Anyone with a son under 18 on hormone blockers?

[GiveMeStrengthAndVodka]

I'll start this by saying DS still wants to be referred to with his male pronouns so I am still using them.

My DS wants to go on hormone blockers. He turns 18 in a few months time. We looked into gender gp but I've found it so confusing. Being under 18 he can only use certain drugs but there isn't much guidance and which ones he should use. I started reading up on them and scared myself with the possible side effects.

I just wondered if anyone else has experienced their child going through this and which medication they were put on?

We were told in the initial information gathering session that if the person under 16 could show that they understood their actions then informed consent would be recorded and they would start treatment.
I really felt backed into a corner: be present and able to guide or fall out and be out of the loop.
He was school refusing from Year 7 then Covid hit. Suicidal and taking off out overnight so I was sleeping either on his bedroom floor or at the bottom of the stairs. It was horrific. I chose what I thought was the lesser of two evils. There was no therapy or support that would entertain the hot potato of gender <16 after Cass. Everyone was running scared.
I’ve always challenged whereas GGP took the gender-affirming stance from the off. Only one “psychologist” insisted they put the brakes on but it didn’t last. He passed 16 and it was all systems go. Choose what you want from the sweetie jar.
I still exert some influence and can guide but not enough to steer. I make my feelings very clear re: surgery. Just hoping that he sees sense before then. I don’t believe he’s any happier or has any more clarity after starting the treatment that he insisted would make him feel the right fit. He’s old enough in law now to choose his own path but it breaks my heart.

@Lostthefight I feel backed into a corner too.
I miss my son. I see pictures of the "old" him and miss him so much. He seems so angry now and it all gets taken out on me.
I'm sleeping in the same room with my son also. I know he finds night time very lonely. I get scared he will progress from self harm and do something worse. I feel so much fear.

I’m so sorry you’re going through this OP, and others. I have had glimpses of the fear you’re experiencing with my own child.

What you said about explaining to your DS about being devils advocate is the approach I would take, not saying it’s always going to be the right one. Have you put it to him to question the chicken and egg here? Is he anxious and unhappy because he’s male? Really? Or is he channeling his anxiety and unhappiness through the gender lens?

It screams the latter to me - in a similar way way people channel their issues via self harm, anorexia, substance abuse.

Even things like OCD go via a lens of ‘germs’ or ‘locking doors’ etc.

Personally, I would try really hard to drag him out on walks in nature. Keep addressing his mental health issues.

Therapy also worth a try, you may find someone here

just-therapy.org

Their current options would be cypro or spiro as t blockers- both need additional blood tests which would decrease t but they would need to add estrogen as you can't go with no hormones as they'd end up very lethargic etc, and when they are over 18 they could switch to GnRHa's but they are extremely expensive (about £250+ per 3 months) but don't have kidney/liver risks