Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Hello, (I posted this in another site but since there was a HRT specific area, I thought I should ask.)

So I've noticed that by the time my EV injection serums only have about 2 shots left in the bottle, they seem to almost lose their effectiveness.

The first few times, I didn't exactly put two and two together as I was still new to injections and their effects but after noticing it from my last bottle and the one before that, I am starting to wonder. I noticed that I feel some of my changes are reverting back and I am extremely irritable. I'm almost tempted to use the new bottle I have saved up inject myself even though I just injected a few days ago. I feel that craziness and irritability from when I started HRT and I feel like I need to calm down since my body is craving E bad.

I really hope it's in my head but I'm starting to seriously wonder and google hasn't been any help.
Has anyone experienced this or know what's up?

Welcome to Susan's Place. I have always been on pills so I don't have experience with this but the main factor is storage conditions. Heat, cold and light can break down many medications so you need to consider storage very carefully. Any special storage conditions should be listed on the bottle. A second consideration is that your blocker has issues and may need adjustment. I would consider contacting your endo for another blood test and possible medication adjustment. I would avoid a second injection because if it's a blocker issue, you are not addressing the primary issue so it may not help much.

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I'm no medical person , but I doubt the estrogen would lose anything in such a short time. The bottles are well sealed and as long as you keep it in the temp range it should be all right.

The "esters", Valerate or Cypionate, can only be separated from the estradiol molecule in the human body.  These esters are what make the estradiol longer lasting.  Pure estradiol would only last a few hours at most.

This breakdown just can't happen in the vial.  So the "halflife" is not a factor there.

Even though the vial has an expiration date, as do all medicines, they are typically very arbitrary.  Recent studies by the US Department of Defense have shown that most drugs are safe and effective years, even decades, after their expiration dates. ( Shelf Life Extension Program ).

I've read that you should only use 3ml's of a 5ml vial and discard the rest, but my insurance wouldn't approve refills that soon, so I use the whole vial. I am on tablets also, so the EV isn't my only source; anyway, I'm looking into pellet therapy so I can do away with oral and IM estrogen, and also sustain a consistent estrogen level.

I also suspected this might be the case and just to test it out, I had my estradiol levels measured after injecting the bottom of the vial (only 2 ml was left out of 5 ml). My estradiol was still high, just as high when I inject the first 1-2 ml of the vial.

Kay, you are one of the most knowledgable people on Susans.  Is this "tongue in cheek" or do you really think the stuff in the bottom of the vial might somehow be different?

Quote from: KayXo on June 15, 2016, 12:59:08 PM
I also suspected this might be the case and just to test it out, I had my estradiol levels measured after injecting the bottom of the vial (only 2 ml was left out of 5 ml). My estradiol was still high, just as high when I inject the first 1-2 ml of the vial.

I didn't express myself correctly. English is not my first language, by the way so bear with me LOL.  ;D

Meant to say...when I've used 3 ml of the 5 ml vial, the 2 ml that is left, I thought, seemed to be less potent, similar to the original poster's concerns BUT blood tests reveal, as expected, that I was wrong and that the remaining 1 or 2 ml is just as potent and didn't lose potency due to sitting there for longer.

Sorry. :(