#transguytips

Ah, thank you so much for asking!! I appreciate it!!

Well, the experience is really quite vastly different for every person on HRT.

For me, it was one of the best choices I have ever made in my life. I was hopelessly and horribly dysphoric for my whole life to the point of nearly not being able to function (dysphoria coupled with severe mental illnesses is for sure A Bad Time) and I was lucky enough to be able to get on it fairly early, thank God because I probably would not have lasted longer-apologies for that dark subject but it is necessary to mention for how much it turned my life around entirely.

I am still not fully transitioned to my liking per sé, as the full range of Testosterone's complete effects is a maximum of 5 years according to my research. I have been on it for nearly 2 years now. I plan to be on it for the rest of my life if possible, as I'd like all effects to stay forever-- I fucking ADORE every second of it, honestly I'm not afraid of needles either like most are so I literally get ecstatic & excited every time it's time to inject LOL!! Probably a weird reaction but--it legit makes me wanna throw a party every time those 2 weeks pass & it is time to.

(Not all forms of HRT have to be injected however, though it is the "strongest, most evenly distributed form" especially if done every 2 weeks instead of every 1 week,

as my doctor described it, which made me choose it--and coupled w my lack of giving a shit about injecting lmaoo)

I have had a lot of effects, I am also finally growing actual facial hair which is nice-though I learned I prefer my face clean-shaven or at least mostly, which is a hilarious twist tbh as I thought I'd want a full beard. I'm cool with both but I definitely prefer how I look without, so I shave every now & then currently.

My body looks entirely different, at least my shoulders and arms HELLA, I've had strong asf cis men say I'm built better than them which gives me giggle-fits of pridefulness LMAO--im petty ig--

but anyway to get to the true point--I would not be where I am today or perhaps here at all, myself, if I didn't go on it and exactly when I did. I am so extremely grateful for it occurring and that I have access to it at all--I am honestly hardly feeling dysphoria except on Really Bad days when it still hits me. Even things I should be dysphoric about and was in the past, idgaf about now. My chest barely bothers me now, and used to be my personal Hell. I have even decided to not do top surgery in the future which is... really bizarre as I was DESPERATE for it before (however this most-dysphoria-removal effect seems to be rare, so don't expect it to "cure" dysphoria, it didn't for me either but I'd say reduced it by like 90% or something lol. But most don't have that strong of a reaction)

My advice for you and every trans person on the fence about it, would be do a CRAP TON of research, on its every effect, type, etc. and talk to or read about/etc. as many people you can find who can give their opinions on their own experiences-as everyone has a different story!

If it is a "HELL YES" after that, then definitely go through with it. If there is still doubt, I'd wait. There is no rush as you can always decide to begin in the future

Know though, that if you do start it, but wish to stop later,

in some ways there's a "reset button",

but in some ways there is not.

Some effects will reverse if you stop taking T, like the fat & muscle redistribution, etc.

however some will stay, for example any body or facial hair that develops will then grow forever as the follicle is "activated" (male hair is a different subtype of hair, so once it's made it can't be reversed) and etc.

Be aware of which effects do this, and just in general, get as much information you can gather.

This info-gathering also has the added bonus, of impressing TF out of your endocrinologist if you do happen to choose to go the route of beginning taking it--

During the consultation, they'll ask if you know about it well, and for me, I began on a spiel of the things I knew & how much I researched because I was so excited to begin and how much it would help me.

By my Dr's reaction she was blown away by my very informed decision, that I had thought about it VERY hard, & I think that is what assisted me greatly in acquiring the prescription for it so fast.

Basically, if they either know or just think you are going into this without much context or don't seek it passionately, they think you may change your mind and that you're "going through a phase" or that you can't consent due to not enough information that you know on it for such a majour medical decision.

If you come in confident asf that this is what you need, and you're like "Yeah I know this, I got this shit locked down" they know they're dealing with someone who is very damn sure this is the path they need, and thus the doctor doesn't have to worry nor explain more, which speeds everything up.

