Self-Introduction and Question for Community

[metranome10]

I've been watching the community for a while, and I'm just now working up the nerve to post. I just wanted to say hi to everyone, and tell you a little about myself. I'm 22 (23 in November), and I'm FTM transgender. I've been seeing a great therapist for a while now, and she's helped me by asking me questions and assisting me in building up my

Comments

[correnhorn09]

you only live once. try to take minimising steps but if you NEED to be on t. then i dont see an option. talk to your doctor about it. dont let them give you the , thats not possible option. tell them your doing it any way and then ask to minimise the risks

[mercurychaos]

I'd say talk to you doctor about it. I'm not a medical professional but none of the things you mentioned sound like an absolute contraindication for being on T.

[gymx]

Well, for one, you're misinformed about the effects of T. Yes, it shuts down your ovaries; no it does not cause loss of bone density. Some people have symptoms such as hot flashes but many have no indicator at all except that their period stops. I encourage you to check out the tags in ftm. There are a slew of them about T and its risks, effects, and benefits.

Two, you present a starkly unrealistic choice. Almost no one can handle actively living a lie for a lifetime. Likewise, while transitioning does have social and medical risks, the odds of you dying from trans related causes are somewhat better than your odds of dying in a car crash. Yet, I bet you go places in cars with hardly a second thought. I believe that people do what they need to at the pace they can manage. If you want to transition you will eventually reach the point where you are ready and able. No sense worrying yourself to pieces over not knowing what you right this second.

[gaebriellyrek29]

ABSOLUTELY THIS! especially the 1st paragraph.

[tinamou]

I have polycystic ovarian syndrome, which causes roblems very similar to the ones you described (although in my case, the symptoms were not too serious). I as told by my doctor that testosterone would work in lieu of other hormonal treatments (or possibly with Metformin for insulin issues, but so far I haven't needed it)--it keeps up your bone density as well as estrogen if not better, and suppressing my periods altogether put an end to the irregular bleeding & pain. 2 years into testosterone treatment, I'm as healthy as I've ever been

[metranome10]

That sounds like a great idea. Do you know of any endocronologists with experience treating trans men in the west United States? Say, around Colorado or possibly the surrounding states? I hear Trinidad is a huge trans community.

[murdercake]

I have polycistic ovarian syndrome too. For me going on T has negated almost every symptom I had, including dramatically reducing the insulin resistance. I was able to drop most of my PCOS meds when I went on T, and I feel healthier now than ever. YMMV, but I don't think that for most doctors PCOS would be a deal breaker to starting T.

I'm going to second gymx's recommendation to review the tags at ftm and get a better idea of what side effects you're up against. There is also a handful of entries detailing the interaction of T with PCOS specifically that I've found helpful in the past.

[metranome10]

I'll check out that page for sure. I'm beginning to think my gynocologist lied to scare me into taking her recommendations instead of doing what I wanted! I did ask her if going on T would work as well as going on birth control, and she started in with the whole "instant menopause" crap. I was probably the most freaked out by "bone loss" and "dementia," but you guys are saying that T is actually a good treatment option? I'm gonna have to corner her about that.