T Update: 3 years
Though I took some breaks totaling about three months in all, I started T three years ago today and will approximate this as being three years on T. Aside from six months plus six weeks on 1.25 g AndroGel 1.62%, six weeks on 20mg weekly injections, and a total of three months (not consecutive) off T entirely, I've spent the past three years on 1.25 g AndroGel 1% (and more recently its generic).
The past year has seen more change than I expected, probably due to the addition of E-blockers. I took raloxifene for two months, anastrozole for four months, and Lupron for two months at this point, all in an effort to end the cycles that have continued the entire time I've been on T. Because I was on E-blockers for so much of the year (and off T for a decent chunk of the rest of it), I can't credit T for all the changes, but I'll document them here anyway. The only change I'm certain is due to the E-blockers is an increase in sex drive and a cessation of cycles, and that only happened very recently on Lupron.
My voice has continued to deepen, as measured by my recordings as well as my passing rate on the phone. My junk has gotten bigger in spurts every once in a while (and I managed to not find this to be especially problematic); I would say it's not terribly below average for trans guys, but that's based on a really small sample size of tame porn. In addition to growing visible hair on my arms and toes, I started growing a nontrivial amount of dark vellous hair on my face, which I shave every 1-2 weeks, but it threatens to thicken. The hair on my thighs has grown fiercely. Since having top surgery, I've noticed a lot more hair on my chest, but it's just long, dark vellous hairs still.
Also, my face has cleared up substantially in the past few months, for reasons unrelated to hormones. I've been on a topical retinoid and a topical antibiotic, plus a benzoyl peroxide wash of some kind, for nine years -- I had bad acne pre-T. At the suggestion of a (MTF) friend, I took a break from the retinoid and replaced it with a moisturizer containing salicylic acid, and a month later my face was back to my pre-T acne level, although the blackhead to cyst ratio is still higher on T than it was before. My face still gets super oily, but it's not leading to the unreasonably high level of acne I saw over the first two and a half years on T.
Finally, I started exercising for the first time in four years a few months ago and have seen the shape of my hips change, though I think it's more because of the exercise and E-blockers than T alone. It's the first time anything has made a dent in the fat deposits above my hip bones that make my small waist so prominent.
The plan for the indefinite future is to stay on Lupron. Since starting Lupron, though, I've struggled with low energy levels and will as a trial go back to 1.25 g AndroGel 1.62% for a few weeks while traveling to see if that improves, even though I don't want more physical changes. I'll make another public entry about the results of the experiment.
The past year has seen more change than I expected, probably due to the addition of E-blockers. I took raloxifene for two months, anastrozole for four months, and Lupron for two months at this point, all in an effort to end the cycles that have continued the entire time I've been on T. Because I was on E-blockers for so much of the year (and off T for a decent chunk of the rest of it), I can't credit T for all the changes, but I'll document them here anyway. The only change I'm certain is due to the E-blockers is an increase in sex drive and a cessation of cycles, and that only happened very recently on Lupron.
My voice has continued to deepen, as measured by my recordings as well as my passing rate on the phone. My junk has gotten bigger in spurts every once in a while (and I managed to not find this to be especially problematic); I would say it's not terribly below average for trans guys, but that's based on a really small sample size of tame porn. In addition to growing visible hair on my arms and toes, I started growing a nontrivial amount of dark vellous hair on my face, which I shave every 1-2 weeks, but it threatens to thicken. The hair on my thighs has grown fiercely. Since having top surgery, I've noticed a lot more hair on my chest, but it's just long, dark vellous hairs still.
Also, my face has cleared up substantially in the past few months, for reasons unrelated to hormones. I've been on a topical retinoid and a topical antibiotic, plus a benzoyl peroxide wash of some kind, for nine years -- I had bad acne pre-T. At the suggestion of a (MTF) friend, I took a break from the retinoid and replaced it with a moisturizer containing salicylic acid, and a month later my face was back to my pre-T acne level, although the blackhead to cyst ratio is still higher on T than it was before. My face still gets super oily, but it's not leading to the unreasonably high level of acne I saw over the first two and a half years on T.
Finally, I started exercising for the first time in four years a few months ago and have seen the shape of my hips change, though I think it's more because of the exercise and E-blockers than T alone. It's the first time anything has made a dent in the fat deposits above my hip bones that make my small waist so prominent.
The plan for the indefinite future is to stay on Lupron. Since starting Lupron, though, I've struggled with low energy levels and will as a trial go back to 1.25 g AndroGel 1.62% for a few weeks while traveling to see if that improves, even though I don't want more physical changes. I'll make another public entry about the results of the experiment.