noticable effects of hormones

[GabbiSophia]

As I am preparing to start my journey on HRT I am making my plans for all the events that will need to happen. I have gathered a ton of info from others on here but one thing I haven't got a grasp of is the moment hormones made a public appearance. I am planning on being on hormones for 2 years before coming out public and going full time. This way it gives me times to get my business in order and some personal things too. I am just wondering if the effects of hormones will be to noticeable by this time and I should make a different plan. I understand everyone is effected differently I am just looking for a middle ground on what people have experienced.

My mom's family is not well endowed so I do not expect much breast growth.

[Joan_CD]

Been on HRT for 2 years and am 62. I have a B cup and my weight distribution is more towards my hips and rear. Not super noticeable but definitely there. My skin is softer and I am more emotional now.

[LeaP]

There was no moment. It was a gradual thing with more people noticing more over time. I was more self-conscious than noticeable for quite a while. I am now to the point where people sweep me up-and-down most of the time. I wasn't ma'am'd in male clothing until over a year on hormones. And that was from somebody who saw me from a side view.

If there was a single moment, it was when I got over being self-conscious, not when there was unmistakable public recognition or something. I was walking through an airport, kind of hunched over as usual trying to hide, and just said screw it and started walking normally. People look. Let them. Who cares?

In any event, breasts are what people will notice. Hormones do have a feminizing effect on a lot of people's faces, but by no means all. And for most, that is a feminizing effect in relationship to where you started – not that it makes you look like a woman per se. I am in that category. My features have softened somewhat. My cheeks have filled out a little bit. My skin is nicer. But at most, I may look vaguely effeminate to some people.

[Jorja]

To be completely honest, taking hormones is a crapshoot when it comes to body changes. If you have won the gene lottery, maybe six months you will have noticeable results. Some take the hormones and get no results at all after several years. So the best answer to give is, start taking them and see what happens.

[JohnH]

After being on HRT for over 2 years I do have noticeable changes - particularly the breasts. And yet I still live as a man in public and may continue to do so indefinitely. Right now I am at a C cup and still having breast growth pains. My mother's side is not particularly well endowed by my father's mother had large breasts.

The only person who has ever teased me about my breasts is my dear wife.

So based on my experience I would say don't worry about your developing breasts. Breasts look much nicer on any individual, male or female, than a large gut.

Johanna

[Sarah M]

I have been on HRT for almost 10 months I' am a B-cup an very soft an smooth skin an my body hair is finer an thinner an lighter an takes a long time to grow out same as the leg hair an body fat redistribution is taking place an loss in upper body strength no male body odor an a lot of other things like mental changes etc..

My pelvis is wider from the HRT since I have a female pelvis an it is made too widen an at almost 10 months facial changes are taking place I look a little different an body an chest hair is not growing out very fast an my legs are so smooth an the rest of my skin an when I shave my legs an takes days to grow out the hair is soft an fine an thinner.. The hair on my forearms has gotten thinner softer an lighter no dark hairs on my forearms they look like a woman's an as for the tummy an chest hair it would be growing out a few hours later after I would shave it an I could feel a little stubble after I shaved it an is nothing like that anymore now just soft an smooth I did let it go a month an all they were was 3-7 hairs an that was it. The mental changes are so nice too an I can never go back to who I was before my mind is all female.. my facial hair is getting thinner lighter an softer I almost forgot to say that ...

[Madie]

3 months is around when most see noticeable changes, 6 months-1 year the majority of changes usually seem to happen, but can be longer of course. Your mileage may vary is a common phrase used. Unfortunately the pace of changes isn't set in stone, and we don't get to dictate it. I've had a few friends that made similar plans developing ahead of schedule.

[Frances]

I was misgended constantly as female after 5 months when presenting as male. Why a 2 year plan? That sounds like a really long time.

Also, and this my own personal opinion, everything should in order before starting transition, including personal things.

