Not emotionally, of course...
But seriously, how many of you feel the cold a lot more since being on hormones? Suddenly I know why all those girlies stuff their hands inside their sleeve ends :(. It can't just be my losing the protective layer of fur - though that definitely makes a difference.
Interestingly I feel the heat a lot more, and am more comfortable at cooler temperatures than I was pre-HRT.
However if it is genuinely cold, I do feel it more than before. It's as if my range of tolerance has shifted downwards a few degrees, but my sensitivity to temperatures below the tolerable has increased as well.
Karen.
PS, Cindy will no doubt comment on the nearness of Antarctica. :laugh: Not as silly as it sounds, because the Huon Valley Council actually includes Macquarie Island. ???
The cold is very brutal to me now. Heat is amazing though, makes me feel happier just being warm :)
ME! It's definitely the Estrogen IMHO. I live in Miami, FL... average daily temp is around 80 degrees F (that's 27 degrees Celsius for our EU friends) year round... and anytime I go to the movies, mall, grocery store (any large indoor space, with lots of A/C) I have to take a hoodie, sweater, jacket etc. or I'll freeze. I have no idea why... other than the E. I have lost some weight on HRT, but not enough to cause this sort of body temp change. I grew up in the northern US and have been in snow, freezing temps, etc. so I know that I used to be able to much better deal with cold temps... not anymore. Coat please.
;D
I had to keep a jacket at work because I was freezing all of the time. People gave me weird looks but I didn't care - I was cold!! So yeah I now get the girl thing of always being cold.
Oh my.. I crank that heater up way more than I used to. I live out near Chicago and last week we actually hit freezing for a night last week and I thought I was going to turn blue! Not the best time to be living in a pop up camper.. but lots of blankets, warm cozy socks and heaters are my friends!
One suggestion. Lower T levels will cause loss of muscle mass resulting in a slower metabolism. Idle muscle mass burns more calories than idle fat.
My core body temperature is typically lower than it used to be. When I get ill, I often get a drop rather than a "fever" (and I typically have slightly low blood pressure too). I was always fairly skinny, so although I have less muscle mass in some places, I now have a later of fat that was never there before. I feel the cold mostly in my arms and legs. I didn't used to feel the cold the way I do now. Of course, I'm getting middle-aged too, dammit :).
According to the doctors office my normal temperature is closer to 98.1, this is about the reading they get each time I go in.
Definitely colder~
But at the same time I am a northern girl, the cold doesn't bother me nearly as much. In 60 degree weather it feels a little colder than it used to over my skin, but I kind of love the feeling.
My normal temperature is more like (goes off to covert to American :)) 97.3 ºF.
I know the best way to warm up, just step into my pot
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.istockimg.com%2Ffile_thumbview_approve%2F13995097%2F2%2Fstock-photo-13995097-halloween-witch-doll-stirring-pot-of-witches-brew.jpg&hash=278ed6154b4827c551d4bd6522fa3e9525970367)
Ignore the fact that I would not be joining and my coo... err assistant is dropping in carrots and onions.
Well, it's also miserable outside with the potential of further deluges over this green and pleasant land.
I think I erased all memory of my life pre-HRT, but I believe my extremities are in fact colder.
I noticed when i was on T coldness went away. Now that inm off i freeze if its under 73F deg.
Still able to ware skimpy summer clothes here but had to wait in the car since i was freezing in the store.
I am almost always cold now. However, I dont want to ruin my outfit with the wrong coat, so I just deal with the cold.
Quote from: Brooke777 on September 27, 2012, 10:58:33 AM
I am almost always cold now. However, I dont want to ruin my outfit with the wrong coat, so I just deal with the cold.
O-o you are crazy -throws on my awesome black hoody with a nice fluffy inside. Its so warm and cuddly x3
Quote from: Rita on September 27, 2012, 12:37:01 PM
-throws on my awesome black hoody with a nice fluffy inside. Its so warm and cuddly x3
I've just got one of those - but mine's maroon :). It's the most girly thing I own (white fluffy lining), and that's as far as I'm going ;D.
