[bryony]

I may be wrong, but I think that I'm the only contributor in a similar situation to Charrie: that is, late middle-age ( a bit older actually) but settled in a male role with those I care about, whom I do not want to alienate or otherwise upset, AND (I was) suffering intense mental anguish: depression, anxiety, existential dread, symptoms of OCD, etc (yes, there was more).

To tell someone in that state to get their heads around their situation/relationships before doing anything to address the symptoms is frankly unrealistic. It's like telling someone who is going through any other kind of extreme mental or emotional turmoil to "get a grip" or "pull yourself together". It won't wash.

If, as I srongly suspect, Charrie is experiencing similar symptoms for similar reasons, then the only solution is either to take real estrogen or PM, so in this instance, practically, that means PM.

Either it will work to fix the symptoms or it won't, but I'm here to tell you that doing nothing is not an option.

If it does work, then having a clear head is the best starting point for further decisions.

From what I've read, there are far too many middle-aged men who let their emotional turmoil lead them down the path to transition, only to deeply regret it later. Using PM to fix the mental problems, if it works, makes the best of a really bad job.

B.