[Samantha Rogers]

All it takes is time, commitment, and lots and lots of money....lol

[jannet.duff]

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/03/08/fashion/for-some-in-transgender-community-its-never-too-late-to-make-a-change.html?referrer=&_r=0

She doesn't look toooo happy in those pictures, do you think? Possibly because of being broke now?

Still, a good job done by the famous Dr Spiegel.

That _is_ the thing. Even if (a) I didn't have people whom I care more about than me, I wouldn't even think about it unless I had a spare $100,000 !

I'm too aesthetic. If I couldn't be attractive (and I certainly can't ) then I might as well be an ugly bloke as an even uglier woman...

This is the kind of work that I'd need to consider it Nina Arsenault plastic surgery

Especially the bit with "Sonny" and the rib reshaping!

B.

Ahh what the hell... Did someone mention Dr Spiegel, love him!!!!

I apologize in advance but never underestimate the power of estrogen and the mind over the body... Less than year and a half ago...



12 days post op and 48K later... Im 46 and a hell of a lot happier now

Eva, you look astounding honey. I am very happy for you.

[bryony]

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/03/08/fashion/for-some-in-transgender-community-its-never-too-late-to-make-a-change.html?referrer=&_r=0

She doesn't look toooo happy in those pictures, do you think? Possibly because of being broke now?

Still, a good job done by the famous Dr Spiegel.

That _is_ the thing. Even if (a) I didn't have people whom I care more about than me, I wouldn't even think about it unless I had a spare $100,000 !

I'm too aesthetic. If I couldn't be attractive (and I certainly can't ) then I might as well be an ugly bloke as an even uglier woman...

This is the kind of work that I'd need to consider it Nina Arsenault plastic surgery

Especially the bit with "Sonny" and the rib reshaping!

B.

Ahh what the hell... Did someone mention Dr Spiegel, love him!!!!

I apologize in advance but never underestimate the power of estrogen and the mind over the body... Less than year and a half ago...



12 days post op and 48K later... Im 46 and a hell of a lot happier now

You look great, Eva! But correct me if I'm wrong, that is with a goodly amount of FFS, no? If so, it kind of proves my point. The face is the key indicator to a casual observer. I'd guess that it accounts for quite a percentage of the $48k ?

That's a huge amount of spare cash to find for most people.

But family does prohibit it and last but not least, age. No way would a 62 yr old look as good as a 46 yr old! Good for you!

I wish you every joy!

B.

[bryony]

All it takes is time, commitment, and lots and lots of money....lol

Ha ha! Starting at 18 wouldn't hurt either!

I think I'll rely on reincarnation... ;-)

B.

[GoneGirl]

Well now, not so fast. I'm 68 and began my transition about 18 months ago. I have not had any FFS yet, save one hair transplant and 3 facial hair clearings by electrolysis. I, too, never thought I could successfully transition to living as a female at my age, and having an unmistakably masculine appearance, but.......

Here I am less than 3 years later doing exactly that. It was the best thing I ever did from the standpoint of finding mental peace and happiness in my life.

Clara

[bryony]

Well now, not so fast. I'm 68 and began my transition about 18 months ago. I have not had any FFS yet, save one hair transplant and 3 facial hair clearings by electrolysis. I, too, never thought I could successfully transition to living as a female at my age, and having an unmistakably masculine appearance, but.......

Here I am less than 3 years later doing exactly that. It was the best thing I ever did from the standpoint of finding mental peace and happiness in my life.

Clara

Hi Clara,

I think the best way to explain the way that I feel is a analogy.... I have several friends who are committed Christians, and while I was brought up as a believer, I lost my faith many years ago in my 20s. When I was young and arrogant, I debated and argued the merits of atheism with my friends and acquaintances. However, as I get older, I find myself envying them, and would not wish to deprive them of their comfort. Their faith is sufficient, but I need the proof, like Doubting Thomas.

