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My boss is in a panic. His business is a couple straws away from breaking a camel in half. He's just handling the stress very poorly. My dad, though. He's handling things pretty well, as long as I continue to don't get massively offended by being called: son, boy, etc. His eldest is leaving the State and looks so different than he's been used to over the years. I haven't told him I'm on HRT, but to be fair the changes haven't been massive. I've always had boobs, more so after COVID weight gain and made more obvious with its loss, but now I'm not hiding them--and obviously wearing a bra. The estrogen has done some work, but nothing major (sadly). I think the biggest HRT changes have been my skin and a mild amount of fat redistribution. Today I'm wearing my cheater, I almost have cleavage! :D I need to get another t-shirt bra to keep a good rotation. I only have two, one push-up, and the rest are unlined (great for Summer, but not great for my Summer wardrobe ).

Thank you so much April!

Glad to hear it. Abby

I eat a ketogenic diet and have had no problems. I don't know about your case but I suspect it is the estrogen. Research the types of ways to take estrogen. Pay close attention to the bloodwork results. If they are not satisfactory, bring it up with your doctor. I take injectables, which are fully covered by insurance. It may not be the route for you, but something to consider. I emphasize to do your research and good luck. You can solve this. Be persistent. Jennifer

I'm in a magenta blouse under a baby blue buttoned cardigan - still a little cool here in the northeast today - with dark blue jeans. Oh, and my favorite flame colored copper feather earrings.

What a wonderful photo! You look gorgeous!!!

White crop top and capri jeans ;) Finaly tricked the face id on my phone, "that's not you" lol.

This is my opinion, so take it for that. Fatigue is based more on what you eat. Eat a more healthy diet, and stay away from ultra-processed foods and that should help. Think of eating the way we did a couple hundred years ago before the industrial revolution. It's just a thought. Jennifer

Welcome back, Jennifer! As a relative newbie to the forum and to transition, I look forward to getting to know you and share in your experiences.

I like the fact that you found support and have close members of your life. That is very important. No matter where you are on your journey, you have to have the support. Or you drift, and you question yourself. Looking forward to your progress, Jennifer

The source of estrogen can matter. I started HRT at age 50. My avatar was the result. I started on pills, and moved to estradiol valerate injectables. However, there was a shortage, and I had to use a compounding pharmacy. The estradiol would evaporate in the vial, and couldn't get 5 doses out of it. I eventually move to the patch. Over time I realized the patch wasn't working properly. And, the last time I visited my doctor he told me my estrogen levels were low. He asked me if I wanted to change to estradiol valerate. I jumped for joy. So I started my script for estradiol valerate. My prescription was ready, but I didn't receive my script for needles for a couple of weeks. So I bought my own (legal). I started with intramuscular injections. This requires a longer needle, and the estrogen is released into the muscles. It has a powerful effect right away but isn't stable. So by the time I took my next injection 2 weeks later, the estradiol in my bloodstream was almost gone. When I finally received my script for my needles, the needle was shorter. So the injection was subcutaneous. What is different with this type of injection as that the estrogen released is more even over 2 weeks (before the next injection). Interesting the syringe/needles my doctor prescribed are so much higher in quality. I am going to follow his path. My breasts are now perky again. And I will let my doctor guide me. I wish you success on your journey. Let us know how things are proceeding. I am happy for you. Jennifer

Patches are the HRT method of least risk. Be aware of your estrogen levels with bloodwork. My doctor took me off patches because my estrogen levels were low. And put me on estradiol valerate injections. I have to say that made a big difference. Be aware of the changes. I don't know your age, or circumstances, but I would research available options of administering hormones. There are other methods of taking estrogen, and you should research all of them. When my doctor changed my prescription to estradiol valerate amazing things happened. He was slow to prescribe the needles so I ordered them online. I have used injectables before. Getting the nerve to poke myself with the needle was a great hurdle to overcome. As far as a rollercoaster feeling, I never felt that as much as the excitement of finally starting HRT. That overrode everything. I couldn't focus on how my emotions changed, for excitement trumped all emotions. Let the emotions of starting HRT settle, then make the decisions you feel will best benefit you. Good luck with your journey, Jennifer

Welcome back Jennifer It’s nice to meet you and I look forward to your postings. Mindy🌈🐛🏳️‍⚧️🦋

