The "Rump Gambit" Worked

[shelleybear.livejournal.com]

I just showered and the patch stayed on!
Yeah me.
Of course, hormones working as they do, I actually will have a butt at some point.
At which point, it's back to square one.

Something I found on Cnn.com I wanted to share

[rawkus-fella.livejournal.com]

Testosterone therapy: The answer for aging men?
From MayoClinic.com
Special to CNN.com


The possibilities are enticing — increase your muscle mass, sharpen your memory and mental focus, boost your libido, and improve your energy level. If you're an aging man, this may sound like the ultimate anti-aging formula. But such health benefits from testosterone therapy aren't quite so clear-cut.

"We just can't predict all the potential harmful effects of taking hormones even though on the surface they may seem beneficial."
Todd Nippoldt, M.D.
Mayo Clinic Rochester
Testosterone therapy has been used successfully for years to treat men with abnormally low testosterone levels — a medical condition called male hypogonadism. More recently, healthy, aging men have taken the hormone to boost waning testosterone levels. But not enough is known about the effects of testosterone therapy for this purpose. No long-term studies have weighed the potential benefits against the possible risks, including infertility and prostate problems.

Despite the lack of scientific evidence, testosterone therapy is growing in popularity. Pharmacies filled 2.4 million testosterone prescriptions in 2004 — more than twice the number filled in 2000, according to IMS Health, a company that tracks pharmaceutical sales. Though the number appears to be growing, there are no data that track who's filling these prescriptions — men or women — and for what purpose.

At the core of the controversy is whether gradually declining testosterone levels are a natural phenomenon or a health problem. And the practical question for men and their doctors is whether to treat it, particularly in the absence of scientific evidence. Before you buy into the tempting claims, find out what's known — and not known — about testosterone therapy so that you can make the best decision for you and your long-term health.


The natural decline of testosterone

Starting around age 40, a man's body produces less testosterone. Testosterone is the main male hormone that maintains muscle mass and strength, fat distribution, bone mass, sperm production, sex drive, and potency.

Many call this progressive decline of hormones "male menopause" or "andropause" and equate it to women's menopause. But this isn't a valid comparison, says Todd Nippoldt, M.D., an endocrinologist at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. "In women, ovulation ceases and female hormone production plummets over a relatively short time frame," says Dr. Nippoldt. "In men, there's a gradual decline in the production of male hormones."

For most men, testosterone levels naturally decline but still remain within the normal range throughout their lifetimes, causing no significant problems. But about two in 10 men age 60 and older have testosterone levels below the normal range (testosterone deficiency).

Testosterone deficiency can have several effects on the body, including:

Decreased energy
Reduced muscle mass and strength
Decreased cognitive function
Less sexual interest or potency
Depressed mood
If you experience these signs or symptoms, you may have testosterone deficiency. Other medical conditions — such as liver disease, hypothyroidism and depression — can cause these effects as can certain medications, including beta blockers, painkillers and certain drugs for depression or anxiety. In addition, some healthy men encounter these changes as a part of the aging process, possibly because of declining hormones other than testosterone.

Talk to your doctor if you're experiencing these signs and symptoms. He or she can help determine the likely cause and suggest the best treatment plan, if any.



Hypothyroidism


Male depression: Don't ignore the symptoms


Hot flashes in men

Potential benefits and risks

In men with testosterone deficiency, testosterone therapy can restore sexual function and muscle strength, prevent bone loss and protect against heart disease (atherosclerosis). Also, some men taking testosterone therapy report an increase in energy, sex drive and well-being.

Some anti-aging enthusiasts claim that increasing the level of testosterone in older and healthy men provides these same benefits. Though potentially beneficial for some of these men, testosterone therapy isn't risk-free. High doses of testosterone may result in sleep apnea, infertility and excess blood production, which could increase the risk of stroke.