Quote from: Padma on September 27, 2012, 12:40:21 PM
I've just got one of those - but mine's maroon :). It's the most girly thing I own (white fluffy lining), and that's as far as I'm going ;D.
I have had mines for a while, its like my security blanket. I think its more... andro but the fur gives it a nice feminine tilt.
End of the day though, it does its job and I love it :3
I am a bit of a fashion nut. I dont follow trends, but I loooove clothes. If a jacket or sweatshirt does not go with my outfit, I just shiver. Unfortunately, if it is below about 75, I am cold. Which means that since I live in the Seattle area, I am usually cold. I really need to expand my wardrobe ;D
Quote from: Brooke777 on September 27, 2012, 01:41:16 PM
I am a bit of a fashion nut. I dont follow trends, but I loooove clothes. If a jacket or sweatshirt does not go with my outfit, I just shiver. Unfortunately, if it is below about 75, I am cold. Which means that since I live in the Seattle area, I am usually cold. I really need to expand my wardrobe ;D
You remind me of a friend of mine xD
Quote from: Rita on September 27, 2012, 01:45:41 PM
You remind me of a friend of mine xD
She sounds like a great lady.
Quote from: Brooke777 on September 27, 2012, 01:49:33 PM
She sounds like a great lady.
More like a fashionista, probably to a level above your insanity but we live in NYC which is one of the worlds fashion capitals.
I love NYC! I lived in New Haven for a couple of years, and loved shopping 5here. I just wish I was out then so I could have got the clothes I wanted.
Makes sense, I'm way warmer being on T. It's starting to get chilly out so I feel like I should bring a jacket when I go out... but when I wear it I start drowning in sweat, so I take it off and now I'm just carrying my jacket with me like an idiot.
Quote from: Sly on September 27, 2012, 03:51:00 PM
Makes sense, I'm way warmer being on T. It's starting to get chilly out so I feel like I should bring a jacket when I go out... but when I wear it I start drowning in sweat, so I take it off and now I'm just carrying my jacket with me like an idiot.
What you need is a very light wind breaker! Something that is too thin to really warm you up(it'll pick up some of the outside cold) but also won't let the wind bother you as much.
As for drowning in sweat, welcome to manhood ;D where every pore cries when its warm.
I never realized how much sensory input we get from body hair till I got rid of it!!
With smooth legs and other areas I cannot feel the wind near as much as it blows past me, and oddly I get a bit colder without body hair...I never was that hairy to begin with and what I did have was light and fine, I'm just surprised at the difference and the effects!
Its actually one of the things that lets me experience what other girls feel as nature freely moves about us in everyday life ;)
You didn't have much hair, I did. But you may of experienced this as well...
The feeling of numbness, dulling of the senses in your leg from the loss of hair. Hair definitely plays a huge role! but eventually your body finds other ways.
Quote from: Rita on September 27, 2012, 04:30:36 PM
You didn't have much hair, I did. But you may of experienced this as well...
The feeling of numbness, dulling of the senses in your leg from the loss of hair. Hair definitely plays a huge role! but eventually your body finds other ways.
Yes!! I did get those sensations! it was something I couldnt figure out at all..nice to hear it wasnt just me...thanx :)
Actually, my body got more sensitive when I got rid of the hair. Suddenly I could feel everything. It is great. I love silk now.
Quote from: Padma on September 27, 2012, 05:33:26 AM
Not emotionally, of course...
But seriously, how many of you feel the cold a lot more since being on hormones? Suddenly I know why all those girlies stuff their hands inside their sleeve ends :(. It can't just be my losing the protective layer of fur - though that definitely makes a difference.
Even now we are approaching winter. If I'm walking I get too hot and I still don't need a coat yet in the daytime.
