If you are doing diy hrt using estradiol injections in Germany/Europe right now, what are your favorite / trusted sellers? (I'm on Estradiol Valerate right now, but I'm willing to try out different esters.)
Getting DIY HRT is actually extremely easy and legal!
(If you're unsure, check your own country's law.)
Worst thing that could happen is that your package gets lost.
Second worst thing is to pay tariffs. A very small amount of your total cost but the postage handling it will increase the cost arbitrarily but not enough to not make it worth it.
Some medicine like progesterone can be bought from online pharmacies around the world with your regular online payment.
These are regular stores that will ship to your address no problem.
Your hormones and hormone blockers are a bit trickier. People very rarely get them from a local homebrewer, most people get them online.
And all of these places only take crypto. You'll need crypto to buy HRT.
Don't fret, it can actually be more effective and alot cheaper than buying it on a prescription, even with insurance.
And as a added bonus, you don't have to be part of dehumanizing systems, you're in full control over your transcare.
I recommend injections for your hormones over anything else, it's very affordable, considering a 10ml vial can last you an year.
Pills, patches, gels, and sprays tend to be more expensive and less effective.
It's important to know, if you're allergic to any of the ingredients in any of the medicines, notably the oils in the injectables.
The blockers are alright to get in pill form. (I haven't tried getting them online yet)
I know injections can be scary, i don't like em' either but it is something one can get used to and it's absolutely worth it.
When buying DIY HRT, buy from sources others have used and recommend.
Depending on where you live, prescription HRT might not be in supply. Your doctor might downplay this and not care about the consequences to your body.
With DIY, you can stockpile what you need for a considerable amount of time.
Only being limited by the amount of money you're able to use to stockpile.
There's too many factors in why trans people chose DIY over prescription to list.
What you can take away from this, is that there are options for you outside the systems created by the machine.
Are there any non-binary folks out there who went through testosterone puberty and are doing low-dose fHRT?
I'm considering adjusting my current regimen (oral estradiol and spiro), but I'm curious where other folks in my situation may have landed. Insights on introducing progesterone into an endocrine system with a lot of T still floating around are especially welcome.
Boosts/tag-ins are definitely appreciated if appropriate, and direct replies are totally fine if you're not comfortable sharing this stuff publicly.
I am looking for resources, advise, studies, sideffects... basically anything on the topic of Feminizing HRT without or at least with very limited Breast Development.
I know that topical Androgens and SERMS like Raloxifen exist, but am really struggeling finding more detailed information for their usage/sideeffects and so on.
Does anybody here on Fedi has resources or experience with that particular topic? Boosts are highly encouraged.
EDIT: First off all thank you folks so much for trying to help me, be it with personal experience, the few scant studies or
boosting. I am still looking for more information , but I already got a lot thanks to you.
Further Information would be nice on:
Sideffects, Dosage and Combination of SERMs (Raloxifen), especially if could would work with Monotherapy/Injections.
Alternative Ways outside of Progesterone and SERMs to affect breast development.
Just finished watching Leeja Miller's latest video on new anti-trans rules in the US 🥺
Leeja referenced a Trans Relocation Guide, so we wanted to share this here for any US folks affected by this :TransHeart: :NonBinaryHeart:
Additionally, in case you're not already aware of it, there's a global, umbrella organisation called ILGA World that we recommend checking out. It's sub-divided into regional network organisations and has over 2000 member organisations.
ILGA-Europe produces a yearly Rainbow Map to rank European (and some adjacent) countries by LGBTQIA+ rights and equality.
If you are affected by the recent anti-trans rights actions taken in the US or elsewhere, please, please make a note of the above organisations, as well as the below websites about gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT):
Forgot to take my #progesterone last night and holy fuck, I can feel my frustration tolerance plummeting again.
It occurs to me, looking back on the last three or four years, mapping both my descent into #perimenopause and burnout, along with my kid's struggle with school and autistic burnout... Fucking hell.
I started #HRT last September. Should have started at least a year earlier.
It's been rough, folks. Like.. I haven't shared everything, believe it or not.
But, I'm just gonna say:
Any study of maternal suicidality should take into account the effects of perimenopause, #ADHD and autistic burnout.
Three years of daily selfies, strung together into a ninety-second timelapse, to document my hormonal transition.
I am so glad that I started this weird little project three years ago, part of the absolutely wild leap of faith that was starting HRT. I had no idea where I'd end up, but I hoped it would be something I wanted to share.
It's that time of (every couple) month(s) where I have to think about how I will take HRT for the proximate future and this time I am thinking about homebrewing estrogen gels (so far always only bought stuff other people made). Does anybody have any experience if someone as incompetent (and non-sterile) as me can do that? The tutorials I found (mainly this one) seem to indicate that it's quite reasonably easy (and cheap) to buy the ingredients in small quantities and make the gel.
PSA for my US trans friends: there's a Telehealth HRT clinic called QMed (QueerMed) that serves adults and minors in 47 states (excluding DC, unfortunately). They accept lots of private insurance (but not medicare/medicaid), and also offer a payment plan that covers appointments and lab tests for people without good insurance.
