#gaht

[intersexfairy]

fat transmascs can you use this post to share your transition timeline or before/afters? or just some gender euphoric selfies? fat transmasc joy and glowup post please? 🥺

(rb for boost if u want)

[genderqueerpositivity]

CW: testosterone therapy, periods, physical changes from HRT

Earlier this year, I'd reached a point where I was wondering if I'd already seen all of the benefits and changes from testosterone therapy that I could possibly receive. It really seemed like everything had come to a halt as far as changes from HRT go.

Worse, what started as random spotting and painful cramping (which I originally blamed on really high stress) eventually became full blown periods, and this went on for months. At one point, it really felt like I wasn't even on T anymore. I blamed myself, because I would occasionally be late or forget to apply my testosterone cream. I thought that the bleeding, the inconsistent T levels, and the lack of progress was my own fault.

And then, I had to switch compounding pharmacies. And every single one of my problems disappeared within two weeks of starting the first tube of cream from the new pharmacy.

Nothing else has changed. Not my dose, nor where I apply it. I still forget and apply a few hours late sometimes, other times I miss a day entirely.

But the periods and cramping haven't returned. And I'm beginning to see small changes here and there again. I have to trim my ear and nose hairs now; I have more chest hair than ever before. It's time to face the fact that testosterone has made me a bear lmao.

Point being, looking back I really think that the quality of the testosterone cream I was getting from that first compounding pharmacy was kind of suspect. Looking at reviews online from other people really confirmed my suspicion; many people claimed that the quality of the prescriptions they received was wildly inconsistent from month to month. Not to mention, more recent reviews seem to suggest that their business is going under entirely, and from my own experiences attempting (and failing) to get my prescriptions filled with them in a timely manner, I'm not surprised.

I don't often see a lot of posts from trans folks on testosterone who use compounded cream, so I want to put this out there for others to see. If you're struggling to maintain consistent T levels, don't rule out the quality of your prescription as a possible cause. Make sure that the compounding pharmacy you're getting your T from is reputable and has good reviews.

[half-assed-ascent]

Hey folks. Having an argument with a friend over whether there is such a thing as a "common" experience for transgender people who are (or have previously been) on HRT/GAHT regarding sexual and/or romantic attraction. So I thought I'd ask the largest population of trans and otherwise queer people I can think of: Tumblr.

Personal anecdotes or details in the tags/replies very welcome. As always, reblog for sample size, etc.

Thank you!

[fruityracoons]

switching from T gel to injections for me was huge. i had a severe phobia of needles and couldn't even do blood work or vaccines without meltdowns, and now im able to do that kind of thing weekly! and i actually look forward to it. i kinda dreaded the gel. i have my sibling on the phone when i do it, and it helps provide a nice distraction and something else to look forward to too! (they're awesome)

point being, sometimes even if it seems like a worse route, sometimes it can be rewarding. not all choices have to be fixed. if you can, experiment! that's just my experience though :3

[frankencanon]

*HRT stands for Hormone Replacement Therapy, while GAHT stands for Gender Affirming Hormone Therapy.

-

Edit:

Yes, GAHT is a real thing.

To my understanding, GAHT specifically refers to the type of hormone therapy that's prescribed for trans reasons, while HRT is more of a broad term for any type of hormone therapy in general.

Online health services for trans peoples (such as Plume and FOLX) use the term GAHT in place of HRT (which is where I learnt of it).

[solstakao]

i don't throw away my estrogen tablet sheets. every time i finish one i stack another on top. the monolith grows

[perfidious-prophet]

The fucking things they dont tell you when you fucking start Testosterone.

Yeah, everybody knows about the deeper voice and the dreaded asshair, but these were my unfunny little surprises after 3 months on T. Reminder that shit will always vary from person to person because we're not all clones of each other, whatever.

1. Bottom growth fucking hurts. Sometimes I don't want to wear pants. I knew it would happen, didn't know it'd be so uncomfortable. And it starts fast. Like first dose fast.

2. The irritability goes fucking CRAZY it's like I'm constantly PMSing. I get why dudes punch walls. Oh my god. I know how to keep my anger wraps, but holy shit.

3. On the topic of PMSing. I had temporary worsening of menstrual cramps. Jesus fuck. I was having pain before menstruation started for days, and sometimes just randomly. I hope it doesn't flare up, but it seems to be calming down now. I think my body is freaking out over weird hormone levels.

4. Vocal fatigue. Talking hurts. I expected voice cracks, obviously, but why the fuck does this shit hurt? I don't even want to talk that much anymore. My voice just gives out. It's still deepening, so a win is a win, I guess.

5. Apathy, emptiness, anhedonia, and numbness. My motivation has tanked. I don't fucking care anymore. I just want people to leave me alone so I can take a nap. I already had mental issues before starting T, and I don't think T gave this to me, but it's definitely changed how I feel my mental illnesses. I have to like relearn how to cope and shit. I don't recommend starting hormones if you're an emotionally unstable dumbass like myself. This is literally second puberty, mood swings and teen angst included. I am a volatile, angry little man.

6. Anxiety. Like I said, teen angst. My panic attacks now include intense nausea, which is New and Uncool. Dunno why that happened. But I'm just nervous. There's nothing to be nervous about. I consistently feel like I've forgotten to do homework. I am not even in school anymore. Rad!

7. Psychosis? I had my first intense psychotic break at 14. It lasted 6 months, give or take. I've had shorter episodes on and off since then. My symptoms are stress based. The emotional strain is, naturally, pushing me towards the edge again. I am sure I will explode brilliantly and violently within the weeks to come.

