Is it true that the shots are more effective that the pills?

[Sabrina]

My doctor recommended pills instead of shots. I guess it's different for everyone.

[Laura_7]

Does anyone know a place that compounds pellets or would ship in mail (with a prescription of course).  I've asked compounding places, even my endocrinologist, and they have no clue about pellets.  Wish I could add thyroid to it too..  but just have nobody to send my Dr to talk to?

You could look up compounding pharmacies. There are a few in the us. From other places I'd look for quality, because a quality production is important for a steady dose.
They even deliver international, to medical personnel. 
Available should be estrogen, bioidentical progesterone and different, even very low doses of testosterone.

There is further information online at some of them, like leaflets with some info for endos (mostly for menopausal treatment though) because its not that common.

And, well, there are a few endos who do pellet treatment...

[Allyda]

When I was on pills my E wouldn't get above 168 pg/ml. I've been on injections for 7 months now, and my E floats around 450 to 550 pg/ml. So for me injections work much better than the pills ever did or could.

I'm intersex tho and genetically female(female hermaphrodite) so my genetics makes things more complicated for me at least. Having said that, In my observations of friends on this website and others the injections tend to yield better results, and are liver friendly no matter whether your intersex , mtf, etc, etc, etc. As for myself and my well being, I know the injections are a better solution -IMHO that is.

Peace
Ally

[Nati]

For me shot also are better than pills, before on pills+gel ( high dosage ) i was around 200pg/ml, now i'm third week on shots and my E levels are around 800pg/ml ( 4 days after shoot )
Also me and my friends see how fast my body start to change now.

[michelle666]

I started off on the pills, then they moved me to patches and that only lasted about a week and a half because they wouldn't stay on and caused a really bad rash. I'm now on the injections and am completely happy with the results.

[Lara1969]

I was on patches for 15 months and I am not satiesfied. I will now try injections (Neofollin). They hard hard to get here in Germany but I get a prescription from my doc and the pharmacy has ordered them from Czech Republic.

Lara

[mmmmm]

BTW, higher pg/ml of estrogen levels doesn't equal better feminization, or faster feminization. Efficient level is the highest level one needs, and what is an efficient level for somebody might not be efficient enough for other. And you can only tell if it's working by real life results, not labtest results. How much your body can feminize is much more than E delivery method (and pg/ml levels) dependent on your genetics, and how much damage was caused by testosterone poisoning. If one has good feminizing results while measured 200 pg/ml, having estrogen levels at 800 pg/ml or more will not likely cause better results, but it could that much more likely cause unwanted and potentially dangerous side effects.

[FrancisAnn]

I've been on patches for over a year. If I change I'd like a nice pellet implant so there is nothing to do but relax. Shots make me nervous.

[CB]

I think what comes out of this discussion is that everyone is different. There's no absolute right or wrong as to the best delivery method. some people have more success with one than the other. Estradot patches have worked great for me and the doctors at the GIC are well satisfied. The other thing with transdermals is the much much lower risk of blood clots especially if you are over 40 like I am.  Key to all this is how your blood levels respond which is the ultimate measure if it's getting into your system.  For me that's been Oestrogen of around 550-600 and T of around 1.8   But that may not work for everyone. Some people do get more, or less, feminsation from different levels. We are all different.  Bottom line is see what your blood levels are and what your doctors say!

[Nati]

BTW, higher pg/ml of estrogen levels doesn't equal better feminization, or faster feminization. Efficient level is the highest level one needs, and what is an efficient level for somebody might not be efficient enough for other. And you can only tell if it's working by real life results, not labtest results. How much your body can feminize is much more than E delivery method (and pg/ml levels) dependent on your genetics, and how much damage was caused by testosterone poisoning. If one has good feminizing results while measured 200 pg/ml, having estrogen levels at 800 pg/ml or more will not likely cause better results, but it could that much more likely cause unwanted and potentially dangerous side effects.

