The Danger Of Diy Hormone Use.

[Guest Sascha]

I asked Laura permission to share my story with you all. The reason I asked, is because it is serious stuff.

You probably heard the warning everywhere you went: Don't do it yourself, get help, get an endocrinologist, get therapy. And it is true. I cannot stress this enough, and that's why I want to share my story.

Literally hundreds (if not thousands) beautiful transgenders already died due to self-medication. We probably will never know how many. But the fact is, people get strokes, people get liver failure, people die, people like YOU and ME. And the only reason I am still here is because I came back to my senses. I know how bad you want hormones, I've been there too. I understand how smart and cautious you are, I was too. And yet, I used self medicating hormones with disastrous results. My doctor told me that If I never have done that blood test and kept on medicating myself, my liver would have collapsed beyond repair. I am in "luck" that I was smart enough to get my blood-work done before that happened.

I used herbal hormones for over two years.

I felt great, I felt what I wanted to feel. I did not feel any discomfort, and did not know that I was slowly poisoning my liver. You only notice when something is wrong with the most important organ in the human body when it's too late. You might think, it's herbal so it's natural, right? Wrong. In fact, some herbal hormones are so potent that they release a large dosage of metabolites in the liver when it processes those herbs. Phyto-hormones contain so many different chemicals that you are playing dice with your liver. If you use herbal hormones to enlarge your breast, (think about how ridiculous this actually is) you might want to consider to quit. Hormones do not only work on your breast tissue. They go throughout the body, in the brain, in the liver. Anyone who says that herbal hormones only works on the breasts is a flat out liar. I got all the blood-work. I got it all on paper. I got a damaged liver.

My liver was leaking enzymes into my blood.

That only happens when liver cells are dying, or when you are on the brink of a heart attack. But you won't notice it. You think you are fine. And that is the danger. Liver disease is like a silent killer hiding in the distance to take you down when you least expect it. Not only liver enzymes were leaking into my blood, also my blood was thicker than normal raising the risk of a stroke and heart attack. Do you want that to happen? No, you don't. The stone cold reality: People, manufacturers take advantage of your weakness and sell you the pipe dream of bigger breasts. It simply doesn't work that way. Please learn from my mistakes. Learn from Laura, learn from those who warn you from the grave: those who aren't here anymore because they did the same as you and me. Let us, let them be a reason for you to NEVER EVER consider to self medicate yourself with hormones. I didn't heed the advice I was given, so I don't expect anyone to learn from me either. But I feel it is my duty to WARN you. If you read this and if you are self medicating or if you want to start self medicating, please read this again and again.

You are loved, we know how difficult it is for you. But stand your ground, keep faith, trust in the wisdom from the members on Laura's forum and be willing to learn form our mistakes. Please.

[Guest LittleKaitlyn]

I'm a little lost for words, but I request a sticky!

[Guest JaniceW]

Sasha,

Thank you for sharing this very important experience with us. You will never know how many lives you may be saving by telling everyone your story.

[JenniferB]

I am glad you posted Sascha. And the fact you did shows you are caring about others who don't have the patience. If you even save one life it is worth it. Thanks for posting this warning. You are making a difference and saving lives.

Jenny

[Guest Elizabeth K]

ALL

Read this!

We get so many new people here looking for answers, asking questions. Often it is about self medication, and sometimes these include herbal hormones (phyto-hormones).

I have argued with new people on Laura's about the dangers of this. Laura herself has had huge health problems because of this. Yet, people blow all that off and want to go on their own.

It breaks my heart, so PLEASE READ THIS!

Lizzy

[Paula ult]

Sascha, this is a very important message you tell, and from a regular member not from us that moderate this site, who btw are also just happen to regular people just like everyone else here.

It is not just the herbals that can kill you but regular hormones bought off the internet people self medicate with that can and do cause blood clots, liver failure etc. i raise my hand because i self medicated 7 months before doing things the correct way, i was stupid and foolish for doing this, especially since i had a heart attack and stroke 7 years before i started to transition, i was lucky i did no harm.

A friend of mine would still be alive today if she heeded these warnings, she self medicated, took double the dosage to try to get faster and better results, she had a heart attack and died, she was only 35 years old and had 3 young children.

It is simply amazing what these small pills do, but they are very powerful and taking more is not better, that is why regular blood tests are important, to make sure the levels are not too high and that your liver and other organs are not being damaged, if you take more than prescribed you could be literally flushing your money down the drain, the human body can only absorb so much, the excess is removed from the body.

