HRT and effects

[jillian]

So I see my endo for blood results on monday.

I work out a little and all my joints are sore. Hip flexors, knees, and ankles.
Part of me is concerned about blood clots. My mom had a pulmonary embolism, not as a result from hrt, but from a histerectomey.
My concern is not being able to take hormones.  I informed my endo, that I was self medicating, and at the time my mom had me convinced that her PE was from hormones, although she eventually told me she never took hormones, ever.

So, okay, lets say I get a clot. Is there other options for HRT? I mean there has to be right? I dont think I could live without it, as a matter of fact, and you can say what you will, but if it wasnt for hormones, I would be deceased. 

I dont want to hear about transitioning without them, I want to know if anyone knows the next option, so I can stop worrying.  If not, please dont antagonize me with the trans nazi stuff, I see my endo on monday so of course I will be discussing this with her, Im just curious if anyone is or was in this situation. :-)

[Rabbit]

Don't worry too much about clots (I know I say that, but I was really freaked out about them too... every time my leg felt a little sore I was like "OMG I'M GOING TO DIE!!!"... and took an aspirin just in case).

Really, an aspirin is a good thing to do if you are worried. It thins the blood (for those older or higher risk, they even put them on a daily baby aspirin type of thing)... also helps stop any pain you have in the leg (so it gets off your mind and you don't worry).

From what I understand, the bloodclot thing is what women put up with all the time (they are at higher risk also). And if they are on birth control, it is estrogen suppliment.. so even higher risk.

Actually, working out is a good thing. Sitting around for really long periods of time (like a long plane ride or sitting at the computer working) is when the bloodclots become a lot more risky (same with crossing your legs apparently?).

If your leg start becoming swollen or lots of pain.. THEN it is something to worry about (yea, I also kept thinking my leg was swelling up the first month or two... lol). I guess it is easy to get paranoid about it. But if you don't smoke and are young and semi-active, you are in a VERY low risk category.

[Sunnynight]

I'm pretty sure that injectable estrogen has a lower risk of causing clots. For instance, if you smoke most doctors will not put you on a pill form of estrogen because of the increased clotting risk, but my doctor was fine with giving me injectables when I was smoking. I'm still on injectables because of things like the decreased clotting risk. I just think they are a better choice in general.

[VeronikaFTH]

Also, if you had an orchiectomy or SRS, the amounts of hormones you would need to take would be considerably smaller, and then you could even do injectables which may lower the risk further. Easier on your liver as well. Even if your doctors wouldn't normally approve you for an orchid or srs at this stage in your transition, they may just for the reduction in health risk from the lower dosages of hormones..

[jillian]

Thanks girls :-)  You are all so nice, and I need it badly right now.

my legs are all bruised. I am extremely active, and at work, I work harder than the most macho hetero man they have :-)

I get pain from outside my hip bone to outside and behind my knee, down the outside of my shin and all around my ankle.  I think I am working way to hard.

To be honest, right now at this very moment, life is just ->-bleeped-<-ED.
I have a great job, they dont know
I have a great spouse, who is unsure and deceptive even though she knows I am a little paranoid
Im transitioning YAY, but I feel like I am to manly and all I hear all day is sir, bro, man, guy....
I want to just go somewhere and cry for a week straight.

My throats been sore so I had it scoped, no cancer. You know what, part of me hoped it was, just like part of me hope I get a clot.
Part of me wants to live so badly, but then I think about everything compounding from job to bills to med costs, insurance, rent, fun....Why is life so freaking expensive?

I need a vacation

[valyn_faer]

Why is life so freaking expensive?

I need a vacation

Ugh, I hear ya. I'm up to my eyeballs in student loan debt. My facial hair keeps growing back after electrolysis sessions, which I've already spent over $2,000 on. They discontinued subsidized loans for grad school here in the U.S., which just made it all the more expensive. Plus, it's now looking like I'm going to have to take a year off after I graduate before I can start grad school. I'm really good at managing my money so, worse case scenario, I should have enough in savings to live off of for a year if I can't find a job due to a lousy economy and discrimination. I also just discovered that my insurance, which is the state insurance for the poor, will actually cover the full cost of my hormones. My two biggest concerns are avoiding homelessness and making sure I have access to hormones. As long as I've got those two issues covered, I can pull through in the end. But there are days when it seems like every masculine aspect of my body is amplified and it seems like finishing electrolysis will never happen. Then there are days when I get "ma'amed" at work, and the days when I look in the mirror and see the amount of progress I've made and I'm filled with hope and happiness. As the Minutemen sing, "This ain't no picnic."

