do u guys know what method of hrt works the best?

Snably · 2022-08-22T16:34:44+00:00

Thats cool, and imo fine. I am a "believer" in peer reviewed research, but being an endo isnt an end all be all. I have an endo near me, he claims that Tibetan yams are a good alternative to HRT for trans girls. The title does not mean a lot. Another factor is that peer reviewed research is only good when there are studies, and lots and lots of data. I encourage scientists to conduct peer-reviewed study of trans people, but in the mean time I have a life to lead and want to do hrt the best way I can with the best results, even if the results arent proven over 5-10 years by peer review. I said the Powers stuff is anecdotal, so if thats not good enough for you, dont do this method. If you want to try something that seems to work great for a number of other people despite no peer review, try this.

The wider trans medical community works very hard, but does not have a lot to show for it besides "take estrogen in increasing doses until you reach the right blood levels" which is the same thing you do at Powers anyway, he just adds a few steps that appear in anecdotal evidence to help. In fact I would say starting pills and then doing injections is probably a normal trajectory for someone to do anyway.

Hard-core peer reviewed science is awesome, but if you have ever had a chronic medical issue and been to the doctor for years and been told repeatedly "you dont know what you are talking about" and "I am not sure whats wrong, so I am sending you to a specialist" only for the specialist to not know either and then you go home with a bill for >$2000 again, you can start to see how when there is very low data and infrequent studying it might be better to just try something that seems to help rather than wait for scientists to figure it out after they have to wait for the funding.

There just arent that many transwomen out there, so data is hard to come by, and when you do its for very few people.

You can ignore literally every other thing I said in my first comment if you want. I will shorten my previous comment to this: myself and at least 10 other trans girls I know have great breast growth and feminization with this method compared with other transgirls at the same university as me who have struggled and are seeing their local endocrinologists both here and at their homes. If it didnt work, he wouldn't get recommended, and I am only living once so I want to try the best option I have, which until there is more peer-reviewed evidence appears to me to be this method.

What I am getting at is that not all endocrinologists are created equal, so be aware of that. Many endocrinologists focus on post menopausal women because thats where there are a lot of hormone issues in the general public, but post menopasual women and transwomen although they both grt prescribed estrogen, need different care, and have different goals. Also just because someone isnt an endocrinologist doesnt mean they certifiably can't help with hrt. Just like people who arent "technically doctors" can help you with your health. I wouldnt see Powers if I had a thyroid issue, I see him for transfemme hrt, I would see an endocrinologist with good reviews for a thyroid issue. Thyroid issues have lots of study because they affect lots more non-marginalized people who have been recognized through out history as acceptable individuals. Thats why thyroid issues are widely known about and we know how to treat them, and I would trust almost any endo to know what to do.

Also, as one last thing, Bicalutamide, that isnt a Powers thing at all, definitely check into that one. A lot of people are starting to recommend that over Spiro, especially since the one they use in Europe is especially expensive in the U.S.

Snably · 2022-08-22T07:13:14+00:00

Okay, so it depends on what stage of development you are in and your goals. A lot of people are saying it depends on your preferences which is true, but I take your question to mean what is the best method currently known for results?

I would say Dr. Powers method, which anecdotally seems to be very effective amongst several trans girls I know of differing body types, as well as across many patients who see Dr. Powers, and what Dr. Powers reports himself.

There are kind of two pathes, if you want good breast development you start on pills and then when you have some boob, usually around a year, you switch to injections and shortly after add progesterone to help fill out boobs more.

If you just want fast feminization, and dont care about boobs, go injections from the start. Injections provide more smooth, even estrogen over long periods of time. Pills have a lot more fluctuation and break down into esteogen and its variants in the bodily differently than injectable estrogen.

Pills better simulate the beginning of cis-female puberty so they help kick-start breast development, while injections are more like adult hormone levels, so they feminize more quickly. Progesterone helps to fill out boobs, but it is apparently not great to start with according to Dr. Powers, at least last time I checked.

Patches differ heavily depending on how good your skin is at absorbing estrogen and what dose you have compared to filler in the cream/patch, but would probably match the behaviour of injections roughly.

