Weed While On Hrt

[Guest Mikku]

Hey everyone, first time posting in this thread :3

i dont smoke (or ingest) weed at all, but i have a mtf friend who does, extremelly frequently and i keep trying to tell her its a bad idea to be doing this while on HRT, are these feelings well placed or just somewhat well placed?

i know its "not a good idea" just as its never a good idea while on any other meds, but i mean are there any SPECIFIC reasons why it could be counterproductive to the hrt's effects? thanks for any info if anyone has any!

[Guest Donna Jean]

.

Honey...

Here are a few things that pot does to a female....

Take note of the increased Testosterone levels and that female hormones are repressed....things that you'd not want as a MTF...

Increase in testosterone levels for women and increased risk of infertility

Just as in Males, marijuana effects the female in the part of the brain that controls the hormones, which determines the sequence in the menstrual cycle. Its been said that females who smoked or used marijuana on a regular basis had irregular menstrual cycles, the female hormones were depressed, and the testosterone level was raised. Even though this effect may be reversible, it may take several months of no marijuana use before the menstrual cycles become normal again.

And of course the biggest reason?

It's illeagal...

Huggs

Donna Jean

[Guest AshleyK]

I wouldn't have thought there would be much of a problem, unless it was smoked with tabacco obviously. Cannabis isn't as deadly as some people would like you to believe.

[Guest Mikku]

i never said it was deadly, i hang around my freinds all the time who smoke, i have no problem with it morally, BUT the thing is i feel it can negatively affect MTF hormones, and thanks for that info DJ.

(this makes some sense, cause i have a ftm freind who smokes all the time, and it doesnt seem to affect him at all but that would explain why)

[Guest Natalie92]

.

Honey...

Here are a few things that pot does to a female....

Take note of the increased Testosterone levels and that female hormones are repressed....things that you'd not want as a MTF...

Increase in testosterone levels for women and increased risk of infertility

Just as in Males, marijuana effects the female in the part of the brain that controls the hormones, which determines the sequence in the menstrual cycle. Its been said that females who smoked or used marijuana on a regular basis had irregular menstrual cycles, the female hormones were depressed, and the testosterone level was raised. Even though this effect may be reversible, it may take several months of no marijuana use before the menstrual cycles become normal again.

And of course the biggest reason?

It's illeagal...

Huggs

Donna Jean

I'm with you on the illegal part (although everyone -including the cops to a degree- seem to forget that on a college campus), but the menstrual problems wouldn't affect an MTF because we don't have cycles anyway. And as far as infertility goes, HRT does the same thing.

Natalie

[aura willow hazel]

a l0tta recent scientific research links use of pot and weed with hypoestrogenisation in girls delayed puberty (as in hormones work less for MtF) TESTOSTERONE SPIKES (which in MtF means your t messes you up more and in FtM can result in cancellation of your mones) , upset development cycles in both physical sexes and disturbed hormonal/menstural cycles too, translation HRT is less effective and takes longer to make said changes. It is also a long term depressant meaning the worst possible thing for any transfolks to take. Add to that lowered sex drive in males or FtM and you can see why MtF or FtM drugs ar soooo not a good idea.

[Michelle 2010]

a l0tta recent scientific research links use of pot and weed with hypoestrogenisation in girls delayed puberty (as in hormones work less for MtF) TESTOSTERONE SPIKES (which in MtF means your t messes you up more and in FtM can result in cancellation of your mones) , upset development cycles in both physical sexes and disturbed hormonal/menstural cycles too, translation HRT is less effective and takes longer to make said changes. It is also a long term depressant meaning the worst possible thing for any transfolks to take. Add to that lowered sex drive in males or FtM and you can see why MtF or FtM drugs ar soooo not a good idea.

Maybe she's just trying to increase bust size... (see available research on males). J/K Actually, if she's like I used to be she is trying to escape Reality temporarily. I learned along the way that my belief was wrong. What I was really trying to escape was "me". When I can back from each little vacation I was still stuck with...me. I don't need to escape from me any longer. Chronic use of the Chronic-not good. I think I could very easily lose sight of whats real and whats illusion in the Trans World if I was stoned all the time. Maybe fall down a rabbit hole and never come back.

