Susan's Place Transgender Resources

I hope I'm posting this in the right section.

I wanna get on Testosterone but my fear about it are the side effects.  I read one of the side effect was an increase in the size of your clitoris. That freaks me out. Does that hurt? Has anyone who's made the transition from F2M have any health problems while on Testosterone?

Downstairs growth doesn't hurt. It's actually gradual and quite surprising when you notice. Like a good surprise. And being an extremely healthy guy pre-t, my health is still the same and nothing has changed.

My growth didn't hurt. And I didn't really get that much growth, either. At first I wasn't sure I wanted it, but that was a subconscious suppression thing because I was worried about any changes that I thought my ex wouldn't like. I didn't want facial hair, either, at first--until I was able to be honest with myself about what I wanted.

I haven't had any health problems while on T.

Quote from: Dominick_81 on September 18, 2010, 07:23:32 PM
I hope I'm posting this in the right section.

I wanna get on Testosterone but my fear about it are the side effects.  I read one of the side effect was an increase in the size of your clitoris. That freaks me out.

What alarms you about growing a larger clitoris?   
Most MtFs look forward to the day we don't have a penis so to hear a FtM says a bigger clitoris will be alarming seems strange.

Quote from: lilacwoman on September 19, 2010, 03:05:15 AM
What alarms you about growing a larger clitoris?   
Most MtFs look forward to the day we don't have a penis so to hear a FtM says a bigger clitoris will be alarming seems strange.

I'll tell you what bothered me about it. I always wanted a regular penis, full stop, not a slightly enlarged clit. And then, when I actually started T, I figured my erstwhile partner would probably freak out.

I knew that the growth would probably be irreversible; before I started T, I wasn't sure how long I would stay on it (mainly partner issues again; I figured I could get a deeper voice and stop T before I became hairy).

Apart from partner issues, I was worried about how the thing would look and feel and respond. I've figured out how to jack off, so that's not an issue anymore. But I don't like the way it looks. It looks pathetic to me, a pale imitation of what I should have.

I didn't want to have a hybrid body. And, well, I do have one.

Quote from: lilacwoman on September 19, 2010, 03:05:15 AM
What alarms you about growing a larger clitoris?   
Most MtFs look forward to the day we don't have a penis so to hear a FtM says a bigger clitoris will be alarming seems strange.

Why? I don't understand that it seems strange to you? I have the wrong part down there to begin with and I don't want  the female part inside me to grow any bigger, it just freaks me out. I just want it to stay normal. What alarms me is how is it going to feel when it gets bigger. Will it hurt? Will it be uncomfortable? Stuff like that, ya know what I mean?


Thanks all to the responses.

There was a sort of twinging when mine grew. It didn't actually hurt. It just felt a little different, no big deal really. My health is probably actually better now because I take better care of myself.

Another question I have about Testosterone is weight gain. I don't wanna gain weight while on T. I heard that all the weight goes to your stomach... I don't want that. I thought I would loose weight getting on T because I'd build more muscle and lose weight.  Any of you guys on T gain weight? I'm also worried about the acne also. Have you guys on T get bad ance? And if you so, how long does the acne last?

Quote from: Nero on September 19, 2010, 03:33:37 PM
There was a sort of twinging when mine grew. It didn't actually hurt. It just felt a little different, no big deal really. My health is probably actually better now because I take better care of myself.

That freaks me out. I don't wanna feel any pain or discomfort down there.  I don't want it to grow down there.  I just don't like that. 

Muscle weight > fat.

So that would be the weight gain. The fat you already have around your hips or wherever you usually store it will slowly, slowly migrate to your gut. It does not make you gain more fat, it just makes it more apparent if you have a lot.

It does cause acne, my doctor prescribed tetracycline to help deal with it.

Quote from: Silver on September 19, 2010, 03:50:06 PM
Muscle weight > fat.

So that would be the weight gain. The fat you already have around your hips or wherever you usually store it will slowly, slowly migrate to your gut. It does not make you gain more fat, it just makes it more apparent if you have a lot.

It does cause acne, my doctor prescribed tetracycline to help deal with it.

How long does the acne last?

I usually store my weight in my stomach. I don't want no more fat to go there. I'm trying to get rid of it. I thought I'd have a more masculine looking body... more muscle in the stomach less fat. Guys carry less fat than girls and loose weight faster, I thought T would speed up weight loss?

It should. Don't know about the acne, probably a few years.

Quote from: Silver on September 19, 2010, 04:11:06 PM
It should. Don't know about the acne, probably a few years.

A few years for the acne? I don't want that. I'm extremely self consciousness as it is about the way I look, acne will make it worse.

Ask for antibiotics to deal with it or something.

I gained quite a bit of muscle while on T, but I didn't gain weight--I lost. Last winter, I stopped exercising for about six weeks and was eating all sorts of junk, and I gained a bit of that weight back. Now I've lost most of it again. Bear in mind that I'm middle-aged and have gotten to the point where I'm going to have trouble losing anyway. If you're in pretty good shape before you start T and don't eat lots of junk, then just keep it going. But as Silver says, weight gain isn't necessarily bad; muscle weighs more than fat.

