How do you do, fellow ladies?
If all goes as planned, I’ll be starting HRT in just a few weeks (😁). Does anyone have any practical tips on things to do or procure in advance? So far, all I’ve managed to deduce from wandering the internet is:
- cryopreservation of sperm
- find and secure a bralette that fits comfortably, by the time things get tender
- stock up on pickles
Anything else I’ll likely be happy to have prepped in advance?
Note: flagged this as NSFW to encourage open conversation, and in case mere mention of sperm warrants it.
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I think it’s important to note that almost every step in transition takes a lot of time, so you must be patient. Getting on hrt is a big step for sure and congratulations! But be prepared that it will take time to start seeing tangible results from it. Don’t be afraid to get started on some of the other aspects like makeup and clothing in the meantime.
That being said, (and this is also partially a personal gripe of mine,) don’t be afraid to shop around for a good doctor. Far too many doctors are unwilling to give trans people proper dosages, either out of malice or ignorance, and this can make the process of second puberty much harder of a process than it should be. I hate to reference the infamous Dr. Powers (his personal views are pretty… Weird, to but it lightly. And a lot of doctors practically despise him), but I can’t help but admire his patient-first attitude. Even though his personal opinions are kinda gross, he takes his patients seriously and does more in depth testing than any of the doctors I’ve had throughout my own transition. Too many doctors will give you a bare minimum dose that barely does anything for you and refuse to increase it, citing poorly researched statistics or basing it off of cis hrt which was never designed to induce a second puberty. Listen to your body, keep track of changes and when they happen, and be patient. But don’t let a doctor gaslight you into thinking that things are happening when they’re not.
And on that note, take some good before pics that you can compare yourself to down the line! It can really help when you’re feeling down or feeling like things are too slow, to see how far you’ve come and what changes have actually happened.
I was feeling pretty frustrated about my transition progress up until earlier this year when I finally switched to injections and was taking a way higher dose. And now I can confidently say that my boobs show through my shirts. As it turns out, I don’t think having sub 100 E levels is enough to actually start going through puberty. It did do some changes for sure, but they’re basically nothing compared to how my body has changed since I managed to switch.
Thank you, this is all great. I’m definitely going to be exploring all aspects of transition to find out what sticks. This post was meant more for things that might otherwise catch me by surprise, directly from the hormones.
I really like that idea about tracking statistics and checking levels. Do you know a good resource for understanding what metrics to track in terms of hormones, and what levels I should be looking for and at what times? Suggestions on which specific measurements are best to track the effects on my body over time are also welcome. Hoping to hit a sweet spot where I’m not leaving out anything meaningful, but also not going overboard.
Well the thing with trans healthcare is that it’s been hardly researched so what I’m about to say is not official medical advice. Especially considering that everyone’s body is different and will develop at different rates. If you have a sister, you could use her as your benchmarks for approximately what changes you’ll see. Otherwise, your mom may be a second option. If you don’t have either of those people available to you, you’re basically just taking a shot in the dark.
In terms of more scientific stuff. Again this is not medical advice so I urge you to make your own conclusions. You may want to check out the dr powers subreddit for the types of tests he uses. Just a warning though, don’t look at any of his personal opinions. Because honestly he kinda sucks. But people also generally love his care and it’s pretty radically different from the status quo, so tread with caution.
In a nutshell, some of the key differences include that he tests for not just total E levels but more importantly free E levels (don’t ask me what the difference is, I didn’t study biology or medicine). Also more generally, he tries to match up the low point in your hormone cycle to the low point of the average E level of a cis woman. Being below the low point of the average E level when you’re at your trough level means that you’re not getting enough E. Testing at peak levels can be pretty unreliable and I personally don’t think it really makes all that much sense to match up the peaks of your cycle to the lowest point of the average.
https://transfemscience.org/ is an excellent resource for everything related to HRT.
Really all you need to measure is Testosterone and Estrogen, though there’s plenty more you can keep an eye on, such as DHT, E2, your liver and your thyroid levels.Perfect, thank you! This is a great starting point.
Congratulations! That’s a big step!
If you’re taking oral estradiol, a pill case. Super helpful for figuring out if you remembered your meds. I like the little circle ones with the push button. They’re cheap and come with a creating case that’s easy to throw in a purse.
If you’re anything like I was, you’ll have a roughly zero percent chance of forgetting… at first. Once it becomes just a part of your life though, the case helps.
Not directly related to HRT, but get started on that hair removal as soon as you can. I’m still working through my laser treatments and I really wish I’d started them sooner. (A note on that: if you do laser, you’ll be told not to shave or use makeup for a week after each treatment. For me, that was a nonstarter. Anecdotal, but this appears to be a liability thing more than anything else as I have consistently done both following treatments with no ill effects).
Thank you! That sounds handy. I’m great at forgetting things.
I’ve been dragging my feet on hair removal, mostly because I’ll probably end up needing hair transplants and I’m not sure where they’ll be taking them from. Don’t want to end up messing that up somehow. Definitely sounds like the sort of thing that is best started sooner rather than later, though.
You should let someone with more expertise chime in on hair transplants, but I don’t believe they typically take hair from your face.
