The side effects of progestins may go away, but for a small number of. Most changes are expected to occur in the first few months and may last indefinitely until HRT is discontinued. However, certain changes, such as breast growth, are irreversible. Fat distribution, skin softening and slow body hair growth are all examples of reversible changes.
Breast growth, decreased testicular volume, and (potentially) sperm production are permanent results of estrogen-based HRT. You may feel bloated and uncomfortable, as if you've caught the wind. This may be due to progesterone and usually goes away over time. Menopausal symptoms may take up to 3 months to go away when you start hormone therapy, although they usually get better faster.
When deciding whether to start hormone replacement therapy, be sure to consult trusted medical professionals and other trans people and consider how you would feel about changes in your body. Bleeding usually goes away within the first 3 to 6 months of starting hormone therapy or after changing the dose of hormone therapy. It's not uncommon for unscheduled vaginal bleeding to occur when hormone therapy is first started, although there may not be bleeding for years.
