Effects of taking T, first to last?

[wwapiti]

Hi, I just made my account here today because this seems like a good place to ask about other people's experiences taking testosterone.

I am dfab, I recently came out to a couple of friends as being more comfortable called he/they, started buying some boys clothing, got my first binder, etc.  I don't try to "pass" because I don't really have any hope of looking like a cis boy, but that's okay with me.  I would like to get top surgery some day, but not bottom surgery, and i'm on the fence about taking testosterone, which is what I am here to ask about.

I desire some of the effects testosterone would have on me, but not all of them.  I would like to have a deeper voice, because although my voice is deeper for someone who is dfab, it is not as deep as I would like.  I would not mind having facial hair or more hair on my arms and other parts, but I really hate the idea of some of the other effects, like enlarged clitoris, sweating more, losing more hair on my head, and mood changes.

I was wondering if there is any specific order to which effects of taking testosterone happen first (so if the voice changes happen before the bad stuff, I could take it for a short time and then stop before the effects like enlarged clitoris happen), or if there is a difference that people have noticed from taking only a low dose of testosterone, or any other things like that?

If there is no way to avoid these things, I could probably live without taking testosterone, but i would love to have a deeper voice and I wouldn't mind having a beard, I think.  I would just like to hear other people's stories that are more in the middle of the spectrum so I can see if there is any middle ground option for me.   

[Kylo]

From experience and from everything I've read, growth to resemble a penis is one of the first things to happen or to respond to T for lots of people.

It ain't that bad. It's mostly ignorable I guess, if you wanted to disregard it or already feel disconnected from the area to begin with.

The other rapid effect was changes to voice - first week for me.

Then stuff like oily skin, sweat changes, scent changes, increased energy, and mental effects all took place in the first week IIRC. During the first month or so I noticed muscle growth, improved attitude, darkening of my hair, darkening of facial hair in the male pattern (but no real growth of it per se yet), happy trail started to grow, sleep quality improved, and so on.

Others further along than me could tell you more, but I think facial hair is often one of the last things to come in along with fat redistribution. (although I can see/feel some of that redistribution taking place already)

All the mood changes I experienced have been good. I was a moody ******* before T with an ever so slight rage problem, now I've got it managed because T seems to have removed the raw anxiety that provoked it. I guess my libido does exist after all, as well.

Honestly there's so many effects and subtle changes T has that I can't think of them all right now but there are a lot.

[FTMax]

If you can't handle all the potential effects of testosterone, then do not take it. There's no specific order that changes occur in, and there's no telling how your body would react to T. Even at a low dose, I was experiencing a lot of changes early on. I had noticeable changes in the first week.

Downstairs growth was one of the first changes I experienced, and that seems to be common for many people.

I was sweaty pre-T. Haven't noticed a change in that.

I've lost no head hair, but I am also not genetically pre-disposed to male pattern baldness.

My mood changes have all been positive.

[wwapiti]

Kylo, thank you for that list, that is really helpful!! i did figure that facial hair would probably be one of the last things because it seems to be that way with cis boys, but i didn't have my heart set on it so it's not a big deal.  despite having a very feminine face and body shape, i have some things like dark body hair, happy trail, and larger-than-usual-for-dfab-people biceps and stuff, so i kind of wonder how much it would change...

FTMax, obviously i don't plan on taking it if i'm not prepared to handle everything, i just wanted to hear more from people who are on it, especially in the areas i am the most curious/concerned about.  it isnt something i'll be able to do for at least a few more years anyway, so i have time to consider the effects and decide whether it's worth it to me.

thank you both for the input, even if it's not what i hoped to hear!! it is definitely helpful and gives me something to think about.

[TransAm]

There's no way to lay out a specific timeline for anyone individually. There's a rough timeline of changes that could or could not occur over certain periods but there are virtually no universal guarantees.

One thing that will be imperative for you to keep in mind going forward is that some changes are irreversible. Your clit, should growth occur, will never return to its original size. As most of us experience substantial growth relatively quickly, there's no guarantee that your voice will drop to the level you desire before that effect occurs. If this is something you absolutely do not want, I'm not sure it could be avoided on even a brief HRT regimen.

I understand where you're coming from, gathering an array of experiences to try and establish a median, as I wanted to do the same prior to beginning HRT as well. Unfortunately, no one else's experiences can guarantee anything for you personally and it's impossible to cherry-pick desired changes.

For example: Of all the places I wanted hair, my back definitely wasn't one of them. In fact, it was just about the only place I never wanted any at all. Guess where I'm growing a ton of grizzly-esque hair against my super pale skin?

What I'm ultimately saying is that it's a shot in the dark. Even if every guy that responded to this board said they never experienced ______, it doesn't mean you won't.

[Kylo]

I've got kind of a fem face too, what does it is my eyes look big and my nose looks kinda smaller when you put the whole thing together - which on the plus side makes me look younger than I am, but also much more feminine than I am.

I am not sure how T will deal with this but in most FTM before/after images I saw the main reason any face looks feminine to begin with is the fat in the cheeks and on the jaw, which T eventually redistributes, giving the typical masculine jawline and narrower-looking face. But since the facial hair and the fat moving are two of the last things to see usually, best to be prepared to be patient with that one.

[Jacqueline]

Wwapiti,

Welcome to the site. I see you have some good answers to your questions already.

I come at it all from the other direction so I am afraid I cannot be of much help. However, we do have a pretty large membership here. I sure folks will continue to comment. One thing that is the same, as several have mentioned. You never know what the changes will be, what order or to what extent. Everyone is different. There is no one way to be trans.

Have you spoken to a gender therapist? I think they are very helpful in helping self discovery.

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