I have not posted here in a very long time. That's mostly because my transition has been in a sort of stasis. I'm aging and dealing with things that come along with that. My body aching, etc.
My hair has been thinning increasingly these past few years. I began taking finasteride last July in attempts to curb that and retain what I have left. I don't have a bald spot or even a drastically receding hairline, just very thin, fine hair which I now just keep very short out of necessity.
I am not super happy with the overal asthetic results of my chest surgery. It definitely did the trick of flattening my chest, but the nipples are strange shapes and misaligned. I've gained roughtly 20 pounds since surgery, and while I can be okay with the excess fat in other areas, it makes my chest look wonky. Especially since there is more on one side than the other. Because of these things, I'm considering a revision. Possibly a double incision or anchor type to be sure to properly remove all the offending tissue and resize my nipples. I'm sure my pectus excavatum will be a hinderance, but I just want something that looks a bit more normal. I have had the thought over the years that the double incision scars are such a trans masculine standard that I'm sort of sad to not be a part of.
Other news: I'm scheduled for a full hysterectomy (full = ovaries, fallopians, uterus and cervix removal). This is something I never really considered as a thing I'd go through with, as the organs themselves don't really bother me. I have an IUD and it certainly serves its purpose, but I do gets some unpleasant cramping after sex in certain positions. I should be (and have been) on a lower dose of testosterone. When I was, years ago, I ended up getting a menstrual cycle back a couple of times and that was horrifying. Especially because it was unexpected. I'd like to go back to the lower T dose for a couple of reasons. One, it might affect my hair loss in a positive way. I also might be able to finally leave the acne behind. I am not certain the origin, but I have never been without acne. It was very bad for my fist puberty in my teens and again for a couple years after starting testosterone, but it has never gone away. Perhaps a lower T dose will help.
There are a couple of worries I have with this surgery. I have heard wildly different recovery times. From back to work in 4 days to 6 weeks off in bed. I know it varies by individual. I will abide my my surgeon's suggestions. I tend to heal up quickly with minimal pain. I've had 2 rounds of chest surgery, a rotator cuff repair, an appendectomy, and a toe surgery within the last 5 years. I've been back to work (without heavy lifting) in 2 weeks or less for every one of them.
Another worry is sex. Abstinence post op. Lubrication. Sensation. I won't detail everything, but it's definitely a concern. Again, one that has so meny varied experiences.
Lastly, I will not ever have the option of stopping testosterone. I have vague worries of societal collapse or being stranded on a desert island or some such. I mean, I guess in those scenarios, I'd have a lot of other things to worry about and can expect a shorter lifespan to result from a variety of causes.
Summary: pros of the operation are lowering my T dose to possibly help with hairloss and acne. Stopping internal cramping and potential menstruation and pregnancy. No chance of a couple kinds of cancers. Cons are post op healing and abstinence. Possible adjustments in regards to sex. Potential catastophic affects of being hormone-less longterm.
I'll try to update this as I'm healing up.