Then by about 9.00pm I'm freezing and need a coat. I think we feel the extreames a lot more and I seem to blow hot and cold.
I can think of a few reasons off the top of my head why the cold might be more of a nuisance after HRT (for MTF's):
1. Estrogen causes vasodilation, which causes lower blood pressure and thus sends blood to the skin and away from the internal organs.
2. Body hair is smaller and thus can't produce an insulation around you.
3. Skin is thinner and can't maintain heat as well.
4. Muscle mass decreases (muscles produce 85% of body heat).
5. General metabolic function decreases, producing less heat. (Also means women can't lose weight as easily. :()
I commute by bicycle, so I'm always warmed up when I'm outside. :)
Quote from: DianaP on September 27, 2012, 05:07:22 PM
1. Estrogen causes vasodilation, which causes lower blood pressure and thus sends blood to the skin and away from the internal organs.
Nope, in my case my blood pressure has increased since I've been on HRT and I sweat a lot now. I get hot more easily but the high blood pressure is becoming a problem. If you surf the internet you will find lots of web pages that clarify that HRT increases blood pressure.
Quote from: Naturally Blonde on September 27, 2012, 05:09:50 PM
Nope, in my case my blood pressure has increased since I've been on HRT and I sweat a lot now. I get hot more easily but the high blood pressure is becoming a problem. If you surf the internet you will find lots of web pages that clarify that HRT increases blood pressure.
What are you taking? Estradiol causes vasodilation.
It can go either way - some women's blood pressure climbs, some goes down.
On the one hand you have increased pulmonary vasodilation, but on the other you have this (the 'long term' aspect may be relevant here):
Researchers have found that long-term estrogen exposure generates excessive levels of a compound, superoxide, which causes stress in the body. The build-up of this compound occurs in an area of the brain that is crucial to regulating blood pressure, suggesting that chronic estrogen induces a build up of superoxide that in turn causes blood pressure to increase.
My blood pressure, which was always a bit on the low side, has remained unchanged after one year on estradiol and anti-androgens.
I think it's normal. I used to say that I didn't warm up til April. I've heard transguys say that on T they warmed up a lot. Polar fleece is your friend. :)
--Jay J
Quote from: aleon515 on September 27, 2012, 06:38:13 PM
I think it's normal. I used to say that I didn't warm up til April. I've heard transguys say that on T they warmed up a lot. Polar fleece is your friend. :)
--Jay J
Speaking of which my new North Face fleece showed up today:
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fl3.zassets.com%2Fimages%2Fz%2F1%2F7%2F4%2F6%2F0%2F2%2F1746029-1-MULTIVIEW.jpg&hash=a6d54e4b8ddbb4b5e809e98cba102577d3f0ffd0)
These are super warm and comfy (not me in the pic btw). ;D
Quote from: JennX on September 27, 2012, 07:29:32 PM
Speaking of which my new North Face fleece showed up today:
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fl3.zassets.com%2Fimages%2Fz%2F1%2F7%2F4%2F6%2F0%2F2%2F1746029-1-MULTIVIEW.jpg&hash=a6d54e4b8ddbb4b5e809e98cba102577d3f0ffd0)
These are super warm and comfy (not me in the pic btw). ;D
Super cute!!
No kidding, footie pajamas are so warm and cozy.
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41YKSnttEBL.jpg&hash=8fd67bc433ae0caf97efc1f8cbf81514b3648119)
Rather than cold, I've been having mild hot flashes...
...
...
(insert meno"pause" joke)
Quote from: Slightly Interested on September 27, 2012, 10:04:05 PM
Rather than cold, I've been having mild hot flashes...
...
...
(insert meno"pause" joke)
You are too young for menopause.
Quote from: DianaP on September 27, 2012, 08:40:34 PM
No kidding, footie pajamas are so warm and cozy.
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41YKSnttEBL.jpg&hash=8fd67bc433ae0caf97efc1f8cbf81514b3648119)
These are really cute too. I have been focusing on my clothes for going out I totally forgot to look for some when I stay home.
