Ask a trans person!

[atomiczombie]

Originally Posted by The Oopster

I think there are definite benefits to a person using the gel or cream. I definitely think its the place a lot peopel should start even though they don't. However with that said do relize that the results will be very very very very very slow. I was on the cream and on the highest dose my dr would give at the end for 3 years and there were definite changes but not all the changes I wanted. I passed like 95 % of the time. My voice had lowered but if I got nervouse or excited it betrayed me, I had a scattering of facial hair but very little, and I still had that dreaded monthly vistitor.

I do think i had an increase of acne, especially each time a dose was increased but that doesn't seem to be as much of an issue anymore.

Changes I saw were being a bit calmer, i have a very good crop of inner thigh hair ... which was where I applied it half the time, my voice had lowered, and there were some over all body changes.

What I liked about it most was I got to slowly see how my body reacted to it and build up over time til I got to a point that I felt my body would react favorable to the shots. Which to the most part it has. I use to get the worst pms very emotional and all over the place and now i'm extremely even keel. I have had problems with high iron and red blood count, between phlobotomies and lowering my dose I think I'm at the right level for me.

every 10 days I do .3 ml ... some times I go a little longer or shorter but i don't seem to get the mood swings that other people get. If I go 2 weeks i can tell i need it but still not like others.

Now if you have had some of your inner anatomy remove you may have better results then I.

Just want you to be patient and enjoy the journey even if it doesn't quite go as fast as you would like.

Thanks Coop. Well, I am now broken out on my chin lol.

Having had a hysterectomy and oophorectomy in early 2007, there will be no significant estrogen for the T to fight with in my body. I hope that helps things speed up a little bit for me at least. But the whole point of my being on the gel instead of the shots is to keep my mood on an even keel. That means the changes will be slower, and I accept that. All I want is the momentum, the movement in the right direction.

That said, I had a surgical consultation with Dr. Michael Brownstein in San Francisco last Thursday. He is a very nice man and he said he would be happy to perform my chest reconstruction surgery, but he is booked up until at least September. That gives me time to try to raise the eight grand for it. My folks have set aside $1000.00, and I am applying for a grant from the Jim Collins Foundation. However, I am not expecting miracles. I can also look into a bank loan, however that is highly unlikely given that all my income comes from my monthly disability checks. If any of you all have any advice for me about raising the money for surgery, I would sure appreciate that a lot.

All you guys are awesome.