This is a new page which will contain information and links where appropriate regarding my transition from male to female.
I will include details of hormone therapy and surgical/medical procedures I have undertaken during my transition.
I have summarised my experience of undertaking Gender Re-assignment Surgery with Dr Suporn now I have returned from Thailand. All in all it was an enjoyable experience. Follow the GRS link below for details.
I hope that this new section of my website will be useful to other transsexuals who are preparing to transition.
Natalie xx
These are my own personal summaries of various categories related to my own personal experience of transition and I have included it as a guide. Everyone seems to have their own ideas about everything, so it best to stick to your own.
Hormones
The main feminising hormone for transition is estrogen. It does lots of wonderful things. You can change the outside of yourself by styling your hair, wearing make-up and suitable clothes, but only hormones can change you from the inside. Get ready for the emotional roller-coaster ride as well as the physical changes. The physical changes take time, it is necessary to have patience. Complete transition will take 5 years minimum, it doesn’t happen over night. Body shape changes to a more female appearance – the hips get bigger, breasts develop and facial changes occur.
I use Estraderm patches (150mcg twice weekly) and Estrofem tablets (2mg daily) as a source of estrogen. I also take spironolactone (200mg daily) as an anti-androgen. I also take Provera (10mg for 10 days each month). There is debate over whether progesterone is necessary, but most I know report a benefit from taking it. Better to be on the safe side, methinks.
Gender/Sexuality
This always seems to cause confusion. The important thing to realise is that gender and sexuality are not related to each other. Most males and females are heterosexual, as is the way that nature intended it, as it helps keep the species going. Some prefer same sex partners which is probably due to the way that natural diversity works. Being transgender confuses people as many think it’s related to sexuality. If you want to transition from male to female then you must want a male partner - complete nonsense! Being transgender is to do with gender identity alone. I feel more comfortable being as a woman. I’m not particularly attracted to blokes, never have been. Sex is ok, but there’s far more to life. Having good friends is far more important.
Hair
For me, one of the most important aspects to transition is hair. Unfortunately when you have no estrogen and too much of the other stuff you can end up with too little hair on your head and too much everywhere else. The stuff elsewhere has to be got rid off regularly and on the face permanently. The only way to be rid of facial hair is laser treatment and electrolysis.
I decided to undergo 6 sessions of laser treatment prior to living full time as a woman. Having to shave your face everyday is just not an option. Laser leaves the face quite red immediately afterwards and it takes a couple of weeks for the hairs to shed. This means going around looking like a third degree burns victim for a bit. Eventually after the fifth and sixth session virtually all the hair was shed. Laser is quite painful and feels like your face being splattered with molten metal.
I then started electrolysis as this is the only way to permanently remove the grey hairs and remaining brown hairs. I had this treatment every week of two hours at a time for 8 months. Without pain killers it feels like being stung by a wasp every time the needle goes into a follicle.
Body hair gradually lessens once estrogen and anti-androgens are taken over a long period. I find the best way to remove body hair (arms & legs) is to epilate. It is quite painful initially, as all the hairs are being extracted by rotating mechanical tweezers, but over time it gets much less painful if done on a regular basis (once a week). This is mainly due to the fact that only 20% of the hairs grow back initially.
As far as your crowning glory is concerned I have found that taking hormones has substantially improved it. My hair is a lot thicker than it was 2 years before and has even started re-growing at the temples.
Surgery
For me, gender re-assignment surgery (GRS) was a must. It is the only surgical procedure I will undertake, if possible. To me it means becoming complete as a woman. There are other procedures such as facial feminising surgery (FFS) and breast augmentation but I think its best to wait and see how things work out. My reason for this is because the feminising effects of the hormones occur over a lengthy period. Best to wait and see what develops. Surgery involves a lot of pain and money and there are never any absolute guarantees as to the outcome.