Quote from: Brooke777 on September 27, 2012, 10:14:08 PM
These are really cute too. I have been focusing on my clothes for going out I totally forgot to look for some when I stay home.
Trust me, they're worth it. I love my pair.
My blood pressure has been high, at such a young age to but no getting around it. As far as blood pressure goes my doctor made sure it was stable before I even started.
Quote from: JennX on September 27, 2012, 07:29:32 PM
Speaking of which my new North Face fleece showed up today:
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fl3.zassets.com%2Fimages%2Fz%2F1%2F7%2F4%2F6%2F0%2F2%2F1746029-1-MULTIVIEW.jpg&hash=a6d54e4b8ddbb4b5e809e98cba102577d3f0ffd0)
These are super warm and comfy (not me in the pic btw). ;D
omg I love it!
Quote from: DianaP on September 27, 2012, 08:40:34 PM
No kidding, footie pajamas are so warm and cozy.
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fecx.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F41YKSnttEBL.jpg&hash=8fd67bc433ae0caf97efc1f8cbf81514b3648119)
omg I want to sleep in that!
I do get colder than I used to, but I think for me, a lot of it has to do with age. And at work, the a/c is on year round and a lot of people come in there and complain about how cold it is, but I'm usually moving around enough that its not bad for me, but I still keep a sweater handy just in case.
Quote from: Rita on September 27, 2012, 11:57:15 PM
omg I want to sleep in that!
I'm in a cami and shorty shorts and still hot! Just looking at that thing makes me sweat not to mention the thought of sleeping in it!
Def colder, I've been wearing scarves and gloves and warm jammies. And that's just in my office :laugh:
And yes I do blame Karen for blowing all that Antarctica stuff this way.
But it has been a cold winter here. 26C today, Brrrr.
(Sorry ;D)
I want a hottie in my bed, but I'll settle for jammies :).
Warm jammies and a hot man. Maybe a glass of malt whiskey to sip while he sucks on my.......
And I can say 'Darling I have just spilt it .... there...
Time for a cold shower.
I was thinking more: warm jammies or a hot woman ;D. Both at the same time is kind of redundant...
Quote from: Padma on September 28, 2012, 04:41:02 AM
I was thinking more: warm jammies or a hot woman ;D. Both at the same time is kind of redundant...
Oh no, if I'm nice and warm in my jammies the hot guy has lots of time to explore. Nothing is a big sex killer than being cold (for me). Besides your lover needs imagination in getting into the warm jammies and coaxing you out. "You want to take off my jammies so you can stick that in me? Brr"
...so anyway, I feel the cold more now that I'm on HRT :).
Quote from: Michelle G on September 27, 2012, 04:09:29 PM
I never realized how much sensory input we get from body hair till I got rid of it!!
With smooth legs and other areas I cannot feel the wind near as much as it blows past me, and oddly I get a bit colder without body hair...I never was that hairy to begin with and what I did have was light and fine, I'm just surprised at the difference and the effects!
Its actually one of the things that lets me experience what other girls feel as nature freely moves about us in everyday life ;)
When i was on T i grew hair like a gorilla. Before i shaved it off i did some experiment's. Using a precision hot wire anemometer i was able to sense a stream of air flow as little as
.5cfm@ 1/meter.
Shaved it rose to 1.3 cfm@1 meter.
The feather experiments were the opposite less hair more tickle.
I remember reading something about that in my tickle torcher days. :D
Quote from: MaidofOrleans on September 28, 2012, 12:18:14 AM
I'm in a cami and shorty shorts and still hot! Just looking at that thing makes me sweat not to mention the thought of sleeping in it!
Young padawan you are still not im balance with the force. You to will desires warmth at night
Quote from: Slightly Interested on September 27, 2012, 10:04:05 PM
Rather than cold, I've been having mild hot flashes...
...
...
