As I lie in bed on my trusty laptop, I gloss over the fact that I’ve officially been on hormone replacement therapy for exactly a week. My, time flies when you’ve chilled out (more on that later).
Now, before I talk about any changes, it’s worth mentioning that I am starting out with a dose that most transwomen are prescribed at the start of their HRT:
- Spironolactone: 2 x 50mg pills, every day
- Estradiol: 2 x 0.1mg patches, twice a week
Ok, with that out of the way, let’s talk changes. Be honest, that’s really why you’re here.
Overall, I feel a sense of calm settling into my mood. I’m able to focus more. I don’t get wound up over stuff like I used to. My impulses are under better control (right now, that just means I can resist Jack In The Box after a night at the bar). I haven’t noticed any immediate physical changes, but that’s because I’ve also been actively going to the gym and having laser hair removal done on my face. So, it’s hard to tell whether any soreness I feel or softer beard hair is due to the hormones or something else.
Oh, two things worth mentioning:
- It’s true what other transwomen have said: your sex drive plunges pretty dramatically, and immediately. I haven’t had a single urge to be intimate with anyone, or even “take matters into my own hands”, if you will.
- My abdominal area has become increasingly sensitive. I assume this is due to my, er, “marbles” shrinking as an effect of the spironolactone. In any case, just sitting wrong can make the entire day uncomfortable.
Well, that’s it for now. Keep watching this space for future updates.
