The standard approach (or at least what I know of it) to transgender hormone replacement therapy just doesn't seem natural to me. To suppress testosterone levels to levels so low that it seems most trans-women have little to no sex-drive and most of the time have badly or non-functioning (sexually) genitals!

Would it not make sense to ensure that testosterone levels are high enough to be horny?

I feel so freaking jealous. I'm about to start hormones in a month, I'm 20, but I'm an extremely sexual and horny person. I feel like I'm being forced to make the choice between being sexual or being a woman. I ask all my trans-friends who have been on hormones and virtually all of them state that erections or horniness is just a thing of the past to them or it's at least reduced dramatically to the point where they're not that sexual. It's something that they lost when they went on hormones. One girl even said I should "kiss my erections goodbye"!  Yet every young cis-girl I talk to is extremely horny and wants sex all the time, like any normal, healthy, reproductively-viable, young woman SHOULD be!

Is it not going too far to lower testosterone to levels so low that it makes me less sexual that even a cis-gender female? Why can I not be a feminine, young woman AND a horny, young person? Take Trisha Paytas on YouTube: Shrill, high-pitched voice, soft skin, hairless, tiny, petite, big-breasted, tiny-waisted... the absolute epitome of estrogen and femininity, yet she's an openly, extremely horny person with an insatiable sex-drive. Surely she's an example of someone with a healthy hormonal complement who can remain feminine and very sexual?

In my eyes, if hormone replacement therapy is so extreme that you have to choose between being a woman or sexual... something is VERY wrong. A healthy person is a sexual person. Those with a healthy hormonal complement should have functioning genitals and a sex-drive. I'm very concerned and worried.

Quote from: TransgenderWoman on May 03, 2015, 02:22:58 AM
Why can I not be a feminine, young woman AND a horny, young person?

There's no reason why you can't be. Libido isn't just about hormones - a lot of it is in the head too. Plenty of women here continue to have functional and enjoyable sex lives.

A lot of women however (myself included) are quite happy to be rid of as much testosterone as possible. I'm sure you can talk to your endo about modifying your anti-androgen medication so that your T is higher - just don't expect as much feminisation overall from your HRT, body hair, possible MPB and body odours might be more in the male range.

My T level is at the lower end of the normal range for cis women and I have a fairly healthy libido and maintain the ability to do something with it. As my HRT regime is not unusual, I suspect that much of the 'no libido, no function' crowd is based on some kind of psychological placebo effect. It's quite normal for a woman to have a healthy libido, despite what many trans women seem to think/say. I also suspect that those with greater genital dysphoria are more likely to have/want this loss.

I did have some issues early on, while my levels got stabilised, but once they were stable, all was fine.

I have a strong and healthy libido as many woman do. Yes it is different to what it was as when I was trying to be a guy. But it is rather wonderful and definitely interesting 

I have normal Testosterone levels for a healthy woman, which are (a lot) lower than those for a male. But all woman produce T and if not just get a shot from your endo to bring you to a healthy female level.

BTW the biggest sex organ is between your ears and E can have wonderful effects on it.

Quote from: kelly_aus on May 03, 2015, 03:49:40 AM

I also suspect that those with greater genital dysphoria are more likely to have/want this loss.

I tend to agree, I definately fit in this category, almost certainly for this reason... For these people, i suspect GRS is the only way to bring their libido back...

I lost my Libido before HRT, to be really honest, hence why I think Dysphoria does play a part.

L Katy

Quote from: kelly_aus on May 03, 2015, 03:49:40 AM
My T level is at the lower end of the normal range for cis women and I have a fairly healthy libido and maintain the ability to do something with it. As my HRT regime is not unusual, I suspect that much of the 'no libido, no function' crowd is based on some kind of psychological placebo effect. It's quite normal for a woman to have a healthy libido, despite what many trans women seem to think/say. I also suspect that those with greater genital dysphoria are more likely to have/want this loss.

I did have some issues early on, while my levels got stabilised, but once they were stable, all was fine.

I think there's a learning curve, too. Most men can get horny at the drop of a hat. It comes and goes so quickly and with no effort. On HRT you have to learn to nurture your orgasm, like building a campfire with one match or flint and steel. So many things can put that little flame out! But watch out, feminine orgasms, hard to achieve as they can be, compare to male orgasms like a tidal wave compared to throwing a glass of water in someone's face. I would never go back.

It's not a straightforward connection like that, though. Cis women do have libidos, obviously, and manage it on what would be extremely low T levels compared to cis men. But then, I also haven't seen many protocols (as put forward by doctors rather than demanded/created by trans women themselves) which aim for below-cis levels of T.

I started HRT with a T level of 180 on the male scale of 200-800, and yet I never had any of the symptoms of low T... and within three months my T level was squarely in the middle of the cis female range (not lower, it was about 35-40 on a scale of 20-60) and my libido did NOT disappear. It went from dominating my mind and body at all times to something I could choose to get in the mood for, something like a cis woman (so instead of random erections demanding I do something about it *now,* my wife caressing my breasts would get my motor running if I was willing), but I never lost either sex drive or functionality completely. How much suppression  = complete destruction varies from person to person, but oftentimes you can work with your doctor to find that sweet spot of HRT dosage between too high to function sexually and too low to feminize.

Others have covered this really well. I can see where your coming from and for some that is great, but for me the sooner the testosterone fell the better. It's not like I had a libido coming in anyway because I never really did. I hadn't realized it tell genital electro session yesterday that my repulsion for what I have down there is even stronger than it use to be so it being completely useless as a result of HRT is something I'm completely happy about. Each of us is different as to what outcomes we want and need. Your concern is one reason some are put on low dose by their doctors. Also Estrogen tends to decrease testosterone on it's own merits. Hugs
Mariah

Masturbate every day. Make yourself do it, even if you don't feel like it. When I go a few days without an orgasm, they get weak. Maybe you'll have an underwhelming orgasm, say, in the morning. Do it again in the afternoon, and you should have a better one.

Keep those kiegel muscles in good shape. They're when help you cum.