My new doc has prescribed me estradiol hemihydrate instead of estradiol valerate. I've only just noticed to be honest - I thought estradiol was estradiol was estradiol. Much of a difference between the two forms of estradiol, or are they pretty much the same thing when it comes to growing boobs and suchlike?
The interesting difference lies with the possibility of using the alternative routes of sub-lingual/buccal administration of the hemihydrate {micronised} form.
Google using the combined search terms: "Sublingual versus Oral Estrogen" and "Transas City" and an interesting article on that site, will explain in great detail. (sorry, but I believe direct links aren`t permitted in posts).
Thanks CollieLass. I've been taking my estradiol (valerate) sublingually for quite some time now and the results have been reasonable. The new drug though (the estradiol hemihydrate) - I've been taking that sublingually for a couple of weeks, but only just realized that it's not the same stuff that I had been taking beforehand. Yikes! Or maybe not.
But yeah, sublingual is the way to go.
Hemi-hydrate was an alternative forumlation which was developed when it became apparent that a small number of people have a genetic variation which makes it impossible for their bodies to respond to valerate - these people typically do not feminize on valerate because their bodies cannot use it. Switch them to hemi-hydrate and they do just fine. So in short its a superior formulation. I've been on it for as long as it has been available (about ten or more years now). Before that I took the dreaded premarin for 25 years.