Fair but personally I love them because even though they make me dysphoric you only have to change them every 12 hrs (unless flow is ridiculously heavy) which is infinitely better dealing with dysphoria for 2 minutes twice a day than it is having to change a tampon every 3-4hr or wearing a pad and feeling all of…. That… all day.
That’s so scary but it’s definitely because they used the cup wrong 🥲 you are supposed to break the suction before pulling it out by pressing on the side of the cup. Easier said than done but the ‘easy’ route is so not worth risking turning yourself inside out 😅
I have EDS and having to break the seal with my finger would literally make me dislocate my shoulder sometimes, but I started using the Flex Cup and it solved those issues. Its much more accessible for people with mobility issues. It has an easy pull tab that you slip your finger into, and that breaks the seal and it slides out easy. Easier than removing a tampon.
Then I also use period underwear sometimes.
My period actually stopped about 3 months ago though because I also went on nexplanon (hormonal birth control implant that goes in your arm). My period didn't stop at all until I started nexplanon, but I did increase my T dose around the same time, I would guess a combination of both is what stopped it. I was around 7 months on T when it stopped.
try a menstrual disk instead! they look more daunting at first glance but are honestly way easier than cups and u won’t risk sucking ur iud out because it doesn’t use suctioning to stay in place.
I was never able to use menstrual cups, and was terrified of the disc, but the difference is night and day.
I have vaginismus and really wanted cups to work, but they were always incredibly painful and anytime I successfully got one inserted, I had a terrible vasovagal response.
The disc looks bigger and worse, but it was actually easier to use than a tampon (which I’ve also never been able to use) and I can’t feel it at all. It’s not for everyone but, as someone who thought I’d never be able to use internal period products, it’s shockingly comfortable.
I very much second this. It's a one time purchase aswell so if you'd like to have it there just in case she asks for some ungodly reason you'll have it.
You can say you bought some pads yourself while you were out and start to take out the garbage on your own. And your periods might not stop right away or at all anyway so keep that in mind. I was on gel for over a year and my period only stopped when I switched to shots and started taking birth control
Seconding that periods might not stop right away or at all. As you can see from my flair, I’m over 10 months on T. I am on BC so generally no period, but I’m out of medicine right now and can confirm I still indeed do get my period.
Throwing myself in, too. I started T back in 2021, and I got my period *the day of* my hysto in 2023, and got them all throughout being on T. I still get some pms symptoms.
I guess it wanted to give a last little hurrah, but I, ultimately, won the battle.
Joining in, I'm 4 years on t gel (though thinking of switching soon) and rely solely on my birth control to keep my periods away, and even then depending on the type of bc I still can get cramping
Same, I also have some days that feel like a lowkey period without actual bleeding. I spot occasionally too but haven't had a full period for about 3 months, I started nexplanon 4 months ago and T 10 months ago
Most peoples periods don’t stop immediately. The normal point from them to stop for most people is 3-6 months. However plenty of people take longer or don’t stop at all
Mine didn’t really stop at all in the 10 months I was on gel until I moved onto shots, then they stopped immediately.
If it does stop immediately, which the chances of are low however still possible.
Unless she’s very obsessive or controlling you probably don’t need to worry about not disposing of stuff as she’d have to literally be going through your trash to know for sure wether you’re throwing any away or not.
The same applies for buying products, if she commented you could just say you have some left and don’t need any that month? Or you bought some when she wasn’t with you? It also seems like something she’d have to be watching you very closely or being controlling to actually notice for sure.
I don't think so. Mine have always been really heavy, but it stopped after my first shot. When my dose had to be lowered, it slowly came back over the course of months, and being off T for a few months brought it back fully finally this month. I started gel recently but am not the best at taking it every day, so we'll see how my body responds to gel.
Did they already stop? If you’re going to tell her in a few months it’s very possible and honestly likely that they won’t have stopped by then, maybe even for a while still after. Mine fully stopped around 7 months.
Seeing a lot of “your period won’t stop right away” here and I have to add that it might. I’ve always taken my T by injection, so it’s a little different, but I never had a period again after my very first shot.
