HRT - What to expect?

[xterra]

I'm trying to get some sense about what to expect from HRT on month by month basis. I understand that for each person these changes (physical and mental) are different, however they change is certain pattern. I am sure some of you at least keep track of these things. This information will be helpful for me. Thank you.

[Kelly J. P.]

 Well, the first month may bring about softer skin or decreased libido. Or maybe not. This may happen in the second or third months - or later.

Breast growth may start in the first three months, or may not.

Fat redistribution may start during the first three months as well, but may not.

Body hair loss may or may not happen some time in the first two years - or ever.

The genitals may or may not shrink in the first three years, or ever.

And so on.

It's best to have low expectations. By all means, have hope, but certainty is not a quality of HRT.


My personal experience involves some libido reduction and softer skin in the first two months, then breast growth apparently started around month four or so. Slowly, fat redistribution happened - I couldn't possibly say when this was first noticeable, but around four months or so might be a fair guess. I slowly and steadily developed after that, acquired a waist somewhere along the line, and my hips got a little bigger somehow.

Not a whole lot happened, really, but I suppose I can't complain.

[xterra]

I think I need to rephrase it, because it all sound like a generalization. I am more interested in personal experiences. What happened to your body after starting HRT.

[Devlyn]

Here's some information: https://www.susans.org/wiki/Hormone_replacement_therapy_(male-to-female)
Hope this helps. Hugs, Devlyn

[Carrie Liz]

I'm only 3 months in, but here's my limited experience so far:

Month one: not a lot of changes. Some very slight skin softening, breast budding in its absolute infancy, slight hair growth reduction, loss of spontaneous erections almost immediately (spontaneous meaning the ones that happen when you're not even really thinking about it,) sex drive and sexual function down a little bit, but HUGE mental changes (almost immediately started feeling happier and started feeling calmer and more in control.)

Month two: breast budding really started, skin REALLY started to get soft, body hair reduced to the point where it is already almost nothing (down to only have to shaving arm/body hair like maybe once every 3 weeks, and it still looks smooth even when I don't,) sexual desire pretty much dropped to absolute zero (It's not even there anymore. I can go three weeks and still feel pretty much no need for it whatsoever,) slight muscle loss, some fat reduction on midsection and extremities (probably because I'm dieting moreso than HRT.)

Month three-present: pretty much just everything that I previously mentioned continuing to change very slowly. After the first two months when you're so excited that everything is finally starting, the rest is seriously like watching paint dry. There's some days where I can look in the mirror and maybe notice that my arms have slimmed down a bit more, or my face looks more feminine, or my skin is looking creamier, or for some reason my midsection is looking more feminine in shape, but it's not really something that I consciously notice much anymore.

[noleen111]

We all react differently to the hormones..

For me, I started at the age of 21 and my body reacted well to the treatment, I am now 2 and a bit years in.. and I have large C cup breasts, fat distribution to my butt, it give me that hour glass type figure.

My skin is softer and has feminized a lot, especially during my 2nd year of HRT. I the hormones do effect your emotions. I am a lot more sensitive now, than before hrt. I cry during sad movies or movies that are emotional.

Breast growth is painfully at times, I remember, within the first few days of HRT, my nipples began have a tingling feeling behind them.. when my nipples begin to swell, knocking them on something is sore. During growth spurts you breasts can be sensitive. I would recommend, wear a bra from early on, as they do offer some protection (not a lot) against accidental knocking. When I hit an A cup, I started wearing padded bra's to get more protection, you will be surprised how often you hit them.

[Tammy Hope]

11 weeks in -

First 4 weeks virtually nothing at all that I could recognize. Since then (and from what I understand I'm the exception on this) the breast growth is off to the races. I might already have a measurable cup size worth of growth in only a couple of months.

Otherwise, I don't notice much. I've lost 16 pounds or so but a lot of that might be water weight. Can't be certain on skin and hair growth, MIGHT be something going on there but such things are far harder to definitively notice until you are well into the changes.

Sadly, I've seen very little if any effect in terms of emotional and mood changes. YMMV

[xterra]

I'm having difficult time to wrap my head around certain thing. Hormones do affect your emotions, however some people say it makes them feel more like a woman. What does that mean? You are already a woman, in the sense that your female brain is stuck in a male body. And wearing female clothes before transitioning is not the only indication of being or wanting to be a woman.

Were there any activities that supposed to be female like. Maybe a thinking process or the way you approached solving problems. For example for me there were times that when I watched a movie, I would identify myself more with a female character. And I was doing this without even thinking about it. So now, when you take hormones, how they supposed enhance or create the feeling of being a woman?

I hope I explained myself clearly.

[Tristan]

Yeah if your anything like me your butt will change quite a bit

[Henna]

I'm two weeks in and I'm surprised how many changes I've seen already with a just small starting dose:

- My hair doesn't get greasy anymore in a same way as before. Before HRT, I had to wash my hair every day, now I think every 3 days is enough if not even less.

- Skin has gotten much smoother or softer.

- Hair growth in legs seems to have slowed down significantly. But in other parts of body they still grow the same way.

I'm already very happy to those changes and if nothing else ever after happens with HRT, I think I can live quite happily with those things.

[Joanna Dark]

I'm almost 10 weeks in and I took extremely low dose spiro for the first two months (switched over to regular dose at 7 weeks) and low E for the first month and normal dose E since then. My skin was prob the first thing to change and it became pale and not oily at all. It's pretty soft now. At first, I had these little patches of softness around the rest of my skin which wasn't soft. Now my whole face is soft. My face has noticeably changed. The reular dose spiro seems to have reversed many changes but I think that's leveling out now. Spiro at first can cause a jump in T before it inhibits and nukes it. So I've heard at least and my experience seems to confirm it. I

Around three to four weeks in, my chest became sore. By 7 weeks, I had palpable nodules under each nipple. Now they are a lot more hard. I was a 36B when I started HRT. (I've had gynecomoastia since I was 15.) Now I am a 34B. My waist has shrunk an inch as well while my hips/butt have grown an inch.

I haven't seen any reduction in body hair but I only grow hair on my legs and arms and I shave them so it's really hard to know.

Remember, HRT is a genetic lottery. Everyone says age is the most important but unless you started before age 18, it's not that important. For instance, most masculinzation occurs around age 18. At 18, a male will hit his peak in T levels. By 18-21, masculinzation will be complete. Yes people age but there will be almost no discernible difference in the masculinzation of someone at age 21 compared to someone who at 28. It's all genetics and how your body responds to E. I have seen 21 year olds with almost no reaction to HRT. I have seen 40 year olds with a great reaction. It's obviously better to start earlier as facial hair will be a lot less dense and skin will be more elastic. Plus, it's less time spent as a male.

[XchristineX]

I always did high Spiro and mid to low e ....
I like songs sang by girls
I lost interest in competitive gaming
I tend to want to go through kitchen sections of
Department stores dreaming of excessories...
I get more emotional now.   
I can talk a lot about nothing
If a boy wants time with me I think holding hands
Talking cuddling...he thinks of somerhing else
I dont smell like a man anymore ...
I'm so much more of a social creature now
I dream of men making perfect love to me...