Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Community Conversation => Transitioning => Hormone replacement therapy => Topic started by: Padma on September 23, 2011, 09:59:23 AM

Title: Green light
Post by: Padma on September 23, 2011, 09:59:23 AM
I crawled out of my sick bed on Wednesday (and paid for it - still post-viral) to head to London to see my shrink. After a certain amount of wriggling and questioning, he said he's happy to support me, and would write to my GP to prescribe estradiol, androcur and dutasteride.

Today, I got a copy of the letter he sent to my GP. This is a big deal not just because he's asking her to prescribe all the above (so I should get my prescription on Monday!) but also because unlike in the last letter he wrote to her 2 months ago, in this one he refers to me all the way through as "she, her". This has never happened to me before, and I'm all stirred up by it :D.

All ashore who's going ashore, I'm starting my journey home now.

Interesting to see how now, all my fears start to surface - and they're all about how others might treat me - and they're not very strong. I need to listen to them, but they're passengers, not crew.

And yes, I wish it was today! But maybe it's good to have a weekend to absorb this, and to recover a bit more from being ill before I start introducing new biochemistry into the mix!
Title: Re: Green light
Post by: Sarah Louise on September 23, 2011, 10:05:42 AM
Great news Padma, now the journey takes its next step.  :)
Title: Re: Green light
Post by: kelly_aus on September 23, 2011, 10:59:28 AM
That's fantastic news, Padma! I think I'll always remember taking my first dose..
Title: Re: Green light
Post by: Jayne on September 23, 2011, 11:15:12 AM
Thats fabulous news, every journeys starts with a small step & this is a huge step, I hope it goes well on monday.

p.s. get well soon

Big hugs from jane
Title: Re: Green light
Post by: bojangles on September 23, 2011, 11:35:24 AM
Congrats!

Love what you said about passengers, not crew. Hang onto that.
Title: Re: Green light
Post by: bethw on September 23, 2011, 01:05:46 PM
Congratulations Padma. That's fantastic news.
Enjoy your journey sis.
Hugs
Beth
Title: Re: Green light
Post by: Hermione01 on September 23, 2011, 05:49:05 PM
Congrats Padma.  :)  Great news.
Title: Re: Green light
Post by: Jennifer on September 23, 2011, 08:32:40 PM
YAY for Padma! ;D

Jennifer
Title: Re: Green light
Post by: eli77 on September 23, 2011, 11:02:34 PM
That's awesome, Padma. Congrats! :)
Title: Re: Green light
Post by: Padma on September 23, 2011, 11:24:26 PM
Hey, thanks you lot :).

It feels funny posting about "just" starting on HRT, but it's a huge milestone for me. Partly because it does signify being taken seriously by the healthcare system - much as I hate to admit I need a bit of validation from "the professionals" it does matter ::). And I've noticed that the people around me are taking me more seriously now that I'm starting HRT too. That's a bit annoying, frankly! - that a lot of my friends seem to have been quietly thinking to themselves "oh, he'll get over this..." and are now seeing I mean business, and they're freaking out more, so I have yet another round of intense conversations and explanations going on, sigh.

On The Trans Girl Diaries there's an ironic cartoon about the "trans hierarchy", but it's obviously in people's minds, this stuff, about how seriously everyone takes you depending on what you're "doing" about transitioning. Yes, I very much want whatever HRT is gong to do to my body, but it still feels like a stepping stone towards the thing I most want, which is the SRS. And the fact that I'm less excited about boobs and all that makes me almost feel like I want HRT "under false pretences" - crazy. Someone really should make a transition board game!
Title: Re: Green light
Post by: Anatta on September 23, 2011, 11:45:52 PM
Kia Ora Padma,

::) Be careful, I've heard those types of pills can do strange things to the body  ;) ;D

Metta Zenda :)
Title: Re: Green light
Post by: Jennifer on September 23, 2011, 11:58:27 PM
Oh ya, get well soon. :)

Jennifer
Title: Re: Green light
Post by: Jayne on September 25, 2011, 12:05:56 PM
Quote from: Padma on September 23, 2011, 11:24:26 PM

a lot of my friends seem to have been quietly thinking to themselves "oh, he'll get over this..." and are now seeing I mean business, and they're freaking out more, so I have yet another round of intense conversations and explanations going on, sigh.

it's obviously in people's minds, this stuff, about how seriously everyone takes you depending on what you're "doing" about transitioning.

I know what you mean about that attitude, many people who have seen me go out in public as a woman have no doubts about my intention to transition but most who've not seen me wearing makeup or womens clothes seem to think i'm going through a phase. Due to my age they probably think it's a mid-life crisis but replacing a sports car with a pair of boobs  ;)

Great idea about the board game, it would be a best seller & would educate people  ;D
Title: Re: Green light
Post by: LordKAT on September 25, 2011, 04:42:09 PM
 :)  You are awesome!
Title: Re: Green light
Post by: Padma on September 26, 2011, 08:48:14 AM
First dose today - let the teen drama commence!!!!! Ahem.
Title: Re: Green light
Post by: Maegan on September 26, 2011, 09:24:53 AM
Hey Padma,

Congrats sis. It is about time you started your journey. It is going to be exciting times.

You are going to be amazed by all of the changes that are going to happen, not only physically, but mentally as well.

Enjoy!  :icon_joy:

Huggs

Maegan
Title: Re: Green light
Post by: Nemo on September 26, 2011, 09:26:58 AM
Congrats! ;D And yeah, know what you mean about the people taking you seriously.. had that with Mum. Still do in a way - first it "wasn't real 'til the HRT starts", now it's "not one or the other 'til surgery happens" ::) Let this serve as advance warning, in fact - you're likely to "not really be a woman" with some people 'til your SRS is done with, as much as that sucks :-\

*cough* progress thread *cough* ;)
Title: Re: Green light
Post by: Padma on September 26, 2011, 10:09:18 AM
It's funny how others (and I) have just referred to this as "starting a journey". I'm feeling like the last few months have been pretty damn journeysome already, but perhaps more in the nature of booking tickets, getting my visa in order, and walking to the coast. Now I've got on board a ship that's carrying me faster than I could travel on my own. I've been journeying since last autumn, really, but this is definitely leaving the ma(i)nland and heading out to sea.

I popped into my bank while I was waiting for the pharmacist to sort out my pills, and checked out what they need from me to change the gender flags on my accounts - and they told me a very different story from their people over the phone. So now I'm going to write to the bank to get the definitive word on it. The CS people on the phone told me I'd just need a letter from my GP stating that I'm seriously transitioning. The people at the bank said I'd need some ID with my changed gender already on it - i.e. drivers' licence, passport. Oh well, one thing at a time!