All the ladies, please give me your input/help!

[LeelaWang]

Now, I would've posted this in the girls only section, but seeing as how i've posted a request months ago with no reply, this is my last resort...

anyways, currently i'm speaking to a gender therapist, and will be starting hormones soon, and have been doing my research on everything... i've even joined some other tg forums to get answers but didn't have much luck on this topic... so the thing is, i'm very certain i want the hormones, and much of what comes with it, however, i really really don't want to lose complete function of my 'downstairs mix-up'! this is the wall i keep hitting with everybody, it's merely my preference, i don't fit into any 'standard model' of trans... so, i figured this would be an obvious place to get answers and/or input on this subject, as a part of the profession prefers full functionality... so ya, how do you do it ladies? how do obtain all the feminizing perks of hormones, yet retain most of your functionality, is there something you do in particular?? Everyone is telling me that once you start hormones, there is about a 6 month period, after which you lose function permanently forever, which i don't want to happen, and yet i've seen some girls in the industry for years still delivering!! i'm really desperate for answers, and would greatly appreciate any useful info, you don't have to give any answers as post, you can just PM instead if you prefer...:praying:

[nina_lisa]

i am 2 years nearly and did not loose functions. you can always if you want take a lower dose or cycle hormones and not take it for a few days.

also no harm in starting to take hormones, see how you feel, and what happen, if you don't like it, then you can stop it. Every single person reaction to hormone is different.

[LeelaWang]

Oh i see, thank you for that, and you're right, everybody is different... i hope things work well for me...

[TsJizelle]

I've been on hormones for almost 6 years, and only ever experienced erectile issues during the first 3 months of hormones. but I know this is different for everyone as already said.

you just gotta ask yourself what you are willing to take chances on. plus if you take them and you don't like the result, you simply just stop. it's not like once you take them you're a limp noodle for life!

[Tashajones]

Leela,

I have talked to a number of t-girls about this topic. It is very common for girls to loose the ability of an erection. Some are able to get hard but are unable to cum. Like any other medication the side effects will be different depending on the persons body & dose amount.

The other issue that does effect girls is the mental side effects that go with taking hormones. It can very from girl to girl but most girls do have some depression and mood swings. This can also effect your sex drive. So that is something you need to be aware of.

My suggestion is start at a lower dose and increase over time. Also you need to make sure to see your doctor and monitor and get your blood work done every 3 months.

Hope this helps
Tasha

[nina_lisa]

Worst case scanrio, you will have to a make a choice but getting erection or hormones.

All depend in what is more important for you.

[TempestTS]

Functionality depends on your body's physical reaction to the hormone therapy plus how mentally comfortable you are and sexually secure being TS... some of us have major issues and just feel awkward (or worse) about having an erection. Ive never had that issue, I am what I am the world can deal with it however it damn well wants to but I do what I find pleasing.

You can always go to the doctor and get a RX fro the little blue wonder wood pills if you feel the like you need them or just tweak your intake of HRT to suit your body's balance. Nothing wrong with either course of action.

Nobody Else's opinion counts only your own do what you feel is right for you.

[Mayrah]

In a couple days ill be on hormones for 4 months and i got androcur and patches. I can still get hard it just takes a tiny bit longer if my mind is into it. As for cumming, i reach my orgasms just fine except for ejaculating, i sometimes get a clear gooey glob of cum.. or nothing comes out at all.. :p

[LeelaWang]

Thank you everyone for your input, i know this is kind of an awkward topic, but i really am trying to find honest answers as it is important to me... if any others could add their experiences/thoughts, please do, although i know it's a your-miles-may-very kinduva thing, i like to get as much data as possible! :D

[Wendy Summers]

Only thing I have to add is watch your levels carefully. I hadn't ever had any issues until my estrogen spiked last summer. It's taken nearly a year off of hormones to get my functionality back consistently.

[KittyPride]

It takes a while for me to get hard and its harder to stay hard...but when i am aroused i still get erections...just less powerfull ones...orgasm is still possible but without fluid...unless im really seriously excited....

I have to work on getting hard though...its not as easy as before...when im with a guy its pretty easy but when alone it takes a lot of fantasy ...

[KittyPride]

Only thing I have to add is watch your levels carefully. I hadn't ever had any issues until my estrogen spiked last summer. It's taken nearly a year off of hormones to get my functionality back consistently.

Low testosterone would seem to be more of a problem then high estrogen ? Allthough the one influenced the other...what were your testosterone levels ?

