Estrogen Effects

[RavenWings (imported)]

I know that you have all probably answered this somewhere in the various posts, only I cannot seem to find it either through search or through scanning posts. What are the effects of estrogen on the male system without taking anti-androgens?

[happousai (imported)]

I found this FAQ to be informative on the topic:

http://www.jennifer-o.com/Hormones/m2f/m2fFAQ.htm

[RavenWings (imported)]

Thank you for the site. I did find out a lot of information that I needed to know. I have been tentitively diagnosed as hermaphrodite. Not only does it kind of explain a lot of what is going on with my body (a lot of feminization and a very dramatic lack of masculine functionability) but explains why my 'cycles' are always so dramatic.

I still have a lot of tests to go through before it is all 100% confirmed. But it explains a lot. Right now, this entire process is very confusing for me. So, again, thank you.

[Mac (imported)]

I have been tentitively diagnosed as hermaphrodite. Not only does it kind of explain a lot of what is going on with my body ... but explains why my 'cycles' are always so dramatic.

A true hermaphrodite has sex organs and genitals of both sexes. Apparently your's are not that obvious or it would have been rather easy to diagnose your condition. Good luck with your tests.

What do you desire the result to be?

[RavenWings (imported)]

Thanks Mac,

Yes, most hermaphs have mixed genitalia. There aren't any firm numbers of how many don't. A lot without the mixed genitalia have never even been fully diagnosed. So far, I have met only two other people just like me. One appeared compleately female until after she gave birth (medically, hermaphs are more fertile as women than as men).

Just that there are so many bits and bobs going on that I am unclear on a lot of things, and unfortunately, I don't have a doctor here I can go to yet, nor any money. I just moved back here, so things are up in the air. Still, thanks for the encouragement.

[Andrew (imported)]

I know that you have all probably answered this somewhere in the various posts, only I cannot seem to find it either through search or through scanning posts. What are the effects of estrogen on the male system without taking anti-androgens?

Some castrated males take estrogen at low levels to cope with hot flashes and the threat of osteoporosis. I am one of those. I have also searched the web for data on men who have been castrated, surgically or chemically, usually for prostate cancer, who again are on estrogen for control of hot flashes and osteoporosis.

At the low levels we use, there may or may not be some mild "feminization". And what this usually refers to is gynecomastia, breast growth, but usually not too serious.

In my own case, on 1.25 MG Premarin for over 5 weeks now, I have noticed NO tenderness or anything else in my breasts, nor any other physical changes. The only real change is in the reduced frequency of hot flashes and a reduced intensity of those hot flashes.

[RavenWings (imported)]

Thank you Andrew,

I'm lucky in that I have not had any problems with hot flashes or the like over the years, even when my body is at its lowest hormone levels. When those times come around (each month) I find myself very sensitive to temperature (I keep my room practically freezing most of the time, any higher and I'm sweating constantly), and sensitive to sounds, light, touch, smells, and even tastes. There have been times when I have shown some symptoms that are similar to menopause, but they never seem to last for very long.

All of that said, I want to say that I'm glad that I finnally got around to joining the message boards. I really needed someplace to talk with reasonable and intellegent people.

So, basically, my body is rather effed up right now.

[CT212 (imported)]

I know that you have all probably answered this somewhere in the various posts, only I cannot seem to find it either through search or through scanning posts. What are the effects of estrogen on the male system without taking anti-androgens?

Hello RavenWings,

Although I am no expert, I can give you first hand experience on the effects of estrogen use on a male. Let me explain. I am a MTF TS [under a doctors care] curently taking estrogen and anti-androgens to to get my hormone levels into the normal female range. Estrogen alone, will give the same effects on the male as estrogen and anti-androgens, eg: breast growth, fat redistrubution, softer skin, reduced body hair growth, atrophy of the genitals, loss of erections, etc. The main difference between taking estrogen, and estrogen with anti-androgens, is the fact that estrogen by itself needs to be taken in a higher dose to achive the same results. Anti-androgens are taken to reduce the levels of male hormones in the system, so that a lower dose of estrogens are required. High doses of estrogen can be harmful as it will raise your BP, and there is a chance for thrombosis [blood clots that can be fatal]. Taking anti-androgens, such as spironolactone along with a lower dose of estrogen, can help reduce high BP and the negative effects of a higher dose of estrogens, thus reducing the chance of a blood clot. I am also taking aspirin, as a blood thining agent, to reduce the chance for a blood clot. Other factors, such as age, smoking and liver damage, can contribute to blood clots too.

