(I didn't really see much of any posts about HRT with Testosterone, so I'm starting a new thread and hoping I get any replies)

I am waiting on my second appointment for T at the end of the month. My first one was pretty much standard: a lot of questions, and a lot of bloodwork.

I'm scheduled to go back right on the tail end of the month.

I'm hoping I get to fill my prescription by then!!

But also, I am 35. A lot of the guys I see online are much younger than me, and also much more fit.
(I'm almost totally sedentary with a skelectalmuscular issue I have)

I know that I can't expect to see giant muscles or anything... and very likely not even a drop in voice for at least 3 months.
Right now I'm just sort of curious: what have different guys experienced while on T when they started out?

This can be anything from changes in the body, to mental... even to how long it took for anyone to notice anything!

I'm so anxious, and so any stories would be wonderful to hear.

The reason why you didn't see anything on T is because the area for that is located in transexual talk>female to male>testosterone. I have moved the thread there so you will get more responses.

If you are totally sedentary then you should work on not being. You need to watch your food intake and try to get some exercise. Some people's weight will balloon and all that T will make fat if you don't try to do something about it.

Quote from: Alexthecat on March 18, 2016, 12:42:57 AM
If you are totally sedentary then you should work on not being. You need to watch your food intake and try to get some exercise. Some people's weight will balloon and all that T will make fat if you don't try to do something about it.

Yes, Food intake has been a daily watch issue for over 5 years straight, and that had nothing to do with transitioning.
I actually spent a year studying nutrition and my personal food reactions in order to attempt to lower my weight--which worked-- but because it's such a strict regimen, I've fallen off a few times and regained a bit. The food issue is only that because I'm resistant to loosing with diet, which actually has been the only way I've ever lost, even when I was much younger and extremely active. 

Exercise is also limited for me, as cardio would potentially screw up my spine (not due to weight, but due to the condition of the muscles and bones themselves)

I'm currently looking into forms of exercise that work muscles but that are not high impact, preferably in my home in the event that I exhaust myself (which is too common).


I told myself two years ago that I would attempt to get down to my goal weight before starting T... but I am at the point now where waiting is no longer an option. It's actually been suggested by at least two of my physicians that with my current food regimen T may actually help.

Actually, there is no reason for you not to expect giant muscles.  But like every other guy on the planet they will not just happen automatically.  You can get them but it will require a lot of long term (think several years) hard work in a gym with heavy barbells.  If you ever get interested you should read "Starting Strength" by Mark Rippetoe.  He also has a website and forum. 


Sapere Aude

Testosterone is one of the key components to building muscle, so among the increase in libido, body hair growth, facial hair and deepening voice, you can probably expect a change in metabolism and increased ability to build and maintain larger muscles. I don't really know whether increased muscle mass will help or exacerbate your skeletal muscular issues. You should probably consult with a doctor or at least ask your endocrinologist.
When it comes to starting your transition at 35, it's probably less effective than doing it as a teen or twenty-something. If you have the financial stability and mental fortitude to do it now, a later transition can often be easier, especially when it comes to the social part of transition. There are advantages and disadvantages to whenever someone transitions, I think it's tempting to wish you could do it earlier, but there's not a lot of point in ruminating on hypotheticals. It all depends on your goals and your mindset.


     Hugs,
- Katie
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I am 36. I'd like to hear about the experiences of guys my age.

I'm just posting an update to this message because I felt that starting a new topic all-together would be a little odd:

I started T a few days after writing this post, and I am still low carbing for my eating plan. So... it's been almost 4 months, but no quite.

I just wanted to say that even though It's not MEGA FAST, I have lost significant fat all over, and built a lot of muscle in my abdomen. All other T related changes are on track though they were slow until the past 15 days or so.

Overall, I'm happy with the results, and plan to keep on this way for a while when it comes to eating.

I have also found that my muscle strength has increased (for instance, I can do 24 single leg lifts in three directions, and 10 lifts with both legs at once, where in the past I could do neither of these no matter how much I trained thanks to my physical ailments)  but my spinal problems overall remain the same. Pretty much what I expected. I still need a ton of rest and painkiller.


I hope this is helpful to someone!

I started T at 29 (31 now) and had my top surgery June 16th last year. When I first started T the first things I noticed within about 3-6 months was my voice dropping and cracking like a teenage boy (people always thought i was sick). I started getting a few dark hairs on my face but nothing amazing. On top of all that I gained a lot of weight. My face got puffy and round and I was getting a bit of a gut. my highest weight was 165lbs at about 1 year on T (I always weighed 115-120 pre T).

