I have around 30 little dark bristles, most right on my chin. A few are elsewhere on my jawline and a few at right above my adam's apple, which is the first place that any hairs showed up. My sideburns consist of a thin line of darkish hairs that go from where my regular hair ends to about the top of my earlobe, and that are only visible in ideal light at an ideal angle. Same with my mustache; just a few darkish hairs that are only visible in ideal conditions. I have minor scruff all over when I don't shave, but the left side is still growing in faster than the right. I'm not really concerned though. I've had a bioguy or two tell me that they have the same thing happen anyway.
I took a few pictures of my facial hair (grown out completely, a week or so without shaving) with my digital camera, and I'm going to try to upload those at some point. Don't know how well they'll come out, but I'll keep trying.
Oh, something I've been meaning to post about for months and keep forgetting - I think my shoe size is now 7 Wide in men's. It was a 6 men's pre-T; my current shoes are 6.5 and are breaking and have tears and even a hole or two in the sides where I'm bustin' out. Awesome. I've been to Payless twice and they have shit for shoes in that size except some scary-ass geriatric Velcro black sneakers. I'm not that far gone yet.
I just realized that I never posted about this ... October came and went without any sign of "estrogen poisoning," as I call it ... also known as "the FTM's bloody hell." Hehe. But anyway, it's GONE! [does a little dance; then thinks better of it and does a big flaming dance]
Kael: hah that is so funny though
Me: yeah, but I'm such a dork
Me: It is interesting reading where I was at at the end of 2000 and beginning of 2001
Kael: how come
Me: all my thoughts about wanting to go off of T entirely, and being scared of all the changes and how fast everything was happening, and wanting to stay more in that middle space
Kael: how do you feel about it now?
Me: I'm more at peace about the changes. I don't want to go off of T. But I still don't fancy having a sandpapery face all the time; that's the hardest thing for me by far. It'll be an adjustment. As long as it keeps going at this pace I think I'll adjust ok, because it's like one new hair every several weeks
Kael: right
Of course, I could just be getting sick.
I'm trying to remember to put my T on in little bits and rub it in a bit at a time, instead of putting it all on my arm at once and rubbing it in that way. I think when I do it all at once, some of it's drying on my arm instead of absorbing properly, no matter how long I rub it. It dries faster than it absorbs even when rubbed in, if there's too much.
1:49 pm - I've decided to switch to weekly injections and drop my dose back down to 50mg per week because the injections are more potent. A friend I grew up with has a mom who's a nurse, and they've known me since I was 8, so I think she'd be willing to give me my shots. I don't see myself self-injecting, at least not for quite a while.
So ... cypionate or enanthate? I never paid much attention to the discussions, except to hear that one causes more acne and has slightly faster results. I would prefer to be on the other one, but I never remember which is which. And what gauge needle? I have a very low pain threshold.
It's been a fun three years, transdermal testosterone. I'll miss you. Thank you.
No noticeable changes on the shots so far, although I think my chin hairs are coming in faster than before. No actual new hairs, just the same scruffy plague-theme stuff coming in more quickly than ever. Fantastic.
For the record, my dosage is 50mg weekly. I'm injecting 1/4 cc of Delatestryl, which is enanthate. All three shots thus far have been in my right ass cheek. Eventually, when I'm more comfortable with the whole thing, I'll switch to my thigh so that I can eventually self-inject more easily.
I totally missed my 3-year T anniversary five days ago. Bummer. It occurred to me on the 20th, but we didn't do anything to celebrate and I didn't do any reflecting. I'll have to do that at some point.
Now to find someone to come with us and nurse us, cheap accomodations and flights, etc., etc., etc.
My partner and I are trying to be much healthier in preparation for surgery. I need to take up weightlifting again, but student teaching plus taking three classes is using up all my time. But we're taking our multivitamins and vitamin C every day, having salad every night with dinner, and trying to cut down on fat (he's doing much better with this last than I am).
I'm having to shave every two days now, not due to everyone-can-see necessity (except for under my chin and just above my larynx) but to I-feel-scruffy necessity. I'm slowly adjusting to the idea of me with facial hair; I've even adjusted my shaving regimen so as to allow for short sideburns to grow in on their own. Can't see them yet except in ideal light at an ideal angle, but they'll come in. They're all the facial hair I want. I'm starting to be able to conceive of myself as being physically able to grow facial hair though. A few months ago it was inconceivable to me; now I'm right on the line. Maybe within the next 6 months it'll feel more real, and I'll be okay with that. I'm so glad that it's all happening as slowly as it is.
My partner and I had protein shakes this morning. Tasted like shit, even with chocolate ice cream in it. I held my nose as I drank it, which is a great tactic; I couldn't taste it at all until I unplugged my nose - then it hit me like a ton of bricks. Fortunately I had food handy to kill the taste. We've upped our Vitamin C intake from 500mg a day to 1,000mg. I really should lift some weights again. Sigh.