This is pretty much my omg-what-will-happen-to-meee list, for when I start HRT:::

1) Pets! Do your family pets, cats especially because I have two cats, treat you any differently?

2) Weight distribution, for FTMs, HIPS. I am worried about my hips, because they are quite wide. And the men in my family don't have hips like this, just the women. So that does mean once I start on T, my hips will down considerably?

3) Acne. In my entire life, I've never ever had a problem with acne. Even through puberty, it was a barely-there sort of thing. And I've read that HRT is like going through a second puberty, so will the acne be about as present as it was, or much worse, or?

4) Hair growth. My brother is not hairy at all, he's 31 in August, and he can't grow chest hair at all. My leg and arm hair pretty much doesn't grow. I haven't shaved my legs in almost 7 years, and it's just slightly prickly and you can't see it at all, because it's so fine and blond. So, on T, will I even have any sort of body hair?

5) Existing medical conditions. Because I have rosacea and trigeminal neuralgia. And I'm a little worried that T will make it worse? Though, it might make it better. But I'm adding it in, in case any of you have the conditions, and you could give me your experiences

Obviously, I don't expect you guys to give me absolute definate answers, but your opinions based on what you know, and what's happened to you.

All I know is that usually acne and hair growth increase on T but there is also genetics, dose, etc. I don't think hips would become narrower as bone is not affected unless you're still growing and in puberty. Good luck with transition!

1) Why would pets treat you differently? My cat only cared if I fed and loved her no matter which gender I was.

2) Weight distribution, more specifically redistribution, in my opinion is a myth. Fat does not move around. However, its placement is solely influenced by hormones - I believe this is why people get the illusion of fat redistribution... they start estrogen, unknowingly gain a little weight from their slowed metabolism, and it deposits to female areas that they then attribute to redistribution. My best advice to people transitioning whether they're female or male is to start exercising and lose as much fat as you safely can, then return to your normal lifestyle (on HRT) and the fat will then go to completely male or female areas. I did this with great results. But in the presence of testosterone you might lose that fat with little to no effort.

3) In the presence of testosterone I'd guess you'll be more prone to acne than those with estrogen. However, with proper care in cleaning and balancing your face it won't be an issue - look into Cetaphil and Tretinoin, great products.

4) Genetics will play a large role. Remember shaving, especially close with a razor, stimulates the follicles to not only grow more hair but thicker as well. There must be tons of info around about guys who wish they were more hairy.

5) This will be something to discuss with your endocrinologist and physician. My biggest concern about rosacea would be the relationship between rosacea and acne, how acne treatments might effect rosacea symptoms, and conversely how rosacea treatments might effect acne symptoms. I don't remember ever hearing of any relationships between TN and hormones, more so pressure from things like veins eroding the coating of the nerve causing hyperactivity and then pain.

Fat redistribution does happen if you lose weight and then regain it. Any new added fat goes into a typical male pattern. Fat that isn't lost remains where it is.

just to still the tread a bit lol, i handed my letter into my doctor who will contact my endo. because my endo already did an eval, looked at my blood work and went over the risks with me, can she just send my script to my pharmacy and set me up for another appoint for another blood work test?

Well yes, loosing weight and gaining muscle, I've already started with that bit. So I will loose all the weight around my hips/thighs and it will be gone, and then if I gain weight, it will all go in manly places instead of back to my hip/thighs?

About the pets thing, I read that HRT changes the way you naturally smell, and pets are sensitive to that.

Teeg- I am FtM   

Quote from: teeg on May 27, 2014, 08:09:57 PM
Remember shaving, especially close with a razor, stimulates the follicles to not only grow more hair but thicker as well.

That is a myth. I've shaved my arms, my legs, countless times since the beginning of my transition and they've either not changed or become thinner and sparser, thanks to hormones.

Shaving the hair does not affect in any way whatsoever the root of the hair. To affect growth of hair, something must occur at the root of the hair like hormonal changes, heat directed in that area (laser/electrolysis), injury in that area (epilation), etc. When you shave, you just cut the area which is way above the root. Studies have also confirmed that shaving does not affect hair growth. It's a myth that's been circulating for a long time that simply makes no sense.