At this same weight as a female, I thought I looked pretty terrible. As a guy, I look fine--a little heavy set, but about average. I much prefer it. Of course, I've had top surgery. That helps.

I didn't get acne. I mean, I got a zit every now and then, but that used to happen before T. I suppose I got a few more on T, but not enough to matter. I have a friend whose acne was pretty bad, and another friend who didn't really have a problem. A number of other guys I know say that they had acne problems, but it didn't really show--I guess because they knew in advance and attacked it early with anti-acne products. I know a lot of trans guys. Only one has had really bad, visible, lasting acne. He's only been on T for two years.

Dominick, T works a little differently for different guys. It's unpredictable, and it isn't for everyone. If you're more worried about your gut and possible acne than you're excited and eager, then maybe T isn't for you. Or maybe not yet. Only you can decide that, of course. But whatever you wind up doing, you're doing the right thing by asking questions.

Quote from: Arch on September 19, 2010, 07:27:28 PM
I gained quite a bit of muscle while on T, but I didn't gain weight--I lost. Last winter, I stopped exercising for about six weeks and was eating all sorts of junk, and I gained a bit of that weight back. Now I've lost most of it again. Bear in mind that I'm middle-aged and have gotten to the point where I'm going to have trouble losing anyway. If you're in pretty good shape before you start T and don't eat lots of junk, then just keep it going. But as Silver says, weight gain isn't necessarily bad; muscle weighs more than fat.

At this same weight as a female, I thought I looked pretty terrible. As a guy, I look fine--a little heavy set, but about average. I much prefer it. Of course, I've had top surgery. That helps.

I didn't get acne. I mean, I got a zit every now and then, but that used to happen before T. I suppose I got a few more on T, but not enough to matter. I have a friend whose acne was pretty bad, and another friend who didn't really have a problem. A number of other guys I know say that they had acne problems, but it didn't really show--I guess because they knew in advance and attacked it early with anti-acne products. I know a lot of trans guys. Only one has had really bad, visible, lasting acne. He's only been on T for two years.

Dominick, T works a little differently for different guys. It's unpredictable, and it isn't for everyone. If you're more worried about your gut and possible acne than you're excited and eager, then maybe T isn't for you. Or maybe not yet. Only you can decide that, of course. But whatever you wind up doing, you're doing the right thing by asking questions.

Thanks. I know this is what I want. I just hope I don't gain weight or get bad acne.  I won't wanna go out in public if I gain a lot of weight or look fat and have bad acne.

I wanna get on T as soon as possible. But it's hard talking to my mom about being trans. I think she doesn't want to talk about it b/c it maybe it's uncomfortable for her and she certainly doesn't want anyone to know I'm trans and I think that's b/c she doesn't want people to be prejudice  against me I guess b/c there are people out there that don't understand trans people. But she's okay with me making the transition if I wanna go through with it. I just think it's hard for her to talk about this with me b/c she's gunna be losing a daughter and gaining a son, and it's kinda weird she knows I like girls now. Before she suspected that I was gay. For some reason trans did not cross her mind.

Quote from: Silver on September 19, 2010, 06:19:06 PM
Ask for antibiotics to deal with it or something.

Yeah, something I'll definitely do.

QuoteFor some reason trans did not cross her mind.

Heh. I don't think most people even consider it. We're still too invisible.

Quote from: Arch on September 19, 2010, 09:33:31 PM
Heh. I don't think most people even consider it. We're still too invisible.

That's true. But the signs were there.... the binding of the chest, comments I make... I just don't think she wanted to see it or believe it.

Quote from: Dominick_81 on September 19, 2010, 10:02:15 PM
That's true. But the signs were there.... the binding of the chest, comments I make... I just don't think she wanted to see it or believe it.

Ah. In that case, it might have been denial. I've heard that a lot of parents and family members (and even friends) go through that, even when the trans person is being pretty obvious, and even when he or she officially comes out.

If she's not standing in your way, that's good--but just in case, be prepared for her to get weird later on. I've heard that parents can do this, too, although it is often temporary.

Quote from: Dominick_81 on September 19, 2010, 05:55:19 PM
A few years for the acne? I don't want that. I'm extremely self consciousness as it is about the way I look, acne will make it worse.

one of the therapists I saw back in 2007 was 3 years on hormones FtM and had the acne but by late 2008 it had all cleared and he was looking OK...so just like pubescent boys acne may be quickly gone or it may take ages.

Quote from: Arch on September 20, 2010, 12:22:33 AM
Ah. In that case, it might have been denial. I've heard that a lot of parents and family members (and even friends) go through that, even when the trans person is being pretty obvious, and even when he or she officially comes out.

If she's not standing in your way, that's good--but just in case, be prepared for her to get weird later on. I've heard that parents can do this, too, although it is often temporary.

I think so too that she might have been in denial. 

I can probably see her maybe getting weird later. It's hard to say with her. I Think she thinks I might be confused or something.... but I'm not.  Hopefully everything goes okay. It seems like she doesn't want to talk about it. But I dunno... I just want to get on T ASAP.