My mood was a bit of a roller coaster and on top of that I was sweating like a whore in church every day. I dealt with that for awhile. The changes are kind of slow but sometimes you'll notice things and be like "Whoaaa.. wtf.." I didn't start passing until about a year and a half on T. I felt like I was stuck in that in between sexes stage lol. Now that I'm a little over 2 years I pass 100% and never get questioned.

My mentality changed a WHOLE lot. I use to have a very thin skin and be emotional. I let the smallest things at work get to me really quick. I have such a higher tolerance for BS now! I'm much more chill and relaxed, I can't really cry, instead I just get mad. I use to be able to listen and understand things that people would say and now I just kind of zone out and it goes out the other ear.

Quote from: AnxietyDisord3r on March 29, 2016, 11:45:44 AM
I am 36. I'd like to hear about the experiences of guys my age.

I started T just before I turn 38, and within the first 3 months I notice the difference in my muscle mass especially on the upper arm / shoulder area. On top of that, I wasn't working out at the time. A few months ago I started to do cardio like treadmill / bike / rower and I've notice the fat re-distribution happened quicker. Not sure if it's the exercising or just the time of T hits.
T does wonders for sure! On a side note, I'm on less than half of a "regular" dose and my T-level is less than 150. My endo said as long as it works, it doesn't necessary have to reach the "floor" level.

Quote from: RaptorChops on June 20, 2016, 09:31:42 PM
My mentality changed a WHOLE lot. I use to have a very thin skin and be emotional. I let the smallest things at work get to me really quick. I have such a higher tolerance for BS now! I'm much more chill and relaxed, I can't really cry, instead I just get mad. I use to be able to listen and understand things that people would say and now I just kind of zone out and it goes out the other ear.

Gosh, I haven't noticed anything like the last one which is good because I have to counsel people at work about work stuff and I need to listen to what they have to say. Heck, I've found myself just being quiet and listening more these days. I used to have an uncontrollable urge to inject myself into the conversation.

Quote from: tjack77 on June 23, 2016, 10:20:27 PM
I started T just before I turn 38, and within the first 3 months I notice the difference in my muscle mass especially on the upper arm / shoulder area. On top of that, I wasn't working out at the time. A few months ago I started to do cardio like treadmill / bike / rower and I've notice the fat re-distribution happened quicker. Not sure if it's the exercising or just the time of T hits.
T does wonders for sure! On a side note, I'm on less than half of a "regular" dose and my T-level is less than 150. My endo said as long as it works, it doesn't necessary have to reach the "floor" level.

I took a vacation while recovering from top surgery and so was doing a lot of walking up and down hills for hours every day. While I had to rest a lot (due to recovery) I noticed after a week that I'd definitely had fat redistribution. They say it takes years but apparently multiple hours per day of hill climbing will do it a lot quicker!

Quote from: RenJB on March 18, 2016, 01:41:53 AM
Yes, Food intake has been a daily watch issue for over 5 years straight, and that had nothing to do with transitioning.
I actually spent a year studying nutrition and my personal food reactions in order to attempt to lower my weight--which worked-- but because it's such a strict regimen, I've fallen off a few times and regained a bit. The food issue is only that because I'm resistant to loosing with diet, which actually has been the only way I've ever lost, even when I was much younger and extremely active. 

Exercise is also limited for me, as cardio would potentially screw up my spine (not due to weight, but due to the condition of the muscles and bones themselves)

I'm currently looking into forms of exercise that work muscles but that are not high impact, preferably in my home in the event that I exhaust myself (which is too common).


I told myself two years ago that I would attempt to get down to my goal weight before starting T... but I am at the point now where waiting is no longer an option. It's actually been suggested by at least two of my physicians that with my current food regimen T may actually help.

Try swimming.

I had a spinal issue myself which I think derives from having low T and E count for about 4-5 years before I began HRT. It meant that I got stiffness of the back any time I spent too long in a particular position, but also that it was super easy to snag a nerve in my back doing even the most mundane of things. It's still difficult for me to sleep more than 6 hours comfortably without getting a stiff back and having to get up and move around to alleviate it.

Swimming is a great exercise for those with back issues as it allows you to flex the back (and everything else) without putting excessive strain on it, yet can still be as intensive a form of exercise as you want it to be.

Failing that, you could try forms of yoga - they do not lead to exhaustion but do improve flexibility, circulation, and provides some calisthenic exercise depending on the types you choose to do. I'm not big into massive workouts with weights, although I do them for arms and legs to improve swimming ability, but a basic yoga routine has always been my go-to when I'm not doing anything strenuous because it helps with the spine and with my notoriously crap flexibility.

