I recently came out as transgender (MtF) to my SO. Since I am heavily considering hormones and the like, I would like to know if there are any cons to the transition, besides the social aspect. Like, is it always great, or did you experience unexpected negative mental health despite the fact that you were transitioning? Thank you!

Hi 🙋 in the first month I had periods of feeling like you were falling down stairs in slow motion.  For awhile I felt my thoughts were not as linear and were disjointed to a point where it was hard to focus.  In the second month I started to feel very well spiritually and mentally.  I feel the lack of testosterone has greatly calmed me. 
Now my tits have hurt for the last three months, which causes me great happiness.
Hugs, Jessica 💁

Quote from: aang884 on November 17, 2017, 11:25:24 AM
I recently came out as transgender (MtF) to my SO. Since I am heavily considering hormones and the like, I would like to know if there are any cons to the transition, besides the social aspect. Like, is it always great, or did you experience unexpected negative mental health despite the fact that you were transitioning? Thank you!

Welcome to the Place brave traveler.  This is a great platform to discover volumes of perspective about the question you pose.  We share our experience and some of us will be living the dream while others feel they are on the edge of hell.  This is a moderated place to learn and engage with others and I am sure a moderator will be along soon to give you a more formal welcome and let you know about the Terms of Service, the rules.  Have fun exploring!

Welcome to Susan's Place. The transition does only one thing, if your transgender, it will treat it. Any other problems in your life will still be problems however you may be better able to deal with them. One of the reasons for RLE is so you can prepare your new life and test drive it before making any decision you might regret. In my case I took full advantage of RLE so after surgery, I had no baggage from my past to disturb my new life. We have members with conditions like bipolar and those conditions will remain but if you take full advantage of therapy, you  mental health should be better afterwards.

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Transitioning has provided a mixed bag of results for different people. Some have deeply regretted it. If you read around, you will see signs that prove that point. For others,  it is a life saving process. Personally, I would never turn back, even if I could. I like who I have become.

Welcome to Susans!!

Some people instantly feel better as soon as they start on hormone replacement therapy (HRT), but there are some who it takes a while to really feel it. I've felt progressively better since the 2nd month, and I've never felt better in my entire life!
BUT! This doesn't mean that I don't still feel the horrible crushing sting of gender dysphoria now and then. I've also on rare occasion felt doubts, but I can attribute those to my old habit of laziness & trying to always take the easier paths in life (2 things I'm no longer going to do!).
I know for certain that this is the right path for me, and I would never go back.

Welcome aang

Hope you enjoy your time here at sussan's.

HRT is a mixed bag and the real effects take many months and years to fully develop. Take your time ask lots of questions, experiment...find out what you like. Some people get little to no help from HRT whilst other get amazing results. Personally I have enjoyed the mental benefits more than any other part(with the exception of breast Growth) and find I am "feeling"  really well. I have just had a period where my HRT levels were dropped significantly and I hated that.

One thing you will hear is "Your mileage may vary" or YMMV for short and this is never more true than when talking about HRT.

Good luck I hope it goes well for you if that's what you decide

Hello and welcome!

I am in the early stages of transitioning and my only issue has been social, mainly I had to breakup with my ex because of it. But the hormones per se have made me feel good. At first I didn't really notice anything different but now I do think it has made me calmer and more at peace with myself.


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Hello!

For me, the mental health benefits have been amazing.  Every now and then I wonder if I made the right choice.  Then I talk with a coworker, who has stated quite bluntly "I like you better as a woman than a man, you're more engaging and pleasant".  I have become a tad more emotional, but I find it easier to affect my feelings than before.


Physically, I don't see much in the way of changes, my man boobs are now looking more like real boobs, and occasionally when I look in the mirror, I see a woman staring back at me.

The bad part was my wife decided that she can't stay with Claire, she preferred Steve.  She couldn't accept that I am still the same person, just happy.  She still is supportive to me, and has even told me to go out and find someone.  I felt incredibly guilty when I accepted a young lady's request to take me out on a date.

Quote from: Jessica on November 17, 2017, 11:48:46 AM
Hi [emoji137] in the first month I had periods of feeling like you were falling down stairs in slow motion.  For awhile I felt my thoughts were not as linear and were disjointed to a point where it was hard to focus. 

