how to take estrofem sublingually "properly"?

[Tanya1]

I've been taking estrofem sublingually for the past month after my endo instructed me to do so. Before I was taking it orally and low dose. My endo wanted to increase me dose and also decided for me to take it sublingually.

anyway, I can't get in touch with my endo since he's out of the country right now.

So I'm asking you guys for "tips" on how to take it most efficiently for maximuim absorption?

1)Should I swallow while taking it, even though I'm only swallowing the saliva and not the medication?

2) any other tips and suggestion to get the most out of it?

ps. simple question...

[Ember Lewis]

I know people have said under the tung is better...but personally from what I've read theres no evidence to prove that this way is better. I tried it and with the estrace I was taking, the pill just turned into mush under your tung. And every time you swallowed you swallowed pieces of the pill. You couldn't taste it though but you could feel a slight grittiness. It took a long time to completely disappear, so long that it was just ridiculous to keep doing it cuz you couldn't talk or swallow until it was completely gone. It would make more sense to stick it up your bum..."no I'm not joking" The wall of the intestine will absorb up to 95% of a pill directly into the blood stream if you do it that way. And no I haven't tried it but it is true at least with other drugs. Just remember that you have to take HRT for the rest of your life, It shouldn't be a burden to do it. Personally I feel like theres no, or such a small advantage to taking estrogen sublingualy that it's just not worth it.

[Tanya1]

I know people have said under the tung is better...but personally from what I've read theres no evidence to prove that this way is better. I tried it and with the estrace I was taking, the pill just turned into mush under your tung. And every time you swallowed you swallowed pieces of the pill. You couldn't taste it though but you could feel a slight grittiness. It took a long time to completely disappear, so long that it was just ridiculous to keep doing it cuz you couldn't talk or swallow until it was completely gone. It would make more sense to stick it up your bum..."no I'm not joking" The wall of the intestine will absorb up to 95% of a pill directly into the blood stream if you do it that way. And no I haven't tried it but it is true at least with other drugs. Just remember that you have to take HRT for the rest of your life, It shouldn't be a burden to do it. Personally I feel like theres no, or such a small advantage to taking estrogen sublingualy that it's just not worth it.

Jessica,

you really do have a point. It shouldn't be a pain to take HRT regurlary since it I will have to take it for life.

About swallowing it, I agree that you have a great point. But from what I've heard from Keira is that estrofem made it especially for sublingually. I do agree that their isn't enough proof and you may not get much benefit. But theoritically you will have higher bio avialablity.

I do swallow while I'm taking it sublingually BUT I don't feel the taste nor any grittiness that the medication is being swallowing.

Also wouldn't the med not be swallowed since it's under the tongue?

Anyway- tmrw the first thing I'll do is avoid swallowing while taking the med which I agree is a pain. It takes an approximate 45 minutes to fully dissolve.

If it doesn't workout- I will seriously consider the anal method(yuck)


The reason why I want this is because I want a higher blood circulation of E.. I'm just picky.. but I do agree that oral can probably provide the same results for some people. Others may find sublingual to be the same.


Thanks sweetheart!

[Sarah]

I take estrogen under the tongue.
IT is noticably less hard on my liver.
I do notice a difference.
My liver hurts when I just swallow it.
It doesn't this way.

Sara

[iminadaze]

It takes an approximate 45 minutes to fully dissolve.

I take Estrofem under the tongue and for me the pill completely dissolves in 10-15 minutes.

I make sure the underside of my tongue has a little saliva under it as it is a great medium for
absorption.

[LynnER]

Estrace properly disolves under the tounge in just a few minutes... keep your tounge flat against the bottom of your mouth after placeing the pill there... it dosnt take long if its the properly manufactured type, and you will have verry little if any cary over into your saliva that you can swallow... its like it just absorbs right into the skin... <if your using a cheaper generic I have no clue how long it takes to disolve and I dont know if the sublingual technique would actualy work with them>

[Audrey]

I don't think that absorbing the estradiol pill anally would have any benefit as far as bypassing the liver.  The veins from the large and small intestines head straight for the liver.  Just look at a diagram of the human circulatory system.  The benefit of sublingual, even if only a small percentage actually is absorbed that way, is a better approach as the estrogen would travel throughout the body before hitting the liver.

Audrey

[carol_w]

I take the generic equivalent of Estrace/Estrofem (labelled "Estradiol"), and I just put mine under my tongue and hold it there.  Within two minutes, it's gone, and all that's left is the taste in my mouth.  One drink of water, and that's history.  It doesn't taste bad, either. 

I've wanted to do the "grapefruit juice" thing, too (to slow down the absorption), but I take Lipitor, too, and grapefruit juice is a definite no-no with that drug.

Carol

[Tanya1]

^ Don't drink water. Let the taste dissolve...


thanks  a lot!

I'm using the real estrofem- so it's not some "cheap" generic- Although generics can work just as effective depending on the drug though...

I don't feel the taste at all while I'm dissolving so I guess I doing it right...

