Curious here, about inital start time on hormones...

[true]

Hello,

     I know that results will vary in answers but I have just started estradiol and have been on anti-androgens for three months. Outside of a more calming effect I have noticed, about how long before you noticed physical changes once on estrogen?

   I'll add I'm 29 and a recent ex-smoker. I know there is no definite timetable but I am just wondering to pacify my impatience. Thanks.

[HelenW]

I started estradiol and spiro at the same time.  I noticed the absence of "testosterone pressure" after three days.  Noticeable physical effects started about three months in.  Of course things may have started to change before I noticed them.

ymmv, of course and the best policy is to be patient (heh heh - no pun intended) when anticipating the effects of these drugs.

hugs & smiles
Emelye

[tinkerbell]

I was also prescribed estrogen and Aldactone.  My testosterone fell below "reading levels", and it has never been higher than 40 ng/dl.  In my case, feminization happened only six months after HRT.  I couldn't "pass as a guy" anymore so I was literally forced to transition fulltime.

tink

[Kate]

It really varies a lot per person.

If I remember, my nippes started itching/hurting within a week, and I felt the "breast buds" a few weeks after that. Facial changes and body fat redistribution began to be noticable after a few months. The "sirs" stopped after about 7 months. The "maams" only started recently, at around 10 months - though in hindsight I was apparently passing occasionally/often(?) from 9 months on.

~Kate~

[true]

Thanks for the responses. I have been on Spironolactone daily for the last three months before starting Estradiol last week. I'm on Spiro and at what my physician calls half-strength of Estradiol. I noticed that I felt different before on just the anti-androgens and, if lab work is fine, he will up Estradiol in three months.

My MD wishes to work slowly up to full strength so as to reduce and foresee any potential complications (which took some talking into but I agreed, can't continue HRT if push my system too hard and it crashes for whatever reason). I think that the full-strength will definitely show results given enough time but having taken some pills for three months without feminization is just frustrating, even if I know the stuff I was on is not the primary feminization med. I guess I just am looking too much forward to this like a kid anticipating Christmas in April.

Anyway, thanks again for the input. It makes the waiting easier.

Dana


edit - dosage info

[Laura Eva B]

For me there were two big changes on starting hrt and T-blockers (Spiro for a month and then swapped for Anrocur) ....

Spontaneous erections (like when waking up) stopped within a week, and my male libido went entirely in two or three .... I felt so much calmer, comfortable, less agitated about life in general.

Pre-hrt my skin was hugely oily, I still had bad outbreaks of spots though the really acute acne was gone, and I needed to wash my hair every morning as it was that greasy.  My skin went from being oily to dry in five days, never a troublesome spot since (now I understand when years ago my doctor said he could give me medication to stop my acne dead but I wouln't like the other effects, and I wasn't brave enough to say "but yes pleeese !"). Also my whole skin tone softened an looked more healthy within a month or two.

Guess a lot of the development that took me up to my current modest A-cup happened early on too.

Things do happen slowly so that neither ourselves, or friends and colleagues really notice (I was doing hair removal, hair growing and eyebrow shaping at the same time). 

It took an old colleague who I hadn't seen for a year, and who re-visited our office as a client, to take another colleague aside and ask him "Jeez, what's happening to Les, is he changing sex or something    ?!?" .... 

Guess not much longer afterwards (6 months HRT) close colleagues started expressing concern to my boss about me and I had to "come out".

Laura x

Edit - Removed dosage info ~ Kate

[Keira]

Me, I had a very smallish face pre-HRT and quite often passed as a women as is in my early 20's.

By month 3 went into androgyne territory, month 4, got mamed 90% of the time, passed 95% of the time by the time I got my rhino done and my brow bossing removed. From then on, no problem at all except for those twits who've seen me transition in my neighborhood and give me grief.

First thing to improve, the skin, estrogen to produce new collagen and your skin stops being oily, you complexion clears a lot. In 2-3 months, that alone if you have done electro before, can change your appearance a lot. By month 3, had an 36A cup (I started with AA breasts from my previous use of hormones in my 20's), month 6 (36B cup) , month 10 (36C cup, my current size, but I think by years end I may approach D, that would be month 18) .

At one year, muscle mass on the upper body has gone down about 30%, 5-10% on the lower body, loss a lot of visceral fat (the one under the abdomen wall that pushes it out, that's so typical of men) and a bit of belly fat. Gained some fat on the buttocks and thighs very quickly 4-5 months, but since I've lost weight in general, it hasn't gone up more.

[Kate]

Guess not much longer afterwards (6 months HRT) close colleagues started expressing concern to my boss about me and I had to "come out".

Yep, FWIW two of my coworkers had apparently figured me out by 3-5 months, as they had seen people transition before and recognized the signs ("softening facial features" and budding breasts).

~Kate~

[seldom]

I just started  this month.  Very low dosage. 
Within the first day: No more spontaneous erections, mental clarity.
First Week: Skin softened, hair texture change, the taste of food changed.
Second week: Hair color darkened, new hair folicles, skin softened considerably more.

No breast growth yet.   
But this is on low dosage of both spiro and estradiol for the the first month and a half.  In a couple of weeks I will probably go up to higher dosages.  I am hoping this helps with breast growth.

PS.  I had low testosterone.  My body reacted quickly to a low dosage simply because there was so little T.  I am also 28, perfect health, never smoked.  I am not athletic, I just eat right and walk alot.  I am shocked these things happened so quickly. 

[Keira]

The skin changes is typically the first Amy, its linked to both low T and E.
For me, body odours changed quickly to, but this varies from people to people.
Your hair changed in one month (you mean the half inch that grew in that period?).
If you use dutasteride plus the normal HRT, I've got a feeling you'll be quite happy with
your hair within a year.

[karmatic1110]

I just ordered dutas (generic Avodart) and am hpong it will have an impact on my hairline alothough it is sort of bad.  I have also noticed after 3 weeks on hormones that my nipples SEEM sore.  What I mean by that is that it is so faint like a very minor sunburn  that it could be wishful thinking.

Charlotte

[seldom]

The skin changes is typically the first Amy, its linked to both low T and E.
For me, body odours changed quickly to, but this varies from people to people.
Your hair changed in one month (you mean the half inch that grew in that period?).
If you use dutasteride plus the normal HRT, I've got a feeling you'll be quite happy with
your hair within a year.

This is before starting Dutasteride (which I did yesterday).
My roommate confirmed it.  I was not expecting it to happen that fast considering the low dosage.  Its not much hair regrowth, but its one of the little things I am positive about.
The skin though is very nice! 


Charlotte, you have no clue what a really bad hairline looks like.  You should see mine at 28.  It's literally the hairline of somebody much older.