I'm 38 and have been on t almost 4 months now. My energy level/appetites sky rocketted and I noticed that my endurance and general strength was getting better. Now at a week away from four months it's pretty much the same. More energy, better strength, my mental space is much better and I've been blessed with facial hair beneath the chin and it's starting on the cheek. Bit of body hair all over but it is patchy. Thankfully no acne issues yet just oily in places.

My voice? It's all over the place. First two months I didn't notice much but in the third it was really strange and now it's deeper by default but if I'm too excited or what not I go back to the voice I had pre-t even though it's slightly lower. I really need to get going to the gym to do low impact cardio and some weights. I have a back issue as well as a knee problem so I was a couch potato for a LONG time. I'm walking a lot better now I can do distance and steep inclines without dying which I'm really happy about.

Quote from: RenJB on March 17, 2016, 11:33:19 PM
(I didn't really see much of any posts about HRT with Testosterone, so I'm starting a new thread and hoping I get any replies)

I am waiting on my second appointment for T at the end of the month. My first one was pretty much standard: a lot of questions, and a lot of bloodwork.

I'm scheduled to go back right on the tail end of the month.

I'm hoping I get to fill my prescription by then!!

Hey Ren, I quoted the part of your post that raises the most questions for me.  I just recently asked about starting HRT for FtM and I am curious about your process.  Did you take the Informed Consent route?  Why did you have to do two appointments?  I know most of this stuff is location based and dependent on your provider.  I have an appointment scheduled while I'm on vacation from Afghanistan and only have a small window.  Thanks in advance.

Quote from: dre_moe on April 22, 2017, 10:23:37 PM
Hey Ren, I quoted the part of your post that raises the most questions for me.  I just recently asked about starting HRT for FtM and I am curious about your process.  Did you take the Informed Consent route?  Why did you have to do two appointments?  I know most of this stuff is location based and dependent on your provider.  I have an appointment scheduled while I'm on vacation from Afghanistan and only have a small window.  Thanks in advance.

I did informed consent and it was 2 doctor's appointments. First was filling out forms, going over medical history, and discussing what T could do in relation to what my goals were. Also did lab work at the same location that day. Came back two weeks later (that was the next available appointment), reviewed lab work results, went over how to interpret lab results in between appointments, got my prescription. I started on gel. At my 3 month check up, I switched to injections and had a short appointment with a nurse right after my appointment with my doctor where I learned how to self inject.

It's all going to vary based on provider. The worry I'd have if you only have a small window is that the first year on HRT for most people requires quarterly lab work while your doctor evaluates if your dose is good for you or not. I had an appointment for lab work and a follow up appointment with my doctor every 3 months for the first year, and she was up front in saying that if I missed any of these appointments she would not refill my T.

Quote from: RenJB on March 17, 2016, 11:33:19 PM
But also, I am 35. A lot of the guys I see online are much younger than me, and also much more fit.
(I'm almost totally sedentary with a skelectalmuscular issue I have)

I just turned 38, and I agree. Many guys start much younger these days. But I don't think being in your 30s is going to make a big difference to the effects of T.

Quote
Right now I'm just sort of curious: what have different guys experienced while on T when they started out?

This can be anything from changes in the body, to mental... even to how long it took for anyone to notice anything!

I'm so anxious, and so any stories would be wonderful to hear.

I started HRT proper in late October. So it's been six months. So far there's been

