Wednesday July 6, 2016 - HRT Update

I am settling in to my new routine of taking my medicine and drinking enough water. The water issue is a daily struggle for me. I can tell when I have not been drinking enough water. I need to work on this. The first week I was Ok but I have to create a routine and stick with it.

I assumed by reading and watching videos of others discussing the impact of HRT, it would take up to 90 days to see any results. This is why I did not stress out too bad when I did not accomplish my weight goal or waistline goal.

But I am noticing many changes already. Some might be psychosomatic while others I can tell by how my clothes fit. Below is a list of the few items I have noticed, after 3 weeks.

1. My overall skin seems smoother. Last night I was laying on the top of the bed naked as I waited for my bathtub to fill. I notice how smooth my skin felt along my torso and legs. I do not know of a way to test it, but the fact I noticed it out of the blue makes me think its true.
2. My finger nails are long and are still growing without breaking or cracking. My left hand usually has longer nails because I am right handed. My right hand nails break all the time because of use. However, both hands have long nails and I have not had a broken or cracked nail in at least a week. I do not know if my nails are getting stronger or I am not as rough with my hands.
3. I am losing strength. I can tell in the gym that it is harder for me to complete the same routine at the same level and burn the same number of calories, I am slowly building my time back up but my calorie count is down which means slightly less effort. Also my muscles hurt more after my workout.
4. My breasts are filling out and the underlying base of breast tissue is widening. I noticed after the first week that this was happening. I have gynecomastia  and maybe that is why. They are not sore but they have come alive and I notice and feel them more. I had to upgrade from a sports bra to a regular bar for better support.
5. I feel calmer and more relaxed. I have had a couple of issues on the road in which I would have had road rage due to the actions of  the other drivers aggressive behavior. In both cases, I decided to let it go and forget it. I also noticed more people cutting me off. But now I let get go.
6. I added coconut oil to my morning routine. I rub pure coconut oil on my breasts every morning. I want to make sure I keep streatch marks down should I have a rapid spurt of breast growth.

In summary, I love what is happening to me. I just thought it would take longer. This could mean that I will become full-time before the first quarter 2017.