Worst case, you can start DIY right now. There are guides available to explain how to dose yourself and what lab values you need tracked. Im okay with the medical system and the WPATH (the like official world wide medical recommendations for medical transition), but I know theres trans people more suspicious of it (and honestly for good reason). Estrogen takes its sweet fucking time to kick in and change stuff, which is nice for if youre feeling on the fence or unsure because you can just track how you feel about it as things are happening. Testosterone kicks in way faster and these trans mascs are getting deeper voices and muscles and hair so much faster than how feminizing HRT works 🙄 lol

The old tradition had different gates to hit, you had to be out and socially transitioned for a year (or whatever) before they “let” you have HRT. Then they made you wait at least another year before surgery. Some places can still be old school and its up to the prescriber but more and more are using informed consent models where they tell you the risks and then give you the meds. WPATH right now will recommend spiro for a while before estradiol for feminizing HRT and then wait longer for progesterone as another option and limit how long they will prescribe it (sometimes), lots of people have different thoughts on this process including on this site right now.

Spironolactone (spiro) is a diuretic that tons of people are on, cis men and women, because it helps balance blood pressure and electrolytes balance. It had a side effect of making men grow boobs because it interacts with androgens and how your body reacts to androgens (e.g. Testosterone) as a side effect. Its a desired side effect for us ♡. Spiro is super safe and used by tons of people all over the world. Estradiol is estrogen, progesterone is a different hormone that also feminizes and you might remember from high school bio how progesterone and estrogen works in people with uteruses for menstruation and monthly cycles. I swear it made me more feral feminine horny and I definitely think its made my boobs at least another cup size bigger after the year Ive had it.

There are risks to feminizing HRT, you will hear about it from a prescriber if you go that route (in America depending on state and city, planned parenthood for example). I’ll tell you some, it does raise your risks of blood clots and breast cancer - now, it raises it to cis women levels or just under… but it does. You will have to learn a Know Your Breasts thing and track your future boobs for lumps and bumps. Anyway, thats some of the basics.