HRT Changes

[Hannah Emma]

OK so I have been on the same HRT regiment for a long time. I don’t know exactly how long I’ve been on the same regiment but it’s been very stable and I’ve been decently happy with everything.

Yesterday however I went to my new endocrinologist because I just moved to Florida and he wanted to change everything. Which I did not understand at all being that my numbers are very stable and there is no reason to change anything about when I’m already been on it for at least two years.

First he wanted to change me off of estrogen injections and put me on a patch. I flat out said no to that because I’m sorry I don’t care what you may do for other patients but I’ve been on injections way too long to suddenly have to change everything and find the right balance. it’s just not going to happen. I’ve been on estradiol valerate but he Decided to put me on Estradiol Cypranate.

Which leads me to my first question

From my limited research I see that the dosages that people take for EV is usually higher than dosages for EC. He left me on my same dosage so is it truly one to one or am I about to take a whole lot more estrogen that I’m used to?

One change that he did give me is that he allowed me to go back onto Progesterone though he argued the fact that he wanted me on the pills instead of the injections. I really wanted progesterone back so I agreed to the pills but now I’m left to wonder if he screwed up my Estrogen dosage Then did he really prescribe me the correct dosage of progesterone.

If anybody has any insight to all of this I would appreciate a reply so that maybe we could talk about it.

[Jani]

Hello Hannah.  Some doctors are concerned about DVT with intramuscular so they stress the use of transdermal because of the way the body absorbs it.  I am on patches.  

 

Here is a brief discussion of the forms you mention.   There is some peak differences at a certain point.  It also appears that the cypranate stays longer in your system.  

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7389356

 

I don't know if there is really much of a difference as long you feel good (seeing changes you desire) and your metabolic panel results are all within safe ranges.  

 

As far as taking too much estrogen, again its up to the doctors philosophy.  I know two women who never took antigen (spiro) because their doctors (two different ones) believed a high enough dose of estrogen would counteract the testosterone.  Both have had good physical and mental results.  It's an area where there are several paths to follow to obtain the desired results.  

 

Why did you want progesterone?  My endo said the side effects (depression) outweighed the gains which he explained would be mostly fat tissue rather than breast tissue.  I am quite lean so it was a no win for me to start, plus the depression is a concern as I know people who have gone off the medication due to it. 

 

I'm sure the doctor will order a lab work soon to see how things are working.  You can discuss this course of action at that time when you have complete data to work from.   Also, you can always change to another doctor who is more closely aligned with your old regimen if you don't feel comfortable with this one.  I wouldn't be stressed about it quite yet.  Best of luck.  Hugs! 

 

Jani