1) First Question: Do you, or did you have budding pains the same as you did if you used Herbs?

2) How long did it take for you mentally to adjust to HRT?

3) How long did it take for you to REALLY notice your body changing?

1. Yes exactly the same but the growth was a little faster (it`s slowing now at over 6 months in).

2. the effect was almost instant, but it`s not something you really have to get used to per se, although it doesn`t take too long to forget what it was like to be constantly depressed, anxious, aggressive, fearful etc... they become words only after a while.

3. that`s a hard one to answer really, breast make noticable changes, as does some fat deposits (thighs and a$$ for me mainly, but also a thin layer under your skin that hides quite a few veins). facially Nothing really, at least nothing I couldn`t really put down to regular cleanse, tone, moisturise daily.
I`v heard from several places (and seriously hope it`s true), that Most of the changes happen in the second year anyway.

also I`m on a transition dose too, so I don`t know about low or mental effect maintainance doses?

Well, I think my regular Doctor and Therapist think I would benefit from at least a low dose HRT program. Whatever that means.

I suppose I would see a little more feminization than I have to present, beings that if they do recommend that, it would be the real thing.

I greatly appreciate your reply, Katie. Thanks so much!

First Question: Do you, or did you have budding pains the same as you did if you used Herbs?

How long did it take for you mentally to adjust to HRT?

How long did it take for you to REALLY notice your body changing?

1) Initially I experienced budding pains on herbs. When the skin began stretching, it was quite painful lol (especially around the areolas). Presently, I still get sore breasts, for me that signals growth, which has been incremental while on both (NBE/HRT).

2) Managing the emotional changes is still ongoing, I do notice how depression can creep up on you rather quickly. To answer your question, however, I'd say it takes a couple of weeks adjusting to pharma strength E2 (speaking from my own experience).

3) 3-4 months on HRT (noting bigger changes to hips and facial features during this timeframe).

1. I was getting some minor pains just on spironolactone, adding estrogen to it...I'd say the increase is about a factor of four or five, depending on the day and time. Even mild impacts can feel like being punched or stabbed, and even a light touch upon the nipple can go from 'oh that's NICE' to 'FUCK MY LIFE SUCH HORRIBLE AGONY' without warning.

2. Within days I was smiling for no reason other than feeling good for the first time in the twenty years since I turned 13. I seem a tiny bit more prone to recognizing emotions I feel, and a little more likely to back down during a fight/flight reaction.

3. I haven't noticed any physical changes other than my bras feeling tighter yet, but I also can't stand to look in the mirror unless I'm brushing my hair or teeth, or shaving the gross hair on my face as often as my sensitive skin allows.

Thanks Lotus and Patience!

I started to bud again when I had to stop. It seems my LH was a tad high. So, she took me of Fin, but left me on Spiro to keep my blood pressure stable. That's been almost 9 weeks now.

Like you Patience, I still get a pain like a prick from a needle every so often. One day I wake up and feel I haven't lost anything in the breast department, but then the next day they feel so perky.

I go in for another LH check right after Labor Day, and hopefully it has dropped enough to put a smile on my doctor's face so she can put me back on Fin. Oh well.

Thanks again you two. So far, most answer's have been helpful and a few surprising. But, everyone's different. Right?

Well, I'm on a full transition dose. 1mg estradiol daily via divigel. Topical administration bypasses liver metabolites so my body gets the full intended dose, and my serum estradiol level was 156 the last time I had my blood drawn. Women possessing ovaries fluctuate between 100 and 200 depending on the phase of their cycle, so I'm right in that perfect zone of natural female levels and feeling GREAT!

My symptoms are simply what I should have suffered through during puberty if I'd been born with the right gonads.

For those of you on Pharma HRT, has it change the quality, pitch or control of your voice?

I read somewhere that for some, it does.

For those of you on Pharma HRT, has it change the quality, pitch or control of your voice?

I read somewhere that for some, it does.

Its difficult to pinpoint it but it seemed to help me somehow do it more easily, altgough it stiil takes focus and willpower to make it happen, especially if you want to be stealth.

For those of you on Pharma HRT, has it change the quality, pitch or control of your voice?

I read somewhere that for some, it does.

It may help you modulate, I have noticed my Adams Apple has shrunk, with that I been able to change my voice a little. But it still takes practice, and is not easy.

While still new to this, I guess I've been somewhat lucky. I have no visible Adam's apple. My voice has always been a bit higher pitched and not very manly. I had become so self conscious of being called ma'am that I forced myself to have a slightly deeper voice and now it is a bit mixed. Sometimes I get called ma'am other times sir, sometimes they're just not sure, start with ma'am then change to sir. So it will be interesting if my voice pitch increases any.

Thus far my mental state has not changed from before. I am still me, like what I like, do same things, still scared of the same things like spiders, insects, creepy crawlies, etc etc. Maybe things will be different next year? I doubt it, but ya never know.

While still new to this, I guess I've been somewhat lucky. I have no visible Adam's apple. My voice has always been a bit higher pitched and not very manly. I had become so self conscious of being called ma'am that I forced myself to have a slightly deeper voice and now it is a bit mixed. Sometimes I get called ma'am other times sir, sometimes they're just not sure, start with ma'am then change to sir. So it will be interesting if my voice pitch increases any.

Thus far my mental state has not changed from before. I am still me, like what I like, do same things, still scared of the same things like spiders, insects, creepy crawlies, etc etc. Maybe things will be different next year? I doubt it, but ya never know.

Nah, you'll probably wimp out even more lol!!!