testostrone withdrawal

[Gina L.]

After my last purge 5 1/2 years ago after a serious accident I was depressed and had low energy levels . My doc found I had low Testosterone levels and put me on T. I was of a mind set to go that route as I foolishly thought that this was the life long reason that I was a CD. My energy levels improved but my female side kept knocking at the door. I resisted this until recently and have decided that I am a hard wired CD and am going to embrace it rather than fight it, hence I have started to reduce the dosage and will be off T by the end of August. T has made me short tempered and irritable and the doc has advised me to come off it.
My query is, has anybody experience of the side effects of coming off T, will I slip back to being depressed or will my femme side win out and will I be more at peace with myself and blossom?
Having recently joined the forum and chatting with the girls it has helped me to start understanding my feelings and lifted my spirits.

[DonnaT]

Everyone reacts differently to T.

I was prescribed T gel. I did nothing for me, nor did it change my demeanor in anyway.

The only way one could tell I was on it was to check my blood work.

I had a stroke several yrs ago, and have read that the gel might have caused it. I haven't used it since, and there has been no change in my demeanor.

[Gina L.]

Thanks for that Donna, the gel definitely was mood changing for me even though I have only reduced the dosage by 20% my wife says I am less excitable lately and calmer. I never told her the side effects of T. As my T levels drop it will change the balance of T to E and maybe my E levels will rise because I am going to start taking Saw Palmetto and Pueraria Mirifica when I am off T. I get my blood tested every 3 or 4 months as I had Prostate cancer and had it removed nearly 7 years ago, so if anything untoward is starting to happen I should pick up on it quickly.

[DonnaT]

Note that without a prostate, taking fem hormones can likely lead to permanent breast development.

[Gina L.]

Thanks for that Donna, my blood pressure has started to increase of late so coming off T could have more benefits than I thought.
I don't intend to take HRT at least for the moment, but the possibility of breast development because of the lack of a prostate is an interesting one. I wonder if herbs would have the same effect or even the change of my ratio of T to E. Breast development is something I would embrace as all my life I have wanted some, I think they are the ultimate symbol of femininity.

[Joan Grey]

Note that without a prostate, taking fem hormones can likely lead to permanent breast development.

Taking female hormones with or without a prostate may lead to breast developement. This is because the prostate doesn't secrete hormones, it's primary function is to provide 50-75% of the fluid that makes up semen. Sometimes when treating prostate cancer, medications are given that surpress androgens (testosterone and dihydrotestosterone), and the side effects of this can include breast developement.