Community Conversation => Transitioning => Hormone replacement therapy => Topic started by: Flo on December 24, 2008, 11:53:25 AM Return to Full Version
Title: HRT and Endo visit on track for January
Post by: Flo on December 24, 2008, 11:53:25 AM
Post by: Flo on December 24, 2008, 11:53:25 AM
Hi all,
Looking a little more positive here. My family doctor was not comfy with HRT as she has little experience, but did call several of her friends (other physicians) and I am now scheduled with a top line endocronologist on Jan. 21st. Still a bit leery of starting but it seems the best alternative for a non-op Type 4/5 transexual.
Knowing some of the risks I quit smoking yesterday after 2 packs a day for 35 years (started when I was 2 years old LOL). Bouncing off the walls today but sticking with it
Wish me luck
Flo
Looking a little more positive here. My family doctor was not comfy with HRT as she has little experience, but did call several of her friends (other physicians) and I am now scheduled with a top line endocronologist on Jan. 21st. Still a bit leery of starting but it seems the best alternative for a non-op Type 4/5 transexual.
Knowing some of the risks I quit smoking yesterday after 2 packs a day for 35 years (started when I was 2 years old LOL). Bouncing off the walls today but sticking with it
Wish me luck
Flo
Title: Re: HRT and Endo visit on track for January
Post by: sarahb on December 24, 2008, 12:39:10 PM
Post by: sarahb on December 24, 2008, 12:39:10 PM
Quote from: Flo on December 24, 2008, 11:53:25 AM
Type 4/5 transexual.
??? I don't get it
But congrats on starting HRT and quitting smoking.
Title: Re: HRT and Endo visit on track for January
Post by: Flo on December 24, 2008, 11:25:33 PM
Post by: Flo on December 24, 2008, 11:25:33 PM
Dr. Benjamin designed a scale from 1 - 6 of typical, but not all encompassing, traits of transvestism and transexualism and related it back to Kinsey's work on human sexuality. Good tool to have when visiting or talking to people/doctors with little experience with gender dysphoria. Google Dr. Harry Benjamin and you can find it in wikipedia.
Flo
Flo
Title: Re: HRT and Endo visit on track for January
Post by: Flo on December 24, 2008, 11:35:53 PM
Post by: Flo on December 24, 2008, 11:35:53 PM
Dr. Harry Benjamin's Gender Disorientation Scale
Kinsey's sexual orientation scale
0 Exclusively heterosexual with no homosexual experience
1 Predominantly heterosexual, only incidently homosexual
2 Predominantly heterosexual, but more than incidentally homosexual
3 Equally heterosexual and homosexual
4 Predominantly homosexual, but more than incidentally heterosexual
5 Predominantly homosexual, but incidentally heterosexual
6 Exclusively homosexual, with no heterosexual experience
Type One: Transvestite (Pseudo)[2]
Gender Feeling: Masculine [2]
Dressing Habits and Social Life: Lives as a man. Could get occasional kick out of dressing. Normal male life. [2]
Sex Object Choice and Sex Life: Hetero, bi, or homosexual. Dressing and -- more --exchange may occur in masturbation fantasies mainly. May enjoy TV literature only. [2]
Kinsey Scale: 0-6 [2]
Conversion Operation: Not considered in reality. [2]
Estrogen Medication: Not interested or indicated. [2]
Psychotherapy: Not wanted and unnecessary. [2]
Remarks: Interests in dressing is only sporadic. [2]
Type Two: Transvestism (Fetishistic)[2]
Gender Feeling: Masculine [2]
Dressing Habits and Social Life: Lives as a man. Dressing periodically or part of the time. Dresses underneath male clothes. [2]
Sex Object Choice and Sex Life: Heterosexual. Rarely bisexual. Masturbation with fetish. Guilt feelings. Purges and relapses. [2]
Kinsey Scale: 0-2 [2]
Conversion Operation: Rejected [2]
Estrogen Medication: Rarely interested. Occasionally useful to reduce libido. [2]
Psychotherapy: May be successful (in a favorable environment.) [2]
Remarks: May imitate double (masculine and feminine) personality with male and female names. [2]
Type Three: Transvestism (True)
Gender Feeling: Masculine (but with less conviction.)[2]
