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Community Conversation => Transsexual talk => Male to female transsexual talk (MTF) => Topic started by: eggy_nog on June 26, 2014, 12:47:30 PM

Title: HRT - Better to take gel all in morning, or spread over twice a day?
Post by: eggy_nog on June 26, 2014, 12:47:30 PM
So I'm on E only, and my doctor said if I wanted to I could use my full dose (spreading gel) in the morning, or do a half dose twice a day. So far I've been doing the latter, and my current bloods show that everything (T, free androgens, sex binding globulin and E) are all in complete normal female range. I've been on hrt for 4 and a quarter months now. Should I just keep it how I've been doing (ie twice a day) or switch/will it make any difference?

Thanks :)
Title: Re: HRT - Better to take gel all in morning, or spread over twice a day?
Post by: the old mare on June 26, 2014, 12:49:41 PM
If its working as you're currently doing it, then I'd say continue as you are.
Title: Re: HRT - Better to take gel all in morning, or spread over twice a day?
Post by: Jill F on June 26, 2014, 12:53:24 PM
Yes, I agree wholeheartedly.  If it ain't broke, don't fix it!  Congrats on getting there so quickly, BTW.
Title: Re: HRT - Better to take gel all in morning, or spread over twice a day?
Post by: eggy_nog on June 26, 2014, 01:29:13 PM
Thank youu :) Yeah it's very surprising. I was also expecting my doctor to be more surprised, but he didn't seem to be.
Title: Re: HRT - Better to take gel all in morning, or spread over twice a day?
Post by: Squircle on June 26, 2014, 03:24:35 PM
Hi, I have been using gel (E only) for about 5 months (are you with Dr Curtis by chance?) and I do the same; one dose in the morning, one before I go to bed. Dr Curtis said that most of his patients do this but it was OK to apply both doses at once.

My hormone levels responded the same as yours, and are now all in female ranges. Because its clearly having the right outcome, I don't think I'll be changing the way I use the gel. Anyway, I'm a creature of habit :D
Title: Re: HRT - Better to take gel all in morning, or spread over twice a day?
Post by: eggy_nog on June 26, 2014, 08:29:54 PM
Yes I am with Dr Curtis!!

I tried it today, but think I'm going back to doing it twice a day :)
Title: Re: HRT - Better to take gel all in morning, or spread over twice a day?
Post by: Squircle on June 27, 2014, 01:03:27 PM
Thought so  ;)

To be honest I was a bit dubious when Dr Curtis first said that I didn't need anti-androgens/blockers, but everything has worked out just fine so far (on a different forum some people had very strong opinions about it!). And like you say, when he saw my blood test results he seemed pleased but not surprised.

I think the original reason I went with twice a day was because it seemed like a lot of gel to spread about in one go :D
Title: Re: HRT - Better to take gel all in morning, or spread over twice a day?
Post by: AnneB on June 27, 2014, 02:00:12 PM
I'm only curious, on pills myself, but with the gel, do you squirt half as much each time.. I'm guessing yes (dang, hope that dudnt make me look foolish).  I was on herbals, and split the doses same way, half with breakfast, half with dinner.. I figured it kept more-or-less constant dose during the day, rather than any spike and gradual ramp down.  Now on very low/micro dose E, Spiro and Finesteride, I only take them once every couple days.
Title: Sv: HRT - Better to take gel all in morning, or spread over twice a day?
Post by: Incarlina on June 27, 2014, 07:29:50 PM
At first I took all gel at once. But when androcur started giving me depression (I have switched to spiro since then), the only time I could feel sane was for a few hours after the gel, so I started splitting it up to get more sane hours per day. L
Title: Re: HRT - Better to take gel all in morning, or spread over twice a day?
Post by: eggy_nog on June 28, 2014, 02:25:33 PM
Quote from: Paula Christine on June 27, 2014, 02:00:12 PM
I'm only curious, on pills myself, but with the gel, do you squirt half as much each time.. I'm guessing yes (dang, hope that dudnt make me look foolish).  I was on herbals, and split the doses same way, half with breakfast, half with dinner.. I figured it kept more-or-less constant dose during the day, rather than any spike and gradual ramp down.  Now on very low/micro dose E, Spiro and Finesteride, I only take them once every couple days.

Noo the gel comes in small sachets. I take two sachets a day so was asking for advice on how to best spread it throughout the day :)
Title: Re: HRT - Better to take gel all in morning, or spread over twice a day?
Post by: Teela Renee on June 28, 2014, 05:13:08 PM
i take mine 4 times a day, when i wake up, lunch, dinner, and bed.