[Guest erinanita]

Smoking anything is not a good idea for anyone. Period. But for anyone who is taking estrogen it can be disastrous.

I recently was talking with my doctor about pain management. Apparently, marijuana is the best painkiller for some circumstances. But the doctor also said that it is not advised by the AMA to prescribe anything that requires smoking. He did prescribe cesamet. It is in capsule form. I looked it up and it is a canabinol closely related to weed. It works in exactly the same way.

My concern here is that I wasn't aware that it might affect my hormones. Better check into that.

Thtufus.

[Guest stranger]

The high doses of estrogen pre-op MtF women get to take predisposes them to blood clots in the lungs, so smoking ANYTHING is a bad idea. Not qualified to say how it would twink with the hormones, but thought it would put out weak phytoestrogens that would interfere with the high-test ones you're popping in pill form. Phytoestrogens can shut out your real estrogens by blocking the receptor site with a weaker substitute, I'm given to understand (and why I likes my soy...heheh)

I won't deny I used to burn a little rope socially in my younger days, but...between my asthma, my depressive disorder and random pee tests for my job....SO not worth it. Pot will add to depression if used more than a tiny bit in very rare while, the same as alcohol. It will likely give you the munchies, leading to weight gain.

(and if they ever legalize it nationwide, I am investing all I can in Frito-Lay stock and whoever makes Little Debbie snack cakes. )

But, yeah, it's not good for you to smoke, it's not good to use pre-op, it can have negative side-effects, and it's illegal, so I can't in good conscience recommend it. You might get busted or something. Besides that, being illegal, you don't know what's in it. And that could be BAD.

[Guest Esperanza Xochitl]

I would like to point out that I would have starved myself to death (and hence not be alive to take hrt) if it wasn't for weed. For quite a few years it was the only way I could trick myself into eating instead of trying to make myself skinnier. (I have more than one type of dysphoria)

My mother, being a medical doctor, has pointed out to me that weed is medically less harmful than tobacco or alcohol.

How about you have a desire to starve yourself for weeks on end and try and tell me that weed is bad?

On another note, I have a close friend I met some pride event years ago who is an AIDS activist and is HIV positive himself. He has been using weed in both natural and pill form for medical purposes for years. He (a cisgendered man) has actually grown breasts as result of the heavy medical use. (I figured I'd throw that fact out there) Weed has shown in quite a few studies to cause breast growth.

Where I'm going with this or what I'm concluding, I've completely forgot, but I don't think the issue of weed is completely cut and dry either way.

When my mom found out I was taking hormones (and having some knowledge of estrogen being an OBGYN) said she didn't worry if I smoked weed but urged me to quit smoking tobacco cigarettes. She also encouraged me to quit drinking. She also told me to quit opiates and benzodiazopines, (but that one she had already really been stressing for a while before.)

[Guest Esperanza Xochitl]

And of course the biggest reason?

It's illeagal...

One little point if I may, women voting was once illegal as were labor unions. In some points in history in some countries dancing was illegal.

There was a time in the U.S. when the Jim Crowe Laws were the law in the south. Slavery has been legal at times throughout most of history. Child labor has been legal.

Let us not forget the three items of gender clothing laws that once existed here in the USA. Oh, did I mention that the laws banning sodomy were only deemed unconstitutional by the supreme court within the last decade or two?

My point is human history is a history of getting morals, ethics, laws, rules, etc dead wrong. Illegal=/=Wrong

"When injustice becomes law, the just must become outlaws"

To make my statement obvious, being illegal should never be the biggest reason. Commonsense, common good, or just what is the right thing to do should be the biggest reason for anything.

So now I will step down off my soap box since I hate standing on it any how.

Ciao,

Esperanza

[Milly]

Id say its bad if it increases testerone production in mtf.... im quitting or in the process of doing so >_< its so hard...

[Guest JaniceW]

Esperanza,

Your mother is a wise woman. I find myself agreeing with your take on the weed issue. The problem with weed to me is that it feels good and therefore is potentially abused and overused. Moderation is the key to most things in life that become too good for our own good and moderation can be very difficult. It is hard to evaluate what is OK and what is too much and usually one doesn't find out they are doing "too much" until it is "too late".

