Injections or pills?

[Katie J]

So right now I am on lower dosages of estradiol and spironolactone and I am wanting to up my dosages a little more to try and speed the process a little more. My question is should I stick with the pills or switch to injections? I'm kind of iffy about the idea of injecting myself also, but don't have any problems with other people "stabbing me".

[Nicole]

I would never go injections due to I hate needles coming at me.

I can cope with them going into others, but not me

[Juliett]

From what I've heard on the forum, injections are apparently much better than any other option.

[Leila]

My question is should I stick with the pills or switch to injections? I'm kind of iffy about the idea of injecting myself also, but don't have any problems with other people "stabbing me".

Not that injections are available in my country, I don't think I could trust myself to regularly stab myself either.

I am a bit of a ditz when it came to remembering when to take pills, so I am now on the patches. I don't have to worry about first pass either on patches unlike when taking pills.

[Jessica Merriman]

Definitely injections!! No more daily pills and I have had some incredible effects. No worries about the concentrations you are getting either. I have been on them three months now and wish I had started with them. 

[LizMarie]

Another option, which I've not been offered, are the sub-dermal pellets? I think Jenny and a few others have gone that route with good success. No pills to take, no injections to do regularly, just the one pellet inserted under the skin once a month at the doctor's office.

[Katie J]

How often do you have to do the injections? I've never even heard of the pellets, maybe that is something to consider. As soon as I find a new doctor, since I recently moved, I will re look at my options. For better results I think I could get over the idea of stabbing myself.

[Jessica Merriman]

How often do you have to do the injections?

Being a Paramedic who can do my own at home I take "E" once a week and Progesterone once a month. The only pain is puncturing the skin. After that there is none unless you wiggle the needle or go to deep and nick the bone. It is really easy to do though as long as you follow the same setup and injection routine every time. 

[Katie J]

The only pain is puncturing the skin. After that there is none unless you wiggle the needle or go to deep and nick the bone.

I feel like without trying I may end up doing that a few times, I'm not the most careful or steady handed ha. But definitely a conversation worth having.

[devon14]

From my experience; injections do wonders over pills in terms of the amount of changes that you see in a smaller time frame. For me, my mood feels more stable on injections than it did on pills. You should consult your doctor about switching to injections if you are interested and go over the risks/rewards. If you have a good doctor, they will want you to practice your injections in front of them before you do it on your own so that they can ensure that you know how to do it properly. I've been injecting under my doctors supervision for the first four time that I've been doing injections every two weeks because after the first time I wanted to make sure I knew what I was doing, the second time I almost fainted, and the third time was the most successful but my muscle seized up causing pain and bruising in my leg a few hours after the time of injection. I'm going in one more time under my doctors supervision to make sure I have this down but from the benefits that I've gotten from injections, I don't want to go back to pills.

[Katie J]

Good to know that they make you practice before sending them home! Seems like injections are the way to go for quicker results.

[Jessica Merriman]

Seems like injections are the way to go for quicker results.

For me it was the difference between night and day! 

[Katie J]

Jessica you also mentioned progesterone, what exactly does that do? My doctor back in Colorado had mentioned it but said I wouldn't need to worry about that.

[Jessica Merriman]

Jessica you also mentioned progesterone, what exactly does that do? My doctor back in Colorado had mentioned it but said I wouldn't need to worry about that.

My Endo swears by it. It is fantastic for breast growth and to me at least compliments the emotional aspect when combined with "E". I was having OK breast growth, but after only one Progesterone injection three days later they absolutely took off! It just kind of completes the package. My Endo thinks it should be a routine part of the HRT protocol. 

[Katie J]

That's one thing that I would like to speed the results on is breast growth. I have been on the pills for roughly 8 months now but only have small, barely noticeable breasts.

[Summer]

I'm pills also I'm in Australia and requested injections but my doc said they don't have injections here. Is there anyone from Australia On here on injections?

[AnonyMs]

I'm pills also I'm in Australia and requested injections but my doc said they don't have injections here. Is there anyone from Australia On here on injections?

Summer, I guess you're not in Sydney? There's a really good endo here.

[Summer]

No I'm on the goldcoast but if I can't get onto injections here I will make a trip to Sydney. Would you mind sharing his/ her details

[AnonyMs]

Summer, its Dr Jon Hayes. You can search his name on this site, and google.

I've no idea how practical it is at that distance, but I expect you'd need multiple visits, getting blood tests and so on. If you do see him perhaps you can ask what tests are needed and somehow arrange them beforehand. He also does implants, which have the advantage of lasting a long time. I've not tried injections, but I'm pretty sure implants are better.

[FrancisAnn]

Little dot patches are great for E, so easy, they last for 3.5 days.