Home | Community | Message Board


This site includes paid links. Please support our sponsors.


Welcome to the Shroomery Message Board! You are experiencing a small sample of what the site has to offer. Please login or register to post messages and view our exclusive members-only content. You'll gain access to additional forums, file attachments, board customizations, encrypted private messages, and much more!

Shop: Kraken Kratom Kratom Capsules for Sale, Red Vein Kratom   North Spore North Spore Mushroom Grow Kits & Cultivation Supplies   Original Sensible Seeds Bulk Cannabis Seeds

Jump to first unread post Pages: 1
InvisibleCreonAntigone
Stranger

Registered: 05/30/21
Posts: 2,875
My experience taking estrogen
    #27688024 - 03/08/22 09:06 PM (1 year, 10 months ago)

Today will be the 14th day for myself of taking topical estradiol - .25mg topical estradiol daily in the form of divigel. Coincidentally it is international women's day; happy coincidence, although I don't identify as a woman at the moment, it's possible I might later depending on the changes I experience. I had taken hormones in the past but didn't stick with it - for not long enough to see significant changes. This time the circumstances are much different. I guess the difference is merely that I've become more intelligent and resolved with a better knowledge of things.

Basically: before I had this impression that the trans movement was about identifications, and badges and pronouns and what you get called. However, this is just the outward politicizing; some of it is quite excessive.

I didn't yet understand the biological imperative, the actual power and potential in hormones. It is not simply the case that those taking hormones are just fulfilling a ritual; they're very very potent, powerful biological medicine.

Medicine derived from a human being: that is unusual for me. Obviously, it is synthesized in a lab, but it is something studied and derived from humans. It is to put back into the human body something it can make itself but which trans people do not think they have enough of.

Trans people are people who choose to live using hormones they set themselves (in consultation with a doctor, obviously) - it is a form of biological self-determination, because they take something as important internally as hormones but as an exogenous agent and medicine.

My understanding of this, really, was changed when I realized that the reason trans people want hormones is biological. Hormones change the way we think and feel down to the most fundamental; taking estrogen for trans people allows them a chance for renewal and increased mental, physical and emotional neuroplasticity.

There is a common notion that actually some trans people also say which is completely untrue: the notion says that 'hormones don't really do much significantly after puberty.' This is a ridiculous and absurd notion - there are some who say we need to get people hormones before puberty or it's 'too late'. Nonsensical - there are amazing results I've seen in the use of hormones physically and mentally in people over 40 years of age.

There are other myths told among the trans community too, for example, the idea that 'there are certain things that are set in stone and don't change'. This is misleading; while it is true that some things are more static than others, a new hormone flowing in the blood can allow progressive biological change which will keep happening as long as it is still being applied. A study I read talked about even changes to the bones that happen, especially after 5-plus years of the use of the hormone. This is to be expected; how could it not change the bones? How could such impressive physical and mental changes occur without any of the bones being affected, and how is it that the bones wouldn't be impacted when the body uses estradiol to synthesize bone marrow? There is a new hormone in the body, eventually it reaches the bones which are not entirely static, they change too; simple biology.

So I eventually reached the conclusion that biologically it was very important that I take hormones. It was actually helpful for me to entirely forsake many of the things traditionally done by trans people such as name changing or anything like that. At the moment, no changes in clothes or outward presentation. Those probably will change in the future, but I'll need the hormone to get the signal to make such changes.

So what is it doing biologically, and why is it so important to trans people? Contrary to what some people say, the primary benefit is not that now the person 'passes as a girl'. That is one potential consequence. It may or may not happen, but that's not the most important function. Estradiol is a mood-regulator, it is very active in the mind. Trans people very often experience significant reductions in depression and anxiety upon taking hormones, merely from what estrogen does in the nervous system and thought.

Those with ordinary hormone levels simply don't appreciate everything it is doing for you in the background - how it helps set life goals, helps regulate behavior, helps you understand the appropriate reactions to situations - in sum, how it helps you process emotions. Trans people need the hormones to get the tools to learn these emotions and processes in the way they're most comfortable with.

But why is it that trans people have some need of hormones? I am still not entirely certain of this. I only have theories. I think it can be demonstrated beyond a doubt that trans people are benefitted by hormones, a good well-designed study would show it clearly. I have seen in places people citing studies supposedly saying there is no difference in the number of trans people that die - but, these are early studies. The landscape is changed; trans people are starting to form their own networks, and the social environment matters fundamentally with how well hormones might work as a medicine. While it stimulates change and plasticity, it won't do much good if the environment is still toxic, because then where will the opportunity for change come from? The chief maximal benefit from hormones will come when it is taken in a supportive community.

