I have my prescription Tostran at the moment, but I'm hesitant to begin using it due to the last few days while I've been feeling the effects of slightly higher blood pressure. For some reason I'm very sensitive in the BP dept. if I gain any small amount of weight, and it immediately leads to feeling awful, headaches, blood pounding in ears etc. It was someone's birthday recently and I ate and drank a lot of food that night, and noticed I gained a few pounds simply because of that.  Now I have to get rid of those pounds quickly if I want to get rid of the headaches and general feeling of having my blood vessels squeezed.

I'm wondering if anyone who began on gel noticed an increase in blood pressure when they began it? I know it probably will cause water retention and that's an awful feeling too. I'm wondering if I should hold off beginning the Tostran until I feel a bit better?

I'm on testogel and haven't noticed an increase of blood pressure; I feel healthy. I had my blood pressure taken at 5 months on T and it was fine. And I haven't heard of other guys on T having problems with blood pressure.

That's good news.

Did you notice much water retention. It's a tangent but does anyone know the typical amount of time it takes for the moon face stuff to resolve?

I thought water retention would happen earlier but I'm just noticing it now. I think it's easy to confuse water retention with gaining weight.

I don't know much about the mechanisms of it, is it something to do with the excess T being converted to E? Does it indicate your dose is too high, or something like that? Or does it just happen regardless for most people taking T at first, while they adjust to it?

Estrogen can  cause water retention  if it is to high , i,m not familiar  with ftm but i would assume you use estrogen blockers  ? Its what i use d to keep my e in  check while on male hrt  and never had a problem with water retention

Quote from: T.K.G.W. on October 13, 2016, 07:35:05 AM
I don't know much about the mechanisms of it, is it something to do with the excess T being converted to E? Does it indicate your dose is too high, or something like that? Or does it just happen regardless for most people taking T at first, while they adjust to it?

I need to get my gender specialist doctor to look at my recent blood test results; but I'm pretty sure my T levels are where they should be. I still look like I'm masculising. On gel you're getting a steady standard dose so there's no chance of the dose being too high but possibly too low. My blood test results 6 months ago were fine.  I assume it's an adjusting thing.

Quote from: markie on October 13, 2016, 07:39:53 AM
Estrogen can  cause water retention  if it is to high , i,m not familiar  with ftm but i would assume you use estrogen blockers  ? Its what i use d to keep my e in  check while on male hrt  and never had a problem with water retention

We just use T hormones and there's no need for E blockers as testosterone is strong enough to overide the estrogen. E blockers are only used by teenagers to stop puberty before deciding to go on T.

My e is already remarkably low according to the specialist Dr. I saw a couple of weeks ago, so I hope there won't be an excess of E from extra conversion. He did suggest I use 4 measures per day which my GP said was higher than usual. I'm supposed to do it until the first round of blood tests in a month when they'll check it.

I just hope it doesn't exacerbate any issues with blood pressure - the information and side effects leaflet specifically mentions it.

I started on gel. My blood pressure stayed the same on T until I started losing weight. Then it went down.

I had a pretty fat face pre-T, and it bloated during my first year on T. I don't think it really went away until after the year mark.

This good to hear;

I started using it this morning. I've been working all day and I still feel wide awake and alert at midnight, so much so I might as well use the next few hrs for study. Real unusual. I'm guessing it's the T.

Quote from: T.K.G.W. on October 13, 2016, 06:35:37 PM
This good to hear;

I started using it this morning. I've been working all day and I still feel wide awake and alert at midnight, so much so I might as well use the next few hrs for study. Real unusual. I'm guessing it's the T.

Yep; took me a few months until I didn't feel that high after applying the gel.

Good luck on starting hormones btw