Starting hormones

[Dani 55]

Hi all. I am 55, and have always had thoughts about being a woman. My first wife divorced me when she found out about me dressing. She has not allowed me to see my kids, which I have not seen since 2011. I told my 2nd wife (only married twice) about me dressing when we started dating. She divorce me after I told her about wanting to be a woman. I moved to a new town, and started a new life.

Fast forward, I now have a prescription to start hormones. Since they are not covered by insurance, I won’t be starting them until the first of July when I get my next check. I am very exited and look forward to the new me. Can anyone tell me what to expect, and how long before I notice any changes?

Hugs, Danielle

[Devi SM]

Dani,
It's sad that we have to suffer the rejection of some people in the world for wanting to be who we are especially for those who did vow to love us in all conditions.
I can tell you my experience with hormones, even thought is short because I began in T-blocker on April 30th this year and the next day with the patches for estrogens.
In my case, the spironolactone was prescribed to begin for to 2 weeks in a quarter of dose to increment in quarter every two weeks. It means that means that in the week 7th I began with the whole dose.
The first symptom I experienced was peace of mind. Since the first nights after begin on HRT, i sleep the whole night, except for the middle of the night pee, that is a side effect of the spiro, so now i avoid to drink liquids after 8 pm and the whole night I sleep and even dream, which I wasnt able to so for years.
Second, as I mention, I to pee more, because one of the side effects of the spiro is to take off the liquids from body, that means to lose some weight too.
In the third week I notice an adorable extra sensitivity just in the tip of the nipples. Since then, i can feel a growing inside that now is around 2 inches diameter and of course is painful to accide tally bit that area. For the same greater sensitivity there, I play a lot with the nipples and is delicious, never experienced before that pleasure.
So that internal growing has made my boobies, that as a man of 58 years old, I had some chest or breast, now they are pointing forward and believe me, are a bit noticeable.
My libido has fall almost completely
Morning woods no more but erections with some help still working.
I think I haven't forgotten anything.
Last thing, I heard and read so many, we all are differents and you can not expect same level of changes as others experienced.
The only thing endicrinologist assure me was thinner body hair which I almosy remove completely.
If you want more details feel free to pm me.

[Aunt Kelly]

OK... full disclosure. I've never been on HRT, so am not offering "knowing advice" from the patient's perspective. While endocrinology was hardly my field, I do have enough of a clinical background to know that these are questions that are, by far, best asked of the clinician who has prescribed your medication. The information he or she provides will be backed up by the collective knowledge of those in the field who have actually developed the standard of care; the result of carefully controlled research.
Information you get from your peers here will be anecdotal, at best. If may even be accurate, but it is not something you should hang your hat on. You may experience all, or just some of the documented effects and side effects of HRT.
Don't get me wrong, advice from someone who's been there is often useful (coping with side effects, for example), but it should not be a substitute for the advice of your caregiver.

Good luck to you, Dani.

Hugs,


Kelly

[coffee10]

Hi Danielle,

Just for your information. Going onto antiandrogens is a useful interim step to going on hormones fulltime.
You should be taking them with hormones anyway, but they help to supress the uptake of testosterone. In effect diminishing what makes you male.

The effects vary from person to person , and shouldn't be taken without medical advise.
The results have been rather positive for me. In particular diminshed gender dysphoia, and more stable and wider emotional range.
Outwardly softer skin, reduced muscle mass, bettter head hair growth, some breast budding.

[Jeri Ann]

I am very exited and look forward to the new me. Can anyone tell me what to expect, and how long before I notice any changes? Hugs, Danielle

If your doctor is following WPATH standards, then he/ she should have gone over what to expect with you. If a mental health professional referred you for HRT then they would have gone over every aspect including psychosocial implications also.

HRT is not going to turn you into a woman. It probably will bring about some minor physical changes, kill your libido and, if your are going to transition, be of little consequence in the grand scheme of things.

You have only mentioned "thoughts about being a woman." Have you experienced life as a woman? It is always a good idea to test drive a car before buying.

[coffee10]

Excellent Point

[Ariana225]

You have only mentioned "thoughts about being a woman." Have you experienced life as a woman? It is always a good idea to test drive a car before buying.

I think even if she has not gone partial or full time then she still knows what she wants. Wanting it so bad to give up all the male privledges, increased health risks, family/friend rejections, safety risks, and all the things that come with it.

The only question is how far she wants to go into transition to make her happy. Everyone is different, and just going on HRT, it doesn’t necessarily mean she has to go any further than that.

[Jeri Ann]

Can anyone tell me what to expect, and how long before I notice any changes?

Ariana, sweetie, respectfully I must disagree. Dani has already stated the "only question" as I have quoted above.

As far as how far she wants to go? She stated that too when she said, "I am 55 and have always had thoughts about being a woman." That seems pretty clear. Becoming a woman is serious shit. It is ridiculously costly and painful and frustrating on many levels. Just starting with HRT, there is a point of no return when your hormone profile is completely reversed. Your body will no longer produce testosterone and estrogen levels will need to be maintained forever for good health and well being. It is way more than growing tits.

I have fully transitioned and live a very busy life as a woman in every respect, in the real world. The only reason I hang around this forum is to help others make wise choices. I have been around for a while now, long enough to see some bad choices made. Even if a decision is right for someone, it can be helpful to get advice from someone who has been there, done that. There is a lot of conjecture, misinformation, myths and fantasy that can guide someone in the wrong direction.

My comments are typically based on my personal experience and knowledge as well as that of the thirty or so friends of mine who have transitioned. I will be hanging out with some of them tonight and tomorrow (Houston Pride). I personally have benefited from advice from these amazing women.

Please understand that I do not profess to know everything. And, nothing I say should take precedence over the advice and guidance of a mental health professional in collaboration with appropriate physicians. My intent is just to help. I will help anyone who needs something that I can offer. Based on the pm's, emails, texts and phone conversations I have received, I have helped a few. Yes, there are members here that have all my contact information, including my address. Some have been to my house.

So, Ariana, Dani, Nessa, Coffee, please let me know if I can do anything for you.

Btw, I am not the only woman who checks in here with intent to help others. There are several who have been here longer than I, and I have benefited from their sage advice.

Love to all,

Jeri Ann

[Ariana225]

Jeri Ann, I appreciate you so much for offering your guidance and support. I respect you and I wasn’t trying to prove you wrong or disrespect you. I was simply offering my opinion that a trans woman can choose how far she wants to go, and could just be on HRT and still be concidered “being a woman.”

HRT and being a woman is all that was stated so we don’t have all the info to know how far she wants to go. I just don’t want to exclude women that can’t or don’t want to go with what is precieved as an “all the way” transition.

And I agree, her doctor should have answered those questions with her and told her all the side effects beforehand. So I really hope she isn’t self medicating.