

I sometimes have envied F2M's because they don't have to take this thing that makes them more emotional.  Testosterone, if anything, makes them more confident.  Perhaps we M2F's wouldn't ponder suicide nearly as much without the assist that estrogen gives in making us more emotional.  Add to that dangers of heart attacks or strokes from estrogen?

I have my female body matching my brain now and that's all I wanted.  Estrogen, good bye and good ridance.

Teri Anne

That is very interesting, Teri Anne,

   I'm glad you took the time to lay it out so I can understand it.


Best wishes,

rebecca

Um .... Yeah.  The way I saw it some years ago was that all I needed the Estrogen for was all involved in body parts.  Ok, so I took it for a few years.  It helped phsically and it did do some things to my mental attitudes, but after the last Stoke the doctors said no more of it.  so I been off it for a year now and I feel no different then I did while on it.  Honestly ..... from what I can see in others I know, It doesn't change anything other then your "growth" into a more fem body style.

I've heard all kinds of things about what it can do for you mentally, but from what I feel and have seen around others around here, your environment has a lot more to do with how you emotionally adapt to things. 

To any who are interested I'd just say this.  If you need the physical changes, go for it with all you got, but if your body is close enough to what it physically should be, leave it alone.

Terri

Quote from: Terri Gene on March 14, 2007, 09:17:10 PM
Um .... Yeah.  The way I saw it some years ago was that all I needed the Estrogen for was all involved in body parts.  Ok, so I took it for a few years.  It helped phsically and it did do some things to my mental attitudes, but after the last Stoke the doctors said no more of it.  so I been off it for a year now and I feel no different then I did while on it.  Honestly ..... from what I can see in others I know, It doesn't change anything other then your "growth" into a more fem body style.

I've heard all kinds of things about what it can do for you mentally, but from what I feel and have seen around others around here, your environment has a lot more to do with how you emotionally adapt to things. 

To any who are interested I'd just say this.  If you need the physical changes, go for it with all you got, but if your body is close enough to what it physically should be, leave it alone.

Terri

Simple words, wise words, and I totally agree.

BTW it's really great to see you here hon.

Steph

Thank you Steph, I appreciate that.  I just don't get in much anymore.  Have a lot going on and I haven't worked in a year now so I don't spend as much time online these days.

I like to drop in occasionally just to see how everyone is doing, but I got no close friends here anymore so not much to do here but I like to check it out when possible.  Be looking for another job soon and then I'll likely be around more and have a lot of balony to toss around,  It just isn't like the old days when we (some of us) were pretty outfront.

Anyway, take care girl and get on with all you can.

Terri

Before the divorce and before my kids moved out I had started and stopped HRT twice.  The first time I ran out and guilted myself out of continuing.  The second time I reasoned that if I stopped and let my kids know I'll get them back in my life.  It didn't work.  I started again a year ago last July, shortly after the divorce, and have been on them steady since.  As long as I need them to maintain female levels I'll continue taking them, unless my doctor tells me otherwise.

Julie

hey all, i am very confused about my hormone therapy.. i am no post op 3 years frm india... as pr op my dosage was 0.05mg lynoral and 1 tab of finast as anti-androgen.. results were fine breasts didnt grow much... but after surgery my doc told me to stop finast keep on taking same dosage of estrogen... i m still very confused.. and now i am noticing that the feminity charm and firgure i used to hv 2 years back is not there anymore..ppl are started making out.. i feel so disgusted pls guide me...now by taking estrgens i am feeling less volume of hair too and i hv gained tooo  :( :'(

I had a long involuntary break last year while the national GID clinic, who had been prescribing for me the previous 7 years, decided it was no longer their responsibility to write my prescriptions. My doctor on the other hand felt that it was not his place to write me the prescriptions since he was no endocrinologist and felt he was unqualified for the job. A 4 month period of bickering between the two followed while I was left fighting for a resolution to the problem and dealing with the effects of coming off hrt.

The worst part was of going of hrt was the powerful hot flashes. They started about 3 weeks after I took the last pill and lasted till about 4 weeks after going back on. Like clockwork I would ha a massive hot flash every 30 minutes 24/7. Other than that there were headaches and my skin seemed to suffer.

Yes, 2 weeks before SRS and I did not feel too good about it AT ALL.

Went back 3 days after SRS was complete (3 ops in 10 days)

To stop is not for me at present.

Axélle

I'm a post-op TS - I have quit HRT totally   4 (7.7%)

14 yrs post op stopped around yr 2 1/2 and only took them around 6 more months off and on over the next 3 yrs and then haven't taken any in 9 yrs .. when i work hard gardening i don't get hot flashes in winter time i do.

I was told only to take HRT for 2 yrs because anything longer was bad for you health. I could probably start again for 2 yrs but no need too

I'm a post op MTF and I stopped taking hormones several years ago, due to both cost and concerns about long-term use on my liver. I like living naturally as much as possible, and since I did not have to fight the hormones being created by my male parts anymore, I didn't see much need for the hormones. The only problems I had with quitting them was hot flashes....then I'd start taking them again....then I'd stop....It's not a problem anymore for some reason.

I'm post op 18 years i was told by my Doctor to take Premarin as it prevents osteoporosis,I take 1.25 mg per day.I stopped for my operation what was I like? If you kick a grizzly bear in the ass that was what it did to me!

I am post op almost 3 years, I plan on taking HRT until my DR tells me otherwise. I did stop taking HRT prior to surgery, and that was not as harsh as I expected, I got through all that just fine. Don't miss spiro at all !!

C -