Dressing Habits and Social Life: Dresses constantly or as often as possible. May live and be accepted as woman. May dress underneath male clothes, if no other chance.[2]
Sex Object Choice and Sex Life: Heterosexual, except when dressed. Dressing gives sexual satisfaction with relief of gender discomfort. May purge and relapse. [2]
Kinsey Scale: 0-2 [2]
Conversion Operation: Actually rejected, but idea can be attractive. [2]
Estrogen Medication: Attractive as an experiment. Can be helpful emotionally [2]
Psychotherapy: If attempted is usually not successful as to cure. [2]
Remarks: May assume double personality. Trend toward transsexualism. [2]
Type Four: Transsexual (Nonsurgical)[2]
Gender Feeling: Undecided. Wavering between TV and TS. [2]
Dressing Habits and Social Life: Dresses as often as possible with insufficient relief of his gender discomfort. May live as a man or woman; sometimes alternating.[2]
Sex Object Choice and Sex Life: Libido often low. Asexual or auto-erotic. Could be bisexual. Could also be married and have children. [2]
Kinsey Scale: 1-4 [2]
Conversion Operation: Attractive but not requested or attraction not admitted. [2]
Estrogen Medication: Needed for comfort and emotional balance. [2]
Psychotherapy: Only as guidance; otherwise refused or unsuccessful. [2]
Remarks: Social life dependent upon circumstances. [2]
Type Five: True Transsexual (moderate intensity)[2]
Gender Feeling: Feminine (trapped in male body) [2]
Dressing Habits and Social Life: Lives and works as woman if possible. Insufficient relief from dressing. [2]
Sex Object Choice and Sex Life: Libido low. Asexual auto-erotic, or passive homosexual activity. May have been married and have children.[2]
Kinsey Scale: 4-6 [2]
Conversion Operation: Requested and usually indicated. [2]
Estrogen Medication: Needed as substitute for or preliminary to operation. [2]
Psychotherapy: Rejected. Useless as to cure. Permissive psychological guidance. [2]
Remarks: Operation hoped for and worked for. Often attained. [2]
Type Six: True Transsexual (high intensity)[2]
Gender Feeling: Feminine. Total psycho-sexual inversion. [2]
Dressing Habits and Social Life: May live and work as a woman. Dressing gives insufficient relief. Gender discomfort intense. [2]
Sex Object Choice and Sex Life: Intensely desires relations with normal male as female if young. May have been married and have [2]**children, by using fantasies in intercourse.[2]
Kinsey Scale: 6 [2]
Conversion Operation: Urgently requested and usually attained. Indicated[2].
Estrogen Medication: Required for partial relief. [2]
Psychotherapy: Psychological guidance or psychotherapy for symptomaticrelief only.[2]
Remarks: Despises his male sex organs. Danger of suicide or self-mutilation, if too long frustrated.[2]
Benjamin noted, "It must be emphasized again that the remaining six types are not and never can be sharply separated."[2] Benjamin added a caveat: "It has been the intention here to point out the possibility of several conceptions and classifications of the transvestitic and the transsexual phenomenon. Future studies and observations may decide which one is likely to come closest to the truth and in this way a possible understanding of the etiology may be gained." [3]
Benjamin's Scale references and uses Dr. Alfred Kinsey's sexual orientation scale to distinguish between "true transsexualism" and "transvestism". But it should be noted that the strict relationship between gender identity (Benjamin's Scale) and sexual orientation (Kinsey's Scale) was just a result of the researcher's biases, not his scientific findings.
[edit] Modern views
More modern views on gender identity issues differ from original Harry Benjamin's view not only in that they exclude sexual orientation as a criterion for diagnosing and distinguishing between transsexuality, transvestism and other forms of gender variant behavior or expression. Modern views also exclude fetishistic transvestism from this spectrum, as it is a distinct phenomenon, not related to gender identity but related to sexual arousal and fetishism.
