I identify as transmasculine/gendermixed and get significant gender dysphoria monthly for the extent of my period and for about 4 or 5 days after. That's roughly 1/4 of my life spent in a horrendous state of mind. I'm on this super awesome road to being happy after years of mood instability, and this whole periodic debilitating dysphoria seems to be nature's attempt to rid me of all that hope.
I'm not interested in taking testosterone. I'm certainly not interested in taking any form of birth control that will trick my body into thinking I'm pregnant, therefore enhancing all my feminine features. I need some form of hormone or something that will keep me appearing and feeling genderless as much as possible.
Anyone have any suggestions for options? Or somewhere I can go to ask someone who might know more about it?
Thank you so much.
Hmm, I know you said you didn't want anything like birth control, but I was wondering, does birth control actually enhance feminine features? And if so, would it be better to take it and miss many periods or not take it and still get them monthly? Is it the act of taking a pill everyday that would bother you? I ask this, because I have not experienced any effects from birth control other than lowered libido (thank goodness!). If it is just the act of taking the pill that bothers you (this may be worse, but bear with me) there is a thing called an IUD, and intrauterine device. If you use the hormonal one, it normally stops periods altogether. Though I think you have to go in to a doctor to get one inserted all the way into the uterus... so it stays up there like all the time. And it is expensive, or so I hear. As for the hormonal side effects, I read that once your body gets used to them, they kind of just go away. Sounds like a built up tolerance or something to me.
Idk if that sounds better than taking the pill, but other than that I don't know any other healthy options. I have heard that people who exercise too much lose their periods, but I feel like that can't be good for you. The pill I take now is a daily thing, but I only get a period every 3 months, so it is the bomb diggity. I wish you luck on your journey to find something that works for you!!!!
Is surgery out? A hysto would end your periods.
I felt like Depo-provera was better than other hormonal options and way way better than periods, but I know that's not a good solution. A hysterectomy would end your periods, but I don't know that any doctor would authorize one if you are under thirty, and even then you'd need to take some kind of hormones.
I don't know. Best of luck.
Here is is usually over 25 with 2 kids or serious problems form endometriosis. I know someone who had one at 20 because of that.
Have you considered an IUD?
I've been looking around at the options you guys have mentioned, and the IUD seems really scary! And most of the resources I've read say either "guaranteed to stop your period" (on trans-related things) or "check to make sure the IUD is still there after every period" (on womany things). Why are there these two poles? And have I read correctly that there are two kinds: hormone ones and non-hormonal ones?
Has anyone had any experience with the implant that goes in your arm? I saw that while reading about the IUD somewhere.
I'm considering the implant that goes in your arm, but haven't tried it yet. I'm on the fence about bc at the moment.
My ob/gyn showed me a model and it just feels like a needle or matchstick underneath your skin. It's supposed to have a good success rate, since you don't have to remember to take a pill at the same time every day. Also, not sure if you knew this, but it only has progesterone, no estrogen, which is a plus for me personally. I think it's estrogen that causes blood clots, and being trans, I don't exactly want more estrogen in my body.
Sorry that I can't exactly speak from experience, though. I should have gotten one sooner >_>
Quote from: Felix on August 30, 2014, 03:15:50 AM
I felt like Depo-provera was better than other hormonal options and way way better than periods, but I know that's not a good solution. A hysterectomy would end your periods, but I don't know that any doctor would authorize one if you are under thirty, and even then you'd need to take some kind of hormones.
I don't know. Best of luck.
Hormones would not be needed with a normal hysterectomy, only if you also have your overies removed.
I heard of the procedure called endometrial ablation and I was looking for that option to stop periods but I am not sure if insurance covers it.
makipu, endometrial ablation work great for some and others still have bleeding every month. Our age and if you have kids also goes into deciding who should have the procedure. Simply_Sir, a hysterectomy would end your monthly bleeding and if you kept your ovaries you would not need to take any hormones.
I have the Mirena IUD. Other than some minimal occasional spotting for the first couple of months, I have had no period whatsoever for a year now. I love it. Also, I know the whole concept sounds super scary and gross, but it is really not bad- the procedure can be a little bit triggering, so take a buddy, but it wasn't terribly painful and is super quick.
There are 2 major kinds of IUDs: Paraguard has no hormones and is made out of copper. It can actually make periods heavier. Mirena is plastic and has hormones that are released locally and not absorbed into the bloodstream. The fact that it is only absorbed locally means that there are not pesky feminizing side effects.