#testosterone info

[tmasc-confessions]

I've seen you answer questions about T before and I have one I was wondering if you could answer

I want to go on T sooo bad but I can't do needles. I know gel and pellets are an options but how often do you have to get blood tests? Cuz when I get my blood drawn it makes me throw up and pass out and my doctor told me not to get them done unless absolutely necessary.

Okay so. The MATTER with blood tests is that they are cautionary, not preventive.

Getting blood tests done does not magically reduce the chances of hormonal imbalances, bone weakness, etc. It is simply a way to know whether everything is okay or not, and I myself know people who have done DIY HRT for years without a single blood test and then when they eventually got their test done it was fine.

HOWEVER. HOWEVER HOWEVER HOWEVER! I myself am Not One for medical experiments like that and, as a person with low tension who *also* throws up and passes out when I get my blood drawn, *myyyyyy* personal plan for the future is to get tests done around once a month.

Of course, if you decide to do it through an actual Healthcare plan, however often you have to do blood tests will depend on the specialists you're working with, but by what I know the average is twice a year.

[languidangel]

Things I wish I knew when starting T

- Keep in mind that T doesn't work overnight. You won't turn into a big hairy man in 2 days and probably not even in a year.

- That being said also don't expect minimal change. Especially mentally. Mental changes will happen a lot more than you expect both good and bad.

- Everyone's body is different. Your voice may not start dropping until month seven. Sometimes it's not the dose and sometimes it is. Not every doctor's approach to testosterone will work for you.

- Your singing voice won't disappear it may just take some time for it to get "back to normal"

- Periods don't vanish overnight. And sometimes they get even longer than before. Be prepared for this.

- Some changes may happen a lot more than you expect some won't or won't happen to the degree you expected. Your growth may be a lot or only a little. You may grow a ton of hair in the first month. Be prepared but don't have expectations.

- Doubting yourself especially during and after the first shot is normal. Just be patient and let your body grow.

- PEOPLE 👏 WONT 👏 THINK 👏 YOU'RE 👏 UGLY FOR 👏 BEING 👏 ON 👏 T! I can't stress this enough. Your dysphoria is the one telling you you're ugly. Don't listen to it. You're handsome and you deserve happiness.

- For some reason cis people, even when you know you 100% pass as a guy still misgender you. It's really the small changes that count. Don't let this deter you. Giving it time will help.

- Again with the don't ahve expectations but don't expect to grow muscles overnight. That's just not how bodies work. Some people might find that this happens but it's usually because they work out in the first place.

- Some things that you may not have wanted when going on T you may want now and vice versa. I went on T really not looking forward to body hair and now I love my body hair.

- Sometimes that big change that you were waiting on is anticlimactic, sometimes it's the little things that count. Now I will look down at my arms and see a man's arms and it makes me feel really euphoric.

- Fat redistribution takes a loooooong time. And usually you don't even notice it when it happens.

- In the end it's your body so do what you need to do to feel happy.

[languidangel]

1 year and 1 month (plus like a week) on T

Sorry this is late. I wasn't going to make this but idk I had an impulse so it's fine. This has some NSFW parts so sorry in advance.

I'll be more specific about how I administer testosterone cause I haven't been in the past. I do IM injections on my thighs. Currently I'm taking .5 mL biweekly with a 200mg/mL concentration.

Significant changes so far:

I compared my body shape to my pre t body shape and I did gain a bit of weight. I think I gained like 10 or 15 pounds and it definitely shows. I also gained a ton of stretch marks because of this.

That being said a good chunk of my weight gain was muscle although I still do have fat and gained some on T.

Since my dose was upped my little peen has grown a little bit or at least that's what my boyfriend told me.

My acne is awful rn and I think a lot of that is from facial hair growth.

Speaking of facial hair I'm finally starting to grow sideburns but they're really light and super hard to see.

My period came back momentarily and it sometimes spots for literally no reason? But I haven't had a full period since August so that's nice.

My voice is pretty stable now and I haven't had any changes at all since like maybe month 8

My chest hair is starting to come in more heavily and it looks super weird with my chest. My tummy and crotch has also been getting more hairy and it's kind of weird.

It's probably because of my weight but I haven't gotten any significant veins on my arms or anywhere else. Kinda disappointed and I'm actively trying to lose weight.

My hands are a little bit veinier but it's only at certain times.

This is just social but I've gotten a lot of misgendering by cis guys especially this past month and I'm kind of just confused at this point. It's probably because I never bind but also I really can't bind so I guess I'll just deal with it

My body fat has redistributed a little bit. My hips have gone more...up??? If that makes sense. And I have a lot more fat in my arms than in my hips and thighs.

MOST SIGNIFICANTLY I'm starting to think I'm more bi than I previously thought. Although before T I was with a partner who was non-binary (and I'm still with them) because they were masculine (to me at least) I still regarded myself as gay. Now I'm more interested in girls and boobs and stuff and I have (NSFW warning a little late sorry) more urges to actually top women and afab nb people (not men I'm still a bottom for men) but I think my lack of a functional penis is keeping me from doing that. So yeah it's weird being more bi now. I'm still trying to accept it myself.

TL;DR: I'm hairy and I think I'm bisexual????