I am just seeking the latest on Doctor John O'Dea and the pellet type of estrogen therapy.
In particular, upon doing Internet search, the topic Pellet Method HRT, started by Kristina77 on October 15, 2013, and with very interesting responses from Jennygirl (first one October 24, 2013) came up. Since those years are kind of long ago, I just wondered if there were more recent experiences with Doctor John O'Dea from anybody.
OR... if Jennygirl or Kristina77 happens to see this, how are things going?
I am headed to Los Angeles to see Doctor John O'Dea the first time on April 17 (travel day, April 16, return home, wee early hours flight April 18 (Orlando - Los Angeles)). Top questions are:
* Did you feel anything weird that first few hours, 24 hours, couple days after pellet insertion?
* Anything about the heart? Strange sweats?
* Did your interest in things change?
* Any dizziness?
I ask these things because I have to ride airplane 6 hours to get back.
Some questions about Doctor John O'Dea method itself:
* He does not require blood test. Why? I'm thinking of getting one anyway and showing it to him just for general information.
* He does not require note from psychiatrist. I guess that is because he does not fiddle with insurance.
Psychological:
* Do your interests change? I laugh like crazy at The Three Stooges. But I notice few girls or women watch them. I like Star Trek. I am an electronics technician, etc. Will those interests change?
* Does estrogen calm your nerves?
* On estrogen, are you less prone to temper tantrums, sudden angers, and things like that?
I have booked a ride with none other than the Drag Queen Uber Driver, Erika, of Los Angeles. Look up "drag queen uber driver" on Google. It is scheduled for the evening of the very day that I will have seen Doctor John O'Dea, so I am assuming that at that time I will have a rear-full of pellets. Never been to Los Angeles before. Never seen a Pacific beach before. Excited about seeing Erika. But is it advisable? (It is mostly just sitting in a car, maybe some strolling, and dinner.)
I don't think those pellets start putting out estrogen full-blower right away, do they? Takes a few days for them to get going?
In trying to get a "feel" for him, the Internet isn't very helpful. Yelp has some things about him, ranging from bad to wonderful. Someone called him a "mad-scientist" because he compounds some of his own potions. What's wrong with that? Doctors used to compound most or all of their potions long ago.
I can imagine him beckoning a fellow, "Come here, laddy, let me turn ya into a lass!" (Trill those "r"s for that Irish accent! :D (O'Dea is Irish name))
New site seems to be gendermedical (dot) com
Lots of information there.
Okay, question-box done!
I will post progress reports every so often... if I don't melt into a puddle! :)
Sincerely, Josephine Alexandria . . . . . . . . Just call me Joy
No dizziness etc, apart from when it actually got put in. That's hell on Earth for me and I almost fainted. But if you're not a whimp like me then you'll be fine.
I got my second implant like a couple of months ago. All the changes are generally quite subtle. Interests didn't change, but it did seem to calm my nerves a little bit. Less prone to temper tantrums, more prone to crying.
Most endocrinologists start HRT orally, I didn't know anyone went straight to implants. He will probably request a blood test about 3 months from the day you get the implant (that's what my doctor does).
Quote from: Ellement_of_Freedom on April 07, 2017, 05:21:44 AM
No dizziness etc, apart from when it actually got put in. That's hell on Earth for me and I almost fainted. But if you're not a whimp like me then you'll be fine.
Hah-hah! Okay, we'll see if I'm a wimp or not!
So, nothing crazy, no wild symptoms? Yes, I have heard of this calming effect. And... you cry more easily? I keep hearing this too. I avoid sad movies and music. Real life has enough of that without additional make-believe ones. Three Stooges, please. Or Star Trek... ANY thing uplifting, funny, adventuresome.
Thank you Ellement_of_Freedom! I see you are a total of 14 months into it. How is it going generally?
Did your endocrinologist require a letter from a psychiatrist before starting hrt? Or is that only for SRS (GRS)?
Thank you for your response!
Josephine Alexandria
It's going good! The changes take a long time, and they're so gradual that I have to look back at photos constantly to remind myself that I do look different now. I can't wait to get to the 3 year mark.
No crazy side-effects to report from me!
My endo didn't require any psychiatric approval as my GP had already started me on HRT using Informed Consent, and the standard procedure in that situation is that the endo will carry on the treatment regardless. I also consider myself lucky as my endo is transgender herself.
I do see a psychiatrist now though, it's more as a formality. He and I just have a lovely chat once a fortnight for about an hour and he sends letters to my endo saying I'm not crazy.
I am on pellets, I had my second one put in a couple of weeks ago.. She was a bit busy and took a bit long between Lidocaine and then "Injecting" the pellet so I did feel some discomfort. Other than that my mood was far more stable than on tabs. I have gained some weight, I have seen good breast growth and overall feminisation. I take a supplementary pill each day.
I am happy knowing that the bulk of my E is delivered automatically. My T has been < 0.05 for quite some time now and is due to other medications I take unrelated to HRT.
So far so good, Sorry don't know anything about your Dr
Liz
Doctor John O' Dea ain't the only doctor who inserts pellet E implants in L.A. County. Dr. Kristen Vierreger M.D. also does it, out in Buena Park, CA, just a heads up. I get my pellet implants from her.
FYI
Dr O'Dea was a pioneer in the estradiol implants, but many physicians now do this. Quite likely someone in the Orlando area. In fact many "Medical Spas" offer estrogen implants.
If you have the money and time to travel across the county, fine. He's probably the most experienced implant doctor in the world.
Quote from: SonadoraXVX on April 08, 2017, 06:53:10 AM
Doctor John O' Dea ain't the only doctor who inserts pellet E implants in L.A. County. Dr. Kristen Vierreger M.D. also does it, out in Buena Park, CA, just a heads up. I get my pellet implants from her.
FYI
Implants are quite common in Australia, but they date back at least to the 1950's. Even earlier for all I know. Its fallen out of favor for some reason in recent decades, but is hopefully making a comeback. As far as I'm concerned its easily the best form of HRT.
My endo in Sydney has 3500 trans patients, with a large proportion on implants, and he's been doing it 20 years. He took over from another endo who retired.
A previous doctor I was seeing for HRT pushed me into an implant, I wish she hadn't.. Within a month of it being implanted, I was back on oral estrogen due to my estrogen level having tanked. Investigations revealed no sign of the implant having been capsularised, just seems my body did not absorb the estrogen.
I think they are a great idea, just be aware there are some they don't work for.
How can you tell if it's capsularised or not?
Did some imaging.. And then dug it out..