Today marks a milestone in my transition. 5 years on HRT. This after a little more than a half of a century of suffering, denials, coming outs and withholding. A lot of good positives happened in these five years with a hidden painful preexisting life shortening disorder that went into phase III the past 4 years unrelated to the HRT regimen. That one soon on another thread. I found out the extended relatives knew about my "transsexualism" after 1977 after coming out to my mom after telling them again shortly after taking HRT. None of those siblings cousins and aunts and the remaining uncle outed me. Large family.
A rundown:
Nov. 15, 2010. Started HRT. Had blood panel done before that as baseline, High T levels, high PSA level.
Apr, 2011: Second blood panel had the PSA levels below 1.0, T level as female.
June, 2011: Brother had me cut my hair for his wedding, I was his Best Man. I haven't cut it since. Now my silver hair is down to the middle of my back.
July, 2011: Phase III of my neuropathy went nova in my feet with the 24-7 severe pain to 4 years later. Hottest July on record with no air conditioning didn't help. I did manage to juice and jelly the record garden crop of grapes that Sept.
Oct, 2011: My new primary doctor with TG patients takes my case. He did a more comprehensive blood panel, T still down, PSA still down. Everything else clean. The foot pain still diagnosed as plantar psoriasis via doctor relay of the last diagnoses 12+ years previous when the topical athlete's foot script meds didn't work. Nothing to be done there. More on that in another thread, HRT usage discounted on that.
Oct, 2012: My doctor did blood panel and found low sodium and iron, thyroid TSA found high in the Apr test, some kidney functions low. He took me off of spiro and still on E. Been on Thyroid since that April.
Apr, 2012: Another blood panel showed Kidney, thyroid and the minerals OK. T and PSA high. He put me back on spiro, but at half dose. No change in the HRT dosages since.
May, 2014: Doctor took me off of Thyroid due to rash on my face and a warning of that on the bottle. I been off of that since. Blood panels showed clean everywhere since.
A synopsis: My dysphoria and depression disappeared since a month and a half after starting HRT. These had not reappeared since, not even during the physical pain period. The usual body changes occurred and leveled off 6 months in. The coarse body hair disappeared in some areas with little left in other areas. My muscle mass increasing was the only odd effect. Doctor said that does happen in a few cases. I like all of those changes. I'm still presenting as male, but a feminized version of my look-alike brother in the face. I lost the fatty Neanderthal brow ridge my brother still has over this time.
For those people starting HRT or on it a short time, be honest with yourself and your doctor. If you develop a major disorder such as neuropathy, lupus, MS, MD, diabetes, DVT, cancers, etc. The HRT usage is an indication for triggering some of these. HRT is considered guilty until proven innocent with these! Be honest and take the medicine!
Joelene
