4.5 months hrt and almost no change

[Danielle P]

I'm 24 years old mtf and I've been on HRT for about 4.5 months now. Firstly I don't think I look very different. It's hard to tell because I don't have many good pictures from pre hrt to compare, but I would say in my face I look pretty much the same.

Libido drop was pretty much instant and sexual function was reduced significantly when I increased my dose about a month ago. There has been some minor breast development, but other than that, no real changes. Body hair is the same (hairy chest still), muscle mass and strength are the same, skin feels the same and there is certainly no subcutaneous fat or fat redistribution to the hips at all; I have absolutely 0 fat on my hips as I have always done.

This is despite the fact that blood tests after 3 months showed that my hormone levels were where they should be.

I'm feeling really miserable at the moment. I'm starting to feel like HRT is never going to work and I don't know what I'm going to do if that's the case 😭😭😭😭😭

[warlockmaker]

Be patient, it takes time. I assume you are also taking anti androgens. If you have an experienced endocrocrinologist with HRT it will happen. At 24 you arel lucky to start so young. I was on HRT for 3 years and I can remember that hair and skin changes became apparant after 8 mos. Dont get frustrated, it will happen.

[Danielle P]

I'm only on oestrogen 😕

[Rachel_Christina]

Well you need T blocker for sure!
But even with that it can be very slow.
My changes started nice and have slowed quiet abit now.
But the differences aren't that noticeable yet.
It takes time, its annoying but thats just how it is :/

[Danielle P]

My doctor said I have reached the typical testosterone and oestrogen levels for women so I guess I don't need blockers.

[Artesia]

I have been on Estradiol and Spironolactone for right around 5 months now.  The only hair changes I have noted are that my facial hair grows a lot slower, my head hair is starting to fill back out, the chest and belly hair is mostly gone, and the leg hair grows slower.  The other physical body changes.....I really don't see any, but my nipples fluctuate from uncomfortable to normal sensations and maybe a touch bigger but I think that is more wishful thinking than anything, and my Therapist says my skin looks softer.  For mental/emotional things, I feel great most of the time now, when before it was normal for me to wake up and curse the fact that I woke up, I also no longer am driven to retreat into my female video game characters.  I wish it would go faster, but am glad that it is going at the speed it is, as I still haven't worked up the courage to come out to my family.

Short version of the above:  It will never happen as fast as you want it to, don't stress about it, good things are coming and the lovely people here are proof.

[Nina_Ottawa]

I know I'll get flack for my comments, but here goes. I was on moderate estrogen for first couple years and Max spiro that my endo would prescribe. After about two years, the estrogen was increased and progesterone was added. After my GRS, spiro was eliminated as was progesterone. I'm on minimal estrogen now as at age 51, little benefit.

So here's the part that I'll get flack for: when I started HRT, I had zero expectations of what changes I would expect. I've read some fantastical stories of almost magic like expectations of what HRT will do. Medication will effect each one of us differently.

If I had to rank what was the most impactful to my transition:
1. Electrolysis - I spent between 7-8k...best money spent. Last time I went for electrolysis was six years ago. It works, but you gotta stay with
2. Trache shave - my Adam's apple was so noticeable...cost around 3500, money well spent
3. Finally. The most important change was RLE - living full time. I started living full time almost immediately. Those first couple years were hard,never outed, but just learning to live in my new life.

Looking back, if I had had some medical issue that I could have not gone on HRT, I still would have transitioned because of the above things I did. Pills, IMO never made me a woman that I am today...they have assisted a bit.

[Danielle P]

Update: I'm feeling a bit better today and I've been looking at some HRT charts and some of them say a lot of the changes might not start until 6 months in. I think it just worries me that if I don't see anything by then nothing is going to happen. Like an impending deadline and I haven't started anything yet haha     

Thank you everyone for replying, I have read all your posts.

[AnonyMs]

Have you checked you blood level values yourself? Some doctors have funny ideas of what's correct.

[MissGendered]

Have you checked you blood level values yourself? Some doctors have funny ideas of what's correct.

Agree!!!!

We have to be our own best advocates. I have talked in person with quite a few girls whose doctors were low-balling their HRT, and not getting very good results.

That said, I found adding micronized, bio-identical progesterone was a game changer on fat redistribution, too. But the bottom line is that all doctors are not created equal, and some will play it safe, rather than take a more aggressive, dysphoria-busting stance.

Know your numbers, know what other doctors are saying, ask around, be pro-active, know yourself...

Missy

[Lady_Oracle]

I know I'll get flack for my comments, but here goes. I was on moderate estrogen for first couple years and Max spiro that my endo would prescribe. After about two years, the estrogen was increased and progesterone was added. After my GRS, spiro was eliminated as was progesterone. I'm on minimal estrogen now as at age 51, little benefit.

So here's the part that I'll get flack for: when I started HRT, I had zero expectations of what changes I would expect. I've read some fantastical stories of almost magic like expectations of what HRT will do. Medication will effect each one of us differently.

If I had to rank what was the most impactful to my transition:
1. Electrolysis - I spent between 7-8k...best money spent. Last time I went for electrolysis was six years ago. It works, but you gotta stay with
2. Trache shave - my Adam's apple was so noticeable...cost around 3500, money well spent
3. Finally. The most important change was RLE - living full time. I started living full time almost immediately. Those first couple years were hard,never outed, but just learning to live in my new life.

Looking back, if I had had some medical issue that I could have not gone on HRT, I still would have transitioned because of the above things I did. Pills, IMO never made me a woman that I am today...they have assisted a bit.

