I was unsure about if I was budding or not since how much muscle I previously had on my chest. I figured the puffy look was from the skin being looser due to muscle loss, and this puffy look was how my chest was before I started steroids over ten years ago. So that was a normal look to my chest.
I'm currently down from 205-210lbs to 188-195lbs. Strength has definitely decreased. I'm down about 20-50 lbs off all of the weights I typically use for my workouts.
Chest before was 48.5, then 44 on nbe and now currently is 45.5
Under bust before was 44, then 41 on nbe, and now is 40-42
Obviously the look and shape has changed from the picture during one of my last steroid cycles to being on nbe to now being on hrt.
Other things to note is there is a slight discomfort on and under my nipples for about 2 months now. They def seem to hard all the time and have slightly gotten wider/bigger.
Wait was 34, then 36 and now is currently 35 depending on the day and time when measured.
Hips (measured around fullest part of my bum) were 37, and are now 40.
So my body shape is def changing although I can't really see it even with before and after pictures.
Skin is def softer, face looks younger, hair in general (body face and top of my head) has not changed much.
Being on E and Spiro (even for only the month or so I was on it) I def felt like I had no energy, felt neither man or female, but the noise in my head vanished pretty much all together.
Since I have only been on E for a few months now I feel better (stronger and healthier), my energy is hit or miss, the mental fog and noise has returned to an extent unfortunately, and I feel like a man (unfortunately).
We will see how the progesterone effects me. Hopefully my energy doesn't change too much and hopefully it.doesnt make me gain weight too much.
My therapist wants me to figure out how I can show up as her without outwardly presenting as her. She gave me an example of a woman who teaches Sunday school and that activity makes her feel most authentic. This is something that she wants me to figure out since I'm kind sorta stuck/at a standstill with my transition due to a number of things from family, doubts, fears of potential negative outcomes , and gaslighting myself.
Thats pretty much everything I can think of. I hope everyone is doing well. I leave you all with this thought:
These are scary times indeed. All you can do is control how you show up in the circumstances and situations you find yourself in, and the more we are able to keep a positive outlook and mind set the more we will see all the good things and positive things that are in our lives, and showing gratitude will allow more positive things to enter our lives.
These times are just a test for us all in our own ways and personal battles. Just like in any book or movie or story the universe tests and challenges the main character right before they level up, to make sure they're ready to step into their true self (and all the positive things that come with living your truth).
We are the main character of our lives. It's up to us to continue to try to stay strong and positive as much as we can so we can show the universe that we're ready, that this test will not break us, but only make us stronger, which will also give us the strength to step into our truest versions of ourselves
I'm currently down from 205-210lbs to 188-195lbs. Strength has definitely decreased. I'm down about 20-50 lbs off all of the weights I typically use for my workouts.
Chest before was 48.5, then 44 on nbe and now currently is 45.5
Under bust before was 44, then 41 on nbe, and now is 40-42
Obviously the look and shape has changed from the picture during one of my last steroid cycles to being on nbe to now being on hrt.
Other things to note is there is a slight discomfort on and under my nipples for about 2 months now. They def seem to hard all the time and have slightly gotten wider/bigger.
Wait was 34, then 36 and now is currently 35 depending on the day and time when measured.
Hips (measured around fullest part of my bum) were 37, and are now 40.
So my body shape is def changing although I can't really see it even with before and after pictures.
Skin is def softer, face looks younger, hair in general (body face and top of my head) has not changed much.
Being on E and Spiro (even for only the month or so I was on it) I def felt like I had no energy, felt neither man or female, but the noise in my head vanished pretty much all together.
Since I have only been on E for a few months now I feel better (stronger and healthier), my energy is hit or miss, the mental fog and noise has returned to an extent unfortunately, and I feel like a man (unfortunately).
We will see how the progesterone effects me. Hopefully my energy doesn't change too much and hopefully it.doesnt make me gain weight too much.
My therapist wants me to figure out how I can show up as her without outwardly presenting as her. She gave me an example of a woman who teaches Sunday school and that activity makes her feel most authentic. This is something that she wants me to figure out since I'm kind sorta stuck/at a standstill with my transition due to a number of things from family, doubts, fears of potential negative outcomes , and gaslighting myself.
Thats pretty much everything I can think of. I hope everyone is doing well. I leave you all with this thought:
These are scary times indeed. All you can do is control how you show up in the circumstances and situations you find yourself in, and the more we are able to keep a positive outlook and mind set the more we will see all the good things and positive things that are in our lives, and showing gratitude will allow more positive things to enter our lives.
These times are just a test for us all in our own ways and personal battles. Just like in any book or movie or story the universe tests and challenges the main character right before they level up, to make sure they're ready to step into their true self (and all the positive things that come with living your truth).
