How Long Does A Person Continue Hormone Therapy
The decision to continue or discontinue hormones is entirely up to the individual. The physical transition process, during which hormones alter the physical characteristics of the body, can take up to five years. After that, many people choose to continue taking hormones in order to maintain the changes that have already occurred. The goal of hormone therapy is to keep the hormones within the normal, physiologic ranges. Around age 50-60 years, hormone levels naturally decline in healthy people and some individuals might discontinue them then or reduce them to a very low dose.
If a person has surgery to remove the testes , the body would no longer produce testosterone. A testosterone blocker would no longer be needed but estrogen would still be needed to maintain feminine characteristics.
If a person has surgery to remove the ovaries , the body would no longer produce estrogen. However, testosterone would still be needed to maintain masculine characteristics.
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Transgender Ftm & Mtf Hrt
If youre interested in hormone replacement therapy in Atlanta, you are in good hands. Transitioning is the single-most important decision an individual can make. While transgender hormone replacement therapy is a safe treatment that comes with minimal risks and undesirable side-effects, its important to start HRT with a specialist who can help design your program, all the while providing support and advice.
Whether youre making the transition from male-to-female or female-to-male, as a transgender individual, you need to consider the quality of your overall health care. Unfortunately most general physicians and healthcare providers are not properly equipped to care for transgender patients. In turn, you can benefit from having a supportive and experienced specialist by your side as you begin a new chapter in your life.
Erin Everett, NP-C, AAHIVS, is a provider of healthcare for transgender patients in Atlanta who offers hormone replacement therapy for both transgender men and women. Erin is committed to providing a safe, nondiscriminatory space for everyone to receive the highest quality healthcare especially those within Atlantas LGBTQ community. For more information about transgender hormone replacement therapy in Atlanta, contact Erin to learn more.
Ftm Testosterone Therapy Basics
DISCLAIMER The information contained herein is to be used for educational purposes only. The author is not a medical professional, and this information should not be considered medical advice. This information should NOT be used to replace consultation with or treatment by a trained medical professional. The listing of a medication herein does not imply endorsement by the author.
Also check out the page Myths and Misconceptions about Testosterone, Transition, and Trans Men for additional information.
Overview For trans men who have been born into typically female bodies , as well as trans men who were born into intersex bodies, the goal of testosterone therapy is to induce and maintain the presence of masculine secondary sex characteristics.
In FTM testosterone therapy, testosterone can be administered into the body in a number of ways. The most common method is injection with a syringe. Other delivery methods include transdermal application through gel, cream, or patch applied to the skin orally by swallowing tablets sublingually/buccally by dissolving a tablet under the tongue or against the gums or by a pellet inserted under the skin. The T-delivery method used will depend on the type of medication available in the country of treatment, the health risks/benefits for the patient, personal preference, and cost.
For more on T dosing, click here to go to the section Testosterone Types and Delivery.
Skin oils and acne may lessen.
Body scent may change.
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Testosterone Will Increase Your Upper Body Strength Dramatically
This deserves its own section because it is so dramatic. Before T, I spent years working out in gyms, lifting weights, hiring personal trainers. Still I could not do one decent push-up. Within a year of starting testosterone, I could do 20 push-ups with ease. At the moment, I have not set foot in a gym for a year yet I can drop and give you 15 push-ups without breaking a sweat. And they feel light and easy! In short, my upper body strength has increased dramatically since starting testosterone.
Fertility & Birth Control
You may think that youve stopped making sperm or eggs. But you may still have the ability to get pregnant or get someone else pregnant. Depending on the type of sex you have, you may still need to use birth control to prevent pregnancy.
Taking transgender hormones can change your reproductive system and make it hard to have your own baby. We can work with you on your options for saving your sperm or eggs.
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Option : Clinics And Providers That Don’t Give A Damn
There are clinics out there that either do not require therapist intervention at all or require therapist intervention that does not fall in line with the standards of care. Basically, if you cannot find a clinic or provider in your area that follows the Tom Waddell standards, this is your next best option. Finding these clinics are difficult since they do not advertise what their requirements are.
One thing I would recommend is that you talk with people in the local transgender community to find a doctor that does not care about therapist requirements or has low therapist requirements. These doctors are not uncommon but can be tricky to find. If, however, no one knows of provider or clinic which would accommodate this requirement it is highly suggested that you starting phoning clinics and providers in your local area to find one that will provide services to you at no or low therapist requirement.
Generally, OB/GYNs and alternative medicine doctors have a higher level of acceptanceâespecially if they are curious enough to want to learn from the experience. It is highly suggested that you bring them a copy of the Tom Waddell standards so they will have something other than the Harry Benjamin Standards to reference. Ask the clinics and providers with low therapist requirements what they will require and what a letter would need to state in order to get care.
