FTM's and Transitioning

[atomiczombie]

My top surgery date is May 4th. *happy dance*

[HerDaddy]

Originally Posted by atomiczombie

My top surgery date is May 4th. *happy dance*

Congrats, you feel more at peace with yourself.

[EnderD_503]

Originally Posted by atomiczombie

My top surgery date is May 4th. *happy dance*

Drew, that is so awesome! Total congrats, dude! You must be excited as all hell! I don't think I'd be able to sleep until May 4th if I were you right now, lol!

[SelfMadeMan]

Originally Posted by atomiczombie

My top surgery date is May 4th. *happy dance*

AWESOME!!! Congratulations! You're going to feel like a million bucks!

[Thinker]

Originally Posted by atomiczombie

My top surgery date is May 4th. *happy dance*

Wow!!!!! How friggin' exciting!!

I'm happy for you, Drew!

[Mister Bent]

I don't know if it's been brought up here before, and my apologies if it has, but when it comes to changes in your voice it also helps significantly (for some, maybe not all?) if you retrain your voice (as a singer might) so that you speak "out of your chest," as male bodied people naturally tend, instead of out of your throat, as is common for female bodied people. You'll find doing so even without the assistance of T will drop your range an octave or two. I wish I could give more technical input, but that's all I've got!

While the T will drop the normal range, still speaking out of their throats is why many transmen have that "strangled chipmunk" sound. I mean no offense, this is simply how a few of my friends refer to it.

Anyone else have any experience with this?

[Thinker]

Originally Posted by Mister Bent

I don't know if it's been brought up here before, and my apologies if it has, but when it comes to changes in your voice it also helps significantly (for some, maybe not all?) if you retrain your voice (as a singer might) so that you speak "out of your chest," as male bodied people naturally tend, instead of out of your throat, as is common for female bodied people. You'll find doing so even without the assistance of T will drop your range an octave or two. I wish I could give more technical input, but that's all I've got!

While the T will drop the normal range, still speaking out of their throats is why many transmen have that "strangled chipmunk" sound. I mean no offense, this is simply how a few of my friends refer to it.

Anyone else have any experience with this?

Heh... I know the "voice" you're talking about. I never knew the reason that occurred so often, but what you're saying makes total sense.

I admit that I made a conscious effort to speak differently when my voice started to change. What I did NOT want to happen was for me to start sounding flat and lifeless, so it's been quite an effort to strike that balance.

Good stuff, Mr. B...

[Logicaly]

So, question for everyone whose doing the shots. Today was the first day my girl gave me the shot, rather then a nurse doing it. My thigh now hurts big time. The nurse supervised the shot, and said she did every thing right. So I am wondering if y'all that are doing it in the thigh, end up hurting a lot sometimes? The entire thigh muscle is sore and even just sitting here, I can feel it hurting. Its 6:30 now and the shot was done at 11 to give you an idea of how long it has been too.

What do you do for the pain? Besides the obvious of popping an advil, as I try to avoid any medication if at all possible.

[Thinker]

Originally Posted by Logicaly

So, question for everyone whose doing the shots. Today was the first day my girl gave me the shot, rather then a nurse doing it. My thigh now hurts big time. The nurse supervised the shot, and said she did every thing right. So I am wondering if y'all that are doing it in the thigh, end up hurting a lot sometimes? The entire thigh muscle is sore and even just sitting here, I can feel it hurting. Its 6:30 now and the shot was done at 11 to give you an idea of how long it has been too.

What do you do for the pain? Besides the obvious of popping an advil, as I try to avoid any medication if at all possible.

I'm sorry to hear about the pain, T. I don't have anything personal to contribute here because I get mine in the gluteus and don't have any discomfort.

Perhaps an ice massage will help. In college we used small paper cups to make ice "popsicles" and used those to give ice massages to affected areas. That will allow you to go deeper and stimulate circulation as opposed to simply laying ice on the area.

I'm sure others will have better feedback for you. I hope you feel better.

[princessbelle]

I'm not sure if I can post in here or not. I get confused sometimes as who can post where. So, i'll make this brief or ummmm, try to.

Logically,

Since i am a nurse and i read your post i wanted to offer some thoughts to you.....

I have never given T injections but have read that you can give these IM (in the muscle, bigger needles) or SubQ (small needle just under the skin)

Not sure which way you are taking it. However, I have a few thoughts on why this hurt you today and it hasn't normally.

1. You may have been tensed up. Especially knowing this was her first time giving it. If it is an IM injection and your muscles clinch, it will certainly hurt worse and it will be more sore. Sorta like clinching your jaw while having dental procedures and then feeling how sore the muscle is after.

So.......moral of that is....relax next time.

2. She *may* have, not saying she did, but being new to giving injections, she may have "moved" the needle around a tad not meaning to while it was in your muscle. Almost EVERYONE does this at the beginning. I'm sure she was nervous somewhat at least, and had to aspirate (making sure she was not in a vessel) and learning to do this takes practice.

So... moral to that is.....practice makes perfect.

3. Nerves. Not the kind that make you nervous. Nerves as in the ones located on and under your skin. You can't see them. Ever hear someone who has just had blood drawn say "wow i didn't feel that" or "omg that nurse hurt me bad". Honestly, a lot of it is luck. You can't see nerves and yes they are everywhere, however the nerve base or root when it is hit by a needle.....it HURTS. You have no contol over it. It's just luck.

