Hi all! I'm a 39 y.o. male who has struggled with depression my whole life. No antidepresants I've taken have ever helped at all. About a year ago I took a drug for weight loss. The weight loss was amazing but the side effect it had on me was more amazing than that. A lot, and I mean a lot of female emotional traits started coming out in me.....to the point my wife said I seemed to be female. This worked out well I suppose, because I told her that I've kept gender issues hidden my whole life. Thank God she's supportive! The odd thing was I was happy for the first time in my life. Everything about me including my perception of myself changed for the better. Unfortunatly, I couldn't take the medication long term so after a few months without, I drifted back into my usual depressed self. I guess my question is this.....Has anyone experienced this kind of emotional improvement because of hormones? I'm not really in a position to transition full time but if hormones could make me feel better emotionally, I'm wondering if I could hide the physical changes? To get rid of the depression I think I could deal with the physical changes but I need more advice. I may move in the near future and the physical changes would not be that big of a deal anyway. ( I would actually love the physical changes but it would be tough in my current situation). Any advice on this would be so appreciated! Thanks!

First thing is to find a gender therapist.  If you do have GID then yes it could help.  But if there are underling issues, they might not.

When I started I was depressed and they lifted my mood.  I stay upbeat with every change that happens.  But I still get depressed badly.  However I know why and no medication on the planet will make it go away.  For me, SRS is a life saving surgery.  And yet I may not ever be able to get it.  And that is what brings on the depression.

A therapist versed in gender issues would be step one, and dialectical behavioral therapy group can also help with the depression.

There is an article here on the anti-depressive properties of estradiol valerate:

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/4330538.html

I have found my hormone experience to be very uplifting - most of the time I am really happy, but when my levels are low, and I'm nearing the end of my injection cycle, I start to feel blue and easily irritated.

Everyone is differant. There is no telling how you will react to the hormones until you try them. But the route to HRT is first you need to see a gender therapist.

Personaly HRT has reduced my depression to very manageable. I was near suicide. Same with my wife, who is also in transition. It is a tottal miles may vary situation.

Definatly seek out a therapist and hang out here. Read up and do some research, this place is a good resourse.

When i started HRT and living full-time My depression got so better. I was only 'depressed' cause i didn't like what i saw in the mirror. Now that I do my depression is gone.

For me it completely helped, reason being I was finally dealing with what was depressing me. Once I started down the "new" road, and started becoming more female, I find I am one of the most happy and optimistic of all my friends. It was not the case several years ago and for me the first step was to talk with a gender therapist just as others have stated.