[Isabelle]

Hi sfem,

In my break, I had a testosterone peak after two weeks, and a progesterone peak after about three weeks. From what I hear, TSs stopping estrogens experience peaks too. I know you feel horrible. But it will pass.

All,

At a cogiati score of 20, my brain is just an inch to the F side, while my body was male, and is now "in the middle" too. Between five and ten years ago, I was out on heels every week-end. After trying lots of other herbs, I found hops, and finally got breasts. But I stopped the nightlife soon after that. Other factors were at play too: I had three teenagers full time to take care of all by myself then.

Longer term, I have placed my bets on estrogens too, but not too much. The article stops just short of suggesting that's a good idea as you get older: "The opposite is true, when testosterone levels in older males decrease, estrogen levels automatically increase in response. The result is softer skin and minor breast development." Why fight something that's going to happen anyway?

I'm always surprised by how wide the ranges are that medical professionals consider "normal". Testosterone 300-999 ng/dl. Gee. So you can feel three times as male and still be normal? Maybe our brains are just telling us the right thing, and aromatase is doing the right thing: hey, a little less masculine will do.

But our brain doesn´t tell us where to stop. Aromatase does stop when it runs out of testosterone to make estrogens from. Unless you take maca, of course