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The next chapter begins, I am transitioning.
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2024-07-26 at 6:16 PM UTC
Originally posted by the man who put it in my hood https://diyhrt.wiki/
What is HRT?
HRT stands for hormone replacement therapy.
For transfeminine people, this usually means trying to replicate the hormones found in cisgender women. People who are assigned male at birth (AMAB) will have higher testosterone levels and lower estradiol (estrogen) levels compared to those assigned female at birth (AFAB).
The purpose of HRT is to decrease testosterone levels and raise estradiol levels to levels comparable to that of healthy cis females. This is usually accomplished using antiandrogens (blocks testosterone and prevents masculinization) and estradiol (causes feminization).
In this guide, you will see the terms estradiol and estrogen used interchangeably. Estradiol is the main human female sex hormone, and is a type of estrogen. Traditionally, you don't directly administer types of estrogens other than estradiol (E2), so the rest are not relevant for this guide to discuss. Estradiol is later metabolized by your body into esterone (E1) and estriol (E3), and these are optional blood tests that you can get, but aren't necessary.
What does it do?
HRT will give a myriad of changes. Here is a chart showing all of the changes you can expect, along with typical onset times and when effects reach their maximum.
Keep in mind that all forms of HRT will likely make you infertile, possibly irreversibly. Consider sperm banking if this is a concern.
Accessing Prescribed HRT vs DIY:
Prescribed HRT:
If you are in the US: you can try informed consent (Planned Parenthood locations offer this service), or any endocrinologist that allows it. Informed consent is essentially an easier method of obtaining HRT without having to go through multiple psychologist/psychiatrist assessments (essentially having to 'prove' your transness), or be actually diagnosed with gender dysphoria. You just sign a consent form and that's it.
You have to be 18+ to access informed consent services in the USA. Here is a community-compiled worldwide map that shows clinics offering informed consent: Erin's Informed Consent Map with particular focus on clinics in the USA. Many new mobile apps and telehealth services in the USA also offer informed consent access to HRT, see this short document for a full list for all current app/telehealth HRT services in the USA: diyhrt.wiki/apps.
To save on prescribed HRT in the USA, try goodrx.com for free coupons to use at participating pharmacies. There are no strings attached to this service! Cost Plus Drugs is also a good source for affordable medications delivered to you by mail if you have a doctor's prescription.
You have to be 18+ to access informed consent services in Australia. Dr Johnathan Hayes (click here) is an Endocrinologist in St. Leonards that offers Informed consent.
If you are in the UK: GenderGP (if you can afford it) is a private healthcare service aiding transgender people in getting on HRT. It uses a model similar to informed consent and asks about your plan for transition. Unfortunately, they have a bit of a reputation for giving rather undesirable dosing regimens and not following clinical guidelines, and can be quite expensive.
Beyond this point, this guide will focus exclusively on how to safely dose, source, and administer DIY HRT.
DIY:
DIY HRT refers to any HRT that is obtained without a prescription.
Ideally, you would be on prescribed HRT through legit means. However, you may not have the privilege or means to access prescribed HRT, so this guide may be of use for you.
If you are willing to attempt DIY, it is a preferable option to not being on HRT for many.
If you do not want to be on waitlists, have to prove your transness while allowing your body to masculinize, or are unable to get HRT legally, DIY may be preferable.
Depending on where you order from, you may need to find out how to buy Bitcoin/other cryptocurrencies or find a way to send an international bank transfer, Moneygram, etc.
In some countries, HRT medications are sold over the counter without the need for a prescription.
For the majority of individuals, DIY HRT commonly entails buying legitimate pharmaceutical-grade medications from foreign companies located in countries that permit the sale of medications internationally.
Homebrewed vs Pharmaceutical Grade?
Homebrewed - Refers to HRT produced by individuals, by sourcing raw estradiol ester/bicalutamide/etc powder and compounding the medication themselves. They do not synthesize (create from scratch) hormones. While the concept sounds scary, there are a couple well respected members of the community that produce high quality and safe HRT medications. However, homebrew will always carry more inherent risk, so keep this in mind.