Paula

[Sally]

Thank you for sharing your story, I hope that you caught it early enough to be able to recover, it is a very high price to pay for impatience and a manufacturer's greed.

These stories are real, hormones are not something to play with - this is serious business and needs to be monitored by medical professionals not marketing esecutives.

Love ya,

Sally

[Guest Donna Jean]

.

This is EXACTLY why we are against self medication.....

It's the site policy and will remain so.......

We NEED to be monitored! Period!

Donna Jean

[Guest tiffany_marie]

Thank you for sharing your story and I'm sorry for the health challenges you have faced.

I'm not going to lie, or sugarcoat things... I've had some still mystery health issues these past couple of years and once I get to the point on an endo appointment, if they were to tell me that hormones were a no-go (as unlikely as it might be) due to said health issues, I was going to strongly consider self medication.

I say was, because stories like this one scare me too much to even consider it anymore. I figure if the first endo shoots me down, I'll just try another one and if again shot down... just deal with it the best I can, without doing something so serious and potentially life threatening.

[Petra Jane]

Yes, Many thanks for sharing your story, if it helps just one person see the dangers of self-medication, that can only be a good point. I just hope those who are dead set against any such warnings can be bothered to read your story and TAKE NOTE instead of saying "I know better than you! I'll do it my way!" before they die from self medication of any hormones!

Sascha

[Drea]

Thank you for the personal experience.

I felt great, I felt what I wanted to feel

Wonders during that time if you may have advocated to others that they do the same because of how great it felt to you and the perceptions as to results?

Don't know if that was true with you or not but I seen others to it. The euphoria of doing somehting, the belief in something creates a strong placebo effect. Thus the myth gets perpetuated.

Even with doctor perscribed hormones exaggerated perceptions are common enough. I think all the glowing talk such as "great" or "wonderful" tend to encourage people to find any way possible to get them.

That isn't to say that hormones are o no value. They are however just a single treatment and only part of a bigger process.

I tend to be suspicious of any claims that largly consist of glowing generalizations.

[Guest Sascha]

Drea, it was indeed euphoria like. But with feeling great also came with the changes. Softer skin, etc.

[Guest Orva26]

I've had the occasional thought to self medicate buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut at each point I knew I was not anywhere 'mature' enough to go alone. Learning of the health risk pretty much killed those ideas.

Well I'm glad you're alright Sascha!

[Guest Linus Thomas]

And this is also true for FTMs and those that try to self medicate on Testosterone. There is a reason for those blood tests and such.

[Guest angie]

I have been a member long enough,and read Laura's warnings enough times

that I wouldn't and never did try herbals.I had a good friend,a genetic

guy,who used herbals and one morning he didn't wake up.And who found his

cold stiff body? His six year old son.Don't play with fire,don't take a

chance with your life,and don't do herbals.

Angelique

[Guest Millie]

Hi.

I have read all these posts with interest and it did make me think.

However, how does one move forward in ones aim when it is impossible to take the necessary actions to monitor ones health?

For about 20 months I have been taking herbs; they are a, supposed to be, T blocker and one that is proported to be of the highest estrogen level.

I know what I want but how do I go along to my GP and explain to them what I desire?

I recognise that as a biomale wanting breasts is unusual and, in some peoples eyes, perverse, but it is what I need to enjoy my life.

Isn't life about choices and risk? Whether it is bungee jumping from some great height or some other such dangerous activity which gives meaning and fulfillment or whether it is sitting enjoying a drink and cigarette.

As is so often stated we only have one life and surely it is there to be enjoyed?

Thank you for reading this post which is how I feel about wanting to fulfill my dream.

Kind regards,

Sarah

[Guest AlexForever]

And this is also true for FTMs and those that try to self medicate on Testosterone. There is a reason for those blood tests and such.

Also it is very possible to take too much T, which not only is harmful, it also means that excess testosterone gets converted to estrogen.

So not only you take serious health risks, it will also probably be useless because you are likely to take too much and have the opposite effects of what you wanted (it is not uncommon for FtM who have their T dose too high to see their breasts growing, as for an example).

[MackenzieB]

Oh, almost forgot. Had a conversation with Kathleen Rose last night while we were out. I was telling her what herbals did for me over a 6 month period back in 2002 and thought that I'd post it here.