Regarding the candidates...this is the best either side could do since Obama was President? Biden is supportive, but when I see really solid gains, like ensuring that all transition services are covered by all insurance companies, I will believe the support. I do not think anybody is trying to destroy the country, but with the current polarization, there is no compromise. There is this "you are either with us or against us" mantra being touted. We can moan all we want about Trump and his ilk, but face it: They are very well coordinated on a national level. They currently have a number of states with a super-majority. What set all of this in motion? I suspect that there is a lot of things that got under the skin of a lot of conservative folks. Some of it our own fault, and some of it not. Make no mistake, we are in trouble. If they successfully ban child and adolescent transition nationally, I suspect we will be next. Now they may not pass a law, but if they eliminate the requirement that insurance companies cover the costs of medications, procedures, and surgeries, there will be fewer folks transitioning. The services may still be available, but it will be a cash only business. There are already a fair number of healthcare providers who will not accept the insurance reimbursement rates. There are a number of folks that will lack the resources. That is how you limit our existence. We will still exist, but it will get much harder.

I talked to my doctor about this. And I was frank. He told me I was in a grey area, and I agree. I scored a 3, but alcohol has not controlled my life. I won't drink when I have obligations. But, when I can relax, I drink sometimes. I can control it. I intentionally don't buy alcohol before I go to work at the hospital. When I get off work I can't buy it. And this is by design. Do I have an alcohol problem? Yes. Can I control it? Yes. Does AA help? Yes. But I consider myself a borderline alcoholic. And yes I'd love to stop and AA works for this. I found I don't need the 12 steps, attending is enough to stop the craving.

If the Dems can hold onto the Senate and flip the House, I feel certain that a lot of protections that have been given via Presidential orders will be codified into law. It's a long shot, I know, but well worth fighting for. Carolyn Marie

Biden is trying to help us, but it's the republicans who wants to roll back our civil rights.

Nice to see you back here, Jenn. You were a great contributor to this forum, and i know you have much to offer. HUGS Carolyn Marie

I don't have the reference at hand, but at a rally (I believe) here in NC, he remarked at how surprised he was at the hate he could stir up by mentioning trans people. Since all he personally stands for is Trump, I doubt that he personally gives a rat's a$$ about us. But, it plays to his base. Here's one https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-checks-crowd-over-crazy-063513389.html "“I talk about transgender, everyone goes crazy. Who would have thought? Five years ago, you didn’t know what the hell it was.”"

Do you actually believe that the republican congress would vote for trans rights? That seems to be the one thing left that they actually are united on. I'm not convinced Biden is "destroying" the country. I'm not a big fan, actually. However, since the stated goal of the Republican Party is my elimination (2025), I wouldn't be able to enjoy the coming conservative paradise anyway. My survival as a free trans woman is kinda on the ballot. So call me a "single issue voter" it's out of necessity. I stand by my original statement.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who think this way, I've been listening to what people had been recently saying, wondering why is he so hard on the Lgbt + community? Maybe there is something he's not telling?

Welcome back, Jennifer. It's good to see you again. {{{HUGS}}} MaryEllen

I am concerned about what Trump will do to the transgender community. One group of his supporters are evangelical Christians. I want to emphasize that not all of these Christians are non-supportive, but there are a lot. When you add that transgender people are being singled out as a punching bag for many politicians, our lives become more in jeopardy. We need to stand up and fight back. We have a right to the same freedoms as everyone else.

Welcome back.

My name is Jennifer, and used to be a part of this forum, going back to Laura's' Playground. I already know quite a few of the people here. I started transition about 15 years ago. My gender markers are changed with Social Security and birth certificate. The reason I am returning is I believe I can help guide newer members through the pitfalls of their transitioning experience. I lived in Arizona, and now live in Maine. And the first thing I want to emphasize is where you live can matter a lot. In Maine, I work in a hospital, and find many of my co-workers very accepting. I find the women more understanding and enjoy my journey more. Of course, this is a small sample, and your mileage may vary. What I found as one of the most important topics when choosing a place to live. I found only one transgender doctor who understands, or is willing to monitor my HRT. But, he has stopped his regular practice and only sees some of his regular patients on Wednesday mornings. He has changed his career and teaches residents the rest of the week. He told me he wanted to teach other doctors how to work with transgender clients. This subject is woefully lacking in Medical School. I was using the transdermal patch, and we agreed to switch to estradiol valerate. He is working on more feminizing my body. I don't doubt he will be supportive when I decide to go through my surgery, hopefully next year. I will be on Medicare and they support surgery, if it is considered medically necessary. That is enough for now, and I appreciate this site for all the help with transgender support. Jennifer