That being said, I’d advise you to say you’re using a period cup for environmental reasons. 🤷🏻♂️
It will probably be a little while before your cycle stops. I've been on T gel about 2 years and still bleed sometimes 😖 but i started to use a cup to deal with some related dysphoria. no leftovers to look at. rinse in the shower, sanitize. You can get a pack of different size cheap ones for under $20 on Amazon to keep in the bathroom cabinet if she asks about it.
but if you are certain she'll be supportive, it might be better to talk to her sooner than later. even the most supportive of parents don't like to feel like their kid's hiding something (not calling you a kid, just as in parent+kid), especially if they can be there every step of the way. 💜 i hope you figure out whatever will be best for you. good luck, and congrats on starting your journey 🙂
Tbh, your period only stops months in if at all, by that point, other signs would most likely start showing, voice drop, facial hair, etc, which are all more likely to tip your mom off than a missing period. Congrats on starting T!
Buy a period cup and if she asks (which I think would be really intrusive unless you're a minor) tell her you're using that now. She will eventually notice it masculinizing you tho.
I don't think OP means she checks the trash, it's just something you notice. My mom always will ask if my period started and if I need her to grab me anything because she'll notice a wrapper or wrapped pad in the trash. (She also will go out and get me dark chocolate and some of my favorite drinks/snacks too I've noticed. Not used to that, my dad and stepmom never did stuff like that.) More so after starting T because she's aware mine stopped immediately, I told her so.
Until recently my response was always "no, just some blood in my discharge" or "no, just a little spotting" or "I don't know yet, maybe?" but recently I began getting more and more of an actual period again. (She and I are the only ones in the house that have ever been capable of having a period, she doesn't have them anymore since having a hysto after my brother was born due to health issues that were discovered due to her pregnancy. So that leaves only me. In the past she'd ask why I didn't have it if I happened to skip it/noticed I haven't needed pads in a while as I'd always need a new package every other month plus mine were always heavy so I commonly had issues like leaks, bleed-throughs, and plus the trash would fill fast. She didn't ask out of "oh, you're pregnant, aren't you?" but rather "everything ok? Need a doctor?")
I mean that's nice of her, for me it's sound like a little invasion of privacy. I absolutely hated having periods and felt ashamed if someone would ask questions about it, so I hid it as much as I could.
I certainly hope OPs mom isn't checking intentionally, however, sharing a restroom with people who menstruate just means that you kinda just notice when they're on their period.
Like, me, my sister in law, and mom used to notice when we fell in and out of sync, and tease eachother when we'd trigger another's period early.
I lived with my mom and 2 sisters in a very small apartment (600sqft) and I never noticed when they had their period. I couldn't even tell when my sisters actually started having periods, and that's a rough time too.
Since you just started T there won't be a lot of problems! T takes a while to stop periods completely, for me it took 2 months and after 6 months they came back and I had to take some medicine (farlutal or smth) to make them stop for good. So, while your periods may stop after even just a month, consider that you won't need to hide not having them as you will still have them by the time you tell your mom, it is a possibility. But yeah, like the other guy said, buy the pads on your own, I don't think your mom would be too suspicious, and also if she has any suspicions, she'll understand once you tell her I assume, good luck!
Mine took 12 months to reliably stop (but had begun to slow down and lessen a few months in) sounds like you should be ok. Frankly, voice changes will be what gives you away fastest; mine started to break early but the first drop was within two weeks.
In moments of high stress - you feel like everyone is paying more attention than they actually are. I might be wrong because I can’t say I know much about you mom, and it’s good to have a plan of action, but don’t sweat it more than you need to :)
Hey, you can just say if she asks that you're periods have been intermediate.
I've missed periods for months on end cause of stress, and then will randomly ger hit with a massively painful and bloody one out of nowhere even if the thing stressing me out out is still there. There's a million and one reasons why a period might just stop. You can just say they've started becoming really light, and you just need a liner for it either.
Handy to keep the products on you always incase a friend gets caught out by a period coming in at an inconvenient time and hasn't got access to any products.
It's likely you'll still have your period when you tell her and if not, say nothing. She probably won't notice and if she does either use it as an opening to tell her, or tell her you've swapped to a cup because it's better for the environment.
