Current Events > It's my One Year HRTverserary!!! AMA

(+) Yeah! (+)

Well...it is tomorrow, but I work, so I wanted to put this up here.
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/0/5/5/AAIAInAADWXn.jpg
That's from almost a month ago, now. First time I wore a dress outside my home lol. (my stupid hands are blocking my trans pride necklace. Lesbian pride ring, she/her pronoun bracelet. Actually did my makeup, still can't do mascara.)

A short summary of events:

-I went to an informed consent clinic here in Connecticut on June 29th, 2021, and after hearing the spiel, I was prescribed estradiol and spironolactone. 3 months later, I started on progesterone.

-Everything you see physically is a result of hormones. I've had insanely good breast growth and my thighs have gotten pretty thunderous, but I'm afraid the caboose disappoints. My skin is soft and clear, my body hair much thinner and finer, and my muscles have been thoroughly deleted. I often marvel at how skinny my limbs are these days.

-HRT takes time. At 1 year in, I'm not even half done with physical changes: major changes generally occur within the first 3 years, and things don't settle down entirely until year 5 or so. It's puberty.

-Two things estrogen/progesterone don't really impact are facial hair and voice, unfortunately. You can correct the former with laser hair removal and/or electrolysis; the latter with voice training. They are both long and torturous processes, and the worst thing about the latter is it's entirely up to you.

-I came out in January, and my life seriously couldn't be better. In that roughly 7 month span, I've switched departments at work (for the better), started dating (going steady with a great lady), and am in the process of working out getting an MSW in Social Work. Seriously, all my life, I wanted to be a girl and I thought I couldn't be a girl. But then...I just did it. It's really that simple. If you want to be a girl, you can just be one. Same for being a guy. It's not easy but it's worth it.

-I've determined that I desire both bottom surgery and facial feminization surgery(FFS). My breasts kind of almost make me thankful I'm not cis, I might have been Mandy Morbid-esque...Too much boobie. Not because boobie bad, because back pain is. So no top surgery for this girl! But it's worth mentioning modern implants are vastly less distinguishable from natural tissue these days.

-Ask me anything. It is Pride Month, it is the anniversary of Stonewall, it is a dark time in our country. Be respectful. Happy Pride!

Congratulations!! Keep up the great work and happy pride!

Dang one year, thats awesome! Heres to many more. Are you originally from Connecticut or did you move there later? You were saying that after one year HRT youre eligible have laser hair removal covered by your insurance, right? Are you pretty excited to get started on that?

DespondentDeity posted...

Dang one year, thats awesome! Heres to many more. Are you originally from Connecticut or did you move there later? You were saying that after one year HRT youre eligible have laser hair removal covered by your insurance, right? Are you pretty excited to get started on that?

Yeah, I've lived in Connecticut all my life, save for an interlude in Albany, NY.
And yeah, my clinic is supposed to refer me somewhere (there's a bunch of gatekeeping to deal with to get Husky to cover it), but I'm so busy with other things I'm not sure I'm going to be quick about it. I'm definitely looking forward to getting this garbage off my face. It's already a bit softer and rounder than it used to be, and but we still have a ways to go there.

I just really wanted to make this topic because trans people are so often pathologized as miserable or broken or whatever, and I can tell you that doesn't come from being trans, that comes from refusing to embrace it. It comes from the abuse of a profoundly transphobic society, to say nothing of potential transphobia closer to (or in) the home.

I can say that I'm living my best life, even if I'm terrified by the epidemic of viciously anti-trans laws being passed in many states. I would say I hope it will be remembered in the same light as the Reagan administration's handling of the AIDs pandemic, but then I look at how he and his vicious harpy of a wife are still deified by the powerful, and it turns my stomach...

Nobody has anything to ask on this special day? Oh well....

ElatedVenusaur posted...

I'm afraid the caboose disappoints.

I hear squats can help with that.

ElatedVenusaur posted...

-Ask me anything. It is Pride Month, it is the anniversary of Stonewall, it is a dark time in our country. Be respectful. Happy Pride!

Happy anniversary and happy pride month.

Did you have to do estrogen injections? Are they painful?

Glad to hear youre out and happy, keep living your truth and whatnot. Hopefully there will be more acceptance and less bigotry in the future

FortuneCookie posted...

I hear squats can help with that.

Happy anniversary and happy pride month.

Did you have to do estrogen injections? Are they painful?

Yeah, I need to start doing squats and crunches regularly. I still have belly fat and I fucking hate it.

