Puberty, and Adulthood...?

[Jenny94]

Hey guys. I've been thinking about this recently, since I might actually find myself on HRT within a few months, and I've done tons of googling but I haven't found an answer to a basic question......Which is, if HRT triggers a puberty, when does the puberty end? When people say, "HRT will screw you up", will it screw me up forever? Or just for a few years, in analogy with the first puberty? (Though TBF I barely noticed the first puberty, which I blame on transness) What I'm really asking is, 5 years down the line, will I just be able to live a "normal " life without my hormones screwing me over all the time? (Or no more than if I were a ciswoman.....which I appreciate would still be a lot of screw-over-y, but would be acceptable!)


J xx

[Michelle_P]

HRT doesn't so much 'trigger' puberty as it does initiate the same biological changes as puberty, for pretty much the same reason; exposing the body to a new mix of hormones.

The 'puberty' ends when the physical changes are essentially complete, after several years typically.  The effects of HRT are similar to the effects of hormones on a body during natural puberty, with the biological changes taking years.  HRT only affects soft tissue, not bones or cartilage, though, so the effects are more subtle than the hormone changes in natural puberty.

The psychological changes, resulting from feeding sensitive brain tissue a new chemistry, can be significant, but we generally adjust to them and settle in with the new changes within a year.  Most of us have the advantages of being more mature this time around, and often have a therapist available to guide us.

[Ashley3]

Hey guys. I've been thinking about this recently, since I might actually find myself on HRT within a few months, and I've done tons of googling but I haven't found an answer to a basic question......Which is, if HRT triggers a puberty, when does the puberty end? When people say, "HRT will screw you up", will it screw me up forever? Or just for a few years, in analogy with the first puberty? (Though TBF I barely noticed the first puberty, which I blame on transness) What I'm really asking is, 5 years down the line, will I just be able to live a "normal " life without my hormones screwing me over all the time? (Or no more than if I were a ciswoman.....which I appreciate would still be a lot of screw-over-y, but would be acceptable!)


J xx

Everyone has a different experience, my experience with HRT has been very good...

The only downsides have been: a) Some fatigue when initially adjusting to injections, b) HRT costs, c) More life maintenance: weekly injection, must make sure you travel with pills/hormones, etc.

On the positive side: a) Overall more comfortable/better disposition about oneself, clarity, b) physical changes leading to a better feeling about my body/appearance. These positives are really nice... and the downsides are either minor or manageable.

[Jenny94]

Thank you girls. That's all reassuring. I guess I was just worried that the "emotional turmoil" that some people get from HRT would be for the rest of my life, but it seems like it's only for a year, or a few years at most?