[GabbiSophia]

The day you start hormones isn't always the day you transition imo. Again imo. I want to do the hair removal the hair growth and the hormones to take effect before. It's how I want to go through it and i can try to stay ahead of issues I hope. Also this way all my stuff can be handled before hand. Plus it's just a plan... and we all know how plans go

[Frances]

I started HRT five months before going full-time, but I had a hard time passing as a male after five months except with my co-workers who could not see me differently. It was kind of funny. In my public, people would read me as female and co-workers would get confused.

Hair removal took five years total for me and cost $20,000. I started a couple of years before going full-time. Even still, I had hair on my neck when I did go full-time. There was a lot of scrambling in the weeks preceding the chosen time.

As for issues, that's my point. Transition is hard and there is not much place for "perhaps that will not happen" or "maybe I will get lucky."

Here is one aspect that often gets overlooked: changing your voice. A lot of people concentrate so much on the appearance that they get around to it. During the two years of hiding it. Are you going to keep speaking the same? Changing the voice takes a sustained effort that is quite apparent to the outside world.

You may think I am unfairly challenging you, but I am sincerly trying to help you.

[GabbiSophia]

Your not bothering me at all. I have started with the voice. I travel alone a ton and work alone even more than that. My wife said i can practice with her so she can also get used to it. I have always been able to slide my voice around so i can play a little more. You are correct though i need to do it more and more. I was hoping 2 years would be enough practice before full.


Side question. . Wow 20k did you do all electrolysis? I know it's a large investment but sheesh.

[Kathryn Martin]

Like Frances I started hormones about 6 months before transitioning socially and professionally. By months four I could no longer hide my boobs and started to get comments, Since my boob growth was hand in hand with wight loss, they became quite prominent. Electrolysis started one months before hormones. Because 80 % of my facial hair was white or very light I was able to shave closely without leaving a shadow at all. I am now three years in, at a cost of $80.00 per week which means I have now spent $14,450 on electrolysis and have approximately six months to go.

Once you begin electrolysis and hormones and have set your transition date there is an interesting dynamic that develops. I planned on transitioning in October 2012. I started hormones in October 2010 (same two years you have mentioned) I actually transitioned 1st April, 2011. So much for making long range plans. I planned everything very carefully with 3-4 contingencies but no plan survives the inception of it's execution because there are so many things that might have to adjusted. Because we had planned so carefully we were prepared for every contingency. I wish you intestinal fortitude, luck, humor, a head and a heart and really all the best.

[Frances]

I did a laser and electrolysis. Transitioners often underestimate the cost of hair removal.

[stefan37]

I have over 300 hours of electrolysis and have paid over 20 k so far

[GabbiSophia]

ty Kathryn .. I had planned prob around 12k when it is all said and done. I am fair skin somewhat (I have to lighten more) so I might get away with a little less elctro but I figured 100 hrs easy. Plans are plans... I hope the fact that at least I am moving forward will allow me the 2 years... I am making other plans but rather not do those .. which normally you end up with

OO and I only need to do my face... the 4 chest hairs I have I pull out and I have never had back hair. This part I am blessed with

[I Am Paula]

I've been on hormones since July. Between things I've done myself (Lose the beard, Grow and style my hair, long nails), and what the drugs have done (Nice solid B cup), I can't really pass as a guy. However, your mileage may vary. I think when you get that first bit of estrogen in your blood, you will move up your date for full time... A lot.
Good luck!

[DeeDee1974]

Sometime between the 4-6 range was when it was really noticeable for me. The was a day I was outside trying to track down my dog who had gotten out of the yard. I was only on a white tshirt and shorts and one of my neighbors thought I was my ex wife at first glance. In my haste to track down my dog I hadn't realized how noticeable my breast were. Plus my skin had become much softer and I lost any muscle I had
(Which wasn't much).

There was no way I could have hidden my transition for 2 years.

[LeaP]

You will not always know what people see or what they think. I walked (drab) into a Swarovski store today with my wife and a guy just glared at me. She shot him a look, but he kept it up.