1. Growth of junk
2. Voice broke/dropped significantly
3. Zero shark weeks since starting T
4. Leg hair growth now resembles a male's.
5. Quite a bit of body hair on the belly appeared, happy trail totally visible now.
6. Body hair grows faster.
7. Sleep is much improved, easier to fall asleep. Better quality sleep.
8. Got a bit of acne, not major, mostly on the back. I pay a lot of attention to my face so it doesn't flare up there much
9. Scent changed a lot. Although since using a new type of deodorant, I barely smell of anything at all. Which means the 'male scent' is produced only in specific areas of the body, i.e. crotch and armpits. At least on me. Pee smells male.
10. I actually how a sex drive. Who'd have thought. Not that I indulge it much. It seems to be more "on call" rather than some nagging compulsion.
11. That said, being satisfied sexually is much easier. And quicker. And visually driven.
12. MUCH more relaxed mentally. Far less self-conscious and anxious.
13. Can not cry. Not unless I "make myself" do it, which I have no desire to.
14. Arm hair pretty much at male level. The hair is darker than it was before.
15. Stache is starting to come in, darker than the vellus hair before it, and a few bits appearing on the sides and under lower lip also darker and thicker beard hair rather than vellus. All the hair on the lower cheeks and face is now definitely "prickly" rather than soft, even if all of it has not thickened proper. I can feel the difference, as can someone else. There's a few actual beard hairs on the sides already, quite dark ones.
16. More energy, less tired, have a "let's do this" sort of attitude compared to before
17. Muscle mass has increased.
18. Healing after exercise happens much faster than before ("DOMS" goes away quickly, if I get it at all)
19. I'm a bit more outspoken; I've got into a few arguments easier than I might have previous to T.
20. But I'm much calmer compared to before too
21. I don't think I feel depressed at all. A little annoyed at situations I want out of, but I'm focusing on other things, or how to get out of them rather than depression and feelings.
22. Bit more impatient than before
23. I would say I think more directly and clearly than I did before. Compartmentalize better.
24. I'm less lazy than before T. For sure.
25. My hematocrit has shown an increase in blood cells over this time. Need to watch that.
26. I'm happier being by myself and don't crave company as much, but when I do I think I'm probably in better temper and have more energy for people.
27. I've felt motivated to do things I had put off for years that I wanted to do.
28. Weight loss is easier/faster.
29. Less of an appetite. Don't think about eating junk food so much. Don't "comfort eat" anymore, but instead seem to get hungry at specific times or after exercise, satisfy it, and not try to eat till I'm stuffed. It's also quite easy to forget to eat if I'm busy.
30. The fat appears to be thinning on the thighs but wants to appear on the stomach which has prompted me to do more exercise.
31. Only had water retention when I increased my initial T dose experimentally. I now am supposed to reduce my dose as I've reached good levels. Otherwise water retention has been minimal.
32. Joint aches seem to have disappeared. Except for whatever my back issue is. I also used to get muscle cramps from stretching too hard before T, but since taking it cramps have been rare.
33. In my job I often get cuts and grazes on the hands, I do think these heal faster now.
34. No mood swings. I have my moments feeling lousy, but it's easier to carry on regardless.
35. I'm a champion grudge-holder... yet I tend to brush things off easier now. Conscious there's better things I could be thinking about or doing. I think it comes from the increased ability to compartmentalize and relax.
36. The female 'discharge' is totally gone. Nothing comes out daily. I would say the Skene's glands do their job much better than before, but only if required. What comes out then is completely fresh/clear. 
37. I think nails might actually be growing faster, and they also seem a little tougher than before. (I used to have quite brittle ones).

I am not young either. I am probably older then all of you (59 in a few days) and I hope it is not a limitation for getting on T. But reading about all the changes and how you are feeling and what it does seems like such a nice side benefit especially the health stuff. I want to be on it like now not 6 months from now.  We have a waiting list here. I can't wait until sept.

I stopped being read as male for a number of years as I entered middle age and gained weight. The unhappier I got, the more I ate and the less I moved around. My chest grew along with everything else. I'm not surprised that I didn't "pass."

About five or six months before I started T, I got back into some regular exercise--walking around the block and using my recumbent bike. I had to be careful because of some old injuries. But I sort of felt that I had something to live for--a future.

In my mid-forties, after losing a substantial amount of weight, I started T. My endo was sympathetic and put me on the so-called full dose, saying, "You want to masculinize as quickly as possible." Did I ever. My face thinned out even more, my sideburns came in with a vengeance, my voice dropped, my body started to change shape.

Three and a half months after my T-day, I had top surgery, which did wonders for my self-confidence. As near as I can tell, I was "passing" pretty nearly 100% by that point. My voice didn't go down to baritone range until I'd been on T for over a year, but I got along fine as a tenor.

I have spoken IRL to other guys who started T somewhat later in life. They all had very good results. A couple of younger guys I know had much slower results, and one never really did masculinize very much. Based on my admittedly anecdotal evidence, I suspect that the belief that T changes older guys more slowly is a crock. I suspect that age is not really a key player--and that it's certainly not as important as dosage and genetics and other factors. But I wish that someone would do a large-scale study on the subject.

It might even be that the younger (post adolescence) you are, the more estrogens are milling around and get in the way with T. I'm sure my reproductive system was crapped out anyway by the time I started T. The changes have been consistent with everything most people have said they would be except there's been no sign of a resurgence of the shark week at all. It's possible it may try to appear at some point, but I rather hope all that stuff has shrivelled up inside.