Hrt And It's Effects On Personal Likes And Hobbies.

[Guest piinyouri]

First to start, I am not on HRT, and in all likelihood, that is still a long ways off unfortunately.

However I've often pondered just what the extent of the changes will be. How profoundly and in what ways will it affect what I enjoy doing?

Example, two things I enjoy a lot are metal music and drumming, particularly in the metal style.

My fear is that after HRT my interest in these things might wane or disappear completely.

Does anyone have any experiences to relate to maybe put my mind at ease with this subject? : )

[Guest Alexandra89]

I still play music (flute, guitar, harp, piano) as much as my schedule will allow, and I've been on hormones for almost 5 months. The rest of my interests haven't really been affected directly, though just feeling batter in general has affected some of them indirectly, I'm sure.

[Paula ult]

I am over 3 years on hrt and post op, i still like NASCAR, bicycling, gardening and just about everything i did before i transitioned.

Just because you transition does not mean you have to give up everything you liked doing.

Paula

[Guest NatalieRene]

I've been on hrt since January of 2010 and I am still every bit of the computer geek that I was before starting. I don't play World of Warcraft anymore but I attribute that to just being bored with the game since I have been playing the game since vanilla. I don't spend as much time on techie things but that is because socially I have much more of a life now. In summary I'm the same me just happier.

[Guest Riana]

I noticed that as I began to open up to my feelings, the things I used to enjoy just don't really do it for me anymore. Depending on how much you stuffed your feelings away that might make a big difference to you too. And I haven't started HRT yet.

[Guest Vixen Amber]

It's all the same as before just feel better over all. I do however noticed my attention span to things is shorter than before. Probably because I was more miserable before and just wanted to escape the world. Still I will play morrowind for hours at a time.

[Guest NatalieRene]

Wow you still play Morrowind? I haven't played that game in ages. I remember it being awesome but if I play elder scrolls I mostly play Oblivion now.

[Guest Vixen Amber]

Oblivion is crap compared to Morrowind in my opinion. Especially cause I have both completely modded out. Not even the same game I still prefer New vegas though

[Guest Julie T]

I have been on HRT for 33 months and I have the same interests I had as a male to a degree, but there are some changes. These changes have more to do with my decrease in muscle strength, and my grooming as a woman. For example, I keep my nails long now so I avoid working on the car and doing dirty type work, at least putting on gloves, I also have to hold tools differently Also with my long hair, I get hot doing outside work, so I avoid that now. I also have noticed that as a full-time woman opportunities are more open for me. I shop for fabrics and sew, and I can talk with other women about techniques and ask questions more freely than I felt I could as a male. Also, here is more interest in pretty things, clothes, shoes, make-up, hairstyling, and things that make me look good, so I don't have the free time for other activities like before.

And I have started cooking again. As a male it was special dishes, like BBQ grilling and such, but now it is more everyday and subsistence cooking. I therefore have a hobby that has changed into a real job, cooking for the three of us.

We are treated differently as women. Dee Jay and I went to a gun and knife show. We were treated totally different, and it was nice. My interests were similar, of course, but with a woman's viewpoint. I looked at purses with a gun holster built in. I looked at defensive knives made for a woman's use. I bought gun ammo shot shells, for my 44 magnum, instead of standard ammo, knowing I no longer had the strength to fire that bad boy. The shot shells are defensive and I no longer consider going to the range for target shooting, as its too hard to carry ammo boxes and such. Right now I can still chamber my automatics, but I know I will eventually have to sell and replace them with revolvers. I can hardly load the clips and pulling the cocking mechanism is sometimes iffy.

And my computer site interests have changed. I get more into sites where I can help people, because my empathy level has increased a hundred fold. I now dislike those violent computer games. It's not that I have gone all 'pink' but rather I am less 'red,' not liking all that teenage boy aggression stuff anymore. My tastes in television shows and books has changed drastically. Even the movies I have seen a hundred time are now like they are brand new.

Do you remember the scene in Sleepless in Seattle where the guys were making fun of the woman watching the old movie An affair to Remember ? - it's like that.

I still like long distance bicycling, and I want to get back to backpacking. I just now have to tailor my activities to my physical resources.

Yes, you keep the old and you develop the new. But isn't that what you want? To be your true self?

