How long do you hold a pill under your tongue?

[Angélique LaCava]

Just curious.

[KayXo]

A few mins, not more.

[SadieBlake]

If for sublingual delivery then until it fully dissolves. However if you're being dosed for swallowing then sublingual may be delivering more estrogen than you need?

[Colleen_definitely]

For an estradiol tablet it's somewhere around 10-20 minutes before it dissolves completely.  It just depends on how much saliva I'm making at the time.

[Angélique LaCava]

If for sublingual delivery then until it fully dissolves. However if you're being dosed for swallowing then sublingual may be delivering more estrogen than you need?

it is being dose for swallowing but I spread my pills 3 times a day.

[KayXo]

You should advise your doctor and ask if it's ok to take them that way. Be open and honest with your doctor.

[josie76]

I take generic Estrace. I place it just above my top teeth gum line inside the upper cheek. There's a lot less saliva there so it disolves slow but I swallow very little of the disolving tablet. If you put it under your tongue your mouth makes a bunch of extra saliva and you end up constantly swallowing. This is something I picked up reading on the forum.

[Angélique LaCava]

I take generic Estrace. I place it just above my top teeth gum line inside the upper cheek. There's a lot less saliva there so it disolves slow but I swallow very little of the disolving tablet. If you put it under your tongue your mouth makes a bunch of extra saliva and you end up constantly swallowing. This is something I picked up reading on the forum.

what if you manage to not swallow the saliva?

[AlyssaJ]

Angelique, I've tried all three methods, swallowing, sublingual (holding it under your tongue), and transbuccal (holding it against your upper gums). 

I found that transbuccal took forever, like the pill could sit there for an hour or more.  It would turn to powder but it took a long time for that and it never did completely dissolve.

Sublingual, the pill usually lasts about 5-10 minutes before it is powder and maybe another 5-10 before it is gone almost completely.  I've learned to put it on the side of my tongue rather than the front and it does take a little discipline to keep it there without letting it get soaked in saliva to the point that you're swallowing it with your saliva.  You'll know if you are because suddenly your saliva will taste sweet.  This is my preferred method and the one that I was directed to use by my doctor. It takes a little practice but once you get used to it, it's easy and efficient and according to what I've read, when done properly, the uptake isn't too much different from transbuccal anyway.

[Angélique LaCava]

Angelique, I've tried all three methods, swallowing, sublingual (holding it under your tongue), and transbuccal (holding it against your upper gums). 

I found that transbuccal took forever, like the pill could sit there for an hour or more.  It would turn to powder but it took a long time for that and it never did completely dissolve.

Sublingual, the pill usually lasts about 5-10 minutes before it is powder and maybe another 5-10 before it is gone almost completely.  I've learned to put it on the side of my tongue rather than the front and it does take a little discipline to keep it there without letting it get soaked in saliva to the point that you're swallowing it with your saliva.  You'll know if you are because suddenly your saliva will taste sweet.  This is my preferred method and the one that I was directed to use by my doctor. It takes a little practice but once you get used to it, it's easy and efficient and according to what I've read, when done properly, the uptake isn't too much different from transbuccal anyway.

if it does happen to get in saliva does your mouth still absorb it if you don't swallow?

[AlyssaJ]

To some degree yes but the saliva itself will destroy some of it.  Once you try it you'll see thought that it's much easier just not to let it get soaked in saliva in the first place.  It takes a little practice and getting used to but after a while it becomes very easy and natural.

[Angélique LaCava]

To some degree yes but the saliva itself will destroy some of it.  Once you try it you'll see thought that it's much easier just not to let it get soaked in saliva in the first place.  It takes a little practice and getting used to but after a while it becomes very easy and natural.

i did it and held my saliva and did my best to hold it under my tongue for 30 mins, but when I swallowed my saliva and looked in my mouth I had some green/blue powder still there. Is that ok or does that mean I didn't absorb all the medication?

[AlyssaJ]

My doctor's instructions were to just swish some water and swallow that last little bit.  It'll get absorbed through your normal digestive process.  Or if you can stand it, leave it in your mouth and eventually it will absorb away.