So too, I have to say that while I could not find happiness short of looking like a knockout (which means young as well as realistic), I would not wish any of you brave folk to feel anything less than the comfort that you have found. FFS could achieve part of it, but rejuvenation hasn't been solved yet... and I have no desire to be a 62 year old woman.

This is one of the reasons that I disagree strongly with the way that the autogynephile definitions were removed - they actually apply to me pretty much in every detail. My gender dysphoria is real, and can only be relieved by estrogen - yet my thwarted need is not to be just a female, but a desirable one - one which I would find desirable - which cannot happen.

The ship sailed that could have satisfied me a long time ago, and just as well too. Once I fell in love with someone who would never truly deal with it, I was pretty much doomed in the total happiness stakes. I could never be happy at a loved one's expense - or indeed, anyone's expense. (so perhaps there's a wee bit of Christianity still in me, eh?)

TTFN

B.

[EvaMarie]

Hey thanks Bryony... Yea the work with Dr Spiegel alone was $48K, thats not including everything else and it will likely be over $100K when its all done if I live through it all.... Its not really a choice though and its $$$ well spent to me

[EvaMarie]

Eva, you look astounding honey. I am very happy for you.

Thanks Jamie

[GoneGirl]

Bryony,
When I first joined BN, I was very much taken by your posts. They resonated with me. I, too, thought that I had the autogynephilia disorder that you speak of. I called it 'cross dreaming' which sounded less ominous, but I fit the Blanchard model. I, too, found mental peace when I started taking PM. I, too, thought that I could continue to live as a man with breasts, if necessary, and not succumb to power of transsexuality.

It didn't work out the way I hoped it would. Finding relief from the mental stress that testosterone poisoning was causing was wonderful, but at the same time the rising level of estradiol in my body unleashed a dormant female gender identity which was unrelenting in its need to be acknowledged and nurtured.

I will say that I was fortunate to avoid the many pitfalls that late transitioners typically encounter. I have a loving and supportive spouse and the resources without which it's very difficult to carry out an MTF transition successfully. Exchanging one form of misery for another even more onerous is not a good tradeoff. I appreciate your stand in that regard.

But once I set out on this journey, I discovered that I was not suffering the AGP mental disorder that Dr. Blanchard and others might have pinned on me; Dreaming of being a beautiful woman was just my way of coping with my gender dysphoria (cross dressing was not). The eroticism that accompanied those fantasies was induced by normal male levels of T. All it took was a shift in my A/E balance to set my true self free. Sure I want to be a good looking woman, what woman doesn't? But, beauty is fleeting, and I see no problem with growing old as a woman any more than growing old as a man except that as a woman, I will not carry the burden of pretending to be someone I'm not.

It all comes down to where you fall on the gender identity spectrum. I've always felt that being more or less in the center was the most troublesome.

Clara

[Marina Kits]

"...I have to say that while I could not find happiness short of looking like a knockout (which means young as well as realistic)..."

"...FFS could achieve part of it, but rejuvenation hasn't been solved yet... and I have no desire to be a 62 year old woman. The ship that could have satisfied me, sailed a long time ago..."

TTFN

B.

Kudos to all who do or are transitioning later in life but personally, I kinda agree with Byrony. Much to my frustration (as I pursue transition myself) I feel that between women and men, women are much more attractive when they are younger and decline in physical attractiveness as the age while men are uglier when they are young and become more physically attractive / distinguished / handsome as they get older ...to a point anyway. So, if I see my transition through to completion, I'll have traded my best chance at being a good looking person (I have not been blessed with attractiveness so far) for an almost guaranteed result of looking ...er, not so good as an older woman. Add to that the fact that I'm trans, which further hurts my odds of attaining that desirable feminine glow and add to that the fact that I'm not loaded with money... Basically all I have is literally, a dream and a prayer. Still, I'm heading in that direction - God help me :\

"testosterone poisoning"

I like that! I'll be adding that phrase to my vocabulary for sure.