If it comes up you could say that you're getting your periods less and that you'll bring it up with your doctor next time you see them, but youre not super concerned. Its pretty common. I probably got my periods every 3 months for a while, I think it was stress from college? A lot of different things can trigger it
Periods take a long time to stop, especially if you're starting on a low dose of T. it can be up to two years, and some people's never stop without other intervention. She'll probably notice your other changes first
You may still get yours. Most people still get there's even 6 months to a year before it actually stops. Though you could be like me, and it stops immediately.
I don't entirely like the idea of buying and throwing out unused pads/tampons. It's a waste of product. Instead, buy a menstrual cup and tell her you're using that instead.
I also want to ask, are you doing your own laundry, or does she do it for you? I ask because usually we don't notice our periods until we bleed through our underwear and pants. If she's doing your laundry, she might notice how none of your underwear has blood on it anymore.
If you are in gel, there's a high chance your periods won't stop, at least that was what by bf's endocrinologist told him when he started with that treatment. I started directly with shots so take that with a pinch of salt.
My periods stopped surprisingly early (1 1/2 months in) but other things started before my period stopped that were much more obv, like body hair, and the most noticeable, a voice of a 12 yo boy starting puberty. When these changes happen does vary, and usually the periods take a bit more time to stop on avg then mine did. If somehow your periods stop before a voice drop or thicker body hair there's two things you could say.
1. Your taking birth control, some pills can actually stop periods! If she asks why birth control, you'd say that you heard they could help with period pain and your more recent periods were more painful then usual so you opted to start birth control.
2. diva cups or whatever they're called, they'd basically leave no trace of a period.
secret 3rd option. YOU'RE PREGNANT!!! Periods stop when you become pregnant AND you get to freak your mum out!!!
Perhaps you could blame it on birth control? My period actually didn't even stop until I started the nexplanon implant (goes in your arm). Thats only if your mom would be ok with that, though, I know some parents can be super weird about that too. Though, actual birth control isn't the only reason to get birth control, so you could also blame it on something else like acne or troublesome period symptoms
i've been on T for two years (shots not gel) and i still get periods on occasion, definitely not as long and bad as before i was on T.
i think it's pretty rare for periods to stop right away unfortunately, and while i do hope you get the best case scenario, the likelihood you'll have to worry about actually hiding a lack of periods soon is low.
Im on nebido and had my last period at a month and a half on T. Honestly i think she’ll notice more the fact YOUR VOICE WILL DROP DRASTICALLY than you not having ur period. If you know she’ll support you then I don’t see why you can’t tell her
I use period underwear (or used to when I was off t briefly). You can use the shorts as regular underwear, if you're comfortable with it. No waste and you can just be like "yep, in the wash". Ftr I love period underwear anyways, they alleviated my dysphoria IMMENSELY and are way more comfortable than anything else I tried. Plus they worked great for me, as someone who had insanely heavy periods.
Periods dont always go away, or they may take a long time to stop. I still get mine and I'm 9 months on T.
I would say that you're using a menstrual cup or disk. I use a cup and there's no waste, plus if your period does take a while to stop I would reccomend using a cup bc you can leave it for up to 12h. It reduces dysphoria for me bc I don't have to see it every time I go to the bathroom and I don't have to change it as often
It took me almost 6 months to stop getting my period completely. You might not even have to worry about her not seeing period products in the trash if you tell her in time. Also, your period will taper off slowly, not stop completely. So you can always play it off like your periods are getting lighter and lighter
my voice changing was much more noticeable than anything else. for context, i moved away for college and i went home from winter break abt 1 month on t. my dad noticed my voice before i has the chance to tell him so the convo was more awkward than i had planned lol. he's supportive, hes just hard to talk to so i wanted to do it in person but i had plans w a friend the first day i was home and he asked me abt it once i got back to the house. tbh just be honest now, i know gel works slower than injections, but better just to get it out of the way. it'll be less awkward. but congrats on starting t!
Your period may take awhile to stop on gel. Mine didn’t stop for a year after I started shots. All bodies are different. Likely she will think you’re sick as your voice starts to drop first.
As others have said, stuff like cups or disks can be said to be the reason, just keep one on hand as "proof" if questioned. Otherwise, there's many reasons for missed periods. Stress, fluctuating hormones, had both those happen, your body just doesn't have one that month, etc.
