Keeping a Record

[Melanie Jean]

Hi all,

I'm going to start HRT next week - yippee - and my therapist recommended that I keep a written journal of my progress, feelings, etc., so I picked up a cute little book at Walmart today. I noticed many here and elsewhere document their progress with photos, blogs, and fora, but I'm curious if others here have taken the time to write down what goes on inside in a journal or diary.

I know I'll be anxious the day before starting, so I'll get cracking on the journal tonight. I also plan on adding the vitals (measurements, side effects, or whatever) to graph my personal journey at year's end. I'm 57 and I don't have any unreal expectations.

Thoughts based on your own experience keeping a written record?

Love to all.

~Melanie

[Bari Jo]

Great idea.  I'm tempted to start a scrapbook myself.  It will give you proof that things are changing for the better!

Bari Jo

[MollyPants]

Thats a really good idea. My journal is definitely something that has slept me sane! It has also really helped me to understand what I want, whenever I get a nervous or scared I can go back and read it and pick myself back up.

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[Dani]

I have not kept a journal or any record of my transition. Do I miss not having done so? Yes and no. It would be nice to look back and see how I have changed over the past 5 years, but really, I just live life day to day. I know what I am. I have a plan in my head and I have worked the plan. Keeping a journal is just not a priority.

[Allison S]

I just take pictures. Keeping up with the meds, doctor appointments, blood tests is all exhausting for me.

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[LaserGirl]

Good idea to take measurements. 

[Chanteur]

I dont have a journal... But I record like everything.

I take a lot of photos and post a lot of stuff on my facebook...

I record my sleep duration and quality...

I record my weight, body fat % and BMI daily...

I have noticed since starting E, my Body fat % has been increasing... but weight is still going down.

I have been recording my food intake for almost a full year as part of my weight loss plan.

I also have a thread here that I update with my transition progress as an overall way to track progress.

[Kylo]

I probably should have taken some pictures to compare before and after but I didn't bother. I've got one picture from before that I used as reference for hairline but it's not the best. Keeping a record will probably be something you'd find helpful if you have a bunch of goals in transition you need to meet

[epvanbeveren]

I created a Microsoft excel file where I keep track of literally everything. I started this in 2014 when I started my transition.

On a daily basis I write down my sleep and wake up times, times when I take my medications and dosage, even in which leg I injected and when I replaced my vials, my body temperature and weight.

A few times in a month (3 or so usually) I measure my waist and breasts and take my blood pressure. Before my GRS I even measured my "P" size. (hoping desperately for shrinkage)

Every time when I noticed an emotional or mood change, or when I noticed a sexual change before GRS (no sperm, or feelings) I wrote this also. After GRS I started to write down how my climaxes went. Also trying to find a relationship between feeling sexualy and hormone injection times.

Next to these obvious info, I also kept track of all my medical/mental/voice and hair removal appointments. Dates/hours and cost.

My lab results, even wrote down the results as far back as I could find at my dr. office.

All my insurance claims, cost they paid and my pay etc.

All addresses and info from my medical "team".

My legal transitioning; all paperwork cost and date completed, including scanned images of the documents.

I also took pictures on a monthly basis documenting may facial changes (scalp hair growth and beard hair removal), breast growth and GRS.

And of course with all the info I created tables with totals etc. Also plotting things in graphs.

I have probably forgotten some things.

I did not photographed my body size and weight, as I started dieting before I came out and my transition. I was 240, went down to 189, now currently 200 lbs.

Its all located on a memory stick and in my computer. When I started hrt and went for my GRS consultation I was able to show the doctors my medical info, I even printed out my most important info to  carry with me to the hospital, just incase something happend.

Now after almost 4 years I am getting a little tired of keeping daily records but I keep going. My picture taking has become less since changes in appearance are not happening on a monthly time anymore. My laser hair removal is long finished, scalp hair is grown and my electrolysis and breast growth I photograph twice or three times a year.

Nice to look back at how it all went.

[Lynne]

I started to write a diary more than 15 years ago because I was not able to muster the strength to talk to anyone about my feelings. I more or less stopped writing it when I opened up to the LGBT community.
Nowadays I only monitor my weight and write down the results every now and then. I'll probably start something a little more detailed once I start HRT.

[Miss Clara]

I started my journal on the day I came out.  It's over 1000 pages today.  It's fascinating to read my thoughts from way back.  Transition is truly an evolutionary journey.