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\title{How to crack your egg: HRT 101 Starterpack}
\date{14.June.2026}
\author{Candy Shop}
\subtitle{Aka Estromiaou, Aka femManaviko, Aka all about feminizing hormones zine}






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We wanted to talk with care.


This estro-zine is for every estro-junkie.!


This estro-zine does not gatekeep like your average cishet doctor. It shares
community-based knowledge, from us for us, through dolls gatherings, in the ancient
ritual of (be)c(umm)ing together, caring for one another, gossiping, and plotting doll
domination.!


We reject the idea that someone’s ability to transition should depend on paperwork,
citizenship, or healthcare insurance systems. Neither the state nor the healthcare
market should decide which bodies deserve access to change. The only thing that
truly matters is desire.


If you want it, that is enough.
The reasons can be endless and different for everyone: wanting more femininity or
more body hair, wanting your skin texture to change, the way you cry, desire, or
inhabit your body to shift. Wanting tits, a flat chest, ass, a crotch, different
proportions, different sensations, a different relationship to yourself. Or chasing
something impossible to fully explain — something only felt. None of these desires is
more valid or more “real” than another. And you do not need to prove anything in
order to claim agency over your own body and change it in whatever way you need.


Wanting is already enough.


That is why we must continue learning collectively, sharing knowledge, hormones,
supplies, experiences, and networks of care. And this support should reach not only
those who can easily access institutional trans healthcare, but also those excluded
from it from the beginning — economically, socially, legally, or politically.!


In March 2026 we launched a Collective Discussion on Hormones, Treatments, Substances \&
Transition about HRT.


Τhis is our candy knowledge that we want to share. This is the  transcription .
Collective discussion about hormones, treatments, substances and transition


Bouqueta \Slash{}\Slash{} 08-03-2026

\section{Workshop plan}


\begin{enumerate}[1.]
\item\relax 
Brainstorming on the products accessible to us .


We begin by mapping the substances, products, and resources that already exist in our
environments. What do we have access to, what do we hear about, what do we use, what do
we question?



\item\relax 
Break down the discussion in narratives according to accessibility , pros, cons, and
methods .


We wanted to to discuss definitions, effects and important information to transmit from us to us as a collective knowledge . This is not about authority, but about circulating knowledge as a breathing, mutating organism — shaped by lived experience rather than gatekeeping
systems.



\item\relax 
coming back together , restitution \Slash{} reports.


We come back together to share outcomes, reflections, and fragments .This includes open exchange, reporting, and collective synthesis of the discussions.




\end{enumerate}

HRT 101


\begin{itemize}
\item\relax 
accessibility



\item\relax 
pros Vs cons



\item\relax 
methods




\end{itemize}

PILLS


Cyclacur — estradiol pills- is the most common prescription in Greece. There are no insurance
based discounts even if you get it prescribed. They cost approximately \textasciitilde{}2 euros. They tend to be out of stock quite often, so you have to run through pharmacies to find them (our beloved hormone hunting) or be in constant communication with a specific pharmacy where you can  arrange for them to order it for you. From the packaging, we use only the white pills, the ones used for feminizing HRT. As time progresses, in case you want to increase your dosage, you will need more and more boxes of medication, so the monthly cost raises with time. Fortunately, it is way easier to get around from friends in case we run out of it.


Androcur — testosterone suppresser pills .


Bika — testosterone suppresser pills
Cost 15–17€\Slash{}month


PROS


\begin{itemize}
\item\relax 
you can get them at a pharmacy



\item\relax 
you can get them prescribed from an endocrinologist through the public system or a private
clinician




\end{itemize}

CONS


\begin{itemize}
\item\relax 
have to take them everyday



\item\relax 
they are pricey



\item\relax 
you can’t do monotherapy with them



\item\relax 
not always available in pharmacies, constant shortages



\item\relax 
they’re designed based on cis bodies’ needs



\item\relax 
harmful for your liver



\item\relax 
not the best option after 40 (?)