[Megan G]

When I first put a plan down on paper I originally thought that I would strive for 1.5-2 years before I went full time and took the plunge. I wanted to get my job, family and everything else in order before I started telling people and going full time. But life thru me a curveball that put everything on hold. I took a position away from home that would put my family in a better financial position to allow me to do this.

I am now 8 months into hrt and I am seriously wondering how I am going to hide the changes this summer when I return home. It now has me considering moving up my transition timeline as it would be almost impossible and definately uncomfortable trying to blend in with my old life this summer.

So I guess what I am trying to say is that it's a great idea to make up a rough timeline for transition but be prepared to change it as time progresses. Getting on hrt before going full time gave me some time to allow the meds to kick in and see if this was right for me or not.

Trish

[GabbiSophia]

Trish I am doing somewhat the same thing. I am not going to blow up my life before I know 100%

[gonegirl]

What Steph just said above about knowing 100% before blowing your life up is a good plan. There's a good chance that it might not happen like that though, so have a plan for that too. You might not know 100% until after irrevocable changes have happened.

To really know who you are and how you need to live your life will almost certainly entail taking steps to actually experience who you are and how you need to live your life. Small actionable steps are OK, but you will need to take them in order to find where your journey leads you to. You won't figure this stuff out by living it in your head.

[DebbieL]

Many things will come you way, some things will be wonderful. Others will take some acceptance and adjusting. The first thing I noticed was that I was much calmer and happier. The androgen blockers prevented the stress caused by the testosterone. Estrogen seemed to have a calming effect, but at the same time, I became more emotional, laughing more, crying because I was sad, crying because I was happy, crying because I was inspired. I never got terribly angry, but after starting hormones, I found that I stayed calmer, and upsets could be easily dissipated just by talking out my feelings.

There were some side effects that took a bit more acceptance. Erections were fewer. I never was very large, but now even erect I was smaller than my thumb. They got smaller as well. I could have orgasms (using a magic wand or vibrator), but they took longer. Even when I had orgasms I didn't ejaculate, everything was dry. Often I would have many more smaller "peaks", much like orgasms, but not as intense as the "belly whomper" orgasms that mimicked ejaculation.

I also found that desire had reduced. Even when I could masturbate, I was less inclined to do so, or more likely to quit after a few peaks rather than trying to go for the "belly whompers".

The breasts grow, but were much fuller on the outside than inside. The sternum had little breast tissue at all. By the end of 1 year, my breasts were so large that I had to wear dress shirts and keep them very baggy, because my breasts would show under a T-shirt. They became more sensitive and I had to start wearing camisoles to protect them from the course fabric of my dress shirts. My hair grew out, and I started shaping my eyebrows and getting manicures. The laser and I-Light had removed most of the darkest hairs and lighter hair around my chin and lip were plucked with tweezers. I had grown a beard and waxed it off years earlier, so very little hair grew there either. Even without shaving at all, it would take almost 5 days for a white stubble to form, that was shorter than a single day's growth for an average man.

By the end of a year, I had 38 B breasts, still pointing outward, but clearly female and feminine - not "man-boobs" in the slightest. I had to stop using the men's restroom entirely because if I walked out as a man was coming in, he would walk all the way back to the entrance to make sure he was in the right bathroom. On a few occasions, being seen leaving the men's room would make me a target. I had been unable to use a urinal after about 9 months, because it was too small to stretch over the zipper and when it collapsed, it would spray into my hands and pants. Not something to be repeated.

By the time I started working as "Rexxie" (still needed to do the legal name change), I had already reached the point where I never got read. Men would sometimes flirt with me, especially older men. Thank goodness I had purchased a wedding set at Claire's to take the place of my wedding ring (my fingers had gotten so small it kept falling off). I was finding it hard to believe that nobody even noticed anything masculine about me. I had learned to dress to blend, and even when I wore skirts and heels, I was seen as entirely female.

During my last blood test, my T levels were up a bit, so they increased my spironolactone as well as my estradiol, which improved my health so much that my regular doctor and heart doctor took me off my heart and blood pressure medications. At this point I take niacin at night for my migraines (which I had before I started), and I take aspirin to ease the "hot flashes" caused by the niacin. My wife likes to joke saying "you get to go through puberty and menopause at the same time". Since her oophorectomy, she has not had hot flashes very often.