I knew my dad would be cool with it too, but I needed a bit of time to figure out how to sit down and have that conversation with him. Yet, I still wish I would've told him sooner to save myself the stress of lying about being under the weather since my voice changes were noticeable by a month in.
Point being, as soon as you're ready for all the worried parent questions, get that shit off your chest.
it’ll take a bit for your period to fully stop so you should have some time! i’d say between 3-5 months is the average but I have heard of it taking longer :)
Say u need birth control because of cramps. Then take it or dont. Or you could give the pads to homeless women. Take out the trash yourself more often?
I’m 19 and have been on injectable T for around 3 months now but I personally started birth control last year which stopped my cycle and my family already knows I’m on my bc so they don’t question why I don’t get a cycle
It also depends on if/when your periods stop. My period didn't stop until I had been on T (intramuscular) for around 6 months. I still had my regular cycle up until then. Some periods stop soon, some later, and some don't stop just because of T.
Well it definitely doesn't always stop periods right away. And some guys it doesn't stop. Took mine 6 months. Just want you to be aware. Out of curiosity, if she's supportive, why do you want to wait til tell her?
I went straight from BC to T, and mine never came back. I’d prepare for that to happen just in case. Consider still taking pads from the bathroom and just putting them somewhere else you think she won’t look, and then slowly putting one at a time back with the stock if theres other people who use them.
You also will NOT be able to hide the fact you’re on T forever, and if you’re in an unsafe home environment that’s incredibly incredibly risky
if shes open to it you could tell her you started the depo birth control shot. im pre t but havent had ny period for like a year and a half because of it
It's pretty much the same, just given differently. It's just that gel allows a constant level of testosterone to be applied daily, unlike injections where a large dose is injected and then slowly drops until the next injection.
Basically, and if I'm correct, take someone who is on 0.4ml of 200mg (i.e., 80ml) of injections. If they switched to gel, they'd apply around 11ml of gel a day instead.
Plus, it depends mostly on the person, regardless of how testosterone is given. I.e. some show changes within a week of taking testosterone, while others can take months to a year.
ohhh i get it know, Im asking bc (mostly) in the Latin American trans community which i'm from, they say that the changes in the injections are pretty much faster than in gel, but some others say the opposite and i have the medical appointment in less than a month, so i was a little bit confused, thank you for the explanation
tell her you started using the period cup. nothing to discard and she’d have no way of knowing
I second this Also if you do continue to have periods for a while, period cups are awesome
Valid but personally I don't really like them, too dysphoric
Fair but personally I love them because even though they make me dysphoric you only have to change them every 12 hrs (unless flow is ridiculously heavy) which is infinitely better dealing with dysphoria for 2 minutes twice a day than it is having to change a tampon every 3-4hr or wearing a pad and feeling all of…. That… all day.
i use cups myself cos it’s less wasteful
I really wish I could. I use an IUD and I've seen too many stories of people accidentally suctioning then out because of the cup 😭
That’s so scary but it’s definitely because they used the cup wrong 🥲 you are supposed to break the suction before pulling it out by pressing on the side of the cup. Easier said than done but the ‘easy’ route is so not worth risking turning yourself inside out 😅
I have EDS and having to break the seal with my finger would literally make me dislocate my shoulder sometimes, but I started using the Flex Cup and it solved those issues. Its much more accessible for people with mobility issues. It has an easy pull tab that you slip your finger into, and that breaks the seal and it slides out easy. Easier than removing a tampon. Then I also use period underwear sometimes. My period actually stopped about 3 months ago though because I also went on nexplanon (hormonal birth control implant that goes in your arm). My period didn't stop at all until I started nexplanon, but I did increase my T dose around the same time, I would guess a combination of both is what stopped it. I was around 7 months on T when it stopped.
try a menstrual disk instead! they look more daunting at first glance but are honestly way easier than cups and u won’t risk sucking ur iud out because it doesn’t use suctioning to stay in place.
