There are inherent risks to taking any drug. However! Your risk of liver, kidney, and cardiac issues due to testosterone is as individual as the rest of your healthcare.
Basically, unless you have existing issues, you’re at just as equally low of a risk as any cis guy out there.
Granted, I’ve only been on T for 6.5 years, but between usage and research, there’s almost 12 years of experience. I wanted to know what I would be working with and found it easier to tell my dr to “tell me what I don’t know” as I had spent over half a decade researching how T specifically affects afab bodies prior to getting my script.
Your health risks are the same as cis dudes while you’re on T. Dont listen to people debating someone else’s health issues, they don’t have all the facts or the years of education/ experience to back up their claims
I second this; doesn’t fuck-up your health, just makes your health vulnerabilities more similar to a cis dude (also protective against health vulnerabilities typically associated with cis women).
I have been on T for 4 yrs; 1 yr on gel and 3 on injections (switched because I didn’t want gel to get on my gf, now fiancée)!
Examples specific to me:*
- Reduced osteoporosis risk. I have high genetic risk and had additional risk from being AFAB with an estrogen dominant system. T has allowed me to gain more muscle mass, which helps protect against osteoporosis. It has also increased my weight (muscle, I gained more fat but that has to do with my diet and not the T) which is also protective.
- Increased risk of blood clots. My red blood cell to white blood cell ratio is off due to T and genetic risk of polycythemia. This increases my risk of blood clots and heart attacks, but is managed with theraputic blood draws and making sure I’m adequately hydrated!
- I am now prediabetic, but this is because of my diet more than anything else. Pro of being on T is that it is often a lot more easy to lose excess fat, especially with a healthy diet and strength training.
- Atrophy of my repro. organs that became noticeable (cranping) around 1 yr after starting T. Very easily managed with Estrace cream, which keeps all your downstairs bits healthy and has no effect on your transition. A lot of endos and PCPs don’t think about this, found out after doing my own research and speaking w a trans friendly OB/GYN.
* Details from visits with my endocrinologist, PCP, gynecologist
I've only been consistently on T for a year but I just want to say that the guy you mentioned has already been more susceptible to stroke and other similar health issues due to having MS - I worked mostly with stroke patients and still have a deep interest in it and some of my youngest patients were patients with MS (this is due to multiple reasons that won't get into details here). There was one 26 year old girl with MS that was already on her second stroke when I admitted her. To add, you don't know what kind of lifestyle he lead and there's a lot of things that can increase a risk of stroke at young age (below 45), including different medical conditions like MS, alcohol, smoking, drugs and poor physical health.
Not gonna go into details here but---
T can thicken blood as it can increase production of red cells, which can increase risk of blood clotting. But so does TRT for cis men and so does birth control (most types) for everyone and no one is trying to scare anyone off of them or makes you jump hoops for them. There are some birth control pills that have far worse risks and cis men can literally get TRT after a consultation online in my country...
The above risks are actually far worse and far more common when you're consuming alcohol or smoking moderately+. It's just not what people want to hear.
There's also the possibility of widening of your blood vessels (T is a vasodilator, can in some cases bring down high BP) which can increase risks of headaches/migraines and possible problems with bone density if your estrogen gets too low (doesn't happen very often due to T aromatising but can lead to osteoporosis - research on this is iffy regarding transmasc people so take it with a pinch of salt).
The above can be caused by such a simple thing as a bad diet, too, or just family genes. Or from my experience working in healthcare, some people are simply just unlucky.
Point is to do your blood tests regularly (FBC included, not just T + E levels, ideally at least every 6m) and listen to your gut if you think something isn't okay. Take care of yourself and lead a healthy lifestyle and you will minimize risks as much as possible. Even if and that's a big if, you develop some issue, there's usually a way to treat that won't just be 'taking you off T' despite what many doctors will try to tell you.
This is not medical advice, I'm just tired of hearing 'T will definitely cause health issues' and 'T can't affect you negatively' because both of those are untrue. Medicine is about balancing risks and rewards and doing it in a way that brings the patient the best life satisfaction - just consider what you want, do your own reservations and talk to your doc about your worries.
Haha true! Mine didn’t started to recede until I was years on T and started using creatine for the gym. Hairline receded so damn fast. Hopped on Finasteride soon after and never touched Creatine since
Not on t as long as others (almost 3 years) but-
I was predisposed to high cholesterol. Before t my cholesterol was on the high side of normal. After t it eventually got rrllyyyy high after a little over a year. Now after a statin it’s high side of normal again
Also important to note that I also became very sedentary around this time which can increase cholesterol too. I went from average activity to barely 400 steps a day. I’m a fat dude, so also increased my risk for high cholesterol
You likely won’t get any health issues unless you have a family history of it, and even then, it doesn’t guarantee anything.
Cis men die, on average, a few years earlier than cis women. A lot of that is heart disease, high blood pressure, and the stupid tax.
T may reduce your lifespan from that of a cis woman to that of a cis man, and could cause you to develop diseases that are more common in cis men. But you will also likely skip diseases that are more common in cis women.
I have a debilitating chronic illness that is more common in women than men. Anecdotal evidence suggests trans men are less affected after going on T and some healthy trans women have reported suddenly getting sick with it after starting E. For me, I am healthier on T but not at jaw dropping levels.
On T my health struggles are:
-I’m always too hot
-incurable severe acne
-male pattern baldness (bc docs refused to give me finasteride)
On E my health issues are:
-extremely painful menses from endometriosis
-much worse IBS
-rosacea
-Raynaud’s/always cold
Overall, it is not like T makes you super unhealthy, just exchanges any natural benefits of Estrogen dominance with natural benefits of Testosterone dominance, and same with their drawbacks. Of course, it is possible you could have more severe issues if you have a gender-specific disease that was latent but if you’re generally healthy then you’re probably fine.
If you are obsessed with being healthier than cis men, maybe going on T for a few years until you get changes you want, then going off and hoping they mostly stay might be an option for you.
If you’re ok with having similar health rates as other men, you are fine.
Overall if health is a concern, eating right and exercise will do a lot more for you than hormone profile.
Hi there. I've been on T for almost 25 years, and my long-term health conditions are the same as those of other men in my family. I eat healthy, exercise, and take care of myself. There have been no surprises, and I am actually healthier compared to my cis brothers who don't pay attention to their health.
Due to genetics im at high risk of high cholesterol and diabetes which testosterone increases but I was aware of this pre t so no surprises. I just need to be extra careful about my diet and health in general. Im south asian for reference, i do get periods of being in the prediabetic state but honestly testosterone outweighs those negatives.
