Hormone Replacement Therapy

If the subject of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) comes up in conversation these days, most of us will assume that we are talking about women going through "the change."  It has become commonplace to talk about supplementing the naturally decreasing levels of hormones in mature women -- attempting to mitigate the effects of aging and the onset of menopause.  I undertook a course of intensive hormone replacement therapy following my hysterectomy.  It was intended to address the issues that I encountered with libido and sexual functioning, included supplemental estrogen and testosterone, and was carefully monitored by my physician.  Ultimately, I had to discontinue the treatments because they caused a serious and debilitating upswing in the frequency of my migraine headaches. 

Less frequently talked about, is male hormone replacement therapy.  As men age, it is common for their hormone levels to decrease, and so beginning around the age of 35, many men experience hypogonadism.  As long as I have known Him, Master has used HRT to bolster His testosterone levels.  It was as much a part of His daily routine as brushing His teeth, or taking His pills.  He used a gel product, rubbing it on His backside after His morning shower. 

Then, He lost 160 pounds over a period of about eight months.  Life got busy and pretty intense, and the usual monitoring that would normally be done by His physician fell by the wayside.  We recently made a change in our primary care doctor, and this new fellow is careful and thorough.  He ran a panel for free and total testosterone, and discovered that the levels of that hormone in Master's blood stream were way elevated -- above the level where the test even measures!  Suddenly, we had an explanation for His volatile moods, His unexplainable anger, His fits of depression.  The doctor had Him discontinue the supplement, and over a period of about three weeks, the levels of testosterone in His bloodstream dropped off -- until they once again fell into the seriously "too low" range.  He experienced all of the symptoms that might be expected with a lack of the primary male sex hormone.  It has played havoc with our sadomasochistic play -- He has almost no interest in spanking, and not much more in plain old vanilla sex. 

In the last few weeks, He has started back onto the HRT, applying it in a carefully controlled fashion. In just the last few days, He has been feeling back on His game again.  He is once again waking up with the morning hardon that we'd become accustomed to before.  His interest in spanking is reviving.  His interest in GETTING SPANKED is (unexplainably) returning as well.  Yesterday, He had blood work done to determine whether the hormone levels are in the acceptable range.  We're keeping our fingers crossed. 

In the meantime, here's a bit of testosterone poetry...

swan 

To You, Testosterone!

Testosterone! I am a Man,

I raise a gilded chalice to Your Name

Oh Driver of My Destiny!

Inflator of My Ego!

For you I will rape and pillage,

In your name will I subjugate my enemies

Be it on the battlefield or in the boardroom,

On the playing field or in a lover’s bed.

I will be supreme!

You raised me from a suckling babe

And taught me how to rant and rave

For other kiddies’ toys.

And in your name I do it still,

Yeh, even though I be old and grey,

I do it still.

Yet be not fooled

By my acquiescence to your will.

It is out of weakness that I obey you.

For I know within my heart of hearts

That you care not for me.

“Survival of the Fittest”

That is the motto inscribed upon your crest.

And in my most private soul,

Within the tender petals that me enfold

Still dwells that little boy,

So vulnerable, so shy,

Who would caress with gentle touch

And be caressed in turn.

But You, oh mighty mover of my biochemistry,

Have strengthened the fortress walls of my being.

Only the obstinate few can pass over the drawbridge

To the inner keep.

And I too am locked within,

Unable to communicate to those who sit and wait outside

And oft must turn away.

And when you are done with me

Will you cast me aside like a used condom?

Will I with soft regret and tearful eye

Review my subservience to your will?

When I am old and toothless will I serve you still

Even though I have no bite?

Will my pride still be fed by you?

Or will your hold on me thin

As surely as the thinning hairs on my balding head?

Will the words “I’m sorry, I was wrong” break through?

Even now, they almost do …