Hi everybody, it’s Calipree. So, I have been on hormone therapy as a transgender female for two years now, along with testosterone blockers. I also get an injection of Estradiol, four milligrams, every week. My most recent labs show that my estradiol level is at 136 which is on the low end of where it should really be. My number should be just under 200 but my doctor will not increase my four milligram dose to five milligrams, even though I have consistently been having severe menopause symptoms, hot flashes, night sweats, brain fog. The brain fog is especially bad, and I often forget names and words. I also have severe fatigue, which makes it hard for me to just function normally. If my doctor was just nice enough to help me and give me what I want, just one extra milligram of Estradiol, I would feel so much better. I used to get five milligrams until I went to the hole for three months, and then the doctor decreased my amounts, probably just to punish me.
I used to feel normal, and I used to write a lot and also read lots of books. Now I can’t even focus and do those things. My skin used to be soft and plump, I used to glow. Now my skin sags, it’s drier and is dull. I’ve asked if I could please also take progesterone. My doctor says that progesterone isn’t something that she believes is essential for transgender female hormone therapy. Now, my doctor said she is going to decrease my Estradiol from four milligrams to three milligrams. I asked her then what number does she want my Estradiol to be? She said 39 but this is wrong. 39 is the number for a cisgender male. I have filed a grievance, and my grievances all get ignored.
I also was getting electrolysis until I went to the hole. Now I only grow hair on half my face, and so they sign me up for laser hair removal, but after only one session, it ended up burning my skin, because they let – they wouldn’t let me shave my face before I went. They don’t allow razors at this facility, only electric shavers, which aren’t good enough. Now my laser hair removal was canceled. They won’t let me try again, even if I shave my face. I tried to ask for electrolysis again, but they said there is no vendor here for that.
As for medical care for transgenders, CDCR just does the bare minimum. Oftentimes, they don’t even do that. Often, the doctors are incompetent. Even more often doctors are transphobic. We are supposed to be getting the same care that other transgenders get outside of prison, but the fact is that they really do not care about us.
These commentaries are recorded by Prison Radio.
