Testosterone

[Guest Rayne]

Not a medical doctor, but I'm a gentic male and I'm going female.

What you'll notice is that you'll have more control over your emotions. They almost come with an on/off switch. That's how men are. Your sex drive will also go up without regard for love or romance. Again, that's how men are. More body hair and you'll be more aggresive physically. Where women want to cry, men want to fight. Testosterone. You may find yourself being more decisive. When given a choice, you may pick faster - testosterone drives men to just make a decision. Left or right? He'll just pick one.

I know these things because I've lived as a man all my life and this is how most men are. You may or may not get all of them, but don't be surprised if you do.

Rayne

[Guest Martin]

Some of these - including aggression - are at least as much about culture than they are about T. If someone wasn't aggressive before taking it, they're not going to become so because of it. A few people getting more irritable, especially if their levels are too high or their shots are too far apart. However, people need to own their actions - especially aggressive ones. "T made me do it" is not a valid excuse.

Things T usually does:

- Increase body hair

- Cause facial hair to grow

- Lower your voice

- Cause your penis (clit) to grow

- Increase sex drive

- Increase metabolism

- Increase muscle mass

- Redistributes body fat

- Stops periods and prevent you from becoming pregnant (while still on it)

Things T sometimes does:

- Change your hairline

- Cause your hair to fall out (male pattern balding)

- Change the way you smell

- Increase the amount you sweat

- Change the way you process emotions, including anger

- Change the texture of your hair (as in, it might make it more curly)

- Cause you to grow taller

- Cause your feet to grow

- Causes your vagina (excuse the word) to become drier and more susceptible to tears

- Causes your breasts (excuse the word) to sag more

- Increases hemoglobin

- Increases your risk for heart disease

- Decrease your risk for osteoporosis

- Change the texture of your skin

Of course, your mileage may vary. Also, T may have some effects on you that I didn't list. And I am not a doctor.

[Guest Jack Solomon]

You are correct that certain biological tendencies are considered to be predominant in males. Men and women, in general, do have a biological inclination towards different ways of processing emotions. However, this comes from a combination of things and not just testosterone, but you are right that testosterone fuels some things and a person starting on testosterone may notice subtle changes in their way of processing active emotions. But a lot of it comes from the brain and other factors as well.

Martin you are right that T can make a person more irritable if you miss a shot/otherwise change schedule because uneven hormone levels (sudden drop or raise) can potentially make a person 'go up and down' more easily and other minor side effects. You've got a good list there of the physical stuff.

Solomon

[Guest CharlieRose]

Emotions with an on/off switch.... Ahhh.... *Imagines the possibilities*

[Guest raydub]

Emotions with an on/off switch.... Ahhh.... *Imagines the possibilities*

yeah..i knew my switch was broken!

Ray

[Guest Sergei]

Not a medical doctor, but I'm a gentic male and I'm going female.

What you'll notice is that you'll have more control over your emotions. They almost come with an on/off switch. That's how men are. Your sex drive will also go up without regard for love or romance. Again, that's how men are. More body hair and you'll be more aggresive physically. Where women want to cry, men want to fight. Testosterone. You may find yourself being more decisive. When given a choice, you may pick faster - testosterone drives men to just make a decision. Left or right? He'll just pick one.

I know these things because I've lived as a man all my life and this is how most men are. You may or may not get all of them, but don't be surprised if you do.

Rayne

I've noticed all of the changes, except for agression. I've never been an agressive person, and I'm not one on T either. From the emotional side I wouldn't say I feel less emotional. I wouldn't describe being able to turn them on and off. I can just experience them more calmly and rationally if that makes sence. Like for instance if somebody I love died. Before I would have been hysterical, distraught, and shown this. Now I feel just as strongly in my heart, but I would have more control over the emotion. Its hard to explain really. I think it is something you only get to learn after you have experienced life with the hormones of male and female and can actually experience the differences for yourself.

[Guest Alternative Emo]

Thank you everyone for their insight- its proven to be very helpful. Will T really make you taller (FTM)? If so.. Praise The Lord! XD

[JJ]

T can't promote bone growth past early 20s at most and there is some evidence it may even retard bone growth in teens. In the past most FTMs just went stealth and underground for T so there is very little information about us. It was once believed that less than 10-20 percent of transsexuals were FTMs - now we know the numbers are fairly equal.

But the consensus is that you won't grow taller on T. That said I am about 1/4 inch taller than I have ever been. I believe the real reason is because of the way I stand and carry myself and muscle development -oddly enough I have gone up a shoe size in spite of losing 205 lbs and my ring size has stayed the same though it had increased a couple of sizes as I gained the weight and I thought would go back down. I think the thicker skin and more muscling even in the fingers is probably the culprit because one thing known for sure is that T doesn't cause bone growth.

How you carry yourself and wearing shoes that have more sole and heel but still look masculine will make you look taller. The only people who really get flack for being small are the banty rooster types whose uber macho behavior makes them seem even smaller than they actually are rather than taller. That whole "little man syndrome" thing. One place I am not going.

Not that I wouldn't take a foot in height if someone gave it to me but I refuse to buy into thinking of myself as any less because of my height. A man is measured by the inside and not the out for me and I think it shows to others too.

Johnny

[Guest Alternative Emo]

Alright that makes sense. I tend to walk with my shoulders forward to conceal my chest better (even though I'm wearing a binder.. I swear people can see my chest. I still get mistaken as a female). Thanks again