Goals and Objectives

[Guest ZoeG360]

I recently got approved for HRT (Yea!) and am meeting with the Endo on Thursday. When I first met with her she asked me what my goals were; had I thought about how much I wanted to feminize my body and what I wanted out of the therapy.

At first the question seemed really dumb: My goal? To change my hormones and change my gender. Duh.

But as I have been thinking about it and trying to clarify them in my mind a couple of things seem to keep popping up in my head.

First I am not in a live/die situation at this point so going slow, a mantra I hear often, makes sense. So I have been thinking that my goals are

1) To discover if by taking hormones, my dysphoria eases, my depression backs off, and I might even be capable of becoming happy

2) To feminize my body beyond what I have been able to do without hormones: Reduce hair, encourage breast growth, re-shape my body

3) To get to the next stage where I can decide whether pursuing full transition is a smart decision for me.

Any feedback or perspective you might have that would help me get a solid grip on this would be very much appreciated.

Love to all!

Zoe

[Carolyn Marie]

Congratulations, Zoe. Great news, indeed.

I see nothing wrong with your goals, hon. I think they are reasonable, attainable, and well thought out. I wish you all the best.

HUGS

Carolyn Marie

[JenniferB]

Hi Zoe!

This is one of those situations where ymmv. Some members felt relief right after starting hormones. I was really excited when I started, however I didn't notice any changes right away, except for the excitement itself and wishful thinking. It took me close to one year on hormones to realize my mind was actually changing and that is when I started to feel peaceful and happy, and realized this was the correct path for me. I haven't felt depressed for a few months now. Actually my mental and emotional problems continue to decrease.

Hormones will feminize your body, but again ymmv on how much. But you will see results. There are members here who started taking hormones in their 50's and 60's (I'm one of them) and have had amazing results. However, your bone structure will not change. The bones were fused together right after puberty, If you are 6'0" tall right now, you will stay 6'0".

As you move down the path, you will have more knowledge on whether you want to continue to full transition or not. I know I am getting very comfortable on where I am now. My mind is now female and I couldn't be happier. The dysphoria has reduced to such a level I'm not even sure I'm going to have SRS. It may not be necessary. Before I started HRT I wouldn't have believed I would feel this way.

You can stop HRT in the first few months and there likely won't be that much of an affect, at least physically.

I hope this helps.

Love,

Jenny

[Guest Svenna]

I have been thinking that my goals are

1) To discover if by taking hormones, my dysphoria eases, my depression backs off, and I might even be capable of becoming happy

2) To feminize my body beyond what I have been able to do without hormones: Reduce hair, encourage breast growth, re-shape my body

3) To get to the next stage where I can decide whether pursuing full transition is a smart decision for me.

Any feedback or perspective you might have that would help me get a solid grip on this would be very much appreciated.

Love to all!

Zoe

Zoe,

Your plan is identical to mine. It is simple and straightforward...

After 3 months of HRT I have my answers. All of the hoped for benefits in your first step have been realized. I am also well into achieving the second step, my body is moving fast. The jury is still out on the third question. I suspect that a few years of HRT will make passing as male difficult, so perhaps I already sense an inevitable full transition? I'm not sure yet...

I think your approach is reasonable and manageable, but as we as all know, YMMV....

Best to you as you move forward. This is potentially the best thing you've ever done for yourself. I know it was for me, but, YMMV...lol..

Love, Svenna

[JJ]

Great post and great goals Zoe!

Congratulations on getting that HRT script too.

Hugs

Johnny

[Guest Donna Jean]

.

Congratulations, Zoe......

Peace be with you!

Huggs

Dee Jay

[Guest JaniceW]

Congrats!

Your goals sure sound like an intelligent human being to me.

[Guest Mia J]

Congratulations Zoe.

Your goals sound very logical to me.

I think a lot of us start into transition without really setting goals for ourselves which I believe can lead to problems.

Mia

[Guest Joni Hayes]

Congrats Zoe, I'm only on day 3 of my HRT and feel slight changes, but as Jenny said, it might just be excitement, however my enjoyment of life is increasing and I'm finding myself smiling a lot more.

