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Community Conversation => Female to male transsexual talk (FTM) => Transsexual talk => Testosterone => Topic started by: Kylo on December 02, 2016, 10:19:34 AM

Title: Water retention from T
Post by: Kylo on December 02, 2016, 10:19:34 AM
Anyone know how long it typically lasts and what actually causes it to cease? (while continuing to take T that is)
Title: Re: Water retention from T
Post by: FTMax on December 02, 2016, 02:55:17 PM
Seems like everyone goes through at least a short period of this. Mine kicked in around 3 months on T and seemed to go away somewhere between 6-9 months on.
Title: Re: Water retention from T
Post by: Kylo on December 02, 2016, 07:07:55 PM
Thanks for answering.

I had my levels checked and they were still below target the first month, the doctor suggested I either keep the same dose for 2 more months or up the dose a bit so I did up it, but immediately got the water retention. I've dropped the dose again to what it was and decided to go with that for two more months... I'm not sure if raising my dose caused it or whether it was going to happen anyway. The amount of weight gain from it is pretty ridiculous though...
Title: Re: Water retention from T
Post by: FTMax on December 02, 2016, 08:00:41 PM
I increased my dose at 1 month on T, and switched to injections from gel at 3 months on. Don't know if that had anything to do with the onset or not. I didn't change my dose again until after my hysto.

It was mostly noticeable in my face. I don't think I saw a significant amount of weight gain from it.
Title: Re: Water retention from T
Post by: Kylo on December 02, 2016, 09:28:55 PM
I guess my doc did suggest I stick with the same dose but didn't seem concerned if I increased it slightly as my hematocrit was exactly the same as pre-T levels.

This isn't just in the face but pretty much all over. I felt like a fricking water balloon, lol. Woke up about 5-6 lbs heavier...

I've heard some people gained 20-30lbs of water weight, hence I'm pretty concerned, can't be carrying that much excess on me, would do a number on my blood pressure for sure.
Title: Re: Water retention from T
Post by: Alexthecat on December 02, 2016, 09:46:06 PM
Eating a lot of salt can cause water retention so it might be more than just the T causing it.
Title: Re: Water retention from T
Post by: FTMax on December 03, 2016, 10:24:36 AM
Quote from: T.K.G.W. on December 02, 2016, 09:28:55 PM
I've heard some people gained 20-30lbs of water weight, hence I'm pretty concerned, can't be carrying that much excess on me, would do a number on my blood pressure for sure.

Are we sure that was all water weight for them? T does tend to cause weight gain in a lot of people - you have a bigger appetite, so if you aren't in the habit of working out this tends to lead to weight gain. And you're able to develop muscle faster, which weighs more than fat so would lead to weight gain.

I do occasionally feel really bloated but it's not something that you'd be able to tell by looking at me and it doesn't seem to make a difference on the scale. I've never really dug in to figure out why it happens, but it really didn't happen to me at all pre-T except around that time of the month. And I haven't had one of those since three months on, and haven't had the goods to even worry about that for the last 10 months but it still happens sometimes.

Bodies are weird!
Title: Re: Water retention from T
Post by: Kylo on December 03, 2016, 05:17:36 PM
Yeah, I just wonder why it takes 6 months at least for water retention to go away for many people. I wonder what happens in the body to make it stop. Excess estrgoen causes it I hear, and if your dose of T is too high at a particular time the excess gets converted to estrogen and causes the bloating right? THat's my meager understanding of it, anyway. So I guess it is the body getting used to or developing tolerance for higher levels of T maybe and it take half a year to a year to do?

Yeah I try to watch my salt intake. I hear lack of sleep can cause stress hormones to rise and increase bloating and I just had the week from hell with hardly any rest, might be part of it. But if I look at my ankles they definitely look too "fleshy" to me. I've still got water retention going on...