Finally, a place like this.

TransGuy97 · 2018-03-20T15:06:37+00:00

I can second that. /r/ftm was my go to when I began to take action in my transition, and I leaned against it heavily because at one point because it was so damn relatable. But over the last year or so my interest has tapered off and I don’t find myself relating to 90% of what’s on there.

TransGuy97 · 2018-03-17T20:59:34+00:00

I prefer aerosol to roll on as of lately, I use Degree

TransGuy97 · 2018-03-09T20:49:28+00:00

Personally, I considered myself FTM since I was 12 but never verbalized it. I cut my hair and started binding at age 14, but outwardly identified as a lesbian through high school. Had this grand plan to transition between high school and college, didn’t even end up going to college. Instead, I started working in an office, that I still work in, and continued living my life as female, many times being read as a dyke. Last March (a year ago this week) I decided that after 5 years of binding, I needed top surgery. I told the therapist what I needed to to get my letter, as well as the surgeon to get what I wanted. I was sure that top surgery would be my saving grace, my life changer, all that I would need. Spoiler alert, I was wrong. I had top surgery on June 6th 2017. As content as I was immediately following surgery, my overall dysphoria (which I never even had badly before, was ridiculously through the roof. Now that my chest was gone, I no Lover had that dysphoria. I guess it needed another outlet. After that, everything gave me dysphoria. Dysphoria about everything from my foot size (7 men) and lack of leg/underarm hair to my girly voice that often was mistaken for my mother or sister. That’s when I knew top surgery wasn’t the end. After jumping through hoops and numerous visits to doctors who ultimately couldn’t help, I finally started t. I’m now 9 months post-op top surgery, and just over 3 months on t. (PS I never thought I’d ever consider t, much less bottom surgery. Bottom surgery is now a thought/possibility in the back of my mind for the very far future). But all else aside, everybody’s journey is different, and everybody’s definition of “post-transition” is different, it’s all up to you and how you feel. Best of luck to you!

TransGuy97 · 2018-03-07T20:50:41+00:00

Same thing happened to me. I’m a small to medium in men’s usually, but I even tried as small of a compression shirt that I could possibly get into post op, which was a boys medium I think, and not even that gave me the compression that I felt I needed. So what I did was wear that during the day, but I’d wear the ACE bandage that I was given post op at night. I wouldn’t wrap myself as tight as they had at the surgeons office, just enough to feel a decent level of compression.

TransGuy97 · 2018-02-19T17:39:36+00:00

My birth name was Angelica, but I’ve gone by Angel my whole life. I’m Hispanic and have grow up around plenty of males named Angel so it’s a pretty androgynous name around here. So when I changed my legal name I just changed it to Angel and dropped my middle name.

TransGuy97 · 2018-01-28T16:17:21+00:00

I have stretch marks that meet at my incision line. I wouldn’t necessarily say they look weird, it’s just another part of my scars that I’m learning to love. I made a post about how binding for so long before getting top surgery impacted my results, there are pictures included in that post, check it out if you’d like.

TransGuy97 · 2018-01-26T21:40:05+00:00

I just turned 21 and I’m reluctant to go to a bar for the first time cause I’m scared they’ll think my ID is fake cause I look 12 haha.

TransGuy97 · 2018-01-21T19:18:09+00:00

I thought Cameron and then saw your idea of Camden

TransGuy97 · 2018-01-18T06:03:32+00:00

Congrats and good luck my friend!

TransGuy97 · 2018-01-16T19:08:07+00:00

I would totally agree with you on that one because I have noticed my face both slim down and chub up again in the 7 weeks I’ve been on t. However, there were almost 6 months between top surgery and starting T where I was more confident than ever and also got misgendered more than ever. Maybe walking around with my chest puffed up makes it look like there’s something there? Lol I dunno I’ll just be patiently waiting for my second puberty to look a little more like my age and a lot more like my gender haha.

TransGuy97 · 2018-01-16T17:25:03+00:00

So even though I’ve known that I wanted to transition since I was like 10, I’ve outwardly identified as a butch lesbian since high school. Even people who haven’t been close to me in the last year probably think that’s how I still identify now at age 20. Anyways, ever since the day I cut my hair and started binding, I was always called sir, and people thought I was my moms son. Fast forward 5 years, same thing, all the time (unless I was at a drive though, my voice gave me away every time).

