Hormone Blockers?

[Guest Draik]

I'm (hopefully) going to finally get a therapist. I know I'm not going to get T but there is a certain monthly punctuation thingy that really really really needs to stop or I'm gonna freak. This guy that I've been talking to is a FTM and said to ask about hormone blockers because it delays puberty. It sounds nice but I'm already pretty much through the major changes so I don't know If it would actually be for me. I've tried to do some research about it but I wasn't able to find much. So Has anyone tried hormone blockers? Do I need a therapists approval to get it? I heard from someone that it's just birth control and that FTM just call it hormone blockers to make themselves feel better. They weren't Trans and they probably don't know anything about it so I don't know if I should take them seriously.

[Guest Evan_J]

Yes, there are ways to stop you from creating sex hormones. I actually got prescribed one of them about a year ago not related to transitioning. Its used for females with particular issues, grown men for prostate cancer, and adolescents who have gender issues and the decision has been made to delay puberty. -So much for the birthcontrol myth. This particular one is called Lupron. Google it if you'd like information. Its only obtained through a physician (and is super duper expensive, over 8 times the cost of T and thats PER injection, and they are only done by the physician) so I would think you need a therapist recommendation for the gender issue. Have your parents check with your physician. They would have to approve of such a treatment regardless. Lupron stops all sex hormones from being produced. Both Estrogen and Testosterone.

[Guest YaManShane]

That stopping of the T would be good. I've heard of anti-estrogens supplements used by bodybuilders. They don't require prescription. I don't know too much about it though.

[Guest My_Genesis]

So what exactly would happen to someone who isn't producing estrogen or testosterone?

[Guest Evan_J]

That stopping of the T would be good. I've heard of anti-estrogens supplements used by bodybuilders. They don't require prescription. I don't know too much about it though.

Stay. A-WAY. From. Supplements.

I can't say it enough. The word itself should come with flashing neon red letters spelling "DANGER". Ones that contain T almost always cause liver problems. Some -especially when we start talking "doesn't require a prescription" are in fact meant for cows and horses and other animals NOT HUMANS. And anything that affects your hormones should be under the directon of a doctor. Hormones control a good many things in your body. Not just dirty dreams and whether or not you can get bewbs. They could be deciding whether or not you will have a stroke.

Besides that, and I'll say it once so that no one ends up with a deleted post and explanatory message in their box, the encouraging of "supplements", "herbal remedies" and definately anything illegal is strictly forbidden on this site.

http://www.lauras-playground.com/forums/in...php?showtopic=7

And FYI, a LOT of what bodybuilders will do is just "wrong".

So what exactly would happen to someone who isn't producing estrogen or testosterone?

It stops the further development of secondary sex characteristics for both

For a genetic adolescent female it would....

Stop the feminizing of the face, rounding of cheeks, softening of features

stops development of breasts

Stops development of curves, widening of the hips, accumulation of fat primarily in the lower areas of the body

Stops menstral

For a genetic adolescent male it would....

Stop the masculinizing of the face, broadening of jawline, thickening of bones

stops facial hair from coming in, stops body hair from coming in

stops voice from dropping

stops male body shape development, broadening of shoulders, stops accumulation of muscle over fat

stops creation of mature sperm

and I'm guessing stunts further growth of the penis though I didn't read that one

[Guest My_Genesis]

yeah but what if you're already..adult?

see i can probably use something like that because in addition to getting rid of a lot of female stuff it could also lower sex drive.

[Guest Evan_J]

yeah but what if you're already..adult?

see i can probably use something like that because in addition to getting rid of a lot of female stuff it could also lower sex drive.

I have no knowledge of it being prescribed for an adult due to gender issues. It won't give you any secondary male characteristics. But, in the event that that is not a goal you have physically, ask a physician. a gyn (as they are actually who most often would be prescribing for a genetic adult female) and a gender therapist and see what their take is on that. They could each feel something different

[Guest StrandedOutThere]

The worst thing about going for extended periods without ANY sex hormones would be that your bones will get brittle. That's not cool.

Also, I imagine that the complete lack of E and T would make you act funny. Wouldn't it?

