Yes, Zumenon is estradiol hemihydrate, exactly the same as Elleste and Estrofem .... but Estrofem is a brand apparently not available in the UK unless you get it through self-med (shame as I love its handy packaging in a plastic wheel shaped "click" dispenser !).
Progynova is estradiol valerate, bio-identical estrogen too but which the body metabolises in a more indirect way, and which a small percentage of women fail to metabolise and so get nil effect.
"Bio identical" means that standard blood tests will show your estradiol level, and it will be analogous with the reading for a natural woman (cyclic 40 -1930 pmol/l) so you know that you are at the right level if you measure about 1000 some 5 - 6 hours after taking a tablet.
Synthetic ethynil estradiol (and I believe premarin too ?) are not detecteable in the blood so you have no clear way of establishing the right doseage vs effect.
Ethynil estradiol is meant to be the most potent "feminiser" at highish doseage or depot (contraceptive tabs usually contain ethynil with progesterone but in small amounts). Problem with ethynil is that it is by far the most dangerous in risk of clots and is not normally prescribed to over 40s.
Berleigh, do suggest you take a progesterone if you don't already, its reputed to help breast development. Just that people say any development you get is likely to come in the first 3 - 4 years, so after 7 years maybe you resign yourself. But surely the HRT has helped you in massively improving skin tone, reduced body hair, and feminised your face a bit through fuller cheeks etc ?
Laura x
