Yeah yeah I'm too late. Been having periods since 11 and had breasts and pubic hair since 9. So hormone blockers won't do a thing. Also got forced on birth control in late August of this year. Stopped taking it a few weeks ago. So, yeah... anyways I'll say my age. Please don't like ban me or something. I am 14 and I want to get on tesotstone (if I get to move in with my mom) anyways I'm afraid of the stunt in growth. I am currently 5'5" 1/2 one day then shorter the next. It's weird. I have bad gender and height dysphoria. So, do you think im still growing? Also when do you think I should go on T?
Wow, you're younger than I thought you were. I guessed you to be at least 16. Oh well.
I'm no expert, but I'd say you were at a great age to start.
See if your Mom can get you to a endocrinologist, they're the best one to be able to see if you're able to be put on T. You'd have to undergo blood work but that's to be expected. Anyone undergoing HRT has to take them every few months to make sure that everything's in working order.
You're at a decent height. I've talked to many men that are shorter than you, and they're older than you are. And don't give up, you may not be done growing yet. Testosterone doesn't stunt your growth, if you're still growing, it might actually make you taller.
Again, you need to take this up with your Mom as well as your doctor. Have your Mom take you to a gender therapist, it sounds like they would do you some real good with dealing with dysphoria.
And no, you're not "too late" to have effects from T. I'm 55 and I've been on it since a month and a half before my 55th birthday. I have had definite changes even at my age. My voice has dropped to a nice baritone, I have facial hair, and my body fat and facial fat is being redistributed. The only thing that won't change is my height, but at 5'7 & 1/3"/ 171cm tall, its not too bad a height, even if I'm the shortest man in my family.
So don't think you're "too late" to go on T at your age. Good luck!
Ryuichi
Well, I'm not an endocrinologist, so I can't say 100% for certain, but I'd say that ideally you'd start T now. Fourteen is the age around which most boys have their voice drop, start developing facial hair, etc. As for your height, you can theoretically grow until your growth plates harden, which happens around 18-21. I know a 19-year-old who has grown some on T.
I know a little bit about your situation and I understand that it's not as simple for you as just going to the doctor and getting a prescription. I don't want to panic you into thinking that you have to be on T IMMEDIATELY or else you somehow can never be the man you want to be. Life's a little tougher for shorter guys, but it's not like it isn't worth living. I know plenty of trans men, and most of them pass just fine whatever their height.
The ideal age to start any hormone treatment is when you are absolutely sure of what you are and what you need to do to get there and your therapist agrees with your personal assessment.
In the situation of a FTM, Testosterone is a one way street. It is very difficult to undo the effects of Testosterone as many of us MTF late transitioners must deal with.
If you want more height, hold off on hormone treatments unless you have already reached you natural maximum height. Even though you already have your periods, it is usually not to late at age 14 to start taking an estrogen blocker.
I know it's never too late or too early. It's really hard though cause I want to start it but, I don't even know if I have any growing left or not? Cause there's is a chance you can stunt your growth by taking testosterone since it's a sex hormone and gets converted into estrogen which closes up bone growth thing. I want to transition badly but, I don't want to affect my height if im still growing. What should I do?
Quote from: PeterSteele on November 05, 2017, 09:09:53 AM
I know it's never too late or too early. It's really hard though cause I want to start it but, I don't even know if I have any growing left or not? Cause there's is a chance you can stunt your growth by taking testosterone since it's a sex hormone and gets converted into estrogen which closes up bone growth thing. I want to transition badly but, I don't want to affect my height if im still growing. What should I do?
That doesn't happen that way. If your levels are being constantly evaluated by a reputable endocrinologist (as they should be), you won't have to worry about your testosterone getting so high that it begins to convert back to estrogen. Your dose will vary in the beginning because they'll need to tailor it specifically to your individual needs--this is why we have blood tests so regularly for the first 1-2 years--and, during that time, your entire blood profile will be scrutinized. If they see that you're not therapeutically benefitting from your dose, they'll raise it; if they see that your levels are getting too high (cholesterol, testosterone, etc.), they'll drop it. Everyone has a different number of androgen receptors. What this means is that someone could need to be on a 4x higher dose than someone else to see the necessary benefits.
Your testosterone has to be pretty high (outside of the natal male range) for it to start converting to estrogen so that shouldn't be a concern.
