Elevated T levels pre-everything?

[CodexUmbrae]

Hiii. (?

Well, I have spent almost all the day reading in the forum, and I read someone said that around 50% of FTMs had elevated T levels before being on T or anything. Is this true? And, would it affect... you know... periods?

I have pretty weird experiences with that lately, and my mom says it's not normal (I haven't came out to her and to no one in my family or friends or... well, anyone xD) and she said she may take me to the gynecologist. And I.don't.want.to. Just no. It would get me so freaking dysphoric, almost like being forced to wear a dress or something.

By the other hand, I'm getting a bit scared. Don't feel like getting into details rn and I don't think you're interested on that (?), and maybe what I read about T levels was false or just don't have anything to be with menstruation so details would be irrelevant. But I'm getting scared 'cause what happens with me "is not normal" and I'm in a such strong pain that I haven't experienced before.

So, is there any chance that T levels pre hormone therapy (if they can actually be higher than normal) affect menstruation? Sorry if it's a silly question. And sorry if there's something wrong with the post. (?

[WolfNightV4X1]

That's highly plausible, I think a lot of men have unusual, unfemimine traits. Mine we're I developed late on puberty, I didnt get a lot of breast tissue growth, and my voice had always been abnormally deep for a female though not deep enough for a male. Altogether it makes sense that internally and externally I was pretty much a guy

When physical traits develop disproportionately and more masculinely, it makes sense to feel as we do...we have "evidence" to back up our mental state

[FTMax]

I had PCOS pre-T, and thus elevated T levels. What that meant for me: I could grow a small amount of facial hair, I had much more body hair than most females, I was fairly muscular, and my period was very painful. Beyond that, there was really nothing out of the ordinary about it. The only thing that differed from a typical PCOS diagnosis (and what took me so long to be diagnosed) is that my periods came and went like clockwork. There was nothing irregular about them other than them being painful. They didn't stop until I was on T for 3 months, so even with elevated levels, they weren't elevated enough to make it go away.

If you could describe what is going on with you, we could give more feedback about whether or not it is within the realm of normal.

[CodexUmbrae]

Thaanks for the replies.

Quite interesting about the T levels being elevated in FTM people, indeed. Yeah, like "evidence". Kind of hoping I actually have elevated T levels. I'm pretty sure my mom will take it as a joke when I come out to her, although the whole trans thing would make sense looking at my life in retrospect.

Oh... I see. Did a normal doctor diagnosed you or it was a gynecologist? If I might ask.

Well, I've always had irregular and long periods, since I have record they've never past below 30 days. Usually it's between 36 and 38 days, lately they were 38 or 39 days. There been a bunch of times were it was around 45 days. But the last one gone up to 56 days, and I spent like four hours at bed because of the pain (that's part of why I've spent almost all the day around here xD). They're usually painful (I use to bear with pain kind of fine, talking about general pain, including menstrual one, but there have been times when I just can't stand it) and today was way worse than usual but there have been times where it was close to the one from today. And I had pain some days before today, even if there was no blood. And they're usually... heavy. Not like I'm going to bleed to death but they're heavy.

Apart from anything related to periods, I'd only say that I've always been hairier (?) than most females. And probably have a neutral voice, maybe kind of deeper than usual but not enough to be masculine at all.

Soo thank you. ^^

[Mal]

I also had PCOS and elevated T levels. My periods were all over the place as to when they started and how long they lasted. They were also extremely painful and heavy. You may have PCOS or some other condition, but you would need to see a doctor to find out. I went to a general practitioner when I was diagnosed, but I had to be sent somewhere else to get an ultrasound done, too.

[AnxietyDisord3r]

You are going to want to see a gynecologist, but make it clear you don't consent to taking female hormones or androgen blockers to "fix" your condition.

I know it triggers dysphoria but think of it like you are a car and you have an HVAC system, you need a mechanic who has certified in HVAC systems to be able to service that part properly. You need to see the expert. Hopefully the gyn is trans friendly. Fortunately if/when you go on HRT you can see an endocrinologist instead of a gynecologist.

[WolfNightV4X1]

You are going to want to see a gynecologist, but make it clear you don't consent to taking female hormones or androgen blockers to "fix" your condition.

I know it triggers dysphoria but think of it like you are a car and you have an HVAC system, you need a mechanic who has certified in HVAC systems to be able to service that part properly. You need to see the expert. Hopefully the gyn is trans friendly. Fortunately if/when you go on HRT you can see an endocrinologist instead of a gynecologist.