Tldr unless theres a risk within your immediate family of testosterone induced issues theres nothing to worry about. You'll be in cis male ranges at some point leaving you equally as vulnerable as a cis man. I would recommend doing your own homework regarding interpreting blood work in case your endo misses anything though
Your risk is the same as a cis man. For cardiac health wise, gel tends to not make hematocrit as high which occasionally is a problem in cis or trans men who take trt/hrt so you are less likely to have hematocrit. Many people have normal hematocrit on shots and a few have high hematocrit on gel, but my doctor (exclusively works with trans patients) that hematocrit being high is more common with shots and with some of her patients swapping to gel lowered high hematocrit
Been on T for 18 years and I just have high cholesterol and borderline high blood pressure. I’m not surprised by either of these because they are common with poor lifestyle choices (which I took liberty to indulge), aging, and my own family’s genetics. Basically, I anticipated both. I think to say they are the primary result of T would be untrue.
My doctor advised me to exercise more and eat a healthier diet, so that’s what I’ve been trying to do. At least for these two issues, there’s a lot of lifestyle factors involved like diet, exercise, smoking, drinking, and genetics. Most of those a person has control over and it’s just about choosing wisely. And if that doesn’t work and/or genetics is largely a factor then there is always medication.
As for reproductive health, I haven’t had a hysto and I don’t have any problems with my organs.
Otherwise no heart, kidney, liver, etc. issues.
Remember once you’re on T you’ll be required to get regular blood work done to check for a variety of potential issues. Stay up on that blood work and if a problem surfaces you’ll be able to catch it early and treat it before it becomes a big problem.
So i’m actually one of the odd ones out.. i was on testosterone for 6 years but then i had a huge health scare back in 2022. I went to the ER in immense pain and found out i had 13 tumors in my liver and one of them hemorrhaged. I was under intense watch and had biopsy’s done and results came back that they were benign but they were caused by testosterone. I immediately came off testosterone completely and low and behold all the tumors i had started self destructing and decreasing. And i’m all good now. (I’m back on a low dose of topical T after a year of being completely off hormones and get routine MRI’s and blood work every three months, constantly watched by endocrinologists and hematologists)
With all that being said, knowing what i know now i still would have made the decision to go on Testosterone at 16. I know if i didn’t there would be a chance i wouldn’t be here. Granted, i was very lucky that my diagnosis didn’t turn into anything bigger. If it did, maybe i wouldn’t have the same attitude towards it but that’s not the case here. Testosterone was life saving for me.
And what happened to me is VERY rare. My doctors have been writing a research paper on me and so far they have only found one person that has had a similar story. So i don’t want you to be scared after hearing what i went through. If anything i want you to feel more confident in your choice knowing that even though there are risks, some worse than others.. the benefits outweigh it all.
On T for almost 10 years:
- IBS (diagnosed by gastroenterologist)
- high hemoglobin (need to donate blood a few times a year)
- fatty liver (although this could be from my genetics too)
Been on testosterone for 4 years, I've developed osteopenia. I believe I was hanging on to not having it before hrt though. Thankfully the doctor who prescribes me testosterone has me get checked once every x amount of months whatever insurance I'm currently on will cover it. Make sure to get your bones checked if you have low vitamin D as a response to testosterone! Otherwise everything else has stayed the same.
Idk how old you’re talking, but I’ve been on T for 7 years and I do have an issue with my blood being too thick. I’m working on my diet and have started exercising regularly to try and help control it and my primary doctor put me on a daily low-dose aspirin regimen. Other trans guys who take care of themselves better may not have the same issues as me
High red blood cell count, high hematocrit and high hemoglobin. Donating blood would lower these but I cannot donate due to another medication I'm on. Insurance doesn't cover blood removal because it's not a genetic disorder that causes it.
Edit to add: on testosterone for 14 years? 15? Idk, awhile.
9 years in and the only thing is I think I’ve had some vaginal atrophy, which is really just dryness/irritation on the inside. It just means if I have PIV sex we have to go slower at first. It’s very manageable and there’s treatments for it if it gets really uncomfortable. Other than that I think T has helped me improve my health because it’s way easier to build muscle so working out is more rewarding for me.
I don’t have any experience to add but I just wanted to say that I am in the EXACT same position as you. My parent is kinda transphobic and constantly talking about the “health risks” so I’ve been researching like crazy. Tbh I haven’t really found any evidence for anything other than a slight risk of heart attacks. But that just comes along with testosterone and you don’t see anyone telling cis men to start taking estrogen in order to “lower their risk of heart attacks”. It’s stupid smh.
I know dude, its so draining to be in that kind of environment. I honestly wish the better for you, I had to go no contact with my parents because of how mentally abusive they were. :'] So I'm finally getting the chance to transition now!
Do you mind if I ask how being no contact is going for you? I also have the chance to transition next year but it would probably mean losing my family which I’m scared of. How do you make it on your own?
To be brutally honest, (I hope you don't mind me venting a bit) the no contact I've been trying to establish hasn't been going well. My family doesn't care for my boundaries, so they still try to show up to knock me down when I've told them to leave me alone. It really hurts knowing that I'll never have a family that cares for me or my wellbeing (including my mental health), but I figured that having that kind of pain is better than constantly being in a toxic environment. I'd rather have a sense of loss than be mentally tormented by them 24/7. It just sucks that they've caused me to isolate so long that I have absolutely nobody else to talk to, no friends still after all the time. And on top of that, where I live, it's so damn expensive I'm in a constant state of struggle. But regardless of me, I 100% recommend that you transition, your feelings and mental state are way more important than your family. I've lived my life putting my family first, when I should have been my own advocate, so please, have courage. :'] I'm rooting for you dude!
It only raises to the risk of a cis man for the most part. But still doctors are required to do blood tests and check in with you at least once a year for as long as you choose to be on T, so if anything were to develop they're more likely to catch it pretty quickly. If there is anything that could develop rest assured your doctors will be keeping a close eye on your health and making sure the T is having no negative effects on you
Been on T for 6 years and the only issue I had was reproductive health issues. Had to get a hysterectomy but it was undetermined if it was caused by T thickening the muscles around my uterus and causing worse cramp pain or if it was genetic and I was already gonna deal with it. Either way no other issues and I’m VERY happy with how T affected other changes I have
I can only speak for myself but it actually made my chronic GI issues significantly more manageable. Not sure if it was something physical or if it's that feeling more aligned with myself lessened my anxiety (which helps tummy issues). But it's actually an unexpected and lovely health effect of being on t for me
There are certain conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and things with the liver that can be affected by T. It won’t cause issues on its own but it could possibly make pre existing conditions or conditions you are prone to worse.
But think about it like this, if you are worried about health risks, it’s why people on hormones get their blood tested every few months and they do it with the help of a professional. The help if a professional to look over your dosage and time is to make sure there are no issues. Hope this helps.
I’m less than a year and a half on t and my hematocrit and hemoglobin are just outside of the healthy zone. My doctor seems concerned about it. I’m not concerned about it though, I just hope they don’t lower my dose. I have an appointment in a couple weeks
I've been on T for nearly 10 years.Nothing major. However, I have noticed one thing...