\item\relax 
higher emotional fluctuations, peaks and shifts



\item\relax 
having ADHD and facing other mental health conditions can impact the medical regime




\end{itemize}

Injection combined with pills


\begin{itemize}
\item\relax 
ARVEKAP




\end{itemize}

PROS


\begin{itemize}
\item\relax 
11.5 mg monthly, at some point you can also move to a 3 month dose




\end{itemize}

CONS


\begin{itemize}
\item\relax 
expensive



\item\relax 
needs pharmacy visit



\item\relax 
side effects on mental health



\item\relax 
needs enough estrogen to balance your hormonal levels



\item\relax 
how it affects your bone density



\item\relax 
how it affects your libido




\end{itemize}

CONS FOR BOTH MEDICINES


\begin{itemize}
\item\relax 
regulated by what’s more profitable for the pharmaceutical companies at the time



\item\relax 
sometimes to get access to them, you need to pass through psychiatric “assessments” to
“prove” that you are experiencing gender dysphoria and that by default you are “actually”
trans (transvestigation) and getting the stigmatizing diagnosis of F64: Transsexualism, all this process (depending on what doctor you have access to) can come with a lot of gatekeeping, transphobic and psychiatric violence



\item\relax 
having to go through constant evaluation from the medical system + their harmful practices



\item\relax 
all this structure strips us of our bodily autonomy



\item\relax 
there are only 4 hospitals in Greece where you can go for HRT services, making it hard for
all trans people (especially those not living in big cities) to access the treatment and having
to go through long waiting lists and spending lots of money on traveling and possibly private
doctors



\item\relax 
to access this specific HRT treatment you need to pass through the “legal” system of the
public sector, so you’ll need papers of “legal” status in the country, therefore this builds a
barrier and obstacle for undocumented, immigrant, refugee trans people




\end{itemize}

PATCHES


\begin{itemize}
\item\relax 
Estraderm



\item\relax 
Dermestril (you get it prescribed if you’re over 40)




\end{itemize}

PROS


\begin{itemize}
\item\relax 
less liver related problems



\item\relax 
you need two patches per week



\item\relax 
better substance absorption



\item\relax 
less expensive than pills (value for money)



\item\relax 
better estro levels



\item\relax 
no prescription needed



\item\relax 
“legal”



\item\relax 
EASY TO SMUGGLE




\end{itemize}

CONS


\begin{itemize}
\item\relax 
can be prescribed only once in 3 months



\item\relax 
hard to find in pharmacies (need to build a constant relationship with a specific one)



\item\relax 
scarcity



\item\relax 
needs to be combined with anti-androgen



\item\relax 
it can irritate the skin, possibly topical irritation



\item\relax 
not waterproof



\item\relax 
need to keep track of the days and combine the regimens



\item\relax 
if it sticks to itself while being applied on the skin, it’s practically unusable, you need to be
careful during application




\end{itemize}

EXTRA INFO


\begin{itemize}
\item\relax 
it functions similarly to a SubQ injection



\item\relax 
it’s a question and a matter of POV if they’re practical or impractical (you know your body
better)



\item\relax 
not body hair friendly




\end{itemize}

GEL


\begin{itemize}
\item\relax 
Estrogel



\item\relax 
Not available in Greece



\item\relax 
Need to order it online, might be expensive



\item\relax 
Out of Greece, it’s easy to prescribe



\item\relax 
NOT EASY TO SMUGGLE (fucking airports!)



\item\relax 
Lasts less time-wise than patches



\item\relax 
Daily application



\item\relax 
You need to be careful who you come in contact with after you apply it on your skin, it can
be absorbed through skin contact and shared pieces of cloth(?)



\item\relax 
Don’t touch animals after, HARMFUL



\item\relax 
Can be applied in different parts of the skin (inner thighs, arms, torso\Slash{}belly)



\item\relax 
Can be produced easily



\item\relax 
The most researched form of HRT



\item\relax 
Slow effects and it takes time for changes to start appearing



\item\relax 
Combo with anti-androgen helps increase the effects



\item\relax 
When it comes to blood tests, if blood is drawn from a spot of the skin with gel, it can
alternate the results of the tests.




\end{itemize}

INJECTIONS


PROS


\begin{itemize}
\item\relax 
Monotherapy*, no need for anti-androgens



\item\relax 
Cheap (can last from 5–12 months, you might need to spend max 100€\Slash{}year)



\item\relax 
Highly effective



\item\relax 
Healthier for liver



\item\relax 
Physically suppress testo



\item\relax 
Better effects on mental health



\item\relax 
Sense of stability if you follow your doses properly



\item\relax 
Legal to possess, when it comes to Testo, it is fully legal and accessible in Greece, Norma testo and Nebido can be found in pharmacies, Norma you can also buy for a little bit more money with no prescription, Nebido needs prescription and it’s expensive, Estro, on the other hand, is not available as injections in any pharmacy in Greece