[Wendy Summers]

Low testosterone would seem to be more of a problem then high estrogen ? Allthough the one influenced the other...what were your testosterone levels ?

My testosterone levels have always been very low - those hadn't changed -- it was definitely my estrogen levels... I was up in the 2400 range. To this day we're still not sure what caused the spike since I was on a very low dosage of estrogen to begin with.

[KittyPride]

My testosterone levels have always been very low - those hadn't changed -- it was definitely my estrogen levels... I was up in the 2400 range. To this day we're still not sure what caused the spike since I was on a very low dosage of estrogen to begin with.

2400?? measures like what (with what)? The highest I even got was 390 on 4mg estrogen... am taking 3 mg now... and am around 300.
How much estrogen do you take?

[Wendy Summers]

2400?? measures like what (with what)? The highest I even got was 390 on 4mg estrogen... am taking 3 mg now... and am around 300.
How much estrogen do you take?

The dosage was less that what you're on - let's put it that way. It's unclear whether my body is having trouble regulating how much estrogen it is producing or if my body is having trouble with absoarbtion. I'm with one of the top specialists in the states at the moment and other than knowing we're getting very odd test results back, he's baffled with what's going on.

[Tyler___Durden]

Many Ts women in porn & Whoring, cycle their hormones:
Two months on, two months off.
I thing that is well dodgy.
If you are considering that, I'd suggest a long conversation with an endocrinologist,
experienced in treating ts women, and ask them what they think about that sort of carry-on.

Here is an article I wrote on TLB; It covers my take on your question.
I hope it helps.

Erections & transsexuals Source (http://forum.transladyboy.com/showthread.php?p=187582#post187582)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Katey lynn
I found it. Here's what Jodie says:

Not after a period on hormones.
The penis shrinks
Most Ts's no longer get hard
of if they do, are unable to stay hard.
after about two years, ejaculate becomes a clear liquid
and reduces to a few drops, then nothing at all.

Sorry to piss on the fantasy, n' all that.
__________________
Hi Katey lynn.

Just to expand with my specific experience.
I started hormones in mid 2006, self medding
on a relatively low dose
Microgynon
{Progestogen – Estrogen combination}
I tablet / day
Levonorgestrel 0.15mg a synthetic form of progesterone
Ethinylestradiol 0.03mg is a synthetic version of oestrogen

Within a year I was scripted by my doc, along with 6 monthly blood tests which are important.
Climaval {Estradiol Valerate} 6 mg / day
Finasteride 2.5 mg / day
Zoladex implant---chemical castration

This is part of an article I wrote in 2009
{I might post up the whole thing, it's about transition}

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hormones
...Like for example, my main drive for hormones was a more feminine body,
to match what I felt inside. Then along the way my reasons / motivations subtlety altered.
I'd read about how some Ts' derive a psychological benefit from hormones.
I used to think WTF is that all about? Do they delude themselves that
popping pills makes them feel female inside??? Well, actually, yes, it does.
A year ago, I had an operation & came off 'mones, for a 3 week period
& the testosterone rush was intense. Familiar, yet alien to who I was.
& its effects (mood-swings, stropy, argumentative, were real ncomfortable) Hope I don't have to do that again any time soon.
My bio/ chem hormone makeup was always just “wrong” but it took this event to realise just how much.

And then, a more fem body started to appear.
Yet this was now a secondary benefit to the psychological benefit I'd previously thought to be a delusion.
Still nice to have one appear, anyway.

Sex
They say 'mones drop your sex drive.
Well in a “hard-on gotta have a wank way”, they do.
But here's the funny thing. I feel more of a sexual & sensual being than I ever did as a man
(lets be honest, I used to be a man, I'm sure you can deal with that simple fact while you check out my photos)
Maybe its a spirit thing, of feeling completeness.
& sex is brilliant, even more than before. And it happens because I want it to,
not just because of the daily surge of testosterone through my body.
& everything is just much more sensual.
And real.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My personal observation is that sex drive is linked to mental standing.
Some pre-op transsexual women are ok about their penis some hate it and some are more positive.
Their sexual function seems linked to this starting position.
I was always ok'ish about the penis thing, while always detesting the look feel and presence of my testicles.
Someone touching them is yukky and for me a bit painful.

I still get hard, and if really turned on, get very hard.
{This seems unusual /rare for ts females, after years on meds}
Now here is something you don't want to hear:
I've shrunk by about an inch in length and a little in girth.
The problem is that getting very aroused really hurts.
Like a tire being over-inflated.
Ouch!

