Susan's Place Transgender Resources

I've heard that shots are better and work faster but I'm scared! I've also heard that taking pills long term damage your liver and as a result can cause you to gain weight. =/ I'm so scared of needles but I'd deal with it if shots are the best way.

I use pills subliminally.  As long as you get check regularly, your liver will be fine.  If your doctor uses shots then go that way.  But pills are just as safe, if you get regular blood tests.

oh okay..thanks!! :D

Yeah, sublingual saves one trip through the liver. Another safety measure is to keep dosage moderate. Extra high dosage doesn't cause greater or faster breast tissue growth, but it can lead to increased risk of thrombosis and liver damage.

Listen to your doctor.

Robyn

Quote from: Janet Lynn on August 22, 2010, 05:49:14 PM
I use pills subliminally.  As long as you get check regularly, your liver will be fine.  If your doctor uses shots then go that way.  But pills are just as safe, if you get regular blood tests.

I think you meant to say "sub-lingualy": ie placed under the tongue.  ;)

Quote from: andthenwekisss on August 22, 2010, 05:42:57 PM
I've heard that shots are better and work faster but I'm scared! I've also heard that taking pills long term damage your liver and as a result can cause you to gain weight. =/ I'm so scared of needles but I'd deal with it if shots are the best way.

Few docs use injectables much anymore. This was more popular years ago. Pill or patch are the 2 main methods of E administration. Under 40, pill... over 40, patch. The key with the pill is to make sure it is the "micronized" version, as this will allow it to be absorbed thru the skin under the tongue.

As for liver function, this is why you need to see your endo or GP doc every 2-6 months at first, so they can take blood and test it to see if your liver is functioning properly.
:)

I use patches. They bypass your liver too so are kinder than pills. Also your dose is pretty consistent so you don't get big fluctations in your day to day E levels. But they are pretty unsexy the patches. Mine always get a dark ring of fluff around them by the end of the week. But you do only need to remember to change them once a week which is a real bonus.

Thanks for all the info!! :D

Quote from: Nicky on August 22, 2010, 10:39:59 PM
I use patches. They bypass your liver too so are kinder than pills. Also your dose is pretty consistent so you don't get big fluctations in your day to day E levels. But they are pretty unsexy the patches. Mine always get a dark ring of fluff around them by the end of the week. But you do only need to remember to change them once a week which is a real bonus.

So the patches won't accidentally come off in the shower or anything? I have been wondering this for some time actually...

so does that mean that you constantly have a patch stuck to your body somewhere? I'll stick to pills thanks! :P

They are made to stay on for 24 hours, regardless of what you do.  I can not use them, contact dermatitis.  That is why I can't use the patches to quit smoking.

Quote from: Janet Lynn on August 23, 2010, 12:06:44 AM
They are made to stay on for 24 hours, regardless of what you do.  I can not use them, contact dermatitis.  That is why I can't use the patches to quit smoking.

Try the electronic cigarettes. I think that would be helpful.

I used to take Premarin pills and had no bad effects but then due to my age me and my GP decided to try something else so I went to Estrogel which is a nice thin gel that I put on inside of thighs so it stays moist and hopefully soaks in well.
I was not sure of costs so I looked online and found that Estrogela nd Premarin pills cost the same to get the same amount of E while injectable E was 50% more plus there woudl be the cost fo the syringes and wipes?

Quote from: lilacwoman on August 23, 2010, 04:19:26 AM
I used to take Premarin pills and had no bad effects but then due to my age me and my GP decided to try something else so I went to Estrogel which is a nice thin gel that I put on inside of thighs so it stays moist and hopefully soaks in well.
I was not sure of costs so I looked online and found that Estrogela nd Premarin pills cost the same to get the same amount of E while injectable E was 50% more plus there woudl be the cost fo the syringes and wipes?

The needles and wipes are really inconsequential costs -- I pay $0.20 per needle and far less on that per wipe and band aid.

