Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Woohoo!! I've been on T for a whole year! Some would say that on a full dose of hormones you start seeing instant changes that are unfixable and I must say....Your milage may vary. I've had full male range testosterone for a year now and I look like my profile picture. Yep. I have light fuzz on my stomach, I have to shave my blonde beard once or twice a week (though it's still sparse at best) and I NEVER get pegged male. Ever. Not even on the phone with my baratone voice.

My point? That androgyns can transition and that just maybe our bodies accept hormones, and use them in an androgynous way. I know mine has. Can't speak for everyone of course...it's just rare that you see androgyns on hormones-especially not full strength hormones...so I wanted to celebrate my first year.

Why am I on full dose? My doctor (and myself) feel that the way to find the best dose of hormones is to just check out how you feel. So with the dr's blessing I started to experiment with the right dose for me. I use a daily gel so that if I got it wrong...it'd only really have effects for that day (rather than weekly, biweekly or monthly injections) and the dose that happened to suit me best and make me feel best...is full dose! Did that make me question my gender all over again? Oh hell yes! There were plenty of therapy sessions full of "What does this MEAN!!!!?!?!?!" and I still identify as androgyn. I've found my happy place (mostly) So...yay!

For those who don't already know, Sevan is my spouse. :)
Married for the last 5 years and togather for the last 7.
The last year of Sevan being on HRT has been the best year togather. The year has been full of chalenges and issues but transition has been the least of our worries. Every other year before this last one Sevan was in debilitating depression. When ze went on T most of that went away. I wont say that T is the answer for every FTM and female bodied androgyn but for some it can do wonders.
I know it did for my spouse.

Going on T was a very dificult choice for hir but once ze made that choice it was very obvious that the right choice had been made.
Anyways just thought I would chime in.

Hugz and luv,
Cynthia lee

You do look female.

It has been 6 years for me on E and I look very male.  My voice remains male and my face remains male.  No one confuses me for a female.

 :eusa_clap: :eusa_clap: :eusa_clap:

I remember your pics from around a yr ago. There are some distinct changes in your profile pic. Same with Cynthialee. You two rock!

Congrats!

Thanks Ativan  ;D

I did put together a compilation picture collage thingy...see:

(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi13.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fa300%2Fcandiussell%2Ffam%2FSevangenderprogress.jpg&hash=e09490e4ed3c68a7623d6f94f1f3135439bb2715)

And some of those are pre-T. I started T 2-3-10 (um duh...this is the "1 year on T thread" lmao)

Cyndi reminds me that I HAVE been gendered male once or twice...most recently while I was wearing a full length purple skirt, a femmy top, unbound sitting behind a desk. He was a senile old man....but I did find that situation rather funny and didn't bother to correct him. My female coworker seemed a little startled that I didn't correct him but...eh. *giggles*

congratulations on finding your happy place!

(Lifting my beer glass with a knowing smile on my face)
We started HRT at nearly the same time, Sevan. I was frightened and you were the only person I had met who needed hormones as desperately as I did to control my GD.  You have been an inspiration to me. And I am very very very happy for you.

Quote from: Sevan on February 04, 2011, 08:29:14 PM
just maybe our bodies accept hormones, and use them in an androgynous way.

I think you hit the nail on the head. I started a full MTF transition level HRT regimen the beginning of January 2010 and the physical effects have been minimal for me as well. I don't know why I need more estrogen pumping through my veins than a squad of teenage cheerleaders to feel like a guy, I just do. I passed fine as a girl before HRT and pass fine as a guy now.

You can really see the difference between your 4-22-2009 pic and your 9-30-2010 pic. In the 4-22 pic - definitely female. The 9-30 pic? More male. Could just be the hair style though.

From what i've read the concept of a non-transitioning transgender person is apparently puzzling to the medical community - we are the rarest of the rare. Treatment of us with HRT is still rather a new concept for the docs, but i expect that sooner or later it will be a lot more common and accepted. The people i know that are andro and are on HRT found the meds to even out their life, much as it's done for you.

Good on yer, glad it's working well.

congrats :D

You're looking awesome to me, I'm so glad that you're happy with how everything is working out.