Pharmaceutical grade - Refers to HRT produced by legitimate pharmaceutical companies that are licensed and subject to regulation. They are the same quality as those found in your local pharmacy. They can be ordered without a prescription from companies that are based in countries that allow for the legal exportation of such medications. These will almost always carry less inherent risk versus homebrewed hormones.
If you want to acquire DIY injections that aren't prohibitively expensive/difficult to source, homebrewed injections are the only options available.
It is highly recommended to always try to order from non-homebrew sources unless cost or logistical concerns make it unfeasible to order from pharmaceutical grade sources. Pharmaceutical grade HRT is always safer, and we highly recommend you choose to buy from these sources. 90%+ of trans feminine people who are on DIY HRT order from pharmaceutical grade sources.
What forms of estradiol are there?
There are many forms of estradiol, each with their drawbacks, pros, and levels of ease in terms of obtaining them.
This section does not cover dosing (see the Dosing section for more information). Given prices are rough estimates for DIY sourced HRT.
Prices below are in $USD. Shipping usually goes between $10-35 USD depending on the source. It's best to order at least several months worth at once to offset the shipping costs.
Pills - $20-$40 per month ($240-480 per year)
By far the most popular and well known, pills are the easiest to come by if you choose to DIY. Unfortunately, they tend to be somewhat expensive. Choose bioidentical estrogens (bioidentical means the pills contain the exact same estrogen produced by human bodies).
Bioidentical estradiol pills usually come in three forms:
Estradiol hemihydrate (e.g. Estrofem, Estrace) is equivalent to estradiol (mostly sold by homebrewers). Estradiol valerate may also be found in pills. (ex: Progynova) Estradiol valerate has about 75% of the potency of estradiol or estradiol hemihydrate.
Avoid non-bioidentical estrogens such as Premarin or Ethinylestradiol (EE). These carry elevated thromboembolism (blood clot) risks compared to bioidentical estrogens.
Pills also tend to be quite convenient to take. Also very easy to acquire if you choose to DIY.
Oral pills:
Oral intake is simply swallowing your pills. Usually twice per day in ~12 hour intervals. Results in more stable levels versus sublingual/buccal administration.
Sublingual/Buccal pills:
Sublingual intake refers to placing a tablet under the tongue and letting it dissolve, and buccal intake refers to placing a tablet between your gum and the inside of your cheek to dissolve. These two administration methods are interchangeable and have essentially the same results.
Sublingual/Buccal administration causes higher peak levels of estradiol in the blood that quickly dissipate. Because of this, it is recommended that sublingual administration be three (or more) times a day, in 8 hour intervals.
Transdermal - $30-$45 per month ($360-540 per year)(patches)
Transdermal (estradiol applied to the skin) comes in forms like gels, patches, solutions, etc.
Patches are typically switched out once to twice a week and are designed to give out a set dose of estradiol every day. Usually applied to the lower stomach or upper buttocks.
Prescribed gels typically come in packets or in a pump that dispenses a set amount each time. Estradiol gels are compounded in an alcohol base to increase absorption. Usually applied to the skin once per day. Squeeze tube style gels that aren't properly dosed are not recommended due to difficulty of accurate dosing. Unfortunately most gels available from DIY sources are in this category.
Solutions are usually sold from homebrewers, containing estradiol in an alcohol-based solution that is applied to the skin, usually in an eyedropper style bottle.
Estrogen Creams are not very relevant to transfeminine people because of the low absorption rate into the bloodstream and the difficulty of accurate dosing.
Injections - $100-$200 per year
There are certain esters estradiol is commonly compounded in. Estradiol is esterified in order to last longer in your body.
Raw estradiol injected into your tissues will very quickly dissipate, which is why estradiol injections all come in ester form. It's still just estradiol, your body just slowly converts it into estradiol from its esterified form.
Estradiol valerate, estradiol cypionate and estradiol enanthate are the most commonly prescribed and used estradiol esters. They all have different half lives (time it lasts inside the body before half the medication is metabolized).
Assuming you inject the same amount of estradiol, esters with shorter half lives mean the levels of estradiol in your blood and tissues will be higher, but for a shorter period of time.
