New to BLO

[Sofie]

Hello, I have been reading for a while and finally want to introduce myself.
My name is Hanne Sofie, I'm 47 y.o. living on a small peninsula in Denmark and work as a gardener or, on occasion, as a computer-assistant.

For 12 months or so I've tried to find out what's different about me. I know this is something I should ask a med, but am afraid I will not get a straight answer and this really nags me. Without access to my medical records, my hope is to find someone with a similar condition.
Here's my medical history so far:
When I was 4 or 5 y.o., my mother started telling me, that something was wrong with my "glands" and that the doctors thought, it might be the pituitary gland (at least I think that's what she said). I remember doctors examinig my body and the thyroid glands. At age 5 or 6 my testicles finally came down into the scrotal sac. I don't remember getting any medication besides calcium-tablets since age 5.
After I started elementary school my mother stopped talking about it.
At age 12 I stayed at a hospital for 5 week, because I was bleeding through my penis.
The only thing I developed during puberty was a small adams-apple, small breasts and some pubic hair. I was diagnosed with scoliosis and asymetric limb growth. My arms became very long (armspan 4 in. greater than body height) but my hands and feet remained small. I started wondering why I looked so different from my peers. At age 21 I got some facial hair but never any body hair.
I had felt uncomfortable as male since kindergarden and last year I transitioned and had vaginoplasty. Two months before surgery I found out my penis had something called glandular hypospadias and wasn't supposed to have 3 holes.
After vaginoplasty I started bleeding from 2 small openings between my urether and the (neo)vagina with a 25 - 29 days period.

I'm grateful for any information. Thanks to all at Bodies Like Ours.

Sofie

[Natasha (again)]

So glad you came. I really don't know what to make of your symptoms. I am not an expert on intersex conditions, so I will leave that to others. I hope someone comes forward with some good information for you about that. I bet someone will.

I am very glad you are here Sofie. I know that you can find support ,and even make some friends here. So please don't hesitate to speak your mind and continue to ask questions.

I don't blame you for wanting to discover the truth about your own body. I feel doing so is part of human nature.

Natasha

[Betsy]

Hi Sofie,

Welcome :) to Bodies Like Ours. I'm not a doctor and the more I learn about how we manifest ourselves as IS teaches me that we, society, and the medical community have much to learn.

I think there might be someone else around this community from Denmark and hopefully they will wander by soon.

It's sad when I hear yet another story of secrets being kept and that those who need to know the truth -- us -- often are not privy to it.

Again, welcome, and I know you will find community and answers here.

Betsy

[Natasha (again)]

It's true Sofie. I have learned the same thing.

There are variations of intersex conditions, and previously unknown combinations of syndromes being discovered all the time. It is just crazy to assume that anything new is something other. There was time when I did though.

I think I recall seeing someone else around here from Denmark too, come to think of it.

Natasha

[Glenn]

Welcome aboard! I don't know what to make of your history - I guess mother nature is more innovative than we give her credit. :p But I'm glad you had the strength to change to a gender you feel closer to, and I'm glad you're here!

Glenn

[Sofie]

Thank you for the welcome. :D
Sometimes I feel very mixed up and being on this group helps me to stay grounded. I know I shouldn't let those unanswered questions absorb me but I can't help thinking about it.

Sofie

[beach]

hi sofie and welcome ,it seems the human reproductive system is nothing more than a petri dish, that makes a dna cocktail ,that the variables are inconceivably innumerable and unique to each person , and as its been pointed out to me. that even my type, im no expert on. i wish you luck in your search...beach

[Meresa]

Welcome to the group Sofie!

I know very little about genetics except what I am learning in my radiation biology class. But with all that complexity, the possibilities must be endless.

Are you anywhere near Copenhagen? I have always wanted to visit the home of Hans Christian Andersen and see the "Little Mermaid" statue. That is when it is not being defaced lol. ;)

(when I was in Brussels a few years ago, someone had put a motorcycle helmet and jacket on Das Pissen Manequin)

[Natasha (again)]

Originally posted by Sofie
Thank you for the welcome. :D
Sometimes I feel very mixed up and being on this group helps me to stay grounded. I know I shouldn't let those unanswered questions absorb me but I can't help thinking about it.

Sofie

I am so glad that you are still here Sofie.

Personally I do understand why you want answers.

I think it is both natural and healthy, to seek answers
to them as well.

Please stay with us.

[Sofie]

Originally posted by Meresa
Are you anywhere near Copenhagen? I have always wanted to visit the home of Hans Christian Andersen and see the "Little Mermaid" statue. That is when it is not being defaced lol. ;)

CPH is about 4 hrs from where I live (by bus and boat). There are no tourist-attractions here, but the landscape is beautiful, small islands and peninsulas, hills, lakes and sandy beaches.
After spending a few days in the canal, the mermaid-statue should be back on it's stone again. I'm sure there are one or more copies, just in case.

I found only 3 danish websites mentioning IS, one for physicians with the usual "medical emergency" stuff and two with outdated medical information. And I don't like to see myself as a "mistake of mother nature" or a medical problem. So last month I spoke for about 15 min. to a group of 25 people about IS, just an overview and a few examples. I was very nervous, but afterwards some of the listeners stayed to talk.

Sofie

[Dana Gold]

Deaer Sofie,

It is me again, and after reading your post thoroughly this time I have to say that your gland condition sounds familiar to me since I have hypergonadotropic hypogonadism (failure of testes to produce adequate amount of testosterone despite high levels of gonadotropins) and researching myself because of it I found out about hypogonadotropic hypogonadism which is failure of the pituitary to produce enough gonadotropins ( FSH and LH ) to induce proper tesosterone biosynthesis...hence: under-masculinization and various degrees of feminization ( breasts, lack of body and facial hair and female "habitus" i.e. female secondary sex characteristics)...which I had/have.
The human body is default female and in males the testosterone "de-feminizes" and simultaneously masculinizes the body . Please don't take my words as absolute, I am only making an educated guess. Also calcium is taken in such conditons to prevent and/or treat osteoporosis, which I have been taking along with magnesium ( I have osteporosis) ) .
Hypospadias and undescnded testicles may occur. I vaguely remember having my left be the "slow one" in childhood and have always had "retractile ones"...they go back up the inguinal canal a lot because they started out small, got somewhat bigger with testosterone treatments in my youth, the went towards small again in later years and now are almost completely atrophied. Anyway Please take care....sometimes, as I have learned, you have to be more assertive with the medical people, make them listen to you because otherwise they willl more than likely just not want to deal with it, especially if you are transgendered. They are actually afraid to deal with both TS and a "different" hormonal condition.....which has happened with me. Please take care..don't hurt yourself too much. Bye.

Dana

[Dana Gold]

Sofie,

As an afterthought, if possible, ask your medical provider for pelvic exam and/or abdominal and pelvic ultrasound. I experienced minor spottinga couple of years ago (before transition ) and have never found out why, including the recurrent left lower abdominal pain I get at times. My pelvic ultrasound ( I don't think they did it right, because they only scanned the middle lower like in pregnant women) revealed nothing. And I too have small feet and slender arms and hands and have had my thyroid checked (normal)....It's a shame that you don't know more of yourself from your doctors..they can be terribly negligent, which is why have studied/researched a lot for my own protection and welfare.
Finally I want to say that I can't get my childhood records either..being the step-child of Army man, the military (US) archives for such children medical records are destroyed 25 years after the last visit (mine in 1966)..so my life has been mysterious also.
Bye (again), dear heart, you are not alone.

Dana