[The First Aria]

I'm a little confused by the idea that herbal and synthetic approach differ to any great extent. The requirements to trigger female traits including breast development are well documented, herbal and synthetic products need to do the same thing to a male body to achieve the same results. There in no magic herb unknown to medicine that developes breast tissue alone, hence the long lists of herbs that some list as daily consumption in the hope to reduce testosterone and increase estrogen. This is exactly the results achieved by synthetic products. Most if not all of these herbs are of unknown origin, content or strength.
I'm not trying to influence others or hint that the path I have taken is the right one, just wanted to make the point that whatever we pop in our mouths or rub on our skin to alter our bodies can be life changing in so many ways.

No one here has said you were.... That is one of the reasons I decided to come out to my doctor.... The amount, length of time of consumption. I need a professional that has the knowledge and the tools to make sure I push the envelope, but not to the point of death, further damaging my heart ect.

And yes, herbs come from quite a few nefarious places or operations. Fast bucks, no controls scare the hell out of me. Especially with the results I want...

[dcdee]

I will try to drift off topic too much
Actually this thread is a prime candidate for a poll. It would be interesting to see the distribution of responses. I think you may get more responses if all the person has to do pick a response without making a comment.
See, my ADD is already kicking in.

How many of us here really want to be on hrt ?

I have been jumping back and forth over the fence for years. Herb, pharma, herbs, off, herbs pharma, off herbs. So, I guess the answer is yes i want to be on HRT.

What stops you ?

Nothing has stopped me truth be told. Like many married males, I have been taking various NBE products for years without my spouce's knowledge. I have used pharma when i worked overseas when i could get them over the counter. I was self medicating using the same published guidelines doctors rely on to prescribe dosage. I also monitor my own blod work using the same blood panels requested by doctors. If something is out of the normal range, I get a second blood test and take both results to the doctor


After all hrt now is pretty safe and available so what are the real reasons that stop us
Is it the final step to transition ?

It is a step, not necessarily the final step.

I view transition as a continuum that is unique to each individual. Once a person takes the first step to take on the identity of a different gender they have started down the transition road. How far they travel down that road is up to that person's individual circumstances. A person can transition and present passably as a different gender without taking a single doe of herbal or pharma estrogen. A person can transition mentally to a different gender by by taking herbal or pharma estrogen and still maintain the outward appearance of their original gender.

The wife

My wife is the primary family member whose opinion i really care about. My parents to a lesser extent. But children and siblings, who cares.

My wife has know of my feminine side since we met. At that time i was in male mode all the time with cross dressing as an occasional divergence. Over time my femininity has increased with use of NBE and Pharma. My increase femininity has seen ebbs and flows of resistance from my wife, with an increase of tolerance and acceptance developing over time.

In one heated discussion she said she she wanted a husband, not a sister. Later in that same discussion she also said she knew i could not stop being what I am. She is right, I CANNOT STOP. The switch has been flipped.

Opening Pandora box

The box has long been open. The question of transitioning has been answered. YES i want to eventually fully transition. The pace is just slow and steady, for everyones sake.

Our bodies could get used to it then need full transition doses

This response does not enter into my calculus.

My concern here is having to take herbs/pharma the rest of my life once I achieve the physical or mental gender equalibrium I desire

Are the herbs just practice transition products

Not to nit pick, but isn't NBE a form of HRT? We are using phytoestogens to manipulate our endocrine system to react in a manner that is consistent with the use of gender appropriate hormones. Isn't that the point and result of HRT? I digress.

NBE could be considered a gateway hormone for pharma estrogens because of their lower potency. Then again NBE can be the only products needed for those who do not want to go through SRS. So, calling herbs transition product seems to demean them falling into the montra of western medicine that only pharma will produce the physical and mental changes required to transition. As anyone who has experienced the positive effects of NBE knows, that propaganda is simply not true when NBE is used in effective dosage ranges.

Is the mental step, just to large

I have already made that psychological leap. I just need the physical to match the mental. Think NBE has help me make that leap and keeps me on an even keal. I know I need to stay on NBE or pharma to keep my hormones balanced. Do i like it, NO, bt that is the price of admission.

Thanks for listening

Christina

[flamesabers]

I would love the idea of hrt but with flame on this one

Especially after reading about a dr who has

3500 trans patients on hrt

None stopped yet

Scary

X

Julie

Julie,

If 100% of the patients intended to transition before seeing this doctor, I think the statistic of 100% of a doctor's patients transitioning after going on HRT is a bit misleading. If a large number of individuals like you and me went on HRT, this 100% statistic would drop no doubt. To what extent, I don't know.

[Katie]

1) How many of us here really want to be on hrt ?

2) What stops you ?

After all hrt now is pretty safe and available so what are the real reasons that stop us

3) Is it the final step to transition ?
4) The wife
5) Opening Pandora box
6) Our bodies could get used to it then need full transition doses
Are the herbs just practice transition products
7)
Is the mental step, just to large

This could be an important thread to many of us as many of us secretly crave the real hrt but there is a but ?

Look forward to responses

Julie

(numbers Mine, and added for clarity)

1. I do for Sure.
2. Nothing I`m already doing HRT, but sometimes sourcing can be a pain!
3. No, for me it`ll be SRS and hopefully not FFS as well.
4. So far so good, she`s behind me 100% and I have no secrets from her at all.
5. it`s took me Ages to try and get the damn thing open in the 1`st place! it was worth the effort
6. Herbs were the Key if you like, without them and my brain saying "Yaaay! you finally figured it out!!!" I wouldn`t have ever been able to take the lid off the box.
7. not too large no, not when you Know it`s what you Need. the Mental step that Is hard is accepting that you`re Trans, just trying to get your head around the idea! and dealing with any internal Trans-Phobia accumulated over the decades, That`s been the hardest part so far.

If you`re like Me (and plenty others) you`ll just Know if HRT is right for you or not, and there will be almost no price to high. there won`t be Any doubt whatsoever.
but I think doubts are there for a reason too, and should be seriously listened to if you have any!

[giggygig]

7. not too large no, not when you Know it`s what you Need. the Mental step that Is hard is accepting that you`re Trans, just trying to get your head around the idea! and dealing with any internal Trans-Phobia accumulated over the decades, That`s been the hardest part so far.

OMG; that is so true I think I will be dealing with this for a long time