6 days on T, and I've noticed something strange... My biceps & calves look bigger. Not by a whole lot, but definitely bigger and firmer. My arms were already quite firm, having weighlifted for 4 years prior to T, but there's definitely been a slight change. Prior to T, I measured my biceps (flexed) and got 11 5/8", while my calves were 13 3/4". Now the measurements are 12" and 14" respectively. Weeirrd. I've also been able to lift more (exceeding my previous plateaus for some muscle groups) and for longer during my workouts this week. I used to be energized but still tired & ready to be done after my workouts. Now, I realize I'm done with my workout and I want to do more.
Not much of a change in voice. My throat is still tight more often than not, and it seems as though there's maybe a *little* more resonance than I was capable of before, but I could be imagining it. If there's any difference, it's slight.
"Down there" has grown a bit as well. Interestingly, I'm not any hornier than usual. Then again, my 'usual' is thinking about sex or getting randomly turned on at least 5-6 times a day. Anyways, yeah, the summary of this week: energy, energy, energy. I'm gonna go XC skiing now ;D
That's interesting.
Looks like you and Josh are getting some pretty quick results.
Keep up the measurements. I'm sure it'll come in handy.
youre much more clinical about your changes with all of your measurements. :P my arms feel firmer too. i havnt measured them. you actually work out though an have a reason to take measurements. it kindof cool to have someone to compare to since i started only 2 days behind you.
Thank you for mentioning the measurements. I work out a bit myself and will remember to measure before and then take during measurements. Also nice that you are sharing how your progress is coming along very helpful.
Myles
I've been on T for almost 3 weeks now and after I read your post I checked my calf muscles and my biceps and it does feel that they are a little firmer actually.
Although I am starting out on Andriol (oral) after discussion with my endo as I want to slowly transition so I wouldn't be expecting to be seeing any effects yet anyway so perhaps it is my imagination.
All the same it would be pretty cool....
Uh, guys... T doesn't make changes that fast. It's swelling. You get a little water retention when you first start T, and it tends to make the arms and legs swell. You're not going to see any changes in muscle mass until at least a month in, unless you're working out constantly. Sorry to burst your bubbles... but it does happen, eventually.
SD
i disagree sabastian! i love you but i disagree lol
i actually noticed my muscles firmer the next day and my trainer (who is also a doctor) said that its true testosterone is fast acting when it comes too muscles although everything else takes forever for some but thats genetics...
yea, water retention may make your arms/legs whatever biggere around in measurement, but if anything, itd make my arm feel squishier. but the muscle feels harder.
Quote from: Sebastien on February 01, 2009, 01:51:07 AM
Uh, guys... T doesn't make changes that fast. It's swelling. You get a little water retention when you first start T, and it tends to make the arms and legs swell. You're not going to see any changes in muscle mass until at least a month in, unless you're working out constantly. Sorry to burst your bubbles... but it does happen, eventually.
SD
That's why I thought any change in the circumference of my arms/legs was strange--it seemed to be happening too early. Could be water retention, it sounds like a reasonable explanation. But the fact remains that in my workouts this past week, I was able to work past a long-standing plateau that I was having a heckuva time breaking prior to T--I could not get in more than 3-4 consecutive bicep curls before the muscle would be exhausted, my form would suffer, and I just couldn't lift any more with that size weight. Now I make 8 easy. In one week I overcame something I have been working on for several weeks. Could be a coincidence, but I know how hard it was to make gains Pre-T, so it's awful tempting to attribute this to the T. Whether my arms grew by 3/8" in muscle or water, I dunno--but I am stronger.
Tbh, I just find it unlikely that T would have made such a diffrence so quickly not even a week. I might be wrong but I just dont see it. After a month yeah, but not a week.
I noticed my strength was stronger after a couple of months. Yet I don't actually work out. It just happened.
I will have to look into it a bit but if you are working out and hitting the wall, vs. lower weight less reps I can see it happening. As you gain mass by "tearing" the muscle in a way and rebuilding so I can see if you are able to lift more you could get a fast result. I know i have never gone from 4 to 8 reps just like that ususally 4 maybe a few weeks later maybe 5 or 6 but it's always a process. defnitley something to check out.
I think in the end the working out while taking T maybe what is causing the quick result.
Just my 2 cents from a workout junkie.
Myles
whatever.
Sebastian's right, guys. Six days on T isn't anywhere near enough for muscle growth.
I would definitely go with what Sebastien and Mister say as I am not even on T yet, so have no idea what I am talking about. I guess it just sounded so good.
