I am 6 weeks into HRT. Took initial measurements at three weeks. Took them again yesterday. In the three weeks, I gained 1.5 inches around my chest and both thighs. Half and inch gain for my calf measurements. Zero changes for neck, hips, arms and waist. How can I gain inches but lose two pounds in weight?    Muscle loss can't happen this quickly.

My biggest surprise is that I am a big sleepyhead now. I wake up in the morning with a big smile on my face after a long night's sleep. This would have never happened when I had a bad case of dysphoria. What is also strange is that, outside of losing my dysphoria, I have not felt many mental/emotional changes other than a greater happiness.

Julia

Surprising effects of HRT
I have totally mentally feminized..
I swear I don't remember how I used to be.. I ask people when they say I am totally different and they just say I had a wall up and used to be hard to talk to.. now most friends wonder why I seem so happy now.
I have not been on long but despite losing a ton of weight my butt is getting bigger.. I am actually worried a little about it.

Ok, I notice what women wear all the time!!
Biggest surprise for me is how men intimidate me now.. especially when several are together being dudes.. Men seem so manly now.. its weird.
For example I was getting new pipes on my sports car.. several dudes standing there when I walk in and I just felt they were sizing me up for no reason.. I felt paranoid.. I think its just part of the deal.
Carrie

I am shocked at how easy I find it is to slide into the sisterhood. Mannerisms, walking, movement, general awareness, a sense of femininity, knowing what to talk about and being sensitive to other people's feelings and moods, and a budding fashion sense  - its a work in progress but I'm finding that it comes naturally to me. I cannot shut up to save my life now, and before HRT you couldn't get 3 words out of me. Writing? I can and do write long letters now! My poor mom is the recipient of most of them 

Body changes..... boobs are happening albeit slowly, I always got comments about having a "nice butt" as a boy and I am now getting unwanted attention from it as a girl from random guys. Hair regrowth sadly is not happening - its too far gone. Facial changes? Yes, still happening.  Hands and feet are smaller, and I seem to be a bit shorter these days too. No one pays me any attention when I'm out and about these days.

The main difference I've noticed by far is that i'm happy now!

I've been on T-blockers for 2 weeks now, the other day I couldn't reach the big O (not the surprising part), I gave up trying & realised that for the first time in my life it really didn't bother me so I opened up a box of luxury choccies i'd been given & they were far more pleasurable & satisfying than the big O would have been.

I was delightfully surprised of suddenly having no acne. Before HRT it was quite the problem, nothing I could do would get rid of it completely. Now a pimple is a pretty rare occurrence.

I'd have to say the emotions are a big one too. I expected them to change, but never did I imagine they would have such a big impact on me. I'm loving every minute of it.

My wife hates me getting weepy over some movie, she came upstairs couple weeks ago to find me crying over some scene in To Sir, With Love..  She turned and stalked back out.  And it happens all the time.  She's disgusted that I started watching Say Yes To The Dress with her.  I'd been on herbals since Oct and while not stunning results, they were enough to make me noticed my almost Bs and better skin.  The mood changes is what really got me, tho!

I stopped my doses two weeks ago (agreed to revert for the family), my mood has def begun to change back, and I'm getting much more acne now, chin, chest, and shoulders.. I'm really hating that.

In a complete 180 from my momentary George Clooney swooning a week ago, I've returned back to normalcy feeling contempt for men in general.

If they all suddenly disappeared from mother Earth, I'd be pretty happy.

Violent, gross, aggressive, smelly pits, dog breath, dirty socks, farty, crude, a vicious controlling a**hole of a gender. I don't understand why a butterfly would want to land on such a greasy primate. Ugh!

As far as a new surprising effect, it seems my cuticles have retracted slightly showing longer nail beds.

Quote from: Evelyn K on May 12, 2014, 02:06:06 AM
In a complete 180 from my momentary George Clooney swooning a week ago, I've returned back to normalcy feeling contempt for men in general.

If they all suddenly disappeared from mother Earth, I'd be pretty happy.

Violent, gross, aggressive, smelly pits, dog breath, dirty socks, farty, crude, a vicious controlling a**hole of a gender. I don't understand why a butterfly would want to land on such a greasy primate. Ugh!

As far as a new surprising effect, it seems my cuticles have retracted slightly showing longer nail beds.

Welcome back! I agree with your assessment of men in general wholeheartidly. Oh and don't forget how repulsive man smell is, lol!!