[deviousxen]

I take estrogen under the tongue.
IT is noticably less hard on my liver.
I do notice a difference.
My liver hurts when I just swallow it.
It doesn't this way.

Sara

... Thats Scary.

[lady amarant]

I take estrogen under the tongue.
IT is noticably less hard on my liver.
I do notice a difference.
My liver hurts when I just swallow it.
It doesn't this way.

Sara

Wow. Thanks for sharing that - I will definitely be looking into patces or gels as an alternative to pills, I think.

[gothique11]

I take estrace, it dissolves very quickly for me, like, in a minute, sometimes a tiny bit more. Two at most. *shurgs*

[Tanya1]

I take estrace, it dissolves very quickly for me, like, in a minute, sometimes a tiny bit more. Two at most. *shurgs*

I think it depends on your ph level too.

anyway....is their a special type of estrofem? or is ALL estrofem meds designed for sublingual use?

[Audrey]

Actually Lady amarant the patches are superior to the pills as you get a steadier dose of E that bybasses the liver.  I started on the patches and it was awesome, but my skin is really sensitive and I developed a sensitivity to the adhesive that caused me to itch like you wouldn't believe.  The patches wouldn't even be on for 24 hours and my skin would start to react.     Thereafter I was switched to sublingual estrofem.

Audrey

[Jordan]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When you swallow a pill of estrogen, only about 1/30th of it is actually absorbed into the blood stream.

Your doctor knows this and is accounting for it...

Have you ever seen a patch? The amount of actual Estrogen is labeled at like .1mg...

so heres the deal all the estrogen in the patch is dissolved into the blood stream

If you take the pill by dissolving it under your tounge, you are going to be taking in TOO MUCH estrogen, you should not put it under your tounge, because the pill was designed to dissolve in the stomach, and be absorbed by the intestine wall, but only .1mg of it.

Taking it under your tounge will effectively be like tripling your dose that you were prescribed... Which is dangerous...

If you would like to challenge me on this, I would be happy to PM you the phone number of the most prominent Endo in the state of Colorado, she will also be speaking at the Gold Rush, and she was considering speaking of this subject at the Gold Rush...

Posted on: February 15, 2008, 01:53:40 PMI would like to add, that there is Estrogen Designed for sublingual consumption,

But if you are prescribed like Estrodiol, and it doesnt say sublingual  on it, IT ISNT....

[lady amarant]

Actually Lady amarant the patches are superior to the pills as you get a steadier dose of E that bybasses the liver.  I started on the patches and it was awesome, but my skin is really sensitive and I developed a sensitivity to the adhesive that caused me to itch like you wouldn't believe.  The patches wouldn't even be on for 24 hours and my skin would start to react.     Thereafter I was switched to sublingual estrofem.

Audrey

Thanks Audrey. Here's hoping I don't run into the same problems if I do patch!

Though I've actually been looking at the Gels like Sandrena and Estrogel and such. Anybody used them to good effect?

[Jordan]

I take estrogen under the tongue.
IT is noticably less hard on my liver.
I do notice a difference.
My liver hurts when I just swallow it.
It doesn't this way.

Sara

Wow. Thanks for sharing that - I will definitely be looking into patces or gels as an alternative to pills, I think.

Dont take it to heart, something is wrong if your liver is hurting.

Pills do not do this, in the right amount....

SARAH I RECCOMEND GOING AND SEEING YOUR DOCTOR THAT PRESCRIBED THEM IMMEDIATLY, or dropping the dose...

[deviousxen]

I take estrace, it dissolves very quickly for me, like, in a minute, sometimes a tiny bit more. Two at most. *shurgs*

I think it depends on your ph level too.

anyway....is their a special type of estrofem? or is ALL estrofem meds designed for sublingual use?

I was curious about this too. It says "Oral" and I'm wondering which freakin' oral they are talking about. Maybe there are different variations.

[Tanya1]

I take estrace, it dissolves very quickly for me, like, in a minute, sometimes a tiny bit more. Two at most. *shurgs*

I think it depends on your ph level too.

anyway....is their a special type of estrofem? or is ALL estrofem meds designed for sublingual use?

I was curious about this too. It says "Oral" and I'm wondering which freakin' oral they are talking about. Maybe there are different variations.

lol- I think it's the same but I making sure so I don't hinder my results...

[Sarah]

I take estrogen under the tongue.
IT is noticably less hard on my liver.
I do notice a difference.
My liver hurts when I just swallow it.
It doesn't this way.

Sara

Wow. Thanks for sharing that - I will definitely be looking into patces or gels as an alternative to pills, I think.

Under the tounge isn't bad.
It works fine for me.
It's much more cost effective anyway.
Just a thought..

Sara

Mara:
No, I have a sensative liver.
I always have.
Has to do with some old issues.
So avoiding liver roughness is a priority to me.
I like being kind to my liver.
It's been good to me 
So don't worry about it.
I mentioned it because I can detect it.
So it does have an impact.
Somthing people might want to consider when choosing meds.

Sara