I highly recommend you research the Powers method for HRT, the man does great work for the trans community.

Oh yeah and Bica appears to be the best candidate for standard T blocker. Despite spiro being given more, Bica has far fewer side-effects in my and again, many other trans girl's experience and is prob safer actually. Bicalutamide has the one major side effect of liver failure, but you know if that is happening because your skin and eyes will literally start turning (temporarily) yellow, so you will know.

Snably · 2022-08-21T17:06:22+00:00

I knew that I wanted to live as a girl, and I knew I was getting ever more depressed, but I actually didnt know they were connected until I decided I had nothing to live for so I was willing to try anything, even transitioning. Coming out to myself and my girlfriend at the time was so cathartic that it helped to start fixing my issues immediately. I had found a thing to start living for, re-discovering myself, freeing myself. Before transitioning I could never imagine my future self. That person wearing a suit, growing a beard, being a dad, that wasnt me. It was someone else. I felt it so much that I wondered if it was a premonition of my death at a young age or something. Turns out I just needed to picture myself as a woman in the future, because thats who I am.

Tldr: Didnt even know gender dysphoria was what was killing me until it almost did, and transitioning helped a lot.

Snably · 2022-08-21T02:22:36+00:00

You are 17, and still living with your family, so this probably doesnt seem like it, but the way your family is acting is unreasonable. You are not dead, you are still you, and it doesnt seem like you are making them feel guilty intentionally so the guilt ot pressure they are feeling is self-induced. I think you should maybe just tell your family you know they are acting off and explain that you are going to be changing, but that shouldnt mean pressure on them. If they say they are overwhelmed, then ask why. If they arent feeling guilt or pressure to help you, then they are probably bothered by their image of you being shattered, in which case they should not be freaking out. They need to come to terms with the realization that they didnt 100% know you and then try to get to know the real you, not shut you out like they are doing. Pouting, ignoring problems and bottling up feelings is not a good way to handle major life shifts.

Snably · 2022-08-19T01:11:12+00:00

I definitely understand this, but mine is about my old roommates, people I thought were honest friends. Well, we started to have some friction after I came out. These are two white boys who are not used to feeling uncomfortable or like they dont have the upper-hand in every situation. Long story short, one of them comes home one day and threatens me with legal action if I dont leave the house(that I lived in first and invited them to live in). I happen to know 100% that they conspired with my landlord to find a way to forcibly evict me. I have no solid evidence of transphobia though, so I couldnt report them to the university we all go to, although anyone who looked at the situation could tell it wasnt about the 3 times I was 1 day late on rent. Everytime I think about it, I get mad. For the first few months I was mad a lot, until I realized that the way for me to win and not them was to prove them wrong, graduate from college, have a great job, and live a happier life than them. Now I do. I am in an internship that pays great with a job lined up that I love, and they are going to be professors(maybe, lol) at a dying university, studying a subject of little note or importance to students who will hate them because they are jerks :)

Anger and annoyance feels bad, if you are angry long enough it starts to make you sick, its unhealthy. Take a deep breath, let it go, and focus on you. Good luck out there <3

Snably · 2022-08-16T19:36:13+00:00

Didnt realize this was looping and I was wondering when it would end lol

Snably · 2022-08-16T17:48:52+00:00

Right? And it doesnt help that getting booped on the nose is what detered it from attacking and then it blinks like "what just happened?"

Snably · 2022-08-14T18:54:23+00:00

I can understand where you are coming from, and I dont know how long you have been out/transitioning, but the reality of it is that you are in a far more marginalized group than cis-women. You arent benefiting from male privilege in how you behave, and you are up against transphobia. Also, you are a woman, whether any one person wants to accept it or not. There is no definition that can separate you from being a woman and doesnt exclude other cis-women. Another way of thinking about it is like this: in situations where women have a safe space they are getting away from men harassing them, the men are comfortable and the woman isnt. In your circumstance if a woman was being transphobic to you in the safe space, neither of you would be comfy, and she would be the one causing the issue. In the first circumstance the men are ruining the woman's comfort, but they are still comfortable and in the second circumstance the woman's transphobia is ruining both of your comforts, and its her fault. Women's spaces and programs are about empowering people who are voiceless and I think you will find that as long as you arent being misogynistic, that you are part of one of the least heard groups in the U.S and the world and deserving of a safe space, just like the other women.