8. Male loneliness is real dudes. Have friends.

9. It's harder to mask. I've been periodically going mute again. I'd never really stopped, but it's more frequent now.

Anyway that's my rant I think.

I'm not telling you not to do hormones. I'm not your dad. But it's not fucking easy. Anyway I have no intention of stopping. I am thuggin that shit out. I had a really really tough time during first puberty, and I suspect I'm going to have issues the second time around.

I am happy with the changes I am experiencing physically. I still feel confident and sure of my identity as a trans man. I am just not very happy about losing control over my mental state again. We'll see how it goes. If I'm lucky, I'll get medicated. I can't afford a therapist right now.

Good luck out there, whoever you are.

[sensible-tips]

Testosterone Thursday-9 Myths about T

Dispelling common myths surround HRT you may have heard or come to believe yourself.

[fraye-complex]

Boy Time!Boy Time!Boy Time!Boy Time!Boy Time!

It's finally fucking here!!!

[intersexfairy]

im 1 month on T !!! hell yeah :)

[genderqueerpositivity]

After Mississippi banned his hormone shots, an 8-hour journey

Katie had done all she could to prepare for this trip. She’d asked a relative to pick up her two younger boys from school. She’d researched how to change a tire, and she’d spent hours on Google Maps, searching for the closest Walgreens in Alabama. She’d finally found a destination in Thomasville, a rural town nearly 200 miles from their suburban Mississippi home, but much remained unclear. Would they make it by noon for Ray’s telehealth appointment? Would the pharmacy give him testosterone?

Katie looked at her boy, a thin 17-year-old with wavy hair and an easy grin, and she asked herself the question that had begun to matter least: Was she breaking the law?

Two months earlier, Mississippi had banned transgender young people, like Ray, from accessing hormones or other gender-transition treatments. By mid-spring, nearly half the country had passed similar bills, according to the Movement Advancement Project, and now, 1 in 3 trans children lives in a state with a ban. Conservative lawmakers said they’d pushed the bills to protect young people, but Katie felt like they’d done the opposite. Testosterone had allowed her son to embody himself for the first time. Ray was present, happy. The ban would take that happiness away.

Across the country, families were doing everything they could to protect their trans children. Some uprooted their lives in red states for the promise of protections in blue ones. Others filed lawsuits. Katie couldn’t afford to move, and she needed a solution faster than the courts could offer, so she’d settled on a cheaper, quicker plan: She’d take a day off from her nursing job, and she and Ray would travel out of state for his medical care.

No one should have to go to these lengths just to access what is essentially basic life-saving heath care.

Also, major shout out to QMed and Dr. Lowell and the Southern Trans Youth Emergency Project for the work that they are doing to help trans youth and adults in red states access gender affirming care.

[neuroticboyfriend]

starting T and metformin!! take that @ the doctors who tried to use metformin to treat my "hirsutism" and labeled me noncomplaint for not wanting that. it's my body and i get to take care of it now.

[sleepycatten]

Offer for any trans person struggling to access gender-affirming hormone therapy on prescription

For many trans folks, especially in the UK, access to gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) requires years of waiting and gatekeeping. Even when it's provided, it may be titrated or limited, rather than being provided in full, due to further gatekeeping and bad medical practice.

As such, I would like to advise that my DMs are always open to any trans person who wants to access GAHT as cheaply, quickly, and safely as possible without a prescription or gatekeeping.

For those who do not feel comfortable messaging me here or want to read more about HRT science, I recommend the following resources:

https://transfemscience.org/ - trans fem and non-binary fem

https://diyhrt.info/ - info on fem and masc HRT

https://www.reddit.com/r/TransDIY/wiki/index/

I have a pinned thread on my account in the fediverse (currently a Mastodon instance), which contains further resources and information:

https://cultofshiv.wtf/@SleepyCatten/109847558139671842

I spend most of my time in the fediverse, but I will look back regularly for questions here.

[seradae]

So, when I started HRT (almost exactly 3 years ago, holy shit) I was originally on shots, but I wasn't great with consistency and the process wasn't fun. I did IM injections because that's what my provider at the time told me I had to do.

I ended up switching to patches (which fell off constantly and led to me transing the gender of every blanket in the house) and then rapidly over to tablets. Been on those for a while, but 1) I feel like I haven't had much progress lately, and 2) the risks around them (while minor) gave me anxiety. So I decided to switch back to shots.

But my new provider told me I could actually just do sub-Q! And holy fuck, there was literally ZERO pain and it was so goddamn easy ;.; I'm also on a much higher dosage now 👉👈 I'm so excited

[meowthiroth]

Hey, just a heads-up for anyone else using Androderm testosterone patches— both the Androderm 2mg and 4mg patches have been discontinued by the manufacturer and will no longer be available.

There isn't a generic version or another manufacturer who makes these (at least not here in the states), so if you've been using these patches, I'd strongly advise calling your HRT provider ASAP to discuss other treatment options. Testosterone gel still seemed to be available from most of the pharmacies I checked, so if you still want to use a non-injection method I'd recommend switching to that for now.

There doesn't seem to have been a recall of any existing patches from what I could find, so if you have some of yours left & haven't been having any issues with them, they should still be safe to use in the meantime.

This is probably old news by now, but I haven't seen a post about it anywhere & I only just found out today after making like 5 consecutive phonecalls trying to refill mine, so I figured I'd try to get the word out to others. 🙃 please reblog & boost so more people know!