Can you get bottom surgery without HRT for a year?!

[Jamey-Heather]

Everything I see online says NO. To be clear, I WANT  a 100% female body (or at least as much as is currently available, I'll never be pregnant), but my dysphoria centers on my, um, junk. I don't feel all that uncomfortable without breasts, although I'd like them; I really DO want to have a nice, wide ass; usw. BUT: if I had could only have ONE thing changed; if I had to pick all the aspects of a female body: I would FIRST choose bottom surgery. Although I am Budist enough to be at peace with a whole -crap- ton of crap, I REALLY do not like having these dangly things, which, EVEN WORSE, have responses that are VISIBLE that I can't control! 

[Heather Shay]

per WPATH requirements you do have to be on HRT for a year in the U.S. i wanted it quick and still haven't sadly but its because of wanting my wife along and that is taking a lot of time. Don't rush - you have to go through a lot of personal changes so don't short change HRT of a year. I've been on HRT for 1-1/2 years and even now my changes continue and I want the surgery even more but know why they require at least 1 year. You should look up WPATH requirements - there's still a lot besides just HRT.

[Jamey-Heather]

I'm so glad to hear from you and others that love their wives and understand how difficult it is for them, Some of my students, being young, often have typically youthful responses such as "well, -expletive- her if she can;t accept you exactly as who you are". It's very difficult to explain to that mindset that relationships and our own desires within them can be muchless, er, binary.

 

[Kylie]

I agree with what has been said. Meeting the requirements of WPATH are pretty concrete and surgeons do not bend rules from what Ive read. Perhaps overseas with the more sketchy practice of surgeons you may find someone willing to do for cash...only then you would get the surgery, but the risks of said procedures are extreme and could alter your life in ways you could never imagine. The transition process should be done correctly only under proper mental health guidance and a surgeon who specializes in the procedures you seek.

[Kathy2020]

Disclaimer first: I am not a medically trained professional so this is only my personal opinion. In most cases, medical professionals will adhere to the current WPATH Standards of Care v.7 which recommends HRT for at least one year prior to bottom surgery (along with other things like diagnostic letters from therapists and living experience). While the WPATH standards are not absolute in every case, they have proven to be a reliable guide in promoting good health practices in the transgender community. There are times when parts or all of a standard HRT regimen are not recommended due to health risks, local / regional medical preferences, costs, etc. but that is the exception; you should anticipate having to live within the standards until told otherwise. Additionally, the Standards of Care v.8 is currently under review, and you can find the proposals online. In a nutshell, they are planning to recommend patients be on an HRT regimen for a minimum of six months instead of a year, but local medical practices and a physician's personal preferences will still apply. There is no clear timeline yet for when v.8 will become cannon.

 

With that said, we all suffer from dysphoria to various degrees and in various ways, and yes, it is beyond frustrating! Thankfully, there are many ways to lessen the severity of our dysphoria ranging from simple therapy all the way to full surgery. Because every person is different though, what works best for one person is not the best for another, and it is nearly impossible to know the best option by ourselves. That's where the WPATH Standards of Care come into play. It requires us to seek professional care and take certain steps in a particular order so we don't crack our heads on the bottom of the pool thinking we are safe just diving in. Pertaining to your specific question, I think your therapist and a good portion of the transgender community will say WPATH's requirement to be on HRT first is a good thing. Your perception of self and the world around you will look quite a bit different when your testosterone is suppressed, and after estrogen is added things become really trippy! Once you understand what that feels like and how it affects your life - many say it takes about a year - it becomes much easier to know what your next step is, and having that feeling of certainty goes a long way into maintaining good mental and physical health. I hope that helps! 🙂