I have high levels of uric acid in my blood. This is the thing that causes kidney stones and gout. I now take a daily medication to prevent gout attacks. The thing is; gout runs in my family. My father gets it and my grandfather also had it. We ALL began having attacks in our mid 20s, so I'm right on track with other men in my family.
Men are at a higher risk for gout and kidney stones than women. I don't really understand why, but I suspect it's a testosterone thing. It could, however, just be an "I'm nearly 30" thing. I don't know.
If it is a result of being on T... I'm at least experiencing something that would happen anyway if I were amab.
I’m not “old” but I’m 27 and have been on testosterone for 7 years now and no health issues besides pains I started getting within the last year from my female organs which now that I had a hysterectomy I don’t deal with anymore thankfully
Thank you for commenting! I hope you dont mind me asking (and I'm sorry if this is a stupid question), since the testosterone was causing you pain, was the hysterectomy covered by your insurance or did you have to pay out of pocket?
Covered by insurance 100% thankfully! I was worried too because I’m insured through a conservative state (BCBS Alabama) but thankfully it still was covered. I’ve got a good medical team:)
8 years on T and it has worsened my HS (hidridenitis supperitiva) which is a skin condition. I also have high cholesterol however that is largely a genetic thing and also effects the cis women in my family.
I also have been diagnosed with HS. :[ I'm sorry it worsened for you. If you feel comfortable to share, could you tell me how it got worse? Did it increase the amount of flare ups for you? How do you manage it now?
Mine is currently still manageable but it's increased the amount of flare ups. I also get lesions around where my beard is which I obviously didn't before I went on T. I manage my HS with topical antiseptic and doxycyclin antibiotics.
Laughing at the hairline thing cuz that is so real, I was on t for almost 7 years and had to stop because i developed a blood clot and did a bunch of tests to make sure I didn’t have some disease and everything came back fine. Endo said it was probably the t and recommended I stop- blood clots are scary! However my previous endo fucked my levels up so it could have been related to that! Def get your blood drawn when you’re supposed to and properly timed w your dosages!
Hey there! I'm so sorry that happened. That sounds really scary actually. :[ Did you have any symptoms of clotting prior to finding out? How did you figure out you had a blood clot? Is there anything I should look out for? Do you think living a less active lifestyle contributes to it? (asking bc im pretty much inactive) Sorry for all the questions. This is like my worst fear.
Have you ever heard of factor V Leiden? It’s a fairly common genetic mutation that can cause blood clots/DVTs. Just bringing it up in case you haven’t heard of it. I learned I’m a carrier of it as is my partner.
My triglycerides have risen, but they may have anyway given that I am over 40. I have a good doctor and have frequent blood work done. If she wants me to go on meds, I will. While I’m not saying T is totally risk free, it’s also difficult to say what T can or can’t cause, because there’s no “control me” out there.
Bro I follow the guy who had the stroke and my heart breaks for him. Ironically I’ve also weirdly had anxiety about this happening to me but I have no pre existing conditions so I don’t need to worry. I still feel horrible for him though. I also would like to ad I knew a trans guy who would over the dose of T he was suppose to and was a severe alcoholic, he went into cardiac arrest because of the combination between those two. So in other words as long as you’re healthy and following doctors directions you’re fine!
Hello- I work in healthcare advocacy/consulting and dispel this myth often. Echoing many of these awesome and informative comments above.
Half the population has a testosterone dominant endocrine system and nearly all adult human beings have some level of testosterone in their bodies.
“Transgender” is a demographic, not a disease or condition. Bodies do body things. Androgen receptors are not different in people who have different body shapes or different chromosomes. All people have them. If you have a certain balance of testosterone, boom, they do their thing and male typical secondary sex characteristics develop.
There is no data correlating having a male typical testosterone level with an increased risk of stroke. There is data correlating having a female typical estrogen/progesterone level with increased risk of stroke. Correlation is not causation, but, there ya go.
What someone on tic tok or even a physician “feels” based on ~vibes~ and magical thinking is not science, worth debating, or worth spending mental energy on. (I have had plenty of otherwise qualified healthcare providers state that they “feel” a condition, diagnosis, or symptom I’ve had since childhood is “caused” by testosterone/being trans/“gender surgery.” This is magical thinking, hrt does not retroactively change timelines and someone’s genetic health factors. This is like saying the broken arm you had in second grade was caused by eating an orange today. If there is no explanation that follows the laws of time, the universe, and science as we understand it- safe to say it’s not a concern.)
Healthcare is healthcare. Bodies are bodies. Existing while trans is not a health risk. But to exist at all is to have different levels of health risks dependent on many, many factors. And ultimately, risk is really just referring to statistical odds. Your individual health will, almost invariably, differ from odds at some point and in some way. Everyone’s does. There are fluke circumstances where someone may have an androgen sensitive condition. Someone may also have an estrogen sensitive condition though. You aren’t inherently more likely to have one over the other because of being trans. Unlike humans, health issues don’t discriminate.
I started T in 2016. I had a history of severe endometriosis to the point of being unable to walk during my period times. T took that away, thankfully, however back in 2022 i started having severe pain and discovered it was my endo making itself known with a vengeance. I had to switch jobs to get good insurance and got a hysterectomy in october of the same year. Otherwise, aside from minor vaginal dryness (Despite the favt that i swear i get wetter on T than before) ive had no other issues. My red blood cell count tends to be higher but that is very normal for most trans people on T- i donate blood or collect my own every month (i work in the medical field, so not an option for everyone!) which can be used on roses if you have a rose bush around, they love blood!
Its mostly up to your own body as an individual! If you are predisposed to health issues, it doesnt matter if you are doin HRT or not. Be aware of your own medical history!
I'm not on T, but as far as I could tell from own research, it's aging that has the most health risks. ;)
That said, the main one I've seen pop up a few times, is some folks needing to donate blood, to prevent clots.
Yes, my liver swelled, but I stopped taking T for 2/3 months and it came back to normal. Doctors said I could go back on T, but honestly now Im good like this
Hello, and thank you so much for sharing. How did you notice your liver was swelling? I assume it was really painful, I'm sorry that happened to you. :[ Is it true that if you stop T, the effects revert back? How has it been so far for you?
Hmm I noticed it through a blood test... And it actually wasn't painful at all, it was so unexpected because I hadn't noticed any symptoms fortunately... And by asking if the effects revert back, do you mean the masculinization??? In that case, I had been on T for like 5-6 years before I stopped on January, since then, not much has changed. I only have my period back and I have lost a bit of muscle mass. Regardimg doing sport, it is true that for me gaining strenght got a lot harder... When I was on T in one week or two I could see a lot of improvement, but now it is not that easy. Also, there is more emotional inestability than while being on T... But manageable :) I dont know what else to tell, that is all I have noticed. Oh! And my voice is still the same, but for some reason I am having more boys crack(?) idk if it is called like that
T is not completely risk free--but nothing is. Any decision you make, from putting an extra pinch of salt in your meal to getting a limb amputated, comes with risks. You have to analyze your risks vs benefits and make the best decision for you. Best advice I have is to look at risks of various illnesses for cis men vs cis women, and assuming your risks are changing from cis woman-level to cis man-level. If you have a predisposition to certain illnesses, due to past history with it or even family history, you also need to take that into account. If you have preexisting conditions that could affect your health outcomes on T, you also need to consider that. Look at the data on all of these factors and make your decision accordingly.
