Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Community Conversation => Transitioning => Hormone replacement therapy => Topic started by: Angélique LaCava on May 29, 2017, 02:40:12 PM

Title: I started doing my pills sublingual 3 weeks ago and feel like Im looking better
Post by: Angélique LaCava on May 29, 2017, 02:40:12 PM
So like I said I started the sublingual method 3 weeks ago, have been on hormones going on 18 months; since starting the sublingual method I feel like I'm looking more and more female each day, as some of you know I wasnt feeling too great about myself 3 weeks ago which lead me to try the sublingual method thinking my levels wernt high enough anymore since I've been on the same dose since the beginning and sublingual  is supposed to make the dose go a tad bit higher. Do y'all think I'm imagining this or could The sublingual method be making me look more female since my estrogen has went up?
Title: Re: I started doing my pills sublingual 3 weeks ago and feel like Im looking better
Post by: Aurorasky on May 29, 2017, 02:51:28 PM
do you buy normal pills for that or did you have to switch the brand? I'm interested, Thanks!!
Title: Re: I started doing my pills sublingual 3 weeks ago and feel like Im looking better
Post by: Angélique LaCava on May 29, 2017, 02:56:15 PM
Quote from: Aurorasky on May 29, 2017, 02:51:28 PM
do you buy normal pills for that or did you have to switch the brand? I'm interested, Thanks!!
i didn't have to switch brands, I havnt even talked to my doctor and I'm not going to because I feel great and don't want to risk her changing something. I split my dosage up every 7 hours. The pills I have are blue/green oval pills, The people who make it is Teva pharmaceuticals USA.
Title: Re: I started doing my pills sublingual 3 weeks ago and feel like Im looking better
Post by: CharleeGrrl on May 29, 2017, 03:04:46 PM
I've been on tabs since the begining, and I'm at the highest dosage permissable per my me, 1 tab 3 times a day. Works for me really well. My testosterone levels are at perfect level for a woman in her early twenties, and so are my estrogen levels. I think the pills slow for better control of this.

Sent from my K88 using Tapatalk

Title: Re: I started doing my pills sublingual 3 weeks ago and feel like Im looking better
Post by: Paige on May 29, 2017, 03:10:15 PM
I'm not really sure but there's a good post on http://transascity.org called "Sublingual versus Oral Estrogen".

I'm glad it's making you feel better.
Paige :)
Title: Re: I started doing my pills sublingual 3 weeks ago and feel like Im looking better
Post by: fefi on May 29, 2017, 05:59:04 PM
Hi girls, this is really an interesting post. I used to take my estradiol pills sublingually many years ago and I noticed that my feminization was perfect, the pills that I took were Estrofem, which contains estradiol hemyhidrate, micronized estradiol. Unfortunately these pills were discontinued in my country so my only choice is estradiol valerate pills, very similar in shape as Estrofem pills, and they dissolve easily under the tongue, but I feel the feminization is not the same with these estradiol valerate pills as the micronized pills. Maybe all of you in your country have some estradiol pills which are designed to take them sublingually? I continue taking my pills sublingually, maybe I will adjust the dosage and take a higher dose!!! My feminization has become very poor!!!
Title: Re: I started doing my pills sublingual 3 weeks ago and feel like Im looking better
Post by: Maybebaby56 on May 29, 2017, 06:48:40 PM
Hi Angélique,

If you search "sublingual" on this forum, you will see there are many discussions of this.  Sublingual administration definitely results in higher serum estradiol levels.  I have cited one of the classic papers on this, as have others: "Single-Dose Pharmacokinetics of Sublingual vs Oral Estradiol Administration of Micronized 17-beta-Estradiol" , Price, T. M., et al., Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vol. 89, No. 3, 1997, pp 340-345. You can Google it.

Regarding the rapid fall of E2 levels following administration, this may be immaterial.  There is evidence that the total bioavailability AUC (area under the curve) is more accurately correlated with biological effects, not peak serum levels: "Pharmacology of estrogens and progestogens: influence of different routes of administration" H. Kuhl, Climacteric, Vol. 8, Supplement 1, pp. 3-63 (2005).

@fefi -estradiol valerate should absorb very well sublingually, as it is even more lipophilic than estradiol.

Hope that helps.

With kindness,

Terri

Edit: Here is a link to the first paper - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9052581.
   