Kinsey's sexual orientation scale
0 Exclusively heterosexual with no homosexual experience
1 Predominantly heterosexual, only incidently homosexual
2 Predominantly heterosexual, but more than incidentally homosexual
3 Equally heterosexual and homosexual
4 Predominantly homosexual, but more than incidentally heterosexual
5 Predominantly homosexual, but incidentally heterosexual
6 Exclusively homosexual, with no heterosexual experience
Type One: Transvestite (Pseudo)[2]
Gender Feeling: Masculine [2]
Dressing Habits and Social Life: Lives as a man. Could get occasional kick out of dressing. Normal male life. [2]
Sex Object Choice and Sex Life: Hetero, bi, or homosexual. Dressing and -- more --exchange may occur in masturbation fantasies mainly. May enjoy TV literature only. [2]
Kinsey Scale: 0-6 [2]
Conversion Operation: Not considered in reality. [2]
Estrogen Medication: Not interested or indicated. [2]
Psychotherapy: Not wanted and unnecessary. [2]
Remarks: Interests in dressing is only sporadic. [2]
Type Two: Transvestism (Fetishistic)[2]
Gender Feeling: Masculine [2]
Dressing Habits and Social Life: Lives as a man. Dressing periodically or part of the time. Dresses underneath male clothes. [2]
Sex Object Choice and Sex Life: Heterosexual. Rarely bisexual. Masturbation with fetish. Guilt feelings. Purges and relapses. [2]
Kinsey Scale: 0-2 [2]
Conversion Operation: Rejected [2]
Estrogen Medication: Rarely interested. Occasionally useful to reduce libido. [2]
Psychotherapy: May be successful (in a favorable environment.) [2]
Remarks: May imitate double (masculine and feminine) personality with male and female names. [2]
Type Three: Transvestism (True)
Gender Feeling: Masculine (but with less conviction.)[2]
Dressing Habits and Social Life: Dresses constantly or as often as possible. May live and be accepted as woman. May dress underneath male clothes, if no other chance.[2]
Sex Object Choice and Sex Life: Heterosexual, except when dressed. Dressing gives sexual satisfaction with relief of gender discomfort. May purge and relapse. [2]
Kinsey Scale: 0-2 [2]
Conversion Operation: Actually rejected, but idea can be attractive. [2]
Estrogen Medication: Attractive as an experiment. Can be helpful emotionally [2]
Psychotherapy: If attempted is usually not successful as to cure. [2]
Remarks: May assume double personality. Trend toward transsexualism. [2]
Type Four: Transsexual (Nonsurgical)[2]
Gender Feeling: Undecided. Wavering between TV and TS. [2]
Dressing Habits and Social Life: Dresses as often as possible with insufficient relief of his gender discomfort. May live as a man or woman; sometimes alternating.[2]
Sex Object Choice and Sex Life: Libido often low. Asexual or auto-erotic. Could be bisexual. Could also be married and have children. [2]
Kinsey Scale: 1-4 [2]
Conversion Operation: Attractive but not requested or attraction not admitted. [2]
Estrogen Medication: Needed for comfort and emotional balance. [2]
Psychotherapy: Only as guidance; otherwise refused or unsuccessful. [2]
Remarks: Social life dependent upon circumstances. [2]
Type Five: True Transsexual (moderate intensity)[2]
Gender Feeling: Feminine (trapped in male body) [2]
Dressing Habits and Social Life: Lives and works as woman if possible. Insufficient relief from dressing. [2]
Sex Object Choice and Sex Life: Libido low. Asexual auto-erotic, or passive homosexual activity. May have been married and have children.[2]
Kinsey Scale: 4-6 [2]
Conversion Operation: Requested and usually indicated. [2]
Estrogen Medication: Needed as substitute for or preliminary to operation. [2]
Psychotherapy: Rejected. Useless as to cure. Permissive psychological guidance. [2]
Remarks: Operation hoped for and worked for. Often attained. [2]
Type Six: True Transsexual (high intensity)[2]
Gender Feeling: Feminine. Total psycho-sexual inversion. [2]
Dressing Habits and Social Life: May live and work as a woman. Dressing gives insufficient relief. Gender discomfort intense. [2]
Sex Object Choice and Sex Life: Intensely desires relations with normal male as female if young. May have been married and have [2]**children, by using fantasies in intercourse.[2]
Kinsey Scale: 6 [2]
Conversion Operation: Urgently requested and usually attained. Indicated[2].
Estrogen Medication: Required for partial relief. [2]
Psychotherapy: Psychological guidance or psychotherapy for symptomaticrelief only.[2]
Remarks: Despises his male sex organs. Danger of suicide or self-mutilation, if too long frustrated.[2]
Benjamin noted, "It must be emphasized again that the remaining six types are not and never can be sharply separated."[2] Benjamin added a caveat: "It has been the intention here to point out the possibility of several conceptions and classifications of the transvestitic and the transsexual phenomenon. Future studies and observations may decide which one is likely to come closest to the truth and in this way a possible understanding of the etiology may be gained." [3]
Benjamin's Scale references and uses Dr. Alfred Kinsey's sexual orientation scale to distinguish between "true transsexualism" and "transvestism". But it should be noted that the strict relationship between gender identity (Benjamin's Scale) and sexual orientation (Kinsey's Scale) was just a result of the researcher's biases, not his scientific findings.