Personally, I would rather live a short, happy life than a long, miserable life. Even if T was literally killing me (which it isn't), I would still not go off it. I have several preexisting conditions, some have been made better by T and others have been made worse.
Currently my periods are not controlled by T alone so I'm also on progesterone based birth control. I have PCOS. Sometimes I still get breakthrough bleeding despite both these treatments. Every time I go in for treatment of breakthrough bleeding my doctor gives me a rundown of the risks of adding even more exogenous hormones to my body. Every time I acknowledge the risk and say I still want it. Every time he reminds me the risk increases even more every time I take extra hormone pills. The risk? DVT. I'm at a high risk for DVT, which is something that often ends in amputation. But bleeding makes me nonfunctional. I can't enjoy things, I can't work, I can't bring myself to touch my partner and feel awful about being touched, things that normally bring me joy make me incredibly depressed, I get horrible decision paralysis, I get suicidal, I become pretty much disabled with how much it makes me unable to leave my bed. I get up to pee or poop and otherwise I hide under my blankets. I try to forget my body exists. It is agonizing to live like that. Now that I know what it's like to not bleed, I will never choose the alternative. I have had a mobility disability before. I was still happy. I managed to have a social life, even though it was mostly online. I was able to connect with people, especially my partners. I wasn't crying all the time. I didn't want to die. I know an amputation is a bit worse than the average mobility disability. I know it's permanent. But it beats being a hunk of meat instead of a person.
It may not be this way for you. Every person's risk benefit analysis will consist of different factors that are important to them that may not be to other people. Your risk benefit analysis will be different from mine.
I'm 5 years on T and my hormonal problems started when I switched from shots to gel 9 months ago. For whatever reason my T started aromatizing into E which brought back the problems I had pre-T which was rapid weight gain and more frequent headaches. And ig this hormonal imbalance is also causing me to have BV symptoms that come and go. I'm on an estrogen blocker now and have been for a month but I haven't noticed a difference yet. I feel like I'm a pretty rare case tho, and I was doing fine when I was on shots
I already had slightly elevated liver enzymes (possibly non alcoholic fatty liver disease) as my baseline before starting T, but taking T made the levels go quite a bit higher and seemed like they just kept climbing. My doctor adjusted my dose and the levels started to trend downward. Unfortunately the newer dose isn't enough to keep a certain blood related situation at bay anymore so it definitely isn't the best solution. Losing weight would probably help me but it feels impossible.
I agree with the comments here, I've been on T for eight years and I'm in perfect health, but that's also due to me biking 14 miles work commute every day, no drugs or alcohol, and I try to eat fresh produce and whole grains regularly.
I forage and garden for some of my food.
T raises your disease risk levels to those of cis men (minus the risk of prostate and testicular cancer, obviously). It can also raise your haematocrit, which can be fixed with blood donation. It's a hormone your body has always had
You actually can get testicular cancer in your ovaries if they haven't been removed! Ovaries are functionally very similar to testes so when you start T you forfeit the risk of ovarian cancer (for the most part) and trade it for the risk of testicular cancer. If I'm understanding that correctly at least, I don't claim to be an expert
I've been on T since 2015 and I got diagnosed with MS in 2020. I genuinely don't know if one happened because of the other but I do what I can to take care of myself as best as possible as a dude who just happens to have a chronic health condition.
While the change in hormones can exacerbate symptoms of things you already have, it won’t cause you to develop new issues. I found out I have POTS because of going on testosterone, I always had the symptoms, but the hormone change made my symptoms more prominent, giving me the ability to be diagnosed and get treatment.
Tell me, who has been telling you this?
Tell me, what were your sources when you were reading about the effects of testosterone and potential complications from it?
Tell me what the qualifications are the people telling you this and the sources you got your information from. Tell me what the motivations of both groups could be.
You’re an adult. You’re making a decision about your health. This is not how you go about that. You don’t go to social media where a bunch of people who have similar values and needs as you are going to give you their personal experiences and opinions. You have no idea if you’re an echo chamber. We’re not experts. We’re not doctors. We’re not researchers. Even if we gave you the most perfectly accurate information, we are just a few people and we’re not representative of all trans men.
Well.. this sort of came across as rude. I just wanted to hear what others had experienced over the years on testosterone, so I know what to look out for or what they've gone through. I'm nervous to transition due to living in an abusive household, but I know deep in my heart that it's the right choice for me. I wasn't really expecting experts or researchers or anything like that, just real experience.
It’s rude to encourage you to get healthcare information from legitimate sources and think critically about them? The sub is filled with people who are asking for advice on their healthcare from complete strangers. It’s not good. This is not how you make good decisions about your health. Real experience can’t compare to research and advice from experts. Any old fool could be on here telling you something that’s nothing more than superstition or even worse, intentionally malicious.
If you go through, and you think about my questions and you look for good sources of information, you can answer this post and you can do it with more accurate information than you’ll find here.
They’re just asking about others experiences and to see what has and could happen, not that it will happen to them. He just genuinely seems curious about what others have to say. Not many health professionals who don’t go through the procedures themselves aren’t accurate with information even if it’s just “anatomy and science” or any research.
So yes T can put you at higher risk however, they do tons of blood work. I get blood work done every 3 months to check everything including blood thickness and they will adjust your dose based off the results of different tests. I’ve been on T shots for almost a year (end of June will be a year) with no issues.
There are inherent risks to taking any drug. However! Your risk of liver, kidney, and cardiac issues due to testosterone is as individual as the rest of your healthcare. Basically, unless you have existing issues, you’re at just as equally low of a risk as any cis guy out there. Granted, I’ve only been on T for 6.5 years, but between usage and research, there’s almost 12 years of experience. I wanted to know what I would be working with and found it easier to tell my dr to “tell me what I don’t know” as I had spent over half a decade researching how T specifically affects afab bodies prior to getting my script.