I too have noticed an increase in cuticle length. Love it cause it makes my fingers look longer, lol!!

Hugs

Ally

Here's a new one...

I noticed my spacial awareness (say when walking) has shifted. Before I literally had eyes in the back of my head and was exceptionally aware of my surroundings. Always checking those corners and intensely scanning for two legged pests. I live in the city after all. After being on E, I seem to have tunnel vision now. It's like my senses are entirely focused on what's in front of me only and my peripheral sense has been diminished.

What the hell.

You'd think a woman's perception would only increase to look out for danger to herself and her young.

Anyway it's obviously not a good thing, so I'm going to have re-address that with renewed training.

Puberty can be an exciting stage in our lives. Although I had a specific end state in mind, I too have found surprises and joy in the journey.

Quote from: Evelyn K on May 12, 2014, 12:17:52 PM
Here's a new one...

I noticed my spacial awareness (say when walking) has shifted. Before I literally had eyes in the back of my head and was exceptionally aware of my surroundings. Always checking those corners and intensely scanning for two legged pests. I live in the city after all. After being on E, I seem to have tunnel vision now. It's like my senses are entirely focused on what's in front of me only and my peripheral sense has been diminished.

What the hell.

You'd think a woman's perception would only increase to look out for danger to herself and her young.

Anyway it's obviously not a good thing, so I'm going to have re-address that with renewed training.

That's strange, for me it's just the opposite. I catch myself scanning my periphrial vision more and taking detailed account of my surroundings and anyone within a 7-10 foot radius of me. If there's a potential threat or danger I want to see it coming in order to avoid it if possible.

Ally

People at work now say that, somehow, I look different, but they are not sure what it is that makes me look different.

Also, muscle mass especially in the upper body is way down. My chest has lost 4 inches and my upper arms and forearms are much thinner.

Fat is accumulating on my hips and thighs. My thighs jiggle almost as much as the fat on my rear up by the iliac crest and down to slightly below my hip joint. I seem to have a slight swivel in my hips when I walk. I am not forcing this, I just sway naturally. When one foot goes forward, my hip on that side shifts ever so slightly forward and my foot swings slightly inward. In the next step, it happens to the other side.

My belt is 6 inches smaller and my pants are loose in the waist but not in the thighs or seat. I am dieting like crazy!

I did not even mention my breasts, but I expected that!   

Quote from: Katrina on April 16, 2014, 05:32:15 PM
I've been on hormones for two and a half months. Not a single change. Not inside or out.

Bad genes I guess.

Listen to James; I've been on HRT for a year now and only in the past three months have I REALLY seen my body go through some dramatic changes. Like many have said the Endos like to steadily up your dosage from practically nothing and on top of that some of us are late bloomers 

I can become invisible at the drop of a hat.

It gave me one one special power.. I can make my wife fly into a rage simply by being in front of her. 

Has anyone noticed a change in their sense of smell?   

I've always been good at noting and identifying odours , but in the past few weeks I have particularly noticed that I am much more sensitive to how men smell...!!!   Some smell horrendous; others very, very masculine.

Since I did have boyfriends before transitioning, I'm quite used to how men smell - this is very much stronger!

xxx
J

Quote from: Julia-Madrid on May 14, 2014, 05:05:03 PM
Has anyone noticed a change in their sense of smell?   

I've always been good at noting and identifying odours , but in the past few weeks I have particularly noticed that I am much more sensitive to how men smell...!!!   Some smell horrendous; others very, very masculine.

Since I did have boyfriends before transitioning, I'm quite used to how men smell - this is very much stronger!

xxx
J

yes I ve noticed that...
and I just want to turn around and let them know how terrible they smell
I know they cant help it though so I just feel sad

Quote from: FalseHybridPrincess on May 14, 2014, 05:09:06 PM
yes I ve noticed that...
and I just want to turn around and let them know how terrible they smell
I know they cant help it though so I just feel sad

Oh, but nothing compares to this bartender at a Japanese restaurant I frequent.  I went to college with a bunch of meathead football players on steroids (literally) and I thought they smelled bad then.  I got a whiff of that meathead and I almost upchucked my Sapporo Light.

It's funny, my wife always thought my scent was "off" or "odd" before I went on HRT.  Is there something about MTFs and testosterone that makes us smell funny?

I use to hate the smell of perfume , but now I love it, especially when I'm wearing it.

For the first time in my life, the pollen allergy season has had no effect on me.

The itchy eyes and sneezing. NONE!