[edit] Modern views
More modern views on gender identity issues differ from original Harry Benjamin's view not only in that they exclude sexual orientation as a criterion for diagnosing and distinguishing between transsexuality, transvestism and other forms of gender variant behavior or expression. Modern views also exclude fetishistic transvestism from this spectrum, as it is a distinct phenomenon, not related to gender identity but related to sexual arousal and fetishism.
Title: Re: HRT and Endo visit on track for January
Post by: Jody on January 06, 2009, 08:34:25 PM
Post by: Jody on January 06, 2009, 08:34:25 PM
`Hi Flo How is the not smocking going. hope your starting to feel a little better. I quit 4 years aago after smocking for 36 years . So yeah I know it is tough. I am on track to start on the 15th.
Title: Re: HRT and Endo visit on track for January
Post by: paulault55 on January 07, 2009, 09:54:34 AM
Post by: paulault55 on January 07, 2009, 09:54:34 AM
Hi Flo,
My therapist follows the HBS standards but hasn't mentioned a sexual orientation scale i'll ask him next week, but i would probably be classified as a 5 but due to health issues may be a 4 in the end. Due to me doing hrt diy, i realize how bad that can be now, they are going to bypass their 6 month evaluation period before giving me a letter to start hrt and i should have that next week and will be going to an Endo in Cleveland that is well known in the TS community.
My therapist follows the HBS standards but hasn't mentioned a sexual orientation scale i'll ask him next week, but i would probably be classified as a 5 but due to health issues may be a 4 in the end. Due to me doing hrt diy, i realize how bad that can be now, they are going to bypass their 6 month evaluation period before giving me a letter to start hrt and i should have that next week and will be going to an Endo in Cleveland that is well known in the TS community.
Title: Re: HRT and Endo visit on track for January
Post by: Jody on January 07, 2009, 12:02:03 PM
Post by: Jody on January 07, 2009, 12:02:03 PM
Hey Paulault,congrats. It sounds like you have traveled a hard road to this point. Please explain what diy means. I am pretty sure that your story is going to be very important to the community. Isn't it great to know that the letter is comming?
Title: Re: HRT and Endo visit on track for January
Post by: paulault55 on January 07, 2009, 03:39:09 PM
Post by: paulault55 on January 07, 2009, 03:39:09 PM
Hi Jody,
Thanks for replying, diy means do it yourself hrt no dr supervision, i was dumb to do it this way and have taken steps to do it properly.
Paula.
Thanks for replying, diy means do it yourself hrt no dr supervision, i was dumb to do it this way and have taken steps to do it properly.
Paula.
Title: Re: HRT and Endo visit on track for January
Post by: Jody on January 07, 2009, 06:38:52 PM
Post by: Jody on January 07, 2009, 06:38:52 PM
Hi Paula,
Thanks for the clarification. What kind of trouble has self med. done to you ?
Thanks for the clarification. What kind of trouble has self med. done to you ?
Title: Re: HRT and Endo visit on track for January
Post by: paulault55 on January 07, 2009, 10:12:52 PM
Post by: paulault55 on January 07, 2009, 10:12:52 PM
Hi Jody,
The problem i have is low blood pressure problems from the Spiro and my heart med's, that's why it's important for me to start seeing an endo and get everything tested and dosages adjusted. I strongly recommend anyone starting to doing it the right way by going to a therapist first then after the evaluation period get reffered to an endo or a doc they recommend.
The problem i have is low blood pressure problems from the Spiro and my heart med's, that's why it's important for me to start seeing an endo and get everything tested and dosages adjusted. I strongly recommend anyone starting to doing it the right way by going to a therapist first then after the evaluation period get reffered to an endo or a doc they recommend.
Title: Re: HRT and Endo visit on track for January
Post by: Jody on January 08, 2009, 03:32:12 AM
Post by: Jody on January 08, 2009, 03:32:12 AM
Hi Paula,
Thank you for having the courage to answer. My question may not have been fair but I do think you have a very important message to share that could potentially save someone elses life. I truly hope your doing okay.
Jody
Thank you for having the courage to answer. My question may not have been fair but I do think you have a very important message to share that could potentially save someone elses life. I truly hope your doing okay.
Jody
Title: Re: HRT and Endo visit on track for January
Post by: Jolene4ever on January 09, 2009, 03:57:41 AM
Post by: Jolene4ever on January 09, 2009, 03:57:41 AM
Thanks for the input Paula. I just saw my endro this week and he said that he will give me referal for any procedure, I am on cloud 9. My next step is an orchidectomy then reconstruction, if the $ holds out! By the scale I am a six but it's too long to go into here. Good Luck. Jolene.