An ester with a longer half life means you will have to inject a bit more to get to those same peak levels, but also means you can inject less frequently.
Estradiol Valerate's (EV) half life is about 3.0 days. EV should be injected every 5 days.
Estradiol Cypionate's (EC) half life is about 6.7 days. EC should be injected every 7 days.
Estradiol Enanthate's (EEn) half life is about 4.6 days. Although research suggests that the peak of EEn comes later than EC. Essentially, treat EEn as similar to EC, with EEn possibly lasting longer. EEn should be injected every 7-10 days.
Detailed information on estradiol injection dosing will be found later in this guide in the Estradiol injection dosing section.
Valerate is typically prescribed by doctors, with cypionate being occasionally prescribed. Cypionate and Enanthate are most commonly found sold by homebrew estrogen sellers.
Pellets - N/A
Estradiol pellets are implanted into the body (usually the butt) and slowly release estrogen into your body over the course of many months.
This cannot be found from DIY sources (obviously).
These are more experimental in terms of dosages compared to the other more common methods. You can get them implanted if your insurance covers it (or if you're very wealthy). Because they slowly dissolve and release estrogen over time, you don't have to worry about missing a dose.
They last about 3-6 months. Most doctors that offer pellets compound them to give a patient quite a high dosage of estradiol.
What are the different types of antiandrogens?
⚠️ Note:
All of these should be swallowed unless stated otherwise.
Spironolactone (AKA Spiro) - $10-20 per month
Spironolactone is a weak antiandrogen, albeit quite safe.
Common side effects include increased thirst, salt cravings and frequent urination.
Can be taken alongside a regular HRT regimen as an experimental erection-prevention drug if getting erections is bothersome due to its blood pressure lowering effects (recommend 100-400mg/day¹ for this (start low)).
Not recommended as a first choice of antiandrogen due to its weak anti antiandrogenic effects.
❗ If you are currently taking spironolactone, and your total testosterone (T) levels are under ~30ng/dL, you can almost certainly stop taking spiro at that point. The estradiol is doing most of the work of suppressing your T.
Cyproterone acetate (AKA Cyproterone, Cypro) - $5-20 per month
Cyproterone is a very effective antiandrogen when combined with estrogen.
High doses should be avoided due to a harsher risk profile.
Keeping under a certain dosage is important, especially considering that cyproterone is usually sold in dosages 4-8 times that of recommended dosages for transfeminine individuals (get a pill cutter!).
Bicalutamide (AKA Bica) - $15-40 per month
Bicalutamide is a very effective antiandrogen, moreso when paired with estrogen. It works in a unique way by preventing testosterone from having an effect on your body, but it does not actually prevent your body from producing testosterone. Ironically, this will increase your blood testosterone levels (your body thinks that you have zero testosterone inside you and tells your testes to produce even more), but don't worry, all that extra testosterone can't do anything.
People tend to report bica being better at preserving penile function, libido and semen volume better versus other antiandrogens.
In cis male prostate cancer patients, bicalutamide has about a 1/4000 chance of causing either severe liver or severe lung toxicity. All published case reports of either severe liver or lung toxicity have been in cis men over 59 years of age. Despite this, it's likely that trans women still face a much lower but still present risk.
It's strongly recommended to get liver function tests every 3 months if you take bicalutamide.
GNRH Agonists - $270 per year (For Busrelin)
Extremely safe and effective antiandrogens that prevent your testes from producing testosterone. Commonly referred to as puberty blockers, they work just as well at blocking T for people who have gone through a full AMAB/testosterone puberty.
Unfortunately the most powerful forms are not available from DIY sources due to being prohibitively expensive.
An GNRH agonist called buserelin can be found DIY, but its administration method can be quite annoying (sprayed into the nostrils 3 times a day).
Estradiol Monotherapy - $100-$200 per year
Monotherapy means to only use one type of medication. As such, estradiol monotherapy means using only high doses of estradiol to suppress your body's testosterone production, as estradiol itself functions as an antiandrogen.
High enough levels of estradiol in the body is enough to cause your body's testosterone production to lower significantly. This is usually only easily achievable with estradiol injections, which allow a person to more easily achieve high estradiol levels versus other methods of administration.
