Sorry but I just wanted to say I gave myself my own shot just now!!!! It's a big deal to me because I'm a severe needle-phobe so I just got over one of my awful fears!!!    So this doesn't become just a boring thread anyone got a monumental thing they've done when it comes to transition lately? Anything from passing to surgery works

That's great! You'll probably be amazed to look back a few months from now on how big a deal this used to be .

Would you believe what a big deal it was for me to shave off my sideburns a couple of weeks ago? Once I noticed that women just don't have them, I knew they had to go (I've kept mine grown out since my teens) and I felt really exposed at first, but then I revelled in it. And it does make a difference to how I'm perceived - for the moment, it's more people assuming I'm 10 years younger than I am .

Thanks!     my mom said the same thing. It took me almost half an hour and she sat there and watched going "just do it, you can and later on it'll become second nature"

That's awesome Padma That makes sense, I see a lot of women who have "side burn" type things due to having long hair but I have noticed not as much with short hair. I'm sure since you've had them so long it was a hard step but you do look much younger and, in my friends favorite word, fabulous in your avatar

Quote from: Padma on April 27, 2011, 03:13:50 AM
That's great! You'll probably be amazed to look back a few months from now on how big a deal this used to be .

Would you believe what a big deal it was for me to shave off my sideburns a couple of weeks ago? Once I noticed that women just don't have them, I knew they had to go (I've kept mine grown out since my teens) and I felt really exposed at first, but then I revelled in it. And it does make a difference to how I'm perceived - for the moment, it's more people assuming I'm 10 years younger than I am .

Padma,
I knew there was a difference, but I couldn't trace it. Awesome.

Cindy

Quote from: xAndrewx on April 27, 2011, 03:23:31 AM
Thanks!     my mom said the same thing. It took me almost half an hour and she sat there and watched going "just do it, you can and later on it'll become second nature"

That's awesome Padma That makes sense, I see a lot of women who have "side burn" type things due to having long hair but I have noticed not as much with short hair. I'm sure since you've had them so long it was a hard step but you do look much younger and, in my friends favorite word, fabulous in your avatar

Hi Andrew; a few things,
I stick needles into people fairly often and I stick them into me. Believe it or not I'm the 'normal' control for heaps of lab stuff (I find that funny ). I have no problems in sticking needles into me or even bleeding myself for a 'normal' sample. You do get used to it.

If you get pain from injecting buy some of the cream people use on infants who are teething, it kills the pain. Do it the same time of the day/night, so it becomes a routine. Don't think about it, this might sound stupid but if you get into a routine of just doing it the mind cannot dwell on it. Don't hit the same area, I presume you are injecting T. It can be quite viscous. use alternative legs, muscle groups. Find places you are comfy injecting. Always use a new needle . This sound equally daft, get your mind to enjoy it, whoa this is another muscle boost etc

Hope it helps

Cindy

Thanks Cindy I appreciate the advice. I can't imagine sticking needles into myself often  I honestly did not feel my shot so it wasn't bad it's all just a mental thing because of past issues. When it comes to injecting I've been alternating legs (do it in my thigh) and not in the exact same spot on my thigh every time, I alternate the exact area a bit. I fear for the day when I might have to start doing them in my rear because for some reason that thought terrifies me a billion times more than my thigh (another mental thing I know). Do you tend to use draw up needles? My doc and my pharmacist thought they were not necessary... Since that needle goes from the vial to my leg I always wipe both the top of the vial and my leg down every time to avoid bacteria.   

Hi Andrew
No you don't need draw up needles just go for it, There was a paper presented years ago the demonstrated the cleaning the area with an alcohol swab had no effect on  any infection and now a days it is done purely for effect, keep the customer happy.    I can take 50 mls of blood from me and I never use a swab, 50 mls because that is how long my fingers will stretch.

Do you know why Drs wear white coats?

Because it is expected. In the lab we wear front covering blue protective gear. Blue so we can see "stuff" on it, front covering so we are protected, and white coats don't protect anything. As far as lab people are concerned every single sample is lethal to us. So we don't worry about safe or bad, every thing is bad,
Easy

Hugs,

How is the job going BTW

Cindy

You have my admiration Andrew.   I am needle phobic too, so you are a lot braver than me.
Karen.

