Transitioning: Under Scientific Documentation

[Myojine]

I walked out of the hospital off to the bus to go live with my mom, and with a prescription for Transdermal patches and spiro(anti androgen)

But im not like the rest of the world who woudl just rather go through things instead id rather use the opportunity for SCIENCE!
*possible portal jokes inbound*

So as there is no real standardized medical criteria for transgenders, by that I mean data.
I will be recording certain points of value in which can be recorded for research purposes.
Problem is... im not sure as to what these values should be.
first off the amount of drugs/hormones i know that should be considered, also time passage,,, but What should be measured, recorded, or otherwise registered as a point of data?

Obviously first off breast size?
start with a basic measure ment around the area accross the nipples? or what about an algoryth for calculation of breast mass?
how and what should be recorded?

somewhat relevant, is hips? or rather the transition of fat/body mass from "male" to "female" patterns?
but how exactly would this be recorded?

possibly less obvious: the effects the drugs have on penis and testicular size/functions?
but once again how should these be valued or measured? i mean i guess theres and obvious one for the penis but is it know that estrogens/hormones show a pattered of defecting such an organ?

Consider all points and values, i start the hormones today/tomarrow but I need legitmate values and recordable data.
Do your worst? ill be putting myself under the microscope...so to speak
just remember, this is for science.

[Chickhe]

If you took a picture of yourself every day from the same angles over time you could show the changes over time. There are some of these on youtube, but it is difficult to see the changes to someone's face because they tend to be wearing makeup which gets better over time... it would be neat to see how someone's face with no makeup at all changes over time.

[Stephenie S]

While I applaud you desire to further the course of scientific knowledge, I suspect little will be gained by your plan. MOST of what you will see as changes will be in your head. A fully grown human male will change very little physically. Breast growth? Some. If you continue on to actual transition you will most likely want a breast augmentation. Hips and butt? Not much change there either. Women's hips are not just the product of extra fat in that area. They have a MUCH wider pelvic girdle to allow for the easy decent of a fetus during birth. And if you wish to eventually have SRS your surgeon will want as much length to your penis and as much testicular skin as possible available during your surgery.

Just follow along the same path we all travel and you will be fine, dear.

BTW, I am SO happy for you. You are finally making the progress you have been dreaming of for so long. You deserve it.

Stephie

[Bree-asaurus]

While I applaud you desire to further the course of scientific knowledge, I suspect little will be gained by your plan. MOST of what you will see as changes will be in your head. A fully grown human male will change very little physically. Breast growth? Some. If you continue on to actual transition you will most likely want a breast augmentation. Hips and butt? Not much change there either. Women's hips are not just the product of extra fat in that area. They have a MUCH wider pelvic girdle to allow for the easy decent of a fetus during birth. And if you wish to eventually have SRS your surgeon will want as much length to your penis and as much testicular skin as possible available during your surgery.

Just follow along the same path we all travel and you will be fine, dear.

BTW, I am SO happy for you. You are finally making the progress you have been dreaming of for so long. You deserve it.

Stephie

It varies from person to person. The younger you are, the more changes you can expect. I'm 27 and I've had an increase of four pant sizes due to growth in my hips and butt and I've only been on hormones for 1.5 years. (yes this is all because of fat redistribution, but i'm relatively skinny so changes are still possible)

[Kaitlyn Michele]

transition's physical changes are totally different for every person...

the physical part of transition is something that is vital to aid the much more important mental part of it.. data on sizes etc is not really meaningful to anyone but yourself.....
If it's meaningful and important to YOU, then you should do it!!!...and in that case, just measure whatever you think is important to YOU...

[Frances]

There are applications for this very purpose on the Internet. Look at the Second Type Woman Website. The changes occuring in one person have no scientific value, as the outcome is different for everyone, and that includes cis-gendered women. I started measuring myself along the application's guidelines for a while to note changes and got quite bored with it after a while. Transition is way more of a psychological journey than a physical one, but people at the starting gate will not believe that. I didn't.

[CharleneT]

. . .
Transition is way more of a psychological journey than a physical one, but people at the starting gate will not believe that. I didn't.

Very, VERY true !!