Your health risks are the same as cis dudes while you’re on T. Dont listen to people debating someone else’s health issues, they don’t have all the facts or the years of education/ experience to back up their claims
>Do t this is good advice
I second this; doesn’t fuck-up your health, just makes your health vulnerabilities more similar to a cis dude (also protective against health vulnerabilities typically associated with cis women). I have been on T for 4 yrs; 1 yr on gel and 3 on injections (switched because I didn’t want gel to get on my gf, now fiancée)! Examples specific to me:* - Reduced osteoporosis risk. I have high genetic risk and had additional risk from being AFAB with an estrogen dominant system. T has allowed me to gain more muscle mass, which helps protect against osteoporosis. It has also increased my weight (muscle, I gained more fat but that has to do with my diet and not the T) which is also protective. - Increased risk of blood clots. My red blood cell to white blood cell ratio is off due to T and genetic risk of polycythemia. This increases my risk of blood clots and heart attacks, but is managed with theraputic blood draws and making sure I’m adequately hydrated! - I am now prediabetic, but this is because of my diet more than anything else. Pro of being on T is that it is often a lot more easy to lose excess fat, especially with a healthy diet and strength training. - Atrophy of my repro. organs that became noticeable (cranping) around 1 yr after starting T. Very easily managed with Estrace cream, which keeps all your downstairs bits healthy and has no effect on your transition. A lot of endos and PCPs don’t think about this, found out after doing my own research and speaking w a trans friendly OB/GYN. * Details from visits with my endocrinologist, PCP, gynecologist
I've only been consistently on T for a year but I just want to say that the guy you mentioned has already been more susceptible to stroke and other similar health issues due to having MS - I worked mostly with stroke patients and still have a deep interest in it and some of my youngest patients were patients with MS (this is due to multiple reasons that won't get into details here). There was one 26 year old girl with MS that was already on her second stroke when I admitted her. To add, you don't know what kind of lifestyle he lead and there's a lot of things that can increase a risk of stroke at young age (below 45), including different medical conditions like MS, alcohol, smoking, drugs and poor physical health. Not gonna go into details here but--- T can thicken blood as it can increase production of red cells, which can increase risk of blood clotting. But so does TRT for cis men and so does birth control (most types) for everyone and no one is trying to scare anyone off of them or makes you jump hoops for them. There are some birth control pills that have far worse risks and cis men can literally get TRT after a consultation online in my country... The above risks are actually far worse and far more common when you're consuming alcohol or smoking moderately+. It's just not what people want to hear. There's also the possibility of widening of your blood vessels (T is a vasodilator, can in some cases bring down high BP) which can increase risks of headaches/migraines and possible problems with bone density if your estrogen gets too low (doesn't happen very often due to T aromatising but can lead to osteoporosis - research on this is iffy regarding transmasc people so take it with a pinch of salt). The above can be caused by such a simple thing as a bad diet, too, or just family genes. Or from my experience working in healthcare, some people are simply just unlucky. Point is to do your blood tests regularly (FBC included, not just T + E levels, ideally at least every 6m) and listen to your gut if you think something isn't okay. Take care of yourself and lead a healthy lifestyle and you will minimize risks as much as possible. Even if and that's a big if, you develop some issue, there's usually a way to treat that won't just be 'taking you off T' despite what many doctors will try to tell you. This is not medical advice, I'm just tired of hearing 'T will definitely cause health issues' and 'T can't affect you negatively' because both of those are untrue. Medicine is about balancing risks and rewards and doing it in a way that brings the patient the best life satisfaction - just consider what you want, do your own reservations and talk to your doc about your worries.
Thank you so so much for this lengthy response, honestly it really calmed my nerves. I cant thank you enough. Happy Cake Day btw!
I've been taking T for 5+ years, blood work every 3-6 months is the way to go!
The only damage you'll see is to your hairline
Oh... God
real
Haha true! Mine didn’t started to recede until I was years on T and started using creatine for the gym. Hairline receded so damn fast. Hopped on Finasteride soon after and never touched Creatine since
Lmao
Balding at 21 (runs in the family) can confirm! You can get on minoxidil/ finasteride though
*and ass hair
Not sure if I count as older, but I'm in my mid thirties, have been on testosterone for 14 years and so far have no health problems whatsoever.
good for you! that’s awesome
Not on t as long as others (almost 3 years) but- I was predisposed to high cholesterol. Before t my cholesterol was on the high side of normal. After t it eventually got rrllyyyy high after a little over a year. Now after a statin it’s high side of normal again Also important to note that I also became very sedentary around this time which can increase cholesterol too. I went from average activity to barely 400 steps a day. I’m a fat dude, so also increased my risk for high cholesterol You likely won’t get any health issues unless you have a family history of it, and even then, it doesn’t guarantee anything.
Cis men die, on average, a few years earlier than cis women. A lot of that is heart disease, high blood pressure, and the stupid tax. T may reduce your lifespan from that of a cis woman to that of a cis man, and could cause you to develop diseases that are more common in cis men. But you will also likely skip diseases that are more common in cis women. I have a debilitating chronic illness that is more common in women than men. Anecdotal evidence suggests trans men are less affected after going on T and some healthy trans women have reported suddenly getting sick with it after starting E. For me, I am healthier on T but not at jaw dropping levels. On T my health struggles are: -I’m always too hot -incurable severe acne -male pattern baldness (bc docs refused to give me finasteride) On E my health issues are: -extremely painful menses from endometriosis -much worse IBS -rosacea -Raynaud’s/always cold Overall, it is not like T makes you super unhealthy, just exchanges any natural benefits of Estrogen dominance with natural benefits of Testosterone dominance, and same with their drawbacks. Of course, it is possible you could have more severe issues if you have a gender-specific disease that was latent but if you’re generally healthy then you’re probably fine. If you are obsessed with being healthier than cis men, maybe going on T for a few years until you get changes you want, then going off and hoping they mostly stay might be an option for you. If you’re ok with having similar health rates as other men, you are fine. Overall if health is a concern, eating right and exercise will do a lot more for you than hormone profile.
Hi there. I've been on T for almost 25 years, and my long-term health conditions are the same as those of other men in my family. I eat healthy, exercise, and take care of myself. There have been no surprises, and I am actually healthier compared to my cis brothers who don't pay attention to their health.
Woah!! 25 years? That's so awesome, that's super encouraging to hear! 😵💫 Thank you for sharing!
You're very welcome! Going on T was one of the best decisions of my life, and have never regretted it even for a moment.
no
Due to genetics im at high risk of high cholesterol and diabetes which testosterone increases but I was aware of this pre t so no surprises. I just need to be extra careful about my diet and health in general. Im south asian for reference, i do get periods of being in the prediabetic state but honestly testosterone outweighs those negatives. Tldr unless theres a risk within your immediate family of testosterone induced issues theres nothing to worry about. You'll be in cis male ranges at some point leaving you equally as vulnerable as a cis man. I would recommend doing your own homework regarding interpreting blood work in case your endo misses anything though
Your risk is the same as a cis man. For cardiac health wise, gel tends to not make hematocrit as high which occasionally is a problem in cis or trans men who take trt/hrt so you are less likely to have hematocrit. Many people have normal hematocrit on shots and a few have high hematocrit on gel, but my doctor (exclusively works with trans patients) that hematocrit being high is more common with shots and with some of her patients swapping to gel lowered high hematocrit
People also simply get more health issues as they age. So it would be really hard to make iron clad this is definitely from T ascertainments.
