Additional to my last post on hormones / sex function.
This was posted a few hours ago on the medical forum part of tvchix.com
It is by Emma, the resident medical expert & a personal friend of mine.
Her observations apply exactly to the enquiry made by randolph.
I hope they are of use to you & any others interested in medding & cycling
& the effects...
Hi
Please understand that for every reply there is an individual spending time putting the words together. It is often done at the end of a long day or at the start of what should be a relaxing time but always done freely and without agenda.
Recent events have made me, at least, consider this.
Many posts will be views and opinions about the subject matter; they will be anecdotal and have presented personal thoughts. The problem is that (and again recent events have led me to this view) occasionally the subject matter is beyond the scope of 'anecdotal opinion or view'. The need for something more than a subjective thought creates a problem and despite the number of previous threads on the same subject or the 'disclaimer' that things expressed here have no clinical validity (because they do not form part of any structured examination or consultation), people still attempt to use this as an easy route to obtain information.
Please don't misunderstand me, I am certainly not against freely given information and feel that the World Wide Web has transformed access to information and helped countless numbers of individuals both in the transgender Community and the world in general. But we occasionally step into grey areas. We cannot actively promote treatment options especially when those options fall outside (in the case of prescription hormones) established and recognised practice and are without any form of structured assessment.
I can understand Steffy's question but feel that the response is quite complex because it involves a process for recommending prescription medication (let alone feminising hormones, which still have very little prescribing format in this country and dosage levels which are still not recognised within the British National Formulary). I can't say whether it is safe or effective to 'cycle hormones' in this way. This is the same as not being able to say that some drop dead gorgeous Brazilian Transgender sex Goddess with a fabulous body and a huge (working) penis is safe in taking a mountain of generic 'Viagra' whilst filling herself with hormones and builder's silicone. I could say that is risky and that it puts considerable strain on her cardio-vascular system, immune system and other body functions but who knows whether or not she will have an adverse or fatal episode... Of course taking hormones is becoming an established practice for people managing Gender Dysphoria but there are inherent risks which must be evaluated alongside health, well-being and outcomes.
My own view is that hormones taken in this way will have less effect and not achieve a satisfactory outcome. On the one hand fragmenting the hormonal balance for a week or so doesn't allow either a full recovery back to original (male) levels nor does it continue the (slow) pathway to achieve femininity. My own view is that (and with the greatest of respect to Steffy) there are significant issues in taking feminising hormones in the first place. Of course this would appear to some as being insensitive but wanting to be 'a female' is very different from wanting to become 'feminine' and hormones are not simply to help a person be more feminine but to allow an individual to integrate into society as a female (Or a female to male). But now I step on the rights of everyone to have their own wishes met. I am aware that the Gender Recognition Act states that Sex (or Gender) realignment surgery is not a prerequisite or is required to change sex (or Gender) in this county.
The other problem is more to do with why?
Once again within the confines of this public forum I use my own viewpoint because although I never had 'willie hate', having it reconfigured allowed me to feel good about myself and to feel complete. Losing libido was a means to an end but I never felt bad about it because I saw it as part of a process and the overwhelming feeling was that changing the masculine feelings (including sexual perspective) was positive, welcome and logical. Today I have libido, it's very different and certainly not as 'strong' as it was but that's great and I struggle a bit with the thought of retaining my masculine feelings because it wouldn't change me much from who I was?
So now in answering this post I am presented with a number of dilemmas... and I haven't really even begun to answer the OP...
The other descriptive issue is to do with the genitals. I see this as a very black and white thing, it's a penis or it's a vagina. There's nothing politically incorrect in that, there is nothing dismissive or discriminatory in saying that this is a penis and this is a vagina. Some are bigger some are more aesthetic but they are unambiguous. Even intersex has distinct organs (or both) and the dominant one is usually formed and visible as such. When there are exceptions the individual will still have a wish to be one or the other but I guess even exceptions have exceptions. 'A big clitoris' confuses me and this restricts my own ability to offer 'advice' this delays any response I may make because I don't wish to offend but remain objective and honest. Therefore I spend considerable time forming an appropriate answer. This is not about anyone being 'stinky' it isn't that something is wrong with the forum it's about trying to answer the questions.
Often in order to collate a response one has to look at other unspoken factors, maybe add in the fact that some people have a morbid fear of any surgery, seeing it as mutilation rather than enhancement but this still doesn't help with the view of wanting to be sexually active as a male one moment but wanting to be a female another moment (or rather it doesn't help me). A close friend has lived full-time as a female for many years, lives to all intents and purposes in a 'normal' husband and wife relationship. She has changed her gender but feels that there is no need to have genital surgery. But the changes to her libido don't affect her wish to vary her medication she has managed her previous gender dysphoria, reconciled her conflict and established herself to the rest of the world but her focus was on making a transition not retaining masculine attributes.
But back to the subject...
Feminisation can involve many disciplines. Facial surgery can make a vast difference and (once again a very personal opinion) I would argue that most people wishing to transition from male to female would benefit from this type of surgery. Facial hair removal is again a pre-requisite to feminisation because simply females do not have male beards and it can often define a person. Breast augmentation is best performed after some female breast development has occurred (Tanner scale I/II/III), Voice, mannerisms and (dress) style also help. But a female will often still look like a female even when wearing male clothes.
So back to hormones: However I put this it will likely offend someone but taking them isn't just an additional cosmetic application. If they change how you feel or they limit something you enjoy and don't want to lose then.. Don't take them. They're not accessories they are part of a life changing process which sets out to change just about everything in your life. Of course you will still remain human but just about everything else will change and if you're uncomfortable with that please reconsider what it is you want to achieve. They will limit things, maybe your libido, maybe the way people close to you see you and maybe even your health.
But in closing I must also add that approximately half of the population is female and many females have lots of libido. Taking hormones changes libido but it doesn't automatically mean that it will disappear it just means you male libido will.
Sorry not to have been more positive, it isn't about those that do vs. those that don't, it's about understanding the why as well as the implications of.
Kind regards
Emma
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