1 month on T - bad effects, nothing good?

[BearGuy]

Well, it's almost a month. My doctor put me on a lower dose (can't say how much lol) for a bit over a month, then I get my blood work done and he would probably increase it. Okay, so, there's really no good changes.

1. I experienced a great mood only week 1. More energy week 1. After that, back to my usual tired self. So, no changes in energy/mood.
2. Sex drive - same exact thing. Somehow my sex drive disappeared after I turned 15 (even though I'm only 18) and on T, only the first week my sex drive increased to the female average, I would say. Then, the last 3 weeks, it disappeared again.
3. No strength increases...I normally lift weights, and it's been pretty much the same strength gains. Nothing special.
4. No increased appetite, BUT, here's the best part (sarcasm) - my face got fatter and looks more feminine, I'd say. Rounder. What I detested in the first place, a fat round face, is what I'm gaining now.
5. HORRIBLE cramps 5 days before my period started (2nd week).
6. Only visible thing, though neutral, not good or bad, is downstairs growth. It's grown a bit, not a lot, but a bit.

Week 1 was amazing. I felt great. I felt energy for the first time in years, confidence, etc. What's going on now? Why did my face get fat? I eat just the same as I did pre-T...isn't my metabolism supposed to increase?

[DeeperThanSwords]

Let your doctor know about this. It may be that your dosage isn't right, or it might just take a little while longer to get going.

[Adam (birkin)]

Well, there's a few things. It seems a lot of guys go through a "puffy face stage" on T. I had one, and I am not entirely sure I am out of it yet (recent comments on my appearance seem to indicate so). The first little while of hormones, in terms of appearance, is horribly awkward. Lol. Things are changing so there will be a little uncomfortable inbetweenness for a time. There is also the chance that your face is naturally rounded, and that it will remain so as male too.

Strength increases, appetite, things like that - they're not going to really settle in the first month. It takes more time than that. I am pretty sure that some of the reports of super increased strength and appetite in the first month (some people say even in the first week) are mainly placebo. Stress does tend to decrease appetite, so perhaps the people who experience an increase so quickly are mostly experiencing the relief of finally being on T.

Cramps - pretty much normal. Until my period stopped it was like someone was playing Rock Em Sock Em Robots inside my uterus.

As for the moods...I actually felt pretty crappy my first couple weeks on T, which made me worry like heck. it slowly got better as I had less periods, so I imagine it had something to do with the fact that my ovaries were still making their usual amount of hormones and then on top I was adding T. I found that I was also quite sensitive to changes in blood sugar for the first few weeks for some reason as well. I made sure I ate small, frequent meals, if I felt low I drank juice, that seemed to help for the most part.

But it is an adjustment. I feel a lot better on T, and it was the best thing I have ever done for myself, but there were and still are periods of adjustment to new ways of experiencing moods, physical sensations, and so on and so forth. 

[supremecatoverlord]

So you've been on T for a month, total?  Friend, you need to have some patience.

So much this.
Sometimes people have absolutely no changes after a month, never mind desirable ones.

[DeeperThanSwords]

I'm suddenly reminded of Kung Fu; "Patience, Grasshopper."

[Simon]

I'm suddenly reminded of Kung Fu; "Patience, Grasshopper."

I'm thinking "Chicken Little, My voice is falling"!!

I shouldn't laugh because I start T in less than two weeks. I can see myself in here in the middle of January thinking my face looks like a moon pie and my voice is akin to Barry White, lol.

[insideontheoutside]

Bad effects does not = nothing happening. You're introducing a new chemical into your body. So your body is going to go through an adjustment period. Unless you're having serious bad effects (feeling ill, skyrocketing blood pressure, unusual pains not associated with shark week, heart issues, etc.) you probably just need to wait until the next blood test and then your doctor can evaluate what to make your new dosage.