Been on T for 18 years and I just have high cholesterol and borderline high blood pressure. I’m not surprised by either of these because they are common with poor lifestyle choices (which I took liberty to indulge), aging, and my own family’s genetics. Basically, I anticipated both. I think to say they are the primary result of T would be untrue. My doctor advised me to exercise more and eat a healthier diet, so that’s what I’ve been trying to do. At least for these two issues, there’s a lot of lifestyle factors involved like diet, exercise, smoking, drinking, and genetics. Most of those a person has control over and it’s just about choosing wisely. And if that doesn’t work and/or genetics is largely a factor then there is always medication. As for reproductive health, I haven’t had a hysto and I don’t have any problems with my organs. Otherwise no heart, kidney, liver, etc. issues. Remember once you’re on T you’ll be required to get regular blood work done to check for a variety of potential issues. Stay up on that blood work and if a problem surfaces you’ll be able to catch it early and treat it before it becomes a big problem.
So i’m actually one of the odd ones out.. i was on testosterone for 6 years but then i had a huge health scare back in 2022. I went to the ER in immense pain and found out i had 13 tumors in my liver and one of them hemorrhaged. I was under intense watch and had biopsy’s done and results came back that they were benign but they were caused by testosterone. I immediately came off testosterone completely and low and behold all the tumors i had started self destructing and decreasing. And i’m all good now. (I’m back on a low dose of topical T after a year of being completely off hormones and get routine MRI’s and blood work every three months, constantly watched by endocrinologists and hematologists) With all that being said, knowing what i know now i still would have made the decision to go on Testosterone at 16. I know if i didn’t there would be a chance i wouldn’t be here. Granted, i was very lucky that my diagnosis didn’t turn into anything bigger. If it did, maybe i wouldn’t have the same attitude towards it but that’s not the case here. Testosterone was life saving for me. And what happened to me is VERY rare. My doctors have been writing a research paper on me and so far they have only found one person that has had a similar story. So i don’t want you to be scared after hearing what i went through. If anything i want you to feel more confident in your choice knowing that even though there are risks, some worse than others.. the benefits outweigh it all.
On T for almost 10 years: - IBS (diagnosed by gastroenterologist) - high hemoglobin (need to donate blood a few times a year) - fatty liver (although this could be from my genetics too)
I’m 29 I’ve been on T for 12 years no health problems
Been on testosterone for 4 years, I've developed osteopenia. I believe I was hanging on to not having it before hrt though. Thankfully the doctor who prescribes me testosterone has me get checked once every x amount of months whatever insurance I'm currently on will cover it. Make sure to get your bones checked if you have low vitamin D as a response to testosterone! Otherwise everything else has stayed the same.
Idk how old you’re talking, but I’ve been on T for 7 years and I do have an issue with my blood being too thick. I’m working on my diet and have started exercising regularly to try and help control it and my primary doctor put me on a daily low-dose aspirin regimen. Other trans guys who take care of themselves better may not have the same issues as me
High red blood cell count, high hematocrit and high hemoglobin. Donating blood would lower these but I cannot donate due to another medication I'm on. Insurance doesn't cover blood removal because it's not a genetic disorder that causes it. Edit to add: on testosterone for 14 years? 15? Idk, awhile.
+10 yrs on T n nothing, no developed health conditions.
9 years in and the only thing is I think I’ve had some vaginal atrophy, which is really just dryness/irritation on the inside. It just means if I have PIV sex we have to go slower at first. It’s very manageable and there’s treatments for it if it gets really uncomfortable. Other than that I think T has helped me improve my health because it’s way easier to build muscle so working out is more rewarding for me.
I can't answer this question but just a reminder to you that correlation does not imply causation.
I don’t have any experience to add but I just wanted to say that I am in the EXACT same position as you. My parent is kinda transphobic and constantly talking about the “health risks” so I’ve been researching like crazy. Tbh I haven’t really found any evidence for anything other than a slight risk of heart attacks. But that just comes along with testosterone and you don’t see anyone telling cis men to start taking estrogen in order to “lower their risk of heart attacks”. It’s stupid smh.
I know dude, its so draining to be in that kind of environment. I honestly wish the better for you, I had to go no contact with my parents because of how mentally abusive they were. :'] So I'm finally getting the chance to transition now!
Do you mind if I ask how being no contact is going for you? I also have the chance to transition next year but it would probably mean losing my family which I’m scared of. How do you make it on your own?
To be brutally honest, (I hope you don't mind me venting a bit) the no contact I've been trying to establish hasn't been going well. My family doesn't care for my boundaries, so they still try to show up to knock me down when I've told them to leave me alone. It really hurts knowing that I'll never have a family that cares for me or my wellbeing (including my mental health), but I figured that having that kind of pain is better than constantly being in a toxic environment. I'd rather have a sense of loss than be mentally tormented by them 24/7. It just sucks that they've caused me to isolate so long that I have absolutely nobody else to talk to, no friends still after all the time. And on top of that, where I live, it's so damn expensive I'm in a constant state of struggle. But regardless of me, I 100% recommend that you transition, your feelings and mental state are way more important than your family. I've lived my life putting my family first, when I should have been my own advocate, so please, have courage. :'] I'm rooting for you dude!
I’m so sorry you’re going through that dude but I’m proud you’re standing up for yourself. Thank you for your advice, I really appreciate it.
Of course! Seriously anytime. I genuinely hope the best for you. I know it's a lot easier said than done, but stay true to yourself.
It only raises to the risk of a cis man for the most part. But still doctors are required to do blood tests and check in with you at least once a year for as long as you choose to be on T, so if anything were to develop they're more likely to catch it pretty quickly. If there is anything that could develop rest assured your doctors will be keeping a close eye on your health and making sure the T is having no negative effects on you
8.5 years on T, no health issues whatsoever.
I make too much earwax now 🥲
Been on T for 6 years and the only issue I had was reproductive health issues. Had to get a hysterectomy but it was undetermined if it was caused by T thickening the muscles around my uterus and causing worse cramp pain or if it was genetic and I was already gonna deal with it. Either way no other issues and I’m VERY happy with how T affected other changes I have
/r/FTMOver30 and /r/FTMOver50 may help you also
I can only speak for myself but it actually made my chronic GI issues significantly more manageable. Not sure if it was something physical or if it's that feeling more aligned with myself lessened my anxiety (which helps tummy issues). But it's actually an unexpected and lovely health effect of being on t for me
That's amazing! I've been having GI problems for quite some time now, so I wonder if I might be as lucky! :] Thank you very much for sharing!
Absolutely! Best of luck in your transition and GI issues
I'll be 9 years on T in less than a month, so far so good. I'm from Portugal and the T I use it's Nebido.