Also, fwiw, you may well get significant regrowth after starting hormones. 6 months in on Spiro & estradiol, the large bald/thin spot on the crown of my head is almost gone.
That’s awesome, I’m genuinely happy for you! ❤️ Hopefully, I’ll experience the same, but my hair loss started over 15 years ago, so I don’t want to build my hopes up. That’s partly why I was holding off, though - to wait and see if I luck out and end up not needing transplants after all. But you make a good point; I imagine I should at least be able to start on facial hair.
Sports bras also work very well, especially if you need to boy mode at work or around family.
Find ways that make you feel feminine and confident. Painting your nails, buying new clothes. It helps to have a friend who’s also fem around to help you navigate everything, but even if not there’s a lot of resources online.
Be patient. Prepare yourself emotionally. Emotional changes were some of the first I experienced. Having good friends and people to talk to can make a big difference.
It’s honestly hard to say exactly all the ways you can prepare. Starting on skincare and makeup can be good ideas, but its kinda daunting and not what I’d recommend concerning yourself about first. One of the other commenters mentioned exercise, which is great advice as is eating healthy. A lot of changes are hard to anticipate and how we all handle them can vary quite a bit.
Above all let yourself be excited!! Your wait is almost over :)
Good tips, thanks!
I especially like that last point you made. Each time I read it, I get excited all over again! ❤️
If it’s something you’re interested in, start voice training meow! It can be super overwhelming, so the sooner you start the better. The Seattle Voice Lab channel on YouTube has really good short clips and TransVoiceLessons has really good in depth videos!
Great tips, thanks. I knew about the TransVoiceLessons one, but I hadn’t heard of the Seattle one before. I’ll check it out!
So I don’t know exactly where you are in your journey, but I have some general advice…
If you don’t have one yet, think about your transition plan and goals. Obviously HRT is one that falls under medical transition, and there are many others such as hair removal/restoration and various surgeries; and various steps for social and legal transition.
Everyone’s plan is different and should be uniquely tailored to yourself. It’s never too early to think about.
For example, I wanted to begin with HRT, both to confirm I made the correct decision, and to relieve dysphoria as soon as possible, while giving myself time to work on other things. Now three years in, HRT has done much for me, and I’ve found confidence to begin tackling the rest, such as electrolysis hair removal, voice therapy, surgical consultations, outfit and style exploration, and opening up to more people about my identity.
It’s super cool when you start crossing items off your list and realize all the progress made!
And yes, patience is key. You will most likely have breast tenderness sooner than you think. But that is such an early sign and only the beginning of the beginning of changes to come. Like after two years, I thought my breast growth was finished, but I’ve recently had growth spurts and rounding, it’s amazing. Don’t believe everything you hear or read, puberty really is a long slow process.
I would also suggest not obsessively comparing your progress to others. Especially online not everyone is honest about their appearance, and even if they are, there are always outliers who get lucky. Scrolling through selfies of beautiful young trans girls is dangerous, believe ms. I feel so much better and more confident without that in my life. Focusing on myself, building a support network, and making progress at my own pace, those are the keys IMO :)
That all sounds like great advice; I appreciate it!
I like the idea of having a plan. I’m at the very beginning of transition, so just about all of it is ahead of me. For me, starting with HRT is mostly to stop my body from continuing to change in the wrong direction (hair loss in particular), because the changes take a long time so I might as well get started, and because it’s already clear to me that I would end up starting eventually anyway. I intend to explore every avenue of transition, but it’s definitely too overwhelming to do everything at once, so having a plan to follow would help to avoid spiraling too much and losing momentum that way. And tracking progress like you said seems like a great idea. I tend to get overwhelmed by To Do lists, too, though, so it’s a double-edged sword. 😅
I’m tempted to ask if you have any suggestions on which areas would be most impactful to start with, but that’s probably going to be different for everyone. And it might make more sense to do things in parallel anyway, since so much of it will take time.
This isn’t necessary but you could get a gaff. I have some from leolines and they are very comfortable and they help alleviate some dysphoria for me. Also I will second the person suggesting exercise. I am doing it myself and it is a very good.
I’ve experimented a bit with gaffs, but I ran into…ehrmm…logistical problems. Hoping HRT will help with that, actually. 😅
Definitely agree, though - they are well worth exploring more deeply.
Plan an exercise regime, if you don’t have one already! Of course every transition is a little different, but from what I’ve seen weight gain can be common.
It also has another benefit: as you become estrogenized fat gained will be distributed differently, so a good diet and exercise plan can help work off any fat in boy places ready to become the new, beautiful, feminine you! ❤️❤️
I like the sound of that! It’s definitely on my list of priorities, but I haven’t managed to start yet. Do you have any suggestions on the nature of the exercise? I struggle with energy and motivation, so keeping it simple and easy to implement is paramount. Planning to start simple with walking and stairs, then if/when I feel up to it, branch out into something basic like dumbbells or maybe novice yoga if that’s safe to do without an instructor.
All you need to start with is something that gets your heart rate up and gets you breathing hard for 30 - 40 mins per day!
I am fortunate enough to be in a position to buy an exercise bike and a rowing machine, so I alternate between the two, find a tv show with long episodes and watch one per day as I exercise.