Overall, I will end this by saying I wish you the utmost good luck, and that whatever path you choose, you feel happy and gender-euphoric!! Thank you for asking my advice & I hope I helped in any way!! 👍👍💜🏳️‍⚧️

(ALSO I SEE UR USERNAME MMMMMNN YES, SOMEONE WITH QUALITY TASTE IN CHARACTERS--LMAOOO SRRY IM A SHAMELESS WILLIAM FANATIC, I GOTTA MENTION THAT

1. You will notice your fat redistributes a LOT. like they say this but you might be like "but what exactly does that really mean?" like I felt.

Well basically, for me I was average weight but had slight chub, and feminine thighs, hips, thick love handles & pooofy huge fat baby cheeks that people always blamed their misgendering of me on.

All of those things about me disappeared recently.

I am now a way more lanky guy, much more than I used to be.

My already grasshopper long legs are now powerful and manly, muscular, and so different in a way I can't even describe, just different. Even my mom pointed out my legs changed noticebly!

I have zero love handles anymore as of these few months, which I have never experienced in my life, and my gut which was huge is still there now too, but is now a reasonable unbloated size. I miss my cute round tummy but I like having a flatter stomach too, either is cool with me!!

I have no extra jiggly fat anywhere on my body, it feels more "solid" and less "loose" if that makes any sense. I tested, it doesn't jiggle and shake loosely when I move my arm to the left & right for instance, or my leg.

I have also grown two full inches in height since beginning T.

I was 5'8" when I began and I am now 5'10". This is so fucking dope because my whole life I said I wanted to be at least 5'10" and I'd be happy. Well I did it!!! *High-fives myself*

These are due to bone changes, which are caused because I started Testosterone when I was barely 18 years old, not finished with my female-born body's puberty yet, (which ends later on than you think!) which causes your body to basically welcome the sweet embrace of Testosterone and will give you things like;

1. Increased height by at least an inch or multiple, rarely can increase by a lot in some cases it's been rumoured. I experienced two inches of growth so far, nut I'm only a little over a year on T so far. The maximum span of Testosterone's effects is said to be 5 years. I did a series of height calculators based on both female & male settings, and using my parent's heights, and it said if I was only female e.g. untransitioned, I would probably grow to 5'11" by about 25 years old or so (makes sense, my dad is TALLL.). I did the calculations again with the male setting, e.g. with Testosterone in my system, and it said I could grow to 6'1".

HOOOOLY SHITTT my dream height wtffff

It may be incorrect.... it may be just some stupid internet site...

but if it works, I'll let you know, and report my findings again to you guys.

2. Bigger. shoe. size. Your feet will IMMEDIATELY rush to outgrow your shoes by about two to four sizes on average for most men. Prepare for your old shoes to be sold, trashed/recycled, given or kept as a keepsake 😆😭

3. An adam's apple! Yes, you can fucking grow an adam's apple. It's legit. It will look either a little smaller than a cis man's, or sometimes the same, kind of like beards.

4. Along with the adam's apple, comes even deeper vocal range! Yes I said it. If you start T young (As long as you are 1000% sure it is right for you!!!!) you will get a slightly or sometimes quite deeper vocal pitch than some other trans men who started later, whose vocal cords were used to their positions. Again, every trans man's experience is different, so maybe you may not even experience much of this at all, but it is very possible and likely!

5. Bone changes that are majour, such as facial changes to the very structure of your face, not just the fat. I'm talking your Skeleton. Fucking. Moves, Bro..

I believe I am experiencing it, as my face is so drastically different and I have random bruised feeling in my face sometimes. If anyone knows, feel free to add!!

6. Same bone changes can happen in small but noticeable ways like that throughout the rest of your body. Prepare for majour shape changes. I got huge shoulders and chest, while my hips narrowed.

For reference, I am 1 year and 3 months on Testosterone now as of posting this, I began April 08 2021. It is so fascinating, and I loooove who I am becoming looking in the mirror!!! I finally look like the me in my soul. 💜💜💜🏳️‍⚧️

- Atom T. Afton

December 2021 to June 2022 aka last month pictures for reference