We are the main character of our lives. It's up to us to continue to try to stay strong and positive as much as we can so we can show the universe that we're ready, that this test will not break us, but only make us stronger, which will also give us the strength to step into our truest versions of ourselves
This post was last modified: 17-04-2025, 09:27 PM by CM213.
It's been awhile. From my last blood work my E levels were at 134, while my T levels were 29. My Endo had me on .5 ml of EV weekly and 100mg progesterone daily which I have been boofing. After speak with my Endo he has seen no reason to change my protocol since my levels are with in range (and by range he means E between 100-200, and T below 50) while my levels are in range, I have not seen much of any kind changes. He said he wants to have me meet back in six months now... I hate how this is a const back and fourth of do what I want you to try and come back in 3 months or 6 months.
In all honesty I've been taking .2 more than he has been prescribing, the entire time. If I were to have been doing what he wanted Id still be bellow range. And since he feels he has done his part and is not open to any suggestions or anything I'm going to do my own thing. I had gotten my hands on some E from Lena. I'm going to up my e to a total of 10mg a week split into 2 doses of 5mg each on every 3.5 days give or take.
So far I've been doing that for about 2 and half weeks and I feel great. Splitting the dose has kept my levels more stable. Less up and down. I feel like I'm not having extreme mood swings anymore. I have till Jan till my next Endo appointment, so I'll prob come back down to .7 or .5 once a week sometime at the end of Nov or beginning of dec to let my levels get back to normal from I assume will be elevated levels. And if my hormone levels tanks then hopefully my Dr will up the dose to change the protocol.
In a way doing my own thing will prob bite me in the ass as I will most likely eventually have to tell my Endo what I've actually been doing and that what he wanted wasn't doing anything. I just don't want to be an experiment where he is only willing to do the bare minimum.
I have had enough experience using steroids to know how to manipulate my hormones (in the opposite way) to get the desired results I wanted. Why is it the medical worlds takes so long to catch up, when we know they're only going to do the bare minimum to.get you in "range" and then wash their hands of you and just tell you come back in 6 months to a year and at that point be like welp guess you need surgical intervention now. But if they did hrt the way we know it should be done, I'd imagine many people who got surgery probably wouldn't have had to and I'm speaking about breast augmentation or fat redistribution affects of hrt. Obviously ffs and bottom surgery would still be needed or in touched.
Ok so que all the hate comments, and go.
In all honesty I've been taking .2 more than he has been prescribing, the entire time. If I were to have been doing what he wanted Id still be bellow range. And since he feels he has done his part and is not open to any suggestions or anything I'm going to do my own thing. I had gotten my hands on some E from Lena. I'm going to up my e to a total of 10mg a week split into 2 doses of 5mg each on every 3.5 days give or take.
So far I've been doing that for about 2 and half weeks and I feel great. Splitting the dose has kept my levels more stable. Less up and down. I feel like I'm not having extreme mood swings anymore. I have till Jan till my next Endo appointment, so I'll prob come back down to .7 or .5 once a week sometime at the end of Nov or beginning of dec to let my levels get back to normal from I assume will be elevated levels. And if my hormone levels tanks then hopefully my Dr will up the dose to change the protocol.
In a way doing my own thing will prob bite me in the ass as I will most likely eventually have to tell my Endo what I've actually been doing and that what he wanted wasn't doing anything. I just don't want to be an experiment where he is only willing to do the bare minimum.
I have had enough experience using steroids to know how to manipulate my hormones (in the opposite way) to get the desired results I wanted. Why is it the medical worlds takes so long to catch up, when we know they're only going to do the bare minimum to.get you in "range" and then wash their hands of you and just tell you come back in 6 months to a year and at that point be like welp guess you need surgical intervention now. But if they did hrt the way we know it should be done, I'd imagine many people who got surgery probably wouldn't have had to and I'm speaking about breast augmentation or fat redistribution affects of hrt. Obviously ffs and bottom surgery would still be needed or in touched.
Ok so que all the hate comments, and go.
I think you're going in for the right idea to make it work. The "range" they most often want is not enough for a lot of people, myself included. Most doctors will stare at the numbers and follow what ever crappy protocol they have and a lot of times it wont give the results we absolutely want to see.
Pushing estrogens higher is a good idea, also doubling your prog is another good idea. Weight cycles and supplementation to boost your HRT is yet another. You're doing good, this is the right direction. And what the fuck is about EV prescribed once a week?
That has never made zero sense, EV metabolises quickly, optimal cycle is twice a week, for EEn its once a week, for EC its 10-14 days, for Eu it can be several weeks to a month.
Pushing estrogens higher is a good idea, also doubling your prog is another good idea. Weight cycles and supplementation to boost your HRT is yet another. You're doing good, this is the right direction. And what the fuck is about EV prescribed once a week?
That has never made zero sense, EV metabolises quickly, optimal cycle is twice a week, for EEn its once a week, for EC its 10-14 days, for Eu it can be several weeks to a month.
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