Several things:

1. I haven't been to a GP yet, but plan to ask for one soon. How long does it usually take to get a prescription for HRT, and how much trouble should I expect in getting it if I'm not actually FtM but (my gender is f*ed up, so the closest is...) masculine-androgynous.

2. Starting and continuing T. I know the time it takes for T to make its changes varies between folks, but which usually come out first? I'm hoping to take it until I've got a more masculine body (fat distribution, muscles, less feminine face, possibly greater height since I'm still young) and a deeper voice, but am not too keen on developing facial hair or letting my voice get too deep to the point where my entire vocal range is messed up and I can't speak without having a Manly Man's voice. How long, really, does it take for facial hair to develop, and how long do you have to keep taking T before those changes become permanent? Will going off T make my body revert to how it was, or will I be able to maintain the qualities I was going for?

3. Taking T before or after chest surgery. I'd prefer having chest surgery before taking T, mostly for sake of appearances (while I'll probably always be petite, somehow I don't think moobs and a deep voice mix well for me) and not having to go back off of T for however long before surgery. I can be flexible either way, but is there any reason why I should start T before chest surgery?

4. A fairly feminine face and petite body. This is more of a silly personal concern, but I wonder how well T will mix with my features - I can easily imagine taking it and having the end result looking not-quite-right as a woman with oddly masculine features, but it could turn out really well, and worry is just getting to me because I don't want to rush into anything. Possible changes in hairline is also something I'm concerned with...

*Cough* Anyway, if anyone here would like to excuse my rambling, advice/help is greatly appreciated, and I thank you all beforehand!

Quote from: Night Haven on August 22, 2013, 04:10:53 PM
Several things:

1. I haven't been to a GP yet, but plan to ask for one soon. How long does it usually take to get a prescription for HRT, and how much trouble should I expect in getting it if I'm not actually FtM but (my gender is f*ed up, so the closest is...) masculine-androgynous.

2. Starting and continuing T. I know the time it takes for T to make its changes varies between folks, but which usually come out first? I'm hoping to take it until I've got a more masculine body (fat distribution, muscles, less feminine face, possibly greater height since I'm still young) and a deeper voice, but am not too keen on developing facial hair or letting my voice get too deep to the point where my entire vocal range is messed up and I can't speak without having a Manly Man's voice. How long, really, does it take for facial hair to develop, and how long do you have to keep taking T before those changes become permanent? Will going off T make my body revert to how it was, or will I be able to maintain the qualities I was going for?

3. Taking T before or after chest surgery. I'd prefer having chest surgery before taking T, mostly for sake of appearances (while I'll probably always be petite, somehow I don't think moobs and a deep voice mix well for me) and not having to go back off of T for however long before surgery. I can be flexible either way, but is there any reason why I should start T before chest surgery?

4. A fairly feminine face and petite body. This is more of a silly personal concern, but I wonder how well T will mix with my features - I can easily imagine taking it and having the end result looking not-quite-right as a woman with oddly masculine features, but it could turn out really well, and worry is just getting to me because I don't want to rush into anything. Possible changes in hairline is also something I'm concerned with...

*Cough* Anyway, if anyone here would like to excuse my rambling, advice/help is greatly appreciated, and I thank you all beforehand!

Hey there,

I am no expert what so ever, but as no one else has answered this I thought I'd say what I've figured out so far. I'm sure others will correct if needed or add more info if they know it.

1. I'm assuming you're in the UK? In which case if you go to your GP and go the NHS route you could be looking at a year before you even get an appointment with a Gender Clinic, could be longer! Then a fair while on top of that before you've managed to do everything required for them to start you off. As a guess you could be looking at years. Or, if you go private you can be looking at just months depending on your circumstances etc.

2. I'm not on T yet, but having watched literally hundreds of FTMs doing video updates of their journeys (I'd recommend looking up some!) I'd say voice and body hair are often the first things that change. Facial hair seems to come through but not fully for quite some time. It's unlikely you'll grow, as if you're old enough to take hormones it will be too late, or at least too late to get much growth. I have heard of people gaining an inch or so (there's a topic on here about that) but there's big debate whether than increased posture etc due to greater confidence once chest surgery is complete.

As for things reverting, yes a lot of things will revert if you stop taking T. Your voice drop is irreversible, however without T it will lose some of it's 'ring' if you like. Hair growth may diminish slightly, but not a lot and that take years. Muscle and fat redistribution are fully reversible, so you will lose things there.

