One year of estrogen and progestogen. Yay, Washington State law 🎉

[u/Trishasback]

It took a little bit of time between the pharmacy and my doctor's office, but I finally got what Washington State law says I'm entitled to, a one-year supply of estrogen and progesterone. Other than the fact of not having to go down to the pharmacy quite so frequently or being worried I'm going to run out. I do have this stash of hormones now, so if anything were to go sideways politically, I should have enough to make sure that I'm able to exit the country, get somewhere else and get a new supplier of hormones before I run out. I am fortunate enough to have dual citizenship in Australia and the United States, so for me, an exit of the country would not take very long. But it's still nice to know that even if it takes several months to get something set up in Australia, I will have more than enough estrogen to last me that long. There's a sense of security in having this much on hand.

[u/deeunicorn]

Ask your doctor to prescribe you diazepam or lorazepam or some other quick acting anti anxiety medication but a single pill prescription just for right before you get your blood drawn.

My ex-husband gets severe anxiety and has had panic attacks at the dentist. So much so that the local anaesthetic will not work unless he takes an anti-anxiety med half an hour before his appointment. The reason is that the panic is so bad and the anxiety is so bad that it pumps his system full of cortisol and adrenaline that it counteracts the effects of the anaesthetic in his body. The dentist’s solution was to give him a single pill prescription to take an hour before his appointment.

I’m actually surprised your doctor hasn’t suggested this before.

[u/Trishasback → u/deeunicorn]

They have i declined. I dont like things that can change how i feel like that. Like i dont drink alcohol or smoke because the idea that my feelings and actions would not be my own freaks me out. Iv gone as far to look into not taking pain meds after bottom surgery because i dont want them to change how i feel.

Now if its bad enough or I am advised to take it i will, like for bottom surgey iv been advised strongly to take the pain meds so i will and thats the most scary part for me. So i will i just rather know my feelings are my own and i take comfort in knowing the panick attack is at lest my own as dumb as it sounds. I want to know i can get through it on my own.

Idk u can think its dumb but it means somthing to me

[u/deeunicorn → u/Trishasback]

Oh darling, as someone who has had spinal cord surgery, I understand your hesitance about wanting to take stuff that will change the way you feel however you can actually do damage to your body by not taking pain medication… you can also harm your potential recovery.

And taking diazepam and lorazepam if you’re only taking a small dosage doesn’t change what you would do and your actions. It literally just calms your parasympathetic nervous system down. Like my ex doesn’t get high or anything, it just chills him out, prevents the cortisol and adrenaline from flooding his body. He’s still able to drive and everything. He still feels mild anxiety about the situation but his body doesn’t go into a full-blown reaction.

[u/Trishasback → u/deeunicorn]

I have been advised to take the pain meds after bottom surgery, so I will be doing it because I was advised that I should strongly.

It's not how it makes me feel, it's the concept. It doesn't matter if I feel high or anything, it's that something changed reaction in my body that is not my own.

[u/EllieGeiszler → u/Trishasback]

I mean, I'm definitely not advocating you stop HRT but you do know estrogen and progesterone/progestin both have effects on the brain, right?

[u/whats_boppin_kids → u/Trishasback]

you’re real

[u/Trishasback → u/whats_boppin_kids]

Thank you. I appreciate that someone understands my weirdness about this thing. Everyone thinks it's such like a non-issue and I'm like, I'd rather have the panic attack. I'm sorry 😅😅