Quote from: TransAm on November 05, 2017, 09:42:17 AM
That doesn't happen that way. If your levels are being constantly evaluated by a reputable endocrinologist (as they should be), you won't have to worry about your testosterone getting so high that it begins to convert back to estrogen. Your dose will vary in the beginning because they'll need to tailor it specifically to your individual needs--this is why we have blood tests so regularly for the first 1-2 years--and, during that time, your entire blood profile will be scrutinized. If they see that you're not therapeutically benefitting from your dose, they'll raise it; if they see that your levels are getting too high (cholesterol, testosterone, etc.), they'll drop it. Everyone has a different number of androgen receptors. What this means is that someone could need to be on a 4x higher dose than someone else to see the necessary benefits.
Your testosterone has to be pretty high (outside of the natal male range) for it to start converting to estrogen so that shouldn't be a concern.
Thank you so much. Why do I see a lot of posts about it stunting growth if taking it during teen years? Also do you think I could gain height from it since I'm still growing?
Quote from: PeterSteele on November 05, 2017, 09:49:49 AM
Thank you so much. Why do I see a lot of posts about it stunting growth if taking it during teen years? Also do you think I could gain height from it since I'm still growing?
At fourteen it's definitely possible but it's still going to depend on your genetic capability to do so. If it's not in the cards for you to be much taller, it's not going to pan out whether you're on testosterone or otherwise.
There's a lot of misinformation out there especially regarding HRT. It often gets mistaken for medication, like it will somehow interact with medications ("can I take this medication while on testosterone?") or growth cycles. Once your levels are fine-tuned to your individual needs, you're no more at risk for anything than a natal male. Men smoke, take meds and do a lot of things 'on testosterone' all the time.
If testosterone stunted growth during the teen years, there would be a lot of really short/stunted men out there. It's literally the
growth hormone (for height and musculature).
To sum it up:
- Provided that your plates haven't already fused (pretty unlikely at 14) and it's in your genetics to get taller, it's probable starting testosterone right now would give you some height.
Quote from: TransAm on November 05, 2017, 10:03:45 AM
At fourteen it's definitely possible but it's still going to depend on your genetic capability to do so. If it's not in the cards for you to be much taller, it's not going to pan out whether you're on testosterone or otherwise.
There's a lot of misinformation out there especially regarding HRT. It often gets mistaken for medication, like it will somehow interact with medications ("can I take this medication while on testosterone?") or growth cycles. Once your levels are fine-tuned to your individual needs, you're no more at risk for anything than a natal male. Men smoke, take meds and do a lot of things 'on testosterone' all the time.
If testosterone stunted growth during the teen years, there would be a lot of really short/stunted men out there. It's literally the growth hormone (for height and musculature).
To sum it up:
- Provided that your plates haven't already fused (pretty unlikely at 14) and it's in your genetics to get taller, it's probable starting testosterone right now would give you some height.
Thank you so much I completely understand this and see how people do mistake that. I do the some times like "oh I shouldn't do that on T cause it might cause issues" when in reality it's just a hormone men have and they do everything normal and stuff and they didn't stunt in height and they didn't like have any issues with devloping or whatever if they've did anything. (Yeah I make no sense but, I completely understand. Thank you so much. So, do you think it's worth it to start my transition and get a gender therapist and try and get T?
Quote from: PeterSteele on November 05, 2017, 10:22:19 AM
Thank you so much I completely understand this and see how people do mistake that. I do the some times like "oh I shouldn't do that on T cause it might cause issues" when in reality it's just a hormone men have and they do everything normal and stuff and they didn't stunt in height and they didn't like have any issues with devloping or whatever if they've did anything. (Yeah I make no sense but, I completely understand. Thank you so much. So, do you think it's worth it to start my transition and get a gender therapist and try and get T?
If this is what you want out of life, then yes. Many of us wish we could go back in time and start earlier (myself included). A good therapist can help you navigate the ins and outs of transitioning as well as address any fears or concerns you may have regarding undergoing hormone treatment.
Quote from: TransAm on November 05, 2017, 10:48:11 AM
If this is what you want out of life, then yes. Many of us wish we could go back in time and start earlier (myself included). A good therapist can help you navigate the ins and outs of transitioning as well as address any fears or concerns you may have regarding undergoing hormone treatment.
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Thank you so much