Joni

[Guest ZoeG360]

Thank you all so very much. Reality checks are critical and your sharing and input is very important to me.

The journey continues....

[Guest Elizabeth K]

Zoe - dearheart, as you say, the journey continues. Transitioning seems to have a life of its own. What it is is what it is - and I don't know your destiny, I mean how could I?

But me? I can never NOT transition all the way. It's never been a question for me.

I may not be typical - grin.- Lizzie

(NO snide replies on that last statement, please)

[Guest Lacey Lynne]

Zoe:

Sane and sensible plan!

Fact is, I believe you're on "The Slippery Slope" and also on "The Runaway Train." At first, that sounds silly and offensive. It's not. There are several MTFs on her today who I said that about, and today, THEY know it's true ... and are VERY HAPPY about it. This has nothign to do with me. It has everything to do with them.

You'll see what I'm talkin' 'bout, girl.

Peace Lacey

[Guest Svenna]

Zoe:

Sane and sensible plan!

Fact is, I believe you're on "The Slippery Slope" and also on "The Runaway Train." At first, that sounds silly and offensive. It's not. There are several MTFs on her today who I said that about, and today, THEY know it's true ... and are VERY HAPPY about it. This has nothign to do with me. It has everything to do with them.

You'll see what I'm talkin' 'bout, girl.

Peace Lacey

Well, you never know, really...

Maybe the runaway train, maybe not...

But you are on some kind of new track, regardless...

My train sure picked up speed right out of the gate, but I still reserve the right to hit the brakes if need arise...

Still, it feels so dang good to be really moving forward, I can't imagine truly wanting to stop. I can imagine believing I SHOULD stop for some reason at some point, but I would view that as a compromise of some sort, I'm sure...

But back to the OP:

Things may go faster than you anticipate, they may go more slowly, but they are about to go somewhere!

Enjoy the ride. It is a real trip! lol..

Love and Estrogens, Svenna

[Guest Krisina]

Zoe. I'm not in a live/die situation either at the moment. Your list is similar to what I'm thinking I want for myself too. I liked your number one the most, easing the dysphoria, lowering depression. I'm hopping for peace and calm, body and mind better matched too.

Krisina

[Guest Joni Hayes]

I did enough experiments, to realise the imagined horrors of transistion was just that imagined, maybe I have been lucky with work, family, friends and children, I'm Full Time now and I am a Woman and damn that feels great and empowering to say.

Joni

[Guest ZoeG360]

Zoe - dearheart, as you say, the journey continues. Transitioning seems to have a life of its own. What it is is what it is - and I don't know your destiny, I mean how could I?

But me? I can never NOT transition all the way. It's never been a question for me.

I may not be typical - grin.- Lizzie

(NO snide replies on that last statement, please)

If what it is is what it is, why did I spend so much energy denying it? Its the conundrum of my life.

You are so awesome Lizzie!

My train sure picked up speed right out of the gate, but I still reserve the right to hit the brakes if need arise...

Still, it feels so dang good to be really moving forward, I can't imagine truly wanting to stop. I can imagine believing I SHOULD stop for some reason at some point, but I would view that as a compromise of some sort, I'm sure...

Love and Estrogens, Svenna

Svenna: We have a lot in common! Reserving the right to hit the brakes speaks to being in control for once. At this point, I am nervously waiting for the train to pull out of the station and I hear the whistle blowin', but this time its my train and I get to say what tracks it will go down.

The only scenarios I can imagine stopping for is if it just does not feel right or if my health gets put at risk.

I'm hopping for peace and calm, body and mind better matched too.

Krisina

Krisina: Thank you thank you. I added the alignment of body and mind to my list.

I did enough experiments, to realize the imagined horrors of transition was just that imagined,...

Joni

Joni: I have heard this before and it speaks to the precept that "Fear is the mind killer, there is no fate but what we make". A great epithet but a hard one to remember sometimes.

Thanks to all of you. I love this place!!!

Zoe