Good job 
I'm scared as hell of having to do it, so it's nice to hear that other needle-phobes can get through it.

Congrats Andrew! You're tougher than I am! I have no problems with people sticking needles into me or themselves, but I just can't be on the giving end of that <shiver>  If I need a shot, I know who to call

~Sara

Congrats dude!
I still have Sevan give me my shots. I am just too chicken to give them to myself. So you are my hero tonight.

I just started on injections today myself.  I did a massive amount of reading beforehand just to make sure I wouldn't screw anything up, and it was all over in less than 30 seconds.  Go figure 

Congrats to you Andrew and to Amy!

Cindy- Wow that's some interesting info right there. I always did find it a bit... dumb honestly for them to wear white because blood and billions of other things would stain it and like you said they can't see stuff on it that could be harmful. I think I'll continue the alcohol swabs because I'm one of those happy customers  The job is going awesome Everyone is treating me well nowadays which is awesome. Even got to have guy talk today with a fellow co-worker

Justmeinoz, Lee, Sarah, Cynthia, and Melody- Thanks! I still can't believe I did it honestly  Seriously the look on my face when I realized I'd actually managed to do it had my mom practically rolling over laughing. I'd have dropped the syringe if I wouldn't realized it meant I'd have to do it over again.

Amy-  My mom already knew how to do it so I've been learning from her but the same experience with the 30 seconds and it's over. I sat there for like 30 mins trying to get up the courage then did it and was like "really? I just wasted that long fearing over that?"   

Funny, some years ago when I tried to give myself my own shot, because I don't have very steady hands, or maybe I just so happened to hit a vein (probably that), I sprayed a thin stream of blood all over the place in my room at the time (a little exaggerated, but it did get a good spot of the carpet). I came crawling out of my room, trying to keep anymore blood from dripping onto the carpet, told my mom, "well that didn't work out too well". She's asked what didn't. I told her "I tried giving my own shot, sprayed blood all over the place". She asked if I was alright, and why the hell didn't I just ask her to do it. I just wanted to see if I was capable of giving my own, just in case ever I had to. I never tried again after that, it only bleed for mere seconds really, but the whole sight of it made me even more squeamish than I already always was of getting shots to begin with. I always hated the whole shot thing, but felt better once it was done, don't have to worry about it again for another 2 weeks. You think getting shots for 8 years usually twice a month that I'd had gotten used to it and the whole needle thing not bother me, I could deal with it because I had to, but I had wished there were another way, my endocrinologist at the time refused to prescribe any other kind of hormone, said they didn't work that well, either take it this way or not at all, so I was stuck with having to get jabbed in the rear end by a needle every time I needed a dose of estrogen, oh well, it was worth it (I'm really missing those shots now).

That's awful Megan I'm sorry! That would terrify me though I'd probably laugh about it later on. Can I ask why you miss them? Are you not still on Estrogen? You don't have to answer if you don't want to, I am just a curious guy tonight.

Poor. Jobless. Simple yet complicated. Got me a job now, but still barely making ends meet just with bills and such. Its been nearly 2 years without the hormones, after having been on them for 8 years, so yeah, at this point I'd be happy to get jabbed a million times about right now if it'd get me back to where I was when I was on them, heck, I'd do it myself if I had to.

Congratulations from a severe needle coward, I can't bear to even watch an injection on tv (seriously!!) & when I was younger I would have fillings done without anesthetic rather than havve a needle come near me. My dog needs to start having regular injections soon for skin allergies & i'm trying to talk my mum into doing it for me as I feel sick just looking at a needle.

You have my utmost admiration for doing this I just hope I get the option of pills/patches or bamboo splinters to ram under my nails rather than a needle 

Good for you Andrew. The first one can be tough to get through. Did you use the slam & jam method or the slowly but surely approach?

Randi

Megan- I'm sorry I hope you'll be able to start back at some point. I can't even begin to imagine *hug*

Jane-  Bamboo splinters.... ow but a slightly funny mental image sorry for the laugh. I do understand ya there. I think part of what made it easier was watching a bunch of self injections online. Awww poor puppy I hope your mom will be able to do them for your pup for you.

Randi- Thanks I had the tip sort of resting against the skin and then just kinda gently jabbed. I use a long needle so I can go in at a little bit of an angle. I'm okay with needles once they are in so it was easy after the first second it was in.