Transgender Hormone Therapy In Las Vegas Nv
Transitioning to your preferred gender is certainly a thrilling, life-changing decision. For more on the effects of transgender hormone therapy, contact HEALOR Primary Care in Las Vegas, NV and schedule your visit today. Double board-certified physician Dr. Raj Singh and our team have advanced expertise in guiding trans men and trans women through the transition process and are excited to help you achieve your treatment goals.
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Paying Medical Bills With Your Roth Ira
Typically, if you have a Roth IRA retirement plan, you will receive a tax penalty if you withdraw money from it before you reach age 59 and a half. However, you can avoid this tax penalty if youre withdrawing from your Roth IRA in order to pay for a medical procedure that costs more than 7.5 percent of your annual income.
Option : Fake Letters
Remember that this should only be used a last resort in the event that Options 1 & 2 did not work for you. I would remind you that most doctors go through tedious amounts of education and training and may not be easily fooled. But then again, if there can be religious doctors – that is proof that there are gullible doctors. If people in your general area are stupid it can work if you make your own letter.
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What Is Gender Affirming Hormone Therapy
Some transgender people choose to take gender affirming hormones that is, hormones that align with their gender identity rather than the sex they were assigned at birth. These hormones can be used to make the body more masculine or more feminine so that it is more closely aligned with the persons inner sense of self.
Does My Patient Need Cervical Cancer Screening
Keep in mind the following:
- Gauge your patientâs comfort with the exam. Some, but not all, transmasculine patients may feel uncomfortable with the idea of penetration and may feel their gender is undermined by the function of the speculum. It may be helpful to explain why a speculum is needed.
- Ask if the patient has had a Pap test before, or whether they have had vaginally penetrative/frontal sex. If the patient has no experience with penetration, it may be helpful to know this in advance and to suggest that they try penetration at home first using a small toy, fingers or a speculum. This may help make the screening process less confusing or disturbing. Some transmasculine patients may be willing to try this, while others will not.
- Some transmasculine patients who are taking testosterone will have fewer secretions, so using lubrication and warm water can be helpful in speculum insertion. Barring contraindications, topical 2% lidocaine jelly may be applied vaginally 5-10 min prior to the procedure in those who find speculum examination painful due to atrophic changes.
- Testosterone can cause cervical cell changes that may make the sample more difficult to read. If the patient is on testosterone, note this on the requisition.
- Inadequate samples are common in patients on testosterone.1 The use of both brush and broom may increase yield in patients with atrophic changes.2
- HPV vaccine should be offered to patients under age 45.
Ovarian cancer
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Gaht Vs Hormone Replacement Therapy
Since these two terms are often confused or used interchangeably, lets take a moment to differentiate GAHT from hormone replacement therapy .
Hormone replacement therapy is classically used to describe the process of prescribing hormones to cisgender people, meaning those individuals whose gender identify matches their sex assigned at birth, often to relieve symptoms of hormone imbalance. For example, testosterone may be prescribed to cisgender men with low testosterone levels who have symptoms like changes in sexual function.
The term HRT, on the other hand, has often been used by the trans community to describe the process of gender-affirming hormone therapy. However, GAHT is a more accurate description of the use of hormones by trans folks because nothing is technically being replaced. The medical community who takes care of trans folks is moving away from saying HRT, and instead, is using GAHT so as not to conflate the different therapeutic practices.
The Basics Of Ftm Hormone Therapy
Hormone replacement therapy goes by many names, including cross-sex hormone therapy and gender-affirming hormone therapy. For transgender men, it is more specifically called female-to-male or masculinizing hormone therapy, as the process changes the level of sex hormones in your body to make you look and feel more masculine. Through masculinization hormone therapy, someone battling with gender dysphoria can feel more at home in their own body and more at ease around other people.
Undergoing masculinizing hormonal treatment is not unlike typical male puberty. Over the course of 12 months to 24 months, you develop “masculine” secondary sex characteristics, such as increased facial hair and a deeper voice.
Wed like to point out, however, that medical affirmation is just one dimension of gender affirmation not everyone who identifies as trans or gender non-conforming feels the need to go through it. Other gender-affirming actions include changing one’s name and gender marker on official documents.
How Do Female-to-Male Hormones Work?
Sex hormones are what aid in the development of your sex characteristics, like your genitals, breasts, pubic hair, etc. Most people are familiar with estrogen and testosterone, but there are actually three kinds androgen , estrogen, and progestogen.
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Testosterone Is Usually Taken In One Of The Following Forms:
Injections – an intramuscular injection administered regularly, either by a medical practitioner, or by you or a friend who has been shown how to do injections. Check out this handy injection guide .
