HRT injections

[Heather Shay]

I follow Dr. Z PHD, a gender specialist in LA and I find such a wide range of information she gives or shares or provides from others. ANYWAY......

 

Next week I have my consultation on starting HRT and it seems like estrogen and progesterone injections and staying away from Spiro feels like the best route based on my physical situation that seems to be fairly good overall (a littel blood pressure issue that is under control with minimal pill(age).

 

What experience would you recommend  - your experiences - good, bad, costs involved. I know estrogen can come in pill form, patch, etc. but sounds like trans community sees best results from injections.

 

Thank You,

 

Shay

[Jackie C.]

I take pills myself. I absolutely hate patches. I had a very difficult time getting the stupid things to stay on. Other people on this very site however had no problem, so it could just be me and my skin. I could probably do injections, but my endo hasn't offered and I'm pretty happy with what's going on with my body using the regimen I'm currently on.

 

Doesn't seem to matter with my pharmacy and insurance cost-wise. Any estrogen product I've used has had a co-pay of $20 be it pill, patch or vaginal cream.

 

Hugs!

[Heather Shay]

you are such an incredible resource....thank you.

Shay

[Dinaki]

When I started taking the hormones and that was decades decades ago, they were injections. One per month if I recall correctly. Their name was called: Progynon Depot. I can't recall how many MGS though.

They were first burning a little in the skin but it subsided after few minutes.

 

That was in Greece then.

[Heather Shay]

thank you...that adds to my questions for my consult...frequency of injections.. show you how naive i am i figured it was daily...i guess you would look luke a pin cushion having to do it that often...

[Erikka]

Shay,

I was on the patch for about 18 months and then in addition to having trouble keeping it on I also developed a rash to the adhesive that was extremely painful. My endrochronoligist did not want me on the pill form of estrogen because it goes through the liver and because of my age and what else I am taking she thought adding another pill was a really bad idea. I am on injections twice a month. It is not ideal, but if this is the only way to get estrogen then this is just fine. A caveat, the day after an injection, it can lead to a really emotional day. The pain from an injection is very mild and very brief and barely noticeable. 

But there is an issue with me and estrogen according to my endro. At the end of March I had a very slight stroke episode. So slight that within 48 hours I was back to 100% function. According to the cardiologist the stroke is the result of my heart occasionally A-Fibbibng and not from estrogen. But that is a conversation for August at my next endro appointment. I am going to request an Orchi to eliminate the need for Spiro and to preserve as much of the feminizing as I can if I have to eliminate estrogen altogether. 

Bottom line: the patch can be a real headache.

[ValerieRun]

Here is more info on the injections. On my initial appointment I was given 2 choices - pills or injections. I already knew I didn’t want pills since they have less of the effect (and cause other complications already mentioned) and have to be combined with spiro which I was very much against. So injections they were ?

There were 2 IM types I was offered - estradiol valerate and depo estradiol. Former is a bit less stable so normally prescribed on 5 day intervals, and the latter injected every 7 days. Also with EV most report a spike in hormones on the injection, while DE with its lengthier absorption rate mitigates those spikes very effectively. Of course, ymmv.

However, both are great at convincing your endocrine system to “switch sides” ? just on their own in reasonably fast period of time.
As for cost, EV is usually cheaper. DE runs about $120 (and then gets discounted by insurance and such) per bottle and it can last several months depending on your dose.

 

Good luck.

 

XOXO

Valerie