Positive effects of 6 months of Herbals:

None. Except my wallet was a little lighter.

Negative effects of 6 months of Herbals:

Oh, where to start? How about the $1000 bill for the ambulance ride to the emergency room after having a massive seizure in a Barnes & Nobel? Or the subsequent loss of my driver's license for 6 months due to the seizure (state law).

Time spent for medical exams? CT, MRI, EEG, Basic xray exam. Cumulatively it was DAYS spent getting examined. Not hours, it was DAYS. Laying in MRI scanners, Cat scanners, laying on exam tables with all of those friggin' electrodes attached to my head for EEG tests.

You wanna try self medicating or try doing Herbals? It's your life. I can't tell you what to do or not do.

I can only tell you what it did for me. I hope this helps clear this up for at least one other person.

Just do it the right way, get a therapist AND a Doctor. GET MONITORED.

If you're determined to self medicate, maybe just don't do it at all. You only have one life.

[Guest chinee]

yeah for me I would say no to self medicate... and by the way this is new to me that there are so called "herbal hormones". I want to know what are these herbal estrogen for MTF so that I would know which one should I get rid off... is estradiol valerate is consider to be herbal hormones? what about the estrofem?

[MackenzieB]

yeah for me I would say no to self medicate... and by the way this is new to me that there are so called "herbal hormones". I want to know what are these herbal estrogen for MTF so that I would know which one should I get rid off... is estradiol valerate is consider to be herbal hormones? what about the estrofem?

Estradiol Valerate is what a lot of Doc's prescribe. Under monitoring it's fine. Estrofem is a phytoestrogen (meaning it's herbal).

[Guest chinee]

Oh really? but they say there are two estrofem. The estroFem labeled with big letter F and estrofem with small letter F. they say the one that was labeled with big letter F is the herbal thing one. This is the picture of the estrofem I am taking...

[link removed]

I dont know why my doctor would prescribe me something dangerous... If estradiol valerate is the kind of estrogen that is safer in HRT, I wont mind suggesting to my doctor that from estrofem + spiro, i want to be in estradiol valerate injectibles + spiro

Edited August 13, 2011 by bernii
linked removed - hormone dosages are not allowed

[Carolyn Marie]

Chinee, we're not going to be able to resolve this for you. You need to discuss it thoroughly with your doctor. He/she should know what they are prescribing, and should be able to discuss the pros and cons with you. If they don't know what they're prescribing, you may need a new doctor.

Carolyn marie

[Guest Sarahwr]

Hi.

This is a "further to" my post in May regarding self medication of herbs.

I hope the moderators will allow it to be posted because it puts me and my situation into some perspective.

You will be aware I took herbs for about 20 months to promote breast growth and make me a more relaxed and kindlier person.

As a result of the warnings on this site I went to see a GP for blood tests.

Luckily nothing significant was found and I did agree, at that time, with my GP to stop the herbs and not to self medicate hormones.

Now nearly 3 months later I'm afraid self medicating has raised it head again.

I have been having specialtist GD counselling for about 6 weeks and also I have had a psychiatric assessment the results of which I await.

The problem is my life is A) on hold and passing me by.

I'm afraid unless I receive some positive action for me moving towards the person I need to be before I depart this miserably life I will self medicate hormones.

For my own peace of mind I have to know I am doing everything in my power to enjoy what remaining time I have left and that it will be better then that which I have had.

Is this so wrong?

Best wishes,

Sarah

[Guest Sascha]

Hi Sarah,

I know no one can stop you from taking them. But I would prefer prescription estradiol above herbs. A single blood test doesn't say anything. Especially if you took the kind of herbs that contain ethinylestradiol in original herb structure that can be broken down by bacteria in the gut, these estrogen levels will not show up in your blood, just like premarin doesn't show up as readily. You will need an endocrinologist for definitive analysis of your blood work. What tests did you do? did you also test your liver? (AST & ALT levels)

[Guest Sarahwr]

Hi.

I am very much in the hands of my GP.

I am going to find out as much as I can about what hormones and anti-androgen to take and then discuss it with her.

The system in the UK, I believe, means in order to be prescribed hormones one has to commit to RLE. This I cannot do, at the moment, but I don't see why I cannot begin my physical transition with her guidance unless of course it is considered unethical.

Is it so wrong that I should want to experience my femininity before it is too late.

Better a day as a lioness that a whole life as a sheep.

Hugzzzzz to all,

Sarah