[Lisa_W]

Hi Melissa
I share your dilemma. I have had several attempts with IPL to remove hair from the “snout” area. To my understanding the effectiveness depends on the type of machine used & the experience of the operator.

Electrolysis is the only proven permanent hair removal treatment. There are now various forms – single or multi-channel. Again the effectiveness depends on the experience of the operator. I have heard horror stories of unacceptable scarring caused by electrolysis. So please do your homework well before you embark on this therapy.

As regards analgesia – if you have a “tame” dentist then he/she may be persuaded to anaesthetize the upper lip area for you. Locally applied creams and gels are a waste of your money.

Good luck on your journey.

Lisa

[Lisa_W]

Fiona

You know that you have my support. It is a great idea

Lisa

[Lisa_W]

Again slightly off topic but related to the effects of oestrogen on the brain.

A question for those who have been on HRT for a long time. When do you stop dreaming in male mode & dream about yourself as a female?

I have never seen anything written about this topic. I know that I still dream in male mode after over 2 years of HRT.

What are other peoples experiences?

Lisa

[Lisa_W]

OK, I have been following this debate with some interest & I have just read the article by O’keefe. I am familiar with Lawrence’s writings. I have not read Blanchard nor Bailey. But I think that I know of Blanchard’s work with a pair of twins from Canada – a despicable affair

To my understanding, as described by O’keefe, AG is a sexual fantasy. Her sample size is pitifully small – 5 people from each gender. That has absolutely nothing to do with me or my life. I know that I am a woman trapped in a male’s body. It has nothing to do with a sexual fantasy. Since commencing HRT I have no interest in sex whatsoever. That does not change the fact that I am still a woman in a man’s body. Does that mean I have AG, or that I consider myself to be a woman but with male genitalia?

IMO what is being described is a small section of the rainbow that reflects our community. You cannot conclude what the whole rainbow is like, if you just concentrate on the infrared section or ultraviolet. The rainbow has to be taken as a whole with each colour accepted, valued & studied. I am sorry – that maybe a little too trite.

It appears this whole process is degenerating into an exercise of developing theories to explain the sexuality of smaller & smaller numbers & then inaccurately extrapolating those theories to cover the whole GD community.

We may as well publish our own opinions – after all they are like a…holes – everyone has one!

Has anyone stopped to consider what these “researchers” have to gain by publishing controversial theories & using very limited sample sizes to back up their theories – perhaps more research dollars or scientific kudos.

We are supposed to be in the era of evidenced based medicine with double blind crossover trials. I know that that type of trial is impractical in studying GD but there must be an adequate sample size of many hundreds of people to support a particular theory before that theory can gain any credibility.

I remain open minded to the whole debate but increasingly sceptical to the lack of scientific rigor which is applied to certain theories & definitions derived from those theories.

[Lisa_W]

I have been on HRT for 2 years now. Going on HRT was the best decision I have ever made.

The changes that I have noticed can be broadly categorized into the physical & mental.

The physical is easy; breast growth, changed perspiration, altered body odour, thinner skin, drier skin, much smaller genitals, some head hair regrowth but decreased body hair. Unfortunately I have an increased appetite & therefore weight gain. I am really struggling to develop a female hourglass figure.

The mental changes are harder to quantify. I sort of agree with earlier posts. Maturing; with naturally decreasing T level; gives you the self confidence to explore your feminine side but I believe that we need HRT to develop that further.

The mental changes that I have noticed are emotional lability, less aggression & competitiveness , a readiness to accept other points of view & accept other people as they are. Sometimes I find myself saying – where did that thought come from? When I think about it it is obviously a female interpretation of a set of facts. Libido is zero & I am very happy about that. I am not repulsed by my genitals but they are certainly excess to requirements & I wish for their removal. Finally & I must admit annoyingly, a loss of spatial orientation.

All these mental changes did not happen overnight, but only after 18-24 months of HRT.

If you notice – there is a number of similarities with the above posts but each of us respond to HRT in our own unique manner, so each of us has our own journey & story to tell.

This has become rather rambling but gives an idea of my journey on HRT.

Lisa

[Lisa_W]

Thank you Sally for bringing this to my attention. I have recently tried to change my credit cards to my new identity – all to no avail.

