Advice before starting T - going to Planned Parenthood

[Myles97]

Hi folx! My name is Myles (transman)! I am going to be starting HRT soon and wanted some advice. First: I plan to go to Planned Parenthood to get lab work done and get the prescription. Has anyone else done this? They are one of the only providers that do HRT in my general area. I want to go now just to verify that my body can physically handle being on T. But I don’t want to start the T until March. I have big work projects due at the end of February and don’t want to start HRT until those are submitted. So if I do my appt now will they send my prescription in March when I actually want it ? Just want to know if anyone else has tried that. I want to know now so I can make a game plan in case I can’t use T. Second: has anyone been unable to do HRT because of lab work/physical stuff? What were the reasons? Finally, do you have any tips or suggestions for a trans man starting T soon? I really appreciate any advice or comments, but I know this may be a sensitive subject for us. Thanks for being a safe space. Much love to you all!! 

**side note: I know no one except my DR can give medical advice that is specific for me - I just want to know how others experiences went as a trans/non-binary person. 

[Ivy]

Hi Myles

I'm MtF but I started HRT with PP.  They are nice people.  Because of my age (68 at the time) it was against their protocol to give me E.  But they did prescribe spiro.  There was a problem though because the spiro crashed my sodium level.  It was 3 months till they did more lab work and caught the problem.  I was pretty sick by then.  We tried it again with a much sooner lab, and caught it in time that time.  However I did still continue my progesterone.

I don't have a problem with them, they are people who will work with you when you don't have many options.  I would just say to make an effort to keep up with your levels and all.

Eventually I was able to get into the VA system and that's were I am now.

I hope things go well for you.

[Ivy]

https://planettransgender.com/planned-parenthood-now-offering-trans-services-in-32-states/

[GraceH]

Myles -- I'm going the other way, maybe you can't trust anything I say about emotions, but my male hormones were very strong -- Don't be surprised if your sex drive gets a little strong.  -- It's something lovely, but you might find the --necessity-- of it to be a little surprising.  Depending on your orientation, I wonder if the visual attraction will pick up?  Will it be hard not to look at the broad shoulders or the curvy butt?  I think men are more visually oriented in attraction.  I wonder if that develops for trans men?  I'm really curious if you have a change in how visually attracted you are to people.  Yea, I couldn't find anything googling it.  All I can find is that MtF are as likely to change orientation as keep their old orientation.  I can say that when you face your identity, orientation takes a distant second place in importance.  I can't tell if the hormones really matter or if it's just that you have to rip your mind and prejudices apart.

 

I also don't hear enough about the mental effects.  -- HRT makes my mind work the way I think it should -- I don't care so much about my body.  But people talk about mental effects a lot less.  T reduces emotional reactivity/sensitivity/volatility.  You might tend to butt heads with arsehats more readily, so be prepared for strengthening anger to rise up and not to feel very bad about it afterwards.  I'm not even joking, but I don't see people talk about it much.

 

So, in summary, beware of sexual need and irritability.  Be happy about being calmer about distressing social situations.  I.e. Who gives a flying -expletive- what they think?  Maybe the intense focus on the one thing will get better?  I associate that with boys, but that's just a WAG.  Oh, maybe more direct enjoyment of heavy exercise?

 

Very curious about your subjective changes.

 

--Grace--