I started in spring of 2019, and it was so amazing. Like others have said, it was like being able to breathe for the first time, a weight had been lifted, like I felt alive after decades of being walking dead. I felt connected to myself in a way I never had been before. Literally the best decision I ever made for myself. Life is worth living now.
Mental changes happen first. I was happier and bubblier. My introversion turns out to have been partly due to gender anxieties. Your sense of smell expands, colors seem to pop more and be vibrant. Keep in mind here that you’ll be in puberty brain for the first few years. I was def acting like a teen for a while. You’ll be sleepy, you’ll be dealing with reconnecting with the full range of your emotions and that can be a rollercoaster sometimes. Your skin will get softer and fat cells will redistribute after a while. I first noticed it in my legs. I remember looking in the mirror one day momyhs into HRT and realizing hey those … those look different, rounder, more feminine. I may or may not have but definitely did do a happy squee. You can have height changes, weight changes, even my fingernails became softer.
Why wait? You can take them for a few months (three or so I think) without permanent changes to your body, so if it isn’t for you you can just stop.
Valid, I’m in an informed consent area and it still took me five months. But it sounded like OP was wanting to start, so “why wait” was intended to apply to OP’s side of things. Getting the process started etc