By the end of the second year, what little upper body strength I may have had was pretty much gone. I could still lift lighter weights, but needed help getting my computer bag into the overhead compartment (weighs about 60 lbs).

When I started my transition, I weight 285, I'm down to 245 now, and intend to go to about 175 or maybe even 170. I have also had to limit starches and sugars as they seem to elevate my triglycerides.

[Marleena]

Hi Steph, I'm happy for you.:) I know you've struggled with this decision (HRT)for a long time. When I first joined here I had not even worn a wig or makeup but a mini vacation as my true self triggered severe GD again for me. Being out and about as my true self was the first time I really felt alive and "right". I think you need to try that during your first few months on hormones. At my age I was not expecting much from the hormones (body changes) and it is a crapshoot as others have said. I just wanted to get the GD under control. As far as transition I'm almost 2 years in and have not accomplished much due to my circumstances so I can't help you much with a plan. I'm more concerned with keeping a roof over my head. I suggest you take your time though since you've really struggled to get to this point.

[GabbiSophia]

Marlene I am taking it slow. It is hard but I am trying my best. I see the endo in 2 weeks and she knows her stuff so I hope it goes well. I also am starting group therapy so I can start getting out. I am trying baby steps but they seem huge for me

[Marleena]

Nice to see you moving ahead Steph! The most important thing with HRT will be the easing of the feeling of going nuts as Jorja mentioned in another thread. Within the first month on a full script the GD should subside and your quality of life should be much better. Make sure to keep working with your therapist and endo as you start hormones.

It's good to see you are joining a support group too. You need to get out as your true self even if it's not full time to begin with. I'm living that dual life (out of necessity) you mentioned in an earlier thread and I don't think it's sustainable for a (TS) woman. I'm having a hard time with it.

[DebbieL]

Steph,
Your asking the right question and taking the right steps. I certainly remember my first public events, especially once I did not have the cover of Halloween. My therapist gave me lots of little assignments, taking it one step at a time. Things like.
- Get dressed as Debbie and go for a drive, at least around the block.
- Get dressed and drive to a safe neighborhood and take a short walk around the block.
- Get dressed and go to and outdoor strip mall.
and so on.
Later it was going to different social events, using the ladies room, and dining with a friend at a restaurant.
In less than 3 months, I had gone from going out only rarely, to being Debbie as often as I could.

Eventually, people who knew me as Rex AND Debbie could see how much happier I was as Debbie.

Today, nearly everybody thinks of me as Debbie. I've been on hormones for 2 years at very low doses, and I still have 38 C breasts.

[SusanLaine]

Hello Debbie,
Thank you for sharing your insights and experience - your candor is very much appreciated. When you say very low doses of hormones can you elaborate a bit on what would be defined as a low dose? - just in general of course I know my mileage may vary.

Also, do you know of any rule of thumb kind of info to relate pill dosage (say Premarin) to patch dosage to IM dosage? That is, a low dose of Premarin would be roughly the same as x dose in a patch or x dose in an injection - again nothing scientific just basic guidance.

[JohnH]

I had to stop using the men's restroom entirely because if I walked out as a man was coming in, he would walk all the way back to the entrance to make sure he was in the right bathroom. On a few occasions, being seen leaving the men's room would make me a target.

I still use the men's restroom since I still present publicly as a male for the most part. If a man wonders if he went to the right restroom after seeing me I boom out with my deep masculine voice, "You're OK, this is the men's room". I once had a woman walk into the men's room and come up to me and start a conversation and then I started talking. She realized I was not a genetic woman, and I told her she was in the men's room.

And yes I have been a target when leaving the men's restroom. I simply speak up with my voice and the person retreats sheepishly.

Johanna

[Rianna Humble]

can you elaborate a bit on what would be defined as a low dose?

Unfortunately, Susan, she cannot answer that one for you because we do not mention specific doses in this forum