I want to MTF transition.

Do I need to take hormones while transitioning or can I take hormones after I have bottom surgery so that the hormones can try to make some breasts?

It would be 2 years before I go full time with my prefer gender.
In other words, what are the cheapest options available?


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You'd probably find it difficult to get any kind of bottom surgery before starting HRT, not to mention any kind of surgery is expensive. I'm not sure how cheapest would come into it.

Personally I don't think it would be a good idea either. What if you started HRT and didn't like it?

Most of the time the doctors want you to be on hormones for a year before surgery. The reasons are so you discover if you are comfortable with the changes that take place to your body and that you are comfortable with the mental changes. If you chose to go with pills, HRT can be very inexpensive. Shopping stores, as little as $40 would buy a six month supply of estrogen and spiro might range between $100 and $200 depending on the dosage. The major cost would be getting the prescription but if you have insurance, the blood tests should be covered and the doctors visit might be covered.

You might consider low dose which would allow you to proceed at a slower rate if it works better with your schedule. The best thing to do is discuss this with your doctors and make a plan that works for you.

The normal sequence is to start hormones first.  As Dena said, very few surgeons will accept a patient for bottom surgery unless they have been on hormones for a year and lived one year of real life experience (RLE).

Estrogen will grow breasts whether or not you have had surgery.  I am pre-surgery and I have nice breasts that are growing well.

Its very much a check the block in transition.  They believe in basically the least medication and surgery to alieviate your Gender Dysphoria.  So, therapy to ensure its what you really want... Then they'll give you hormones at the lowest effective dose, then surgery dependant on just how adimant you are about "needing" it to be happy.  So there's not much re-ordering of the transition progression.  It's quite difficult, but not impossible to change the order.  However, bottom surgery is expensive and you absolutly need to have laser/electrolysis before you can do that.  Which will take a couple years anyway.  So it kind of makes sense to start with the hormones....  Kind of like "stepped investments in CDs"  You just step them so that your investment in your transition matures in succession.  It goes rather fast and hormones are a life long endevor

CatherineVeraGat,

No matter which way you do things, you need to do it all in order to fully transition. It is not cheap. Transition is very expensive in terms of monetary and more importantly personal costs. Be prepared for a very expensive journey.

The single most important thing to do is accept yourself as you are and what you would like to become. Counselling is next and you will need it anyway for surgery by any respected surgeon. Hormones can be started with just a few counselling sessions. Do not forget electrolysis to remove unwanted hair from face and body.

After about one year on hormones, you would be considered a good candidate for surgery.

Lastly, have a plan for a career or some source of financial and emotional support after transition. Not everyone accepts us as as we are. 

I started permanent facial hair removal first, very glad I did.  Initially laser then quickly switched to thermo electrolysis which requires quite a commitment (time, money, pain - more than two years of frequent sessions in my case).  In hindsight, absolutely worth it. 

The upside is, if you have a change of heart you won't have to deal with stubble and shaving as you age in your original gender.  An additional incentive to consider the hair now instead of later - if you're lucky to have the type and color of facial hair compatible with laser, your clock is ticking... any hair that turns white is invisible to laser.   

I have since decided to go full tilt - first endocrinologist appointment next month, for HRT.

Catherine - I just realized I didn't answer your original question.  I can't compare costs of surgery but I have spent about $27,000 US dollars eliminating hair.  Eyebrows to toes, and everything in between.  1/3 laser, 2/3 electrolysis.