While HRT is essential in treating your gender incongruence, it comes with its own set of side effects that one must be aware of. The initial tests that are done on you are to make sure that these side effects don’t harm you, said Dr Pramila Kalra.
Side effects
MTF
Dr Kalra says that “when we start estrogens for a transwomen and we tell them to let us know if you have any vomiting, nausea, or abdominal pain.”
Dr Kalra says The main problems here are headache and back pain, these can all be markers that we can halt or evaluate the therapy at that point in time. If they get any severe nausea, jaundice, abdominal pain or headache they will have to report to us.
FTM
When we are talking about FTM watch out for headaches, if there is a rise in hematocrit it can give a rise in polycythemia.
Dr Kalra talks about how smoking is very harmful. “They should never smoke when they are taking gender-affirming therapy. And they should refer to us immediately if they have any of these problems or if any jaundice sets in or anything, which can be reflective of liver side effects so they have to report to us immediately.”
Follow-ups
After starting HRT, there are follow-up tests to check that everything is going smoothly, as well.
Dr Kalra warns about the side effects and says, “Yes there are lots of side effects of HRT, that’s the reason these tests are being done. So whatever tests I have detailed these tests are being done to follow up. After starting gender-affirming therapy we do follow-up tests after 3 months for both FTM and MTF. For FTM, we do the hemoglobin, hematocrit and liver function tests. We also check for glucose values. If the thyroid is borderline we check it on a follow-up to see if they are getting any side effects.
For MTF, we do glucose and lipid levels, and prolactin and in case there are some things which are abnormal we repeat them. We need to monitor their side effects so the first time we do it after three months, then six months then at least once in six months we continue doing it so that we can catch when the side effects happen and modify the hormonal dose accordingly.”
One has to keep these changes and side effects in mind so that they can enjoy the benefits of their HRT without any problems.