It's my one month anniversary of starting testosterone! I've been really pleased with the changes that I've seen over the last month. Besides the mental health boost of finally starting transition, there's been some really unexpected and frankly glorious changes to my physical health.

The Expected

• Hair Hair Glorious Hair! — My nascent beard growth has begun. At this point I have two teeny-tiny patches of beard hair making themselves known on my chin, a dozen hairs or so as of writing. I spent a lot of time stroking my chin these last couple of weeks. There's also a faint mustache appearing, darkening the patch of fuzz that's always been there. My jawline sports a couple of faint acne marks, undoubtedly thicker hair growing in there. Nothing much elsewhere, save a single ingrown hair on the belly. I'm thrilled to see all of it.

• Voice Deepening — A most desired and feared effect. While not the world's greatest singer, singing gives me great pleasure. I noticed a shift in my singing voice almost immediately, losing a note in the upper register while gaining greater resonance in my bottom range. I'm enchanted by the change in my singing voice. The changes to my speaking voice are less noticeable; it sounds like I have a slight cold. I'm eating a lot of popsicles.

• Fat Redistribution — Very slight, very subtle. I doubt anyone else can notice. Changes in my arms, definition around the shoulders that I tried for years in the gym to achieve before T. A little change in my hips and rear. My women's pants don't fit quite as well, the men's pants fit just a little more comfortably.

• Boy Funk — Did I expect to start second puberty? Yes I did! Did I expect where I'd see those changes first? No I didn't! In retrospect a changing microbiome should have been predictable. Emphasis on should have. My guts have been the most active portion of this change, and ... well, let's say many mysteries about teenage boys and cis men have been answered this month. I'm taking a lot more showers these days.

The Unexpected

• Less Fatigue?! — The most unexpected blessing of this journey is how the chronic fatigue I deal with has reacted. I've had more energy in the last month than I've had in years. It's not a complete cure, but it's a serious, significant improvement in my physical health. It's been a truly challenging month in other arenas and I haven't struggled with my energy levels like I would have in previous months. I'm so pleased and grateful; nothing could be a surer sign that testosterone was a good choice.

• Emotional State — The thing you hear about starting T is that it makes you angry, irritable, easily frustrated. Other guys have warned me. My doctor warned me. It's in the HRT disclaimer you sign. So guess what I'm doing a lot more of? Crying. It feels like dysphoria has spent so long being the reigning emotion that now that it's being treated, my other emotions have room to be expressed. The only thing I'm not feeling these days? The corrosive anger that's been there for years. Though I'm expressing more emotion than I'm used to, my mental health is significantly better. I'm more or less on an even keel though as things are going wildly wrong around me.^*

• Boy Funk — Christ almighty.

(This post is a continuation of a weekly thread I've been doing on Mastodon. For earlier threads, search #JustTestosteroneThings on your local server.)

^{* But that's another post.}