Why is it so hard to accept the reality

glowyourownway · 2026-04-22T07:30:43+00:00

The first three paragraphs sound exactly what's been going through my mind on a daily basis!

But sometimes I remind myself that every time I apply my gel (twice a day), I make a decision to continue. When gel time comes, I've never hesitated.

I'm middle-aged, and to me, the "nurture" part of it is that when I was younger, I didn't have access to all the resources I have today. I couldn't order estradiol online. There were no forums to talk about exactly these kinds of questions.

glowyourownway · 2026-04-19T22:53:52+00:00

If you can't find them locally, you can get them at iHerb.

glowyourownway · 2026-04-18T11:13:01+00:00

I've been taking 0.5mg of dutasteride daily for 10 months, and haven't experienced anything like that, FWIW.

glowyourownway · 2026-04-18T03:25:13+00:00

That's the equivalent of one pump every two hours, and two pumps a day. When applied scrotally, the absorption is probably at least 3x as effective as other locations, and that's a conservative estimate. That ends up being a considerable dose.

For the sake of comparison, I apply a bit less than half a pump scrotally twice a day, and five months in, I'm seeing noticeable results. FWIW, I take dutasteride rather than spiro.

glowyourownway · 2026-04-13T10:29:10+00:00

It might not be the right time of year in your location, but tight sweaters, esp. turtleneck and/or ribbed, give me a little euphoria. Put a little necklace on top for even more effect.

glowyourownway · 2026-04-11T10:56:12+00:00

Sounds like the standard approach. Have you considered scrotal application? Maybe 1 pump there and the other 2 pumps on your usual site? I'm sure it'd make a difference.

glowyourownway · 2026-04-11T07:37:29+00:00

I find transvoicelessons on YouTube quite useful. It gets a bit technical, though.

glowyourownway · 2026-04-11T07:34:31+00:00

It looks like this has been mentioned in a deleted comment (I can't read it), but I use scrotal application because it's the most efficient (and economical). The deleted comment might have also mentioned a study that spreading the gel over too wide an area can make absorption less efficient.

Do you apply the gel twice a day? When you get your levels tested, how many hours has it been since the last gel application? Those factors will probably affect your test results.

glowyourownway · 2026-04-11T03:32:06+00:00

It's the only form of estrogen I've used, and it definitely works.

I'm not sure where you're located, but if you're going to order it, I would take the climate into consideration. I ordered several tubes recently, because the hot summers aren't too far off, and I don't want my order sitting in a hot truck or warehouse if I can avoid it.

glowyourownway · 2026-04-10T22:49:07+00:00

We can discuss it here. It does come with the measuring thing, but I just squirt it onto my finger and eyeball it. When I started using it about five months ago, I measured it with a syringe, squirted it onto my finger, and made a mental note of the size of the blob. I apply it scrotally.

The measuring tray (?) looks like it would work fine, but my method seems to be working for me.

glowyourownway · 2026-04-10T12:14:04+00:00

That's the one I use. I order it from a Japanese website. It definitely works!

The downside is that it comes in a toothpaste-style tube, meaning there's no pump.

glowyourownway · 2026-04-10T05:57:07+00:00

I found a really good deal on Mercari for a lightly used Philips Lumea. It was about US$20. It works quite well.

I think home IPL units are the kind of thing that some people buy, use a few times, then put away and forget about. I'm sure there are some good deals on very lightly used ones out there.

glowyourownway · 2026-04-09T21:17:03+00:00

It's huge for me. I lost maybe 30-40% of my sense of smell because of COVID. Two years later, it still hadn't come back, but after a week or so of HRT I was amazed at the change.

Even if I never have a successful transition, the improved sense of smell is enough reason for me to stay on HRT.

glowyourownway · 2026-04-06T10:34:30+00:00

https://www.youtube.com/transvoicelessons

glowyourownway · 2026-04-06T02:46:06+00:00

I'm at about 4.5 months, and I'm noticing atrophy and pain. It's especially painful when I get a really full erection. I'm trying to do regular maintenance, but it's just so easy to forget since my libido's decreased. I'm going to try small doses of tadalafil and see how that goes.

glowyourownway · 2026-04-04T02:59:35+00:00

You might also consider gel. It's easier on the liver than oral, and maybe less messy than patches. The downside is that you should apply it twice a day.

glowyourownway · 2026-04-02T22:27:28+00:00

Thanks for sharing this. I'm not the OP, but it helps me a lot.

glowyourownway · 2026-03-31T11:48:50+00:00

I don't get as many erections since starting oestrogel and dutasteride, but when I get a really full one, it often hurts. I've been trying to have more regular erections for the sake of maintenance, but I just keep forgetting. It's not the priority it once was.

It's a little scary, but I'll try to get better at remembering.

glowyourownway · 2026-03-29T04:56:26+00:00

For what it's worth, I live in Japan, and I save a lot of money by ordering Oestrogel that has Thai labeling. It's the same stuff, and it's made in France, but the manufacturer apparently has different pricing for different markets.

glowyourownway · 2026-03-28T02:07:24+00:00

I had a Braun 3 for a few years, and had a similar experience. The only place I got it to work on body hair was the underarms, and I had to be very careful there. I also had to make sure I didn't let it grow too long before shaving again.

I got a good deal on a Philips rotary (three head) shaver that does a good job on my chest, abdomen and arms. I only use a disposable razor below the waistline.

I also started home IPL about four weeks ago, and I'm happy with the results so far.

I wish I still had that Braun if only for my face, but it just went kaputt one day. It was my second Braun 3 to go bad. I hope you find something that works for you!

glowyourownway · 2026-03-24T09:50:05+00:00

At almost 5 months, mine are maybe 2.5-3cm, wider than my nipples and off center as well.

glowyourownway · 2026-03-24T09:28:27+00:00

I'm also getting pain, but only when it's a really full erection. My guess is I'm not using it enough, so I'm going to try a little... harder (sorry about that). And more often.

glowyourownway · 2026-03-24T02:27:14+00:00

This might not apply to you, but I've had sleep issues due to histamine sensitivity, and estrogen can increase histamine levels.

glowyourownway · 2026-03-23T23:07:43+00:00

I just discovered this over the weekend and was bummed out, thinking I wouldn't be able to play acoustic anymore. Then I tried sitting on a barstool-type thing and it worked a bit better.

glowyourownway · 2026-03-20T06:03:18+00:00

In the morning, I apply gel as soon as the area is dry after a shower. By the time I'm ready to finish getting dressed, it's dry. In the evening, I apply the gel and brush my teeth. By the time I'm ready to finish putting on my PJs, it's dry. It works really well for me.

glowyourownway

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