Title: Re: HRT and Endo visit on track for January
Post by: Flo on January 11, 2009, 04:08:51 AM
Post by: Flo on January 11, 2009, 04:08:51 AM
Thanks for the reples, haven't checked this in a while.
Smoking - or not smoking is going okay - day 19 and feeling better.
10 more days til the endo...can't wait.
Flo
Smoking - or not smoking is going okay - day 19 and feeling better.
10 more days til the endo...can't wait.
Flo
Title: Re: HRT and Endo visit on track for January
Post by: aubrey on January 11, 2009, 09:31:46 AM
Post by: aubrey on January 11, 2009, 09:31:46 AM
Be prepared Paula that very popular endo in Cleveland can be frustrating. Several friends have had difficulties. You may have a long wait and then find they prescribe the older types of HRT, hopefully not for you, just a caution. Good luck everyone I know the wait is frustrating, I didn't last long and self-prescribed on weak doses to get through it.
Title: Re: HRT and Endo visit on track for January
Post by: Jody on January 11, 2009, 12:31:50 PM
Post by: Jody on January 11, 2009, 12:31:50 PM
Hey Flo,
Congrats on the smocking. One of tricks was to remind myself of how much time Ihad to lose if I did light up. I feel for you, both happy that you are getting another minute behind you and the suffering through the graveing.
Five days until I get the scrips!
Hope you don't get hasseled.
Jody
Congrats on the smocking. One of tricks was to remind myself of how much time Ihad to lose if I did light up. I feel for you, both happy that you are getting another minute behind you and the suffering through the graveing.
Five days until I get the scrips!
Hope you don't get hasseled.
Jody
Title: Re: HRT and Endo visit on track for January
Post by: Flo on January 12, 2009, 02:26:34 AM
Post by: Flo on January 12, 2009, 02:26:34 AM
Thanks Jody...now 10 days for my endo visit. Let me know how yours goes and keep in touch!
Flo
Flo
Title: Re: HRT and Endo visit on track for January
Post by: Jody on January 12, 2009, 02:17:33 PM
Post by: Jody on January 12, 2009, 02:17:33 PM
Ho Flo.
Thursday is on it's way. This is going to be a wonderful journey. It will take about 6 hours to drive to the office and all of 15 minutes with the doc. I have since found an Dr. half way in between so the drive will be less for follow ups.
"What a long strange trip it's been."
Jody
And yes I will keep you posted.
Thursday is on it's way. This is going to be a wonderful journey. It will take about 6 hours to drive to the office and all of 15 minutes with the doc. I have since found an Dr. half way in between so the drive will be less for follow ups.
"What a long strange trip it's been."
Jody
And yes I will keep you posted.
Title: Re: HRT and Endo visit on track for January
Post by: Flo on January 17, 2009, 03:58:56 AM
Post by: Flo on January 17, 2009, 03:58:56 AM
Jody,
How did the visit go? I hope well!
Flo
How did the visit go? I hope well!
Flo
Title: Re: HRT and Endo visit on track for January
Post by: Jody on January 17, 2009, 01:09:08 PM
Post by: Jody on January 17, 2009, 01:09:08 PM
Hi Flo,
I have the scrips ! Hopefully I get them filled today.
I have the scrips ! Hopefully I get them filled today.
Title: Re: HRT and Endo visit on track for January
Post by: paulault55 on January 17, 2009, 03:28:41 PM
Post by: paulault55 on January 17, 2009, 03:28:41 PM
Congrats Jody, and now your journey really begins.
Paula.
Paula.
Title: Re: HRT and Endo visit on track for January
Post by: sabrina on January 18, 2009, 12:56:04 PM
Post by: sabrina on January 18, 2009, 12:56:04 PM
congratulations ladies. I hope things are going well. DIY is ok if we are talking about painting the living room ha unless I am doing the work then its like any other DIY prob best to leave it to the professionals.
By the way I place no faith in a system designed by men to label another with a number. Screw that. You are who you are its really that simple.
By the way I place no faith in a system designed by men to label another with a number. Screw that. You are who you are its really that simple.
Title: Re: HRT and Endo visit on track for January
Post by: Flo on January 21, 2009, 03:14:34 AM
Post by: Flo on January 21, 2009, 03:14:34 AM
But if you take into account this was at the very beginning of even the "concept" of transexualism it did serve it's purpose. Especially 60 some years ago. Just my thought
Flo
Flo