[Drew]

Lately I read so very much here about people taking prescription drugs to feminise. It worries me, I dont know where you get those and don't want to, in any country it's illegal and for a very good reason IT'S FUCKING DANGEROUS! !!!!!
Am sure some have gone the sensible way which from close friends I know is a long process and practically physiological rape from so called therapists to get the pharmaceutical help and medical supervision needed. Herbs aren't absolutely safe I know but pharmaceutical may kill you!
Getting fustrated that people are telling others how wonderful their hard core stuff is and possiby inspiring them to break the law and procure drugs that may hurt them.
Just me, flame on Drew if you want, I can take it, just concerned.

[DruLactin]

Lately I read so very much here about people taking prescription drugs to feminise. It worries me, I dont know where you get those and don't want to, in any country it's illegal and for a very good reason IT'S FUCKING DANGEROUS! !!!!!
Am sure some have gone the sensible way which from close friends I know is a long process and practically physiological rape from so called therapists to get the pharmaceutical help and medical supervision needed. Herbs aren't absolutely safe I know but pharmaceutical may kill you!
Getting fustrated that people are telling others how wonderful their hard core stuff is and possiby inspiring them to break the law and procure drugs that may hurt them.
Just me, flame on Drew if you want, I can take it, just concerned.

Idk about the others, i got mine from a pharmacy, with a prescription. I'm only speaking up because i just recently resurfaced and so I get the feeling i was the trigger for this thread.

both herbs and pharmaceuticals kill people. there's some variance in both categories, from licorice and premarin to bioidentical E and.... idk, what's a really safe herb, cilantro? Cayenne?

if people want the hardcore stuff, they'll get the hardcore stuff, and It's only wonderful if it works (which it does for many).

Just thought i'd weigh in.

-Dru

[HelloDiDi]

Nothing is truly safe, its not like endocrinologist is casting magic safety spells on the HRT they prescribe, the safety is the checkups, labs, professional input on what to do and how much. Oh and doctors aren't always the end it all, know it all what comes to HRT...

I'm doing the dangerous illegal stuff DIY because in my country there's insane waiting times, I've waited enough I think starting HRT on my own at the age of 37. Also doctors in my country prescribe ineffective HRT based on ideas back from the times there wasn't bio identical estrogens easily available. Read as in they make the mistake of prescribing often way too little E and way too much AA's which are way more potentially dangerous than bio identical estrogen is.

In my case, which one is worse, wait for 1-2 years to get aged, ineffective HRT and get professional help and control (=free labs.), or to read and self educate, get the under the counter grey market stuff from a trusted source and be on my merry way sailing on luck and listening to my body? Getting labs here before gender marker fix and going through the eternal trans clinic process isn't easy either as GP's don't want to do it and I have no access to the female clinic before my gender marker is fixed. So yea, I'm defending the choice to go on DIY hormone therapy when its the only sensible choice. The other "choice" is to wait and suffer, possibly end up depressed and suicidal. The latter are hard to keep at bay anyway, at least for a trans fem like me. Official route and doctors supervision is always better in a way that there's actual tangible help around, but its not as easy everywhere as to book an appointment and have it all dealt with. Not in the gatekeeper land like ours.

For me personally, its do or die trying, there is no choice... If I don't, I would likely end up dead anyway.

[Siman234]

Considered this for the three years I was on herbs, and yes, it is dangerous... If you don't mitigate it or expect your doctor to do everything for you. I don't think it's as dangerous as people make it out to be if you care about your own health, but it's definitely something worth noting.

I live in a place where trans care exists but where it's socially viewed as weird, it's hard to get care and even if I could, I'd be having to obey all doctors orders and I'd go bankrupt with medical costs in this country.

I view my approach as risky but mitigatable. In my eyes, a doctor is just someone with more knowledge and tools. I've spent many years reading up anecdotal reports here, scientific reports, fantastic trans resources provided by educational foundations, and learning about every single thing that can happen and what to do about it. By educating myself of the risk factors, what to watch out for, I've been able to know exactly the signs of anything bad happening. Check my breasts for lumps, every day. Stand up, exercise, make sure I don't feel tingling or spasms in my legs which might be dvt, cut sugar out of my diet, cut out fast food, in... A strange way, I've become far healthier because I put myself under the gun of a risky task, educated myself, and became hyperaware of all the bad things that can happen to my body. It's made me feel so much more confident that I can do things if I dedicate much time and effort towards them. It's made me healthier because I finally had a reason to care about my health. It's motivated me to care about my body, because I like it. Without transitioning, I might still be eating fast food and be on my way to cardiovascular problems.

