I am a neurodivergent genderfluid femme. I am 30 years old.

I am relatively active. I weigh about 150lbs (68kg) and am 5'5" (165cm). I consume alcohol occasionally; I don't use other substances.

I have Factor V Leiden and Coagulation Factor II (genetic, increased risk of deep vein thrombosis). I had two separate DVT (blood clots), both in my left leg, about a year apart before beginning HRT. I have been taking a prophylactic anticoagulant (5mg twice daily) since the second DVT. I have not had another DVT since.

I experience complex health including:

- hypersensitive nervous system & sensory processing disorder (stuff hurts and feels a lot)
- thrombophilia (blood clots more easily)
- GI (tummy) dysfunction
- Anxiety, with a history of depression

Each of these (except the thrombophilia) has improved since beginning estrogen :3

Patches:
I first came out to my therapist on January 3rd, 2020. I began HRT in 2021. I was recommended transdermal patches due to my increased clotting risk. I started with Mylan 0.1mg/day patches that I replaced weekly. The patches were large and uncomfortable, causing a serious rash. I switched to Dotti 0.1mg/day patches on August 2, 2021. This brand was smaller and much thinner but needed to be changed twice weekly. I am still using Dotti patches and have generally been happy with them. I place the patches on the fatty, upper part of my butt (sort of just above where the gluteus medius meets the gluteus maximus). I alternate sides each time I replace the patches to allow the recently covered skin to breathe for a few days.

Interval:
The primary challenge I have encountered (which can be seen on my data dashboard below) is maintaining steady estradiol levels. Transdermal estradiol is typically absorbed at a steady rate. My estradiol levels spike (>800 pg/mL) after applying new patches and then steadily decline to levels below my target range (<100 pg/mL). To avoid depleted levels, I experimented with replacing the patches at different intervals (after 2 days, 3 days, and the prescribed 3.5 days) to determine if different patch cycles would affect my estradiol levels. As of January 19th, 2024, I began replacing the transdermal patches every 3 days. I have not noticed a significant change in blood hormone levels between the different patch replacement frequencies; I have noticed that I feel best/most consistent when replacing patches every 3 days. I will stick with this 3 day interval for now.

Doses:
Though 0.3mg keeps my estradiol levels in a better range, the dose I seem most comfortable on is 0.2mg/day -- generally, I have the least amount of dysphoria and I am more relaxed and comfortable at this dose. It is difficult to explain, but this is my experience.

I I began progesterone (prog) on February 16th, 2024, almost 3 years after first beginning estrogen. I started with 100mg and noticed slightly improved sleep. The effects were subtle overall. I increased my dose to 200mg on May 6, 2024. I felt like I had more energy and generally I felt my mood more. When I felt good, I felt really good. When I felt bad, I felt really bad. My dreams were more vivid, my libido increased, my brain was quicker, and I generally felt more alive, but my mood was intense and overwhelming at times. This erratic mood state was both challenging and rewarding.

After some labwork showed elevated testosterone levels, and for a variety of other complex reasons, I increased my estrogen dose back to 0.3mg/day in an attempt to suppress testosterone. My plan was to cycle between higher and lower doses of estradiol and prog. During the first half of each month, I took 0.2mg/day estradiol and 100mg of prog. During the second half of each month, I took 0.3mg/day of estradiol and 200mg of prog. My goal with this experiment was to balance the positive outcomes of all of the respective medication levels.

This experiment was a failure. My mood and emotions were erratic and I experienced intense highs and lows. The spells of depression on 200mg of Prog became dangerous, so I discontinued cycling. I am returning to my routine of two patches and 100mg prog for the time being. This means that the prog will not be as noticeable, but I will try new things after I have had time to reset.

Side note about antiandrogens:
I began an antiandrogen (Spironolactone) before beginning estrogen. I would later drop the antiandrogen in the Spring of 2021 since it was causing significant GI distress. I have successfully suppressed my testosterone levels without an antiandrogen. I am not sure why this has been successful, however I wonder if it is due to my elevated estradiol level immediately after replacing patches.

Below you can see a dashboard with 4 buttons on the left side panel. This dashboard contains data related to my medication dosages and hormone levels since 2021. The first button displays a scatter plot describing my estradiol level over the period of a single patch cycle. The yellow points indicate levels recorded while on 0.3mg/day patches. Light blue points indicate levels recorded while on 0.2mg/day patches.

The second and third button display estradiol levels for each patch dosage separately.

The final button displays a table with all the records that I am sharing on this site. These data include my dosages, my levels, and details about when the samples were collected relative to the frequency in which I changed patches.