Myles
Ah well, I guess water retention & swelling is the most reasonable answer. Just a bit eager for things to start happenin', can ya tell? I guess I'll satisfy myself with the increased energy & weightlifting gains for the time being...
It's probably just wishing, to be honest. Don't blame you! I was so eager for stuff to happen when I first started that I thought I was getting manlier by the minute! Don't worry, though. It's great that you're starting T to begin with, and you're going to notice a change before you know it. Within a month of starting, I was a tenor, and a few more made me a baritone. Now I kind of wish it would slow down. It gets disturbing. I'm hairier, hornier, taller, and deeper-voiced than any of the guys I've been with. I just want to get a guy that'll pick me up with one arm and tell me I'm adorable...sigh. Yet another way-off-topic post. ::)
i disagree it was very visable for be right away maybe its genetics?
Six days, jaded? You can really make it five since it takes a while to work it's way into the bloodstream. I started on a full dose of injectible T post hysto and had nothing but shaky voice, hunger and tingly junk in six days. I HIGHLY doubt that anyone is bulking up on shot #1.
i train with a guy that trained 2 of the ny yankees and he said T in female body builders has started seeing results in 2 days!
and i know what i went through ....im not convinced its retained water becaue i was solid muscle
Bodybuilder dosage is MUCH higher than FTM dosage and I'm willing to bet that most female bodybuilders have stressed their bodies enough for menstruation to already have ceased.
Wishful thinking is great, but delusion....
Changes WILL come. For me, my voice began to change by about a month in, but didn't really "drop" until 2 months. Facial hair started coming in thicker at about 2 or 3 months. Skin thickened and muscles seemed thicker at about 2 months. Clitoral lengthening started early... while I didn't notice a visible difference until at least 2 months, I started feeling strange pains in that area at about a week on T.
Water retention can make your extremities swell, and in its minor forms, can make muscles seem stiffer. Change will come, guys. It's just not immediate.
SD
well... i totally just did a chinup. i couldnt do that before. maybe that water retention realy is helping me out. ;)
Maybe these new feats are just psychological.
Let's face it, sometimes a positive attitude and believing in something really does take you someplace.
maybe. and i just remembered something. meepmarmoset on youtube started off at the same amount as me (his was by accident though) and his voice was already changing after a week.
im not saying im an instant man or anything, but i dont think its fair to say that its impossible for someone to see changes this early. meepmermosets voice, eryks muscles, and my not being able to sing high... you never know.
That is true. I also watch his videos and he did respond fairly quickly to voice changes, from what I could tell.
Didn't he also find out that he was given a little too much T at the time by accident?
This is still interesting. It's hard to say if you guys are responding fast or if it's just wishful thinking.
yes, he did find out that it was too much. but his accidental dose was my dose on purpose. so... same dose.
Quote from: Monty on February 03, 2009, 06:55:08 PM
Let's face it, sometimes a positive attitude and believing in something really does take you someplace.
That's a very good point. I will say that, prior to T, I worked out with vigor--however, I was getting really rather disgusted with my estrogenated body. If I pushed the working out too much (actually, I believe it was more 'if I dropped below a certain weight threshold'), I would stop *winces at the word* menstruating. Not that I minded that stopping, but amenorrhea is apparently a risk factor for osteoporosis later in life. My GP's advice was: "women are supposed to have fat on their hips. You should eat more cookies (no joking, she said that) and stop weightlifting." Bah. One time it stopped for 8 months and the only remedy was HRT--of the estrogen + progesterone variety. Not happy. I put off taking that for as long as the doc would allow. Anyways, after that I cut back a bit on my working out, and always made sure to keep my weight above that threshold. Now, it feels like the reins have been cut loose--if that monthly thing stops, well, who cares? It's supposed to on T. I can work as hard as I want without worrying about having to go to the gyno again to have more estrogen prescribed for me.
Quote from: Josh on February 03, 2009, 07:00:18 PM
eryks muscles
Lol, I'm sorry, I just find that funny... For reference, my muscles aren't exactly huge:
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi396.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fpp43%2Ftygoneryk%2FWeek1Bicep.jpg&hash=b673487d86d548049505fe52fa13820ec8595982)
Granted, they're bigger than when I began weightlifting--back then, my upper arm was flat even when I flexed and it was all squishiness, not firm. (BTW, sorry for concentrating only on the biceps; it just seems to be the muscle that's most commonly exhibited & associated with weightlifting... guess I'm just perpetuating that, but for illustration purposes it works.) I guess I'll keep ya updated in a few months to see if these 'baby guns' have matured any...