Myojine, record anything and everything that you feel like ! Sometimes doing that can help you find spots to celebrate ;) Do remember patience is a virtue with physical changes, they can be dramatic or subtle - as well as kinda herky-jerky in terms of when and how much. Try keeping a journal of your thoughts, if that is the sort of thing you are comfortable with.

Good luck !!

[Traci Elizabeth]

I use to record many measurements on my body and took the exact same pose pictures on every month anniversary of starting HRT........that lasted a year!

Now, I could care less about measurements since I look totally female and have developed so much that I am just enjoying living my life as the female I have always been.

I think tracking changes and milestones is a process to see how close we have met our expectations over time. But once you get there it is totally irrelevant data.

[Sophiewouldbenice]

I have read, that they studied the brain of people how under go such a transition. Some scientists say, that MTF TS have a female brain since birth, so they checked if there was some change while taking hormons or if there opinon was right. I do not remember the webpage, where plenty of such studys were mentioned, with links, it was actually in German. Souned actually interessting - I need a MRI of my brain ^^. So this at least can be of scientific interest ;)

[Kaitlyn Michele]

Frankly i'm glad i didnt measure everything.... it would be a book of disappointing statistics...its never fast enough, or good enough..
i'm not saying to ignore keeping track of your journey..(altho i ignored it)... i'm saying the changes happen over many many years, they are subtle and they are cumulative....we are talking 5+ years... if you pay too much attention you will be watching a clock tick second by second...

[Frances]

I have read, that they studied the brain of people how under go such a transition. Some scientists say, that MTF TS have a female brain since birth, so they checked if there was some change while taking hormons or if there opinon was right. I do not remember the webpage, where plenty of such studys were mentioned, with links, it was actually in German. Souned actually interessting - I need a MRI of my brain ^^. So this at least can be of scientific interest ;)

The studies was done in the Netherlands under the supervision of Dr. Dick Swaab. They disected the brains of transsexuals including one subject who had not taken hormones. They found that the nerve endings in the part of the brain that is differentiated between males and females were female in the TS brains, including in the brain of the subject who had NOT taken hormones. There is no MRI test for transsexuality studies of the brain. You have to be dead to participate in such studies.

[Traci Elizabeth]

if you pay too much attention you will be watching a clock tick second by second...

That is very true. Your changes are not like a weed that you can sit there and watch it grow every minute.

[Stephenie S]

MOST of what you will see as changes will be in your head. A fully grown human male will change very little physically.

I should not have to repeat myself. This is a FACT.

While everyone can come up with some anecdotal rebuttal, facts are facts. There exists NO special pill that will change you into a woman. That change will occur IN YOUR MIND. And it will blow your mind when it happens. Facts are facts. Read my post again. Breast growth? Some. But if you continue on into full transition you will most likely want breast augmentation. Hips and butt? Some changes there also. But with few exceptions, you will probably wish you had more. A fully grown human male will CHANGE VERY LITTLE physically from a program of hormone therapy. Period.

What do I mean by "very little"? I mean you will wish for more. It won't be what you hope for. The changes you will experience will be profound. But they will NOT be the physical changes we all yearn for. These profound changes I speak of will be MENTAL changes. Believe me, you will LOVE 'em. But searching for your changes with a tape measure will be a waste of time, and perhaps, an exercise in frustration.

S

Please listen to those who have gone before. We are here to help those coming along behind. We don't post here for fun or because we are bored. We post here for YOU. To help YOU grow and progress in your journey. If all you want to do is argue and disagree, what progress will you make?

[melissaK]

The comments resonate with a current hypothesis in transgender studies. Once you are on HRT the cross sex hormones activate parts of your body that were not active before, and the reduction of natural gender hormones cause other parts to slowdown or inactivate. Science is still sorting it all out. But MTF are stuck with XY chromosomes in their cells and estrogen doesn't neutralize all the Y chromosomes handiwork. FTM get testosterone but can't get a Y chromosome to replace one of their XX chromosomes. (There are rare genetic variations like XXY) But among the things that see to change in response to the hormone change comes from imperfect preliminary research by MRI of living people which seems to show HRT (taking estrogen) does make the brain volume (size) change to that of a XX genetic female. Changes in size of particular brain areas are being studied. Perhaps , this is part, but certainly not all, of why transition is perceived as such a mental thing. None of this is widely accepted scientific fact so don't go saying it is. It's just theories being investigated
Hugs
'lissa