Tough Pill to Swallow: Hormones Decrease Lifespan?

[Rory]

Someone told me high doses of hormones (estrogen I guess) will decrease lifespan.

That roundly sucks. These TSs that we all love have to pay the price of a shortened life.

One girl I talked to didn't seem to mind that much, but I mind. Of course there are the girls who don't take care of themselves (using heavy drugs, going bareback indiscriminately), but there there are also the girls that take really good care of themselves, and it sucks to think that they'll not live long lives.

On the brighter side, the one I talked to said she's already lived a full and satisfying life at a young age.

[peggygee]

There are a number of risks and side effects associated with HRT.

In tranwomen the risks may be:

1.Increased risk of gallbladder disease, associated primarily
with oral estrogens such as Premarin*

2. Liver Function: Combined treatment with estrogen and
cyproterone acetate [an androgen-blocker] is associated with
transient elevation of liver enzymes (Asscheman, Gooren, & Eklund).
An article dealing specifically with the risks of self-treatment
by transsexual women also noted elevation of liver enzymes
(Becerra Fernandez et al 1999).

The liver function issues in the 1989 study were attributed to
other causes, such as alcohol abuse and hepatitis B, and were
mainly successfully treated, either with other medications or
temporarily halting hormone treatment


3.Slightly increased risk of heart attack or stroke, both in women
with cardiovascular disease and in healthy women. This effect
may be associated primarily with HRT using continuous combined
oral estrogen and progestin (Prempro) or the daily use of an
oral progestin such as Provera with estrogen.

4. Osteoporosis: In a German case study, bone loss was reversed
in an MTF woman by adding 2 mg of oral estradiol valerate
daily to the 100 mg of cyproterone daily she was already taking.
She was losing bone mass at the rate of 5% per year while
taking androgen-blockers without also taking estrogen
(Hierl et al 1999).

A case study comparing trans women who
had been on estrogen for less than two years with those who’d
been on it for longer found increased bone density in the women
who’d been on estrogen longer (Reutrakul et al 1998.

5. Depressive Mood Changes: In a 1989 retrospective study,
combined treatment with estrogen and cyproterone acetate
[an androgen-blocker] was associated with increases in
depressive mood changes (Asscheman, Gooren, & Eklund).
Depression has been tied to both high and low testosterone
levels in women (Rohr 2002) and to the isolation
of transsexuals (Rauchfleisch 199.

6. Cholesterol Levels:An article dealing specifically with the risks
of self-treatment by transsexual women noted higher levels
of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides. (Becerra
Fernandez et al 1999)

However, the higher levels of cholesterol
and triglycerides were still within normal levels (Citkowitz 2001,
Isley 2002) and the lower incidence of other factors associated
with heart disease, such as elevated plasma tHcy levels
(Giltay et al 199, suggest this is an acceptable risk.

7.Hyperkalemia: Spironolactone use can cause hyperkalemia,
an excessive amount of potassium in the blood. Hyperkalemia,
an often symptomless condition, can cause serious kidney
problems, including renal failure, and heart problems, including
difficult to cure cardiac rhythm disturbances. (RxList). People
using spironolactone are advised to avoid excessive potassium
in their diets, including salt substitutes containing potassium
chloride.

If a woman is under the care of a physician who is knowledgeable
in the administration and treatment of tranwomen and HRT, the
issues above should not be problematic.

Yet, this clearly points out the potentially life threatening effects of
self medicating.