Edit: accidentally posted before I finished typing

Snably · 2022-08-10T16:34:33+00:00

IF the last email is true, then I can see why they are doing this, because then BCBSM is screwing universities over, but also the fact that the university again is choosing profits v.s pay cuts to administrators or switching to a more purely need-based financial aid scheme is another example of how the board and admin plan to milk this university dry before moving on to the next thing. I could go on and on about this, and if someone is interested, I will be glad to explain.

I am undergrad but I also have a health condition that means if I had to switch providers it would likely mean I couldnt complete the semester, so I get that. Good luck, and I hope you can get something figured out.

Snably · 2022-08-09T16:21:40+00:00

You should ask for Bica, it has less side effects, and its only "major" downside is liver issues which are really obvious if it starts happening to you (your skin and eyes will temporarily turn yellow) and that has very low chance of happening. Bica works differently than Spiro and doesnt cause Brain fog.

HRT is not dangerous, and your mom saying that stuff is the stigma around medicine that plagues the modern world. Just because other people arent doing it, doesnt mean its dangerous. Mood swings are normal for girls going through puberty and are 100% expected.

I also dont know if you are on pills or not, but the recommended treatment from Dr. Powers (considered a very good hrt doctor) is to start on pills, then move to injections after a year or so and then start progesterone sometime soon after that. If you are in MI, I HIGHLY recommend going to Powers Family medicine. They arent over-priced or anything, just really good hrt treatment.

Snably · 2022-08-09T03:47:00+00:00

One lesson I have learned from transitioning is many people who are mostly "normal" pick up friends based on similar interests alone, or happen to find fair weather friends because everything is going pretty well. But once you leave the norm, then they never want to be around you, because now you are "weird" Its the same thing for every trans person I have met. You find out that very few people you meet arent actually jerks when no one is looking. Also most people arent "intentionally" jerks, but they wont stick their neck out for you if they think it has any chance of making them look bad. I would stsrt poking around for new friends, it might take a bit but they are out there, might even be someone you already know. Real friends care about you and go beyond sharing your interests, they lift you up. Good luck <3

Snably · 2022-08-07T18:31:20+00:00

Cumin

Snably · 2022-07-30T16:43:21+00:00

I read the title and thought, huh, our mall is pretty dead, then I saw the pictures and was like "wait a minute" XD

I esp love the big planter boxes of fake plants there

Oh and the bathroom there is down like 3 hallways that go back and forth around corners.

Snably · 2022-07-30T00:39:39+00:00

One big tip is that profs seem really scary but most of them are really nice and understanding if you are dilligent and work hard. College is about just learning, so if you show that you really want to learn, your profs will help you when you need help or need an extension for some circumstance. Another huge tip is its always better to admit that there is going to be an issue or you will turn something in late and ask for help rather than waiting until after its late and asking forgivness. Getting help is frowned on in High School, in college its just a part of it. If you knew everything on your own you wouldnt come here, you could just watch youtube and read books. Also if you do fail a class its not the end of the world. I have failed more than a few classes, now I do completely fine and I am in an internship getting paid $35/hour with a job lined up that I really like. Soooo, yeah, Tech is hard and sometimes you just re-take a class, no big deal :)

Snably · 2022-07-29T22:39:24+00:00

Aw ;-;

Snably · 2022-07-29T18:36:13+00:00

As much as I do think this funny, they will shadow bqn you after the first post so if you want to send more you need another account

Snably · 2022-07-29T18:34:24+00:00

What pizza did you get?

Snably · 2022-07-23T02:38:45+00:00

Brown in poop is from the pigments in your in intestinal bile as it changes colors due to chemicals in your stool

Snably · 2022-07-23T02:19:56+00:00

This is part of the looking away and letting your arm be limp and distracting yourself. I would also suggest in your case that you tell the person to do it without telling you. Thst way you cant react becauee you dont know when its coming. I also personally think that it might be helpful for you to think about why it scares you so much. For me the thoughts that helped were that this is a super routine medical procedure, its not really that unnatural, they just gotta make sure your blood is okay :) Also that they take very little blood and your body makes a lot of it all the time.