I still reccomend getting blood tests fairly often, if you can. I'm slow on mine and get one a year usually. But I've been perfect on all levels every time, except slightly high testosterone and slightly low estrogen. But I feel I've fixed that.

As Didi said, it was either do it myself, or live the next 10-15 years in a version of myself I'm not happy with. If the situation arises, I would love to get on proper care. If the job situation in this country improves, if Healthcare improves. But I am not waiting for politicians and big business to decide when I get to transition easily. I'd rather put the risk on my shoulders than wait until I'm older and I've lost most of my growth hormone, and lived many years unhappy already. 

It's not easy, but I think the struggle improved many parts about me, besides my body and self image. It's taught me I can climb the rockiest mountain safely if I learn about it and dedicate myself fully to doing it.

Also, at least in the US, it's illegal only to force people to buy overpriced, us produced, identical to everywhere else drugs, to line the pockets of big pharmaceutical companies, I sincerely doubt it's to protect consumers in any way, although they'll tell you it is. Look at what we've done to insulin. It's instead to force you onto one or two brands of expensive estrogen.

But yes, if you expect to just start taking estrogen and an anti androgen and don't put the effort into learning what can happen and don't put the effort into your own body, things can go south. In this way, we become our own doctors.

Things can happen bad if you don't care about your body and expect your doctor to do everything too.

[Drew]

No single person triggered my post, it's just something I have seen a lot of lately and been thinking of for a long time.
Also I do understand why you do it, honestly I do, I think if I could probably I would be tempted but in my job it's absolutely not an option.
It just concerns me and getting it without a prescription well you cannot be 100 percent sure what you are getting even if the packaging looks legit.
Not going to back off on the importance of proper medical supervision whether it be pharmacy or herbs.
Alright if you get to the stage, those are real boobs of course a doctor will notice that, we all get sick and have to see a doctor occasionally and he/she will notice and there is no way to bullshit them, you have to tell them how you did it. Yes my doc is very angry with my self medication even though it's just herbal, very, very angry. However I get regular checkups and it's a massive weight off my shoulders to know if I'm endangering myself seriously I will be told.

[Siman234]

No single person triggered my post, it's just something I have seen a lot of lately and been thinking of for a long time.
Also I do understand why you do it, honestly I do, I think if I could probably I would be tempted but in my job it's absolutely not an option.
It just concerns me and getting it without a prescription well you cannot be 100 percent sure what you are getting even if the packaging looks legit.
Not going to back off on the importance of proper medical supervision whether it be pharmacy or herbs.
Alright if you get to the stage, those are real boobs of course a doctor will notice that, we all get sick and have to see a doctor occasionally and he/she will notice and there is no way to bullshit them, you have to tell them how you did it. Yes my doc is very angry with my self medication even though it's just herbal, very, very angry. However I get regular checkups and it's a massive weight off my shoulders to know if I'm endangering myself seriously I will be told.

It definitely is risky. Honestly I don't have any health insurance and haven't had a general check up in years. I probably should have one, but either way I'm glad to have taken my health into my own hands and it's honestly done wonders for my health becoming aware of every little thing happening with my body instead of using a doctor as a fallback. It is risky, but it was a risk I was glad to take for the results, and I've become more comfy with my health and body as a result. But I fully understand the fears of like, getting bunk drugs that do nothing, or harm you. I've looked a lot at hrt.cafe, this website congregates proven sources where diy trans users have ordered medication that has worked for them, and a crowdsourced source of this information does wonders.

I also fully respect the comfort found in a doctor, and I generally recommend that people do follow proper medical supervision to do this. That being said... people pushed to do it this way feel against the grain, and generally do the research. I'm sure there are some people that have messed their health or life up doing it this way, but I think people doing it on their own generally understand the risks and move to combat them, ultimately leading themselves to a happier, healthier lifestyle.

But that's never clean cut, everyone's story is different, and every story is fair and valid.