This could be either Reandron , Primoteston , or Sustanon. Some forms of testosterone injection are covered on the PBS.
Gels and creams – a cream or gel that is applied to the skin daily as directed. Some testosterone gels and creams are covered on the PBS.
Implants – testosterone pellets that are inserted into the body and can last for several months. Implants are not covered on the PBS and can only be manufactured by a compounding chemist.
How To Cope With Side Effects Of Testosterone
Testosterone, also referred to as T, is the main hormone used in hormone replacement therapy that accompanies transgender cosmetic surgery. The reason testosterone is the prominent hormone in HRT is because it is responsible for promoting physical traits generally associated with male characteristics and suppresses the production of estrogen, the hormone responsible for female characteristics. T produces many desired effects on the transitioning body, such as the growth of chest and facial hair, and changes to the voice. However, testosterone can produce many negative effects on your mental health. Most people are able to recover from the mental effects of T on their own, while others require the help of a healthcare professional or mental health worker.
What are the mental side effects of testosterone?
Many people report that they are frustrated, angry, and irritable for no reason. Depending on the dose of T you are receiving, it can also create feelings of depression and wild mood swings. In severe cases, the mental side effects of testosterone include the destabilization of bipolar or schizoaffective disorder. For some people, these disorders lie dormant until they are released through hormone replacement therapy.
Where do you turn when the mental effects of T are too much to handle?
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How To Make Voice Deeper For Ftm
Wondering how to make your voice deeper? Go here and learn more on voice exercises, hormones, voice modification surgery, and voice therapy for FTM.
Voice is a significant part of ones personality and gender affirmation process. Many trans guys feel insecure about their voices being too feminine. Even though thats normal, you should be able to feel completely comfortable with yourself. So, if youre wondering how to make your voice deeper, youve come to the right place. In this article, well discuss how to lower your voice FTM, FTM testosterone voice change, voice modification surgery, and other relevant topics related to FTM voice change.
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Preparing For Hormone Therapy
Because testosterone can affect the body in so many different ways, you need to consult with a healthcare professional before starting hormone therapy. Here’s what you can expect during your evaluation:
- A physical exam
- An assessment of your personal and family medical history, record of immunizations, and history of tobacco, alcohol, and drug use
- Blood and urine analyses to give your doctor a better assessment of your blood sugar levels, blood count, lipids, liver enzymes, etc.
You can also expect to be asked about any desires to conceive in the future and concerns about fertility.
Depending on where you’re from, you’re likely to be required to undergo a mental health assessment before you start cross-sex therapy. A mental health care professional will ask you questions about your gender identity and how it affects how you view yourself and your body, your relationships at home, school, and/or work. This assessment will help doctors make sure you’re mentally ready to go through a big life-changing decision like hormone therapy.
Severe Side Effects From Ftm Testosterone Hrt
Suicidal tendencies, violence, panic attacks, rage, jaundice , severe allergic reaction , nausea, vomiting, liver failure, cancer, kidney or urinary problems, infection of the injection site, stroke, or heart attack. This list is not exclusive and other severe reactions to testosterone HRT may occur. If you experience any severe side effects or suspected severe side effects from testosterone hormone replacement therapy, call your doctor or seek emergency medical treatment immediately.
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Option : The Tom Waddell Standards
The Tom Waddell Standards govern hormone therapy and give a general overview of transgender health concerns. This was initially designed by Dr. Tom Waddell who worked in the free/low-income clinics of San Francisco and this was developed with all transsexual people in mind. Today, there are a few clinics other than homeless clinics that provide services to transsexual people under the Tom Waddell system.
I started my hormone replacement therapy at a clinic using the Tom Waddell system without even being aware of it. I started my HRT in November 2007 at Dr. Hunter Hammill’s office in Houston, Texas with no therapist requirement imposed on me. It was however a requirement that I attend a few support group meetings in the Houston area which I have before my appointment.
A Very Serious Warning Before You Begin
Please, please, please understand that this advice is intended only for the seriously gender dysphoric and those who understand that they are transsexual. If you have any doubt at all about your transsexuality do not seek out hormone replacement therapy and contact a therapist to discuss your situation. Many universities offer therapy to the general population on a sliding scale. There is a high cost for those who transition but are not transsexuals and Lynn Conway explains this better than I can.
Also understand that it is highly recommended that you consult a doctor at all stages of your transition to ensure that you are doing the right thing, being monitored for any abnormalities that hormone replacement therapy may cause and that you are physically fit and able to have any therapy that you seek.
In summary: Remember that in the end, you are the only one responsible for your own health and you are the one to suffer the consequences if you do not listen to good advice. In other words, don’t blame me if you fuck up!
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