In a TG social site one of the girls mentioned GG go through hormone cycles every month. Well duh, that's a give. She went on, the purpose was to give the estrogen receptors in their body a chance to reset. Otherwise the receptors become tired and accept less and less estrogen over time. Her next comment kind of caught me off guard. MtF transgender also need to take monthly breaks for the estrogen receptors to utilize the estrogen they are putting into their body.
Digging into the search engines I was seeking additional data to support or refute her claim. I didn't find anything specific besides a lot more negative scientific research by all kinds of doctors, both MD and PhD and other experts? Some good support by a few with degrees. It was mostly by others who had an opinion. Put it up on the web and one is an expert. Right?
I've known girls who have been on hormones for most of their life didn't cycle and don't have any adverse effects. Wish it was true of all the girls but hormones are hard on the body. If one doesn't exercise, takes care of their health, add smoking and drinking to the mix and it seldom turns out good. Breaks my heart for the ones lost.
One of the good things I found in that research is some MtF actually do have menstrual cycles. Sometimes they pass blood but usually it is only the emotional roller coaster every month. If you are one of those girls, you're not alone nor are you insane.
https://theestablishment.co/yes-trans-women-can-get-period-s...
I know not all the readers on BCTS are T but for the ones who are. Ladies, gentlemen, take care of your health and your body. In the scheme of things, ending up with tubes plugged in for life support in the final years isn't something I can contemplate. When I reach the end of this life cycle, give it up. Toss the body over in the grader ditch, I'm finished with it. Give the coyotes food poisoning. Teach them to raid the chicken house.
Hugs all, have fun with life, it's too short to take seriously. Laugh at the obscenity of it all.God had a sense of humor. I know. He made me.
always,
Barb
Comments
Somewaht anecdotally known.
It is interesting to see a serious article on this. While not medically acknowledged, this does seem to be at least somewhat commonly known anecdotally. Quite a few stories and blogs I have read include this phenomenon. And I am not talking about stories that cross into the realm of magic etc.
~Hypatia >i< ..:::
on period symptoms
I suspect that if you compared those who do get them with how they're taking E, it's going to be mostly those on monthly injections (possibly with a strong correlation with monthly GnRH agonists as blockets)
Cycles?
I've been on Estradiol patches since 2008, and the pills before that since 2004. Later, it was found that I am XXY, PAIS, and Non-Kleinfelter's, so my body really liked the Estrogen, um a lot. I've not felt any cycles.
GG cycles
The reason GGs have cycles is purely a reproductive issue. About ten days after menses stops, the female body dispenses an egg from one of the ovaries. It takes some time for that egg to traverse the Fallopian tube to the uterus. In the mean time, hormone levels rise as the uterus prepares to receive a fertilized egg and capture said egg and house it during gestation by thickening its lining. Should the egg reach the uterus without being fertilized, there is a short window (about 24 hours) of time that the egg will linger before the GGs body determines that it's not going to happen and the hormones start to drop in preparation to shed the extra thick lining. From the time the egg starts it's journey to the uterus till it reaches it is roughly 2 weeks. After the body determines the egg isn't fertilized, it takes about 2 more weeks to begin shedding the extra thick lining and menses to begin again, hence the 28 day cycle.
The menses cycle happens because of the hormone changes and procreation. If it weren't for procreation none of this would happen.
In the case of trans-women, the only way to bring about cycles is to play with the level of estrogen (or estradoil). For us, (I'm two years into HRT) that's counter productive. I can tell you first hand that if my patch comes loose without my noticing, my hormone levels drop pretty quickly. It took almost a year to get them up to transition level, and a week or less off, drops them back to about the six month level. Resuming the dosage at the correct level will bring it back, but there lost ground to be made up. A big part of what's supposed to be happening is breast development.
In a GG, that takes a few years of sustained hormone levels without menses. From some where around 9 or 10 to around 12 or 13 years of age. We start at a disadvantage in that we are trying to do the same thing after reaching adulthood. We lack the HGH (human growth hormone) that our younger counterparts have. The older we are when we transition, the less we have. The less there is in the system, the slower the process and for the unfortunate among us, like me who wait to our later years it's fighting a losing battle which will see small gains.
Waiting for the boob fairy at my age is more a fantasy than anything else. I'm not saying I'm seeing nothing, but what I've seen so far is a bit disappointing. The other aspects of transition are going great. I've managed to swing my body chemistry to nearly inline with my gender perception, my hair has started growing at a great rate and my skin is smoothing out and my body hair is really slow in growing. But boobs, really noticeable boobs are still on my wish list. I fear I'll have to go the surgical augmentation route to get where I want.
My doctor is totally unconcerned with cycles. I can understand why some would desire to have them as part of the total feminine experience; but evidence to support the need is very sketchy.
Hugs
Patricia
Happiness is being all dressed up and HAVING some place to go.
Semper in femineo gerunt
Ich bin eine Mann
actually you missed a few things
The hormonal swing in females is usually accompanied by lust. Without the cycle most women are just not interested in sex.
As someone who actually gets regular monthly "cycles" not a period, and have since I was about 13 I would say that either you get them or don't. Doesn't matter if your on pills, injections, or patches.
Heck most people do get cycles, just not for lust. It could be overwhelming urge to get pretty. I could be writing a heck of a lot, doing cleaning around house like your ocd, etc etc. If it is sudden and out of the norm and lasts a few days, its a cycle. Suprise!
Ok...
My endocrinologist's have never told me that. In fact I was warned not to, as even missing a single dose (I have forgotten alot so believe what I say) can not only cause your body to adjust to fending it off, but that these are my worst episodes of Pseudo-HRT-PMS.
Yup it is a thing.
I am worse then all my girlfriends put together & they are all cisgender females.
Because I have missed alot.....I have unintentionally caused my body to go through a few episodes of meek reversions.
I was told & it fits my circumstances however; that for every day you miss your dose, you set your hormonal transition back 6 days & because the body needs to sort of readjust when you go back...it takes 6 weeks-3 monthes for it to begin working at the same level before foregotten dose & each time it happens worse it gets.
This is 1 of the reasons, I am concerned about SRS/GCS.
In order to do this you have no other choice in accordance to doctors orders, to be off your HRT for 2 weeks throughout the surgical period.
Recovery is going to be a b**** enough without addint being a cramping, waterweight gaining, emotionally moody mess with hotflashes, muscle tension, back pains etc on top of all that...the only thing that may assist that fact is during the surgery they perform what is known as an orchidectomy/orchiectomy, which is the removal of the testicals, to which that is used to make the labial folds.
Well testicular removal causes the body to become relativelly in completion androgene nonexistant, as androgene is what makes testosterone & testoterone is made through the testicals...which is why post-op you just have to rey on oestrogene less then preop and no more antiandrogenes at all.
While preop you have to rely on both oestrogene & an anti androgene.
The anti androgene is what it is called literally, it blocks the production of testosterone; which is why the body feminizes, the male genitalia becomes relativelly too soft to become sexually active, smaller and the testicals shrink a great deal...if chemically castrated they practically disintigrate, which in some countries is mandatory for transition & or to be legally recognized as identified gender as your sex.
I dunno how true it is, but I heard that is actually the case in france & was so in Russia at least before all this new Nazi regime style thing going on against the LGBTIAQ2SP etc.
With Love and Light, and Smiles so Bright!
Erin Amelia Fletcher