Yep personally I agree with everything in your post. My biggest impacts were my voice training, forcing myself to go "rle" prehrt and laser. Hrt is obviously a big piece but those three were everything in terms of what has given me a successful transition apart from support. When I was looking at starting hrt, I considered the fact that things might not go as planned due to my own health issues and like you I said the same thing to myself, that I still have to transition irregardless of hormones or not. Its why I forced myself to do rle without hrt, I had to know I could do it without the medical aspect.

[Maybebaby56]

If I had to rank what was the most impactful to my transition:
1. Electrolysis - I spent between 7-8k...best money spent. Last time I went for electrolysis was six years ago. It works, but you gotta stay with
2. Trache shave - my Adam's apple was so noticeable...cost around 3500, money well spent
3. Finally. The most important change was RLE - living full time. I started living full time almost immediately. Those first couple years were hard,never outed, but just learning to live in my new life.

Looking back, if I had had some medical issue that I could have not gone on HRT, I still would have transitioned because of the above things I did. Pills, IMO never made me a woman that I am today...they have assisted a bit.

I started facial hair removal long before HRT, and I agree it's essential to a successful transition. Having to use thick, heavy foundations like Dermablend to conceal beard shadow is just awful, and does not look natural.  Hormones were essential to my transition, but not because of any physical changes, which have been minor.  Before I started HRT, my thinking was "there is no way I can do this".  After a couple of weeks on HRT, my thinking was "I have to figure out how I can do this". The psychological effects were profound, and I knew then transition was right for me, and there was no going back.

~Terri

[MissGendered]

Before I started HRT, my thinking was "there is no way I can do this".  After a couple of weeks on HRT, my thinking was "I have to figure out how I can do this".
~Terri

Exactly!

Pre-HRT, I wasn't thinking much beyond I need to stop the mental anguish, a full transition wasn't really at the front of my mind, yet, lol. After a few weeks of feeling E doing its stuff, the wheels began to turn...

[Jacqueline]

Danielle,

Welcome to the site.

I have to agree with some of the early posts about an anti-androgen. While it seems that oestrogen changes many thing, the anti-androgen is what really slows down the testosterone. Is your doctor an experienced endocrinologist?


I don't have the experience that many of the ladies on the site do so take what I post with a grain of salt. However, I can say the usual everyone's body reacts differently. Hip fat re-distribution seems to be a later shift than breast growth. Body hair shifts really seem to not change much till maybe 6 months or later(and even then it usually is only lightening the color, thinning the radius and slowing down the growth a bit). Not sure what else I can talk to from personal or studied info...

I also want to share some links with you. They are mostly welcome information and the rules that govern the site. If you have not had a chance to look through them, please take a moment to:

Things that you should read

• Site Terms of Service and rules to live by
  
• Standard Terms and Definitions
  
• Post Ranks (including when you can upload an avatar)
  
• Reputation rules
  
• News posting & quoting guidelines
  
• Photo, avatars, and signature images policy
  

Once again, welcome to Susan's. Look around, ask questions and join in.

With warmth,

Joanna

[Danielle P]

Danielle,

Welcome to the site.

I have to agree with some of the early posts about an anti-androgen. While it seems that oestrogen changes many thing, the anti-androgen is what really slows down the testosterone. Is your doctor an experienced endocrinologist?


I don't have the experience that many of the ladies on the site do so take what I post with a grain of salt. However, I can say the usual everyone's body reacts differently. Hip fat re-distribution seems to be a later shift than breast growth. Body hair shifts really seem to not change much till maybe 6 months or later(and even then it usually is only lightening the color, thinning the radius and slowing down the growth a bit). Not sure what else I can talk to from personal or studied info...

I also want to share some links with you. They are mostly welcome information and the rules that govern the site. If you have not had a chance to look through them, please take a moment to:

Things that you should read

• Site Terms of Service and rules to live by
  
• Standard Terms and Definitions
  
• Post Ranks (including when you can upload an avatar)
  
• Reputation rules
  
• News posting & quoting guidelines
  
• Photo, avatars, and signature images policy
  

Once again, welcome to Susan's. Look around, ask questions and join in.

With warmth,

Joanna

Thank you.

I don't know if he an endocrinologist but his clinic specialises in transgender patients. It's Richard Curtis in Marylebone if you're wondering. I'll ask about anti androgens next time I go for an appointment.

[Pisces228]

there is certainly no subcutaneous fat or fat redistribution to the hips at all; I have absolutely 0 fat on my hips as I have always done.

Ok, here's the deal with fat redistribution.  It is not fat you have moving around.  It is new fat going to female areas and old fat burning off from male places.  Even if your weight remains the same, over time you burn old fat cells and replace them with new ones, and the new ones would go to said female places.  If you want fat in your hips and butt you will need to gain weight once starting on hrt and once your levels are in the female range.  I was very thin when I started on hormones (5'10" and 122 pounds) and now I am at 142 pounds.  I have gained about 4 pounds per month since starting on hrt and it went to my butt and thighs and lower stomach, not the typical middle of the abdomen like it did in the past when gaining weight (bloodwork showed I reached female levels fairly quickly).  My body fat went from 11 percent to a more feminine 23 percent.  You may just need to feed your figure.

[SarahElizabeth1981]

Have you checked you blood level values yourself? Some doctors have funny ideas of what's correct.

I agree with this. I've talked to trans girls who's doctors "ideas" of female ranges were modest at best.

I read the other day that T will kill breast development. I'm not sure of it's effect on other changes but probably doesn't help them either. I don't know of too many trans girls that can get by without an anti-androgen pre-SRS but some can. You blood work will tell you one way or another.

[Michelle_P]

I agree with this. I've talked to trans girls who's doctors "ideas" of female ranges were modest at best.

Yah.  At 6 months into HRT my level was at the top of the normal male range, or low normal post-menopause female.  I did get my endocrinologist to adjust the dosage, but she really resisted my moving from the weak but expensive patches to anything else.



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