In summery
The majority of Ts women loose sexual penis function after prolonged hormone use.
Some Ts's still maintain sexual penis function after prolonged hormone use.
If you are on hormones for a substantial period of time,
and if you still maintain hard-ons, these will become painful.


One last thing
Offspring
Is there even the remotest possibility you want children at some future point?
Pre-hormones, I never considered this. This is not an issue for me,
but this oversight may have been....
If there is any chance you may want to pass on your DNA,
Prior to starting hormones,
Get your sperm frozen and stored by one of the companies who offer this.
It's not a permanent option though
as the sperm viability drops off significantly after being frozen for 5 years
After 10 years frozen, the sperm is not viable
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


There you go.
Another comprehensive Tyler cut-n-paste job! :tongue:
Shout if there is anything you want more thoughts on.

[KittyPride]

Tyler nice post!!!

I would like to add...someone once said...use it or lose it.

I think its wise to get yourself sexually aroused once a week...you dont have to reach orgasm...but just work on building up your libido...

Get yourself hard once in a while...
Just like you would naturally get hard on testo...now do that with effort...

Its like a little work out...

[KittyPride]

The dosage was less that what you're on - let's put it that way. It's unclear whether my body is having trouble regulating how much estrogen it is producing or if my body is having trouble with absoarbtion. I'm with one of the top specialists in the states at the moment and other than knowing we're getting very odd test results back, he's baffled with what's going on.

Thats really odd ! Have no idea what to make of that ! Are your levels fine now?

[Tyler___Durden]

I would like to add...someone once said...use it or lose it.
I think its wise to get yourself sexually aroused once a week...you dont have to reach orgasm...but just work on building up your libido...
Get yourself hard once in a while...
What a lot of pre-op ts women don't realise is that you must keep sexual function going for two reasons.
1. Minimises loss of donor material for SRS
2. Increases the chances of being orgasmic, post op.

These were anecdotal comments from my gender psych, some years ago
plus referenced, linked comments by another ts on another board.

[BigBlackMan]

Take some cialis black.

[LeelaWang]

oh my, such a wealth of great info! thanks so much wendy, kitty, and tyler!!

i can't believe you had to go off hormones for a year wendy!! that must've been a very anxious year... glad to hear ya got your response back at least!:dancing:

and wow tyler, that was very comprehensive and thorough, thank you sooo much for taking the time to find and paste that, it def gives me a better idea time-span wise, as it's been a question on my mind... i guess in terms of extra information, the 2 months on and off seem logical, but what when you are very first starting out??

anyways, once again thanks for the valued input, if anyone else has any personal experience from experimenting or tricks or advice, please post if ya could! :wiggle: <3

[Tyler___Durden]

and wow tyler, that was very comprehensive and thorough, thank you sooo much for taking the time to find and paste that, it def gives me a better idea time-span wise, as it's been a question on my mind... i guess in terms of extra information, the 2 months on and off seem logical, but what when you are very first starting out??
if anyone else has any personal experience from experimenting or tricks or advice, please post if ya could! :wiggle: <3
I think that cycling is often early into hormone use. I'd guess that some do this as they notice a dropping off of sexual function.

More info?
Yep, don't self med. It's not something to dabble with as the effects can be life affecting, good and bad.
Here's another cut and paste: Source (http://forum.transladyboy.com/showthread.php?t=11507)

This topic comes up from time to time on TLB & other trans forums.
I've combined several posts from other site which is UK based.
But much of this is applicable to anyone considering Transitioning / Obtaining Feminising hormones.

This may make a useful "Sticky"
(It would be great if one of the USA Ts women on TLB, could post on how "First Approaches" to your doctor should be handled by the doctor)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There are a number of options open to people considering treatments for Male to Female Gender Dysphoria. Much will depend on actually what the individual wants. In the UK this will be assessed if treatment is sought through the National Health Service (NHS) and the emphasis will be placed upon what the individual ‘needs’ rather than wants. Often the two go hand in hand. The difficulty for some is not that a particular thing (in this case feminising hormones) would be refused but the time it takes to confirm the reason for needing them and to ensure that the person taking them is fully aware of the implications of doing so.

There are many things you need to consider about transitioning which are of a greater initial priority, than feminising hormones.
For example being absolutely sure that transitioning is what is needed for you, and being able to handle your transitioning at work and in everyday life.

