Had my fourth Testopel procedure today. Waiting on lab results to see where my levels are sitting but I’m pleased with my #Testopel experience this far. #HRT #TransMasc #TransMan

#Testopel (#testosterone pellets implanted under the skin) is the first route of #masculinizing #HRT that stopped my menstrual cycle. Previously I’d tried compounded T cream, T gel, T patches, IM injection, and subQ injection (in that order) and none stopped my menstrual cycle. I had to use birth control for that, which had unwanted side effects. #TransMasc #TransMan

I’ve officially been on Testopel (aka “testosterone pellets”) for 3 years! 

Testopel is a form of HRT where tiny rice-sized pellets of testosterone are implanted in the body through a small incision in the hip / butt cheek area. The pellets release testosterone over a period of 3-6 months (the amount of time varies for each person.) I started taking Testopel in March 2020, after previously being on testosterone gel. I consider it a huge improvement from gel because my T levels have been more stable and I only have to worry about my hormones every few months instead of daily which is SO convenient and really helps with dysphoria.

Here is a thread where I talk about Testopel and my experiences with it. Feel free to ask questions if you have any.

#testosterone #hrt #transmasc #transmen #ftm #testopel #trans #transgender

#introduction

Hi I'm Adrian and I'm a proudly bisexual transgender man from NY. (he/him.)   This is my side account where I talk about being trans and provide support to other trans folks. (My main account is @catdad )

Here's a quick timeline of my transition:
- I came out in 2015, in my late teen years.
- I got a lot of backlash from friends, coworkers, and family after coming out. Luckily, my family has since come around and are now very supportive.
- I went about my medical transition through the "traditional route" of seeing a therapist, getting a gender dysphoria diagnosis, and getting a letter of approval to start hormones.
- I've been on testosterone since 2017. I started out with testosterone gel, then I later switched to Testopel. (Highly recommend.)
- I got top surgery in 2020. I also had medical tattooing done on top of my nipples to enhance the cosmetic appearance about 6 months post-op.
- I've had my legal name and gender changed.
- I generally "pass" as male in my daily life now that I've been on testosterone for years. I'm not necessarily "stealth" but people tend to assume I'm a cis guy unless I say otherwise.

Feel free to reach out if you have any questions, always happy to give advice. I will likely make threads going into more depth about some of the things I mentioned above (such as Testopel and medical tattooing).

Some of my personal beliefs:
- I am pro-solidarity and pro-kink.
- I am a binary trans guy and I fully support non-binary people.
- I support trans folks who opt not to physically transition or trans folks who transition in non-traditional/binary ways. (Basically, I'm not transmed.)
- I generally don't like to police the terms people use to refer to their identity. I sometimes call myself "transsexual" because I take pride in the physical aspect of my transition and I like how grounded in queer history the term feels.
- Although I pass now, I used to be very gender ambiguous when I first came out and I got a lot of backlash for it. So I feel strongly about standing up for gender non-conforming folks and "non-passing" trans folks. I hate when binary/"passing" trans folks throw other trans folks under the bus.

I may or may not update this post in the future if anything else comes to mind. Thanks for checking out my profile!

#trans #transgender #transmasc #transman #transmen #ftm #testosterone #testopel #topsurgery

So far the most annoying part of #Testopel is that the bandage adhesive over the implant site is a little itchy. #HRT #TransMasc

The numbness on the implant site is gone, but there’s no discomfort. I have to keep a bandage on for a couple of days and that feels a little strange, mostly so it doesn’t get wet in the shower. I’ve had more discomfort from IM injections due to bruising. #Testopel #HRT #TransMasc