[Drew]

No single person triggered my post, it's just something I have seen a lot of lately and been thinking of for a long time.
Also I do understand why you do it, honestly I do, I think if I could probably I would be tempted but in my job it's absolutely not an option.
It just concerns me and getting it without a prescription well you cannot be 100 percent sure what you are getting even if the packaging looks legit.
Not going to back off on the importance of proper medical supervision whether it be pharmacy or herbs.
Alright if you get to the stage, those are real boobs of course a doctor will notice that, we all get sick and have to see a doctor occasionally and he/she will notice and there is no way to bullshit them, you have to tell them how you did it. Yes my doc is very angry with my self medication even though it's just herbal, very, very angry. However I get regular checkups and it's a massive weight off my shoulders to know if I'm endangering myself seriously I will be told.

It definitely is risky. Honestly I don't have any health insurance and haven't had a general check up in years. I probably should have one, but either way I'm glad to have taken my health into my own hands and it's honestly done wonders for my health becoming aware of every little thing happening with my body instead of using a doctor as a fallback. It is risky, but it was a risk I was glad to take for the results, and I've become more comfy with my health and body as a result. But I fully understand the fears of like, getting bunk drugs that do nothing, or harm you. I've looked a lot at hrt.cafe, this website congregates proven sources where diy trans users have ordered medication that has worked for them, and a crowdsourced source of this information does wonders.

I also fully respect the comfort found in a doctor, and I generally recommend that people do follow proper medical supervision to do this. That being said... people pushed to do it this way feel against the grain, and generally do the research. I'm sure there are some people that have messed their health or life up doing it this way, but I think people doing it on their own generally understand the risks and move to combat them, ultimately leading themselves to a happier, healthier lifestyle.

But that's never clean cut, everyone's story is different, and every story is fair and valid.

I can understand how it may be problematic living in a country without mandatory heath insurance. Something people like me probably take for granted and forget how fortunate we are.

[PaulaJ]

For some it is, others not as much. If you think it may be for you and there is a long process where you live, it would seem like getting the ball rolling on that wouldn't be a bad idea. It isn't really that dangerous under a doctor's care, but a lot of people hate trans people so they make it out to be more dangerous than it is.

It isn't that long of a process where I live, but I was still really hesitant about it and started with herbals instead. They weren't all that effective for me, but maybe are enough for some people. What they were effective in was getting me to realize HRT was worth the risks, not just physical but also social.

[MeganJ]

Yep it is dangerous but so are lots of other things. That's not to say people should just start popping pills but most doctors at least in the UK aren't all that clued up either unless they specialise in endocrinology.

My endocrinologist actually documented that I was very informed about self medicating and the risks involved and whilst I am now on prescribed hrt having a good knowledge about the risks and consequences wasnt a bad thing. My mental and physical health generally has actually significantly improved since I started hrt. I gave up alcohol, lost a lot of weight and quit smoking.

So yes it's definitely not for everyone but at the same time for some it's the only choice given poor access to healthcare or long wait times involved to access it. Self medicating for me has made it easier to get on prescribed hrt and get blood tests and my health monitored as a consequence.

I would never encourage anyone to try it or start but feel that sharing of knowledge and reliable sources is no bad thing to minimise harms in those who might make bad decisions or purchase from shady sources otherwise and might just go out and purchase on a whim.

Herbals are definitely not safer given lack of regulation about them and what goes into them. Plus they are likely to lead to excessive dosing given the lack of apparent effects.

So whilst I don't disagree that prescription meds are dangerous if are in the wrong hands but it isn't difficult to educate yourself about the possible effects both wanted and unwanted and ensure that any dangers to health are minimised.

Megan

[WendyA]

Prescription HRT is much safer than herbals, since there is no way to know how many heavy metals etc... are in the herbal shipments.  If you want a Doctor it is simple to go through Planned Parenthood or online @ Plume.  If you wish to do it yourself, simple estrogen monotherapy works well.  I've gone through HRT.Cafe and ended up ordering (multiple times without issue) name brand (Estradot) transdermal E patches and progesterone from InHousePharmacy.  The packages clear customs and are clearly labeled on the packing as non-restricted pharmaceuticals.  

I currently use Planned Parenthood (informed consent) and my insurance pays for the patches.  HRT of bio-identical hormones are not dangerous.  I recently had heart issues and had surgery, and the hormones I was taking was never an issue that was a concern of the doctors.