The interesting thing about medically transitioning is how you might just be treated with the wrong framework.

When I get my hormone levels checked, for instance, they check it against the wrong type of person, so everything is flagged. Did you know that testosterone encourages hemoglobin production? Well, my hemoglobin is perfectly in line with male levels, but my levels are checked for the wrong endocrine system. Before I realized this, I was really confused as to why my hemoglobin was two grams over the range given, and was confused as to why that happened, and worried about if I should be worried about that. But it was a normal consequence of my testosterone levels, which are also flagged though they are well-within the range that is typical for my age and health categories.

The way we treat and measure for trans people and trans patients will affect the treatment and education they receive. There are ways in which hormones especially can influence how one's body operates, and with that in mind, you also have to change the way you interact with a trans person. With my testosterone levels, if you were to measure them against the incorrect endocrine system, you would fail to treat me in reality - that being the way my body has changed and maintained homeostasis since being on T.

pretty sure my slightly sad and pathetic internet searches from earlier today attracted the attention of some transgender deity or guardian or whatever so I had to scribble a comic about it because I think it's very funny <3

uhhhh feeling gender euphoric impulsive dont be surprised if i delete this in 5 minutes

one thing i will say about testosterone that no one told me about, is having adapt to your new voice when singing. like i was very aware that my voice would deepen but i was never given advice on how to adapt and sing with my new voice. that shit was a journey.

Compare yourself to no one but yourself

Pre t, 2 weeks on t, 1 year 3 1/2 months on t

I finished my first pack of Androgel today!

And damn, the human body is amazing and it's so interesting to watch the changes. And they are already there, albeit very small.

I'm very attentive to the slightest changes in myself, so the first thing that happened and that I noticed in the first week was that my throat began to hurt and a cough appeared. It would be easy to confuse this with a cold, but for me it's usually accompanied by a fever. And of course, this cough did not go away, and periodic hoarseness was added to it, so it's changes in the vocal cords began already.

And a month later I can note that my tone of voice has changed just a little. And I began to speak noticeably louder, although before I had always been very quiet and I had to make an effort to speak louder. And yes, there's a pleasant vibration in my throat when I speak… Ohh ❤️

V TW: unpleasant and quite personal body things V

The second thing that happened was changes in the chest. Doctors diagnosed me with mastopathy and for quite some time now my breasts have been periodically hardening, which made it difficult for me to bind myself properly, and then almost constant pain appeared; I was not prescribed normal treatment. This depressed me very much, I almost couldn’t go outside and this was the last straw that pushed me to start hrt.

After a week and a half on testosterone, my breasts became soft again and the pain completely disappeared lol. Now even my binder is a little big for me. Testosterone magic? I didn't even think that t would really help with this.

And one last thing. By the end of the month my bottom became more sensitive. Not yet so much that it brings any discomfort, but yes. It's starting slowly growing I guess?

I didn’t notice any changes in libido, it’s always high for me, only in the first couple of days of taking testosterone it fell, but then it became normal again. But maaybe a little higher now? Not sure.

Me before testosterone gel: idk I just don’t think I want to transition dramatically, you know? I want to go slowly and a little at a time and probably stop after a year.

Me six months into taking the gel: oh fuck I’m much more trans than I thought

THINGS I'VE NOTICED 1 WEEK ON TESTOSTERONE

(Note: I'm not sure if all these things can be attributed to T, they're just things I've noticed being different since I started. I'm currently doing .20 mls of sub-q injections a week.)

- My sweat smells different. Not exactly better or worse but it's definitely stronger. Kind of more sour as well?

- My throat is sore most of the time. In the morning, if I don't drink a ton of water, I can barely speak. A lady over the phone asked, completely unprompted, if I have a cold, because I kind of just always sound congested now.

- I'm so tired sometimes, and i sleep a lot more. I got like 11 hours of sleep a few nights ago (I normally get 6-8 if I'm lucky).

- I'm getting a little hungrier, though not by much.

- I'm not any more horny than usual, in fact I think my sex drive is lower than normal. Haven't noticed any bottom growth either. everyone works different I guess.

I'll reblog with more updates once a week for as long as I remember, so bookmark or follow me if you wanna hear more I guess

let's do another comparison post! 14 vs 36. im truly blessed that it's finally flannel season here

Voice update and name change!

Day 366

Today is the last day of my first year on T. I'm on my sixth bottle of gel.

My voice has dropped significantly. These are both of me trying to talk as deep as comfortably possible.

I've grown a visible little mustache as well as very long and dark hair on the lower part of my legs. My hair also became more structured and untameable. Of course there's more body hair, bottom growth, no period, skin issues, strength...

Everything I expected and more.

Tomorrow is the first day of my second year on T.

One thing I really enjoy about transition is when the changes in hormones slow down...

It feels like I am a house settling, shifting ever-so-slightly, and becoming one with this new foundation.

I don't have a "typical" body, but so do the other guys in my family. I look like them now. I've been told I looked like my father when he was a teenager, and I feel as though I am in the mentality I need to be in.

So many people are excited when they get all these new changes all at once, and then they might become disappointed when their second puberty starts to slow down, but I find I am the opposite. I am so much more at peace than I was before, and that's saying something when I was at peace a month into my changes.

full offence i have no sympathy for ppl who whine about how scared they are of going on T. like??? simply do not go on it then?? medically transitioning isnt for everyone and thats perfectly fine, despite what transmeds and conservatives say, being on HRT doesnt make you any more or less of a man. like im sorry that testosterone actually does its job and makes you look like what you wouldve if youd been born AMAB rather than turning you into a skinny androgynous anime twink but if youre just sooooo scared of going bald or think bottom growth is weird and gross, simply do not take testosterone then. and whilst youre at it, shut the fuck up about the changes and bodies of people who are on it, the fact that you think bottom growth is weird, or dont wanna sweat more, or are scared of looking more like your male relatives is a YOU problem. T is literally life saving and so is every single change it causes for people who want to medically transition, if thats not you then thats completely fine but dont start dragging other trans people down with your fearmongering pity party

going on T is like. what if your voice was a Little bit deeper in a way that’s mostly only noticeable to you and also you were constantly covered in a sheen of oil

Does anyone know if low weight and low stamina can cause side effects when going on testosterone? I’ve heard ppl talk about it before but I don’t know specifics.

(this is about trans stuff)

Probably need to get counselling about the fact that I’m so scared that my hormone balance is my personality.