Robin Brooks
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Robin: Year One
🕑 Added 2022-03-11 04:20:51 +0000 UTCWhooooo! This is a lot more than normal. If I do another of these in a year it’s not gonna be this long.
Also, I was tempted to hurt everyone (including me) by making the title a RENT reference. You're all welcome.
Have a bulleted list of other thoughts that I couldn't fit into the comic:
- Everything in here is about my experiences specifically. My medications, my doses, my injection cycle, everything is specific to me and my body. Your body might handle a lot of these things differently! Nothing in here is medical advice. Please talk to a healthcare provider if it’s at all possible for you.
- Moreover, obsessing over other trans people’s doses and hormone levels and results is never helpful. My first few months, any time I read something online about doses or results that differed from mine I’d fall into a rabbit hole of unnecessary anxiety, furiously googling for half an hour until I found something that reassured me that yes, I’m fine, and I’m going to get a good grade in HRT, something is both normal to want and possible to achieve.
- Yes, the Spiro makes me pee a lot. It didn’t at first, but it turns out I was just not drinking enough water and was a bit dehydrated all the time. Whoops!
- Yes, I sometimes get cramps that resemble period cramps. It’s weird, and sucks, but is not nearly as intense or frequent as people with uteruses deal with. (No stolen valor here)
- Therapy can be really good, actually. The fact that so many doctors or governments require therapy before one can start hormones is bullshit, but if you can get a good therapist, it can be really helpful to unpack and process your feelings while transitioning, even if you don’t need a stupid letter where you live.
- And perhaps most importantly: transition, medical or otherwise, isn’t a cure-all for depression. It’s helped me immensely, but that’s me. You’re not broken or failing your transition if going on hormones or changing your presentation doesn’t solve your depression. It only means you need to find what does help you. And there is something that can help.
Comments
Taigan
Unfortunately people who have had a heart attack (🙋♀️) can’t take progesterone. We’re making do with Estrodile and Spironolactone. But I’m coming up on 1 year and haven’t noticed any definite effects yet. Definitely want to talk to my doc about that at our next meeting.
Jamei Jade McGregor-Coope
You and your partner are amazing, all your comics are life affirming for me and extremely relatable and informative. Stay awesome Robin 🤗💖🏳️⚧️
Addie
Just an FYI, progesterone doesn't suppress T. It causes it to go up a little, but it's also not enough to worry about. It's that tiny bit of additional testosterone (that all cis women have) that allows progesterone to improve our libido too.
Aly Lindsey
I'm still a few months out from my 1 year mark, but I definitely relate to a lot of this (especially the crash near the end of my E injection cycle before making the dose more frequent). Glad to hear it's going so well for you! Also, I was very happy that you pointed out the type of hormone isn't what causes good/bad feelings (T vs E), but rather whether whatever one's engine is running on matches what one's neurology expects.
Marie Buhtz
Yay! I'm so glad you're happy! <3
Abigail Ruthsarai
Thank you.
Kari Jane
Robin Thank you for sharing ... this is very helpful to put things in perspective. I will begin my HRT journey this month it will be exciting to see the changes
Stefanie Rohricht
Thank you so much for sharing and congratulations on the first year! I've been out for nearly two years now and while there are definitely a lot of rough days, the euphoria on all the other days is pure bliss! It's truly beautiful and heart-warming seeing you and others be their authentic selves.💖
Elizabeth Holley
The past about emotions and mood really hit home, I used to say I was fine and mean that I wasn't feeling bad enough to make it hard to function, now I say I'm doing ok and I'm actually happy Also! Hugs! I used to absolutely hate them now I can't get enough!
cherry
I can't wait to share this with so many of my friends and tell them that pretty much all of it is how I have felt over the past year. And congrats on year 1 💜
George Michelle Catron
This is a small multi part, so bear with a silly Robot: 1. Inconvenience Powder: Ah, yes. I got beautiful pics of the ice and snow that year, which I am happy to share on Twitter. :-) 2. I loved the juxtaposition of the illustration of you and the white background when you wrote about endpoints. 3. Hair: Ma'am, let me say that I thank you for showing that. I wonder if my chrome dome is gonna need help when things grow out again.
Rob Molivas
I'm so happy for you! Depression is insidious, whispering all sorts of lies into the back of your head...I've been on medication for it for about a year now myself and you've pretty much described my change in overall mood once my doctor and I found the right dosage. Mind you, it was a bit of a fight to get the doctor to listen to me (the VA has a bad rep for a reason), but in short, I understand what you're going through, mood-wise. Here's to another year of happiness and proper brain chemicals!
Billie Doherty
This comic is making me cry and HRT is helping that happen. It's like poetry, it rhymes. Thank you so much for these comics, they mean the world to me. And sharing them with my cis friends gives them a lot of perspective they might not otherwise have had. 💚
JadeRobin
Congrats on the one year mark. It's a big milestone. Here's to another year of being your best self.
Internet_Katfé
Every single comic brings me joy and gives me motivation to keep going, thanks Robin