As for estradiol delivery, I switched to injecting a few months ago. Its by far the most efficient method of delivering estrogen, as youre just putting it directly into your system, and not letting the liver get its hands on any of it. And you get a lot more than you can from patches.

You inject once a week. I do it myself. Alternating thighs, middle quarter, 90 degree angle. If you do it right, you only really feel the needle break the skin: that part of your thigh doesnt have major blood vessels or nerves, so you dont feel much and barely bleed, as long as you do it right. If youre too low or too high or your angle is too off, it will hurt and youll draw more blood, but even then its not terrible.

Its important to be mindful of the hormone itself: its a viscous oil-like liquid (because hormones are lipid-based) and sometimes you get bubbles. Bigger bubbles hurt like hell if you inject them(not to mention you get less estradiol that way) so you have to play with the plunger a bit and make sure to get rid of the bubbles before injecting.

Congrats on the one year mark!

Favorite kind of frog?

Ah, thanks.

I was always under the impression it was the substance itself that was painful -- I imagined a burning sensation. I had no idea it was about getting bubbles or a bad angle on the insertion. Bubbles in the bloodstream sounds very unpleasant.

<_<

I remember your early posts. Congrats on your progress! Glad you're up here in the northeast where services are available and good... and I hope that will never change, regardless of the rest of this country -_-

What's your clothing style

congratulations

MabusIncarnate posted...

Congrats on the one year mark!

Favorite kind of frog?

Hmm. My frog knowledge isnt great. But frogs in general look really cool. Gotta love the colors on poison dart frogs though.

FortuneCookie posted...

Ah, thanks.

I was always under the impression it was the substance itself that was painful -- I imagined a burning sensation. I had no idea it was about getting bubbles or a bad angle on the insertion. Bubbles in the bloodstream sounds very unpleasant.

<_<

The object is to inject into the muscle: the estradiol then percolates into the bloodstream from there.

And let me tell you, you can feel the estrogen rushing into your system. Makes me all giggly and cuddly.

emblem boy posted...

What's your clothing style

Still very much feeling that out, but Im finding I really like skirts and dresses.

Though sizing the latter is a fucking nightmare, and not just for trans girls. I got a pretty floral dress once and I fucking loved it, but then I tried to get it off and the top was so tight on me I wound up tearing it trying to get my arms out.
I told a coworker about my preferences and they go, That kind of sounds like cottage core.

MattcheteGuy posted...

I remember your early posts. Congrats on your progress! Glad you're up here in the northeast where services are available and good... and I hope that will never change, regardless of the rest of this country -_-

Im all but certain theyll go for a national ban on abortion. And transition care. Im thinking I should get an orchiectomy, (Husky covers them. And apparently the doctors who do them are often happy to see trans women because the typical orchiectomy recipient is despondent, whereas were psyched) just so I dont remasculanize if the worst comes to pass.

Congrats :) you end up losing track of the count off the top of your head in time. Just remember that where you're at now and where you're at in a few years and what you want will change.

ElatedVenusaur posted...

Im all but certain theyll go for a national ban on abortion. And transition care. Im thinking I should get an orchiectomy, (Husky covers them. And apparently the doctors who do them are often happy to see trans women because the typical orchiectomy recipient is despondent, whereas were psyched) just so I dont remasculanize if the worst comes to pass.

I remember Sayoria talking about having bottom surgery without having to pay out of pocket and I know we've passed bathroom laws in various localities throughout the state, including where I used to work, and seeing a gendered bathroom sign get replaced with an "all gender" bathroom sign was a big fucking deal. Of course there were no controversial virtue signal trash fake news issues after the fact. Everyone just went about their business. There was a thing on a ballot to reverse it because "pLeAsE tHiNk oF tHe cHiLdReN :(:(:(:(!!!!!" but it was trash and failed like 70-30

I just hope I'm not reminiscent on good times and assuming everything is still good instead of trash.

Good morning!!!!
Hehe, thanks for all the kind words, not-so-stealthy bump.

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]

Honestly, it used to freak me out too. It's why I was on pills and then pills+patches for basically the first 10 months. My liver is annoyingly good at converting estradiol in my digestive tract into estrone, which is the bad stuff that majorly spikes blood clot risk. And CVS was absolutely wretched at making sure I got sufficient patches, so I was always short on estrogen.

It was just a fucking pain in the ass. Aside from being a slight pain in the thigh, injecting is 100% better. I also switched my stuff to my clinic's pharmacy (they deliver and I've been out to my parents for a long while now) and they had me come into the office so a nurse (who is a trans woman herself, so doubly used to handling needles) could walk me through my first injection. They gave me a packet with step-by-step instructions too. I'm definitely getting the hang of it.

