Started HRT today...

[tabitha_az]

i started my HRT today. Now What?? Curious of what i will feel and see change in the upcoming weeks/months. I feel a tingling in my body. Not sure if that is the drugs or just me. :)

[Melody Moore]

I feel a tingling in my body. Not sure if that is the drugs or just me. :)
Tabitha, I assure you that the only thing you will feel in the first few weeks are purely psychological. Many trans-females feel a type of euphoria that comes over them for the first couple of weeks, but this probably has more to do with the feelings of being free to live your life as your true self.

I would not go looking for physical changes within the first 3 months and would only recommend that you take note of these things after every 6 or 12 months, then you will really see the difference. Take photos now of your body in the beginning, then in 3 months time, 6 months, then 12 months.

The first changes after 3 months should be in your skin and body hair. The pores in your skin should start to decrease in size as your body hair becomes finer & lighter in colour. After 3 months your breasts should start to feel sore under & around the areola - breast development will be very evident after 6 months. Also after 3 months you should notice a change in your libido and wont be getting any unwanted erections, and trying to get one will become harder and much more difficult to maintain. Your testicles should also start decreasing in size.

Usually there are changes in how you feel emotionally and many girls don't feel as agitated or aggressive and often report feeling a lot calmer & happier, whereas others with unresolved emotional issues, especially with family & friends will often crash. This is why going to a pyschologist who specialises in gender related issues is best before you attempt hormone therapy. They will help you work through these issues to try & prevent a possible emotional disaster. The more issues you have dealt with the easier & better the journey will be for you.

How quick you transition physically varies from one person to the next because of how their body metabolises hormones. This will also vary as well depending on the regime you are on with your hormone therapy. If you are not taking an anti-androgen then you can expect the results to happen more slowly because you have nothing to help stop the testosterone production that will delay transitioning. This is where many natural hormone remedies also fail because they don't address the issue of testosterone.
I hope this helps as a quick guide for what might lay ahead down the road for you. :hugs:

[Stephenie S]

Yes, Melody is right. This is a slow process and any feeings you get at first will be psychological only.

You have a wonderful jouney to look forward to, though. Have fun.

S

[Katesback]

Get ready because the freight train leaves soon and its a wild ride.

[gretchen2]

It's really cool when you get to the point of what once was is now no more.

[Melody Moore]

Get ready because the freight train leaves soon and its a wild ride.
Some trans-girls were warning me of some supposed 'emotional train wreck' that is going to apparently suppose
to happen. So I asked my psychologist about this recently and asked her what her opinion was and why I believed
that I was not going to have any serious emotional issues to deal with like others were trying to predicting with me.

My therapist was quick to point out that I was at a point where I had already come to terms with everything that
could possibly affect me emotionally such as over-coming any fears I might of had of rejection by family & friends.
She also said that I had a good solid network of support around me now so this was also a contributing factor to
why I do feel so happy, positive, confident & strong now & that I was at the point where I was strong enough to
be giving back to the transgendered community through the voluntary public education and awareness work I am
now doing. Learning to understand other people has helped me to understand that I am not alone & taught me a
lot more about myself. So I guess there are no real surprises for me in my journey because I have come to know
what to expect. I think these are some of the key tools to avoiding a major crisis during my transitional journey.

[sandra-leigh]

Also after 3 months you should notice a change in your libido and wont be getting any unwanted erections, and trying to get one will become harder and much more difficult to maintain.

Though if, like me, you are fairly affected by the lowering of blood pressure effect of Spiro, then you might have ED within a small number of weeks. If so then that would not be the same internal process as what Melody describes, as she is describing a true hormonal change.