Quote from: Josh on February 03, 2009, 08:12:50 PM
yes, he did find out that it was too much. but his accidental dose was my dose on purpose. so... same dose.
Ahh, that could explain it too.
Quote from: Eryk on February 03, 2009, 08:24:29 PM
Quote from: Monty on February 03, 2009, 06:55:08 PM
Let's face it, sometimes a positive attitude and believing in something really does take you someplace.
That's a very good point. I will say that, prior to T, I worked out with vigor--however, I was getting really rather disgusted with my estrogenated body. If I pushed the working out too much (actually, I believe it was more 'if I dropped below a certain weight threshold'), I would stop *winces at the word* menstruating. Not that I minded that stopping, but amenorrhea is apparently a risk factor for osteoporosis later in life. My GP's advice was: "women are supposed to have fat on their hips. You should eat more cookies (no joking, she said that) and stop weightlifting." Bah. One time it stopped for 8 months and the only remedy was HRT--of the estrogen + progesterone variety. Not happy. I put off taking that for as long as the doc would allow. Anyways, after that I cut back a bit on my working out, and always made sure to keep my weight above that threshold. Now, it feels like the reins have been cut loose--if that monthly thing stops, well, who cares? It's supposed to on T. I can work as hard as I want without worrying about having to go to the gyno again to have more estrogen prescribed for me.
That might be your answer right there, then. It seems a bit more realistic than the other theory.
Hum.. Well as Someone who "A long time ago" lifted weights and other things to over compensate, I'm thinking that if Eryk has been lifting for years then the body / muscles are already trained/ primed and just need a bit of T to grow quicker. T does build muscle if one lifts. Plus genetics can play a roll. Maybe Eryk will be the next Arnold. How cool would that be!.
As always everyone is different and most changes do take forever when one first starts on the HRT path.
Beni
QuoteMaybe Eryk will be the next Arnold. How cool would that be!.
Do you think Eryk can sort out California's budget? If so, he's got my vote.
lmao....... ;D
I don't think at this point god or J.P. Morgan could sort out this state's financial mess.
Quote from: Mister on February 03, 2009, 09:34:41 PM
QuoteMaybe Eryk will be the next Arnold. How cool would that be!.
Do you think Eryk can sort out California's budget? If so, he's got my vote.
...:icon_eek:
*runs for the hills, far far away from California*
I didn't really notice any difference in my muscles for about a month, and I was working out 5 days a week. I think the first thing I noticed about them was that my forearms were bigger and more defined. I noticed while I was driving and I thought I was halucinating...I almost drove off the road lol. But the first results I got from T was hair on the back of my hands. I've been on T for 8 months now, and it seems like all the affects have slowed down dramatically...it kinda sucks.
Yeah, you do get a stage where it feels like you're not making progress. But what you're doing is slowly aging towards your chronological age and the body fat is redistributing slowly.
I have a lovely beer gut and a bit of facial hair to thank for that.
It happens fast in the first year, but after that it happens slowly, then one day you wake up and realize there are parts of your face that you're either gonna have to shave daily or grow something (I'm lazy, grew a goatee). Someday I'll look my age, but I know now that I look at least 30-ish and I'm gaining 3-5 years on every year.
Plus the voice change goes on for a while. It might be more noticeable for me because I'm a singer, but it took until 3 years on T until it stabilized and my singing voice is still improving.
Patience, grasshoppers
Dennis
Uh, by the way... too much testosterone is a very BAD thing if you're trying to masculinize. Excess testosterone converts to estrogen... hence the men on steroids with shrunken testicles and man-boobs (aka gynecomastia). We wouldn't want that happening, now would we?
Anyone who takes more {than standard} is simply shooting himself in the foot... any doctor with half a brain will tell you that. That's what I started on, that's what I continued on, and I had a full beard, sideburns, whatnot, by 3 months in. Patience is a virtue.
SD
edit- dosage. parenthesis phrase added. Nero
3 months?!! Dang, after 8 I'm lucky if I get peach fuzz! Maybe it's because of my age or something, but my face is a smooth as a babys butt.
Quote from: Scratchy Wilson on February 04, 2009, 02:47:26 PM
3 months?!! Dang, after 8 I'm lucky if I get peach fuzz! Maybe it's because of my age or something, but my face is a smooth as a babys butt.
From what I understand, the facial hair aspects depend more on your genetics.