Two genders Two Tails

Hey everyone!

I hope everyone is good, safe and keeping healthy?

Okay, so the last post we left off just as I started hormones but it wasn’t at all good. I spoke about how some people in the transgender community turned on me because how I got my hormones. Some people said I cheated the system and really you could feel the hate in words. I know shocking how the same people in the Transgender community will shout out saying we are getting killed for being transgender, being abused etc etc and then do the same to someone in their own community? I know it confused the hell out of me too! As I’ve mentioned in my blog many times before I really feel that the transgender community is very segregated within itself and it’s so wrong.

Evorel 50mcg patch

Anyway, let’s get into this post so we are starting late 2018. Over two years ago I started my HRT journey on the 28^th December. You might be thinking, ‘Why I have I not spoke about hormones before?’ That is, because it takes a hell of a long time for hormones and our body to develop. I as in my previous blog wasn’t allowed to start on pills as my liver levels wasn’t right so I had to add and change my goals a little which I had to add exercise and a change in my lifestyle and diet this was to able me to get on pills. This post is not really about how the hormones affected me. It about the troubles I faced with obtaining them and what brands and types of hormones I was on.

“Battling is something you will need to do unless you’re lucky. Never give up and keep fighting.”

I started at the bottom (literally) dose with the patches with 50mcg estrogen patches which was only for 1 month, which was to be increased to 100mcg 4 weeks later. That was the plan and based on blood results to increase it gradually. I eventually stopped at 200mcg with the patches. The plan was to move on to pills, provided my liver levels was safe. The level that was given to me was 40 Alu. When I went to Harrogate and had my bloods taken, they were at 78 ALu on the 9th November 2018. I decided to record my hormone journey via a journal and record, well pretty much everything I felt was necessary, even if it felt minor, I still recorded it. The plan was to look at the data recorded and see if there was a lot of changes or little changes. I set it up to look at side effects also. Over two years on I still use and continue to write in it. 

I think the first week I was very emotional. I don’t think it was down to the hormones or anything it was down to myself thinking, “wow. I can’t believe I’m here!“ I started my journey at the end of February that year. At the start of the year (2018) I left my job on the 4^th January and honestly, I had nothing. I had no job and after speaking to a family member of my down stairs neighbour about changing clinics, I knew what I had to do. It was hard to get my clinic to listen at first, I was told I would not get on hormones through the NHS through my clinic and other transgender people when I went on this journey. I would have to go private to obtain them, or through eBay or websites. Through hard work, stress, traveling a long way and getting the hate that I did and still manage to go through and get where I am… I am damn proud of it.

About a month after I went onto the 100mg patch I ran into issues with my doctor and clinic. This was the availability of my patch. My chemist could not source the brand called Evorel 100 (100 being the dose mcg) and even though I spoke to other transgender people that was on patches, however my GP would not budge. I had to get on the phone to Harrogate to get me a list of patches. Before I went to my GP with the list for him to choose one and write a prescription just to be wasted. I went to my chemist with the list of 6 alternative brands of the estrogen patches. Only one of these was instock. The brand was called Progynova® TS100, the patches was massive. I wish I took picture of how big they were. I would say about an inch high by 2.5 inch wide. 

I was on these patches from the end of January 2018 to the end of July 2018 I was on these patches and they were horrid. For the sizes they would not stick to my buttocks, and because I was at the gym 4-6 days a week at this point. They would not go on many other places on my body. Once the patches came off then it would be difficult to stick back on. They were leaving massive ring marks on my body which was hard to get off and also transferring to my shorts. One of my shorts the mark is still there 2 years later.

After about 2 months of being on the 100 I was ready for my quarterly blood tests. These are generally baseline bloods and some additional tests such as oestrogen (for MTF) or Testosterone levels (FTM), I will include a picture of the tests I need to have. When my results came my ALu levels came down from 78 ALu to 38 ALu. Within 2 months I had moved from 100mcg to 200mcg which meant for me to have two patches and it was a huge struggle with these patches. I ended up having to putting them on each butt cheek which meant more rings on my skin and also on my shorts. Progynova might work so some people but it didn’t work for me.

It came around about July around and again as my chemist was struggling to get hold of Progynova. I felt relieved to be honest. So out came with the list and with the 6 brands on, plus the Evorel making it 7 there was no 100mcg patches not even 50’s. Panic set in however, I was lucky when I spoke to my friend Chloe about what patches was she on. I was told Estradot. A trip to the chemist to see if they had the Estradot in stock which they did! Only once again came the arguing with my clinic with the brand change. I showed them the message with Chloe and got the practise manager to ring the chemist as the clinic had a ‘special relationship’ apparently, but only for the manager to be told what I said about the stock issues, and the manager’s face to go red. I managed to get my result and was prescribed Estradot.

“Things happen for a reason”

Estradot was a game changer. They didn’t do the 200mcg patches so it was a case of having two patches on and every two weeks to get a prescription, however, these patches were incredibly small. They were about 20mm tall by 25.5mm wide, I think. I place these on my hips and they were very effective also. My body did react to the new patches and they stayed on! They did not come off unless the patch themselves was defective, you could even have a bath and they would still not come off. I stayed on these for about 7 months and to be honest I was very happy with the results. I was even questioning why do I need to even go on tablets! Change them twice a week… SORTED.

Till February 2020 came and they ran out! SHIT!!!

I am going to leave this post here for now, as the next part I think will tie in to the whole issue in 2020. The reason why I have not spoken about the changes is because this post would end up becoming a novel and I’ve been asked by so many to maybe publish a book about it. I am not sure however it will take a long time to do and read.

Thank you for reading, stay safe, and I will see you all soon

Sarah

xxx