What happens if you stop taking Hormones for one week ?

[Princessolga]

Hi, probably this question sounds stupid to a lot of people here, but it concerns me. I have transitionned when i was relatively young (sixteen) so i started taking hormones at a young age , and i could hold my voice relatively feminene and my bone structure isnt that masculine. I want to have sexreassignment surgery as early as possible. But most doctors say that i have to stop taking Antiandrogens and hormones, one week before the surgery. Iam afraid that my voice will get deeper and more masculine and that my body-hair will grow. Please dont make jokes, because this is a serious concern of me, i know it sounds stupid, but Testosterone has a very rapid effect on the body.
Thanks
Olga

[mishadark]

Not stupid at all
& a very serious question.
You need to come off because of the very real risks of dvt.
This is the case for any surgery, not just SRS.
I'm having FFS next year & will need to come off hormones for the same reason.

I had surgery on my arm 2 yrs ago & came off hormones. After 2 weeks the effects were horrible. I could feel the testosterone hitting me. It felt familiar yet totally alien. ALL the effects were mental....surly, argumentative, stropy, aggressive....total nightmare.
But better than DVT / death...

One week off hormones seems far too little though.
In the UK, the health service says off for a 6 week period, but in private overseas ie thialand, its 2 weeks
I dont know if there is a faster recovery period, meaning that you can move around sooner after surgery.

There is a uk trans site http://www.tvchix.com/
which has an excellent forum catagory "ask dr Emma"
I suggest you join & post your question there. Emma has a huge depth of experience on these areas; Nats wallis would probably contribute to the reply, as she has also a great depth of knowledge as well.


I hope that helps a little.
M. xx

[flabbybody]

make sure you go to the forum section cause the rest is basically an escort site.

[melissacarter]

The information written thus far is wrong! First, there is no reason why hormone therapy, including testosterone blockers needs to be halted for surgery. Perhaps this is a unique risk for you personally that your doctor is taking precaution. I had 2 rounds of feminization surgery in addition to implant surgery two weeks ago, and I was not required to slow down or cease any medication.

Secondly, the notion that you will react violently to pause in your HRT is a bit much. Sure, there will be mild effects but you must understand these medications are long-term in scope. The power of their effect is not over a period of weeks, or even months, it is measured in years. If you must for whatever reason cease HRT for a few weeks its no big deal.

[AmyDaly]

I have heard from many people who have had SRS that coming off HRT for a week or 2 was the normal thing and just fine.

[mishadark]

Hiya again
I've just done a quick look there
http://www.tvchix.com/forum/topic.php?tid=25082
This thread covers hrt & surgery & your exact question.
You will need to join the site but its free.
& you can post your concerns on that forum board & get useful suggestions.

[meditation]

Hi, probably this question sounds stupid to a lot of people here, but it concerns me. I have transitionned when i was relatively young (sixteen) so i started taking hormones at a young age , and i could hold my voice relatively feminene and my bone structure isnt that masculine. I want to have sexreassignment surgery as early as possible. But most doctors say that i have to stop taking Antiandrogens and hormones, one week before the surgery. Iam afraid that my voice will get deeper and more masculine and that my body-hair will grow. Please dont make jokes, because this is a serious concern of me, i know it sounds stupid, but Testosterone has a very rapid effect on the body.
Thanks
Olga

I heard it is more than one week, maybe like 1 month or even 3 month.

Yeah it sucks, but you will survive through it, dont worry about it. You won't become a guy if u stop taking hormones for one month or even 2 to 3 months. My friend goes without hormones sometimes because she doenst have money. God , i hope that doesnt happen to me. I would become a major bitch, but as far as physical changes, maybe ur hair will get a bit oily or ur face will grow a pimple or two, but no big deal. It's more like your mood swing i would worry about. Good luck!1

[mishadark]

Yep, seconded.

[GIA LOVES RON]

I don't know about your doctors but my FFS surgeon here in Boston and endo strictly told me to stop my estrogen intake two weeks prior to my FFS because it might give me complications such as BLOD CLOTS while i'm under surgery.

But maybe it is different from one person to the next. Also, i'm alittle weary of me going bitchy and crazy because I just stopped my hormones but they did not say to stop my testosterone blocker. They said spiro or aldactone doesn't affect any surgery whatsoever.

Before my boob job, my endo also told me to stop my premarin a few days b4 my surgery and resume a week after. I did it anyway just to be safe. We as transsexuals always have that idea that if we stop hormones ....we are gonna start loking like a MAN again (LOL!!!)...it takes a while for that to happen but even so. Long term use of estrogen can really make a huge difference in our face but it doesn't change your vocal chords. It takes practice or whatever you need to do to feminize that voice.

My friend went to dr.Thomas in Oregon to get her voice done but you can only go so far.

Hope that helps!

[flabbybody]

wouldn't the fact that the OP started hormones at such a young age a short term break would have less effect?