Injectible Method Of Hrt For Mtf

[Guest chinee]

Hi girls,

Im new here. I am 21 years old and just started HRT via pill method a month ago.Who among you here is using injection method of hormones? I am thinking of switching from pill to injection due to they say faster effects can be seen when using inject method. How many girls here are on this method? I wanna hear your feedbacks and how long have you been on this method?

Chinee

[Guest miss kindheart]

Hi Chinee,

<<< hug >>>

Yeah have been injecting for about two years now.

It is said to be better than pills for older girls like myself as it bypasses the liver first pass

I use to use the patch for the same reason , but injecting is way cheaper

just be careful, and make sure to follow all your Dr 's recommendations

Injecting has the highest rate of over dosing because it is a large amount at a time not re callable

Once it is in you it is in you

Cleanliness is very important

Good luck

vanna

[Guest Donna Jean]

.

I use pills and I'm 61......

Over the years I've heard arguments pro and con about the injections...

I imagine that if it were the best way....we' all do it that way.....

Huggs

Donna Jean

[Carolyn Marie]

Chinee, as with all things medical, please follow the advice of your doctor. There may be a good reason he or she prescribed the pill form of Estrogen.

BTW, welcome to the Playground! I hope you've had a chance to look around a bit. When you have time, please do post an introduction in the, what else, Introductions Forum.

HUGS

Carolyn Marie

[Guest Michaele]

My Dr. has me on patches, I asked about the injectables, he told me no and follow his regamine.

That's good enough advice for me, just do what the Dr. orders.

Big Hugs

Shelley

[Guest Leah1026]

I've been on injectables 7+ years now. Results are variable because everyone is different. I like injectables because they are safe, convenient and inexpensive.

[Guest Julie T]

Chinee

Hello and welcome to Laura's Playground. Let me see if I can add anything? I am age 64 and I have been on HRT pills for 33 months. I talked with my doctor about pills, injections and patches. I am diabetic and do four injections a day so I know how injections work, but he almost insisted on pills, so I went that way. He tested my liver functions and I did fine with tolerating pills. I have had remarkably quick and very good results on the pills.

Julie

[Guest chinee]

thanks for the wonderful answers and thank you for welcoming me

well for the mean time, my doctor advise me to take estrofem and spironolactone. This is just an initial dosage for her to check my body's initial reaction to estrogen. At first I had pimples but controllable. And since I have been hearing that injectibles will bypass the first pass to liver, i am considering this method to suggest on my doctor. And I've heard its way faster too but I am not on a hurry.

Well sad to say, I live in Philippines here in asia and its very hard to seek for an endo who could help us on HRT so I am just lucky I found one on my city. And in addition, it seems the latest updates about HRT methods are coming late here thats why its very helpful that I signed up here and check whats the latest. My doctor is comfortable on pill method though she's admitting that it could hurt my liver in the long run but she said by monitoring my internal organs from time to time will prevent serious complications.

Even transdermal hormones are not yet available here in my country *sigh*

So what I am gonna do now is to educate my doctor about this new methods and about injectible. I find injectible convenient for me too since i wont have to remind myself to take something everyday (i use to forget lot of things hehehe).

Thanks again for the helpful answers.

Follow up question.

on injectibles, which one do you use? the estradiol valerate or the estradiol benzoate? I dont know whats the difference... But if one of them is much safer, I would be happy to know that

Edited August 8, 2011 by Carolyn Marie
dosage amounts deleted in accordance with site rules.

[Guest e319]

From what I understand, estradiol valerate is the most typically used formulation in the US.

[Guest _addison_]

ive asked about pills vs. injections to my endo too but he gave me a really vague answer that didnt really help at all also, out of curiousity, for those of you who are use injectables, how often do you have to do it?

thanks

[Guest chinee]

^

maybe our endo would prefer the method that he/she is comfortable with... but I will try to suggest injectible if would fit on me because on injectible it is like ones or twice shot per week... On my case, I have a busy weekdays due to work so I would really prefer a method who would not require me to take something everyday...

[Guest Leah1026]

ive asked about pills vs. injections to my endo too but he gave me a really vague answer that didnt really help at all also, out of curiousity, for those of you who are use injectables, how often do you have to do it?

thanks

I inject every 2 weeks.

Forgot to mention earlier: Injectables are cheap.... through compounding pharmacies. Pre-mixed vials sold at Big Box pharmacies are expensive.

[Guest Sascha]

I started full time on injectables, but I can assure you it involves a lot of work if you want to do it according to the books.

Please note the use of filter-needles if you haven't already. If you use ampoules and you break them, there will be very tiny glass-particles and contaminants such as bacteria in the solution. On average there are about 50-150 particles in a 10ML ampoule solution that you will inject without the use of a filter-needle. The filter has to be at least 5 micron, because that is the size of of most bacteria and particles. If you do not use a filter-needle you will damage organs that over a long period will result in cumulative organ scarring of it's tissues, perforation of organs has been demonstrated in laboratory mice when injecting an unfiltered ampoules. Many doctors and nurses do not use filter-needles, but that is due to the lack of education in this field.

Secondly, if the needle is too short you might not hit the muscle you want to inject. This can lead to an oil embolism, which can have serious life threatening issues. injecting into a muscle requires some practice. And there are only a couple spots on the body where you can inject. Thirdly, the more you inject in a muscle the more muscle scarring will occur. So you must switch sites each time.