Title: Re: I started doing my pills sublingual 3 weeks ago and feel like Im looking better
Post by: Violets on May 29, 2017, 07:35:03 PM
I take estradiol orally and my levels are within the female range. Given that the bio-availability of estradiol is so much higher when taken sublingually (like 5 times higher than oral), wouldn't switching to sublingual push your levels dangerously high if you don't lower the dose to compensate?
Title: Re: I started doing my pills sublingual 3 weeks ago and feel like Im looking better
Post by: Angélique LaCava on May 29, 2017, 08:09:04 PM
Quote from: Violets on May 29, 2017, 07:35:03 PM
I take estradiol orally and my levels are within the female range. Given that the bio-availability of estradiol is so much higher when taken sublingually (like 5 times higher than oral), wouldn't switching to sublingual push your levels dangerously high if you don't lower the dose to compensate?
I divide my dosage so it's like taking a low dose, since I'm not taking the full dose all at once. I looked online and there was a chart showing my dosage and showed it  split up every 8 hours and the levels wernt that high, under 1,000 at the peak and at the last hour before the next pill they are at 200.
Title: Re: I started doing my pills sublingual 3 weeks ago and feel like Im looking better
Post by: Cimara on May 29, 2017, 08:27:26 PM
As it was explained to me, when you swallow the pill you lose some of the estrogen to the digestive process. When taken sublingal the entire dose of the pill is absorbed into your bloodstream. I do not know how true this is though it was a doctor who told me this. I take premarin which has a coating on it so I can not do sublingal.
Title: Re: I started doing my pills sublingual 3 weeks ago and feel like Im looking better
Post by: Reyes on May 29, 2017, 08:46:09 PM
I never heard of this, but I think I'm going to start trying it this way. But quick question. I was looking around and saw one site saying doing it this way it doesn't stay in your system as long and it's better to break the pill up into smaller doses every few hours. Did you do this? Or just take the whole thing at once?
Title: Re: I started doing my pills sublingual 3 weeks ago and feel like Im looking better
Post by: Dani on May 29, 2017, 09:11:59 PM
Quote from: Angélique LaCava on May 29, 2017, 02:40:12 PM
Do y'all think I'm imagining this or could The sublingual method be making me look more female since my estrogen has went up?

Angelique,

You look absolutely feminine, judging by your avatar. The rest of us can only hope to become as feminine as you.

Quote from: Reyes on May 29, 2017, 08:46:09 PM
...doing it this way it doesn't stay in your system as long and it's better to break the pill up into smaller doses every few hours. Did you do this? Or just take the whole thing at once?

Some girls take their Sublingual Estradiol two or three times a day because the blood levels drop off so rapidly. This is perfectly OK as long as your doctor knows how you are taking the Estradiol. Keep in mind that feminization is not dependent on blood levels, but more so on total amount absorbed and repeated doses. The blood levels just need to be in the normal female range.
Title: Re: I started doing my pills sublingual 3 weeks ago and feel like Im looking better
Post by: Paige on May 30, 2017, 11:01:45 AM
Quote from: Cimara on May 29, 2017, 08:27:26 PM
I take premarin which has a coating on it so I can not do sublingal.

Hi Cimara,

I'm surprised that your doctor has you on premarin.  I could be wrong but I think almost all doctors prescribe estradiol these days. 

Take care,
Paige :)

Title: Re: I started doing my pills sublingual 3 weeks ago and feel like Im looking better
Post by: Cimara on May 30, 2017, 01:43:18 PM
Hi Paige. Most Drs do prescribe estradiol. But mine prefers premarin. She says I can switch to estrace after I have srs. She prescribes a large dose of premarin and spironolactone daily and provera the last 10 days of the month. I had mentioned estrace when I started seeing her but she says what she is prescribing me is the protocol she uses with her mtf patients. I did not question her further. She treats a lot of trans people here in Florida. She manages my boyfriends testosterone as well.
Title: Re: I started doing my pills sublingual 3 weeks ago and feel like Im looking better
Post by: KayXo on June 05, 2017, 07:32:05 AM
Quote from: Cimara on May 30, 2017, 01:43:18 PMShe prescribes a large dose of premarin

Greatly increasing your risk of clotting. I would consult other doctors. Just my 2 cents...
Title: Re: I started doing my pills sublingual 3 weeks ago and feel like Im looking better
Post by: kelly_aus on June 05, 2017, 06:48:43 PM
Quote from: Cimara on May 30, 2017, 01:43:18 PM
Hi Paige. Most Drs do prescribe estradiol. But mine prefers premarin. She says I can switch to estrace after I have srs. She prescribes a large dose of premarin and spironolactone daily and provera the last 10 days of the month. I had mentioned estrace when I started seeing her but she says what she is prescribing me is the protocol she uses with her mtf patients. I did not question her further. She treats a lot of trans people here in Florida. She manages my boyfriends testosterone as well.

A large dose of Premarin? This is not a doctor that is particularly worried about your health. The issues with conjugated equine estrogens are well known in the medical community. It's also mostly Estrone and equine estrogens, which are probably best avoided.