Essential Resources

Basics:

Communities:

Common DIY regimens:

  • Anti Androgens:
    • Bicalutamide:
      • 50mg Daily (1x 50mg pill once a day)
      • 50mg Daily (1x 150mg pill every three days)
      • 75mg Daily (1x 150mg pill every two days)
      • 37.5mg Daily (¼ 150mg pill once a day)
      Blocks androgens at receptor level, does not decrease production.
      Fairly popular due to minimal side effects.
      With under 50mg of Bicalutamide daily, a higher dose of estrogen is typically used.
    • Cyproterone Acetate:
      • 12.5mg Daily (¼ 50mg pill once a day)
      • 12.5mg Daily (½ 50mg pill every two days)
      Decreases testosterone to castrate levels.
      Popular due to very low cost and easy verification on efficacy from blood testing showing suppressed testosterone.
      Progestin effect can be considered a negative for early hrt, can cause fatigue.
    • Spironolactone:
      • 50mg twice daily (½ 100mg pill twice daily)
      • 100mg twice daily (1x 100mg pill twice daily)
      Slightly decreases testosterone production and receptor activity.
      Unpopular among DIYers due to common severity of side effects and low efficacy.
    • Buserelin Nasal Spray (GnRH Agonist):
      • 300μg trice daily (2x 150μg sprays trice daily)
      • 450μg trice daily (3x 150μg sprays trice daily)
      Decreases testosterone to castrate levels.
      Zero to minimal side effects.
      More expensive than Cyproterone Acetate, but safer long-term from avoiding undesirable side effects (Fatigue, low tumor risks).
  • Estrogen:
    • Dose Comparison Table
    • 2-8mg Oral Estradiol once daily or spread over the day.
    • 1-2mg Sublingual Estradiol twice or thrice daily spread over the day.
    • 50-200mcg/h Climara 7 day patch (7.8mg).
    • 50-200mcg/h Estradot 3.5 day patch twice weekly.
    • 1.5-6mg Estrogel or transdermal spray once daily.
  • For optimal breast growth it's recommended to start with low oral estrogen and slowly increase it over the span of 6-12 months. Longer is preferable.
  • Monotherapy:
    • 7mg Estradiol Valerate injection every 5 days. High enough estrogen level sufficiently suppresses your LH + FSH and shuts down testosterone production in the testicles. Trough estradiol levels should be 350pg/ml+ for this. Try to stay below 600pg/ml if you can as high levels will increase SHBG over time resulting in less free estrogen.
  • Progesterone:
    • Rectal progesterone after tanner 3 breasts is becoming more common. It helps round out the breasts and can give a stronger libido for some. 100-200mg gel capsules once daily.
    • Should progesterone capsules be too expensive there is also hydroxyprogesterone caproate which is a long lasting synthetic progestin.
    • Medroxyprogesterone Acetate (MPA) is generally not recommended for anyone.
    • Very low dose (1-3mg) Cyproterone Acetate is also viable for progestin effects.

Blood Testing:

  • Blood tests (US): https://www.privatemdlabs.com/
  • Blood tests (UK, Ireland): https://www.medichecks.com/
  • Blood tests (Canada): https://bloodtestscanada.com/
  • Blood tests (Sweden): https://werlabs.se/
  • Blood tests (NL): https://www.bloedwaardentest.nl/
  • Blood tests by mail (Worldwide): https://www.letsgetchecked.com/ - Finger prick.


Note that this is not medical advice, see medical disclaimer.


Last updated: 2020.12.14