This being said, I would say that even in the complete absence of social acceptance of any kind, the hormone is still a good medicine for trans people - because it helps the body self-regulate and helps reduce gender anxiety by its stimulating of new growth in the mind and body. It is a 'rejuvenative' medicine. The effect on better mental health comes from the actions of beta-estradiol in the brain as it serves as an anti-inflammatory agent and mood regulator. All good and bad are filtered through the human hormone system, especially the Hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis. All of those receptors, especially the adrenals, are 'estrogen sensitive' so the neurological effects will be different if estradiol levels are higher; therefore, obviously there is biological basis to different behaviors from people with various levels of hormones in their body, although many people love to run wild with this into theories that seem to always paint themselves as being the ideal. For example, a sexist man might say that estrogen produces this or that negative effect proving a superiority of men; but of course, a different kind of sexist could similarly counter back that this or that effect of testosterone is unacceptable and we ought call the ones with less of it superior. Well, no one would argue against the idea that humans have a lot of sexual dimorphism. But even if we have already proven that 'testosterone and estrogen produce different kinds of behaviors, thoughts and feelings', that doesn't prove anything about the relative value of those positions and those behaviors. Who is it say that estradiol is better, or worse, or can we even say it's the same? We talk of equality from the point of view of democratic politics; two different things never become truly equal, they develop different competencies in different areas, but they can learn to cooperate and accept a functional equality, which is what we really ought to strive to do.

But enough of the abstract, of other people's opinions, and just the report of experiences: I had been planning to restart hormones eventually when the time was perfect, and I had made a decision that the time was ideal. So I started the course starting 14 days ago. I was blown away by the changes to my thoughts and feelings; it is like a whole language of the world which I never had access to was suddenly seen by me. Things made sense which never made sense before. I instinctively understood emotions people were having, while before I was almost entirely hopeless at doing that. I experienced a beginning of a return of a healthy sex drive, which I've had problems with, as well as reductions in anxiety and sleep problems. But all of that is more or less irrelevant to the overall strongest feeling which is a sense of maturity. These hormones are things people take to mature; I want to mature too, and to learn the behaviors needed to survive in the world and form helpful and meaningful relationships. In my particular case, estradiol is giving me tools for that.

It feels as though I am seeing things in my life from a clearer perspective. I am sure this sensation will reduce after a while, as it will just become a new normal. But in the meantime, I would hope I can use the new feelings of awakening to try and heal and grow. But, it would be important to channel it into long-lasting things, healthy relationships and habits, to create a foundation for later success.


Edited by CreonAntigone (03/08/22 09:32 PM)


Extras: Filter Print Post Top
InvisibleAsante
Mage
Male User Gallery

Registered: 02/06/02
Posts: 86,795
Re: My experience taking estrogen [Re: CreonAntigone]
    #27688210 - 03/09/22 01:24 AM (1 year, 10 months ago)

You know you got ADHD when amphetamines calm you.

Likewise, if you have a penisbody and estrogen feels good for you, its a good sign thay you are genetically trans.

cis-men feel good on androgens and bad on estrogens, cis-women have it the other way around. Trans people react in the way that the gender they feel inside would react.

That underlines that what they feel, indeed is gender.

Good luck on your journey.


--------------------
Omnicyclion.org
higher knowledge starts here


Extras: Filter Print Post Top
InvisibleCreonAntigone
Stranger

Registered: 05/30/21
Posts: 2,875
Re: My experience taking estrogen [Re: Asante]
    #27690494 - 03/11/22 03:00 AM (1 year, 10 months ago)

Quote:

Asante said:
You know you got ADHD when amphetamines calm you.

Likewise, if you have a penisbody and estrogen feels good for you, its a good sign thay you are genetically trans.

cis-men feel good on androgens and bad on estrogens, cis-women have it the other way around. Trans people react in the way that the gender they feel inside would react.

That underlines that what they feel, indeed is gender.

Good luck on your journey.




I still do not understand, really, most of it. I had a desire for hormones since I was 14 years old.

But every trans person seems to experience it a little differently, sometimes a lot different.


Edited by CreonAntigone (03/11/22 03:02 AM)


Extras: Filter Print Post Top
Jump to top Pages: 1

Shop: Kraken Kratom Kratom Capsules for Sale, Red Vein Kratom   North Spore North Spore Mushroom Grow Kits & Cultivation Supplies   Original Sensible Seeds Bulk Cannabis Seeds


Similar ThreadsPosterViewsRepliesLast post
* What's the most open minded sexual experience you've ever had?
( 1 2 all )
r3volution.gurl 2,260 25 01/15/23 10:53 AM
by Barnaby
* Females are better at controlling their sexual desire?
( 1 2 3 4 5 6 all )
Anonymous 1,167 104 12/11/14 08:03 AM
by Murzelpfrumpft
* so I was just diagnosed
( 1 2 all )
Anonymous 960 25 05/31/12 11:16 PM
by Salomon
* Erectile dysfunction at 22? Help.
( 1 2 all )
Anonymous 1,754 31 03/22/13 04:56 PM
by deadwk
* How to have more cum Anonymous 368 17 11/17/13 11:53 AM
by EdibleStereos
* Hey Rose--(Re: Ask A Tranny) BittrBuffalo 375 9 10/16/14 12:09 PM
by BittrBuffalo
* My opinion on transgender and its increasing frequency of occurrance.
( 1 2 3 4 all )
Asante 1,704 65 10/21/19 09:23 AM
by Mach z 800

Extra information
You cannot start new topics / You cannot reply to topics
HTML is disabled / BBCode is enabled
Moderator: Middleman, Shroomism, automan, yogabunny, CookieCrumbs
552 topic views. 0 members, 1 guests and 1 web crawlers are browsing this forum.
[ Show Images Only | Sort by Score | Print Topic ]
Search this thread:

Copyright 1997-2024 Mind Media. Some rights reserved.

Generated in 0.021 seconds spending 0.004 seconds on 13 queries.