Best method of HRT?

[Karla]

Mainlining estrogen is not fun at all.

Gosh, so estrogen to the blood stream too fast is kind of toxic!!
I have never given myself any shots of any kind, but is it possible to gently attempt drawing blood into the syringe to see if you actually hit a blood vessel??

[glendagladwitch]

To eliminate pain form injecting, I found that I could tap around with the needle tip until I found a patch of skin that didn't feel it, and just go in there.  Drawing back on the needle to see if there is blood is the thing to do.  I didn't even bleed at all after an injection, except a couple of times where I went through a vein on the way down into the muscle, and did not realize it until the injection was over and I bled a little when I pulled the needle out.  But the estrogen doen't get into the blood that way, so it's not a problem if that happens.

[Tammy Hope]

so when injecting you just pick a spot and stick it? no particular specifics except don't hit a vein?

I'd certainly prefer the benefits of injecting if it could be arranged.

what about the gel? Only one person here has mentioned it - does anyone have info on how the gel rates in comparison to the patch or the injections?

(I know it's a "liver saver" when compared to swallowing pills but otherwise?)

[Diane Elizabeth]

  My Dr started me on patches.  They do stay on in the shower.  I use 2 a week.

[pheonix]

so when injecting you just pick a spot and stick it? no particular specifics except don't hit a vein?

I'd certainly prefer the benefits of injecting if it could be arranged.

what about the gel? Only one person here has mentioned it - does anyone have info on how the gel rates in comparison to the patch or the injections?

(I know it's a "liver saver" when compared to swallowing pills but otherwise?)

Um... not just any spots - it's typically muscle rich and blood vessel poor areas - buttocks and thighs.  Make sure you alternate where to inject because you will scar if you don't move it around.

[Cruelladeville]

For Progynon D I use BD Micorfine insulin syringes.... takes longer to fill em, with another syringe you're not going to jab yerself with....

But then you get the benefit of stealth like minimal mark results and they go into smaller muscle fat deposits to get the best spread of places to jab...

[glendagladwitch]

Um... not just any spots - it's typically muscle rich and blood vessel poor areas - buttocks and thighs.  Make sure you alternate where to inject because you will scar if you don't move it around.

Yeah.  You don't want to go sticking it in your eye or anything like that. 

The doctor who writes the prescription will probably show you where to put it and will probably make you inject once in front of him, so he can observe your ability to do it.

Back in the day, I had to get separate prescriptions for the estrodiol valerate and for the syringes.  Pharmacists could be a little antsy about dispensing the syringes, and I experienced delay at times from a new pharmicist calling the doctor to confirm.  I had to wait several days once.  This was pre Interweb.  Yes, I'm that old.

[Rosa]

I used to use T patches     They never came off in the shower, but my skin reacted badly to the adhesive and I had red blotches and severe itching around the patches.  Later I switched to the gel, which I liked a lot better and felt it gave me a more steady dose.  The only side effect I noticed was small white spots around the areas that I applied the gel too.  I don't know if E gel does the same thing or not.  When using gel, you do have to be sensitive to not let it rub off on a partner. 

[lilacwoman]

/quote]

the estrogel comes in a pump dispenser and one pump/squirt is .75mg and that's what I've stayed on since my orchiectomy and the endo showed I had levels of 280 E and zero T.

I've had quite a few surgeries in recent years and am quite happy to have people stick needles in me when necessary (though I turn away when they use those humongous needles to take blood samples LOL) but hate the thought of doing it myself so I use the gel which is supposed to be absorbed through the skin and into the blood and hopefully does some good before its extracted by our kidneys or whatever.

being single and sleeping naked I spread the gel between my thighs and it stays moist for quite a while which I assume helps it penetrate my skin better.
I've been doing it for 18 months or so and no problems.
If I spread it on my upper arm it stays moist for ten minutes which seems to me a poor chance of being absorbed.

[pheonix]

[quote author=pheonix


the estrogel comes in a pump dispenser and one pump/squirt is .75mg and that's what I've stayed on since my orchiectomy and the endo showed I had levels of 280 E and zero T.

I've had quite a few surgeries in recent years and am quite happy to have people stick needles in me when necessary (though I turn away when they use those humongous needles to take blood samples LOL) but hate the thought of doing it myself so I use the gel which is supposed to be absorbed through the skin and into the blood and hopefully does some good before its extracted by our kidneys or whatever.

being single and sleeping naked I spread the gel between my thighs and it stays moist for quite a while which I assume helps it penetrate my skin better.
I've been doing it for 18 months or so and no problems.
If I spread it on my upper arm it stays moist for ten minutes which seems to me a poor chance of being absorbed.

LOL - not one of my quotes

[jade]

Girls, don't stress if you do not like injections, you can always get long term estrogen implants; Set and Forget 

[glendagladwitch]

I'm about to start transdermals and I hope they work for me.  If not, can somoeone give me info on where to get the implants?  I used to know a girls who flew out to CA every 6 months to get hers, but that seems like an awfully pricey way to go.  What about the gel?  Is that for, you know, inside the va jay jay?

[NikkiJ]

I was about 50 when I started on Premarin. I used to know someone that swore that the injections were more effective in less time, but that person turned out to be someone totally untrustworthy and a manipulator. I did originally want the shots though.

Fast forward...Doesn't matter now that I'm post op, and have my silicone breast implants.

Now, I am going to switch endos, since this guy refuses to give me anything but Premarin. I'm going to switch to estradiol.

[CaitJ]

If you don't have a compromised liver (heavy drinking, hepatitis, etc) then pills won't be a problem. Your liver can handle the load, so long as you're not on a ridiculously high dose.

[CaitJ]

Thank the giver goddess that I get to stop taking that damn spiro too, that stuff makes me pee like a demon every 3 minutes.  I'm really tired of that too.

On the advice of my endocrinologist, I've stayed on anti-androgens after SRS. This can counteract any freak-outs from your adrenals and prevent the return of any unwanted hair. Next appointment we're going to discuss reducing my dose and weaning me off them slowly.

[CaitJ]

Maybe they can get me some other T blocker that isn't diuretic in nature.

I'm on Cyproterone Acetate, I've never had any pee problems 

[Aidan_]

Thank the giver goddess that I get to stop taking that damn spiro too, that stuff makes me pee like a demon every 3 minutes.  I'm really tired of that too.

Surely you exaggerate.....right? I'm pretty sure if I had to go more than once every hour I'd lose my mind.

[Tammy Hope]

I'm about to start transdermals and I hope they work for me.  If not, can somoeone give me info on where to get the implants?  I used to know a girls who flew out to CA every 6 months to get hers, but that seems like an awfully pricey way to go.  What about the gel?  Is that for, you know, inside the va jay jay?

No, you can put the cream almost anywhere, IIRC, and it would be my prefered method if I can afford a choice.

[justmeinoz]

This is interesting because I have just finished a 5 year program of monthly injections for allergy to bee stings and I am sick of needles.
The gel or implants sound like a good way to go, how long do they last  Jade?

[Stephanie.Izann]

I'm on E patches and I have had really great results. I've developed curves and I was told by the doctor that I was way ahead of the game based on what she saw.  I've been on them since Sept 30th.  I take pill form of Spiro.
So I am not complaining.