This

Ask the doctor beforehand what their policy on LGBT people is, if theyre fair and unbiased then its fair to tell them your situation, if not that's okay but you still have full rights to refuse any treatments.

I think you also have a right to go in alone without your mother, and you can keep your health information private, if the doctor says anything about hormone levels you can know what it is but you have the right to refuse anything you dont want

When my mother suspected and I denied I was transgender, she threatened to take me to the doctor, if my levels we're abnormal I was supposed to get "fixed" by getting estrogen to develop better into a normal female, if for some reason my levels were normal she threatened to be very angry that I was bull->-bleeped-<-ting her and that I was psychologically damaged into thinking Im something Im not because I was very clearly born with a vagina

^Luckily, the above never happened and I got a lot of peace of mind from the members here during that time of freakout

[AnxietyDisord3r]

I think you also have a right to go in alone without your mother, and you can keep your health information private, if the doctor says anything about hormone levels you can know what it is but you have the right to refuse anything you dont want

I would check with the doctor that you can have privacy from your mom before you disclose anything.

My old pediatrician was from the old school and kept stuff private from my mom when I hit puberty, which pissed my mom off because she was very controlling but she had to accept it. I never told the pediatrician about my sexuality or anything like that because she reminded me of my deceased grandmother.

[WolfNightV4X1]

Ah yeah, Im sure some places bar discrete health info if youre under 18, in which case you would have to rely on your mother to be able to give you independance in that respect, hopefully she isnt the controlling type herself

[FTMax]

Oh... I see. Did a normal doctor diagnosed you or it was a gynecologist? If I might ask.

I was diagnosed by my primary doctor, but she deals almost exclusively with trans patients and as has been said, this isn't unheard of in FTM patients. So she was fairly knowledgeable about what the symptoms were, how they could present, etc. After talking to her about it, I had to have an abdominal ultrasound done to take a look at the ovaries (I think you have to have a transvaginal ultrasound done if you're sexually active, but not 100% sure on that), have my hormone levels checked, and a few other tests (can't remember which ones) to confirm that it wasn't any other condition.

[AnxietyDisord3r]

After talking to her about it, I had to have an abdominal ultrasound done to take a look at the ovaries (I think you have to have a transvaginal ultrasound done if you're sexually active, but not 100% sure on that),

[Mal]

I was diagnosed by my primary doctor, but she deals almost exclusively with trans patients and as has been said, this isn't unheard of in FTM patients. So she was fairly knowledgeable about what the symptoms were, how they could present, etc. After talking to her about it, I had to have an abdominal ultrasound done to take a look at the ovaries (I think you have to have a transvaginal ultrasound done if you're sexually active, but not 100% sure on that), have my hormone levels checked, and a few other tests (can't remember which ones) to confirm that it wasn't any other condition.

I had to have the transvaginal ultrasound, even though I wasn't sexually active, which was horrible for my dysphoria. However, I've since found that they can usually do an abdominal ultrasound.

[CodexUmbrae]

Reaaally sorry for not answering before (depression hit me hard and I've been sleeping like a bear in winter; also went to a festival that got me a little up so here I am again (?), yay).

Thaaaank you for all the info. For the record, yep, I'm under 18 for a few months and I'm not sexually active, for a sec I said "yaay no transvaginal ultrasound" but then I read the last post. xD Anyway, I'll ask about the abdominal if I get to go. My mother is pregnant and we're running into some economic problems and so (again, my mother almost kicked me out and sent me to live with my father xD), soo by the time I see it very unlikely to see a doctor. Taking into consideration that "everything that happens to me (talking about pain and illness and so) is because I don't eat well, I don't sleep well and I don't exercise", my mother usually refuses to take me to the doctor. And I live in a veery small town. The only health center (idk if it can be said like that) it's... Well, not good. And less if it comes to LGBT-related situations. People in here are, in general, homophobic and transphobic.

I've thoght a lot about actually move with my father, that lives in Mexico City where there's a hospital that gives free HRT for trans people who were born in the city (I was born there), but my father is really homophobic and transphobic. Don't know what I'm gonna do with my life when I finish my senior year. xD

Anyway. I tend to write a lot, huh. Thaank you for the info. It's really interesting, and I wish I don't have to go through transvaginal ultrasound. Ffffs. xD Thank you!