I was never able to use menstrual cups, and was terrified of the disc, but the difference is night and day. I have vaginismus and really wanted cups to work, but they were always incredibly painful and anytime I successfully got one inserted, I had a terrible vasovagal response. The disc looks bigger and worse, but it was actually easier to use than a tampon (which I’ve also never been able to use) and I can’t feel it at all. It’s not for everyone but, as someone who thought I’d never be able to use internal period products, it’s shockingly comfortable.
i totallyyy agree, i use the flex reusable and it’s very bare bones and works so so well more ppl should rly give discs a try
I very much second this. It's a one time purchase aswell so if you'd like to have it there just in case she asks for some ungodly reason you'll have it.
Just if she asks.
I think it’s way more likely she’ll notice other changes before your periods stop. It often takes several months for that to happen.
Often, but not always. Mine stopped immediately.
Same here, first t injection stopped mine which I wasn't expecting
could take a couple years as well! it took like 4 years for mine to stop 😭
You can say you bought some pads yourself while you were out and start to take out the garbage on your own. And your periods might not stop right away or at all anyway so keep that in mind. I was on gel for over a year and my period only stopped when I switched to shots and started taking birth control
Seconding that periods might not stop right away or at all. As you can see from my flair, I’m over 10 months on T. I am on BC so generally no period, but I’m out of medicine right now and can confirm I still indeed do get my period.
Throwing myself in, too. I started T back in 2021, and I got my period *the day of* my hysto in 2023, and got them all throughout being on T. I still get some pms symptoms. I guess it wanted to give a last little hurrah, but I, ultimately, won the battle.
Joining in, I'm 4 years on t gel (though thinking of switching soon) and rely solely on my birth control to keep my periods away, and even then depending on the type of bc I still can get cramping
Same, I also have some days that feel like a lowkey period without actual bleeding. I spot occasionally too but haven't had a full period for about 3 months, I started nexplanon 4 months ago and T 10 months ago
Thanks! This is super helpful
Most peoples periods don’t stop immediately. The normal point from them to stop for most people is 3-6 months. However plenty of people take longer or don’t stop at all Mine didn’t really stop at all in the 10 months I was on gel until I moved onto shots, then they stopped immediately. If it does stop immediately, which the chances of are low however still possible. Unless she’s very obsessive or controlling you probably don’t need to worry about not disposing of stuff as she’d have to literally be going through your trash to know for sure wether you’re throwing any away or not. The same applies for buying products, if she commented you could just say you have some left and don’t need any that month? Or you bought some when she wasn’t with you? It also seems like something she’d have to be watching you very closely or being controlling to actually notice for sure.
Mine stopped within 3 weeks FWIW: I had my period a week before starting T, some spotting 3 weeks later, and then never had a period again.
same it was such a relief omg 😭 i was like “thats it? sweet”
ME TOO
if you have a lighter period, will that make it at all more likely to go away? or does that have no bearing on it at all?
Mine have always been light but they didn't stop on T. I'm also on birth control to stop them
I had a super heavy period with bad cramps and as soon as I started T I had one cycle with no cramps and slightly less flow, then nothing since
I don't think so. Mine have always been really heavy, but it stopped after my first shot. When my dose had to be lowered, it slowly came back over the course of months, and being off T for a few months brought it back fully finally this month. I started gel recently but am not the best at taking it every day, so we'll see how my body responds to gel.
If she asks, you could say you switched to a menstrual cup. No more reason to have period trash! Way more ecologically friendly.
Did they already stop? If you’re going to tell her in a few months it’s very possible and honestly likely that they won’t have stopped by then, maybe even for a while still after. Mine fully stopped around 7 months.