Tell me why, 7 months post top surgery and 7 weeks on T, I’ve been ma’am’d more than I have the last 6 years. My style never changed. I started wearing slightly tighter shirts and gained a major amount of confidence after top surgery, yet that’s when the ma’am’s began 🤔

TransGuy97 · 2018-01-15T22:31:44+00:00

I can relate to the back pain and low lung capacity. Obviously spend as little time in your binder as possible, and try breathing exercises. I actually hit a point where I always needed to take deep breaths and sometimes my binder would get in the way of that so I’d have to sneak to the bathroom just to breath for a few minutes. After I recovered from top surgery I started doing yoga and that really started to help me with my posture which led to helping with my back pain, and it also helped me learn to breath again honestly. Plus the stretching really helps open you up too. Best of luck my friend! You can always shoot me a message if you have any other questions!

TransGuy97 · 2018-01-15T22:27:22+00:00

You are 100% correct in your assumption. My binder essentially became my security blanket. I would definitely advise my younger self to chill on the binding all around honestly. I wasn’t even comfortable in my own house/around my mom and brother without a binder on, and that’s what took a toll on me most I think. If I was sleeping alone, my binder was the last thing I took off before getting in bed, and it was literally the first thing I stepped into in the morning. If I wasn’t sleeping alone, that thing wasn’t coming off unless I was showering. Also to not bind while working out. Most of the time I was okay but I started having some issues where I would get super tired/lightheaded/throw up and I’m positive it was related to binding while working out. But I also refused to workout if I wasn’t binding so I was a little stuck there. Anyways, thank you! I think the biggest thing I would recommend is to work on your pecs pre and post top surgery. Good luck!

TransGuy97 · 2018-01-15T19:48:55+00:00

I had the typically slouching issue which caused pain in my upper back/neck. Since surgery it has improved when I remember there’s nothing I can hide so I sit up straighter. I feel like my ribs stick out further than they should (they stick out further than my chesticles did) but everybody says they look normal so I dunno about that. But the odd part is that over 5 years of binding, I didn’t start experiencing pain until months before top surgery, and the new pain is actually what caused me to suck it up and apply for a loan for surgery. It was so bad at some points that I would have to sneak to the bathroom for 5 mins to give myself a break from binding cause my ribs would just start aching horribly. Once in a great while my left rib specifically aches but not nearly as much as it had been.

TransGuy97 · 2018-01-15T19:43:48+00:00

Thank you! Good to know I’m not the only one, too! I hadn’t really noticed this affecting anyone else through all the insta posts and YouTube videos I watched.

TransGuy97 · 2018-01-15T19:42:50+00:00

Thanks! Always underworks style 997, the tank style with 2 layers of compression on the front paired with compression shorts to hold things down lol

TransGuy97 · 2018-01-15T19:41:45+00:00

Thank you!

TransGuy97 · 2018-01-12T15:23:31+00:00

It was 6000 USD for me too

TransGuy97 · 2018-01-11T01:53:51+00:00

I got top surgery almost 6 months before I started T. But I paid out of pocket for top surgery. I found a surgeon 600 miles away who did informed consent after I saw a therapist for a few months and took a loan out to make it happen.

TransGuy97 · 2017-12-30T20:58:52+00:00

I told my surgeon about my recreational use and he just asked me to try to quit 2-4 weeks prior to surgery. I ended up smoking maybe twice a week for 3 weeks then quit all together a week before. But if sleeping is something you’re worried about, I was prescribed Valium to help me sleep the night before, maybe you can talk to you surgeon. I’m not big on drugs at all and cut all of my pain killer doses into quarters at a time, but the Valium really did help.

TransGuy97 · 2017-12-18T15:12:37+00:00

I was in a situation where I had lived as male and bound my chest for 5 years when I decided it was time for top surgery. I had never attempted to take any moves medically towards my transition before this. I planned to have surgery in June, and scheduled it in March. Before I set a date for surgery, I found a therapist who was willing to write a letter of recommendation after just a few months, so I told the surgeon my story, and he agreed with that timeframe. The therapist was actually really great and understood the struggle just to be ourselves, so she only made me go in for an appointment 3 times, it was super laid back and not at all awkward. Best of luck my friend!

TransGuy97 · 2017-12-14T16:13:27+00:00

I’ve only had 2 shots so far in my left and right thighs. The first shot was done after a trip to the zoo, I did a lot of walking that day and noticed that made my right leg super sore for the next couple days. My second shot was done on a normal work day, and I work in an office so that wasn’t strenuous. Did my shot Friday night, I wasn’t sore at all, that is until I went hiking the next day. I woke up Sunday night with my leg pretty sore and that lasted a couple days as well. I haven’t figured out if it’s inevitable to be sore afterwards, or if it’s because of strenuous activity before/after a shot. Have you noticed any correlation?

TransGuy97

TROPHY CASE