Welcome to Gaia! ::

In response to Reap's question in another thread, I decided to put together a survey for all of the transtastic chaps in this guild.

Please answer the above poll honestly, and then post in response to the following questions:

Section 1: Those Currently On T
1.) How long have you been on T?
2.) What form of delivery are you using to introduce T into your system? (shots, patches, gel, etc)
3.) What was your original doseage?
4.) What is your current doseage?
5.) What was the first thing you noticed changing, physically?
6.) What has physically changed most dramatically thus far?
7.) How has being on T affected you psychologically and/or emotionally?
8.) Why did you wish to be on T?

Section 2: Those Who Wish to Pursue a T Prescription
1.) Are you currently seeing a therapist for your gender issues?
a) If yes: Are they helpful, or do you feel like you're not getting anywhere?
b) If no: Are you unable to find a suitable therapist, or are there other factors which are prohibiting your seeing a professional mental health worker?
2.) Do you feel that T will help your problems with your gender dysphoria?
3.) How much have you researched the effects of T?
4.) What do you most anticipate about being on T?
5.) Is there anything that makes you nervous about taking T, and if so, what?
6.) Why do you wish to be on T?

Section 3: Those Who Do Not Wish to be On T
1.) Are you currently seeing a therapist for your gender issues?
2.) Why do you feel that T is not right for you at this time?

Great idea, Bas.

Section 2: Those Who Wish to Pursue a T Prescription

1.) Are you currently seeing a therapist for your gender issues?
No, I'm not. The reason for this is that I'm 17 and haven't left home yet. The nearest Gender Identity Clinic is quite a way away. I plan to start transition once I've gone off to university; it'll be an awful lot simpler that way, in my opinion.

2.) Do you feel that T will help your problems with your gender dysphoria?
Well, yes. Right now, although I perceive myself as a man, others don't. I'm also in possession of a body I'm highly dissatisfied with, and the effects of T will change this to some extent.

3.) How much have you researched the effects of T?
I've read the article on Wikipedia about the effects of T on transmen several times, and I've looked at stuff about it on various trans websites, including personal diaries of changes undergone. I've also heard about the experiences of the people who are on T on Gaia. Before starting it, I plan to ask my doctor about the effects as well.

4.) What do you most anticipate about being on T?
Hard choice, since I like the sound of most of the effects. If forced to choose, it's a tie between having a deeper voice (I can't bear my voice at the moment) and being able to grow facial hair. I know I'd suit sideburns, if only I could grow the bloody things.

5.) Is there anything that makes you nervous about taking T, and if so, what?
Yes, I've heard about various health risks. I'm a lazy sod, and I'm going to need to exercise and cut down on some of the more unhealthy stuff I eat unless I want to become a chubster. I probably ought to do that anyway, so T will be a motivating factor. My mother will be pleased, at any rate.

6.) Why do you wish to be on T?
Quite simply, because it'll alter my body to how I feel inside, which means it'll be far easier to live as a man in general. I might feel like a man now, but the outside world tends to think differently, and transition in general will help to change that.

Section 2: Those Who Wish to Pursue a T Prescription
1.) Are you currently seeing a therapist for your gender issues?
a) If yes: Are they helpful, or do you feel like you're not getting anywhere?
b) If no: Are you unable to find a suitable therapist, or are there other factors which are prohibiting your seeing a professional mental health worker?
I'm seeing my psych next week in the hopes of getting my T prescription. surprised And I had top surgery first, so definitely I'm getting somewhere. I'm having private treatment as opposed to the UK NHS, which was messing me about neutral so I'm sure it would be a good deal slower that way. I did have counselling, but stopped a while ago.

2.) Do you feel that T will help your problems with your gender dysphoria?
Yes. VOICE PLZ. I hardly ever speak because I hate my voice so much >_>; And I'm hoping it'll affect my all-around confidence.

3.) How much have you researched the effects of T?
A lot. I researched trans stuff for years before I even came out. I'm aware of all the risks and such. The Wikipedia article on transsexual hormone treatment rocks, for the record.

4.) What do you most anticipate about being on T?
Voice drop! And in the longer term, facial hair and hopefully losing my hips some. They look stupid.

5.) Is there anything that makes you nervous about taking T, and if so, what?
I'm deathly scared of losing my hair. I'm quite vain, I'm afraid. sad Other than that, I'm very passive and have zero sex drive, so I'm curious to see what turns up in the aggression/libido department. Not really worried, though. And like Spatterdash, I'm going to have to exercise more, because I don't want to put on weight. gonk

6.) Why do you wish to be on T?
That's a tough question. I guess it represents everything I've ever envisioned about myself. I want to look, feel and function completely in the world as a man, and I, personally, can't do that without T. And I want those funky sideburns.

Good thread smile Btw, if you don't know about it already, there's piles of section-1-esque survey results here http://www.tmen.net/tmen/survey/ if you guys are curious about the range of T effects and timescales and so on. It's good to have a look through.

I'm taking options #2 and #3, actually.

1.) Are you currently seeing a therapist for your gender issues?

No.

b) If no: Are you unable to find a suitable therapist, or are there other factors which are prohibiting your seeing a professional mental health worker?

A little of both. I have no money, I have no insurance, I have no transportation to that sort of place, and I keep going back and forth on whether I should "bother" doing anything about this.

2.) Do you feel that T will help your problems with your gender dysphoria?

Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. It certainly won't by itself.

3.) How much have you researched the effects of T?

