Stephanie, the answer is simple and right in front of your nose.

Since Gender Dysphoria causes dysphoric bouts, which can lead to depression, and ALL insurance policies in America, including the free ones like Medicare and Medicaid, cover depression, but very few cover transition or HRT until after the M is changed to a F on all legal documentation, a doctor who wants to get paid AND help their patient will often list the reason for treatment as depression.

My therapy is covered because my therapist lists the primary reason I see him as severe clinical depression. My Spiro is covered because I had very high blood pressure... and the medication keeps it in check. Neither reason is a lie. I was very depressed when I started therapy and I had high BP.

Quote from: AmyB on January 13, 2014, 09:09:57 AM
My dysphoria is getting worse pretty quickly, but I don't want to completely transition.

I've heard people talk about asking their doctor for androgen blockers and low dose estrogen.

Assuming that's enough to treat my dysphoria, how much physical change would I expect to see?  The softer skin, less body hair thing is cool, but visible breasts and impotence would be a problem at this time.

I'm basically looking for some mental relief without blowing my life up.  I especially don't want to blow up my marriage.  For what it's worth, I'm 45.

Thanks

Amy, I understand where you are coming from.  When I started on ultra low dose estrogen and a T-blocker, it was because I had medical conditions that some would consider contraindication to cross hormone therapy.  I was started on patches.

The lowest dose patch available brought me almost instant relief from dysphoria.  I thought it was a placebo effect, but I later read that the estradiol hits in the brain in seconds.

Quote from: Tori on January 13, 2014, 06:50:42 PM
Stephanie, the answer is simple and right in front of your nose.

Since Gender Dysphoria causes dysphoric bouts, which can lead to depression, and ALL insurance policies in America, including the free ones like Medicare and Medicaid, cover depression, but very few cover transition or HRT until after the M is changed to a F on all legal documentation, a doctor who wants to get paid AND help their patient will often list the reason for treatment as depression.

My therapy is covered because my therapist lists the primary reason I see him as severe clinical depression. My Spiro is covered because I had very high blood pressure... and the medication keeps it in check. Neither reason is a lie. I was very depressed when I started therapy and I had high BP.

oh!

Responding to a bunch of different messages at once...

1) I'm pretty sure I'm TS.  Cross-dresser doesn't really describe what I feel.  I am in therapy right now, so we're kind of working that one out still.  My therapist thinks I'm somewhere on the transgender spectrum.
2) Therapy doesn't do much to fix gender dysphoria.  I'm pretty sure the dysphoria is at the root of both my anxiety and depression.
3) I'm on both anxiety medication and an anti-depressant.  They help, but not enough.
4) Before I'd do anything hormone-wise, I'll probably talk to a second therapist.  Maybe Anne Vitale.

My goal is to do the smallest thing possible that reduces the dysphoria to where it doesn't hurt me on a continual basis.  If life ever got unbearable, or I ever got to the self-harming stage, then I would certainly transition.

Quote from: Jamie D on January 13, 2014, 06:57:33 PM
The lowest dose patch available brought me almost instant relief from dysphoria.  I thought it was a placebo effect, but I later read that the estradiol hits in the brain in seconds.

So how are things for you now?  Did you have a lot of physical changes, or primarily mental ones?

Amy-

I was on low dose HRT for about 4 years. It stopped the voice in my head and it stopped the uncontrollable & dangerous urges that I was having for a few years. HRT gave me some small boobs and nicer skin. I could still perform the male role but it took a fair amount of work to get there; i don't know how much of that was the HRT and how much of it was because I was in my mid 40's. If i left my shirt on you couldn't tell I was on HRT.

I used to haunt the androgyne forum and always said that taking low dose HRT let me live my guy life and that was true at the time; i'm sure that if you search over there you can find my old threads saying that. But as we all know the feelings just keep getting stronger over time and eventually low dose HRT wasn't cutting it - my dysphoria came back with a vengeance. Now I've gone over the waterfall and I'm transitioning 

Low dose HRT might work for you as it did for me with not many side effects, but YMMV. Your idea of finding another therapist to talk to sounds like a good one. I wish you the best of luck.

Amy,

I'm a social chameleon and very good at putting on the appropriate act for a given situation and group of people.  That hasn't changed at all, but the undercurrent of not quite fitting in is always there, HRT or not.

Emotionally, I'm more likely to tear up these days and less aggressive.  Libido is way down - I can see an attractive woman and pay more attention to what she is wearing.

I think that low dose HRT has the following possible outcomes:
1.  You don't like the effects and in fact hate them.  This might put into doubt the nature of your GID
2.  It works well enough that you lose the urge to go further into transition indefinitely.
3.  It only works well enough to delay transition for a few years.
4.  It makes the dysphoria even worse and you end up transitioning immediately.

If you can live with all of the above outcomes, then it may be something suitable for you.

My therapist warned me when I started low dose that I'd soon want more cause she'd seen that play out so often, which is what ended up happening for me. Low dose being enough, needing more, probably depends upon where you are on the gender spectrum.

I've always been a girly girl, even though I didn't hate my old role either and had an SO I desperately wanted to hold on to (and we've been hanging in there to this day). I love getting to be me now. But a friend of mine, she's been on HRT longer than me and hasn't transitioned to full time yet. So it takes all kinds.

All I know is if you're thinking about HRT, you're probably going to find your way to get on it sooner or later.

Thanks for all of the responses...  Sounds like I have a lot to talk to my therapist about.

Well, I'll be another to chime in and say you don't know how you'll respond. I never needed more than low-dose HRT to transition fully; in fact, even a very low dose turned out to be too much for me. Apparently, my body likes estrogen a lot. So even though it's unlikely, you do need to be prepared for the possibility of getting more/different changes than you bargained for, up to and including being responsive enough that a "low" dose is enough to put you solidly on the transition path.

(Now 42DDD and haven't been misgendered since the first six month or so on HRT.)

Hi Amy,
So its been 3 months or so, How has the Low dose therapy been working for you. I can  relate almost word for word to your post so I am very interested in how its helped you. I wish you the best.
Jenn

Amy

While low dose hrt may cause lasting physical change (ymmv) it will provide you with rich emotional benefit and dysphoria release.

With low dose hrt and a supportive endo you can flex the dosages to achieve your aim which could be to achieve full physical transition or more subtle physical change.  Either way it is a legitimate and well used method for helping all tg folk from mta through gq to mtf and all points and expressions on the gender spectrum.

I know members who have been on low dose hrt for several years.  They have not felt the need to fully transition/increase hrt and have had great success in controlling the level, direction and pace of their physical change while providing them with the required relief from dysphoria.  For me it has been nearly 3 years and even with other surgeries and hair removal I still pass as male when that is my intention.

Aisla