\item\relax 
Shared through peer-to-peer support + knowledge + safety tips (T4T)



\item\relax 
There are many resources for more awareness and information on their effects, impacts,
doses, equipment, accessibility + self med reports (we learn through each other’s
experiences)




\end{itemize}

CONS


\begin{itemize}
\item\relax 
There are many myths and misconceptions around them, which lead to fear-mongering
narratives that need to be deconstructed and busted



\item\relax 
When it comes to execution, you need preparation and equipment, syringes, needles, tools for sanitary use



\item\relax 
Illegal to sell



\item\relax 
Ordering online is quite a complicated procedure that requires knowledge of bitcoin and crypto (where are our stem girlies at??)



\item\relax 
Difficult to navigate public hospitals while doing injections, the doctors can be quite
unfriendly and harmful when it comes to DIY, leading to us not being able to keep track of
our hormone levels and general health, most of the time we know way more than the
doctors, so we have to educate them each time on our medical choices and practices (we are better experts of our own bodies)



\item\relax 
It requires specific storage conditions



\item\relax 
Traveling can be tricky



\item\relax 
Allergic dermal reactions (with SubQ, castor oil, benzyl benzoate)




\end{itemize}

TYPES OF ESTRADIOL INJECTABLES


\begin{itemize}
\item\relax 
Valerate ->> every 3–5 days\Slash{}week



\item\relax 
castor\Slash{}MCT



\item\relax 
intense peak (2\textsuperscript{nd}-3\textsuperscript{rd} day)



\item\relax 
more emotional impact



\item\relax 
Enanthate ->> 7–10 days\Slash{}week



\item\relax 
castor\Slash{}MCT\Slash{}grapeseed



\item\relax 
most beginner friendly



\item\relax 
more stable emotionally



\item\relax 
bard (?) with testo and nandrolone



\item\relax 
similar with cypionate



\item\relax 
difficult to find the “proper” dose



\item\relax 
Undecylate ->> 20–40 days



\item\relax 
more expensive



\item\relax 
depending on the type of oil it has and the method of injection, you can also calculate how
often you do it (for example: castor oil + subQ= max 40 days?, castor oil + intraM= monthly?)



\item\relax 
the most unresearched type of Estradiol




\end{itemize}
\section{Closing reflection}


There is a widespread assumption that receiving hormones through prescription
guarantees safety, expertise, and reliable oversight. In reality, this idea often serves more as reassurance than medical truth. The biology of trans people remains
significantly under-researched, and many medical professionals have limited
familiarity even with existing studies. In contrast, practical and lived knowledge is
often goes in much greater depth, produced within community networks and among
experienced DIY practitioners.


The medical system is not structured primarily around care, but around regulation, productivity, and control. It does not simply distribute healthcare; it governs access to it, shaping who can receive treatment and under what conditions. In doing so, it extracts value from illness, disciplines bodily autonomy, and prioritizes reintegration into productivity over genuine well-being.


Medicalized frameworks of trans experience have become so normalized that they often define how transness is understood even by trans people themselves, narrowing the complexity of lived experience into simplified diagnostic narratives.


This produces a version of transness designed to be fast, legible, and socially non- disruptive — one that fits into work, family, and institutional life without friction.


We reject Transnormativity.


Placing trans healthcare entirely within medical systems has therefore not only limited access, but also created structural divisions between who is considered
“legitimate” or “properly” trans and who is not. It also exposes trans healthcare to
political control, where access can be restricted, withdrawn, or redistributed
according to state and institutional priorities, rather than community need. It’s also shaped by colonial and capitalist frameworks prioritizing white trans binary women .


In this sense, relying solely on institutional medicine can function not as protection, but as vulnerability — while community-based knowledge continues to operate as an alternative archive of care, survival, and collective knowledge.