Yes, thats true.
I got a lot better body feminisation with shots despite my E levels.
I'm on Neofollin too.

[Allyda]

I think what comes out of this discussion is that everyone is different. There's no absolute right or wrong as to the best delivery method. some people have more success with one than the other. Estradot patches have worked great for me and the doctors at the GIC are well satisfied. The other thing with transdermals is the much much lower risk of blood clots especially if you are over 40 like I am.  Key to all this is how your blood levels respond which is the ultimate measure if it's getting into your system.  For me that's been Oestrogen of around 550-600 and T of around 1.8   But that may not work for everyone. Some people do get more, or less, feminsation from different levels. We are all different.  Bottom line is see what your blood levels are and what your doctors say!

This^^^^^ is so true! I couldn't have said it any better!!

Ally

[Zoetrope]

Really, I am just happy to be on HRT full stop.

Per oral medication is working out just fine for me. I'm very happy with the results.

How much estrogen one has in their system isn't going to make for a successful transition in itself. It's what is up here (*taps her head*) that counts.

[Eva]

I had a good start on the pills and patches and gel all at once   I felt a lot better on gel and patches but that was way too much fuss slathering all the gel on, patches falling off and sucking on the pills... While feminization was good even at a pretty low level of E for all I was taking it was just way too much to deal with every day.... I like taking a shot every five days and forgetting about it and things certainly are moving along nicely on EV injections   So for me they are much better

[monica93304]

For me having done both, the pills have a steadier approach, whereas the shots have a noticeable boost that tails off until your next shot. 

Pills = less mood swings for me.

[Newgirl Dani]

Nationally renowned clinics. for example University of California San Francisco Transhealth Clinic (The Center of Excellence for Transgender Health), do not even test estradiol serum blood levels, only rate of femininization and overall health.  Just spoke with one of their doctors by phone the other day.  Serum levels are far too unpredictable and not considered indicators of any one reproducible, verifiable biological outcome.   Dani

P.S.  UCSF is having a national transgender health summit next month, April 17, 18., and they have downloadable protocols for health care providers.  Oh and yeah, shots work well for me.

[victoria n]

why not ask an endo. we are not experts on sex hormones.   

[DanaDane]

I'm bringing this back from the dead. 

Was on patches for nine months.  Levels were great.  E was 363 pg/ml and T was 10ng/dl (my T was 415 when I started).

Switched to injections in February and it's a much higher dosage.  (If the numbers are comparable.. I guess it to be 5x more of a dose weekly).

I'm noticing some problems.

1.  Acne
2.  Hair falling out
3.  Increased growth/darker facial hair
4.   Increased morning wood. (It's happened 3 times this week alone).
5.  Problems sleeping
6.  Stress
7.  Cranky.

I have labs tomorrow.  I've consistently been on 200mg of spiro but from what I'm reading it's either

1.  High DHEA
2.  E dominance
3.  T coming back to life.

It's only been 2 months.  Is this enough time to panic.  Should I lower the dose?  Has all the E in me flared up T that has practically been eliminated?


The increased/darker facial hair drives me nuts.  I've been doing laser and the last two times right before the amount of dark hair on my face/neck has gotten worse and the darker hairs on my chest and I don't want to lose the hair on my head. 

Any ideas/suggestions.   

[Laura_7]

What kind of estrogen are you on ? Estradiol valerate ?

What is your method of application ? Intramuscular ?


hugs

[DanaDane]

EV and in the butt.     

What kind of estrogen are you on ? Estradiol valerate ?

What is your method of application ? Intramuscular ?


hugs

[KayXo]

Everything points to the injections being less effective and giving you LESS E, not more than when on patches. E dominance is a myth, not scientifically substantiated. DHEA is actually sometimes suppressed due to E. How often do you inject?

E helps with sleep, clears acne due to sebum suppressive effects, is anti-androgenic, is a mood enhancer.