Transgender Support Group
This community is here to support and help the large population of transgender people. If you or anyone you know identify as transgender, this is the place to share your feelings and experiences and speak with others who are going through similar things in their lives.
I am a female to male transgender. In the future, I really want to take testosterone when I'm older but I'm very afraid of needles. Like, I freak out whenever I see them and I freak out A LOT whenever I get a shot. This has been a problem for literally my entire life, so I don't know if I'll be able to get over this fear. But like I said earlier, I really want to take testosterone. Are there any other ways to take testosterone? Besides needles? If there are any other ways, please let me know. Thank you! :)
Well coming from someone who had that very issue and, at the time, 30 some years ago there was no other option, I had to simply get over my fear and a way that worked for me was to have someone teach me how to do it myself, and it worked because I am in control at
all times.
But I will tell you this, the shots are better for your system for myriads of reasons, among them, intramuscular the T gets absorbed better and your liver does not get compromised as much.
Yes, there are alternatives but I would not recommend them for the reason above and frankly, and I abhor saying this because it may sound insensitive but it's not: Feel the fear and do it anyway.
My advice is pretend this is your only option and work on your fear, you'll see that in time, all your other fears will also dissolve and this is the beauty of working through fears.
You know why am I saying this? Because we have a tendency of postponing work we should be doing on ourselves and there is no "when I am older, when I'm wiser, etc" because now is the only time we have, that's it!
So it comes down to this: How bad do you want it? If you'd rather live in fear then you do not want it bad enough, right? I know I sound insensitive but look at it another way, this is the result of 30 some years of T, after a while, you become very linear and extremely practical at these rather complex problems and fear is practically none existent or if it does present itself, you deal with it, instead of allowing it to paralyze you.
Wolf (FTM since 1987)
But I think he is greatly mistaken and I have read many reputable sources online about DVT from testosterone that never really poses as a threat for transmen. He is thinking about estrogen for transwomen. So I need to really take care of this. I am so willing to take the shot if that's the only way. I hate needles too, but I'll be darned if I let that keep me from being what I feel on the inside, on the outside too.
The main reason why I stress the intramuscular route is because androgel can cause a serious allergic skin reaction, the dermal patch also can cause a skin reaction, then in how many places will you end up using on your arm, then the pills can accelerate liver malfunction because they are ingested those become harder on the liver.
Just so you know, I have been on T for close to 30 years the intramuscular route and my liver panel is always great. The guys I know who have take the pills have had to go the intramuscular route after their liver panel looked very iffy, the ones on dermal and androgel (which has been known to cause blood clots) have had to go the same route as well eventually.
As for you, I know a guy with Lupus who has had no problems with the testosterone cypionate and it has to be this specific one because it is not a steroid and it has to be administered in slow increments, as follows: .25 cc the first three months every two weeks, .50 cc every two weeks, .75 cc every two weeks for subsequent 3 months, then 1 cc every two weeks for 5 years, then if your endocrinologist sees it fit, he will then recommend .50 cc every week for the rest of your life.
If your endocrinologist is not that well versed in theses issues, you need to go to your nearest gay community center and ask them if there is a clinic or health center who caters to transgender folks so you can ten find one who is familiar with your situation. That is how I have managed my transgender care.
I go every six months to get my blood tested for liver function, cholesterol levels and thyroid level because the T kicked off my thyroid big time. Also after a few years on T, I strongly recommend a hysterectomy to avoid the risk of ovarian cancer which T had been known to cause because T atrophies the ovaries. It is a fact of life, and if you have dysphoria and cannot imagine anyone going down there, you'll have to endure the pelvic exams every 6 months for the next five years anyway to avoid any problems T may be causing.
I see it as necessary check ups to ensure well being, like you would a car. I know of many trans men whose dysphoria has cost them their lives. Better be safe than sorry.
Wolf (FTM since 1987)
Thanks for the incredible feedback. You sure know alot about T, considering you have been on it for 3 decades! I never heard of testosterone cypionate. I will ask my endo about it. My problem right now is that my endo is totally confusing the risks of estrogen with testosterone. Particularly with DVT. He thinks because I had a history of it, I am unlikely to get on T.
So what I did is I gathered all the reputable resources I could find online about DVT not being a risk for transmen whether they are predisposed or not. I will get on T, even if it kills me. I just can't live like this, in a female shell, any longer, man. But more power to ya for transitioning!
-Sparky