I've had some surprising HRT effects. I'm about to hit my two month mark - and I'm noticing many changes much sooner than I thought I would. So I suppose they are surprising simply because I'm getting them now, and I wasn't expecting them this fast or maybe even at all, even though I knew they were possible.

My facial hair has gotten much, much softer. Also, all the hairs on my upper lip have turned platinum blonde/clear, where before HRT I could grow a mustache. The hairs on my chin and sides of my face also have turned clear, and in general my facial hair has lightened in color, thickness, etc. a surprising amount. At this point I doubt I'd be able to get laser. Also, my facial hair growth has slowed down to the point now where 4 days of growth isn't even equal to one day pre-hrt.

Another thing - a very pleasant surprise - I started feeling breast development on day 7 of HRT, and it has not let up this entire time. In fact, recently the breast pain/soreness/itchy-heat-ness, etc. has increased in intensity. My nipples look very different, too, and have also grown in size. My breasts are actually jiggling/bouncing as I walk, and I've got to be careful going down stairs - it's probably time for a sports bra or something. I also can't wear shirts in public anymore in guy mode - I have to cover up with a hoodie or coat or something, and even then it's starting to get a bit difficult to conceal them well.

Another strange side effect is my voice seems clearer, if that makes any sense. I'll describe it a bit better - basically when I'm singing my voice feels like it's more crisp - more clear - it doesn't want to get raspy as easily or fail hitting a note. My range is exactly the same as it was pre-HRT (~5 octaves, more or less depending on the day and circumstances), but now it just feels easier to sing loudly and clearly whether it's low or high. Before HRT I had a lot more days where I just couldn't sing certain songs because my voice was being temperamental.

Also, my reduction in joint pain has continued.

There's probably other stuff I'm forgetting to mention. These are just the major things. I've also had typical stuff like skin softening, skin tone lightening, some fat redistribution, etc.

What sort of surprising HRT effects have you all had? Anything like this? Anything different? Does this stuff I've been experiencing seem normal to you all?

I've been on low dosage HRT for about two weeks now. I've only started to feel slight breast tenderness but its very very minute ATM. All of my changes so far have been mental.

Everyone experiences changes at different times so your probably going to get a bunch of different answers.

What dosage are you currently on?

Party foul! 

Yeah the effects are interesting. It's one thing to read about them and know what to expect. Much different to see them manifest on your own body!!!!

I've been on hormones for two and a half months. Not a single change. Not inside or out.

Bad genes I guess.

Give it time. It takes a while for the biological processes to kick in.  Plus if you are under an Endo's care, they are notoriously conservative on dosing, starting pretty much at background levels, and then ramping up.

These are the only discernible changes I'm seeing 7-weeks in:

Face:
Much less oil on my T-zone, nearly matte face.
Pores are definitely getting smaller.
What's acne?
My eye area seems to have opened up.
Lips puffier.
Cheeks a little puffier and my jaw line is getting softer. I seem to be progressing fast in these areas (I am half Korean afterall and we gals have big cheeks)
Skin is glowing already.

Hair:
(Also taking dutasteride since i'm about a NW2)
Hair regrowth overall, definitely liking what's appearing at the temples, widows peak.
Arm hair thinning. Leg and beard seems the same.

Body:
A little paler (asian?)
Some nipple firmness, only a little more puffy, but still less than what you may see with gynecomastia.
Skin is definitely softer can feel subcutaneous fat thickening.
Muscle strength is going down down down. I can't believe my arm gets fatigued holding up an umbrella.
Forearms and calf appear a little thinner.
I think I smell different and much less male body odor.

Sexual:
Still functioning but takes a little more time.
Jewels are a little smaller.
Semen running less and much clearer.
Libido definitely down (which is a god send, I'm so much more calmer and can focus on work)

Odd things:
Slower metabolism.
Hands a tad smaller and slender.
Neck seems slimmer.
My bottom jaw's resting bite position seems to have retracted ever so slightly.
My nostril flares and nose appear smaller.
My voice seems a tad tighter than usual contrary to HRT supposed to having nil effect on chords.
My body language seems to be becoming a little more graceful.