Congrats! It's always nice to hear about transitions going well for people.

As for a question: Scarlet or Violet?

googs19 posted...

Congrats! It's always nice to hear about transitions going well for people.

As for a question: Scarlet or Violet?

I'm not sure I would get one, but if I did, it would be Scarlet. For Professor Cavewoman Mommy.

Congrats.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbLVTZWRou8
The best part about being in a relationship now? I don't just have a girl, but I'm her girl too.
I just wanna be her girl...

I used to dread the injection so much before I got a few under my belt and kinda realized, yeh this is less of a pain in the ass than doing mascara, and I do that everyday lol.

Im a little bummed cuz Im going to be reducing my dosage by like 33%, from 6mg s/c to 4mg s/c per week, Im just anxious about it affecting my mood and obviously concerned about breast growth, but I think my slow development there is due to my strict diet. I dont really have much context for what the levels mean tho, so Im sure my clinician is correct, its just the opposite of what I was hoping for on the new cycle.

Have you played OMORI yet? Im really enjoying it, kinda makes me think of my pre-HRT dysphoria before I knew what it was.

DespondentDeity posted...

I used to dread the injection so much before I got a few under my belt and kinda realized, yeh this is less of a pain in the ass than doing mascara, and I do that everyday lol.

Im a little bummed cuz Im going to be reducing my dosage by like 33%, from 6mg s/c to 4mg s/c per week, Im just anxious about it affecting my mood and obviously concerned about breast growth, but I think my slow development there is due to my strict diet. I dont really have much context for what the levels mean tho, so Im sure my clinician is correct, its just the opposite of what I was hoping for on the new cycle.

Have you played OMORI yet? Im really enjoying it, kinda makes me think of my pre-HRT dysphoria before I knew what it was.

I still can't do mascara right. My eyes freak the fuck out about anything being near them. I really need to be better about practicing.

I haven't played OMORI, no. I don't think I had even heard of it until now, but it sounds fascinating.

ElatedVenusaur posted...

I still can't do mascara right. My eyes freak the fuck out about anything being near them. I really need to be better about practicing.

I haven't played OMORI, no. I don't think I had even heard of it until now, but it sounds fascinating.

One of the things that immediately stood out to me is theres progression blocks where you cant move forward until youre no longer afraid. Like, itll be like, youd love to go swimming, but youre afraid of drowning.

A good way to practice getting used to that is to just take a sharpie, with the cap on of course, and just touch your eyelashes with it. Practice different grips and types of strokes, so that now this advice is just innuendo lmao, but seriously it can help a lot. Also, be sure that youre looking into the mirror and not at the object your holding. Your eyes will be drawn to its proximity until you train them to not be.

Which is your favorite makeup to use so far? Either in terms of how fun it is to apply, or in the way it looks once you have it on. Is your girl much into wearing makeup?

DespondentDeity posted...

One of the things that immediately stood out to me is theres progression blocks where you cant move forward until youre no longer afraid. Like, itll be like, youd love to go swimming, but youre afraid of drowning.
Which is your favorite makeup to use so far? Either in terms of how fun it is to apply, or in the way it looks once you have it on. Is your girl much into wearing makeup?

I went shopping for makeup over the winter with a former coworker who was eager to help me get a basic kit together, and she picked out a fantastic tinted moisturizer that does a great job of dulling my facial hair so it doesnt stand out as much. And it blends perfectly with my skin color. Im wearing makeup in the pic I posted. I only have stuff for a natural look.

I havent mastered it, but Ive always loved eyeshadow.
As for the lady, shes actually a licensed esthetician (though she hasnt worked since the pandemic started, due to her condition). She usually just wears lip gloss, which shes totally obsessed with. She gets that and mascara in the mail regularly.

She did my makeup once and she did a spectacular job. She hums slightly off-key to herself when shes really focused, which was funny and keeping a straight face when she did that was hard. Her daughter is also super good at makeup and regularly steals her makeup lol.

One last bump.

Congrats on the milestone. What's one goal you hope to accomplish by year's end?

Malcrasternus posted...

Congrats on the milestone. What's one goal you hope to accomplish by year's end?

Apply to a bunch of Masters programs in Social Work. My GPA from my first stint in undergrad wasn't very good, but I took some classes towards a potential Social Work degree over the course of the past few years and ran up straight As, so I have that much in my favor. I hope to take a Masters-level class in the Fall as a visiting student so I can get a feel for it and show I can handle it.