All good points and advice.

The first thing you need to do is meet with your medical practitioner and get blood work done to establish baselines then discuss the best delivery method for the HRT.  Remember what is good for some may not be good for you and visea-versa.  Medical issues could preclude you from using certain delivery methods, and while all are generally safe, each has it's draw backs.  Discuss it with your doctor.

Steph

A lot of transsexuals abuse hormones thinking the more they take, the more they will feminize.

Hormones can only do certain things if you already completed puberty, everyone has different genes and are at different stages in their life, so the effects will vary amongst individuals.

The best bet is to go see an endocrinologist, they know how to arrange the minimum dosage you need whilst promoting maximum effects.

In my personal experience, I have found estrogen injections to be superior compared to pills.

I like Progynon Depot, its been around for a while. I buy mine from alldaychemist.com
You need to scan or fax your prescription first.

About the weight issue; regardless of what you take, weight gaining problem is common amongst transsexuals especially post-ops as they age. Then again, tendency to gain weight is a problem for many women too, its just how it is.

I personally prefer to be a healthy looking attractive female than have a boy's body.

That's just me.

ahahaha

>:-)

I currently take estrogen sublingually (under tongue) and Progesterone and Spiro just orally.

I also take lots of other supplements/vitamins recommended by my doctor, such as Milk Thistle which helps your liver.

A lot of my friends say injections helped their boobs grow so much better and faster so I'm tempted to go that route but I hate the fact that I'd need someone to poke me every week...I like depending on myself. yet I can't do needles haha.

Quote from: Jerica on August 26, 2010, 02:58:43 PMA lot of my friends say injections helped their boobs grow so much better and faster

So far as I know, there's no studies proving that.  But in asking around transfolks I've met over the years, all but one of them who exceeded B-cup with their development were on both injectionables for estrogen and some sort of progesterone.  The one who didn't was on sublingual e and progesterone.  Hardly scientific, but something which fascinated me enough to ask around when I meet someone new.

Quote from: andthenwekisss on August 22, 2010, 05:42:57 PM
I've heard that shots are better and work faster but I'm scared! I've also heard that taking pills long term damage your liver and as a result can cause you to gain weight. =/ I'm so scared of needles but I'd deal with it if shots are the best way.

Shots will always give you the best results the fastest.  The doctor that i was with prescribed both and did some research of his own, and it seemed the girls that got regular shots developed almost 2 times as fast.  In my case i had a full years progression in only 6 months, on shots.  You get used to it, doesnt hurt all the time especially if you get a really good nurse that knows what she is doing you wont even feel it.

I did shots initially and then switched to pills later.  I did my own shots.  It was easy.  I have more trouble remembering to take my pills or whether or not I took it already.  I travel more now that I'm older and I wonder if I went back to shots if I would have trouble getting them through airport security.

I think I'll get the shots if it helps faster development!! :D

Quote from: Dee_pntx on August 26, 2010, 08:52:53 PM
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??

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.

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?)

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

Quote from: Tammy Hope on August 27, 2010, 12:29:52 AM
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.

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...

Quote from: pheonix on August 27, 2010, 07:07:55 AM
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.

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. 

Quote from: pheonix
/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.

Quote from: lilacwoman on August 27, 2010, 10:00:19 AM
[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

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

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?

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.

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.

Quote from: Dee_pntx on December 27, 2010, 10:28:42 PM
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.

Quote from: Dee_pntx on December 27, 2010, 10:52:55 PM
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  :)

Quote from: Dee_pntx on December 27, 2010, 10:28:42 PM

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.

Quote from: glendagladwitch on December 27, 2010, 09:14:23 PM
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.

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?

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.

By the way, I've often heard that taking Spiro was a temporary thing and after a period of time T production was killed off enough that it was no longer nec4essary - how long does that take?

(I'm dreading the "pee all the time" effect)