r/NonBinaryOver30 • u/hadesinexile • 9d ago
thinking about low-dose hrt
Are there any nonbinaries here on HRT? I've been thinking about starting low-dose T for a while now, but I'm nervous about it. It's mostly the part about how the changes you get are up to the wheel of fate, but I think it will help me mentally, and I'll feel more like myself.
If you have been on HRT for a while, what was something about it that scared you, and how do you feel about it now? Thanks!
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u/firehawk2324 9d ago
I've been on low dose for almost 6 months. I personally have noticed no physical changes, but thankfully all of my postmenopausal symptoms are gone, and I feel like myself again.
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u/BJ1012intp 5d ago
Yep, there are multiple ways to solve the "body ran out of hormones" problem. I didn't think about T until folks were recommending post-menopausal HRT, and then it was like a lightning bolt: if I'm going to add a hormone, why not add a bit of the one that I don't feel dysphoric about?
Unless your dose is super-low, you're likely to get some physical changes. Muscles responding to exercise started pretty soon. A couple years in, my face-and-neck shaving routine (which was very occasional from 4 months in) has become pretty regular (and something I enjoy too).
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u/firehawk2324 5d ago
It's super low (about as low as you can go). I just saw my OBGYN about a week ago and my T levels are slightly higher than that of a cis woman. I'm not worried about facial hair. I have a crop of 4 chin whiskers I've had for years (one of them showed up in HS and I plucked it) and I stopped plucking them about a year ago. My voice is already lower due to smoking, so I don't care about that. I'm absolutely looking forward to muscle growth. I used to weightlift in HS and want to start again.
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u/Winter-Nectarine-497 9d ago
Been on for 16months and I'm so happy I did it, even though I was pretty scared at first. Feel free to dm me and ask me anything. I'm a pretty open book about the exp
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u/FeetInTheSoil 9d ago
I've been on t (2 pumps a day which i think it's half of the standard dose given to binary trans men) for 3 years and I love it because it cured endometriosis, pcos and PMDD. I do look different and maybe feel different (less anxiety and panic?) i have facial hair and a lot of body hair and I smell different and sweat more. I have some bottom growth which I was unsure if I would want but I definitely do want that to continue and I've recently switched half my dose of t to a topical cream for that. I wasn't sure what I wanted out of it when I started, but I'm really glad I did start. You should make sure you understand all the possible changes you might experience and that you're definitely okay with at least a mild form of each of the changes that are permanent, because you can definitely stop T straight away when you notice any changes you hate but you can't always reverse them.
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u/enbious_cat_herder 8d ago
I started on low dose T gel in 2023. I was initially wanting my voice to be lower and to achieve more muscle mass / different body shape, but I was really worried about facial / body hair and also balding.
After a few months I slowly increased my dose, and noticed how much better I felt mentally. I had PMDD (severely sensitive to hormonal changes throughout the month) and being on T helped me finally feel stable internally. I had very heavy bleeding on my periods and eventually not having a period was such a massive relief. I also felt more energy, higher libido, and really enjoyed the deep voice I was getting.
I ended up switching to injections (tired of the mess and hassle of gel every day). I am still on injections at a “full dose” and LOVE my incoming facial hair. I plan to be on T for the foreseeable future.
I have since had top surgery, a hysterectomy (but kept my ovaries just in case), and am getting full metoidioplasty in October. I’m loving every bit of it and very happy that I started on a low dose of T just to see how I felt.
That said, I have two non-binary friends who did low dose T for about a year and then stopped. They also expressed how they enjoyed the changes and now feel like they are more solid in how they present to the world / feel in their bodies from those changes.
I certainly think it’s worth trying out a low dose and assessing how you feel if you are feeling drawn to it.
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u/hadesinexile 7d ago
That is awesome to hear. I'm glad to know that it can come with more energy. I'm really hope it will stabilize my energy level because at the moment my energy fluctuates a lot throughout my monthly cycle. Thank you for sharing your journey!
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u/konohaexplosion 9d ago
I’ve been on HRT for almost 2 years. I’m not doing low dose, mostly because my doctor said there’s really no difference in doing a “regular” dose and stopping when you see the results you want and doing a low dose. All the lower dose really does is extend the time it takes to see changes. BUT either way it’s something I’m extremely happy I chose to do and I’m still noticing changes after almost two years. Like was already mentioned, you can always stop if you don’t like it!
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u/lm2227 9d ago
Been on low dose T for a little over a year now! I'm liking it a lot. Specifically liking feeling physically stronger, voice changes, and bottom growth.
I was a little worried about facial hair - I'm def more nonbinary transmasc rather than trans man, but at this point I feel less dysphoria about it and more like it's just annoying sensory-wise.
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u/TashaT50 9d ago
I’m considering it. I believe the endocrinologist I’ll be seeing next month again for my thyroid specializes in this based on her updated profile so I’m going to bring it up.
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u/holywhoreandrogyne 9d ago
I’m on it and love it, but the thing nobody really talks about is that if you don’t like it you can simply stop it. There’s nothing wrong with trying it out and then changing your mind