Increasing testosterone levels may also pose problems for the prostate, a small male gland that produces most of the fluids in semen. Testosterone naturally stimulates the growth of the prostate. Long-term testosterone treatment could cause prostate gland enlargement. Also, doctors are concerned that testosterone therapy might fuel the growth of prostate cancer that is already present. This is especially worrisome since prostate cancer is common in older men, and many men may have prostate cancer that is undiagnosed.

In addition, scientists have linked testosterone therapy to breast cancer in men. Breast cancer, like prostate cancer, is a hormone-dependent cancer. Because long-term testosterone treatment could cause breast enlargement in men (gynecomastia), doctors are concerned that testosterone therapy might also fuel the growth of breast cancer that is already present.

All men, especially those with a family history of prostate or breast cancer, should discuss the potential benefits and risks of testosterone therapy with their doctors before beginning treatment.

To carefully weigh the potential pros and cons for you, consider the following:

Estraderm and Sleep

[shelleybear.livejournal.com]

Has anyone noticed a disruption of regular sleep cycles since they started Estraderm or any other estrogen products?


Shelley

Twitch

[stacis-leak.livejournal.com]

Okay, psych appointment tomorrow... I'm trying to pretend I'm not nervous but I really really am.

I have no idea what will happen after I step into the door of the psych's office. I'm normally eally really good at planning forwards and envisioning the most likely outcome of events but 3pm tomorrow is like a brick wall for my third eye... Anythink I can imagine seems as likely as anything else I imagine, right down ot him turning out to be an alien or hypnotising all my creativity out of me so I'll be a happy little drone...

I am seriously freaked out.

Trans Sex Worker Community

[demi-dysphoria.livejournal.com]

Hello.

I found it necessary to create a community for Trans Sex Workers. You see, we don't have a lot of support, either from the culture at large, or from Sex Worker communities, where there are either transphobia/access issues, or simply not enough information specialized in regards to our practices. This leaves Trans Sex Workers between a rock and a hard place, which places them at far higher risks for Police Busts, Violence and Poverty.

What this community is based upon, loosely, is the modern "Sex Workers' Movement" and "Feminist Sex Work" ethics. Briefly stated, this is a manner by which Sex Workers (Escorts, Phone Sex Operators, Porn Models, Dancers) are encouraged to operate as independants (rather than for pimps and agencies), to be aware of thier rights, and to have access to information which empowers them. There is a lot of emphasis on being Smart and Savvy, and developing co-op entities for work and safety. I've noticed that within this new ethic, Trans-Persons have been largely left out, despite the large percentile of (mostly M2F) trans-persons who become Sex Workers for one reason or another. Overall, the solution is D.I.Y. No one else is going to create this form of community for us, so if you need it, help build it! This is a MAJOR effort to empower Trans-Persons, as so many of us find ourselves in Sex Work, whether by choice or force (usually a combination of the two.)

If you are just such a person (or considering becoming one), or are a knowledgable ally (as in, non-trans), please talk to me about joining this community (preferably by e-mail: demi777@gmail.com)

Please! If this has been posted to your community, it has been as a effort to bring this demographic together! This may be a life-line to many of us, if you do not agree with our way of life, or do not care for the subject, please just leave this be! There will always be Sex Workers, and plenty of them will be Trans. I'm not looking to begin discussions here (that would be for the Trans Sex Work group), just looking for those of us who are in need! (Nor am I inferring, by posting to your community page, that the members of the community are all Sex Workers. This is outreach.)

This will be cross-posted into [info]mtf_lesbians, [info]mtf_undressed, [info]protips, [info]sexpositive_sw, [info]tranny_please, [info]transfeminism, [info]womens_studies, [info]trans_poc, [info]rainbowsupport, [info]sexworkpartners

If you know a Trans Sex Worker, please let them know! Spread the word! Post in other communities!

For more specific info, I'm posting the "Mission Statement" (also available on the community's info page) below this LJ cut. Its really quite an essay, so don't read unless you're really interested. (It is rather educational.)

( Read more... )