Resources and materials on HRT


\begin{itemize}
\item\relax 
\href{https://diyhrt.market/transfem-hrt-guide}{diyhrt.market}



\item\relax 
\href{https://diyhrt.info/}{diyhrt.info}



\item\relax 
\href{https://pghrt.diy/}{pghrt.diy}



\item\relax 
\href{https://transfemscience.org/}{transfemscience.org}



\item\relax 
\href{https://diyhrt.wiki/}{diyhrt.wiki}



\item\relax 
\href{https://reddit.com/r/TransDIY/w/index?utm\_medium=android\_app\&utm\_source=share}{reddit.com}



\item\relax 
\href{https://transharmreduction.org/}{transharmreduction.org}



\item\relax 
\href{https://www.transhub.org.au/}{www.transhub.org.au} (a thorough and detailed guide on trans
identity, gender, coming out, social amd medical transition, introduction
to hormones, social and legal procedures and many more, a great introductory 101)



\item\relax 
\href{https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18RhmgtjAQ/}{www.facebook.com} (All about trans — Greece, support group on facebook for trans people in Greece to
exchange resources and provide support for one another)



\item\relax 
\href{https://wpath.org/}{wpath.org} (World Professional Association for Transgender Health)



\item\relax 
\href{https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/gender-identity/}{www.plannedparenthood.org}



\item\relax 
\href{https://genderdysphoria.fyi/en}{genderdysphoria.fyi}




\end{itemize}


\begin{verse}
Transition \\{}
has no clear beginning and no final form. \\{}
It is not arrival, nor a fixed goal. \\{}
It burns like fire: slow-burning or erupting with feminine rage. \\{}
It consumes and transforms, turning blue at its hottest points. \\{}
It warms what was frozen and destroys what could never hold us. \\{}
It is motion that cannot be confined. \\{}
Every hormone is a love letter to the past, present and future. We stitch ourselves \\{}
back together. Life is not linear, our transitions are not linear, and neither are our vials \\{}
so why should we be? \\{}
We do not discover ourselves. \\{}
We make ourselves. \\{}
We invent ways to survive, to cope, to love and to care. \\{}
Becoming is hotter than being. \\{}
Because making is an act in motion, and motion never stops. We want to break free \\{}
from the prisons assigned to us — and the ones we assigned ourselves. \\{}
Abolish now. \\{}
Become now. \\{}
Transition forever.
\end{verse}


 * By the term estro-junkie we do not refer only to a specific category of people assigned a fem identity or associated with drug use. We refer to all those united through the need for hormonal repositioning,
through self-determination, self-presentation, and alignment with their felt sense of self.

\section{Disclaimer}


This is not medical advice.


We are aware that self-medication presents risks.


This zine was created outside institutional medicine and should not replace personal research or informed
decision-making. Learn about the risks involved and make choices for your body carefully and autonomously.
Candyshop cannot take responsibility for side effects or outcomes connected to the use of this material.
According to current knowledge [1,2,3], hormone injections aiming for high estradiol levels
(approximately 300–500 pg\Slash{}mL) may be associated with increased risks of thromboembolic and
cardiovascular events.



\begin{amusebiblio}


\begin{enumerate}[1.]
\item\relax 
A. Mikkola et al. (2005) Scandinavian Journal of Urology and Nephrology, 39:4, p. 294–300



\item\relax 
A. Mikkola et al. (2007) Prostate, 67:4, p. 447–455



\item\relax 
Sam S. (2020) Transfeminine Science
\href{https://transfemscience.org/articles/pep-cardiovascular-analysis/}{transfemscience.org}




\end{enumerate}


\end{amusebiblio}


\hairline


This zine is open to redistribution, translation, and collective editing. Share it widely, adapt it to your context,
and help it circulate. If physical copies are sold, we encourage funds to go toward mutual aid — though keeping
it free is always preferred. We reject the logic of copyright and do not believe in ownership over knowledge,
text, or care. This work belongs to everyone and no one


Candyshop is a transfeminist mutual-aid collective based in Athens, that centers harm reduction around the practices of DIY transition and aims for collective trans mutation .


Built by dolls, estrojunkies, runaways, and gender outlaws, it creates space for exploring a safer transition , shared resources, hormones, knowledge, and practices outside institutional control and gatekeeping. It is a community space for trans evolution, collective care, and becoming — together ✧



\begin{verse}
What do we want? \\{}
To take space. \\{}
To share knowledge \\{}
To make transition safer, \\{}
wilder, and self-determined. To build a world where transness is not controlled, but experienced fully , collectively and in our own terms. \\{}
Autonomy, \\{}
accessibility, \\{}
continuity, \\{}
mutation forever. \\{}
I’ll take you to the candy shop .
\end{verse}









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The Anarchist Library



\smallskip
Anti-Copyright



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Candy Shop

How to crack your egg: HRT 101 Starterpack

Aka Estromiaou, Aka femManaviko, Aka all about feminizing hormones zine

14.June.2026


\bigskip



   

       

       

       

       

       

       

   



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\textbf{theanarchistlibrary.org}


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