Moral to that is......you have about a 40/60 shot (not pun there) to not hit a nerve root. That is my opinion from experience that's not scientific.

Just a few things i wanted to mention.

I hope that helps.

ps. ice is good for pain but remember this....it slows down the travel of the medication that is put into a muscle. The med will eventually get into the blood stream but icing it may slow it down just a tad.

pss. I would suggest messaging that muscle, NSAIDS and a hot bath.

I hope i haven't overstepped by posting in here. I'm just honestly trying to be helpful.

Peace all....

[Logicaly]

You certainly haven't over stepped at all! I do very much appreciate the advice! I was using a heating pad, but it seems everyone suggests ice, but I don't want it to travel any slower than it already does, ha.

There is a good chance she may have moved the needle, I know I felt her inject, and then pause, and then she felt like perhaps she might have moved deeper, but I am not entirely sure, so its highly possible.

I might take that hot bath though, as it sounds completely relaxing altogether.

Thank you very much for the advice!

[DomnNC]

Originally Posted by atomiczombie

My top surgery date is May 4th. *happy dance*

Congrats Atomic!!!

[DomnNC]

Another natural alternative to Niacin in lowering cholesterol is Red Rice Yeast capsules, available in the vitamin section in most drugstores, Walmart, etcetcetc. Just an FYI.

[Logicaly]

Originally Posted by DomnNC

Another natural alternative to Niacin in lowering cholesterol is Red Rice Yeast capsules, available in the vitamin section in most drugstores, Walmart, etcetcetc. Just an FYI.

Thanks for the tip! I am finding that if I read the label, just about everything has niacin in it, especially since I eat a lot of pasta. I've also been eating a TON of cheerios, and I am going to be adding flax seed to my diet by basically putting it into anything that I can when cooking or anything of that nature.

[DomnNC]

Hi Logicaly, try oatmeal as well, it's good at lowering cholesterol as well!

[Logicaly]

Originally Posted by DomnNC

Hi Logicaly, try oatmeal as well, it's good at lowering cholesterol as well!

Will have to get that a try. So all this talk of lowering cholesterol. How does one raise the good cholesterol? Cause thats the only low cholesterol I got apparently, lol.

[Corkey]

Originally Posted by Logicaly

Will have to get that a try. So all this talk of lowering cholesterol. How does one raise the good cholesterol? Cause thats the only low cholesterol I got apparently, lol.

Eat lots of wild salmon, not the farmed stuff, it isn't sustainable. Fish, primarily ones in high omega 3 fatty acids, you can find a list by googeling omega 3 fatty acid fish. Oh nuts as well, almonds and sunflower seeds.

[DomnNC]

I take fish oil pills, the Omega-3. I take 2 1200mg pills a day and my good cholesterol rose about 12 points over a 3 month time period. The Omega-3 I find doesn't give you those fishy burps if you know what I mean, lol. They even make them Entric coated just in case fish does give you indigestion. Also, there is the Schiff MegaRed Omega-3 Fish Krill oil, which is a one a day dosage and costs significantly more than just the Omega-3's. Also, there is a new prescription one that your Dr can give ya but it generally runs in the higher tiers of most insurance policies. I order all mine online from Puritan's Pride, they run a lot of specials, buy 1 get 1 free, buy 2 get 3 free, buy 5 get 5 freei. They ship out quickly and via UPS or Fed Ex, I think UPS.

Here's the link. http://www.puritan.com/

They sell tons of supplements, vitamins and other stuff.

God Luck!!

I was typing too slow, lol.

Puritan's has Enteric coated fish oil pills Logicaly that do not upset your stomach or give you that fishy aftertaste. link---> http://www.puritan.com/fish-oils-056...6885?NewPage=1

[theoddz]

Originally Posted by atomiczombie

My top surgery date is May 4th. *happy dance*

Hey, you know what??? That's the anniversary of my top surgery, back in 2009!!!

One of these days, we should get together on that date and celebrate together!!!

Good luck to you, Drew!!!! I hope your experience is as wonderful as mine was!!!

Keep us posted, willya???

~Theo~

[DapperButch]

Hey, Linus, is the issue that you want to go with someone "in network", or do you not have out of network benefits with your insruance?

If you don't find this woman to have enough experience and you do have out of network benefits, maybe it would be worth the percent you will have to pay for the surgery (and deductible, if that is how your insurance works).

Even if this Dr. V won't bill the insurance for you, I don't see why he wouldn't give you a paper saying what work you got done. he should provide you with a receipt and this should include diagnosis and ICD-9 code. Then you could just sumbit it to your insurance, yourself.

I have an out of network physician that I pay up front and then he give me a receipt that I send to my insurance company. They have a form specifically for it. I have to make sure I have the doc's Tax ID number on it and license number. I send in the form and receipts and get back a percentage that I paid.

If you do not have out of network benefits and your company does offer them (usually a more expensive health care plan than the regular HMO one/EPO one), if your years renewal isn't too far way, maybe you want to wait until then and make sure you sign up for a plan that has the out of network benefits (that of course will still pay for SRS).

Anyway, just a thought!