I've looked over the basics of what it can do, good and bad, and what it has a good chance of doing or not doing. I don't have an in-depth view of the risks involved, simply because knowing whether I'm going to transition at all or not comes first.

4.) What do you most anticipate about being on T?

My voice sounding like me. It'd also be nice if I got some shoulders and/or grew a few inches, but I'm not outright expecting that this late in puberty.

5.) Is there anything that makes you nervous about taking T, and if so, what?

Other than the needles? wink The idea that it won't be enough, or that I won't pass anyway, or that I'll come out looking totally like a guy- but still not like me.

6.) Why do you wish to be on T?

I feel really weird and awkward looking like this.

And:

1.) Are you currently seeing a therapist for your gender issues?

Still nope.

2.) Why do you feel that T is not right for you at this time?

I'm honestly not sure whether this stops at gender issues, for one. For two, lack of money. For three, fear bordering on paranoia of the social consequences of actively pursuing transition.

Section 2: Those Who Wish to Pursue a T Prescription

1.) Are you currently seeing a therapist for your gender issues?
Well, it's yes and no there. I talked to a doctor that doesn't need a psy's letter in order to start the T. So he follows people for the surgeries later on and name change letters, but I haven't talked deeply about it to anyone.

2.) Do you feel that T will help your problems with your gender dysphoria?
Oh hell yes it will. I can't stand my voice anymore. Whenever I speak, I try to hide it and even lowering it doesn't do it..
Not to mention I've always wanted my body to be less curvy. And I want a little mustache. T will do all that.

3.) How much have you researched the effects of T?
A lot. The doctor even gave me a paper explaining the effects, both positive and negative.

4.) What do you most anticipate about being on T?
All the changes they will do that I mentioned in question 2).

5.) Is there anything that makes you nervous about taking T, and if so, what?
I just hope I'll be able to poke myself with a needle once or twice a month with no problems!

6.) Why do you wish to be on T?
See question 2).

Section 2: Those Who Wish to Pursue a T Prescription
1.) Are you currently seeing a therapist for your gender issues? First session is on Tuesday! biggrin
a) If yes: Are they helpful, or do you feel like you're not getting anywhere? Not sure yet.
2.) Do you feel that T will help your problems with your gender dysphoria? I am hoping so.
3.) How much have you researched the effects of T? Yes.
4.) What do you most anticipate about being on T? The voice change.
5.) Is there anything that makes you nervous about taking T, and if so, what? Balding. gonk Cancer issues, health problems.
6.) Why do you wish to be on T? T seems like the right path for me. Not only will it help the gender dysphoria, it will also help me pass. My voice will deepen, which is a big thing for me - I have a very girlie voice. I will also be able to grow facial hair which will be a plus, not to mention the non-visible effects of T.

Section 2: Those Who Wish to Pursue a T Prescription
1.) Are you currently seeing a therapist for your gender issues?
Yep.

a) If yes: Are they helpful, or do you feel like you're not getting anywhere?
Helpful for the most part, although she is not a trans-specific therapist, so she is diverting me into some of my other problems while figuring out how to get me to someone who can hook me up. I'm at the later stage of the therapy thing, as it's been about a year, and she'd pretty safely diagnose me with gender dysphoria.

2.) Do you feel that T will help your problems with your gender dysphoria?
I believe it will help in more subtle ways than chest surgery will. It's the finishing touches, if you will.

3.) How much have you researched the effects of T?
I could recite most of them in my sleep. I am not looking forward to male pattern balding, but I'll suffer it like every man does. -g-

4.) What do you most anticipate about being on T?
The same thing that makes me nervous. Playing with a new male voice, and seeing how it works for me to sing in. Also, freaking the merry hell out of my family with stubble. I hope for the increased strength part. I know it won't be a significant increase, but anything would be nice. I'm sick of being totally helpless. Anything to augment the current exercise routines I'm doing now would be helpful.

5.) Is there anything that makes you nervous about taking T, and if so, what?
I love singing, though it's not something I plan on making a career out of, so I'm a little nervy about what it's going to do to my voice. Here's to hoping I get a lovely tenor. Heart-related problems make me mildly nervous, but that's a phobia, and I can improve my diet while on T to keep it from adding too terribly much to my risks. I'm also not looking forward to increased acne, but I think I can deal with it if I stay on top of it.

6.) Why do you wish to be on T?
Same reason Reap said. Sick of looking and sounding like a chick.

1.) I do, yet I'm counting on getting the hormones from a different system... something the head of the transupport group recommended me.
a) I've only seen the CURRENT therapist once, though I doubt I'll stay with him, he annoys the hell out of me [He knew from the start about the case he's dealing with, and still calls me "darling", "precious" alongside my birthname.].
... For his record, he is better than the last one, who couldn't tell the difference between one's sexuality to gender identity. [..She wasn't assign to aid me about this issue, but with others.. as soon as I figured she was Transphobe, after about 13months since we've started the therapy, I quite.]
2.) I hope it will. If T will make me appear closer to a man, I better use what I'm given this life, instead of doing nothing about those feelings.
...Still, until I try, I wouldn't be able to know for sure, right?..
3.) Too much. So much that, at some point, I looked/felt obsessive.
4.) Most of all, I hope for a lower voice. I have the voice of a teenage popstar .__.
5.) The fact I'm still unemployed and very much depended on my parents.
I'll try my best this year to be more responsible of myself, I need it.
6.) I want to be a real boy, and T's a major step to get closer to it.