What I Wish Someone Told Me About HRT: The Beautiful & Messy Truth About Transitioning

Growing up, I was always envious of girls with their perky boobs, soft skin, and feminine voice. I guess that should’ve been the first sign that I was trans, but I didn’t really figure it out until I was 16. That’s when I started exploring crossdressing discreetly and playing with the idea of living out my life as a woman.

However, the envy and jealousy only grew because no amount of clothes made me feel ‘girly enough.’ So you can imagine how happy I was when I stumbled upon Hormone Replacement Therapy.

Hi love. Today, I’m gonna be super vulnerable and share with you about my HRT journey. I’ll be sharing how I prepared for my first appointment, what really happened, the aftermath that no one warned me about, and even the beautiful surprises that came with it.

By the end of this article, you’ll be well prepared to start your own HRT journey. Without further ado, let’s get started.

What Is Hormone Replacement Therapy?

Basically, Hormone Replacement Therapy, or HRT, is a treatment that aligns your body with your gender identity. As a trans woman, this means taking a hormone called estrogen to feminize your body and anti-androgens to lower your testosterone hormones.

However, just because you’re transgender doesn’t mean that you have to go through HRT. It’s completely optional, and I recommend sitting with the thought for at least a couple of months before trying. Also, try to learn as much as you can about it to figure out if it’s the right fit for you.

Is It Too Late To Start?

If you’re a bit older, you might also wonder, ‘Is it too late to have an MTF Transformation?’ And the truth is, it’s never too late to change your life and start living authentically.

First, check in with your doctor so they can help you manage any age-related risks, such as high blood pressure.

How To Prepare for Your First HRT Appointment

The weeks leading up to my first appointment, I could barely sit still. I was buzzing from ear to ear and couldn’t wait for D-Day. So to prepare for that special day, here’s what I did and what you can do too.

1. Get Your Blood Work Done

Before starting HRT, your doctor will need to conduct a blood test to check your hormone levels, blood count, cholesterol level, and assess the health of your liver and kidneys. This will help ensure your body is healthy enough to start Hormone Replacement Therapy.

2. Take a Urinalysis Test

You don’t really have to do this, but your gender-affirming doctor might ask for a urinalysis test just to make sure there are no drugs in your system that could interfere with your treatment.

3. Visit a Fertility Center

Honestly, this is one of the things I wish someone had told me early on. Since MTF Transition suppresses your testosterone levels, it can affect your chances of having your own kids.

So if you’d like to have your own biological kids someday, then I’d advise you to visit a fertility center to explore options like freezing your sperm before starting HRT.

What Really Happened During The Appointment

Since I had taken time to research LGBTQ+ friendly clinics, I felt pretty confident on my appointment day.

The first thing that happened when I walked in was getting briefed on the entire process by the specialist and signing a consent form. Essentially, the consent form was designed to confirm that I was of sound mind and had freely chosen to undergo the procedure.

I also had to prove that I was of legal age, so I handed them my ID. If you’ve lost yours, you can also go with your birth certificate since it shows your birth year.

After that, my specialist led me to their office and asked if I’m allergic to any medicine, my past medical history, and if any diseases are running in my family, like any heart conditions.

Lastly, they asked some pretty intense questions, so be prepared to answer them even though they might feel invasive. The specialist will ask if you’re sexually active, how many partners you have, and if you use protection.

Trust me, they’re not judging you, but they need to know and assess if you’re at risk of an STI, which would interfere with the treatment.

How To Decide What HRT Method Will Work for You

Before going for my appointment, I thought that the only way to get through the treatment was to get a bunch of needles every few weeks. And even though I’m not a fan, I had already made peace with it.

So you can imagine how happy I was when I found out that besides injections, there are other methods, such as:

• Taking Pills: Basically, these pills have estrogen, and you need to take them every single day at the same time. This is perfect for you if you’re like me and love routine, going to bed at the same time each night so that you can take them then.

• Patches: These are small patches with hormones that you put directly on your hips, butt, or thighs so the hormones enter your blood. They are waterproof, allowing you to shower with them. Just remember to change them every few days.

If you don’t mind needles and you’d like to have a faster MTF transformation, I’d advise you to take the injections, since you might see the changes pretty fast. Additionally, if you live far from the clinic or have a particularly busy schedule, you can always administer the dose yourself.

Lastly, your specialist might also prescribe for you Hormone blockers that will suppress your testosterone levels. This will allow the estrogen to work better at feminizing your body.

The Aftermath That No One Warned Me About

After a couple of weeks on the HRT pills, something shifted in me. I would get easily irritated by the smallest things.

I remember one time I was hanging out with a friend, and they made a silly joke, and instead of laughing, I ended up crying. After that, I had like 3 more crying spells over silly things.

I also noticed that my clear skin started breaking out. So that got me worried because I thought HRT was supposed to make me prettier.

But these changes were just part of my journey. And HRT affects everyone differently, and these changes are normal.

So if you’re starting, here are some messy but normal side effects of Hormone treatment:

• Acne

• Moodswings

• Weird crying spells

• Getting super sensitive

• Changes in your sex drive

The Unexpected But Beautiful Surprises

You know how they say that there’s always a rainbow after a storm? Well, it’s the same with HRT.

After your body adjusts to the hormones and you learn to be gentle with yourself, the magic begins to happen.

You’ll start noticing the changes, and after a few months, here’s what you can expect:

• Boobs (One of the best parts of HRT, right?)

• Softer skin

• Fewer erections

• Longer, softer, and thicker hair on your head

• Thinner body hair

Some trans women also gain some weight while on HRT, and this can help you become more curvy and fill out your hips and butt.

The best part for me was my newfound confidence. Every small change would make me super excited as I was finally becoming the woman I wanted to be. That feeling to me made everything worth it.

4 Myths I Believed About HRT and the Actual Truth

1. You’ll Be a Totally Different Girl Overnight

After going home, I gave my body two weeks tops to manifest the results, so you can imagine how disappointed I felt when I didn’t notice any difference. The truth is, HRT isn’t a magic potion that works overnight, turning you into Cinderella.

Everybody is different, and you need to give yourself time to adjust to it. What might take a few weeks for you might take months for another trans girl to see the same changes.

2. HRT Makes Your Voice Feminine

Many transgender women believe that HRT can feminize their voice, but it’s not completely true. It only works if you haven’t gone through puberty. But if your voice has already broken, estrogen can’t reverse that. Fortunately, you can perform voice feminization exercises to soften your voice and tone.

3. You Have To Do Sex Reassignment Surgery for HRT To Work

For many trans girls, sex reassignment surgery isn’t an option because it’s super expensive. It was nice to find out that HRT works even if you don’t undergo surgery.

Even if you have enough resources for the surgery, don’t feel pressured by anyone else to do it. It should be 100% your decision.

4. You Can Take Birth Control Pills To Feminize Your Body

I know some transgender women believe that since birth control pills have estrogen, they can feminize their bodies.

However, the estrogen in these pills is not at the same level as the one in hormone therapy. Plus, birth control pills don’t have anti-androgens that would lower your testosterone levels.

Conclusion

Remember that your HRT journey will be unique to you, and even when it feels like a rollercoaster of emotions, trust me, it gets better.

On the other side is confidence, body positivity, high self-esteem, and great self-love. I’d also advise you to keep researching HRT by reading some Transgender friendly magazines. That’s it for today. Stay safe and all the best in your HRT journey. Cheers.