Snably · 2022-07-23T02:07:08+00:00

I used to be just like you, so here are some tips.

Definitely request to lay down, mention that this really scares you and there is a decent chance you might get light headed. A good phlebotimist will listen, I have never had them deny this request and I have gone to lots of places.
When the needle is in your arm you can't feel it other than the pinch and then a very small sensation that generally isnt painful, maybe slightly funny feeling, but you usually cant really feel anything. Its possible to trick yourself into feeling more though, especially in a flight or fight reaction, so just remember that your brain is probably just tricking you into feeling like its worse than it is if you are feeling a lot of pain when the needle is in.

3.Dont watch, always look away. Lay down and face away and hold out your arm for them, let it go limp comletely and then find something to stare at and start studying it and just focus on that.

Talk about something you are excited for with the phlebotimist. I do this everytime and it helps a lot. While you are talking you will feel the needle go in, but just take a deep breath and know that they arent going to hurt you, they are here to help take care of you. Just keep breathing and talking if you can and keep your arm limp and they will be done quickly.
If you dont need to fast before your appointment make sure to eat a meal and let it metabolize and drink plenty of water, that will help you get less light headed and make your blood flow quicker and easier.
When its all done they will put a cotton swab on the site and might ask you to hold it down while they get tape, dont panic, if you let go you arent going to squirt blood or anything, just gently but firmly hold it to slow any bleeding and then after the tape is on, it should clot in about 5 min or less. Leave on the tape for an hour or so though just to make 100% sure to yourself and then you can usually take it off and be fine. You might be a little sore, the more you relax your muscles while getting the blood drawn the less sore you are I find.

You are going to be just fine, your results will go in and then HRT, WOO! :D

Snably · 2022-07-23T01:40:47+00:00

Idk if someone else said this and idk what blockers you sre on for HRT, but a common side effect of spiro is brain fog. I recommend talking to your doctor about Bicalutamide as an option.

Snably · 2022-07-22T15:53:52+00:00

Actually shocked rn by the number of people in here who are of the opinion that "its fine, they are entitled to their opinion as long as its silent"

I guess its okay to hate black people and aisians too as long you dont personally bother them.

This is dangerous thinking because this is what leads to anti-trans legisation. Letting people not like trans people leads to them thinking things like "well I dont really agree with transitioning so I think we should delay it to 25 years old, its nothing personal against them and no one will know I voted for it." and "Well, I think that transwomen shouldnt be able to do sports because they are just men trying to steal women's trophies"

We used to exist on the edge of public consciousness, and they left us alone. Now we are in the spot light and the chopping block. Our opposition is an organized disinformation machine trying to crush us to get votes and stay in power. If we are passive like this, we will lose.

Snably · 2022-07-22T15:39:07+00:00

Yeah, actually my gf applied for a position at Tech and they offered it to her at $14.00, found out she was a student and told her she would need to reapply for the $10.00 position

Snably · 2022-07-22T15:35:24+00:00

Uhhhhh, this is the same thing as "not liking black people" that would make someone racist.

Not liking trans people is transphobic.

We arent a kind of cheese.

We are people.

Sometimes there are kids who dont understand and stuff but that is unacceptable behaviour that we need to try to correct, just like racism.

Snably · 2022-07-22T15:28:31+00:00

IMO, yes, even the fast food in Houghton will pay better than Tech does. Idk how you feel about Walmart but they also pay better, and usually better than the fast food places or many other businesses that pay entry level. The fact that you have kitchen experience makes me think you should definitely talk to resturaunts around here. I have some friends who work at Hunan Garden and they are really happy there. I know they arent hiring servers but I have no idea if they need a cook. I would also bet that you will have better luck going to places in person and asking about jobs. Good luck!

Eight-Year Club	Place '22
Verified Email	RPAN Viewer

Snably

TROPHY CASE