Most people seem to switch to injections. I'm just wondering if anyone here is still on pills after years and if so, did you see significant feminization?
I'm only asking cuz recently I started getting morning erections again and my breasts don't hurt anymore. Nothing changed with my dose....But it seems like the pills aren't working anymore.
Wondering if I should switch to injections or patches
Posted May 12, 2018, 5:22 PM UTC
I was just on pills (not sublingual though) for about 5 ish years and I had good results
It may depend on metabolisation of estrone.
Here is a summary that could be helpful, from page 29 on.
Its by a practitioner who has about 1500 trans clients.
Basically he recommends to :
-watch the ratio of estrone to estradiol so not too much estrone, a weak estrogen, is around,
-if possible not use anti androgens ( Spironolactone for example can make for raised cortisol which can block some fat redistribution)
-add bioidentical progesterone, which can also make for some fat redistribution, not only in breasts
HRT without anti androgens was the only method around for decades so its well proven and quite a few endos use it still. Many do not have restraints with a bit higher levels with internal application like injections, topical use or pellet implants.
This for reference.
Adding bioidentical progesterone could also help. It can be applied orally, sublingually, rectally, topically and as injections. Bioidentical progesterone is like a depot that can be converted into other substances, for example estrogen, t or dht, depending on the setup of the body. Keeping an eye on t levels may be a good idea. Switching to injections of progesterone may be an option in case, there is a more steady release which may make for less metabolisation of by products. It has a short half life though so short cycles up to three days may be necessary.
Here is an explanation by someone who uses this method.
What is also not widely discussed is that bioidentical progesterone can have a pronounced soothing and relaxing effect. In cis people higher levels of estrogen usually are connected with higher levels of progesterone and it can even out side effects of higher levels of estrogen like possible irritability.
This might be helpful concerning topical :
Topical use over fatty tissue like breasts could make for more local effects. There may also be some kind of depot effect, making for a release over weeks.
Over thin skin it may have more effects on the rest of the body.
Synthetic forms do not have the same effects. Some people use Proluton ( which is almost bioidentical .. its a bioidentical form turned into a caproate) but it usually does not have the mental effects.
Talk it all through with your med personnel.
Concerning inj. this might also be of interest.
hugs
This is super useful information, thank you! I'll see if I can forward it to my Dr.
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I'm on 20 months with pills. I've had great results, especially for being in my mid 30s.. I want to switch to injections just so I don't have to remember to take pills twice a day.
Hey there. I got linked to this thread from somewhere else and even though it's been a couple months I wanted to share my experience.
I unfortunately don't know much about this subject, it sounds like Laura_Sandra knows what they're talking about. Anecdotally though I've been on oral pills for two years and I haven't seen a reduction in effectiveness. My Dr the last time I had my hormone levels checked actually said and was shocked that my testosterone level was practically non existent as it almost never gets that low for anyone, as well as my estrogen level was very high.
I have seen a pretty decent amount of feminization considering I was very masculine before I ended up with pretty good results still, not great but probably as best as it could be no matter what I had did differently. I recently increased my dose of estrogen from 4 mg to 6 mg 2 weeks ago and I'm already starting to see a lot of changes. So again anecdotally, pills can at least be just as effective overtime unless something Laura_Sandra explained happens I'd suppose.
I wouldn't know why you're experiencing what you are with your erections. But your breasts should stop hurting after being on hormones for a while and they stop growing. They shouldn't hurt forever.
Also you didn't really ask this but I remember asking my first Dr when I was starting HRT if injections were more effective than pills because I had heard from a lot of people on the internet that they were. He said not really, it's more of a preference thing, though if I remember correctly he did say there are pros and cons for each different method of taking hormones.
I've been on pills forever it seems, have has no adverse effects. Once I went on progesterone my boobs filled out considerably.