Interesting, we all feel we are too old when we start.

I was at a seminar discussing the protocols to be used on children with GD,  and the endo who is head of the group was asked if there was a big difference in outcome for kids going on blockers per puberty, during or post. His reply was the physical end result appeared little changed, but the emotional result was greater.
H
E then said that in pre puberty treated children 30 percent did not go on to gender reassignment, but went back to birth gender.

I was very surprised by that but he showed two studies one in australia and the other in holland.

im in the same boat as you
about to start college and need to find a job and im seeking help for social anxiety
im about to turn 19 too
but patience is a virtue really.. what else can you do

I'm staying optimistic that I can begin HRT before 25. It's something to aim for anyway. And hope keeps me going.

Quote from: Dreams2014 on August 08, 2013, 01:15:07 PM
I'm staying optimistic that I can begin HRT before 25. It's something to aim for anyway. And hope keeps me going.

Believe me, starting at 25 isn't a bad thing.  You won't drastically change between now and then.

Quote from: learningtolive on August 08, 2013, 03:49:46 PM
Believe me, starting at 25 isn't a bad thing.  You won't drastically change between now and then.

But I want to transition now! *throws hissy fit*

Quote from: Dreams2014 on August 08, 2013, 03:51:55 PM
But I want to transition now! *throws hissy fit*

I know EXACTLY how you feel hon. It's scary, you feel like you're turning into some hideous manly sasquatch every second that you aren't on hormones lol. At least I do.

I'm 18, and I want to start them ASAP because I'm young but since I don't have a dollar to my name I can't. Which is horrible because I have an informed consent clinic near me, it's a cruel tease. It's like that one scene from the movie Borat. "You will never get this! You will never get this! La la la la la!"

I'm having a group meeting with my depression therapist and my parents on the 20th, there's a slight possibility they might take me for hormones after they listen to my therapist.

Not being on hormones stresses me out all day and night most of the time, I usually can't sleep and usually have a panicked feeling.

Like others have said, your body isn't going to change much at all in the next few years. So calm down(:
If you want to make yourself feel better, try to avoid meat, it can raise testosterone. Drink things like tomato juice, spearmint tea, and black cohosh tea, they're rich in phytoestrogens, aka plant estrogens. Eat things like tofu, tomatoes, aples, cherries, plums, and pears. Also rich in phytoestrogens. Get an Ace bandage and wrap it around your waist a bit tightly (so it takes like an inch off your waist when you first start) and sleep with it on. Do so at your own risk.
I do all that, and frankly it's why I haven't had a nervous breakdown xD phytoestrogens don't do much at all but they personally give me some peace of mind. And my waist is quite a bit thinner.
Hang in theree! It will all be worth it once we get our hormones. If you'd like to message me for support since we're in a similar situation, feel free to(:

I didn't transition until I was 40. Back when I was 20 there was no public internet and no resources for eh fledgling T* person. So it took me another 20 years but I did it. Had SRS in 2001. Now live male/androgynous. Happy with my body, not so worried about how I dress.

I'm 23 and I'm also almost exactly in the same boat as you. However I'm not really worried about age. I've been researching and looking into transitioning for 4 years now and I have noticed a few constant things. First of all it seems that a persons over all health and personal hygiene has a huge impact on the results of HRT, to me it looks like people who are in shape and take better care of their bodies tend to get more favorable results.
Then it was mentioned that T really gives the face its manly appearance by the mid to late 20's, this could be true (could) but keep in mind that HRT should still have a fairly strong effect and combined with hair removal and some proper grooming of the face (maybe even a little make up) it seems like its still possible to produce a fairly feminine face. If your really that worried and all else fails then let me tell you about the miracle that is modern day plastic surgery and send you here: https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/board,180.0.html
As far as mannerism is concerned, women have their own rules when it comes to how to act, passing requires more then just looks, you need to play by those rules or society will just pick up on you being different and treat you as such. I've seen plenty of bigger women who could be NFL linebackers be treated as women and not as linebackers simply because of their mannerism. I would suggest that you look into Contemporary Social Theory specifically searching for Symbolic Interaction Theory.
As for myself, I'm fairly certain that I'm trans but I can really use the next 2 or 3 years (before I'm financially on my own and can begin to explore transition) to be 100% sure that this is who I am and this is how I'm going to go about this.

Also here is a helpful website that depicts transition timelines (many of which are in their 20's and early 30's): http://www.->-bleeped-<-.com/r/transtimelines/

I'm inclined to think differently from alot of you, Waiting is senseless generally nothing can be gained I transitioned reasonably young but I wish I could have done so sooner, Every year was a year of my life wasted in abject misery.

And yes alot of damage can be done between the ages of 18-25 At 18 I could cross-dress at night and on a good night I'd be vaguely passable. At 21... absolutely not.

Yes external interventions exist but they hurt are destructive and are SO expensive, I can understand if certain critical resources are completely out of your grasp for one reason or another but if you truly desire to transition with no ambiguity in your heart I can only encourage you to fight and try to escape with whatever resources you do have at your disposal. Even if others, including the transgender community shun you for utilizing these methods.