I'm glad you found something that works for you.  Dysphoria feels bad, regardless of where you are in the gender spectrum.

Congrats!

I'm super happy for you.  Congrats, and here's to many more good years :)

Gosh, you make me think...

Hmm...I'm going to look into this when the wife and I get through couples' counseling.
(I'm pretty sure we're not going to divorce at this point. Feeling pretty good about it.)

There is a clinic that *might* be able to help my uninsured self buy hormones...but other stuff's going to have to come out of the budget for hormones to go in.

I need a better-paying job anyway...much as I like guarding a place that lets me play on the internet most of my shift. 8)

I can't say about T or injectables, but pill form Estrogen & Spiro are on most of the national chains' family drug plans (Wal-Mart, Walgreens). Including the $20/yr membership fee, I only pay 85 1/2 cents a day TOTAL for my meds in 90 day supply at Walgreens- cheaper than I can get the stuf through my insurance!

Quote from: Virginia on February 12, 2011, 02:07:56 PM
I can't say about T or injectables, but pill form Estrogen & Spiro are on most of the national chains' family drug plans (Wal-Mart, Walgreens). Including the $20/yr membership fee, I only pay 85 1/2 cents a day TOTAL for my meds in 90 day supply at Walgreens- cheaper than I can get the stuf through my insurance!

Sadly Va....T isn't cheap. Some folks have found cheap-ish T though I believe they may be insured....could be totally wrong.

E was made for little old ladies (originally) and so it's cheap. What I've found about medicines (this may come off jaded...but I'm on far too many meds to not notice a negative trend...) that have you by something genital...such as herpes or your junk not being able to get up (viagra, T replacement therapy...) it's EXPENSIVE!

Though I do hear injectable can be found cheaply-ish...the transguy area would be a good resource for that.

Has it been a year already, Sevan.  Gods it seems like it was just the other day you began.  Time sure flys when you are having fun.  ::)

I don't find $60/5 months to be expensive for any med. That is the cost of my T without insurance.

Thank you all for the kind words :)

@LordKat that's an awesome price!!! I know that my T gel is over $300 a month!! THankfully...I don't pay that. I have NO idea how it got fully covered by my insurance...I was told it wouldn't go through since I'm "female" but...it did, and I have no interest in asking how! lol. I really like being on the gel because I can adjust day to day. Works well for me. :) I've also heard (antidotally) that the gel doesn't masculinize as well as the injections. I don't know if that's why I still look as female as I do...or if it's just me being me. Not complaining...just musing. However my T has been up in the 600-700 range for the whole year so...one would think I'd masculinize as fully as my body would be going.

$60 for 5 months? and considering I'd likely be on a lower dose...and might not be on it permanently...

Maybe up to $500 (guessing) for the doc/labwork if I can't find reduced rates...steep but doable...IF i can find a doc in my area willing to deal with third-gender people...
AND I'm on happy pills, AND I have asthma.

So I represent a complicated case...although I also tend to have flaming bad moodswings related to my periods.

And birth control-my gods that stuff made me berserk. I had to be suicide-sat on one of the two pills I tried-the other I quit in two days when I started having whole body cramps and fantasizing about stabbing the guy I was with.

Girly hormones just  aren't my friends, are they.  Gee.

I actually have a vague suspicion a low dose of testosterone *might* improve my depressive disorder.
Maybe. Might. Dunno.

Please please be careful when considering only doing hormones for a short time. The body gets used to the hormones, brain pathways are created and menstrual cycles cease. The overies shut down and muscle structure changes...in short...it changes everything. Undoing that *could* cause harm and be very difficult both mentally and physically. Please look at the very real possibility of being on T forever before embarking on this change. Even if you don't feel like you could be honest with the prescribing doctor...have a therapist that you can be honest with because you'll need someone with you as you become T fueled and/or when you stop T.

Also...consider that low dose may/may not be enough. What if you need a higher dose? It's very much something to consider...and it's something I didn't consider...but wish I did because that's what happened and I felt like I really had to run to keep up (as it were...) as always...ymmy...this was just my experience

Congrats on 1 year Sevan! You are looking great :)