[Guest YaManShane]

The worst thing about going for extended periods without ANY sex hormones would be that your bones will get brittle. That's not cool.

Also, I imagine that the complete lack of E and T would make you act funny. Wouldn't it?

Why you say that? Act like what? Like a little kid or something?

[Guest My_Genesis]

well wouldn't what Draik is asking technically be considered "genetic adult female"?

yeah idk stranded it does seem kinda weird to me other than the bone thing....i mean even little kids have some E and T in their bodies so idk enough about it but if it completely eliminates the release of both it sounds kinda strange lol

[Guest Evan_J]

Sparked by brother Stranded's questions, of course I hadda look for "side affects" and whatall.

In the course of looking I found this interesting article that says within it, the treatment only affects the gonads. Also (and none of us thought of this one) the "serious side affect" it does list is that starting hrt right after having puberty delayed results in automatic sterility. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?...8/INVMT7C9C.DTL

Although, since either Estrogen or Testosterone can protect bone density, I figured the bone question seemed plausible. There was one study that I found were rats were used that did show an affect with regard to bones.

http://74.125.95.132/search?q=cache:6izgtT...cd=21&gl=us

As far as the whole "acting funny" thing, I did find this:

"However, both boys and girls may be much distressed by the physical contrast with their peers and, since sex hormones work on the brain as well as the body, the physical immaturity of delayed puberty is typically also associated with emotional and intellectual immaturity."

Taken from: http://www.bsped.org.uk/patients/nick/DELAYP.htm

Estrogen and Testosterone are primarily Sex hormones, that is their major effects are on reproductive organs, or connected to things concerning that. There are loads of other hormones in the body (about 1953, if you can believe WikiAnswers) that regulate any number of things. Apparently though the major ones these two are related to is sex functions. The main "affects" beyond that which kept being mentioned were psychological affects of not being at the same maturity point as others in the same age group because a lot of social changes revolve around sex.

Good stuff. Doesn't mean theres not lots more info out there. Its just that this is what I found on Google.

[Guest lorddillon]

In my graduate level Hormones and Behavior class we learned that, technically speaking, once a person has undergone puberty, they need neither estrogen nor testosterone. In fact, studies indicate that a person without these actually lives longer than people with intact gonad that produce sex steroids. (this is assuming the person has all needed vitamins and nutrients as to keep their bones strong and stuff like that).

Now, if your body is used to having steroids and you suddenly didn't have any, well then you might act a bit differently at first, but you would eventually just be "normal" again. The steroids affect the brain as well as the sex organs. To say that steroid hormones only affect reproduction is a vast simplification of their actual mechanisms, and is actually rather misleading. Also, there are areas in the brain where we suspect that steroids are generated de novo, i.e. they are produced in small amounts by certain cells in specific parts of the brain, so we might have enough to be normal even without gonads.

Now, I wouldn't want to go without them because I feel so much better on T, but if there was a case where I was unable to get them: say for example if I had a hysterectomy already and so wasn't producing any estrogen and then couldn't get my T shot for some horrible reason - I would probably feel really crappy for a couple of weeks, then I would be normal again after my brain adjusted to the new, lower hormonal balance

[Guest Evan_J]

Well thank god somebody who's been studying this stuff chimed in

However, still interesting that you could in fact live a "normal" life without either and I think really that was the question.

[Guest YaManShane]

lol

[Guest aaronsmom]

AJ was actually prescribed Lupron by our endo. We had to undergo much testing, particularly bone density scans, checking calcium levels, checking hormone levels, etc.

AJ has to take calcicum to protect his bones, since we will be stopping the estrogen and the dr says will be at much higher risk for brittle bones. I would imagine, in the same way women are, after menopause.

Lupron was created for "precocious puberty" or children who experience puberty at a very earlier age. It is also used for women with endometriosis, men with testicular cancer and a few other things.

Our insurance actually covers the drug. I was terrified it wouldn't, because of the reason it was prescribed. Much to my relief, it does not matter to your insurance *why you are prescribed the drug, only that the actual drug is available on their formulary.

We start the Lupron injections this week! I will report back after