Mentally:
Maybe only slightly more emotional... I don't know. That's a hard one to gauge.

Med specific:
Although I think I may be less sensitive to spiro as a diuretic, I was expecting a constant marathon of running to the bathroom and replenishing. Not at all.
Arm vasculature increases and decreases with the coming tide of spiro intake (obviously blood pressure).
You know those spiro salt cravings. I go through A1 sauce, Franks Red Hot, pesto and salad dressings like crazy. Need a bag of Spicy Sweet Doritos NOW!

Some other general effects I've had:

Scalp hair seems thicker, fuller, although I had little to no balding before HRT.

My sex drive has definitely changed. The physical desire for sex is much less prominent, but I'm still capable, although it now takes more focus and desire for it to work.

My testicles have shrank quite noticeably, and semen is now clear and less in volume.

My arm hair, leg hair, and body hair has lightened a bit, and grows more slowly.

I've had emotional changes, but mainly for the better. I feel more stable, more calm, and I feel emotions more powerfully but mostly in a good way. I'm also the happiest I've been in my life pretty much.

As far as dosage I'm on - I know we're not allowed to say specific amounts, so basically I'm on an average dosage. Not low dose, not high dose, just middle of the road. Right now I'm taking spironolactone and sublingual estradiol tablets. My endo agreed to switch me to injections soon (this month), so I'll be seeing how that changes things. Hopefully for the better, although it's already going well. It's just annoying to take sublingual doses every 6 hours. I'd rather just give myself a shot every week.

I love shots. At first the mood swings were epic, getting better now.

I have super powers now.

*levitates*

No, but seriously my color vision is better, my sense of taste has been greatly enhanced and can cook tastier things, my sense of smell is more acute and I have become more tactile.  I still have zero sense of direction though.  Also, I was never very verbal and found writing to be tedious before.  Now my full vocabulary is readily accessible and I found I love writing.  I used to be relatively cold and emotionless, but now I'm very compassionate and can cry at the drop of a hat. (Please, no hat dropping...)  It's amazing what happens when your brain finally gets the right fuel to run on.

Surprising effects . Hmm.

Color perception changes and goes up so that red looks really nice.  Flowers look better. 

A non existant interest in cooking changes to an interest of sorts.

Sex changed a lot.  wait a sec thats the point isnt it

Kidding.  But not kidding about this - female, intense sexual pleasure and nerve endings.  Dream come true.

Loss of being insanely driven.  Finally able to concentrate for longer periods of time.

And now I only have to shave body hair after 48 hours.  It used to last about 4 hours.

Thats my fun stuff.

It seems that you have had some very nice changes. That is good for you & good to see. For myself at 6 months. Body hair has definetly slowed down. Facial hair maybe some slower. Breasts are growing, a B cup, just today some new bra's, playtex 18 hour, they feel great. Completion is definetly smoother. Testicles definetly shrinking which is great, much less tension or aggression. I'm very calm & feel so nice. I've had a good cry or two about small things so that is new for me. All & all I feel great so far. It is so nice to feel more like a normal person, a nice woman.     I feel so good I'm trying to schedule asap face & neck lift plastic surgery. That wil be so nice to improve my face as feminine as possible.   

I expected my biggest surprises, but they still caught me off guard:

Emotions--I expected emotional changes but wow, are they more intense than I thought! I was much different watching Downton Abbey this year than last year. I also found myself empathizing more with the female characters whereas before I was indifferent. And the pouty days -- forget about it. I also found my emotional swings to be cyclical. The g/f is the one who pointed out "my time of the month."

Upper Body Strength--I knew I would lose some but it's been more than I expected and really hit home the first time I tried to open a jar of smuckers.

Soft Skin--I know my skin would get softer but never anticipated its effects. I get colder easier and am much more sensitive to touch (both good, like when the g/f touches me, and bad, like when the cat kneads my chest. Ouch!).

