Hormone effect time

[Olive]

I was gonna wait until I graduated in 2 years to tell my parents and start hormones, but I decided I can't wait that long, so I'm telling them sooner.

Anyway, I was wondering how long it would be until I start developing the more noticeable changes? I am in Show Choir and Marching Band, so there will be a fair amount of undressing involved, and if it turns out that I get the breasts from my dads side(My mom is a small A), I suppose I could bind them/come out to everyone, but we can all imagine how many problems that'd bring.

Enough with the rambling. I realize hormones affect everyone differently, but what's the average time lapse here?

[kiersten]

You're right, everyone is different when it comes to breast development after one starts hormones, but it could be as little as a few months that you will start to notice tenderness in your breasts. This is one of the signs of changes you body will be going thru, & it is also unomfortable at times. Your breasts will become so tender, that if you bump them into anything, it will be very painful. I know a friend of mine on hormones right now likened it to being kicked in the you-know-what for guys in terms of how painful it could be if you bump them. It could take longer tho, some people start seeing changes after 4 months, some see little to no changes in breast development at all. As far as breasts go, look to the women in your family. If your mother is a small bra cup, chances are you will be as well. I assume since you mentioned that you do show choir & marching band, as well as the undressing issue, that breasts are your biggest worry. There will be other changes tho too. You will see your shoulders become a bit narrower & your hips become wider as well, as weight redistributes itself into more feminine proportions. You will gain weight in other areas as well, but that's normal too. If you are looking to lose some weight, it will be easier before you begin hormones, as it is difficult to lose weight once you have started on HRT. Another thing will be mood swings & emotional changes as well, you will find yourself getting moody at times, while at others, you may start crying out of the blue for no reason. So there are many changes to factor in if you are concerned about what effects hormones can cause. Google will be your best friend while you are just starting out, so do as much reading on as many topics as you can! It will help out in the long run, especially if you plan to see a therapist, which will be a definite & necessary first step in fully transitioning, especially if you want to undergo SRS surgery.

[Olive]

You nailed it. Thanks!

[kiersten]

I know that, for me, I want to be slimmer & lose my tummy, so I'm spending the first year of my transition journey focusing on gender therapy, diet & exercise & skin care, so that I can feminize my appearance as much as possible pre-HRT. This has the added bonus of allowing people around me to gradually get used to seeing me on a daily basis become more feminine. My hope is that when I eventually come out to everyone, they'll be like 'Oh, wow, that makes sense, you already look very girly already!' or 'Meh, it explains some things now about how you look.' It's hard for us because we want to transition quickly, but I think, at least for me anyway, living in such a conservative area, that going slowly for the first year will be easier for those who know me & safer for me around those who don't...

[Olive]

Well, at 5' 8" and 115lbs, I don't need to lose any weight. I can do the skin care while doing therapy and afterwards, I don't care if people see me as feminine now.