I have yet to undergo mtf hrt. I have questions about the drugs and methods used to take them. If you know of another thread where I can find the information that is great or an answer would be straight up proper massive.

I plan on seeing an endocrinologist to perform lab work and prescribe the best hormone regimen for my physiology.

Do the effects of hormones wear off after you stop taking them?

Are pills and needles both the same risk?

What method gives the most definite result?

in my opinion the injections are way more effective than the pills, also with the injections you don't damage ur liver.
and i dont know if the effects wear off if u stop taking them cuse i haven't stopped, but i assume ur body will gradually transform into the shape it had before hrt.

From what I've heard from others, injections seem to be more effective than pills. However, for me pills were more effective. The risks posed from sublingual (under the tongue) administration is the same as injection, as the hormone goes directly into the bloodstream. However, there is concern that oral administration is slightly more dangerous, and not advised for those over 40 or to people who have liver problems.

Honestly I think it varies from person to person as to what is more effective (if either is even more effective over the other). There are some on this board that say pills are doing nothing for them and wish to try injections, and at the same others that will say they regress back to more masculine features (like body odor and oily skin) on injections. Try and see!

I know there is a bunch of anecdotal evidence that one delivery method appears to be better than others and I've been shouted down for saying this before, but I'll say it again..

The important thing is your serum levels - how it gets there is largely immaterial.. Whether you are on oral, injectable, patches or implants, it doesn't matter as long as your serum level is good.

Some changes are reversible if you stop HRT, some not. Breast growth is not reversible, and sterility (after around 6 months) is not reversible. Probably also ball shrinkage.

The rest (hair, skin, fat distribution) reverts if you stop HRT.

Hormone delivery methods that don't directly involve the digestion (i.e. pretty much all of them except non-sublingual tablets) put less strain on the liver. I'm mentioning gel here because it's what I use, and it hasn't been mentioned yet. To me, it has all the advantages and none of the potential disadvantages of other delivery methods. Injections are invasive, patches can fall off or cause irritation. But as has been said, find the method that works best at keeping your hormone levels both correct and steady, and causes the least hassle and side effects. It may take a bit of experimentation between you and your doc to find that.

Quote from: Padma on October 12, 2012, 03:01:22 AM
I'm mentioning gel here because it's what I use, and it hasn't been mentioned yet. To me, it has all the advantages and none of the potential disadvantages of other delivery methods.

Actually, before anybody goes on gel - consider your pets, children, or SO. They may touch you where you apply it (by handling your clothes, sleeping on you, etc). It is more possible for your household to get unwanted hormones in their body on gel than any other method.

I read that the gel is only active for an hour after application, after which contact with others is not harmful. I'm trying to find where I read this, will get back to you on that.

I've been taking a serious look at the gel - expense and so forth permitting it would be my favorite method.

But not having any local MD (as far as i know) who's knowledgeable and willing to treat trans issues, to say nothing of being terminally in poverty - I will probably at least start out doing DIY and i have the problem of not knowing how the pill doseage translates to gel (or anything else) so i have no idea how to even guess at the right dose in anything but the tablets.

When I foirst started HRT, it was always pills and initially in the 80's and 90's my UK doctors only ever presecribed Estrogen, no T-Blockers. However when I went to Australia and ran out of my Premarin, I went to see a TG friendly doctor, showed them my presecription and she recommended that I stopped taking the Premarin and went onto weekly injections of Primogyn Depot plus a once daily progestrone tablet on a 21 daily cycle. After 4 weeks, she doubled my dosage of Primogyn Depot and then after another month moved me to one injection per fortnight. After only 6 weeks I was experiencing a lot more growth in breast tissue. The only difficult thing was that I got a Hormone high feeling about 2 hours after having the shot (almosy a feeling in myself of being uplra feminine - a very strange feeling until I got used to it) and about 2 days before each shot a feeling of irritability and oily skin.

I am on the pill, and to some things won't really change back.  If you stop your breasts are not going to turn back into a mans.

After SRS, you don't need as much as your major source of male producing hormone is removed.  That is my goal before my liver decides to be a sneaky little devil 

Before starting hormones(to minimize the going on and off) its best to be sure.