Trans Advice

- Going through informed consent is the fastest way to get T (if you’re 18). This doesn’t mean you cant also go to a gender therapist, but the T process is long and arduous through them so.

- Planned Parenthood will respect your nake and pronouns. The only time they use your birth name is on prescriptions if your name isnt legally changed. Theyre also discreet and will work with you on a lot of stuff. You can make appoinyments online, just make sure the one you choose does hrt.

- Buy needles online. I used Healthykin and got 2 years worth of needles (200 needles and 100 syringes) for 23 dollars (less than 15 cents a needle) and they were delivered in 2 days. Make sure the site is reputable of course.

-Try out needle sizes from your pharmacy before you order, though, you many prefer a anywhere from a 22g to a 27g, 1 ½ inch to ½ an inch. Each size changes how fast your shot is and how much you feel it. I tried 25gs and 26gs and liked the 26gs better, but still prefered the 27gs. Your doctor might prescribe a certain size but you can choose to stick to it or not.

- Goodrx will cut your prices for T down so far ohmygod. My $100, 5 month bottle of T? 45 dollars.

- CVS also has a savings card thing that helps with your scrip, idk if it can be used with goodrx though.

- Scared of needles? Gel is an option, patches are sometimes an option (but they have a risk of rashes and spreading by contact so be careful).

- Intermuscular needles are way bigger than SubQ needles. My SubQ needles are a 27 guage, half an inch long. I dont even feel the needle in. Watch some youtube videos and see how each one makes you feel, cuz IM scares the shit outta me. SubQ is just a little shot in my stomach.

- Nicked veins happen. You will bruise, youll bleed a little more than normal. It happens. If it keeps bleeding profusely without stopping, then seek medical assistance.

- Voice changes are usually pretty gradual and people you’re with every day may not notice at first.

- T can get stuck in the needle, so be sure to pull the thing all the way back before changing your drawing needle to your injecting needle.

- Do it fast. The slower you do your shot, the more it hurts.

- You can buy a sharps container online (wish and amazon sell them) or make one out of just about anything thats not flimsy. Mine is a laundry detergent container. One of my friends uses a metal lunchbox. My friends sorta husband uses a milkjug. Just make sure to mark it “Sharps, do not throw away or recycle”.

- Ask your doctor about where to dispose of your needles (if you choose to, yes I know some people keep them). They may say just dispose of them at their office or give you info for a needle disposal place.

- The changes will come. For the first few weeks and sometimes months, you might feel stuck. You might feel like changes will never happen but they will come. You will start passing in public, someone will comment on your voice, youll find a little mustache hair. It just takes time.

- Sometimes, you get your first changes rapidly and then hit a lull, where it feels like the changes have stopped. That’s normal but things are still changing, they’re just less obvious.

- I have a private folder labeled “transition” where I keep all my updates so I can look back and be like “yeah, thats definitely changed”

- If your period doesnt go away after several months, go back to your doctor and talk to them. They may choose to raise your dose.

- Excersize before your start if you can. When you start, you’ll be able to gain muscle easier and it just feels amazing.

- T IS NOT A WEIGHT LOSS DRUG. If anything, you might get heavier because muscle mass is heavy. Your apetite might also spike, which can cause weight gain.

- If you start until your voice starts dropping and then stop, your voice will permanently sound like a pubescent boy and its not cute. It will be crackly and hard to sing, and just. That’s why i dont reccomend using it if you want androgyny.

- Your voice can keep dropping for years. Literally.

- Voice pitch analyser will tell you what your pitch is, whether its male or female sounding. It makes a chart so you can track your progress.

- Some changes take a LONG time. Your waist takes time to lose its curves, your face takes a long time to change, facial hair may take a long time. Be patient.

- Sometimes on T, you still get misgendered. It’s one of those things, it doesnt even necessarily mean you’re not passing.

- IM is definitely intimidating, but it’s really not as bad as it sounds. I prefer it because sub-q tends to cause itchiness and stuff. I won’t say one is better than the other, it’s personal preference. 

- It will take at least 5 years of T for all of the effects to be “done”. It’s most dramatic in the first 2-ish years though. Think about it- how long does it take for a cis boy to finish puberty? 5+ years? 

- You might get taller on T but don’t count on it. People who start T as minors generally grow maybe an inch. That said, I started T at 17 and 5′3″ and I was measured again 18 months on T and I was 5′6″. It’s unpredictable. 

Pick the binder you want online, add it to the website’s shopping cart and start to check out until you find how much it costs with shipping and tax.

Save up enough money to buy the binder. Make sure you have a few dollars extra, to buy the card itself and just incase.

Go into a store and buy a prepaid VISA card. They have them at lots of stores, even CVS. (You can also ask a friend to do this if you can’t get to a store on your own)

Buy the binder online. If you don’t have access to a computer at home, use one at the library.

Clear your internet history if you’re at home. Make sure the invoice is sent to an email that only you have access to.

Ship it to a consenting friend’s house or an accepting relative, if you have one. Or ship it to your own house and say you bought a present for someone. You may have to go to a store in person and buy a physical present to then gift to cover up that it wasn’t in the package.

Hide it when you get it.

Handwash it when it gets dirty. Or start doing your laundry yourself.

Bring it in a bag with you to change into it when you’re out of the house.