Starting HRT soon!! Are meds okay? And other anxiety provoking questions

[Jennygirl]

Hey no problem! It doesn't seem like an interrogation at all

Pellets patches and creams are best because they skip the digestive tract and the majority does not get converted into bad stuff in the liver. Injections offer the same health benefits by majorly bypassing the liver.

Where injections can be said to have a disadvantage is the strong rollercoaster of hormone levels following an injection. At first the levels jump to very high, then they drop quickly before ultimately getting low. This also doesn't properly keep testosterone production away because it has a chance to rebound (unless one is taking androgen blockers i.e. spiro NOTE: Spiro does not block the production of testosterone, only the absorption). With pellets, creams, and patches, the drop is much more gradual... which does well for mental and emotional health. Pellets are the closest thing we can have to actual ovaries. Slow and steady dispersion is best and really keeps testosterone in check- so much that androgen blockers aren't even necessary in most cases. These methods ALL depend on the endocrinologist. Cindy has an amazing one and so do I, they specialize in caring for trans patients like us

Every time your body has a relatively large change in hormones, you will feel it. The key is minizing the negative impact that any HRT regimen will have on your body- both mentally and physically. Pellets, patches, and creams can do just that. I recommend the pellets from my own experience, but as Cindy said they can be expensive. Incredibly worth it though!

[Tori]

There is no best method as long as your body gets the proper dosage of hormones.

Jenny and I slightly disagree here, but not too passionately, I want subdermal implants as well... just not on my current budget.

Also, Cindy and Jenny are among our very best posters here, so you are really meeting the family today!

Things that really matter most are, are you allergic? If not, can you afford it?

I am most interested in slow release hormones like shots, patches and implants, since they allow hormones to slowly cycle, which seems more like a natal female. Pills and topicals cycle too, just more rapidly.

I like the ups and downs of a cycle for the same reason you want nipple pain... it isn't exactly fun, but it sure is feminine.

[Jennygirl]

It's true, you got me! I'm pretty passionate about it!

But seriously the only one I recommend against is oral administration. There are a lot of bad side effects from the long term use. Injections are comparatively a wonderful option

I think Tori and I still agree about one big thing... Having the proper hormone in the body seems far more important than the way one gets it.

But if you're like me and enjoy getting down to the nitty gritty, I'm happy to share. Heck, I may share it anyway because I think people have the right to know. Some doctors/endocrinologists are horridly misinformed when it comes to caring for the special needs of a person requiring cross-gender hormone therapy. It's just sad, and trans people deserve to know better rather than being let down by a doctor who simply doesn't care or doesn't know any better.

As Tori said, any HRT is better than no HRT. You're probably gonna love it regardless of the route you decide to take

[Tori]

Yay!