Their program is great for people going stealth or living in unsafe environments, as they don't need referrals or anything else from your primary doctor. They send all lab orders to a LabCorp location of your choice, and prescriptions are sent to any pharmacy. (I'm unsure if this includes mail-order pharmacies, but it does include chains like Walgreens and CVS that will ship your meds for a small fee.) In theory, the entire process can be private and zero-contact except for the labs.
They work with transfem, transmasc, and non-binary people, and many of their staff are themselves trans! They follow WPATH SOC-8 and target modern (cis-equivalent) hormone levels, while still being flexible enough to work with whatever your personal goals are. In my experience, their target seems to be "whatever makes you feel best within safe limits". With me, they've been willing to explore non-standard doses, injection schedules, and hybrid approaches as long as I can provide research showing it's effective or at least safe.
I can't speak to the transmasc experience, but I first started seeing them as a fem-aligned non-binary person who was already on oral Estradiol, Progesterone, and Spironolactone at mild doses. They had no issue with that, and later helped me increase those doses as I explored whether more "female" hormone balance would feel better. (still as part of a "non-binary" hormone plan!)
When I eventually realized I was binary transfem, they were just as understanding and helpful. They suggested changing Estrodiol forms to stabilize my levels at higher doses, and later helped me transition to injections when Spiro stopped working and other T blockers weren't an option for health reasons. (side note: they were actually willing to prescribe puberty blockers as an anti-androgen, but insurance wouldn't cover them and I couldn't afford the cost. I still think it's cool that they were forward-thinking enough to even offer that option, though!) I want to emphasize that I was not an easy patient for injections. I had severe needle-phobia, was clueless about the process, and proceeded to freak out many times over non-issues as I slowly learned how to inject. Through all that, they were patient, supportive, and never made me feel bad for panicking. Eventually I figured it out and even cured my needle phobia, for which they celebrated with me.
Now that I've finally achieved stable levels at the dose that feels best to me, they've let me transition to long-term HRT maintenance. This means 12-month prescriptions, infrequent tests, and minimal appointment requirements. This is something I was rather worried about, as my last provided never allowed long-term maintenance for various reasons. But with that, I'm now fully onboarded into the program and can speak to the whole experience. My overall opinion: QMed is the best HRT provider I've used, and the entire process has been smooth, flexible, and affirming.
The U.S. FDA is removing black box warning labels from hormone replacement therapy, based on "a robust review of the latest scientific evidence," FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said in a news conference. Here's more from NBC.
Comic page done in shades of mint green and black lineart in a simple, clean style. Jey is a nonbinary person in their 30s, with big rectangular glasses, short cropped black hair with a few greys and wears simple t-shirts and cargo shorts in the comic. Jey's partner Max is an agender person in xer 30s with short medium toned hair that brushes to the side, xey have a petite frame and wear tank tops and nice shorts in the comic. Narration: While on my honeymoon, I had a sudden and crystal clear realization. Jey and Max are sitting outside on a bench together, Jey is relaxing back into the bench's cushion. Jey is hit with a spark of inspiration. Jey: You know what? I think I want to try going on a low dose of T! Max: OH!! If you're sure, I've got your back. The two reach over the bench together to hold hands. Narration: I'm in my mid-30s now. I have a lovely supportive spouse and things just felt right to start. Jey and Max lean on one another lovingly. A pink ribbon covers the bottom that says: Read the rest on Oh Joy Sex Toy
I had a lead on estrogen for a friend, but the website I was looking at just got back to me: they do NOT ship to Canada.
Is there a domestic source I can get 2mg estradiol pills from? Last time she was on HRT, it was 6-8mg (memory isn't quite clear), and she is adamantly against the idea of using injectables. The idea is to order enough at once for an entire year (so, assume 8 for good measure).
Basically, I'd like to reduce the chance of customs fucking with the package, and I'd like to reduce the chance of something getting lost along the way.
I absolutely commend Hannah Bambra [writer, peer support worker and reproductive health advocate] for the nature of this article. It is the first one in MSM i've read for years & years on this important topic affecting swathes of women, that even mentions transwomen, let alone takes the trouble to explain & contextualise. Thank you Hannah! 🤗
Day 4 of feeling like an impostor. There’s other things that could be contributing, but I’m wondering how much is hormones.
Looking at my mood log, I had a similar low about four weeks ago. So who knows - maybe I’ve got a cycle now.
hey does anyone have any progesterone suppliers they can recommend? been on e for a several months now but im looking to also start prog. i wasn't too sure about any of the links on hrtcafe tho...
DIY just means not through a prescription / doctor, maybe you thought I meant "homebrewing" (i.e. compounding your own prog)?
If you are seeing a doctor (i.e. not DIY) you can just ask them to prescribe you prog, at least in the U.S. it's typical to be able to access oral biodentical prog gel capsules that can be safely used rectally for proper absorption.
I agree, I don't see any rules around sourcing - it's a common rule to protect the sources, however, and I'm just flagging the norm in case you run into trouble.
Have you checked out the Matrix HRT chatroom? That might be a better place for these discussions? 🤷♀️
does anyone know where a good place to order needles & syringes in the United States? I can't get mine refilled at the pharmacy for some reason and I need to do my estradiol injection in the next few days.
progesterone sources?
hey does anyone have any progesterone suppliers they can recommend? been on e for a several months now but im looking to also start prog. i wasn't too sure about any of the links on hrtcafe tho...