3. If you are in the UK and go NHS I'm pretty sure (someone please add to this that knows more!!!??) that you won't get any chest surgery until you have been living FULL TIME in your new roll for at least 1 year. With this in mind I have no idea how the NHS deals with gender fluid (is that the right term?) people as not everyone wants to live full time, yet we all have the right to do or take the steps we want to to make us feel happy, and that doesn't always involve doing everything. I have no idea how that works on NHS. Privately it's fine though, you can decide on what you want to do and when etc.  A recommended read are the WPATH guidelines as these set out what you need to fulfil before you can do various things and most clinicians will follow this to some degree although there are always exceptions.

4. I have no idea. I think you'd need to do it to find out as everyone reacts differently.


I hope that helps somewhat, and please don't take what I've written as gospel, I'm actually still fairly new to all this myself, I've just done a lot of internet searching

Matt

Quote from: Mattfromengland on August 30, 2013, 01:04:52 PM
I'm assuming you're in the UK?

Unfortunately, no - plain old US; I should have mentioned in the first post.

Quote
In which case if you go to your GP and go the NHS route you could be looking at a year before you even get an appointment with a Gender Clinic, could be longer! Then a fair while on top of that before you've managed to do everything required for them to start you off. As a guess you could be looking at years. Or, if you go private you can be looking at just months depending on your circumstances etc.


If you are in the UK and go NHS I'm pretty sure (someone please add to this that knows more!!!??) that you won't get any chest surgery until you have been living FULL TIME in your new roll for at least 1 year. With this in mind I have no idea how the NHS deals with gender fluid (is that the right term?) people as not everyone wants to live full time, yet we all have the right to do or take the steps we want to to make us feel happy, and that doesn't always involve doing everything. I have no idea how that works on NHS. Privately it's fine though, you can decide on what you want to do and when etc.  A recommended read are the WPATH guidelines as these set out what you need to fulfil before you can do various things and most clinicians will follow this to some degree although there are always exceptions.

I hadn't considered going private (assuming the US policies are close to the UK's), but might have to do so if the wait's usually that long. I had hoped to lessen the wait for top surgery, having already been "myself" publicly for a year, and the only difference this year is that I'll be enforcing correct pronouns; but, there's the strong possibility that I'll have to complete a year under the watch of a GP, which I can deal with even if I don't get surgery as soon as I'd like.
Now, here's the part that concerns me - presenting as male when you're FtM is fairly straightforward for most people, but I'm Ft(list of other letters) but mainly neutrois and masculine-inclined androgynous, so finding somebody who understands that I'm not comfortable in a female body and will actually give me what I need will be... Tricky, though I haven't had experience with GPs yet.

Quote
I'm not on T yet, but having watched literally hundreds of FTMs doing video updates of their journeys (I'd recommend looking up some!) I'd say voice and body hair are often the first things that change. Facial hair seems to come through but not fully for quite some time. It's unlikely you'll grow, as if you're old enough to take hormones it will be too late, or at least too late to get much growth. I have heard of people gaining an inch or so (there's a topic on here about that) but there's big debate whether than increased posture etc due to greater confidence once chest surgery is complete.

Youtube is always your friend, right? ^^ But yes, I have a few folks I stalk follow. Perhaps doing s search on specific changes will give me what I'm looking for...

Height isn't too surprising, and I'm one to think that posture does more than T will in making you taller. Still, I'll be hopeful about gaining another couple inches until I'm in my mid-twenties and all hope is lost~ Rather sore, seeing as I apparently skipped the part of puberty where you're supposed to grow. 


Thank you for the post, Matt - despite not being in the same country, it really was helpful.

Quote from: Night Haven on August 30, 2013, 01:27:27 PM
 
Thank you for the post, Matt - despite not being in the same country, it really was helpful.

Ah poo, sorry I figured GP was an English thing. I have no idea how it works in the US, although I do think they make you jump through far less hoops than the the NHS in the UK so that's a good thing.

I hope you manage to sort everything out

Matt

US you can do informed consent and get T in almost no time. First changes tend to be downstairs growth. Many changes on T are permanent and happen quickly, often starting in the first week.

Thank you, KAT~

Any idea how quickly one can get top surgery, though? And where to go for it, if not a GP (though I believe you need a note to give to your surgeon, right)? That's the one thing I'm certain I want to do, as most of the permanent changes from T I'm shying away from at the moment (just got comfortable with the idea of growth below the belt, actually, so who knows).

You don't need T to get top surgery. Sometimes you don't even need a letter, though for most you do. It usually takes a few months before a therapist will write one for you. My endo is willing to write mine in a way.

If you are large breasted you may even get insurance to pay for it by calling it a reduction. That wouldn't take any letter, just a sympathetic surgeon.

There are many top surgeons, check the wiki or simply google it.