(insert meno"pause" joke)
Yea, me too! I get quite hot when I'm out walking and then I get in doors and after half an hour I'm freezing.
Quote from: Naturally Blonde on September 28, 2012, 02:53:18 PM
Yea, me too! I get quite hot when I'm out walking and then I get in doors and after half an hour I'm freezing.
Maybe because you're more active outside?
I'm hot today as well...oh wait...its 97deg out..."never mind" ;)
being the skiny b---ch I am I dont have any fat reserves to keep me warm on cool days or in the winter, and I hate bundling up like an eskimo so I usually just suffer thru it shivering, my S.O. on the other hand is the queen of fleece layering as she is cold on an 80deg day and has Eddie Bauer and Northface order desks on speed dial...I really need to learn from her I guess :)
its daim cold because it about to be winter,
for homones I dont feel a big diffrence, my hands and feet are always cold no matter E or T as I got older I started to be more sensetive about it, than when I was younger but it can also depend on what your used to.
My mate said he read somewhere that T gives you an increased body temperature. Dunno if that's true but either way we both don't feel the cold nearly as much as we used to. It makes sense it would be the opposite if your reducing your T levels and replacing them with E.
There does seem to be a difference between men and women and how much they feel the cold in general. I know at my mates house his mum is ALWAYS freezing and us guys are always fine and she puts the heating on 30 C sometimes and we just sit and melt.
Quote from: Rita on September 28, 2012, 10:54:36 AM
Young padawan you are still not im balance with the force. You to will desires warmth at night
haha, maybe when winter comes along but right now its still too hot in SoCal ;)
As much as I am not looking forward to the onset of winter here in the North Western U.S. I am looking forward to wearing my sweaters and sweater dresses and I am so wanting these Pajamas
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.victoriassecret.com%2Fproduct%2Fprodpri2%2FV348049.jpg&hash=c205442fb636d8dcd24b74ca92f01767e8d7c678)
And/or maybe these
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.victoriassecret.com%2Fproduct%2Fprodpri2%2FV347208.jpg&hash=250d088f7166934317d7223bb147d3159b51a1a0)
Quote from: V M on September 28, 2012, 08:13:26 PM
As much as I am not looking forward to the onset of winter here in the North Western U.S. I am looking forward to wearing my sweaters and sweater dresses and I am so wanting these Pajamas
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.victoriassecret.com%2Fproduct%2Fprodpri2%2FV348049.jpg&hash=c205442fb636d8dcd24b74ca92f01767e8d7c678)
And/or maybe these
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.victoriassecret.com%2Fproduct%2Fprodpri2%2FV347208.jpg&hash=250d088f7166934317d7223bb147d3159b51a1a0)
Heaven protect me from big-haired gals in cute jammies ::).
Sweater dresses are too cute!
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.stylebakery.com%2Fask_alison_at_stylebakery%2F%2Fimages%2F153819_w_s.jpg&hash=7af19ec5b797a8804837ffbb764bf32bc135dfd3)
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwhitesweaterdress.net%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2012%2F05%2Fsweater-dresses-for-women.jpg&hash=cd1cdaed5d856872d93eb0cd997af337499f496c)
Sweet heaven, I am such a girl... :D
Quote from: DianaP on September 28, 2012, 08:25:59 PM
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwhitesweaterdress.net%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2012%2F05%2Fsweater-dresses-for-women.jpg&hash=cd1cdaed5d856872d93eb0cd997af337499f496c)
I love this one! I am totally going to have to get it, and the boots.
Quote from: DianaP on September 28, 2012, 08:25:59 PM
Sweater dresses are too cute!
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.stylebakery.com%2Fask_alison_at_stylebakery%2F%2Fimages%2F153819_w_s.jpg&hash=7af19ec5b797a8804837ffbb764bf32bc135dfd3)
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwhitesweaterdress.net%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2012%2F05%2Fsweater-dresses-for-women.jpg&hash=cd1cdaed5d856872d93eb0cd997af337499f496c)
Sweet heaven, I am such a girl... :D
WANT!!!!!!