[Angélique LaCava]

So I did the sublingual method with all my doses yesterday held it under my tongue for 30 mins each time and didn't swallow any saliva until the last sec, but this morning I woke up with a hot flash. Is that normal? I mean I know they still worked because my breasts were really sore last night and still are a bit sore this morning, I havnt had that feeling in months.

[Ⓥ]

My pills lasts less than 30 seconds under my tongue... I must be full of spit

But seriously tho... my pills *are* tiny tho and easily dissolve (kinda chalky textured).  60 seconds tops.

[Angélique LaCava]

My pills lasts less than 30 seconds under my tongue... I must be full of spit

But seriously tho... my pills *are* tiny tho and easily dissolve (kinda chalky textured).  60 seconds tops.

mine are like that too, but yesterday despite holding them under my tongue for so long I experienced a couple hot flashes while sleeping and even this morning.

[LShipley]

Angelique, I've tried all three methods, swallowing, sublingual (holding it under your tongue), and transbuccal (holding it against your upper gums). 

I found that transbuccal took forever, like the pill could sit there for an hour or more.  It would turn to powder but it took a long time for that and it never did completely dissolve.

Sublingual, the pill usually lasts about 5-10 minutes before it is powder and maybe another 5-10 before it is gone almost completely.  I've learned to put it on the side of my tongue rather than the front and it does take a little discipline to keep it there without letting it get soaked in saliva to the point that you're swallowing it with your saliva.  You'll know if you are because suddenly your saliva will taste sweet.  This is my preferred method and the one that I was directed to use by my doctor. It takes a little practice but once you get used to it, it's easy and efficient and according to what I've read, when done properly, the uptake isn't too much different from transbuccal anyway.

I have had the exact same experience. I tried transbuccal too and just couldn't take having it there for up to an hour or more to dissolve. Multiple times a day that was too much loss time for me to not be able to drink some water.

My timeline is the same as yours as sublingual too. 10 mins-ish to powder, another 10 to dissolve. Sometimes longer if I am dryer, sometimes too quick if I am salivating too much. I learned to drink some water like 15 minutes before hand so I am in the middle.

[LShipley]

i did it and held my saliva and did my best to hold it under my tongue for 30 mins, but when I swallowed my saliva and looked in my mouth I had some green/blue powder still there. Is that ok or does that mean I didn't absorb all the medication?

It sounds like you should ask for sublingual if that's how you will take the pills. To answer your question though, try to keep the powder under your tongue until it disappears naturally rather than swallow.

If you start salivating too much open your mouth and breathe through your mouth. It will dry it out.

The real trick is to have it deep under your tongue like right where it connects to the bottom and NOT TO TALK for 25 minutes. The other thing is to keep your head up straight and forward. If you are tilted forward or leaning over (think looking at your phone) it will slide to the front of your mouth to the teeth and you will lose control and it will escape and break down much quicker by your saliva. Same if you are looking up like laying in bed, it will more naturally go to your throat causing you to reflexively swallow it.

Another trick I do is once it is powder I will move my tongue left and right in little micro-movements (barely!) to kind of grind it in and spread the powder flat so it is absorbed better. Micro-movements though! you don't want it to escape the tongue

[Laurie]

  I think you all are over thinking the process. What is important is that you put the pill somewhere where it can eventually turn into a powdery paste and have it there long enough to absorb most if not all of the estradiol.
If some of the paste come out of the holding point it probably doesn't matter as it has been help in place long enough to do the job. Just swallow what leaks and forget about it.

  Laurie

[Colleen_definitely]

i did it and held my saliva and did my best to hold it under my tongue for 30 mins, but when I swallowed my saliva and looked in my mouth I had some green/blue powder still there. Is that ok or does that mean I didn't absorb all the medication?

Remember that the vast majority of these tablets is just filler material, so don't worry about the color.  If you had it under your tongue that long you certainly absorbed at least the majority of the medication and the rest would get absorbed as you swallow.