Starting HRT this Sunday

[becky77]

Wow Nicole you really have no idea on the subject of hormones.
Hardly a gimmick it's done miracles to my mentality.

[Eryn]

After a year I'll say that HRT has done quite a lot for me. Calmer outlook, positive physical changes, lower blood pressure, etc.

[Jeri Ann]

Really Nicole? If HRT is only a gimmick or wishful thinking, then I have achieved mind over matter. Noticeable matter! I may become famous.

Jeri

[MissDanielle]

My coming out post has 305 likes and 128 comments as of this evening.

[Suzanne F]

Nicole are you on hormones? That is the dumbest statement I have ever read on this forum. I don't even know how to respond. They require a doctor to monitor and they are not freely just given out because they do offer many profound changes. For many of us it was the key to finally feeling emotionally mad physically right. Not to mention that my wife regularly exclaims it just amazes her that the changes are so visible after just over 13 months. If you are new here or are trying to get information please disregard Nicole's post!
Suzanne

[Eringirl]

Hormones are not going to cause changes so big that you would have to come out at work anytime soon.

It is more "wishful thinking" on the part of most TS when they believe the changes are gonna be so great that people will even notice.

Pesonally, it seems to me that HRT is mostly a gimmick. Kind of like the latest weight loss supplement or those steroid alternatives you find in health food stores. All these things might make a slight difference (on a good day) but nothing life changing.

Wow....ah...wow....I don't even know if I want to take the energy to respond to such a....um...what's the word I'm looking for....baseless comment? But, anyone who knows me, knows I can't keep my mouth shut. so.....

Yes, they are totally a YMMV treatment, I will concede to that. Quicker and more profound for some than others, no doubt. However, given that, how do you explain that after being on HRT for a year, many people in my world figured out I was in the process of transitioning due to changes in face, fat distribution and breast development. I had to wear compression garments and baggy sweaters to work so as not to be noticed, as I most definitely have B cup breasts. I only have to shave my legs once every 10 days now, and other body hair is completely gone. Maybe I was abducted by aliens instead???? Best thing I ever did to reduce my GD was to start medically approved HRT.

But this is just me.

[PretzelGirl]

My coming out post has 305 likes and 128 comments as of this evening.

I hope you are being showered with positive posts. It can be very affirming!

[Nigella]

OK folks, enough comments have been made regarding a certain post, now is the time to return the thread to the OP. Any further comment regarding this post will be deleted, if you want to say something, take it to PM

[Barbara Ella]

Good for you girl. Changes will come, and they will be rapid on some areas, and extremely slow and frustrating in others. The timeline will vary with individual, but the nearly immediate relief from the dysphoria is the most gratifying. Been on HRT for three years now. Extreme hair thinning and slowed growth in the past year. Getting some fat redistribution, and wife is amazed (chagrined!) at the breast development. I have to pass as male for the wife right now, so it can be hidden with the right fit of clothing. I wear loose quayaberas (mexican wedding shirt) 90% of the time, so they hide it well enough. Enjoy the jouirney.

For Terri. I started HRT at age of 66, and have been quite pleased with the long term developments.

Barbara

[MissDanielle]

One month checkup today! I'll find out my levels in the next few days. My endo wants me in the 200-500 level for E and 30 or under for T.

[Zooey]

Just a reminder that, to the extent that we talk about levels, the units are important. There are several units in common use for estradiol and testosterone measurements (pg/mL, pmol/L, etc.).

Hope your results are positive!

[MissDanielle]

Labs were in pg/mL. She didn't specify the measurements when she mentioned the range though.

[Megan G]

If i had to guess her range of 200-500 would be in reference to Pmol/L as if you converted 500 pg/ml that equates to almost 1900pmol/L... That's off the charts..

When I first switched from pills to injectable my first blood test was 1550pmol/L and my endo almost had a heart attack and I had to cut that in 1/2...

[Zooey]

That was my guess too Megan. The endocrine society guidelines target estradiol levels <= 200pg/ml that are female-normative at a mid-cycle level, though I have heard of some doctors who push people much higher.

[MissDanielle]

I mentioned how some folks were surprised at how high I was starting for E and she said that they want to get people off and running.

[Zooey]

Wow. I'm not a doctor, but wow.

[Megan G]

Double wow.. And as a starting dose to boot.

My doc would not even consider bumping me up to that dosage, thats the reason I went injectable E.

[MissDanielle]

E is at 176 pg/mL. T is at 53 ng/dL.

My endo wants to see E between 200-500 and T at 30 or under in those measurements.

Bilirubin was down as well but it's still slightly elevated but nothing like back in February.

EDIT: Labs for E are in pg....and I'm thinking that the 200-500 is pm.

[MissDanielle]

Thanks to a generous donation, I can afford the next six months of laser.

[MissDanielle]

My name change court date is set for the end of October. It works great for me as I am eying the start of November to go full time. It will be 6 months HRT. Full time may beckon sooner.

I also really opened up on my transition blog about my entire life, minus that time I raided my mom's closet. I'm not able to see my therapist until this Thursday after work so I just needed to open up on all of my feelings and just let everything pour out.

[JanePeterson]

Have you been out presenting as yourself yet?

[MissDanielle]

The non-online social transition will take place in a single day. I see friends on the street all the time and I'm not going to run the risk of boymode in one place and girlmode in another. I'm going out in boymode until going full time. All my religious trans friends have done the same thing. except for a LGBT retreat here or there, they skipped the whole part time thing. What works for some doesn't work for others.

[KymberlyOct]

I will agree that each person's path is their own. On the other hand I was going to do the same thing post ffs. My therapist suggested otherwise and I came around to her logic. By trying to do an overnight transition I was in reality avoiding the fear of being read as trans, plus robbing myself of a lot of learning opportunities both in daily life circumstances and emotionally accepting myself.

That is just me. She convinced me and I am buying in. I don't want to tell anyone, you Danielle or anyone else what their path SHOULD be, but I just thought it was a good idea to put this concept out there.

[Zooey]

Are you planning on going to your name/gender change hearing in "boy mode"?

[JanePeterson]

so, please don't take this harshly,

but what your planning would be like someone saying they're going to join the tour de france this fall, but they're still on a tricycle... skipping the training wheels and jumping right into the race may seem simpler, but in the end will make things so much harder.

Nobody is saying you cant do things your way... the reason I and many others are worried about your approach is if you do all the "easy" (i.e. non personal or boy mode stuff) first, like your name change etc.... you won't have anywhere to fall back to if you find you need a safe place for a while. What if you don't like full time? what if you're really fluid and it hasn't hit you yet? there are a 1000 contingencies and you are really narrowing your options before you've figured out what is ahead on your journey. Don't be so focused on the END, worry more about the PROCESS and getting comfortable with yourself. Full time may just end up happening on its own!