8 months on T

[Flint]

Voice still not much change at all. I'm really depressed about it. It seems a small thing but it's not.

[Charlize]

I'm sorry that progress sees so slow. We all respond to HRT in different ways and it may just take a bit longer for you than for some. Some of my results have been slower than i would like in coming. Perhaps you might also want to discuss it with your doctor. Hopefully you will join a different section of the choir soon.

Hugs,

Charlize

[JJ]

For me it was facial hair-took almost 3 years to be beard worthy and when it was it triggered psoriasis on my face so I can never ear a beard anyway. I know it is hard and frustrating. Especially with the voice.

You mentioned once having hight T levels but little result-are you being treated by an endo or by your other Dr? Sometimes hight T blood levels actually indicate the form you are using is not being utilized by your body adequately and builds up serum levels. Not necessarily the case but maybe something to check out. It requires more extensive blood work than just serum T levels.

You've gone through a lot and fought hard to get here-I know you'll get it sorteed out.

Johnny

[Flint]

I had what they called a 'T extraction test' which came back within male range

[Flint]

I'm hoping to start injections soon. But it's been delayed because i'm waiting for my heart scan before i do and that got cancelled.

When i wake up first thing my voice is deep, within male range. I've recordings of myself and i sound male. And i try to keep it within that range and it just goes back to normal throughout the day. Some mornings i' manage to keep the deeper voice lasting longer but often by about dinner (lunch) time it's going back up.

It's just frustrating because most people seem to have a noticably deeper voice by the 8th month on T.

[Ravin]

That's odd that it's deeper in the morning then goes up. For me, the drop started early but was precipitated by a cold. My voice got hoarse while I was sick and never returned to what it had been. I still sound hoarse to a lot of people.

It really is different for everyone.

Try to focus on the positives rather than the negatives.

[Flint]

It's hard to focus on the positives when the voice is such a big part of it. Like the idea of looking masculine yet having this voice? Is just... Yea.. No.

I dunno. I know voices tend to be deeper in the morning. But my voice in the morning really is male range, i'll have to post a recording comparing my morning voice to my voice later on in the day.

[Ravin]

The problem might be a little bit what you think of as "male range." Ever hear Mike Tyson speak?

[JJ]

Inflection and pattern are actually far more important than range in determining whether someone has a male or female voice. Resonance and depth can be instant clues but I have heard baritone women and light tenor men that were still unmistakable female and male respectively because of the way they spoke.

Once you start the injections it may make a difference too. Our bodies are so individual and complex. And our minds more so. What really counts even though you may not end up with the voice you hoped for or dreamed about is being seen as accepted as a man.

I am not as familiar with the different tests but you might as your Dr if the T extraction test tests or would reveal your level of androgen sensitivity and whether or not you are utilizing the testosterone in your blood adequately. But I assume if he suspected a problem he would have suggested more testing if you have discussed the lack of change with him. Physically the whole process is really complex. Your Dr should know if you are just progressing at a rate slower than you expected or if there is an indication of something causing a delay.

One thing I had almost forgotten but even though my voice dropped sometimes I felt like it still wasn't right-till the day I said something about it in front of my granddaughter who snorted and told me my voice was already deeper than her dad's whose voice was deeper than normal for a man his size. I was shocked and recorded myself a few times. She was right. I was hearing what I feared and not reality.

Might also help to look up on the internet about male voice production and modulation because I found myself uptalking sometimes when anxious and had to concentrate on producing my voice from my chest more -it makes a real difference.

Johnny

[Flint]

Inflection and pattern are actually far more important than range in determining whether someone has a male or female voice. Resonance and depth can be instant clues but I have heard baritone women and light tenor men that were still unmistakable female and male respectively because of the way they spoke.

Once you start the injections it may make a difference too. Our bodies are so individual and complex. And our minds more so. What really counts even though you may not end up with the voice you hoped for or dreamed about is being seen as accepted as a man.

I am not as familiar with the different tests but you might as your Dr if the T extraction test tests or would reveal your level of androgen sensitivity and whether or not you are utilizing the testosterone in your blood adequately. But I assume if he suspected a problem he would have suggested more testing if you have discussed the lack of change with him. Physically the whole process is really complex. Your Dr should know if you are just progressing at a rate slower than you expected or if there is an indication of something causing a delay.

One thing I had almost forgotten but even though my voice dropped sometimes I felt like it still wasn't right-till the day I said something about it in front of my granddaughter who snorted and told me my voice was already deeper than her dad's whose voice was deeper than normal for a man his size. I was shocked and recorded myself a few times. She was right. I was hearing what I feared and not reality.

Might also help to look up on the internet about male voice production and modulation because I found myself uptalking sometimes when anxious and had to concentrate on producing my voice from my chest more -it makes a real difference.

Johnny

I realised today i go higher pitch when talking to strangers and people i know alike. Like automatically. I've been recording myself during phone calls to see what i'm like and i do go higher pitched suddenly.

[Flint]

The problem might be a little bit what you think of as "male range." Ever hear Mike Tyson speak?

maybe that is my problem i dunno. I'm leaning more towards thinking i sound like a pre pubescent boy now (at least when on the phone) rather than a female...I dunno if that is wishful thinking. i'm not really sure wah tthe difference is. I can't quite pin point what the difference is, i didn't really record myself ever before T so i don't have a comparison.

[Flint]

I went for heart scan today. the doctor advised me o stay on the gel while he does some research and he'll get back to me about injections. But it appears doubtful. He was 'lecturing' me sort of on how complicated my heart condition is. I say lecturing he was nice about it though. Anyway i dunno. I cna't remember i've updated already about this but one of the nurses who does my INR bloods told me i looked more masculine, she hadn't seen me in a few months, different nurses take your blood depending on who you get that day. ANd she said it had made me look more masculine. I dunno if she was just sayng it to be nice, but then again she didn't have to say anything about it all if she didn't want to, she could have just not even mentioned the testosterone and the changes so.... I did go out of the hospital smiling a bit to myself. But i can't really see it myself. But i'll just have to take her word for it. As for the voice.... It's up and down some days i swear it's reverted back, on other days i swear it's deeper. No idea whats going on with that. At the heart scan today i had put weight on. My diet hasn't change much, i eat a lot of fruit for snacks with an occasional 'fatty treat' here and there. I think the weight must be what little muscle gain i've possible had from T. I was excercising a bit in the summer last year, short walks with my walking aid, lifting weights while sat down etc but then i relapsed with my physical health and i'm just trying to deal with icy weather outside meaning i can't get out much at the moment.

[Guest Kai Reddtail]

I suppose in a way I'm lucky to be working in a call center right now. There's no better way to get an honest opinion about whether your voice has changed. But even before T, I could get by sometimes. Pitch and whatnot are a significant factor with our voices, but there are other things that can make a huge difference. Forgive me if you've heard these tips before, but they helped me so I thought I'd share:

- Men tend to talk in more of a monotone.I'm not saying go all Ben Stein or anything, but if you listen there's just not as much of a variance in pitch while they talk.

- Women tend to talk with an upward inflection at the end of a sentence. If you're not sure what that is, think of what a person's voice does when they ask a question. Mine was really subtle but I could still pick up on it and I seem to have mostly gotten rid of it.

- Try to speak from your chest, rather than your throat. This is the hardest one I find, and truthfully I'm not sure how well I managed it before T. If you put your hand on your breastbone you should feel the vibrations of your speech there.

Maybe these will help you too.