Some people are able to maintain an estradiol monotherapy regimen using transdermal estrogens, but this is less consistent and more difficult to achieve. Transdermal estradiol monotherapy is not recommended due to these reasons.
Attempting estradiol monotherapy using non-injectable or transdermal forms of estradiol such as pills carry an elevated risk of blood clotting, and we recommend you do not try this.
The vast majority of people on a decent estradiol injection monotherapy regimen (only taking estrogen, no antiandrogen) are able to suppress testosterone levels adequately without needing to take antiandrogens.
Side Effects/risks:
⚠️ Important Note:
When you google a medication talked about here, you will probably see a massive list of side effects, in the context of antiandrogens, most of these effects (like hot flashes, fatigue, bone density loss, etc.) are actually just side effects of sex hormone deprivation seen in cis men who take antiandrogens without an estrogen for the treatment of prostate cancer. You will not see the effects of sex hormone deprivation if you take estrogen with your antiandrogens.
All forms of HRT will likely make you infertile, possibly irreversibly.
All recommended tests mentioned in this section can be tested from blood samples taken during a regular blood test. You don't have to get fancy expensive tests.
Estradiol
All forms of estrogen will increase your risk of blood clots (thromboembolism), including serious blood clots (e.g. deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism). The likelihood of this is still very low in absolute risk but it is present. The risk of getting blood clots on HRT is essentially comparable to that of cis women if you take a modest HRT regimen.
Higher levels of estradiol means higher blood clot risk.
Assuming the exact same blood levels of estradiol, taking oral estradiol will carry a higher risk of causing blood clots versus other forms of administration (due to oral estradiol being metabolized through the liver).
However, because of the higher levels of estradiol in your blood that other methods usually result in (transdermal, injections, etc.), the unique risks of oral estradiol aren't particularly relevant in practice.
Spironolactone:
The main reason I recommend against spironolactone is because spiro is a very weak antiandrogen. There are just better options out there.
However, it's very safe, but common side effects include increased thirst, salt cravings and frequent urination due to it being a diuretic (makes your body get rid of water faster).
Spiro is also known to reduce blood pressure, which can make it hard for some people to attain erections.
Ideally you should get U&E (urea and electrolytes) tested for (see if you're dehydrated, basically) if you are on spiro.
If you are predisposed to developing hyperkalemia (elevated potassium levels), you should also get your potassium levels tested regularly if you take spironolactone, as spiro can cause your body to retain more potassium.
For the vast majority of people though, this is not a relevant concern.
Cyproterone acetate:
Extremely high doses of cyproterone, mostly found above 50mg/day and 100mg/day can cause a myriad of different harsh side effects and risks, mainly prolactinomas and meningiomas (small benign brain tumors).
At dosages relevant to transfeminine people (6.25-12.5mg/day) the risk profile is much different. The same risks are still present but much lower at smaller doses.
Cyproterone is also known to slightly increase blood clot risk, although the increase in risk is quite low at dosages used in trans people.
Cypro may increase the risk of B12 deficiency and slightly increase depression risk. Despite the relative safety at these doses, ideally you should still get prolactin (PRL) and B12 tested to make sure it's within a healthy range. These risks are cumulative (risks gradually get higher the longer you stay on cyproterone).
Bicalutamide:
Due to dysphoria, some transfeminine people do not want to experience a higher libido and an easier time getting erections. These are things that bica tends to preserve better than other antiandrogens. Some may see this as a beneficial effect, however.
not reading all that shit
but i'll quote it to waste bandwidth -
2024-07-26 at 6:34 PM UTCBioTE®
Founded in 2012, Biote has experience phenomenal growth over the last decade. The Biote state-of-the-art training facility hosts physicians, healthcare providers, and medical staff members monthly during the Biote Method learning and certification process. To date, more than 7,100 medical practitioners have successfully completed Biote’s rigorous curriculum and clinical training program and Biote Certified Providers have inserted over 4 million pellets to date. Dr. Donovitz began his own personal practice in 1985 and has sought to provide each patient with compassionate, high-quality care for more than 30 years. He has since dedicated himself to pioneering BHRT, and more specifically pellet therapy, through founding Biote. He has written two books and numerous articles on the subject and consistently conducts testing to evaluate the effects hormone replacement therapy has on aging and the human body. He is now an internationally recognized leader, speaker, educator, and advocate of hormone optimization. At the frontier of bioidentical hormone replacement research for more than 20 years, his company Biote is a leading innovator in subcutaneous hormone pellet therapy.
