Hey Dapper, sorry for the late reply. It is indeed 1.5ml every two weeks IM. I have looked into Sub-q, but it didn't look like it was something as widely used yet. I read some where too about issues with it just sitting under the skin, and not being absorbed, I tried to find the article again that I read, but can't seem to do so now. I currently do my insulin Sub-q and am so thankful that those needles are small. I know however due to how thick the T is, that the needle would still need to be substantially large, and I think that is the biggest problem I run into with my own fears, because I don't have as much issue with my insulin needles.

Deb, I am so happy to hear that news for your son! That is quite wonderful!

FTM's and Transitioning
 

I've not really been around this site much in the last few months, almost a year, but I wanted to come in here and participate. I appreciate the guys who have transitioned before me talking about their experiences and sharing them with us here.

I started my transition February 2013 with my first dose of Testosterone. It was the best day of my life so far. It's been a life saver for me in terms of being happy with myself and who I am.

I went to court with the required documents in April 2013 and had my name legally changed without a lawyer. I obtained the documents off the website texaslawhelp.org. The Judge approved my name change in a little over an hour of dropping off the paperwork to his legal secretary.

March 2014, I went back to court with my name and gender marker change documents. I added my middle name which was my father's middle name and I had my gender marker changed. I had all the necessary documents I needed to legally change everything. Once again, no lawyer was needed. I dropped off my paperwork to the Judge himself this time, since his secretary was out of the office. He called me back in less than an hour and told me my order was ready and I could pick it up.

As soon as I picked up the order from the court, I went and changed my driver's license and social security card. Everyone was very professional and respectful while making these changes.

Now, I've got my house for sale. I'm about to go get top surgery. Life is good. I've never been happier.

Deb, that's so cool that you support your son. I hope he has a great time at the prom tonight.

I'm so damn happy over here, I got my dates wrong.. all this happened in 2014 and 2015...not 2013 and 2014... I've been on T for 14 months now.

No, problem, Logicaly. The sub-q needles are small, 25 gauge, 5/8 inch. They are actually finding that this delivery system is more efficient than IM, with less testosterone needed to hit your correct levels. The studies continue to be replicated. You are correct that most places still use IM, but honestly, there is no reason for it. The data is clear. I a confident that this will be the T delivery system of choice at some point (or at least when it comes to injection type).

I am so glad I never had to do IM. I think that would freak me out.

Kent, thank you for sharing your story. I am glad you are so happy!

Not sure if anyone has posted this before but wanted others to know that some planned parenthoods offer transgender services.

I have a regular dr in Los Angeles but haven't been able to get down there.

Went to the one in Reno today and really was impressed with the dr. I saw.

http://www.plannedparenthood.org/pla...ender-services

Just thought I would introduce myself to the trans community on here,I started transition 2007,so been on T 8 yrs,I have Reandron by injection,it is a slow release and I get it every 3 mths,I have had top surgery and hysterectomy,but because of cost and my health no bottom surgery.
Transitioning has changed my life,I had suffered terrible depression,and self hatred,all my life,I'm now happy with the reflection in the mirror,I am now doing things I never dreamt of doing,I'm traveling overseas on my own,learning piano,playing harmonica,and finally stopped trying to kill myself with unhealthy eating,and other forms of self hatred.

I do believe in gender dysphoria and I have a high level,there is no way I would ever go back,even though I pretty much lost my whole family and most old friends,I now have an amazing community of trans folk,both men and women and the queer sex worker community and other activists,I have a brand new life,the only thing is the community in Sydney is young,which is why,I joined this site to network,with folks my own age,and maybe even meet a nice woman,but ultimately friendships.

Welcome, Vincent. You sound like you're in a good place. Thanks for sharing a little about yourself.

Welcome Vincent!

Glad to see I am not alone in my feelings about being depressed and having self hatred!

Hot Flushes
 

I just thought I would add something that was happening to me,ive been sick for 2.5 yrs and I missed a T shot,as my levels dropped I started getting hot flushes,to a point of maybe 50 a day,2 weeks ago I had my 2nd shot on time,all hot flushes are gone,I think that for us older guys there is no road map,we are the lab rats,also I had had a hysterectomy,so that confuzed them as well.
Has anyone encountered this?

