Dumb question of the day: how to take hormone pills?

[Elena G]

As the title says, I guess this is a bit silly, but here it goes: how do you take them pills? I mean, if you have to take, say, an anti-androgen, estrogen and maybe something like finasteride or progesterone, do you just put 'em all under your tongue or swallow them one by one? Does it really make any difference? Am I obsessing over it too much by asking this question?

谢谢

[MariaMx]

You just swallow them, and that's really all there is too it. I have heard claims that they will work better if you suck on them till they dissolve in your mouth but I think that's just myth.

[GendrKweer]

Well, swallow most things, with a bit of food to be safe. BUT when it comes to estrogen, you need to be concerned about blood clots. Some forms of estrogen and some methods of delivery are riskier for this than others. Safest delivery methods are injection, patch, gel, or sublingual (under tongue dissolve). I've tried all of them, but under the tongue is where I'm at, and that seems most convenient and safe. So don't just swallow your e. Dissolve it over a good 10 minutes at least under your tongue. AND of course confirm this with your endo doc.

[jesse]

i take estrodial and i take it pill form and under the tongue for one reason only, dissolved under the tongue avoids first bypass threw the liver leaving more of it in my body to act swallowing it sends it threw the liver first where some of it would be filtered out of the blood prior to getting it near where it needs to be its the same principle as a nitro tablet for heart patients.

[Asfsd4214]

You just swallow them, and that's really all there is too it. I have heard claims that they will work better if you suck on them till they dissolve in your mouth but I think that's just myth.

It's less of a myth rather than facts that are misinterpreted and misunderstood.

It's well known in the scientific medical community that sublingual (under the tung) administration of a drug is a valid and destinct route of administration.

The applicability of a drug for sublingual administration depends on various characteristics of the compound, but in general most drugs will have some degree of increased potency in sublingual administration.

So what does that mean for us?

Here's what it does not mean, it does not mean in itself that you will have better feminising effects through under the tongue administration.

It does mean you may have higher serum estradiol levels, whichever route you use, swallowing or sublingual, you should have blood work to determine your dosage is right.

You maybe at slightly reduced risks of certain side effects using sublingual, but it's not likely very significant for most people.

You should not take spironolactone, finasteride or dutasteride sublingually. Apart from it being unpleasent, it's just not necessary either. And may result in different serum level fluctuations.
Estradiol doesn't matter too much if it's a bit unstable, but you want a more stable level for your anti-androgens.

Risks related to all of the aforementioned drugs when taken in correct dosages are very low.

In short. If it makes you feel better, take your estradiol pills sublingually. It might get you more bang for your buck (and I do mean this in the monetary sense of the word, less dosage for higher serum levels). But with the others, just swallow them.

[lilacwoman]

some taste awful and need swallowing quick.