Susan's Place Transgender Resources

I'm suppose to start provera next month and I just realized I don't know if I'm suppose to swallow it or let it dissolve under my tongue, can anybody help by telling what they do?

Swallow it. The pill isn't made to be taken sublingually.

Thank you so much! I knew I I would forget to ask the doctor so I asked here.

I tried once to take Provera, Spiro and Premarin SUBLINGUALLY but...YUCKS!!!  :-\ It's to swallow sweetie.

Depo Provera is available for injection. I have used it for a long time, easier on the liver

Depo provera injections may be better than oral administration, but most of the health risks associated with HRT come from taking artificial estrogens (premarin) and progestins (such as depo provera.) Personally, I would ask my physician to prescribe estradiol instead of a conjugated estrogen such as premarin and bioidentical progesterone instead of a progestin product such as depo provera.

I am basing my preference about this on information available on the US FDA website summarizing the results of a very large study called the Women's Health Initiative which demonstrated increased risks when conjugated estrogens were combined with progestins. (the drug safety advisory is here: http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/InformationbyDrugClass/ucm135318.htm (http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/InformationbyDrugClass/ucm135318.htm)) Though it is clearly stated that the study looked at the use of conjugated estrogens (artificial estrogen-like drugs created in a lab to supposedly mimic estradiol) with progestins (again artificial progesterone-like drugs that supposedly mimic real progesterone) the FDA language continues to use estrogen as equivalent to conjugated estrogens when this is clearly not the case.

Check out the Q & A information (http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/InformationbyDrugClass/ucm135339.htm (http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/InformationbyDrugClass/ucm135339.htm)) provided by the FDA regarding the study, in particular items 7 and 8 regarding the new information on conjugated estrogen and conjugated estrogen and progestin drug products and increased health risks of the same. The increased incidence of breast cancer alone was enough to halt the study prematurely, but the study also found

QuoteEstrogens and progestins may increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, blood clots and breast cancer.

Granted, the increased risks amount to absolute numbers like 8 more cases of breast cancer, 7 more cases of heart attacks, 8 more cases of stroke, 18 more cases of blood clots in the lungs and legs, and 23 more cases of dementia in women over 65 years of age in every 10,000 women. However, if you can avoid even that small amount of risk over 30 or 40 or more years of HRT, seems to me like it's worth it to have a discussion with your doc.

Just trying to pass on information that may help keep others safe. An informed patient makes better healthcare decisions and is the BEST advocate for their optimum health.

I'd like to echo what chrishoney said, and add to it that you should listen to your body, see its response.

As an example, here's what happened to me a couple of nights ago to further emphasize that point.

I've increased my estrogen dosage from two pills to three a day, and took the pair of them in the evening. My right leg became extremely hot after a few minutes, and I googled the cause. One of the possibilities was a blood clot. Having done nothing that night, I wanted to see if the same happened the next, being in disbelief that at the age of 22, I would actually be clotting. But I was. To see if it really was a blood clot, I took an aspirin and it almost immediately relieved the warmth, and the feeling went back to normal. So now I take one estrogen pill in the morning, one in the afternoon and one in the evening to solve the issue, and haven't had it resurface since.

Again, listen to your body and how it responds to the drugs, even if you're on a doctor-prescribed regiment.

Quote from: Maja.V on January 09, 2012, 02:19:02 AM
I'd like to echo what chrishoney said, and add to it that you should listen to your body, see its response.

As an example, here's what happened to me a couple of nights ago to further emphasize that point.

I've increased my estrogen dosage from two pills to three a day, and took the pair of them in the evening. My right leg became extremely hot after a few minutes, and I googled the cause. One of the possibilities was a blood clot. Having done nothing that night, I wanted to see if the same happened the next, being in disbelief that at the age of 22, I would actually be clotting. But I was. To see if it really was a blood clot, I took an aspirin and it almost immediately relieved the warmth, and the feeling went back to normal. So now I take one estrogen pill in the morning, one in the afternoon and one in the evening to solve the issue, and haven't had it resurface since.

Again, listen to your body and how it responds to the drugs, even if you're on a doctor-prescribed regiment.


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I would suggest you see your Dr ASAP. If you are having clotting problems you are in severe danger of an embolism..

Quote from: Cindy James on January 09, 2012, 02:31:38 AM

I would suggest you see your Dr ASAP. If you are having clotting problems you are in severe danger of an embolism..

I've paid a visit to my GP and he said I took a too large dose at once, and splitting the intake throughout the day should help. If in doubt, I should take half an aspirin.

Thank you for the thoughtful advice, though.

Good

Hugs Hon

Cindy