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Question for all the ladies, my E levels have historically been all_over_the_map, like crazy. Ranging over the last 12 months from 800 to 240 to 600 on my most recent test. I'm on a pretty low dose of injectables and have no desire to go back to pills. Testing is *always* on Thursday morning which is day 6 in a 7 day cycle.

However, my dr is getting worried that I might need to go to pills or patch (hard no on the patch) because we've had such a hard time getting this stabilized. Of course GRS threw a small additional wrinkle in there.

Question is if you had this problem how did you solve it. I am looking for thoughts from those who personally had this problem on injected Delestrogen or Estrogen Valerate IM. I am wondering if maybe moving from injecting in the thigh to the arm would have an effect. Also, I'm fairly lean though no longer rail skinny (5'10, 170#, 29 waist) so the thought that it's just not metabolizing is confusing but where my thinking is at the moment.

While I understand that some on here believe that the total E level doesn't matter, both my physician and I do not subscribe to that and want to be within the normal female, non-menopausal range. Please do not try to convince me of that :)

(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190216/dc47eb669dc2fd33e0c866bdf8f95301.jpg)

Hmm, the only suggestion I can make would be to try subcutaneous admin, it has a slightly different absorption profile. This may help balance out the levels. 

Quote from: PurplePelican on February 16, 2019, 07:20:06 AM
Hmm, the only suggestion I can make would be to try subcutaneous admin, it has a slightly different absorption profile. This may help balance out the levels.

I also had a similar thought but my dr hasn't really had a lot of experience with that. Do you have any details on how that absorbs differently than IM or personal experience with both?

It really depends on how much and often you're injecting.

Those levels look fine to me.

You want your E to be above 250 to suppress T.  I try to keep mine around the 500 times o 700 range.  It helps with skin more when going over 500.

Anything over 600 does nothing.

If your blood levels are ok I see no concern.  I'm not your doctor.  My doctor is happy with my results.  You're injecting a safe and natural source estrogen.

As you posted cis women can go as high as 5000 or less n some cases higher.

I also use Progesterone.  I don't use AA's.

Quote from: CindyLouFromCO on February 16, 2019, 08:52:36 AM
It really depends on how much and often you're injecting.

Those levels look fine to me.

You want your E to be above 250 to suppress T.  I try to keep mine around the 500 times o 700 range.  It helps with skin more when going over 500.

Anything over 600 does nothing.

If your blood levels are ok I see no concern.  I'm not your doctor.  My doctor is happy with my results.  You're injecting a safe and natural source estrogen.

As you posted cis women can go as high as 5000 or less n some cases higher.

I also use Progesterone.  I don't use AA's.

I need my E levels to be in normal range for a non pregnant, non menopausal female, and 600 is 2-3x what it should be in a trough reading. Neither my physician or I subscribe to the "it doesn't matter if it's too high" line of thinking and 500-700 is well outside normal which would be in the 200s for 3 of 4 weeks in a typical menstrual cycle.

I have no need to suppress T... I am post op and my T is <3 for last 2 years.

I have a love hate relationship with progesterone (micronized). But am not aware of any impact that would have on matabolizing estradiol Valerate.


NO DOSAGES

Quote from: jill610 on February 16, 2019, 09:19:55 AM


I need my E levels to be in normal range for a non pregnant, non menopausal female, and 600 is 2-3x what it should be in a trough reading. Neither my physician or I subscribe to the "it doesn't matter if it's too high" line of thinking and 500-700 is well outside normal which would be in the 200s for 3 of 4 weeks in a typical menstrual cycle.

I have no need to suppress T... I am post op and my T is <3 for last 2 years.

I have a love hate relationship with progesterone (micronized). But am not aware of any impact that would have on matabolizing estradiol Valerate.

There was someone that has the same "problem" that had a post about this a few weeks ago.  Maybe she deleted it as I can't find it now.

If you like injections I guess try cutting back even more.

Good luck!






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I have done both IM  and subcut...IM injection spikes my levels like crazy...subcut is supposed to  have a gentler curve.   I inject into my belly fat but any area with a decent amount of fat is ok

Quote from: CindyLouFromCO on February 16, 2019, 09:43:43 AM
There was someone that has the same "problem" that had a post about this a few weeks ago.  Maybe she deleted it as I can't find it now.

If you like injections I guess try cutting back even more.

Good luck!

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Thanks for the "help", or complete lack of.

Now back to my topic...

Quote from: mako9802 on February 16, 2019, 07:42:58 PM
I have done both IM  and subcut...IM injection spikes my levels like crazy...subcut is supposed to  have a gentler curve.   I inject into my belly fat but any area with a decent amount of fat is ok

My situation is I have had to go down several sizes in syringes just to measure the rather minimal dose (so it's quite small) and even after a week, it is measuring 2-3x higher than it should.

My understanding is subcut absorbs more slowly so the trough and peak should be closer? but it seems I'm just not metabolizing it.

Getting threats from GP that she will discontinue if we can't get it under control so looking to see others who have had similar experiences.

As per a recent published study in a journal of endocrinology, it was stated that increased periodicity (of levels) from sublingual or injections was not harmful, just harder to monitor.

Also, there is no evidence in any journal that levels above 200 pg/ml are harmful and increase health risks significantly. Cisfemales' levels do not remain at 200 during 3 of 4 weeks of a cycle, they go up and down quite drastically and nothing indicates that an average of that is ideal either for ciswomen or transwomen. Many assumptions made, no evidence noted. Just saying...this is the state of where we are at the moment. Studies in women on pellets/injections have shown supraphysiological levels to actually be quite safe. So there is actually evidence to the contrary.

Muscles have rich vascular supply AS OPPOSED to subcutaneous fat. The latter is usually advised when slow and sustained action is desired.

I have two thoughts with one being really screwball. The first, have your doctor approve a blood test just before you inject. Testing mid point really doesn't give you the true low which might give you a better idea what's going one. It also wouldn't hurt if you could arrange a test about a day after your injection so you could get a peak reading.

Now for the screwball idea which really isn't so far out. It's possible that you're a variation on intersex and you body is producing estrogen. Your T production could have been preventing E production but now your post surgical, there is nothing to prevent it. The test for this would be to go off estrogen long enough for your body to reach it's natural level.

There is something called estrogen insensitivity but if that's the case, your body wouldn't be responding to estrogen. I don't know enough about the condition to tell you what you're estrogen levels would do if you do have the condition but it's something to add to the list, probably to be eliminated.