OK so since I'm obviously not going to be getting another Depo shot or any other kind of female hormone I was wondering how effective T is? I'm guessing 100% or 99.9% because it stops periods right? Has anyone ever heard of a trans guy getting pregnant while on T and not having a period?
I feel like I need to be on some kind of birth control because I am a gay guy and don't want to get pregnant. Even though I won't be penetrated in the "normal" sense. I'm anal only and actually would prefer to top. But I still feel like I should be better safe then sorry. ???
So am I correct in thinking T is effective birth control? Also how long does it usually take for T to stop periods?
Hey man, I can't answer this for sure, but i do remember that trans dude that got pregnant a couple years ago had stopped taking T for quite a long time before he was able to get pregnant. I dont know how long exactly, but I want to say it was at least a year. So I would assume that it's pretty unlikely.
T is not an effective form of birth control. It's unknown when testosterone shuts down the uterus and can vary for everybody. Some guys have gotten pregnant after they stopped having periods.
Sounds like it'd be pretty effective with no ovulation and all (if you're dosing correctly.)
But you never know, just don't risk it man. Use protection.
It's extremely effective after a long enough time, because it will eventually shut down your ovulation.
Unfortunately, nobody knows exactly how long "long enough" is, it probably varies from person to person, and it's unlikely we'll ever have a definitive answer because the studies required to find out would be extraordinarily irresponsible (you'd have to have a quite large sample of gay trans men having vaginal intercourse using T as their only form of birth control, with the knowledge that any resulting pregnancies would be at exceptionally high risk for severe birth defects and would also put the mental health of the subjects at risk).
Any responsible doctor will tell you that you should always use a barrier method of birth control while on T, until and unless you have a hysto and/or oophorectomy. It's an open secret that guys in committed relationships who have been on T for years don't usually use birth control, but no medical professional would sanction it.
Edit: That being said, I jsut reread your post. You say you're anal only and a top. Topping puts you at zero pregnancy risk unless you are rubbing your genitals in your partner's jizz. Same for oral. If you do bottom, you should never have unprotected sex anyway unless you are in a committed monogamous relationship and both of you have seen each other's recent negative STD tests (standard gay safe sex lecture: STD rates, especially HIV, are dangerously high in the gay community, and bottoming for anal sex carries a higher risk of STD transmission than anything else you can do in bed). If you are bottoming for unprotected anal sex in a committed relationship, it's a very low pregnancy-risk activity; the only risk is if semen contacts the vulva (either directly or through after-sex leakage), so avoid letting your partner cum on or near your genitals, and shower and clean up after sex especially if he cums inside you.
Quote from: Nygeel on October 11, 2010, 01:11:43 AM
T is not an effective form of birth control. It's unknown when testosterone shuts down the uterus and can vary for everybody. Some guys have gotten pregnant after they stopped having periods.
This.
It is never safe to assume that you're infertile. Even if your periods stopped years ago, it's still very possible to get pregnant.
The only way to be sure, other than using protection, is to get a hysterectomy.
Scott started taking testosterone in 1999 at the age of 19. He got pregnant in 2009.
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fassets.nydailynews.com%2Fimg%2F2010%2F01%2F27%2Falg_scott-moore_thomas-moore.jpg&hash=d61da87bb91f0333f812c365b2c48979dbbd6ef6)
Quote from: Ryan on October 11, 2010, 04:44:31 AM
This.
It is never safe to assume that you're infertile. Even if your periods stopped years ago, it's still very possible to get pregnant.
The only way to be sure, other than using protection, is to get a hysterectomy.
Scott started taking testosterone in 1999 at the age of 19. He got pregnant in 2009.
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fassets.nydailynews.com%2Fimg%2F2010%2F01%2F27%2Falg_scott-moore_thomas-moore.jpg&hash=d61da87bb91f0333f812c365b2c48979dbbd6ef6)
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure all the publicized pregnant men, including Scott, got pregnant on purpose after some time off T.
Sorry Guys,
Just from a medical point of view if you can produce eggs and they can meet semen you can get pregnant . Whether the child will be grossly deformed is open to debate (from the hormones). Some IVF clinics put women on T to improve fertility.
If you have ovaries you can produce eggs. If you have eggs they can be fertilized.
Wish I could
Cindy
Quote from: CindyJames on October 11, 2010, 05:06:03 AM
Sorry Guys,
Just from a medical point of view if you can produce eggs and they can meet semen you can get pregnant . Whether the child will be grossly deformed is open to debate (from the hormones). Some IVF clinics put women on T to improve fertility.
If you have ovaries you can produce eggs. If you have eggs they can be fertilized.
Wish I could
Cindy
Women on hormonal birth control still have ovaries, but the hormones in the birth control disrupt their hormone-production cycles and change the uterine lining in a way that reduces the risk of pregnancy to less than 1% (per woman per year). T also disrupts ovarian cycles and the uterine lining, probably to an even greater degree. It does suppress ovulation and almost entirely eliminate the risk of pregnancy. It even sometimes causes permanent infertility. The problem is that because of the lack of scientific studies, unlike normal female birth control, we don't know exactly how fast it works or what the remaining pregnancy risk is.