There are three basic routes:

1. {UK based} First you should speak to your Doctor/GP and discuss your feelings with him or her.
They will refer you to a local psych service. The level of expertise at these first two points is varied. Some will know the process and make a recommendation whilst others will flounder and this can delay any referral process. You will likely, though, be referred to a regional specialist centre, called a Gender Identity Clinic (GIC)
Once that referral has been made the clinic, will then apply for funding.
However, there is a waiting list at these clinics and the waiting time from you receiving a letter for your first appointment there is between 6 to 8 months at present, though it could take 6 months or more before the GIC receives notification of your referral to them.

This will of course give you plenty of time to plan and prepare any other transitional needs you may have. For example changing your name legally, your bank account details and other official details, it will also give you time to talk to your employers about a time scale for transitioning in work, as well as building up a wardrobe of everyday clothes, and.........
just as importantly giving you time to acclimatise to living as a female in everyday society should you wish to commence your transition prior to your first appointment at the clinic.

The time frames within this do vary but it’s likely that you will not be prescribed hormones until you are living full-time as a female and have demonstrated your intentions to at least two consultant specialists in Gender Dysphoria, a counsellor and that you have agreement for funding from your local GP/PCT.
In short the process is unlikely to be shorter than six months, more likely to be a year, there are exceptions, there always are but the only way to be completely sure is to start the ball rolling yourself.


2. You could make an appointment to see private specialist. The timeframes here are much quicker and an appointment can usually be arranged within a few days or at worst a couple of weeks. The specialist will assess you and will also attempt to identify any other conditions which may affect the diagnosis and any treatment (Split Personality Disorder or Bi-Polar Depression are a couple of examples). The specialist will usually recommend counselling to help you understand the implications and to confirm that you have realistic expectations. The number can vary but will likely be more than two over a period of three to six months. The specialist will see you during and after this and has been known to recommend feminising hormones on the second (but more commonly these days the third) consultation. He or she can treat you privately or {in the UK} send a recommendation to your own Doctor/GP who if in agreement) can provide the medication itself. This isn’t universally accepted and some Doctor 's/GP’s will refuse and you will then have to go through a ‘justification process’ through your own Primary Care Trust (PCT). This can take months and in some cases years.


3. Search the Internet and buy some hormones online. The timescales here can be as little as one week. The problem here is that although most suppliers are reputable you will never be absolutely guaranteed that what you buy is actually what you get. You will be taking medication that has significant effects beyond those you are seeking. They affect the blood, metabolic rate and can have an adverse effect on the organs (such as the liver) which have to process them. If you are not part of a medical support programme you won’t really know if everything is ok until you develop a problem and by then the consequences may be serious (up to and including dying)… In addition you will find yourself isolated from your healthcare providers and as the changes progress, find increasing difficulty with managing that change.

[LeelaWang]

what i'm honestly curious about, is how some of the veterans like yasmin lee(whom i have a crush on) or mia isabella(whom i also have a crush on) has been able to maintain their 'power' over all these years... it still seems pretty subjective though...sigh... i guess in the end it's just a roll of the dice...

[Wendy Summers]

what i'm honestly curious about, is how some of the veterans like yasmin lee(whom i have a crush on) or mia isabella(whom i also have a crush on) has been able to maintain their 'power' over all these years... it still seems pretty subjective though...sigh... i guess in the end it's just a roll of the dice...

roll of dice
keep using it
cycling hormones
viagra/ cialis

[TempestTS]

what i'm honestly curious about, is how some of the veterans like yasmin lee(whom i have a crush on) or mia isabella(whom i also have a crush on) has been able to maintain their 'power' over all these years... it still seems pretty subjective though...sigh... i guess in the end it's just a roll of the dice...


I would also add to Wendy's list...

Dont do scenes that you dont like. Its common sense do scenes you think are Hot and you have less problems,

if the person your filming with looks like a Uncle Fester from the Adams Family and the director wants to film outdoors in freezing rain--- well good luck with that....

[Wendy Summers]

I would also add to Wendy's list...

Dont do scenes that you dont like. Its common sense do scenes you think are Hot and you have less problems,

if the person your filming with looks like a Uncle Fester from the Adams Family and the director wants to film outdoors in freezing rain--- well good luck with that....

Well this explains the shit eating grin on your face and the "yeah, this will work" when I walked onto set... :fuckin:

[TempestTS]

Well this explains the shit eating grin on your face and the "yeah, this will work" when I walked onto set... :fuckin:


Case in point, the most difficult part of our scene was waiting for the cameras to get rolling... I was ready to nail you in the parking garage, the elevator, the hallway... ... ...