I think I might have some sort of "trans gal" version of a period?

[KittyPink]

Like I as I've recently started estrogen and have my levels down to a reasonable range, I have noticed that I have like this week of like mornings where I'll wake up really nauseous and/or I'll have a headache, generally tired and irritable during that time and I have stomach cramps but like it feels more like the whole adominal area is slightly cramping, not to a painful extent, but uncomfortably. I feel like this sort of like a "period" minus the bleeding obviously. Guess the only way is to wait and see if it gets worse on E.

[Gone.Sorry.]

You might be interested to know that this seems to be a fairly common (but rarely talked about) experience, the "bloodless period" for transfem folk taking E!

Over here, an explanation for why this might be was offered:

Question: “If you take the same amount of hormones every day your levels wont fluctuate. So you can’t have a period. It’s all in your head.”

Answer: Ok Junior Scientist, time for learnification.

I take the same amount of progesterone everyday and inject the same amount of Estradiol twice a week . That is true. And while that does allow me to experience a cycle, it is not what causes it, rather it is raising my hormones to a level where my body takes over. While Estradiol (E2) is made mostly in the ovaries (and to a small extent testes and adipose tissue), Estrone (E1) is made about 50% in the adrenal gland, 25% in adipose tissue and 25% in the ovaries. [there is a third form of Estrogen made in the placenta of pregnant women but it isn’t normally present in women who aren’t pregnant] I give my body a steady supply of E2. But E1 and E2 are easily converted into each other while being stored in fat cells (adipose tissue) and so my body can make whichever form of Estrogen it currently needs. E1, E2, and progesterone are also all stored in fat until the body needs them and it is this along with an increase in production in the adrenal gland and adipose tissue that allows the body to produce a regular cycle. This relation of fat cells to estrogen storage and production has been thoroughly studied and is believed to be the cause of first world early maturation in girls.

Definitely keep track and see how long these symptoms last, though, since it may be pertinent to bring this up with your doctor to change your dosage so you can be more comfortable.

[Heather]

(Thanks so much for both your awesome contributions on the boards this morning, horriblegoose!)

[KittyPink]

Okay, so I'm not just imagining the cramps and being unusually irritable and nauseous, unusually, however, this was somewhat of a thing on blockers, but it was very weak and still noticable, I had been on just blockers for awhile longer than I should have, because of personal reasons. Which is strange, that it's happening, albiet very slightly for the most part, without an external source of Estrogen. I've already started tracking, was one step ahead of ya there.

[Heather]

I know this is off topic, KittyPink, but I just wanted to check in on you and see how you're doing at home since the outbreak.<3