Julie

[Guest NatalieRene]

Oblivion is crap compared to Morrowind in my opinion. Especially cause I have both completely modded out. Not even the same game I still prefer New vegas though

Nah Oblivion isn't crap just a little dumbed down in the stats but that isn't as important as the immersion the game creates. Oblivion has it's moments. My favorite quest was the one in the assassin's guild where you get locked in the house with other guests with the goal of killing them one by one. if you do it right they start turning on each other and you can get the last two to kill each other without lifting a finger. Then there was the paranoid guy that asks you to spy on random strangers because he thinks they are all out to get him. LOL The game is classic. Not that Morrowind isn't but Oblivion is far from crap.

[Guest Vixen Amber]

Yes the dark brotherhood quests were amazing I will say that IT suffered from the same thing Fallout did. 1 the same graphix and 2 it just was so bland outside of the towns. All the same surroundings you see. I do like when you are able to go to sheogeraths realm. That was alot of fun.

[Guest chngnwnd]

I have a social life now - so I no longer game online like I used to. Also, I find I eat a lot healthier, but it was not really a conscious choice. It just sort of happened. My food cravings are a little different now.

hugs,

Bobbi

[Guest Risu]

I have to agree on Lizzy in that, I used to watch visually graphic shows and lots of horror movies. Before where I could look at internal organs and not flinch now... I just don't want to see that kind of thing. It doesn't make me sick or anything I just don't care to see it so I close my eyes or look away. Working as an EMT and ER Tech I've seen all those things for real anyways, so now I really notice how fake some stuff looks which ruins the movie anyway.

Also as far as interests, they didn't change but I found new ones. I was able to more fully infulge my feminine side and I was able to find new passion in hobbies like Cross Stitch, knitting and crocheting. My dislike of sports, aggression and competitiveness only increased. I don't get angry or annoyed as easily anymore and over all I just feel better, like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders.

Anyways, I know lots of female metalheads and I am sure there are plenty of women drummers. I don't think you'll have to worry about that changing just because of HRT.

[Carolyn Marie]

I still have the same interests I did before HRT: reading, science, baseball (watching, not playing), football, fishing, etc. But i find more enjoyment in socializing now, especially with other women. It's much easier, and I do things I would never have dreamed of doing before, like touching, hugging and kissing (woman to woman).

I also like clothes shopping a lot more than I used to, and can spend an hour or more in a store now, whereas previously I would rush into a men's store or department, find what I needed and rush out (after paying, of course. LOL!).

Carolyn Marie

[Guest piinyouri]

Wow, thanks everyone!

Your stories were very helpful and put my mind at ease.

I too hope I can take some of the me now and mix it with some of the me post HRT and somewhere in the middle, discover who I really am.

<3

[Guest Donna Jean]

,

Good answers......

I like lots of my old stuff and I like lots of new stuff....

So, in the big picture, I think that I come out ahead!

Huggsw

'Donna Jean

[Guest Nostros]

hehe I dunno if it was HRT, but after I started it my creative hobbies turned into earring and pin crafting, also nail art, eventually gained a manicurist proffesion and now am studying cosmetology

[Guest Alexandra89]

I still play music (flute, guitar, harp, piano) as much as my schedule will allow, and I've been on hormones for almost 5 months. The rest of my interests haven't really been affected directly, though just feeling batter in general has affected some of them indirectly, I'm sure.

I'm going to figure out which one of my fingers slipped when I typed that so I can cut it off and throw it out the window. Excuse me.

[Guest Aly Kat]

I'm going to figure out which one of my fingers slipped when I typed that so I can cut it off and throw it out the window. Excuse me.

I felt "batter" once... BIG mistake D: I didn't know you played music! that's awesome =)

but yeah... like everyone else has been saying, I've been on HRT for about a year and half & my personality hasn't changed THAT much. I still like the same bands, foods, etc. etc. Some of my senses have changed a little bit I think so I like candles more than I did... and I think Eminem sounds "hotter" than he used to =P and I have less headaches, so I can listen to louder stuff. I dunno... being on the correct hormones kinda just amplified who I already was. I play drums too btw =D

[Guest piinyouri]

Aly: That's great to hear! How long have you played?

[Guest Miss_Construe]

First to start, I am not on HRT, and in all likelihood, that is still a long ways off unfortunately.

However I've often pondered just what the extent of the changes will be. How profoundly and in what ways will it affect what I enjoy doing?

Example, two things I enjoy a lot are metal music and drumming, particularly in the metal style.

My fear is that after HRT my interest in these things might wane or disappear completely.

Does anyone have any experiences to relate to maybe put my mind at ease with this subject? : )

Still rocking and drumming strong at 7.5 Months.

I'm interested in more things, but it is more like relief from depression than HRT.

April