Even so, I'm loving every minute of it .

Jane

I'm 3 months, 2 weeks and a few days in. It should be noted that I'm xxy, and have always had somewhat of a feminine body shape and small delicate features.

One of my biggest changes is with my hair. I had a feminine hair loss issue before hrt which halted abruptly on my 3rd day, and began reversing. I now have much more hair in these areas and continue to get new growth. Overall my hair has become thicker but softer, and is growing very fast.

Next is my boobs. Being that I'm 49 I had a fear of not getting nice round feminine looking breasts. Oh how I was wrong. My boobs are coming in nicely and are round and though still small, beautiful and very feminine. My nipples are more sensitive and overall my boobs are sore as hell, which means they're still growing. I'm tiny and my biological Mom didn't have very big breasts, so realistically I only expect a full B cup eventually.

My feet, my feet have shrunk and I'm now in a size 8 womans narrow down from a size 10 womans. I seem to be getting my arches back even though both feet were broken in my 91 accident and I lost alot of my arches. Hrt is bringing them back, YaY!

Weight loss and body changes. I seem to be losing weight again. I'm now at 117 at a height of 5-5, which is a good weight for my tiny bone structure. I have very long legs for a person of my height. And though I've always had hips they're now more feminine and my waist has gotten smaller. Likewise though I always had narrow shoulders they have now become more feminine in shape. Also my posture is improving and becoming more feminine.

Skin and body hair. I was never very hairy being Native American. However what little body hair I did have hrt has now erased. I have my own lasers and IPL device for hair removal which, has become much more effective on my face and bikini area due to hrt. My remaining leg and arm hair has become very fine almost velus in appearance. Shaving my legs once per week is all that's required. I never had underarm hair so this area's not been an issue with the exception of my underarms becoming very soft to the touch. Overall my skin has become much softer and my pores have shrank considerably. I continue to treat my face with my lasers and IPL once per week, and now only have sparse but very soft gray hairs on my face. In fact, I can make things worse on my face by shaving due to irritation from the razor.

And last, my face and voice. Overall my face has finally started to change and fill in. My skin on my face has become softer same with that on my neck. However due to my age a face/necklift may still be in order. As to my voice, though I haven't, my friends have noticed my voice has raised in pitch a little. I only believe them because now when I have to speak in stores at the checkout after being gendered correctly as female, I get no more funny looks and continue to be gendered correctly. I consider this a miracle because from what I've read hrt has no effect on your voice. Well, it seems in some rare cases it does. However I'm still going ahead with my VFS (Voice Feminization Surgery) when the time is right.

Well there it is so far. For my age I'm very happy with the results of my hrt so far, and because these changes are ongoing I look very much forward to the future and my eventual SRS. I feel 30 years younger, have more energy than I've had in years, and wake up each morning looking forward to each day.

Ally

Got to love these changes
Im glad you all feel them


The most surprising change for me is that now I feel full of love
all other changes were typical and expected about 4 months in

*flies away*

Ohh am I jealous



I forgot to mention - I finally don't smell bad... no body odor and it used to be a big problem.

If I get a full B cup I will be esctatic.

Girls,
All I can say is WOW! You are making awesome progress.

I'm waiting on a call from my endo (my therapist took care of everything) o schedule my first appt. I'll be starting HRT soon and if I fare half as well as you ladies, I'll be doing the happy dance!

What do you think my chances are at 40?

They are great dear, simply great. 

Sweet. Thank you

Quote from: MelanieH74 on April 17, 2014, 06:18:25 AM
Girls,
All I can say is WOW! You are making awesome progress.

I'm waiting on a call from my endo (my therapist took care of everything) o schedule my first appt. I'll be starting HRT soon and if I fare half as well as you ladies, I'll be doing the happy dance!

What do you think my chances are at 40?

40, piece of cake GF. Wish I were a girl at age 40.

Thank you    <blush>