It's always safest to use a barrier method of birth control. It's particularly critical to use condoms if you're nonmonogamous. But it's not nearly as simple as "if you have ovaries, you can get pregnant."
As to the use of T by fertility clinics: I'm not aware of this, but I can definitely assure you that if it is used, the doses are
dramatically lower (by at least an order of magnitude) than the doses of T used in trans men. Female hormones are used by fertility clinics as well, but the same hormones are used in birth control - the female reproductive system is entirely homone-driven, and the same hormone can have different effects depending on dosage and timing. T at male levels suppresses ovulation and menstruation and almost entirely shuts down ovarian function - this is established science.
The one thing I really don't know about this is what we do/don't know about combining T and female hormonal birth control. I suspect that this is a bad idea in more ways than one. Again, trans men should use barrier methods.
Quote from: Tyler90210 on October 11, 2010, 12:37:14 AMHas anyone ever heard of a trans guy getting pregnant while on T and not having a period?
Yes, and by accident- not planned. It reduces the chance but can still happen. Just be sure to use a condom for safety's sake- especially if you're going to be bottom. I know you prefer top but I'm sure there will be cases you'll want to try bottom.
Even though I can't help but think that any gay male sex would be anal. I myself don't see why a gay male would be interested in the V hole to begin with. But, I don't know about these things.
Hey guys thanks for all your great responses. ;D
I just want to say this so you guys don't get the wrong idea about me. I would never even think about doing anal without a condom. It's just since condoms break every once in a while, I just wanted to be extra safe on some kind of hormonal birth control. Sorry I should have said that in my OP. :(
Also am I correct to think T might lower the effectiveness of hormonal birth control?
There was a trans couple ftm and mtf who got pregnant by accident while both had been on hormones for years and were still on them at the time of conception.
Never think that because you've been on hormones for a certain amount of time that you're completely protected against pregnancy. Everyone reacts differently to hormones and our reproductive systems are resilient. There are people who haven't had a period in years and have been able to conceive. Not having a period doesn't necessarily mean that your reproductive system has completely shut down and sometimes you don't need to have gone off your hormones to make it bounce back.
So, no I would not consider testosterone a reliable birth control.
A suggestion: If your concern is pregnancy resulting from condoms breaking, you should get fitted for a diaphragm.
I've tried looking it up but I don't think anybody really knows what hormonal birth control does for guys on T, so go with the things that don't rely on your hormone balance operating normally. IUDs are also an option but more invasive and might be hard to get, especially if you've never been pregnant. Spermicidal creams/jellies/suppositories are also an option if you're not having vaginal sex (they're problematic if you are because the irritation can increase STD risk) and work well in combination with a diaphragm. Or you could have your tubes tied, if you wanted a permanent solution prior to getting a hysto.
There's always the morning after pill for if/when a condom rips.
Quote from: Nygeel on October 11, 2010, 04:22:38 PM
There's always the morning after pill for if/when a condom rips.
That's just high-dose hormonal birth control, but newer and even less studied - I don't know if anybody really knows whether it works for guys on T (or what, if anything, it does in that case).
Quote from: kyril on October 11, 2010, 04:27:24 PM
That's just high-dose hormonal birth control, but newer and even less studied - I don't know if anybody really knows whether it works for guys on T (or what, if anything, it does in that case).
I was thinking more so for a person not on T yet who doesn't want to use regular hormonal birth control. It's a decent back up if (God forbid) something horrible happens.
Quote from: Nygeel on October 11, 2010, 04:30:36 PM
I was thinking more so for a person not on T yet who doesn't want to use regular hormonal birth control. It's a decent back up if (God forbid) something horrible happens.
Ah, yes.
(Make sure you're prepared for the side effects, though - both physical and psychological. They can be ugly.)
Always use a condom no matter what. If it breaks, there's Plan B. Although, I'm with kyril, who knows if it would do anything for a transman.
Doesn't make any sense- can't see why a transman on T would take birth control. Birth control pills are supposed to simulate the hormone levels of pregnancy to stop ovulation, right? And T stops ovulation anyway. Birth control pills sound like such a bad idea- at best I can only imagine them bringing the cycle back. I would guess it would be something like PCOS at best, and at worst, deadly.
Quote from: kyril on October 11, 2010, 04:20:01 PM
A suggestion: If your concern is pregnancy resulting from condoms breaking, you should get fitted for a diaphragm.
I've tried looking it up but I don't think anybody really knows what hormonal birth control does for guys on T, so go with the things that don't rely on your hormone balance operating normally. IUDs are also an option but more invasive and might be hard to get, especially if you've never been pregnant. Spermicidal creams/jellies/suppositories are also an option if you're not having vaginal sex (they're problematic if you are because the irritation can increase STD risk) and work well in combination with a diaphragm. Or you could have your tubes tied, if you wanted a permanent solution prior to getting a hysto.
Yeah, I was thinking about asking the guy to wear one of the Trojan condoms with the spermicide in them when I bottom anally.
