Hi Britney,
I documented a lot of the changes that I was going through in my blog on here, like the first 6-8 months:
1 1/2 weeks:1) I noticed that my body has a different smell, like I'm basically really not perspiring anymore, and if I do, then it really doesn't have a smell.
2) I've been really tired like the last 4 days (hence why I haven't been on chat to everyone I usually talk to at night)
3) My breasts are starting to get really tender and sore. It's right under the nipple and a little bit on the sides of the nipples. Ow!
4) I've been having migraines pretty bad for like the last week but I had some dental work done too so I don't know what's causing that.
3 1/2 weeks:1) Changing body smell - This is pretty much the same, I don't really have much of a smell at all. I have skipped deodorant at the gym a few times and I don't seem to have a smell at all, it's weird, lol.
2) Tiredness - Well, I've had a few days where I've slept 12 hours, but I've been getting 7-8 hours of sleep lately. This hasn't really been an issue lately.
3) Breast Tenderness - This is the biggest change I've seen in the last few weeks. Before, the nipples were a little sore and tender. Now they are really puffy and hard and there's an area behind the nipple the size of a large marble that is growing. It hurts when my shirt brushes up against it or when I put pressure on them. I often forget that I have sensitivity there and do something I'd normally do and then be like "OWWW" when I do it. An example is when I went to wash my bathtub tonight. I leaned over the tub and kind of rested my body weight on my chest, forgetting of course, and I pretty much screamed out when I did. Oh my God!! That hurt bad!!! So, I'm getting more used to knowing that they are there and not to have anything make contact with them.
4) Migraines - These have gone away, I haven't had any more issues here.
The the first real emotional changes were at
60-90 days:"I went into the kitchen and just started sobbing, thinking about things. The weird thing was, it WASN'T just like sad thoughts or anything. I wasn't feeling really down, just...emotional. So they called my name and came in the kitchen and they were really worried and I just said that I was going to miss coming over and they wanted me to still come over, where did I get the idea they didn't want that, etc. I explained that it was just...things are changing, which is a GOOD thing and that I was just feeling a little emotional about it.
So it passed about 5 minutes later and everything was good
Then, today (see previous blog entry) I started writing the card to my father and it happened again, just, the lump in my throat and then the tears, and then gone. The funny thing is that I've always been pretty emotional but I think I am realizing how little I actually cry in my adult life. I did it so much up until about 17 or 18, then just didn't do it that much. I think it's my natural state to be emotional anyway."
And this was at four months:My blood labs - The E level really went up and the T level really went down, that kind of jumps out at me. I'll see what she says about my levels and take it from there.
Ok, so what has three months of HRT done to me? It's still so, so early. I have noticed the breast development, I guess maybe Progesterone helped with that, I don't know. They are definitely growing. They are to the point where I really need to wear tight tank tops under my t shirt under my work shirts and you can still tell if you look, but really, who is really looking at them? Plus, I'm out to most of the people at work, so does it really matter?
Emotions...ok, so it's pretty much been like clockwork the last three months, it happens when I've got 2 - 4 pills left in my Progesterone right before I start the sugar pills. I don't know if it's coincidence or what, but it's just a little convenient. It doesn't cripple me or anything, but I have thoughts that will kind of dominate my mind for a few days, make me extremely emotional and cry a lot for a half hour or so, then go away. It isn't depression or anything serious, it just gets to where I need to cry. I've read descriptions of that before from other people and my experience seems to be very similar. I don't get any more emotional at other times, but I've always been a very emotional person anyway. I was a little worried about mood swings and stuff like that that I've read and heard about, but I haven't experienced that.
You know, I hear people say "OMG, being on HRT has been like magic, euphoria, makes me feel so, so different" and I honestly haven't felt that. It's what is supposed to happen. I'm very, very content with my life and feeling good
Body dimensions, no changes really other than breasts and a little bit of fat on the area below my butt and above my thigh, kind of on the outside, the notorious saddlebags. I just don't want too much there, I have stupid thick thighs anyway, ugh, I hate them!!! The love handles are really almost gone which basically gives me no shape from below my ribcage to my hips. I know body fat redistribution takes a LONG time, these are most likely changes due to diet and exercise. I'm back on my caloric restrictions to get down to 135. I have stayed between 143 and 148, I just want to bring it down to 135 and this works. It's not a diet, it's a lifestyle
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So, sorry for posting a book on your post, lol, but I tend to write narrative-type stuff and I just cut and pasted out of the blog. The key things I think is that everyone has different changes but that many of the changes we have are similar
Keep on the right path for you and congrats! Meghan