[jillian]

what state do you live in? I live for those moments when I am refereed to with female (pro) nouns.

I totally just want a simple life.
I seriously want to live within walking distance of a movie theatre and a whole food, oh and water.
I will work swing shift at a register at whole foods.
Smoke a doobie on the way home past the water to the love of my life. We will stay up and read together and on the weekends we will smoke out and walk to the movies in the rain and movie hop :-)   That is my dream life.   

[Rabbit]

I will work swing shift at a register at whole foods.
Smoke a doobie on the way home past the water to the love of my life. We will stay up and read together and on the weekends we will smoke out and walk to the movies in the rain and movie hop :-)   That is my dream life.

...oh come onnn... aim higher than that!! Your dream life is working a register for the rest of your life and getting high? o.O

[jillian]

thats what you see in my post.
What I see is moments that bring me peace.
I live a pretty materialisticly inclined life right now. Ive hit the mark society portrays as success.
My spouse and I share a good, financially secure lifestyle, however, it is uninspiring.
The desert is drab, and my job is intensely stressful.
Ive worked in organic grocery stores, so I know the atmosphere.
Ive smoked marijuanna, so I know how it feels, plus everyone is high in some way shape or form anyways, regardless of what people may insist.
Ive movie hopped on rain days,
Ive strolled home in drizzle under a peek a boo moon
My stars may not be as far as your stars, but the light eminates from the depths of the universe regardless, and to me
their beauty is beyond what the consensus says is

I hope you get where I am coming from, although it seems you may just say Im high, which I am, but not of marijuanna, off folgers

[valyn_faer]

You should move to Oregon then! That's where I live. No water nearby except the Willamette River. Well, the coast is only about an hour to an hour and a half away. I biked through a park the other day and there's this one spot where three bike paths converge into one, which probably has the most foot and bike traffic in the entire park, and there was a small group of people sitting on the grass nearby passing around a joint in broad daylight. lol. You can walk down the street and smell it emanating from houses. It's the most common thing here and nobody cares. I'm not into it myself, but I have no problem with it. Oh, and there's plenty of rain. The summer's here are amazingly beautiful too. Portland is very trans friendly. I currently live in Eugene, though. Eugene is a nice town. It's a great city to bike in. I don't have a car and don't need one here. It's great. And there are plenty of whole food type grocery stores here. Both cities have their pros and cons. I moved here from Arizona. I had to get out of the desert. As for your dream, do what makes you happy. Life is too short to pursue crap you don't really want, but that everyone else thinks you should want.

[Bird]

Jillan, if you work on a physically demanding job, you may want to take it easier as you can develop quite a bunch of problems on your joints with years of work. Women also are more likely to have these kind of problems when in the same kind of work as men, due to our more delicate build.

Just something for you to look into to keep yourself healthy and keep the cash flowing!

[jillian]

@ valyn.  you just got me a little excited, I absolutely love the rain. Nothing is more peaceful than sitting by the window while its storming, curled up in a wonderful book. By the way: "hunger games" best book Ive read yet, its had me balling, and laughing.

@bird  yeah, Im becoming all to familliar with that, it doesnt help that I am a slight hypochondriac.  Clots, my mind says....

[ByeBye]

i'm not even on hormone replacement therapy (yet?) i started my transition summer 2011.  started growing out my hair in 2010, had it cut (regret) feb 2011 for boy mode until june anfd then in summer 2011 i knew i wanted to become a girl and in sep 2011, i started slightly modifying my everyday wardrobe. it's so easy to change a mens xl t shirt into a dress, (i lost THAT much weight). all u need is a drawstring from pajama pants and tie it around ur stomach/ upper hip. it'll look like a girl's blouse with pleated skirt beneath it. oops, i ranted!