swimswim gonna break into their mainframe and steal the patents for subcutaneous hormone pellet therapy. This is BIG $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ -
2024-07-26 at 6:36 PM UTC
In principle, a preparation according to the. present invention which exerts a strong initial and subsequently a prolonged hormone effect consists in preparing pellets, tablets, small cylinders, pills and other structures which can be implanted easily into the body, with hormone particles of different particle size and/or different absorbability. Such pellets and the like are composed, for insize crystals, for instance, of crystals of more than 0.01
mm. diameter, while their outer layers covering the core I partly or completely, consist of particles of a size less than 0.01 mm. diameter or of crystals which are readily binding agent soluble in the body fluids, and a core is formed from such particles around which a coating consisting of finer hormone particles moistened likewise with a concentrated solution of a binding agent which is readily soluble in the body fluids, is placed in a suitable manner. The outer layer may consist of a water-soluble hormone with a suitable binding agent. As binding agents there may be used cellulose ether compounds such as methyl cellulose and others, gum acacia, sugar syrup, blood serum, agar, tragacanth, and the like. After drying the resulting two part pellets under suitable conditions a pellet is obtained which on implantation will first release very rapidly the hormone in the outer layer due to the large surface of the small particles or the solubility in body fluids of the water-soluble hormone, thus, causing an initial shock-like effect, while the-core, due to the larger particle size of the hormone present therein, will be absorbed more slowly, thus, effecting a more prolonged action. In principle, the composition of a bipartite pellet according to the present invention must be such, that, after implanting the same, it will be capable to separate into a crystal mixture consisting of discrete particles of different size and, hence, of different absorbability by the body. Implants of this type do not possess the disadvantages of the known implants which consist of a solid, coherent mass of the hormone in question, because shortly I Preparations according to the present invention are preferably produced with the'natural follicle hormones such as estradiol, estrone, estriol, and their derivatives, especially their esters, such as estradiol benzoate, estradiol dipropionate and the like and with synthetic compounds having the activity of such estrogenic hormones, for instance, compounds of the stilbene series, such as diethyl stilbestrol, di-(p-hydroxyphenyl) hexadiene, di-(p-hydroxyphenyl) hexane and their derivatives, especially their esters, but also compounds such as ethinyl estradiol, doisynolic acid, equilenic acid and the like, di-(p-methoxyphenyl) phenyl ethylenebromide and others more. Di-.
(p-rnethoxyphenyl) hexadiene has proved of special value I because, on account of its specific crystal structure, it is capable of forming especially suitable preparations.
Bipartite Hormone Pellet Preparation
Objective:
To create a bipartite hormone pellet that provides an initial strong hormone release followed by a prolonged effect. The pellets are composed of hormone particles of different sizes and/or absorbability, allowing for an initial rapid release and a sustained release over time.
Materials:
Hormone Substances:
Estradiol
Estrone
Estriol
Estradiol benzoate
Estradiol dipropionate
Diethylstilbestrol
Di-(p-hydroxyphenyl) hexadiene
Di-(p-hydroxyphenyl) hexane
Ethinyl estradiol
Doisynolic acid
Equilenic acid
Di-(p-methoxyphenyl) phenyl ethylenebromide
Di-(p-methoxyphenyl) hexadiene
Binding Agents:
Methyl cellulose
Gum acacia
Sugar syrup
Blood serum
Agar
Tragacanth
Solvents:
Water (for water-soluble hormone solutions)
Ethanol (for non-water-soluble hormone solutions)
Equipment:
Tablet press
Granulator
Drying oven
Sterile implant containers
Preparation Steps:
Core Preparation:
Select the desired hormone or a combination of hormones.