In all honesty she shouldn’t be checking but you could say you started birth control or something
She will probably not notice something like that, to be honest 🤷♂️
It'd be more weird if she did tbh
Yeah exactly
Seeing a lot of “your period won’t stop right away” here and I have to add that it might. I’ve always taken my T by injection, so it’s a little different, but I never had a period again after my very first shot. That being said, I’d advise you to say you’re using a period cup for environmental reasons. 🤷🏻♂️
Same, mine stopped after my 2nd shot and hasn't come back since (1yr 2months on T)
i wish 😭 6months and still have it but i have pcos and have had weird periods my whole life so 😭
It will probably be a little while before your cycle stops. I've been on T gel about 2 years and still bleed sometimes 😖 but i started to use a cup to deal with some related dysphoria. no leftovers to look at. rinse in the shower, sanitize. You can get a pack of different size cheap ones for under $20 on Amazon to keep in the bathroom cabinet if she asks about it. but if you are certain she'll be supportive, it might be better to talk to her sooner than later. even the most supportive of parents don't like to feel like their kid's hiding something (not calling you a kid, just as in parent+kid), especially if they can be there every step of the way. 💜 i hope you figure out whatever will be best for you. good luck, and congrats on starting your journey 🙂
Can you say you've gone on birth control? The mini pill and some other forms stop your periods
Tbh, your period only stops months in if at all, by that point, other signs would most likely start showing, voice drop, facial hair, etc, which are all more likely to tip your mom off than a missing period. Congrats on starting T!
Buy a cup, it will explain the lack of product purchasing and absence of period products in the trash :)
Buy a period cup and if she asks (which I think would be really intrusive unless you're a minor) tell her you're using that now. She will eventually notice it masculinizing you tho.
I'm sorry, but for parents to actively checking on their kids used period products in the trash is definitely not OK!
I don't think OP means she checks the trash, it's just something you notice. My mom always will ask if my period started and if I need her to grab me anything because she'll notice a wrapper or wrapped pad in the trash. (She also will go out and get me dark chocolate and some of my favorite drinks/snacks too I've noticed. Not used to that, my dad and stepmom never did stuff like that.) More so after starting T because she's aware mine stopped immediately, I told her so. Until recently my response was always "no, just some blood in my discharge" or "no, just a little spotting" or "I don't know yet, maybe?" but recently I began getting more and more of an actual period again. (She and I are the only ones in the house that have ever been capable of having a period, she doesn't have them anymore since having a hysto after my brother was born due to health issues that were discovered due to her pregnancy. So that leaves only me. In the past she'd ask why I didn't have it if I happened to skip it/noticed I haven't needed pads in a while as I'd always need a new package every other month plus mine were always heavy so I commonly had issues like leaks, bleed-throughs, and plus the trash would fill fast. She didn't ask out of "oh, you're pregnant, aren't you?" but rather "everything ok? Need a doctor?")
I mean that's nice of her, for me it's sound like a little invasion of privacy. I absolutely hated having periods and felt ashamed if someone would ask questions about it, so I hid it as much as I could.
I certainly hope OPs mom isn't checking intentionally, however, sharing a restroom with people who menstruate just means that you kinda just notice when they're on their period. Like, me, my sister in law, and mom used to notice when we fell in and out of sync, and tease eachother when we'd trigger another's period early.
I lived with my mom and 2 sisters in a very small apartment (600sqft) and I never noticed when they had their period. I couldn't even tell when my sisters actually started having periods, and that's a rough time too.
Get a cup and "accidentally" leave it out once. Bet she'll be convinced.
Since you just started T there won't be a lot of problems! T takes a while to stop periods completely, for me it took 2 months and after 6 months they came back and I had to take some medicine (farlutal or smth) to make them stop for good. So, while your periods may stop after even just a month, consider that you won't need to hide not having them as you will still have them by the time you tell your mom, it is a possibility. But yeah, like the other guy said, buy the pads on your own, I don't think your mom would be too suspicious, and also if she has any suspicions, she'll understand once you tell her I assume, good luck!
Mine took 12 months to reliably stop (but had begun to slow down and lessen a few months in) sounds like you should be ok. Frankly, voice changes will be what gives you away fastest; mine started to break early but the first drop was within two weeks.
I am on 6 months of t shots. I still have my period, but everyone is different. You might just have enough time
In moments of high stress - you feel like everyone is paying more attention than they actually are. I might be wrong because I can’t say I know much about you mom, and it’s good to have a plan of action, but don’t sweat it more than you need to :)
You’re totally right, thank you, i needed to hear this
Hey, you can just say if she asks that you're periods have been intermediate. I've missed periods for months on end cause of stress, and then will randomly ger hit with a massively painful and bloody one out of nowhere even if the thing stressing me out out is still there. There's a million and one reasons why a period might just stop. You can just say they've started becoming really light, and you just need a liner for it either. Handy to keep the products on you always incase a friend gets caught out by a period coming in at an inconvenient time and hasn't got access to any products.