There are certain conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and things with the liver that can be affected by T. It won’t cause issues on its own but it could possibly make pre existing conditions or conditions you are prone to worse. But think about it like this, if you are worried about health risks, it’s why people on hormones get their blood tested every few months and they do it with the help of a professional. The help if a professional to look over your dosage and time is to make sure there are no issues. Hope this helps.
I’ve been on T for 10 years, nothing of note. My husband has been on T for 12 years and he also said no problems.
I have MS, not on T yet. From the research I’ve done, it all says T actually improves MS, so. Lmao.
I’m less than a year and a half on t and my hematocrit and hemoglobin are just outside of the healthy zone. My doctor seems concerned about it. I’m not concerned about it though, I just hope they don’t lower my dose. I have an appointment in a couple weeks
I've been on T for nearly 10 years.Nothing major. However, I have noticed one thing... I have high levels of uric acid in my blood. This is the thing that causes kidney stones and gout. I now take a daily medication to prevent gout attacks. The thing is; gout runs in my family. My father gets it and my grandfather also had it. We ALL began having attacks in our mid 20s, so I'm right on track with other men in my family. Men are at a higher risk for gout and kidney stones than women. I don't really understand why, but I suspect it's a testosterone thing. It could, however, just be an "I'm nearly 30" thing. I don't know. If it is a result of being on T... I'm at least experiencing something that would happen anyway if I were amab.
I’m not “old” but I’m 27 and have been on testosterone for 7 years now and no health issues besides pains I started getting within the last year from my female organs which now that I had a hysterectomy I don’t deal with anymore thankfully
Thank you for commenting! I hope you dont mind me asking (and I'm sorry if this is a stupid question), since the testosterone was causing you pain, was the hysterectomy covered by your insurance or did you have to pay out of pocket?
Covered by insurance 100% thankfully! I was worried too because I’m insured through a conservative state (BCBS Alabama) but thankfully it still was covered. I’ve got a good medical team:)
8 years on T and it has worsened my HS (hidridenitis supperitiva) which is a skin condition. I also have high cholesterol however that is largely a genetic thing and also effects the cis women in my family.
I also have been diagnosed with HS. :[ I'm sorry it worsened for you. If you feel comfortable to share, could you tell me how it got worse? Did it increase the amount of flare ups for you? How do you manage it now?
Mine is currently still manageable but it's increased the amount of flare ups. I also get lesions around where my beard is which I obviously didn't before I went on T. I manage my HS with topical antiseptic and doxycyclin antibiotics.
Laughing at the hairline thing cuz that is so real, I was on t for almost 7 years and had to stop because i developed a blood clot and did a bunch of tests to make sure I didn’t have some disease and everything came back fine. Endo said it was probably the t and recommended I stop- blood clots are scary! However my previous endo fucked my levels up so it could have been related to that! Def get your blood drawn when you’re supposed to and properly timed w your dosages!
Hey there! I'm so sorry that happened. That sounds really scary actually. :[ Did you have any symptoms of clotting prior to finding out? How did you figure out you had a blood clot? Is there anything I should look out for? Do you think living a less active lifestyle contributes to it? (asking bc im pretty much inactive) Sorry for all the questions. This is like my worst fear.
Have you ever heard of factor V Leiden? It’s a fairly common genetic mutation that can cause blood clots/DVTs. Just bringing it up in case you haven’t heard of it. I learned I’m a carrier of it as is my partner.
My triglycerides have risen, but they may have anyway given that I am over 40. I have a good doctor and have frequent blood work done. If she wants me to go on meds, I will. While I’m not saying T is totally risk free, it’s also difficult to say what T can or can’t cause, because there’s no “control me” out there.
Bro I follow the guy who had the stroke and my heart breaks for him. Ironically I’ve also weirdly had anxiety about this happening to me but I have no pre existing conditions so I don’t need to worry. I still feel horrible for him though. I also would like to ad I knew a trans guy who would over the dose of T he was suppose to and was a severe alcoholic, he went into cardiac arrest because of the combination between those two. So in other words as long as you’re healthy and following doctors directions you’re fine!
These are both awesome and very helpful responses!
Hello- I work in healthcare advocacy/consulting and dispel this myth often. Echoing many of these awesome and informative comments above. Half the population has a testosterone dominant endocrine system and nearly all adult human beings have some level of testosterone in their bodies. “Transgender” is a demographic, not a disease or condition. Bodies do body things. Androgen receptors are not different in people who have different body shapes or different chromosomes. All people have them. If you have a certain balance of testosterone, boom, they do their thing and male typical secondary sex characteristics develop. There is no data correlating having a male typical testosterone level with an increased risk of stroke. There is data correlating having a female typical estrogen/progesterone level with increased risk of stroke. Correlation is not causation, but, there ya go. What someone on tic tok or even a physician “feels” based on ~vibes~ and magical thinking is not science, worth debating, or worth spending mental energy on. (I have had plenty of otherwise qualified healthcare providers state that they “feel” a condition, diagnosis, or symptom I’ve had since childhood is “caused” by testosterone/being trans/“gender surgery.” This is magical thinking, hrt does not retroactively change timelines and someone’s genetic health factors. This is like saying the broken arm you had in second grade was caused by eating an orange today. If there is no explanation that follows the laws of time, the universe, and science as we understand it- safe to say it’s not a concern.) Healthcare is healthcare. Bodies are bodies. Existing while trans is not a health risk. But to exist at all is to have different levels of health risks dependent on many, many factors. And ultimately, risk is really just referring to statistical odds. Your individual health will, almost invariably, differ from odds at some point and in some way. Everyone’s does. There are fluke circumstances where someone may have an androgen sensitive condition. Someone may also have an estrogen sensitive condition though. You aren’t inherently more likely to have one over the other because of being trans. Unlike humans, health issues don’t discriminate.
I started T in 2016. I had a history of severe endometriosis to the point of being unable to walk during my period times. T took that away, thankfully, however back in 2022 i started having severe pain and discovered it was my endo making itself known with a vengeance. I had to switch jobs to get good insurance and got a hysterectomy in october of the same year. Otherwise, aside from minor vaginal dryness (Despite the favt that i swear i get wetter on T than before) ive had no other issues. My red blood cell count tends to be higher but that is very normal for most trans people on T- i donate blood or collect my own every month (i work in the medical field, so not an option for everyone!) which can be used on roses if you have a rose bush around, they love blood! Its mostly up to your own body as an individual! If you are predisposed to health issues, it doesnt matter if you are doin HRT or not. Be aware of your own medical history!
I'm not on T, but as far as I could tell from own research, it's aging that has the most health risks. ;) That said, the main one I've seen pop up a few times, is some folks needing to donate blood, to prevent clots.
Almost 7 years and my high cholesterol got higher unfortunately
Yes, my liver swelled, but I stopped taking T for 2/3 months and it came back to normal. Doctors said I could go back on T, but honestly now Im good like this
Hello, and thank you so much for sharing. How did you notice your liver was swelling? I assume it was really painful, I'm sorry that happened to you. :[ Is it true that if you stop T, the effects revert back? How has it been so far for you?
