I started with 6 months of low dose and have now had 12 months on full dose.
I'm not out at work yet, and I have to wear a sports bra to keep the girls packed down. And I'm pretty sure I caught my boss staring at my chest yesterday. LOL
For me, the laser did more for presentation than HRT has. The hormone changes have been noticeable but subtle. But really, having no facial hair seems to have had the biggest impact on my appearance.
And I have a few thoughts on keeping it together mentally while waiting for the right time. I've had a few friends jump into full-time really quickly, and they all had similar problems. Beard shadow tough to hide, non-passable voice, not enough clothes for a full-time wardrobe, still working through the teenage girl phase, etc, etc. For these reasons, I'm glad I decided to take it slower. I'll be coming out at work in about a month and I'll be full-time then, and I feel ready...confident, even.
One of the reasons I decided to take it slow was to get my head on straight and also give my wife time to adjust and get on board with the changes. And as I've been able to cross off those fears and obstacles, it's gotten harder and harder with each one to stay on course and not just say "screw it!" and go full time. My excuses are disappearing.