Create a suspension of the hormone particles larger than 0.01 mm in diameter in a suitable solvent (water or ethanol).
Add a binding agent (e.g., methyl cellulose) to the suspension to form a paste.
Mold the paste into small cylinders or pellets using a tablet press.
Dry the formed cores in a drying oven at an appropriate temperature to remove the solvent.
Outer Layer Preparation:
Prepare a solution of finer hormone particles (less than 0.01 mm in diameter) in a suitable solvent.
Add a binding agent (e.g., gum acacia or sugar syrup) to the solution to form a concentrated solution.
Moisten the dried cores with this concentrated solution, ensuring even coating.
Alternatively, dip the cores into the solution multiple times to build up the outer layer.
Dry the coated cores again in the drying oven.
Final Coating (Optional):
For an additional layer of protection and controlled release, a final coating can be applied using a water-soluble hormone solution and a binding agent.
Dry the pellets thoroughly after the final coating.
Sterilization and Packaging:
Sterilize the dried pellets using appropriate sterilization techniques (e.g., gamma irradiation or ethylene oxide sterilization).
Package the sterile pellets in sterile implant containers, ensuring no contamination.
Usage:
The bipartite pellets can be implanted subcutaneously.
Upon implantation, the outer layer will dissolve quickly, releasing the hormone rapidly and causing an initial shock-like effect.
The core will dissolve slowly, providing a prolonged hormone effect over time.
Notes:
Adjust the concentration of hormones and binding agents based on specific clinical requirements and desired release profiles.
Ensure all preparations are conducted under sterile conditions to maintain product safety and efficacy. -
2024-07-26 at 6:49 PM UTC
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2024-07-26 at 6:51 PM UTCFederal governments gonna pay for everything too yall, god bless the USA
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2024-07-26 at 6:52 PM UTC
Originally posted by Bradley As many of you know I have always been a bit eccentric. I have decided to come out to first my best friend, then my doctor and now the community. On my 31st birthday I will be starting HRT and transitioning to who I have always been on the inside. My pronouns are she/her.
Like I told my mom you guys can still call me Bradley but that may change in the future. I have thought about other names.
I am excited for my new future and hope you will continue supporting me on this new journey.
I will also be accepting money to help with costs related to my transitioning at
cashapp.com/bradleyb93
Onlyfans.com/bredbybradleyb
good luck -
2024-07-26 at 6:53 PM UTC
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2024-07-26 at 6:53 PM UTCi can't wait to start HRT tomorrow
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2024-07-26 at 7:07 PM UTC
Originally posted by Bradley Federal governments gonna pay for everything too yall, god bless the USA
This stuff should be extremely cheap, but it's not. Big pharma is really pulling the wool over on menopausal women who are the main consumer of HRT products and because only one company offers patented anal biopellets I bet they charge medical insurance thousands of dollars for something that can be made industrial bulk amounts for pennies on the dollar in a lab in India or China.
Paying $100 for an estrogen prescription is insane. Even the most advanced formulations should be $25 for a month supply and that should be more than enough profit for something that costs under a penny per gram to produce and formulate. I could easily run a factory selling for that price.
But that kind of competition would never allow big pharma CEO and lobbyists to own a fleet of private jets so they would never allow this scam to end. -
2024-07-26 at 7:10 PM UTCCan I be first to root you after the Operation?
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2024-07-26 at 7:33 PM UTCNot sure what that means, but I appreciate all the support everyone. I shaved today.
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2024-07-26 at 7:33 PM UTC
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2024-07-26 at 7:36 PM UTC
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2024-07-26 at 7:38 PM UTCThe following users say it would be alright if the author of this post didn't die in a fire!
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2024-07-26 at 7:42 PM UTC
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2024-07-26 at 8:06 PM UTC
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2024-07-26 at 8:07 PM UTC
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2024-07-26 at 8:07 PM UTCLocal homosexual turned transgender icon HTS is weirdly absent from this thread.
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2024-07-26 at 8:13 PM UTC
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2024-07-26 at 8:14 PM UTCThey were inexpensive, I have a clear pair that look significantly worse (IMO)
