One of the first changes in the first few weeks of taking estrogen is that the skin may become less oily. In addition, you may sweat less and your body odor may have decreased. In my case, I realized that I needed to change my skincare routine. Adding a light moisturizer helped balance my skin.
I also swapped my facial cleanser for a milder option so as not to overdry my normally oily skin. You may feel some breast tenderness, vaginal bleeding or spotting, or abdominal distension in the first few weeks after starting estrogen and progesterone treatments. If you're taking progesterone, you may also notice a decrease or change in your mood at first. If you notice certain side effects only during the two weeks you're taking progesterone, contact your menopausal doctor at your 3-month review visit.
If you're considering hormone replacement therapy or are starting to use it for the first time, it's important to know what effects to expect and when to expect them. Keep in mind that everyone is different and that not everyone will follow the same path. These deadlines are rough estimates that give you an idea of how the transition could progress. Here, we explore the timeline of FTM testosterone changes and the timeline of the MTF HRT effect. This may be a brown discharge, mild spotting, or sometimes more like a heavy menstrual period and may come and go or last for a few weeks.
If you're in the perimenopausal stage when you start hormone therapy (and therefore still have menstrual periods), bleeding patterns may change at first and may take three to six months to stabilize into a regular pattern. If you're in menopause when you start hormone therapy (and you no longer have menstrual periods), bleeding may occur, but it usually goes away within three to six months. Your healthcare professional may have given you a range within which you can control the dose yourself (for example, one to three doses of estrogen gel). You can modify the dose yourself within the prescribed range for you if you don't feel the benefits of HRT, but remember that it may take a few weeks or months to respond to any changes you make.
The first changes you'll probably notice are that the skin becomes a little drier and thinner. Your pores will become smaller and there will be less oil production. You may be more likely to have bruises or cuts and, in the first few weeks, you'll notice that the odors of sweat and urine will change. You're also likely to sweat less.
When you touch things, they may “feel different” and you may perceive pain and temperature differently. While some data suggests that stopping taking hormones for 3 to 6 months may cause your sperm count to return, it's best to assume that, within a few months of starting hormone therapy, you could permanently and irreversibly lose your ability to produce sperm. It's important that you take your hormone replacement therapy medication as explained for at least 3 to 6 months before deciding if it's benefiting you or not. It can take up to 3 months for menopausal symptoms to go away when you start hormone therapy, although they usually get better faster than this.
If the side effects don't go away after 3 months or cause you a lot of discomfort, you may need to reconsider hormone replacement therapy. There are many different types and forms of taking hormone therapy, so if you think it hasn't given you the benefits you expected after three months, you can talk to your healthcare professional about other alternatives, such as changing the type or dose of it. If any side effects of hormone therapy haven't resolved before your 3-month follow-up appointment, you can discuss them further with your menopausal doctor, as there are often other doses, types, or routes of administration that can be tried. After starting hormone replacement therapy, some menopausal symptoms may improve within a few weeks or months, while others may take longer. If these symptoms haven't gone away in 6 months, talk to your doctor and talk to him as soon as possible if the bleeding is very heavy or painful, if you have bleeding between scheduled bleeds, or if you have bleeding caused by sexual intercourse.
The benefits of hormonal hormone therapy usually take a few weeks to become apparent, but it can take up to 3 months before they are fully noticed. It's also important to note that if you change the dose or type of hormone replacement therapy you're using, bleeding may occur that can take three to six months. in disappearing. Bleeding usually goes away within the first 3 to 6 months of starting HRT or after changing the dose of HRT.
Progesterone can cause hormone levels to rise or fall, so hormone tests should be repeated a few months after you start taking progesterone. It is common for a menopausal physician to increase the dose of estrogen after a few months to optimize symptom relief and achieve a “therapeutic” level of estradiol in the blood.
