Recently came out as a trans woman - AMA

I agree, which leads me to think it came down to the rules as written simply allowing for it. I’m not going to question it.

 

Update:
Had my psychological assessment yesterday. Got an answer for recent questions that came up about timing of care.

The VA gate keeps endocrinology care behind a psychological assessment. All other gender affirming services are available to anyone seeking them without an assessment.

The psychological assessment went well. We talked about my history and experiences of gender dysphoria, talked about relationships with immediate family and any potential abuse there. (None). We also covered improvements in mood since coming out as trans.

He asked me to go over what I already knew about HRT such as risks, expected changes and their timelines, what medications will be prescribed, etc. He was satisfied that I had a strong grasp on what to expect.

Wrapped things up with screenings for substance abuse, anxiety, depression, and suicidality. The whole process took just under two hours. He stated plainly that he is confident that he can write up a diagnosis of gender dysphoria given what I provided and will be requesting a consult with the endocrinologist once that is done. Should take about two weeks before I hear from their scheduler. Not sure how long it’ll take to get my appointment with them though.

Feel free to ask any new question you might have. I’ll be happy to answer them.

 

Update for anyone interested:
Had my endocrinology appointment about two weeks ago and received my meds on Friday. I was prescribed 5mg intramuscular injections of Estradiol Valerate every two weeks. Mono-therapy, so no anti-androgens as of yet. HRT is a pretty slow process, so of course no significant changes as of yet. I have noticed though significantly elevated mood, having an easier time crying (which has been quite cathartic), and somewhat softer skin on my face. Also of note, yesterday was my first day of work on HRT. I found myself much more focused and far less agitated or frustrated. Overall, already feeling major benefits.

As with the last update, feel free to ask any new questions if they come to mind. Feel free to ignore this post if you don’t care.

 

Hi. Been taking a bit of a break from the site due to various frustrations with it. Feeling a bit more motivated to get back to it though.

The process is going well. I’ve been on HRT just over three months now. Starting to see various phrenological changes that have been quite affirming. Mostly chest development, some fat redistribution, and thinning of body hair.

On the VA medical side of things, a recent endocrinology appointment had some very good news for me. My blood work showed my estradiol levels are good. Even better than that, I’m achieving testosterone suppression with mono-therapy, so no need to go on spironolactone; which I was dreading.
Theres some dragging of feet on a community care referral for laser hair removal, but I’ve got a care coordinator sorting things out. Hopefully they get that resolved quick.

Socially, it’s mostly the same. Things are good with my husband and friends; bad with my immediate family. Not much has changed there.

Thanks for thinking of me and taking the time to ask. ☺️

 

With all due respect, you don’t know a thing about who I was or who I am now.

You don’t know the sadness, anger, anxiety, and depression I experienced. You don’t know how miserable I was; both to be and to be around. You don’t know how many nights when my husband was working the night shift at the hospital I considered taking my own life.

Similarly, you don’t know the piece and tranquility I know feel, both in being true to myself and receiving care that alleviates my gender dysphoria.

Yes, Trump may eventually take away my healthcare. At the moment; he has not. The idea that you, and many like you, want that is sickening.

You want to **** me over? That’s fine. But don’t mask it behind a sentiment that I’m better off without. Because I’m not.

 

Hello! Thank you for your interest.

It’s been a year of growth; socially, emotionally, and physically.

I have a really great group of friends that accepted me from the moment I came out to them. I’ve come out at work; responses have been a mix of positive with some confused indifference mixed in. The only area that saw notable setbacks was my relationship with my parents now being nonexistent, though that was strained to begin with. I’ve made my peace with it.

I feel a lot more at peace than I used to. Anger doesn’t come as easily as it once did. Tears come a little too easy, which I don’t entirely mind. Over all, I feel significantly more happy than I once did. It’s hard to say how much of that can be attributed to living as my genuine self vs HRT. Probably a mix of both.

Speaking of HRT, I’ve found a regimen that I respond to well. After some research I settled on mono-therapy. Instead of having to take ‘normal’ doses of Estrogen, along with anti-androgens to suppress testosterone, I take a higher dosage that sends my estradiol levels high enough that my body just stops producing testosterone all by itself. There’s really amazing stuff you can do to ‘hack’ your endocrine system. I wont go into all the physical changes I’ve experienced here, as some are inappropriate for this space, but if you’re curious you could look them up. I can confirm I’ve experienced all of it at this point. Still a long way to go though.

Long story short, this past year has been challenging, but ultimately it’s been the best year of my life.

 

Thank your for your post and questions.

You may, in fact want what is best for me. You might not actually want to screw me over. If that’s true, I’d say it’s based on a flawed understanding of what is best for me. I want what’s best for people with long bone fractures, but I wouldn’t be so self confident in my limited expertise that I’d tell an orthopedic surgeon how to do their job or seek to legislate against treatment.

Have you ever been diagnosed with any other mental health disorders?
No. My only diagnosed mental health condition is gender dysphoria, for which I am currently receiving treatment.

Or experienced trauma or abuse (especially as a child)?
You may need to define trauma as I’m sure, given a broad enough definition, everyone has some level of trauma in their past. If we’re talking about mental, physical, and sexual abuse, the answer is no.

It also sounds like you have a husband and you yourself are a man taking female hormones? Is this correct?
I have a husband and I am a male taking feminizing hormones. Those two things are correct. I do not identify with or fit into the sociological category of man. That part is inaccurate.

 

Thank you for your post!

So far, not much has changed on that front. If I hadn’t already received a diagnosis and started treatment, it might be a different story. Thankfully if I did lose this care through the VA, the monthly cost for treatment wouldn’t be outside of my price range.

 

Well, I want the feminizing physical effects. Why on earth would I seek an alternative that doesn’t include that?

Having lived as a gay man, and as a trans woman for the past year, I can assure you, I felt way more accepted as a gay man. If I did not have to transition I wouldn’t have. No one ever put me in the hospital when I was a gay man; and in spite of that, I’m happier than I’ve ever been.

This is some of the most ridiculous 2019 pseudoscience I’ve ever heard on the topic.