Nope, I live in NorCal by Lake Tahoe, even though it was in the 80's today it cools off at night and in a couple months we will have some sort of a winter where a luxurious sweater dress would be quite welcome :) and I make quite a few trips to SF where it's always cold, brrrr
I got some birthday money last week from family and am thinking of going shopping tomorrow for some fall fashions on sale...yay!! I love shopping for clothes :)
oh yeah, ive noticed, the cold freezes me to the bone, I had to buy a space heater :-\
I am not going outside tonight. It has dropped to 3 already. But, this is Tassie.
Just a curious question What happens if you start out cold,does it get worse?
Quote from: SarahM777 on September 29, 2012, 05:18:39 AM
Just a curious question What happens if you start out cold,does it get worse?
I'm wondering the same thing. I'm pre everything and I'm always cold (owing to being on the thin side). What's going to happen to me on hrt?
Quote from: agfrommd on September 29, 2012, 06:46:47 AM
I'm wondering the same thing. I'm pre everything and I'm always cold (owing to being on the thin side). What's going to happen to me on hrt?
It's the same here. Below 75 degrees F,23 degrees C I just have to have some sort of wrap otherwise....
Well....I went shopping tonight to look for a sweater dress, but its still in the 90's here so I bought some cami tops and a cute skirt, I did however get a nice comfy thick black sweater I have been wanting :)
Also have my eye on some pretty flannel Jammie's at another store, they are blue with cute pink bows in the print and ruffles, that will be another trip. Don't wanna freeze ths winter!
My cat approves of my purchases ;)
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi244.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fgg4%2FKR3259%2Fodds%2520n%2520ends%2F178C0091-FC14-494F-BD07-AF07118C38D5-2658-00000396E0DBC5E8.jpg&hash=acf4c7d367c79e4393112a339e4bdad2e653c53c)
Comfy for watching tv
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi244.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fgg4%2FKR3259%2Fodds%2520n%2520ends%2F82C003C1-7C8B-4849-B40A-B0588D4C4DC2-2711-0000039C923BA204.jpg&hash=48502a9a2f74dce0232d86c5b737296dd116be52)
...yeah, I'm always cold now too.
Ok, I'm sorry for going off topic, but I have to ask. V M, is that you in your avatar photo? If so... WOWZA!
No sorry, that's just an avatar that I find humorous :) Wish I could be so young and pretty
yup since starting HRT - everything seems either hotter or colder than it used to be.
also my skin is a lot more sensitive than it used to be and my body more fragile.
From the Mayo Clinic: (retrieved from the internet 10/1/2012 by MadelineB)
Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hypothyroidism/DS00353)
By Mayo Clinic Staff
Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) is a condition in which your thyroid gland doesn't produce enough of certain important hormones.
Women, especially those older than age 50, are more likely to have hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism upsets the normal balance of chemical reactions in your body.
At first, you may barely notice the symptoms of hypothyroidism, such as fatigue and sluggishness, or you may simply attribute them to getting older. But as your metabolism continues to slow, you may develop more obvious signs and symptoms. Hypothyroidism signs and symptoms may include:
Fatigue
Sluggishness
Increased sensitivity to cold...
-----------
Maddie note:
Three of the women in my immediate family are treated for hypothyroidism. Consistent low core temperature was the symptom that clinched it for the doctors, who then put each on inexpensive levothyroxine and their conditions improved.
Be aware that making one's internal chemistry female may also increase ones chances of developing hypothyroidism.
I've been on thyroid meds for many years.
So on saturday night I did something stupid, I thought I could handle the cold and went out without a jacket.
I was shivering when I got out of the theator at 2am ;D by the way Hotel Transylvania is so freakishly cute and sweet, even if its not particularly an amazing movie.
On another note, people looked at me funny when I used the mens rest room :laugh: boy mode doesn't work anymore.