this post was submitted on 27 Feb 2026
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DIY HRT
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This community exists for trans people and others to give each other advice and support regarding HRT.
Keep in mind that none of us are doctors. Read up on how to do things properly and double check any advice you are given.
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Quick Facts
- Different routes (oral vs injections vs trans-dermal etc) have the same results. Pick whichever option you are most comfortable with.
- If you're doing feminizing hrt your boobs will randomly grow in bursts. Chest pain going away is perfectly normal.
- It's unreliable to estimate your hormone levels based on signs. Take blood tests if they are available to you.
- Remember to eat well, get enough sleep, and exercise! This will help you grow properly and look more masculine on testosterone or more feminine on estradiol.
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You're not just supposed to take random amounts of hormones and blockers. Certainly not blockers.
Please ask your doctor for the results of the test you had, or see if they are available for you online.
Your avg cis woman has estradiol levels ranging from something like 30 to 400 pg/mL (according to some sources, but I see others with greater ranges), but with an average closer to 100 pg/mL. Pay attention to when during your cycle you take tests. https://transfemscience.org/articles/e2-equivalent-doses/ this link mentions the parts of the cycle and the average level of E2 during the cycle. Whatever you measure on your tests won't be exactly as on the table.
If you start taking spironolactone you should be aware that it can be uncomfortable and have long term side effects, which is why you need to start taking blood tests of your liver functions.
This document may be of help, but please keep in mind it's aimed at amab transfem people, not afab people.
https://transfemscience.org/articles/transfem-intro/#monitoring-of-therapy
It mentions what things you should be testing for. You should test for at least estradiol, estrone, progesterone, testosterone, and dht.
Edit: Also again, you don't know if this will help. It will likely affect your menstruation cycle. I don't know if it will have any negative effects beyond the side effects of spiro. I hope this works out for you.
Also, in case it's a kind of intersex condition please read this: https://genderdysphoria.fyi/en/chromosomes
I know you felt it wasn't relevant last time but it really is. There are many kinds that work very differently. I'm not saying it's certain that you are intersex, but it's one possibility that isn't often tested for.
Isn’t that what everyone on here’s doing?
And my doctor - when I went in asking for a hormonal blood test - gave me a blood test but didn’t tell me exactly what was being tested and I only got told to take vitamin D. That’s what the result was.
I don’t see myself going and asking for another blood test regarding this only to get turned down again. I feel pretty alright just taking what I’ve got and going with it.
About intersex, I meant even if I have it it doesn’t make much difference to what I’m doing, how I feel, my plans to change.
No.
I was hoping you could insist on getting the full report, or at least the hormone levels. I really really recommend you ask for them. Consider getting blood tests privately if your GP is no help. Again, spironolactone requires testing your liver functions.
If you do feel better then more power to you ofc, but knowing some basics will go a long way to make this safer for you.
Well I did ask for a hormonal blood test and basically got denied. I did have blood taken though (the gp didn’t fully disclose what for annoyingly) and I got the result last week for low vitamin D. That was it.
I don’t really care to get another blood test at this point. It is what it is…can’t see myself going private either.
And tbh, after doing loads of drugs in my younger days, I feel pretty OK just taking this stuff and seeing how it goes. I’m not that bothered. I made the effort to ask for a hormonal blood test and that failed so whatever basically.
But I appreciate your concern.
If you were denied a hormonal blood test, it could be because the doctor didn't think there was sufficient reasons. Do you have significant facial hair, male-pattern baldness, dark hairs growing on your chest and belly, etc.? What is the evidence you actually have that you need an anti-androgen?
For context, when I had some cysts between my ribs as a teenager, the doctors took one look at me and immediately ordered hormone blood labs to check my estrogen because I looked feminine (soft skin, light body hair, not much facial hair for my age, larger breasts than boys my age, etc.). Doctors generally will run labs if they believe there is a credible reason to do so - all this tells me is the doctor you saw didn't think there was justification for it.
While doctors are not always right, they're also not always wrong; sometimes an issue like this could be a mental health concern and not a physiological issue, to be worked on in therapy.
It would be nice if you had a doctor who could explain to you why you don't need your hormones checked, but if they didn't think you needed it, one possibility is that you just don't have the typical signs and symptoms of someone with an endocrine disorder (or intersex condition).
It had Lot to do with my inability to express my needs and concerns effectively. I DO look masc. i won’t go into detail but I do.
I’m sure she was reluctant about it because it’s a bit of a taboo and it’s quite unheard of for cis women under 40-50 to be prescribed hrt. She did say that if I wanted to check my hormones it would have to be done virtually every day for a matter of months or something like that (from fluctuations due to the cycle). So she sounded as though it wasn’t really a thing (?).
Annnd, I’ve also been checking out cis women or AFAB s experience taking what I’ve got so I’ve got a mix of information.