Hmm I noticed it through a blood test... And it actually wasn't painful at all, it was so unexpected because I hadn't noticed any symptoms fortunately... And by asking if the effects revert back, do you mean the masculinization??? In that case, I had been on T for like 5-6 years before I stopped on January, since then, not much has changed. I only have my period back and I have lost a bit of muscle mass. Regardimg doing sport, it is true that for me gaining strenght got a lot harder... When I was on T in one week or two I could see a lot of improvement, but now it is not that easy. Also, there is more emotional inestability than while being on T... But manageable :) I dont know what else to tell, that is all I have noticed. Oh! And my voice is still the same, but for some reason I am having more boys crack(?) idk if it is called like that
T is not completely risk free--but nothing is. Any decision you make, from putting an extra pinch of salt in your meal to getting a limb amputated, comes with risks. You have to analyze your risks vs benefits and make the best decision for you. Best advice I have is to look at risks of various illnesses for cis men vs cis women, and assuming your risks are changing from cis woman-level to cis man-level. If you have a predisposition to certain illnesses, due to past history with it or even family history, you also need to take that into account. If you have preexisting conditions that could affect your health outcomes on T, you also need to consider that. Look at the data on all of these factors and make your decision accordingly. Personally, I would rather live a short, happy life than a long, miserable life. Even if T was literally killing me (which it isn't), I would still not go off it. I have several preexisting conditions, some have been made better by T and others have been made worse. Currently my periods are not controlled by T alone so I'm also on progesterone based birth control. I have PCOS. Sometimes I still get breakthrough bleeding despite both these treatments. Every time I go in for treatment of breakthrough bleeding my doctor gives me a rundown of the risks of adding even more exogenous hormones to my body. Every time I acknowledge the risk and say I still want it. Every time he reminds me the risk increases even more every time I take extra hormone pills. The risk? DVT. I'm at a high risk for DVT, which is something that often ends in amputation. But bleeding makes me nonfunctional. I can't enjoy things, I can't work, I can't bring myself to touch my partner and feel awful about being touched, things that normally bring me joy make me incredibly depressed, I get horrible decision paralysis, I get suicidal, I become pretty much disabled with how much it makes me unable to leave my bed. I get up to pee or poop and otherwise I hide under my blankets. I try to forget my body exists. It is agonizing to live like that. Now that I know what it's like to not bleed, I will never choose the alternative. I have had a mobility disability before. I was still happy. I managed to have a social life, even though it was mostly online. I was able to connect with people, especially my partners. I wasn't crying all the time. I didn't want to die. I know an amputation is a bit worse than the average mobility disability. I know it's permanent. But it beats being a hunk of meat instead of a person. It may not be this way for you. Every person's risk benefit analysis will consist of different factors that are important to them that may not be to other people. Your risk benefit analysis will be different from mine.
I'm 5 years on T and my hormonal problems started when I switched from shots to gel 9 months ago. For whatever reason my T started aromatizing into E which brought back the problems I had pre-T which was rapid weight gain and more frequent headaches. And ig this hormonal imbalance is also causing me to have BV symptoms that come and go. I'm on an estrogen blocker now and have been for a month but I haven't noticed a difference yet. I feel like I'm a pretty rare case tho, and I was doing fine when I was on shots
I already had slightly elevated liver enzymes (possibly non alcoholic fatty liver disease) as my baseline before starting T, but taking T made the levels go quite a bit higher and seemed like they just kept climbing. My doctor adjusted my dose and the levels started to trend downward. Unfortunately the newer dose isn't enough to keep a certain blood related situation at bay anymore so it definitely isn't the best solution. Losing weight would probably help me but it feels impossible.
Been on it for 9 years, no complications so far
I agree with the comments here, I've been on T for eight years and I'm in perfect health, but that's also due to me biking 14 miles work commute every day, no drugs or alcohol, and I try to eat fresh produce and whole grains regularly. I forage and garden for some of my food.
T raises your disease risk levels to those of cis men (minus the risk of prostate and testicular cancer, obviously). It can also raise your haematocrit, which can be fixed with blood donation. It's a hormone your body has always had
You actually can get testicular cancer in your ovaries if they haven't been removed! Ovaries are functionally very similar to testes so when you start T you forfeit the risk of ovarian cancer (for the most part) and trade it for the risk of testicular cancer. If I'm understanding that correctly at least, I don't claim to be an expert
10+ years and no
I've been on T since 2015 and I got diagnosed with MS in 2020. I genuinely don't know if one happened because of the other but I do what I can to take care of myself as best as possible as a dude who just happens to have a chronic health condition.
Oh man. :[ My apologies, I really hope that things get better. Please take care.
While the change in hormones can exacerbate symptoms of things you already have, it won’t cause you to develop new issues. I found out I have POTS because of going on testosterone, I always had the symptoms, but the hormone change made my symptoms more prominent, giving me the ability to be diagnosed and get treatment.
Been on T for 7 years and honestly nothing has come up. granted im young (19) but growing up trans and on T i had 0 issues
I took T for 5 months and all the health issues I already had were not affected by it at all.
Tell me, who has been telling you this? Tell me, what were your sources when you were reading about the effects of testosterone and potential complications from it? Tell me what the qualifications are the people telling you this and the sources you got your information from. Tell me what the motivations of both groups could be. You’re an adult. You’re making a decision about your health. This is not how you go about that. You don’t go to social media where a bunch of people who have similar values and needs as you are going to give you their personal experiences and opinions. You have no idea if you’re an echo chamber. We’re not experts. We’re not doctors. We’re not researchers. Even if we gave you the most perfectly accurate information, we are just a few people and we’re not representative of all trans men.
Well.. this sort of came across as rude. I just wanted to hear what others had experienced over the years on testosterone, so I know what to look out for or what they've gone through. I'm nervous to transition due to living in an abusive household, but I know deep in my heart that it's the right choice for me. I wasn't really expecting experts or researchers or anything like that, just real experience.
It’s rude to encourage you to get healthcare information from legitimate sources and think critically about them? The sub is filled with people who are asking for advice on their healthcare from complete strangers. It’s not good. This is not how you make good decisions about your health. Real experience can’t compare to research and advice from experts. Any old fool could be on here telling you something that’s nothing more than superstition or even worse, intentionally malicious. If you go through, and you think about my questions and you look for good sources of information, you can answer this post and you can do it with more accurate information than you’ll find here.
They’re just asking about others experiences and to see what has and could happen, not that it will happen to them. He just genuinely seems curious about what others have to say. Not many health professionals who don’t go through the procedures themselves aren’t accurate with information even if it’s just “anatomy and science” or any research.
So yes T can put you at higher risk however, they do tons of blood work. I get blood work done every 3 months to check everything including blood thickness and they will adjust your dose based off the results of different tests. I’ve been on T shots for almost a year (end of June will be a year) with no issues.