Start date: 3/14/05

Dosage: 20 drops in am (about one dropper full)

Update: 5/02/05
I have been taking the sarsaparilla tincture now for almost two months. My naturopathic doctor told me it would take about 3 months for it to make any hormonal changes. I think that things have started to change, but it’s hard to tell. What I do notice as different however---is some of the ways I view my body. I cannot tell you for sure that this is from the tincture, but it would make sense if it was.

When I was at the dermatologist getting a rash checked out, they asked me to hold my arms out together, palms up so they could take a picture. And I looked down at my arms and was immediately struck by how skinny and scrawny my forearms are. I was sort of embarrassed. And then one day I looked down at my calves and felt the same thing. But the strangest thing is that I am not a skinny person, and compared to a lot of other female-bodied people, I’m pretty buff and stocky. That being said I know that if I were to take testosterone that I would become even more muscular---especially because I know people whose jobs aren’t very physical and it was enough to make their bodies bulk up---and I have a very physical job. So these thoughts and feelings made me wonder if maybe I should try go on a low dose of T. Which isn’t something I’ve ever seriously considered.

So my question at this point is: could introducing these tiny, if not possibly insignificant, amounts of a plant hormone that only resembles testosterone into my body have the effect of changing the way I view and feel about my body? Because it appears that is what may be happening.

5/13/05
I don't know if it's the nicer weather and extra sunlight or if it's the sarsaparilla tincture or both but I have had more energy lately---and I've needed less coffee (I went from a double americano to a single). I'm also peeing a lot more---which makes sense because the tincture is supposed to clean out your liver and speed up your metabolism---while burning fat and building lean muscle. Many body builders take it.

6/13/05
Tomorrow will be the three month anniversary of starting the tincture. An interesting thing to note at this point (when it is supposed to be starting to take effect) is that I am having more gender issues than ever before. I don’t know if this is related.
In addition to the cyclical freakouts that I have around the time I bleed I also have a general feeling of increasing discomfort with myself. I cannot wait to have top surgery. And because of that and my craziness, I have now started therapy in an attempt to sort through some of this stuff. I am considering hormones now more than ever.

7/1/05
After not seeing any of the changes I expected at the 3 month mark, I decided to increase my dosage by 25%.
Also, my last period (6/29) was very short---it only lasted a day and a half. It was also very light. This is unusual for me, my periods have always been regular, I’ve never skipped one, and they usually last at least 3 days.
My extra energy seems to have dissipated. This, and my insomnia, may be related to depression.

7/14/05
I may be seeing some changes, however slight. I think my voice may have lowered slightly, and it cracked the other day. I think my body fat may have started to shift more towards my belly. I developed a bad case of bacterial vaginitis, which is said to be caused by hormonal imbalances. Also, the feelings I have been experiencing may be a sort of “puberty” feeling.

End date: 7/14/05

I decided to discontinue use of the sarsaparilla tincture because I was considering injectable testosterone and also because I wasn't sure if taking something that contained testosterone orally was healthy for my liver.