Quickish question for those who take hormones

[h_langley]

So I'm writing a story and a major character is a trans-man and I realized while going through my outline that due to events in the story, this character would lose all access to hormones shortly after they're introduced to the audience. I've read up on medical side effects like bone density issues and such, but I was wondering about the emotional side of things. I hope no one has experienced getting cut off, but I was wondering what sort of thoughts might run through someone's head if they thought that they would get cut off. It's not in the character's personality to share their troubles with others and I don't want to make it a huge plot point or anything, but since this person is central to a lot of the action, I'd like to have a clear idea of what's on his mind and how that might affect his mood and actions and such. All info is good info! :)

[Philip027]

*waves to fellow Hawaiian*

I am on a monthly testosterone shot, but it is done due to hormonal deficiency and not as part of an effort to transition (I'm already male). As a result, I'm guessing that whatever I'm getting isn't as potent as what a transitioning person might receive.

Personally, I've not felt any different with the shots. People had warned me of the potential effects it would have on me, particularly citing the effects on libido (I have always been nonlibidoist). But none of that changed with me. I had recently skipped one of the shots too to see if that would result in any difference. Still nothing.

[wyrdwyrm]

I work with hormones and can ask pharmacists at work about the emotional side.

Even better, my friend is a trans-man (currently on shots) who had a shaky couple of months when he moved and his insurance changed. I'll try and ask him today. :)

[wyrdwyrm]

So I'm writing a story and a major character is a trans-man and I realized while going through my outline that due to events in the story, this character would lose all access to hormones shortly after they're introduced to the audience. I've read up on medical side effects like bone density issues and such, but I was wondering about the emotional side of things. I hope no one has experienced getting cut off, but I was wondering what sort of thoughts might run through someone's head if they thought that they would get cut off. It's not in the character's personality to share their troubles with others and I don't want to make it a huge plot point or anything, but since this person is central to a lot of the action, I'd like to have a clear idea of what's on his mind and how that might affect his mood and actions and such. All info is good info! :)

This is the response I got back from my friend (a little bit of strong language at the end, sorry) - hope this helps!:

[i've only got my personal experience here, so take it with a grain of salt, but you can at least be sure that if you steal from it you're describing something that's happened to at least one person. (And please, by all means, steal away!)

I've gone through periods without T twice in my life: once pre-oopherectomy (removal of the ovaries) and once after. If your character no longer has ovaries then a month of withdrawal is...God help you. You'll see later.

With ovaries: There's a myth that our emotional profiles change when we start taking hormones because men are aggressive and women are not, so we either tone down the punchiness or go full roid rage. In my experience the only noticeable emotional shifts that definitely came from T were increased feelings of well-being. (The difficulty I now have with crying is physiological, not emotional - I ache just as much as I used to, but without release.)

Before we transition it's like we're sick all the time. We have a cold, or the flu, or an upset stomach. It's a low-grade misery we cant get rid of. Once the hormones, or the surgery, or whatever it is we need, comes, we start feeling better. The difference is incredible! The thing is, we stop noticing soon after, just like after recovering from a sickness. That's the biggest emotional impact: we hit a normal baseline.

When our hormones are cut off, we get sick again, only it's so much worse than before because we know exactly what's coming. We can chart the symptoms. We know the progression. We're losing the happiness that we had and it can be agony going back to our old low. When I had to go off hormones I got paranoid and panicked, riddled with anxiety over when I'd start bleeding again, and if my physical strength really was declining. It was a terrible month. I had the nocebo effect going, sure, but the sickness really was coming back and I could feel that, too.

Without ovaries: Don't do it. Do not ever fucking do this. Your body needs some kind of sex hormones to power itself. Without them, you get lethargic. After I had my ovaries removed I was late getting my prescription in and I. Could. Barely. Move. That was for a single day. Do not ever fuck around with going off sex hormones entirely.]

[h_langley]

This is the response I got back from my friend (a little bit of strong language at the end, sorry) - hope this helps!:

[...]

Thanks for asking your friend about this. The info was very helpful and you've given me a lot to think about. I'm feeling really bad for my character now o.o

*waves to fellow Hawaiian*

I am on a monthly testosterone shot, but it is done due to hormonal deficiency and not as part of an effort to transition (I'm already male). As a result, I'm guessing that whatever I'm getting isn't as potent as what a transitioning person might receive.

Personally, I've not felt any different with the shots. People had warned me of the potential effects it would have on me, particularly citing the effects on libido (I have always been nonlibidoist). But none of that changed with me. I had recently skipped one of the shots too to see if that would result in any difference. Still nothing.

Howzit! Thanks for your info as well~ Hope you don't experiment too much with skipping doses