Quote from: Tyler90210 on October 11, 2010, 06:06:41 PM
Yeah, I was thinking about asking the guy to wear one of the Trojan condoms with the spermicide in them when I bottom anally.
Spermicide can be problematic...I know some people where it has reacted with their insides and pretty much tore everything up.
Quote from: Silver on October 11, 2010, 05:56:31 PM
Doesn't make any sense- can't see why a transman on T would take birth control. Birth control pills are supposed to simulate the hormone levels of pregnancy to stop ovulation, right? And T stops ovulation anyway. Birth control pills sound like such a bad idea- at best I can only imagine them bringing the cycle back. I would guess it would be something like PCOS at best, and at worst, deadly.
Do you really think it can be deadly!? :o I only ask because with Depo it can theroretically stay inside you for 18 months after you stop taking it. In a much lower dose though. Do you think it could be problematic to be on T then? I remember when I was still on my T cream (for something non trans) and I asked if it was OK to mix Depo with T and they said that was fine and they couldn't see a problem with it. The T dose I was on was low though, a women's dose.
Also I remember seeing some guy on You Tube who was put on Depo to stop his periods before starting T. And if I'm not mistaking he was taking T within a few months.
Quote from: Nygeel on October 11, 2010, 06:11:01 PM
Spermicide can be problematic...I know some people where it has reacted with their insides and pretty much tore everything up.
Oh. :-\ Do you happen to know if they were doing anal too? And that's where it tore them up?
Quote from: Tyler90210 on October 11, 2010, 06:13:16 PM
Oh. :-\ Do you happen to know if they were doing anal too? And that's where it tore them up?
It just caused really bad irritation during sex. So, I guess whatever part of the body (internally) that's touching it the most.
Quote from: Nygeel on October 11, 2010, 06:21:00 PM
It just caused really bad irritation during sex. So, I guess whatever part of the body (internally) that's touching it the most.
Oh OK. This is kind of a random question, but do you happen to know if the Trojan condoms with spermicide have the spermicide on the inside or outside of the condom?
Quote from: Kvall on October 11, 2010, 06:37:21 PM
Testosterone and progestins (such as those in Depo and in the morning after pill) are definitely NOT a deadly combination. I was on both for about the first 3-4 months of T and I'm not the only one who went this route.
Vaginal intercourse while on T is not zero-risk for pregnancy, but it certainly reduces risk. If you're using condoms, and you're only having anal sex, and especially if you're only topping... you're going to be fine. Seriously.
OK that makes me feel better lol. :D And just so I'm sure on your story, when you went on T it was a normal male dose?
Don't know, I thought you meant "the pill" for some reason lol.
High T + high E is just not a very good state.
Quote from: Kvall on October 11, 2010, 07:22:35 PM
Low dose, and I had a very normal rate of change for the first 6 months or so. And like most trans guys I had one more bleed after my first shot and then nothing.
Cool OK. Was the low dose of T because of the Depo shot or just because you preferred to start out small? Do you know if a normal dose of T would screw with something in the Depo?
Quote from: Silver on October 11, 2010, 08:10:45 PM
Don't know, I thought you meant "the pill" for some reason lol.
High T + high E is just not a very good state.
No, lol. I didn't want anything with estrogen, lol. What does high T and high E do?
Quote from: Tyler90210 on October 11, 2010, 06:06:41 PM
Yeah, I was thinking about asking the guy to wear one of the Trojan condoms with the spermicide in them when I bottom anally.
I'd suggest never using spermicide in the hole where things are being inserted. It can cause some pretty severe irritation in some people, and the recent studies have shown that even the milder levels of irritation that you might not notice still statistically increase risk of STD transmission. But it would be ok to use a spermicidal foam or cream with a diaphragm at your cervix if you're having anal sex (if you want to be extra extra ultra safe) because there wouldn't be any bodily fluid contact with the area that could become irritated.
To your later question: Spermicidal lubricant on condoms gets on both sides. Think about the way they come rolled up in the package - they couldn't be coated with anything on just one side.
Quote from: Tyler90210 on October 11, 2010, 10:12:42 PM
No, lol. I didn't want anything with estrogen, lol. What does high T and high E do?
Well the only examples I have are PCOS biofemales, men on steroids, and neither are very desirable states. I believe a result would be insulin insensitivity based on the PCOS example but I'm no expert lol.
Just, why would one take T to shut down that system and then take E? But I was mistaken so apologies.
Quote from: kyril on October 11, 2010, 04:48:47 AM
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure all the publicized pregnant men, including Scott, got pregnant on purpose after some time off T.
Only for the safety of the child I believe.
Theres a guy that i met in group a few months ago that got pregnant his first month on T, so it is possible. Be careful if its not something you and your partner are ready for
I personally think high levels and T and E in your system is a recipe for disaster. They would most likely counteract each other but having high levels of two hormones- especially ones that "fight" each other- could really upset your body and cause some problems. I'm sure some people's bodies have handled it fine, but each persons body is different.
I agree with others that since T helps shut down the ovaries while BC hormones prevents ovulation why need both? I would just use another form(s) of BC like condoms, diaphragms, etc. At least until a hysto... if that's something you want.