As for the benzodiazapines the problem there is that estrogen potentiates them (causes them to be more effective) so dosages are screwed up as your hormone levels change and you can overdose without realizing it.

It is easy to jump to conclusions about these things and folks often do. Usually their positions are based on their overall attitude about the subject and not necessarily on any scientific information about it. I doubt there are many studies for marijuana and hormones (either E or T) being used together, so the scientific resources are few and far between and our source of information becomes the old wives tales told over the back fence.

[Milly]

i officially quit as of 5 minutes ago. I gave up all my weed to my roomie. Its gonna suck.

[JJ]

i officially quit as of 5 minutes ago. I gave up all my weed to my roomie. Its gonna suck.

Good for you Ash! You know you have lots of friends here you can PM if it gets too bad.

Hugs

John

[Guest RadioheadRachael]

The best strategy I find with weed is, don't buy your own. It's relatively difficult to get, so there's no impulse purchasing. If someone offers it to you, go ahead and enjoy some with your friend. It won't have any major effects on your hormones unless it's significant usage, or any other major effects on you.

That said, I don't have an addictive personality, so I can quit anything non-physically addicting very easily. So if you are the addictive personality, maybe just stay away.

[Guest stranger]

I personally think weed's generally less harmful than alcohol, ought to be legal, and it has medicinal uses.

(Besides the fact that locking up pot smokers is usually a waste of taxes)

But this lady's inhaling burnt stuff, so that's a probable carcinogen, possible causer of COPD if she smokes enough (although to be fair, that takes an awful lot of marijuana), and she's doing it habitually. It's not the safest consumption pathway and it is explicitly recreational.

Reality vacations are occasionally good, but when you're never home, you have a problem.

[Guest miss kindheart]

Well I might be wrong , but this is my take on it.

I don't think it is just weed and HRT that is a bad combination, it is smoking (Period) and hrt that is the bad combination.

HRT has a serious side effect that it tends to cause Clots in your blood , and possible DVT (Deep vein thrombosis)

The place it shows up first are the smallest veins.

Those are in your, lungs, lower legs, and brain.

Of course when a clot hits your brain it is usually too late

Smoking will mask most clotting that other wise you would notice in in your respiratory system.

It is important to report and difficulty breathing to you Dr when you are on HRT.

vanna

[Guest Ezzy]

I personally think weed's generally less harmful than alcohol, ought to be legal, and it has medicinal uses.

Couldnt agree more, the only thing though is that. Like every other drug, every individual usin it reacts to it in a diffrent way.

That being said, weed for some people is a gateway drug. Not sayin marijuana is bad, Coz i smoke more than necessary

Just know what your smokin an how it'll impact your HRT.

[Guest Zenda]

What's that funny smell???

[Guest Deandra]

Smoking is wrong no matter what. Hope u stay clean mikku

Deandra

[Guest RadioheadRachael]

Smoking isn't "wrong". Yes, it's a poor health decision, but it could be a great social, mental health, or artistic decision as well. Great inspiration has been known to come from the marijuana.

[Guest tiffany_marie]

Personally, I don't see very much inherently wrong with marijuana.

Yes I know it's still illegal in most parts of the world, though honestly alcohol is more harmful in many ways... would actually say most ways.

This is coming from a person who's smoking days are long behind her, I've not smoked in a good four or five years and never plan to again (in the interest of full disclosure, even when I did smoke it was more of a once every three or four month sort of thing)

I do however drink a nice well made beer on occasion and will still readily admit that alcohol is worse for a person in my opinion.

I have friends that still smoke on a regular basis and some are active in trying to reform marijuana laws.

I support their cause, even if the partaking of it isn't for me.

As a final note, don't know if it's such good idea while on HRT.. that's the only caveat I have about it's use.

[Guest DravenFoxx]

well although i dont smoke anymore when i started t, im ftm, i asked my endo if there were any risks to me smoking on hrt and he told me it wouldnt affect my results at all. so thats all the input i have, idk if its dif for mtf

[Guest Jo-Ann]

my endo wasnt too concerned that i smoked pot he told me there were no studies done on this but he did say that pot might still have tar in it so blood clots is still an issue and he said the same thing that it would have no affect on what we were trying to do he did say if i do smoke pot to take an asprin

btw im not promoting pot use just relating what my doctor had said