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trans resources
i'm a nb transguy so this will skew heavily in that direction. i'm not a medical professional. i'm just trying to aggregate information i find online and in my travels. as you probably know by now, medical professionals can be disappointing when it comes to trans health. this is my effort to get a better handle on my health and my body.
Testosterone Injections
- What size needle do I need? — You can use the same needle to draw and to inject, but since testosterone cypionate is kinda thick, it can take a bit for the goo to draw up into the syringe. It can be done, I'm told. Personally, I use a thicker needle to draw and a thinner needle to inject. 23-30G (gauge) seems to be the common size range. Mine are 5/8 inch long.
- Where can I buy needles? — Mine were prescribed, but it was more cost-effective to buy in bulk. You can buy them on Amazon (yuck) or see if they are available at your local pharmacy. On Amazon, you can get 100 needles for ~$10.
- Intramuscular? Subcutaneous? — I've been told my prescription only mentions intramuscular injection and not subcutaneous because testosterone usage for gender-affirming care is "off-label". Subcutaneous is when you inject into your fat instead of your muscle (intramuscular), like your tummy. You use different-sized needles for each purpose. Intramuscular can be longer. Ask your doctor!
- Hot tip: Cough when you inject. It helps with the pain and (for me) the hesitancy of literally stabbing yourself with a needle. I also find it helpful to play something in the background.
Top Surgery
hot diggity. your time has come. here are some resources plus my experiences thus far. note that your experiences may vary. for example, i live in a very blue state in the united states, so the opportunities i am offered may vary from yours. above all, always prioritize your surgeon's advice!
- Prep guide
- How do you pick a surgeon? — I really have no idea. I'm beyond lucky; I live in a place with a number of options. The best advice I've heard is to look up before & after photos and compare to your ideal results (either on their own website or r/topsurgery). You may like to schedule consults with multiple surgeons. Bring questions. Bring a friend to take notes for you. Ask how many top surgeries they have done, the rates of revisions, the best surgery for your anatomy, etc.
- Do I need anything before a consult? — Depending on your insurance, you may need a referral from your PCP for your top surgery consult to be covered.
- What happens at a top surgery consult? — At my consult, I was brought to a room by a nurse. They collected my family history and other personal information. Then the surgeon came in (serving absolute cunt). The surgeon asked what I was looking for and how long I had wanted top surgery. I took my shirt off to be examined. Note that the surgeon will touch your breasts, which may seem obvious but it's good to have a heads up. He really got in there (in a clinical sense). He told me where the incisions and nipples would be on my chest (which, interestingly, were higher up on my torso than I would have expected). Incision shape and size would be determined at surgery, but he assured me I would have two incisions (which I prefer) rather than one joined scar. After we were done, I met with the patient care coordinator who discussed what was needed by my insurance before moving forward.
- More on insurance — Again, this will vary by insurance, but I needed a "letter of support" from a PCP, mental health specialist, or other medical person before insurance coverage would be considered. The patient care coordinator estimated about six weeks before we would receive an estimate from insurance. ***UPDATE*** After four weeks, insurance sent me a letter via snail mail that my claim was denied due to lack of information. This is, of course, incorrect, and it tracks with the trend of insurance denying first and accepting later. I contacted the patient care coordinator at the surgeon, who is in contact with my insurance.
less hopeful but important things
trans art i like
other queer stuff