#aussie transman

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FIRST T SHOT!!!!!

Yo that’s right I got my first T shot y’all!

It was super easy (I’m lucky tho). My local pharmacy had the T I needed (reandron), I popped down to the GP like ‘uh, can I have my shot done here please?’ and my doctor said ‘oh sure, let me see if the nurse is free’ and she was (lucky again)! So I went on down the hall, lay on my stomach, and she pulled down my shorts a lil bit and in went the T!

It is a little sore, cos T is a pretty thick and oily substance and therefore they gotta go slow when injecting. But it was over pretty quick, I pulled my pants up and it was done!

I nearly skipped back home I swear. I was internally whooping with joy, and when I got into my street I externally whooped with joy. It was amazing, I was finally on T! After all this time, all this waiting, all this being held back, I was finally on T.

On one hand I couldn’t believe I’d made it, there were days when it felt impossible to make it this far. No matter where you’re at I promise you it will get better. It may take time, it may take years, but it is WORTH IT. Just being able to be the true you, live more freely, it’s an amazing feeling, and one that you CAN and WILL experience.

On the other hand I realised that I would be hitting (the proper, tho T-induced) puberty at the same time as one of my (much) younger brothers and I’d been waiting for these changes for ages.

Overall, my first shot was incredible, and I can’t wait for all the changes it will bring!

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Dr Erasmus Appointment No. 5

I set up appointment no. 5 so, like with my mum, my dad could come in and ask any questions he might have.

He was a bit like my mum, asking questions to try make sure I ‘really was’ trans. He’d done a bit of research himself and so he cited those studies. Dr Erasmus, again, was super cool-headed and replied citing other, more reliable research as well as his professional experiences. My dad was impressed with the depth of his knowledge and the fact that he didn’t get defensive or angry at dad, which is saying something cos my dad’s pretty hard to impress.

At the end, dad had all his questions answered and he asked for some advice on how to tell his relatives, especially his elderly mother. Dr Erasmus said that using his (dad’s) own experiences he could better explain how to become accepting. It was a lot less emotionally charged than mum’s appointment with Dr Erasmus and I felt a lot better after it.

Some time later, dad and I made a plan to tell all his side of the family (more on that later)

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Update 13/7/16: Dr Erasmus Appointment No. 3

Last Friday I had my 3rd appointment with Dr Jaco Erasmus (yes I know this write-up is late). This time we spoke mainly of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) which in my case would be the hormone testosterone (T). Dr Erasmus took me through all the permanent changes, and those that would revert should I stop taking T (I’ll list them below). He then told me of some health issues that may arise, none of which were very dangerous or very likely (also below). Dr Erasmus then recommended a particular endocrinologist and emailed me his details, psychologically clearing me for HRT. Once Dr Erasmus has written up a report on me, I can then go to said endo with the report and START T!

To hear that I would be able to start T soon was very exciting and also a relief. I’ve been trying for years to get to this point with my family holding me back. There’s still some time to wait, hopefully Dr Erasmus won’t take more than 2 weeks to write the report, and then there will likely be a month or so wait for an appointment at the endocrinologist. But really, that’s not too long to wait! I’m pretty excited to start T and to feel more confident in myself.

If you have any questions on this or anything else I’ve written, feel free to ask!

 Permanent Changes: -facial hair (it may thin once off T but it will still be there and noticeable) -male pattern baldness (once your hair is gone, it ain’t gonna grow back there) -voice drop (once it’s dropped, it’s dropped) -infertility (while some people experience periods again after being on T, depending on how long you were on, it’s not guaranteed you’ll get them again or be able to make kids that way) -clitoral enlargement (it usually doesn’t grow that much, but it won’t shrink much either)

Non-permanent Changes: -fat redistribution, often giving a more masculine shape -body hair -sweat smell change -small decrease in chest tissue -increased sex drive -increased muscle mass/strength, particularly in upper body -skin oiliness and acne

Possible Health Concerns: -men have higher chances of heart-related issues in general, so taking T will join you to that club. One specific way is with the increase in red blood cells that does happen on T, too much of them can thicken the blood and increase risk of heart disease. There is a FAIRLY LOW risk of this happening -weight gain. With fat redistribution and such, lots of guys put on weight when they start T. That’s ok as long as you get a handle on it. Exercise is your friend. There is a FAIR risk of this happening -T decreases good cholesterol and has variable effects on bad cholesterol. Unless you already have bad cholesterol or Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, this isn’t much of a bother. There is a LOW risk of this happening -your liver may not cope with T, causing it to hurt and HRT to be stopped. There is a VERY LOW risk of this happening -if you already have a condition that includes hypomania, mania or psychosis, high doses of T may increase such episodes. There is a LOW risk of this happening -T may increase blood pressure, leading to hypertension in those who also experience weight gain, a family history of hypertension or polycystic ovarian syndrome. There is a NEGLIGABLE risk of this happening -T may increase risk of type 2 diabetes in those who experience weight gain, a family history of hypertension or polycystic ovarian syndrome. There is a NEGLIGABLE risk of this happening -T may increase risk of abnormal Pap smear, but does not increase risk of cervical cancer. T may increase risk of ovarian and endometrial (uterine) cancer, though evidence to this affect is LIMITED

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Because I wore a blazer all through the last 2 3/4 years of school, and it can get to 40 degrees Celsius in the summer, I now don't feel the heat as much. So dad will be like 'it's so hot in here!!' And I'll be sitting there with two jumpers on -_-

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Update 13/5/16

Today marks one week until I go and see Dr Erasmus at his private practice for my first appointment. I’m very excited and curious as to what questions he’ll ask me. So that I can give a decent review, I’ve set out some questions below that I will answer.

How was I greeted when I entered the facility?

How did Dr Erasmus greet me?

What kind of questions did he ask? (family, past, school, friends, work etc.)

What questions did you ask and what response did you get? (T, surgery)

Where to from here?

Anything else?