This describes me right now. I can still do things but focusing and keeping on task is so difficult right now. Why is that? I never had this "mushy brain" experience before. [emoji17]

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   For me the positive mental and emotional effects  started almost immediately it took a couple of months for any [much  anticipated ] effects on breast growth by then I knew I could never go back I finally feel real like I was meant to be

   bobbisue

When my Therapist said I am a transgender woman for my whole life, and I was trying to suppress my Transgender that cause my life so miserable for a long time. She also told me I should live by who I am not for anyone else, and I told her I want to become a woman. She wrote hormones replacement down on my file. So she setup the next follow up appointment for me begin my HRT on December Fourth. That the most happy moments of my life.

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I have found the mental changes to be totally positive.  No way would I ever go back.  Physically, I like the changes to my body.  I just wish they would happen faster!   

The androgen blocker I am on (Spironolactone) is a powerful diuretic.  I am always dehydrated.  I drink gallons of water, whick makes me pee a lot, and still I am dehydrated.  I also have low blood pressure as a result of it, so I have to be careful not to stand up too quickly.

Quote from: KathyLauren on November 18, 2017, 06:21:09 PM
I have found the mental changes to be totally positive.  No way would I ever go back.  Physically, I like the changes to my body.  I just wish they would happen faster!   

The androgen blocker I am on (Spironolactone) is a powerful diuretic.  I am always dehydrated.  I drink gallons of water, whick makes me pee a lot, and still I am dehydrated.  I also have low blood pressure as a result of it, so I have to be careful not to stand up too quickly.

The mental aspects of HRT (for me it was the Spiro to start and now I've come to realize the E is also doing interesting things mentally).
Three days on Spiro the voices in my head just went away.  I've been on E (Injectable) for exactly one year.   in the first 1/3 of the year there were great physical changes (boobs) and then wham - nothing.  At least nothing in the breast area.

Today I've started a totally new life.   My divorce is almost final (That makes me sad) but she didn't want to be married to a woman.  I totally respect that and I'm doing all I can to help her out.

I stopped the E on doctor's orders because I just had Breast Augmentation surgery (see other thread about that).  During weeks 2, 3 & 4 off of E my emotions were always right on the edge of taking over.  Specifically crying.  I must have cried (or felt like I should) more during those weeks than in the whole life before transition,

Bottom line - I'm sad my marriage ended.  We're still good friends.  Transition has saved my life and I can not believe how happy I am.  It sounds corny and cliche but overall/long-term I've never been happier.  But Shhhhhhhhh - don't tell people or everyone would want to do HRT! (lol)

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Quote from: Denise on November 18, 2017, 11:19:23 PM
Three days on Spiro the voices in my head just went away.

This. My mind constantly telling me "you should be a woman" doesn't happen since I actually started doing something about it. So my concerns are related to transitioning in real life, and the voice in my head feeding fantasies of being a woman is gone. I like it better this way.

I'll add one more positive...

   I went to a formal event the other night.  It was the FIRST time that I ever felt 100% comfortable at such a social event.  I was relaxed where before I was always on guard.  I felt I had to keep up with the alpha-males etc... it was expected to be able to carry a conversation with "the guys" while I just wanted to be with the ladies and talk about whatever.

    Building a guy facade took so much energy and maintaining the illusion over time was exhausting.  I'm not me and I LOVE it.

Quote from: aang884 on November 17, 2017, 11:25:24 AM
I recently came out as transgender (MtF) to my SO. Since I am heavily considering hormones and the like, I would like to know if there are any cons to the transition, besides the social aspect. Like, is it always great, or did you experience unexpected negative mental health despite the fact that you were transitioning? Thank you!

Many of us late transitioners really tried to live life without transitioning. Some of us, for whatever reasons, feel compelled to transition. The social and physical pitfalls are well known, but we needed to transition anyway. Others like us are not willing to accept the consequences of transition and they never do transition.

Life is never great. We just do the best we can.

Counselling is where the therapist points out the negative consequences of transitioning. Each of us must decide whether transitioning is acceptable or not.