A lot of things can go wrong, so ask a doctor first if you are considering this route.

[Guest seattleskittles]

Hi Everyone! I am new to the forums but I would like to say that all the information that I have read about injectables say that feminization takes a shorter time due to the consistent high amount of estrogen in your system, however there is also info stating that there can be very bad side effects linked with having consistent large doses of estrogen in your system...I duno? I started my transition 4 yrs ago on pills, feminized quite well in my 20s however I got addicted to meth and lost alot of it. so am starting again this time with injectables have been on them for two months...we'll see

AND YES ALWAYS FOLLOW WHAT THE DR SAYS. IF YOU HAVE ISSUES WITH IT...BRING THIS TO HIS ATTENTION

lots of luck and self love

[Guest Megan F]

ive asked about pills vs. injections to my endo too but he gave me a really vague answer that didnt really help at all also, out of curiousity, for those of you who are use injectables, how often do you have to do it?

thanks

That's funny. I had the exact same reaction from my endo when I brought up injectables lol..

[Guest]

My doctor wanted me to start on injectables, but I was just too impatient! Didn't want to wait while learning how to do the injections. But now, I've been on pills for 5 months and have an appointment next week to go learn the injection method and will start as soon as possible after that.

Why switch? There's so much information that it's hard for me to understand. But, the reduced risk of blood clots and reduced stress on the liver sound important enough to make me switch.

Love, Megan

[Guest]

Today I gave myself my first injection. The doctor talked me through it, but having been around the Operating Room for a while, the idea of skin prep and loading up a syringe were nothing new - he was impressed by my use of sterile technique. Not bad for a computer jockey!

I've had 1000's of shots before, so the needle wasn't scary, but the thought of doing it to myself bothered me a bit. No problem! It's more painful to pluck nose-hairs and I've a forest! The doc told me to massage and keep pressure on the area for a few minutes afterwards to stem bleeding and to infuse the injection bubble into the flesh. It's been entirely painless since.

I'd always tried to take the oral pills sublingually, but I'm sure I swallowed most of them anyway. This seems like a more certain delivery method to me.

Love, Meg

[Guest chinee]

^

wow good job sis! I am currently taking oral pills sublingually too and as the time goes by I am really becoming tired of putting it under the tongue and let it melt there for some time! Im gonna suggest injectible form on my next appointment in my endo. Tell me how often should you inject? because honestly I dont wanna try the self injecting method so if its maybe like twice a month, its more ok than taking pills under the tongue everyday

[Guest Svenna]

I started full time on injectables, but I can assure you it involves a lot of work if you want to do it according to the books.

Please note the use of filter-needles if you haven't already. If you use ampoules and you break them, there will be very tiny glass-particles and contaminants such as bacteria in the solution. On average there are about 50-150 particles in a 10ML ampoule solution that you will inject without the use of a filter-needle. The filter has to be at least 5 micron, because that is the size of of most bacteria and particles. If you do not use a filter-needle you will damage organs that over a long period will result in cumulative organ scarring of it's tissues, perforation of organs has been demonstrated in laboratory mice when injecting an unfiltered ampoules. Many doctors and nurses do not use filter-needles, but that is due to the lack of education in this field.

Secondly, if the needle is too short you might not hit the muscle you want to inject. This can lead to an oil embolism, which can have serious life threatening issues. injecting into a muscle requires some practice. And there are only a couple spots on the body where you can inject. Thirdly, the more you inject in a muscle the more muscle scarring will occur. So you must switch sites each time.

A lot of things can go wrong, so ask a doctor first if you are considering this route.

Scary stuff! Even scarier than the needles themselves...

Thank you for posting this info, it is food for though for a pre-ho like myself...

Sheesh, so much to learn!

Love and kittens, Svenna

[Guest chinee]

I just had my first shot of estradiol valerate earlier. Im so happy that my doctor agreed to switch me from oral to injectible. Now I am just gonna go to my doctor every 2 weeks for follow up consultation and have shots.

[Guest]

Hi Chinee,

I apologize for missing your question earlier. Congratulations on the shot! Once every two weeks is okay - I just hope I can remember the technique each time.

Love, Megan

[Guest chinee]

^

my doctor applied my first shot on my right arm but she said next time it would be on my derrierre.. She said its recommended to alternate the places where your shot is being applied...

[KimOrbit]

gratz chinee on starting HRT and starting injection. Only thing I am serious to tell is to be carefull. monitor your body once a month. cause Danger of over dosing in injection method is 5x than pill method. Then please take care,

Cause you are a part of my big family and I cant see my sister having problems.

It was my duty to share my experiences with you

Best wishes, hoping bests.

sincierly yours, Kim Orbit

[Guest chinee]

^

thank you for being concern... yeah we are a big family here

dont worry sis I always make sure to attend my scheduled appointments with my doctor. She's taking care of me very well and aware about the overdosing thing about injectibles.

For me its better that I have switched to injectibles since I dont have to put something under the tongue everyday hehehe sorry I am a bit lazy

[KimOrbit]

thanks god. I am not worried any more. but I think I will suffer your experience these days. tomorrow Im going to visit a psychiatrist and Im going to bring SOC (Standards of Care version 7) with my self to give it to doctor I think he has red it, but it will come in handy

But any way I am happy that you are happy.

Take care

Kim with Kiss