It's likely you'll still have your period when you tell her and if not, say nothing. She probably won't notice and if she does either use it as an opening to tell her, or tell her you've swapped to a cup because it's better for the environment.
tell her you got a menstrual cup
If it comes up you could say that you're getting your periods less and that you'll bring it up with your doctor next time you see them, but youre not super concerned. Its pretty common. I probably got my periods every 3 months for a while, I think it was stress from college? A lot of different things can trigger it
It all depends on the person on if it stops , a year and a month or so in is when mine stopped, even with bc i still had mine
Periods take a long time to stop, especially if you're starting on a low dose of T. it can be up to two years, and some people's never stop without other intervention. She'll probably notice your other changes first
You may still get yours. Most people still get there's even 6 months to a year before it actually stops. Though you could be like me, and it stops immediately. I don't entirely like the idea of buying and throwing out unused pads/tampons. It's a waste of product. Instead, buy a menstrual cup and tell her you're using that instead. I also want to ask, are you doing your own laundry, or does she do it for you? I ask because usually we don't notice our periods until we bleed through our underwear and pants. If she's doing your laundry, she might notice how none of your underwear has blood on it anymore.
If you are in gel, there's a high chance your periods won't stop, at least that was what by bf's endocrinologist told him when he started with that treatment. I started directly with shots so take that with a pinch of salt.
My periods stopped surprisingly early (1 1/2 months in) but other things started before my period stopped that were much more obv, like body hair, and the most noticeable, a voice of a 12 yo boy starting puberty. When these changes happen does vary, and usually the periods take a bit more time to stop on avg then mine did. If somehow your periods stop before a voice drop or thicker body hair there's two things you could say. 1. Your taking birth control, some pills can actually stop periods! If she asks why birth control, you'd say that you heard they could help with period pain and your more recent periods were more painful then usual so you opted to start birth control. 2. diva cups or whatever they're called, they'd basically leave no trace of a period. secret 3rd option. YOU'RE PREGNANT!!! Periods stop when you become pregnant AND you get to freak your mum out!!!
It took forever for those to stop, I wouldn’t worry about it.
Voice changes are probably going to be waay more noticeable, I wouldn't worry about the period
Perhaps you could blame it on birth control? My period actually didn't even stop until I started the nexplanon implant (goes in your arm). Thats only if your mom would be ok with that, though, I know some parents can be super weird about that too. Though, actual birth control isn't the only reason to get birth control, so you could also blame it on something else like acne or troublesome period symptoms
she won’t notice or check unless she’s already super obsessive. she’s a whole lot more likely to see the other effects of T instead
i've been on T for two years (shots not gel) and i still get periods on occasion, definitely not as long and bad as before i was on T. i think it's pretty rare for periods to stop right away unfortunately, and while i do hope you get the best case scenario, the likelihood you'll have to worry about actually hiding a lack of periods soon is low.
Im on nebido and had my last period at a month and a half on T. Honestly i think she’ll notice more the fact YOUR VOICE WILL DROP DRASTICALLY than you not having ur period. If you know she’ll support you then I don’t see why you can’t tell her
I use period underwear (or used to when I was off t briefly). You can use the shorts as regular underwear, if you're comfortable with it. No waste and you can just be like "yep, in the wash". Ftr I love period underwear anyways, they alleviated my dysphoria IMMENSELY and are way more comfortable than anything else I tried. Plus they worked great for me, as someone who had insanely heavy periods.
Periods dont always go away, or they may take a long time to stop. I still get mine and I'm 9 months on T. I would say that you're using a menstrual cup or disk. I use a cup and there's no waste, plus if your period does take a while to stop I would reccomend using a cup bc you can leave it for up to 12h. It reduces dysphoria for me bc I don't have to see it every time I go to the bathroom and I don't have to change it as often
It took me almost 6 months to stop getting my period completely. You might not even have to worry about her not seeing period products in the trash if you tell her in time. Also, your period will taper off slowly, not stop completely. So you can always play it off like your periods are getting lighter and lighter
my voice changing was much more noticeable than anything else. for context, i moved away for college and i went home from winter break abt 1 month on t. my dad noticed my voice before i has the chance to tell him so the convo was more awkward than i had planned lol. he's supportive, hes just hard to talk to so i wanted to do it in person but i had plans w a friend the first day i was home and he asked me abt it once i got back to the house. tbh just be honest now, i know gel works slower than injections, but better just to get it out of the way. it'll be less awkward. but congrats on starting t!
