Cycling sex hormones

[Guest Charlemagne]

I identify as bigender, and I've been on T for nearly 4 years now. I do not regret it and enjoy most of the effects, but I've been wanting to present as female nearly continually lately and was considering temporarily (as in, for a year or two) "retransitioning" to female and starting birth control for period discontinuation and contraception.

Is there anything more dangerous about cycling my hormones in increments of several years (T to birth control to T to birth control, specifically) than simply sticking with one or the other? Any problems I might not think about?

I am talking to my doctor soon, who is something of a physical transition expert, but I think this may be new territory even for her.

[KathrynJulia]

You really need to talk to your doctor about this. Nobody here is an expert on medications. We normally discourage giving medical advice because we really prefer folks to seek medical advice from a licensed doctor experienced in horones. They can research and find out peer supported information that won't hurt you. Information received from other via the internet can be advice that can hurt you. Everyones medical conditions and health are different.

Advice that might be right for one person can be deadly for another person. Hormones use need to be monitored by lab tests and those can only be ordered by a doctor.

Kathryn

[Carolyn Marie]

There's no better advice than what Kathryn just gave you, hon. Talk to your M.D. If they aren't sure, they know how to research the literature.

HUGS

Carolyn Marie

[Guest ~Brenda~]

Laura's Playground cannot advise on medical concerns.

Your doctor is the only one who can answer your question.

Brenda

[Guest Paradox]

I cannot advise you on medicine's but as one whose body jumped across the hormone line twice a year due to medical reasons, I can tell you that such a thing is not easy on your body. Your musculature has a certain pull on joints and bones. Gender hormones dramatically change muscle strength and shape thus the previously mentioned pull changes. Think pain. Your body soft tissue around joints and bones just hurts from everything shifting. This happened every six months for me, so it was pretty rapid and radical change. YMMV.

Good luck to you. We all need a little luck now and then!

[Guest Charlemagne]

Thanks, you guys. I appreciate the caution.

Paradox, that IS something I didn't consider. I don't remember the growing pains from testosterone, but that was like four years ago. I'll ask my doctor about it.

We've known each other for a while and she handles all my hormone stuff, but she is of course keeping tabs on how the "retransition" is going by speaking regularly with my therapist. I was, however, granted permission. I don't plan on switching hormones any more than once a year or every two...unless I decide that this was a completely bad decision, in which case I'll slowly get back on testosterone.

She says there's no increased risk of liver damage beyond what either of the medications would cause, no issues resulting from menstrual suppression (I was worried even when I started the T--just doesn't seem "right", lol), but that I need to watch carefully for mood changes and see if I can emotionally handle a more female body and not flip out due to dysphoria I didn't know I would experience.

So the plan is that in the next few weeks, I taper off my T and start taking a combination pill as soon as I stop fully! I'm excited. I've been presenting as female maybe 25% of the time since I started T and became more comfortable with myself, but I've wanted to do it a LOT more lately, hence the doctor discussion. My boyfriend and I will be attending couple's therapy as well...he's gay and is having a mini identity crisis atm.