And please if I dont get back,Im not ignoring you,I just havnt seen your response.:)

Hey, Vincent. I would love to answer your question, but I am not too sure what it is? You mentioned missing a shot and having hot flashes (you get your shot every 3 months), and you said that the next time you got a shot on time and they went away. That makes total sense to me. I guess I miss what you find strange?

It just confused my endo,as I had been on T for 8 yrs and she thought that my overies had given up on creating estrogen and that was before my hysto,this time I missed a shot for 6 mths,I have them now every 10 weeks,and now Ive had 2 shots in a row on time they have stopped,as far as my endo was concerned I shouldn't have had hot flushes at all,but I was,thats for sure,I guess its not so much a question than running it by others,as the community ages we are moving into unchartered waters,well thats the conversation here,plus variables,in that different people will have different reactions/symptoms,I do apologize for not being clearer,TBH,it was just another thing happening regarding my health :)

Hey Vincent,

I am 57, and have been taking Testosterone injections for almost 17 years. I had a hysto 7 years prior to starting T. My chest surgery was in early 2000. I personally have gone without a shot for a month or two, simply because I forget about it once in a while. I have never had hot flashes from missing my shots. At most, I sometimes start feeling a little down and then I realize I am way overdue for my shot. Hope this info helps.

Jesse

Hey Jesse,
I went 6 mths plus I'm on reandron which is every 10 weeks,ive just had 2 shots in a row on time and the hot flushes have stopped,I have an appointment to see the endo my next shot,I wonder if the hormones effects us all differently?
Thanks everyone for chiming in and Corkey I will ask her about that.Although it seems for me it was low levels since they are gone,over here we go to the hospital and have our bloods done before every shot,its free so our levels are constantly monitored,I was on every 12 weeks and started to get hot flushes about 3 yrs ago,she"my Endo"said my levels were low and changed it to every 10 weeks,and the flushes stopped,and now I'm back to normal,also my body likes the high end of the scale,I guess I'm putting it out there coz there really is no real test group,just our own experience,especially for us older guys,thats just my thinking,also our population is tiny compared to the USA.So thanks for the input

Ok, Vincent, I see what you are saying here.

I am going to assume that when you say you had a hysterectomy, you had a oophorectomy (removal of ovaries), during that surgery (not everyone does, but I think that is part of the standard hysto for trans guys in Australia).

However, here you are, 8 years later, having menopausal symptoms after stopping testosterone for a period of time.

I just spent the last 45 minutes doing a bit of research on the web. I read that some females can have menopausal symptoms (i.e. hot flashes), up to 10 years after hitting natural menopause ("menopause" = determined by blood work). That is a long time. This is because even though the ovaries have stopped producing estrogen, there can still be a very slow reduction of estrogen in the female system.

However, you are talking 8 years after surgical menopause where the ovaries are completely removed. I couldn't find anything on the web that would tell me how long menopausal symptoms should last after that.

I am very curious about this though, so I am going to continue to look into it.

Now, on the off chance that you still have your ovaries and are saying that you find it weird (and that your doctor concurs), that after stopping testosterone for 6 months that you had a return of menopausal symptoms, I do not find that strange. Testosterone shuts down estrogen production, but only temporarily. A person can be on testosterone for 20 years, but if they stop their testosterone, the ovaries will pick back up where they left off, producing estrogen, as normal.

Two weeks ago I had a full hysterectomy (including oophorectomy). I had a massive amount of adhesions (scar tissue), due to past abdominal surgery. Amazingly, my surgeon was so committed to doing it by laproscopy so that I wouldn't have to get cut abdominally, that he spent the extra 4 hours needed to cut through all of the scar tissue to get to all of my reproductive system for removal. Needless to say, since he had such a hard time seeing everything through the mess of scar tissue, he said there is a very small chance that he didn't get every bit of the ovarian tissue of one (or both), of my ovaries. He told me that if that is the case, and I go off testosterone, there is a chance that my body will produce estrogen again.