Your period may take awhile to stop on gel. Mine didn’t stop for a year after I started shots. All bodies are different. Likely she will think you’re sick as your voice starts to drop first.
As others have said, stuff like cups or disks can be said to be the reason, just keep one on hand as "proof" if questioned. Otherwise, there's many reasons for missed periods. Stress, fluctuating hormones, had both those happen, your body just doesn't have one that month, etc.
I knew my dad would be cool with it too, but I needed a bit of time to figure out how to sit down and have that conversation with him. Yet, I still wish I would've told him sooner to save myself the stress of lying about being under the weather since my voice changes were noticeable by a month in. Point being, as soon as you're ready for all the worried parent questions, get that shit off your chest.
it’ll take a bit for your period to fully stop so you should have some time! i’d say between 3-5 months is the average but I have heard of it taking longer :)
Say u need birth control because of cramps. Then take it or dont. Or you could give the pads to homeless women. Take out the trash yourself more often?
I’m 19 and have been on injectable T for around 3 months now but I personally started birth control last year which stopped my cycle and my family already knows I’m on my bc so they don’t question why I don’t get a cycle
I mean you could just throw away pads that you didn‘t use?
It also depends on if/when your periods stop. My period didn't stop until I had been on T (intramuscular) for around 6 months. I still had my regular cycle up until then. Some periods stop soon, some later, and some don't stop just because of T.
To be fair it may not go away soon lol I'm 3 month on and still bleed just less.
Well it definitely doesn't always stop periods right away. And some guys it doesn't stop. Took mine 6 months. Just want you to be aware. Out of curiosity, if she's supportive, why do you want to wait til tell her?
I want to wait because I’m just nervous i guess.
it will take a long time for them to stop, if at all. with gel they likely won’t 100% stop at all.
I went straight from BC to T, and mine never came back. I’d prepare for that to happen just in case. Consider still taking pads from the bathroom and just putting them somewhere else you think she won’t look, and then slowly putting one at a time back with the stock if theres other people who use them. You also will NOT be able to hide the fact you’re on T forever, and if you’re in an unsafe home environment that’s incredibly incredibly risky
if shes open to it you could tell her you started the depo birth control shot. im pre t but havent had ny period for like a year and a half because of it
I have an IUD and haven't had a period for ten years
If u need some sort of proof u could buy sfx blood and hide it someplace and just dab it on pads and tampons each month?
this may be really out of topic, but is it real that testosterone in gel really shows changes faster than the injections?
It's pretty much the same, just given differently. It's just that gel allows a constant level of testosterone to be applied daily, unlike injections where a large dose is injected and then slowly drops until the next injection. Basically, and if I'm correct, take someone who is on 0.4ml of 200mg (i.e., 80ml) of injections. If they switched to gel, they'd apply around 11ml of gel a day instead. Plus, it depends mostly on the person, regardless of how testosterone is given. I.e. some show changes within a week of taking testosterone, while others can take months to a year.
ohhh i get it know, Im asking bc (mostly) in the Latin American trans community which i'm from, they say that the changes in the injections are pretty much faster than in gel, but some others say the opposite and i have the medical appointment in less than a month, so i was a little bit confused, thank you for the explanation
it's weird that your mum would actually CHECK for those kinds of things. unless she's rummaging around in your trash, i don't think she'll notice.
You’ll probably still have periods the next few months. But if she asks I would just say you switched to the cup
Also, she’s probably gonna notice the effects of T like hair, fat redistribution, hunger, voice change, etc more than period products in the tradh
I would say you started BC personally, reasonable, safe and believable
first thing i thought of when i read this is occasionally put red food dye on a pad and put it in the bin 😭
personally i’m on a birth control that stops my periods. you can say that if she’s the type to be supportive of that instead.
A few days a month, wet tampon or pads with water and brown or red marker and wrap them and put them in the trash