This has given me such hope; that I may be able to achieve the desired result by getting my passport changed first. I know it will not be easy but what a precedent!

I am so grateful for all the hard work that has been done on our behalf.
It reminds my of an old saying – I can only see so far, because I am standing on the shoulders of giants!

Once again a heart felt well done.

Lisa

[Lisa_W]

Hi Girls

I am surprised that no-one has mentioned Long Line Shoes. They stock ladies shoes from 10-14. I have been there in both modes & have been treated extremely well.

They are in the Dymock’s Building in George St & Darcy St Parramatta. They also have a mail order department.

I hope this helps.

Lisa

Moderator

Quote:

Lisa – the reason is that this forum is not state specific – and whilst web based retailers can be accessed by everyone, shops in a particular place cannot. That’s why I encourage people to post about specific retailers in the state resource forums – like this one
viewforum.php?f=30
(And yes under NSW you will find a number of references to Long Line shoes)

[Lisa_W]

This content has been hidden from site admin.

[Lisa_W]

I agree with Simone. If there is a chance that your HRT may interfere with your treatment or interpretation of results, I feel that we must disclose our status. For example if prolonged bed rest or surgery is proposed then there is an increased risk of DVT’s due to oestrogen therapy.

So it is incumbent upon us all to know not only the benefits of our treatment but also the risks. If you do not know ask!

I recently had to attend an ED, but my condition & treatment were not affected by my HRT, therefore I did not “reveal all”.

If in doubt at the time – tell – as the consequences may be dire.

Lisa

[Lisa_W]

Thank you Clare – I forgot our Kiwi cousins! That is indeed the website & organization that I was referring to.

Lisa

[Lisa_W]

I have been asked what AusPATH stands for – Australian Professional Association for Transgender Health.

Which is an off shoot of WPATH – with the “W” standing for world.

I hope that helps

[Lisa_W]

I came up with red axe – so how weird does that make me!!!!

Lisa

[Lisa_W]

There are a few things to consider before you have this procedure.
As mentioned previously – it is irreversible – so make sure that you really want it.
Also -as mentioned before – post orchi you do not need any anti-androgens – a definite plus.
But you DO need oestrogen – but only about 1/4 – 1/2 the dose prior to the operation. The reason for this is to maintain the feminine changes that you have developed so far; but also to prevent osteoporosis (thinning of the bones) hence the oestrogen needs to be life long.

If there is a chance that you may want SRS later then the way that the orchi is performed is important. If scrotal tissue is removed the vaginal depth that can be obtained is compromised. Also if the orchi surgery cuts through the scrotal tissue, scar tissue will form and that part of the scrotum will not be suitable to be used to create a neo-vagina. If you are to consider orchi ask your surgeon; “is it possible to do the surgery through the raphe”. That is the central portion of the scrotum – go & have a look in a good light & you will see it. That way there is maximization of available scrotal skin for later inversion techniques.

One final point to consider, the scrotal skin will atrophy (shrink) post orchi – so no matter what technique is used there will be less scrotal skin available. Most SRS surgeons do NOT recommend orchi prior to SRS.

However if you definitely do not want SRS please disregard the last few paragraphs.

Lisa

[Lisa_W]

Hi Jannine

I have heard that people have used haemorrhoid cream to reduce puffiness around the eyes. Such as Anusol which can be bought at the chemist.
I do not have any personal experience with its use. Therefore would be interested to hear any feedback if you do use it.

Lisa

[Lisa_W]

Hi Janine
I agree with what Portia has said. It is the total amount of calories that you consume that is important, what ever their form. Also all movement is good movement. Remember that you have to have 10,000 steps/day to loose weight.

By just eating less & waiting for the satiety centre to kick in you can loose weight. There is a connection between your stomach & brain that tells you you do not need anymore to eat but that connection is slow. It takes 20 mins. Therefore do not go back for seconds until 20 mins after you have eaten.

Also fat provides 9cal/gm & alcohol 7cal/gm therefore be aware of how much you drink.

There is an unfortunate side effect of weight loss – your boobs will get smaller – the nonlactating breast is made up of 80-90% fat. Unfortunately at this stage we cannot body sculpt.

I hope this helps.