I hope some of this information is helpful to you.

Chris

[RavenWings (imported)]

Thanks Chris,

This helped a lot as well. I'm also glad that you have found a decent doctor. I wish that I had one here , but oh well. I do thank you for the information concerning the health risks. I have been researching as much information as I can, but I seem to have hit a limit to what I could find. This may be due more to my lack of knowing what to look for than lack of information available. I've had so many really bad experiances with doctors levels of compitance that I'm often very leary of going to them these days. Mostly, I fear not being beleived. I managed to get one to believe me, and then I moved.

Still, thank you. I will keep in mind the information you have given me.

[A-1 (imported)]

There should be some pretty good doctors in Atlanta, if you are close to there.

I would suggest that you contact your previous doctor, the one that you liked, and see if he can network and find one in your area.

Usually, they have a lot better connections than do the rest of us.

Also, try to find one in a teaching institution. They are better and they usually take more time with their patients.

Good Luck,,

A-1

[RavenWings (imported)]

So far the best tests I've been able to afford is a simple sonogramme, and a homone test. As I said, this is a tentative not conclusive. I appear to have ovaries and a uterous, but sonogrammes are not the most conclusive of tests. My estrogen levels are rather high, but not as high as a womans normally would be. My testosterone levels are also a lot lower than normal, but not as low as would be expected with a woman. I do have breast growth, but certainly nothing very big, and a feminine fat distribution. I do have a monthly cycle which is very similar to a womans (though very eratic), but not menstration because firstly, I don't have anywhere for the menses to come out and secondly, I do not seem to be developing any significant amount of uterine lining (I hope that's the right term) each month.

As for mixed genitalia, I do not have any. Not all true hermaphs have mixtures. There is certainly a growing body of information that many transgenders are actually hermaphs. Typically, they have little more than a pair of ovaries or streaks of ovarian tissue. But this means that they are not transexuals as there is a major physical componant to their need to be female.

I known and understand any skeptisism that may arise from my claims and pronouncements. I hope that what I've said helps put some of that to rest. I am not 100% convinced of this myself. I do not live in a very medically rich place, so getting someplace where I can get full confirmation is rather time and money consuming and until recently, I had a lot of debt and no job. My job does not have benifits, but I hope to have enough money in hand soon enough to be able to finnish out the testing. I've also made contact with someone locally who can tell me where I might find someone who might actually know what they are doing. Then, as always, the problem is getting them to listen and do something.

[happousai (imported)]

RavenWings: If I may be curious... what are you hoping to accomplish by having these tests done, etc.?

[RavenWings (imported)]

happousai,

There are two things I hope to gain from the testing. One is simply that I'm not bloody well bonkers, and the second is that the doctors will know better how to treat me as I go through SRS. There are differences in treating a hermaph or IS during that time then someone who is simply MTF.

Hope that answers your question

[happousai (imported)]

There are two things I hope to gain from the testing. One is simply that I'm not bloody well bonkers, and the second is that the doctors will know better how to treat me as I go through SRS. There are differences in treating a hermaph or IS during that time then someone who is simply MTF.

Ahh, interesting. So you're planning to become a woman? I guess if you're a hermaphrodite have an advantage over normal M2F transsexuals in that you have an ovary that naturally produces estrogen.

[RavenWings (imported)]

yes, to a certain extent. Most of the times the ovaries don't produce enough estrogen to fully supply the body. However, given that there are certain problems with the HRT suppliments, it is certainly helpful to not have to take quite as much of them as would be normal.

Still, thanks