I GOT MY HRT APPOINTMENT! It’s not until mid next year though. I’m so excited. Now i just have to decide on oestrogen delivery methods. I am thinking gel, because i suck at needles, more so doing it myself. But i have a cat i love to pick up, so I would need to use gloves.
What methods do y’all use for oestrogen delivery?
I personally use spray, it’s like gel but dries much quickier (2 min dry enough, 1 hr to fully dry). But the ‘fully dry’ is moreso that in that time you’d best not shower yet, that’s it.
Dries in 2 min enough to put clothes over the sprayed spot and do your thing. I have a skin that is drier than the Gobi desert, so that also helps.
You’ll need to do it daily, but depending on the person, you can have it 1x a day or twice, and up to three doses per time.
Whether or not you want HRT, it’s valid. DIY just means you take the meds without a formal prescription. If your situation allows you to do so safely, without problems with doctors and/or governments, I’d recommend the official path. Otherwise, DIY is also perfectly valid. Stay safe and aware! If you do HRT, always keep a few months’ worth of supply in stock, in case.
GUIDE TO CHOOSING YOUR MEDICATION PATH (TL:DR; below)
This guide assumes you already have decided to get HRT. It’s not meant to replace official advice from affirming and up-to-date doctors, etc. and all that legal stuff.
The following options consist of injections, pellets, patches, gel, spray, sublingual pills, and oral pills.
The following only applies if you haven’t had orchi-/ovariectomy yet! Except for injections and pellets which can work monotherapically, all methods additionally require the hormone blockers for the hormone you want to reduce.
All of the listed HRT methods are safe and work well, it’s mainly subtle nuances between them. Which is best, just depends upon your situation and preferences.
If a method, for whatever reason (costs, laws, insurance, transport…), is unavailable for you, then answer as if negative for that method.
1. Do you dislike needles and scars?
Yes -> See question 2
No -> See question 4
2. Do you have sensitive skin?
Yes -> See question 3
No -> See question 5
3. Do you prefer ease of use (although there may be liver/blood issues), or effectiveness?
Ease of use -> Take pills orally (health risk long-term)
Effectiveness -> See question 6
4. Do you want it to be easily available, or for it to be applied less often?
Easily available -> Injections
Apply less often -> Pellet implant
5. Do you want to hide it more easily, or to apply it less often?
Easier to hide -> Gel/Spray; see question 7
Apply less often -> Patches
6. Do you work in a flammable situation (e.g. as a firefighter) and/or is your skin damaged?
Yes -> Take pills sublingually (small health risk)
No -> See question 7
7. Do you prefer it to dry quickly, or for it to possibly yield higher hormone levels?
Dries quickier -> Spray
Higher hormone levels -> Gel
TL:DR; If you still don’t know which method to use, or feel indifferent - and it is an option -, then I would recommend injections. WillStealYourUsername below me also has some good explanations.
Why that method?
They’re the gold standard for combining safety with effect. Consider the following. If you want pills and consume nicotin, you will have to stop with the latter before starting. Patches are pretty visible and can fall off or cause allergic reactions. Spray/gel has to dry for 2-5 minutes, with a cooldown of one hour before showering.
Like spray/gel, it bypasses the risk for the liver (sublingual reduces the risk to an extent).
Though they need to be applied more often than pellet implants (which are only once every 6-12 months), they are more affordable and like patches, are not on a daily, but weekly basis. Their doses can be more easily finetuned, and they can work on their own, without blockers being necessary.
Does it have downsides compared to other methods? They hurt a bit (obviously), your hormone levels will spike and fall more sharply, it takes more preparation, and administering it isn’t as easy. But still, injections are the best widely available method. They’re the ‘jack of trades, master of some’, if you will.
You shouldn’t really ever take estradiol pills orally imo. Higher risk of blood clots and cancer for no real benefit other than it being a bit easier than sublingual doesn’t seem like a good trade.
I would edit squeamish to say something about phobias instead.
I would also add that many of these paths need blockers which are generally not great for your health in the long run (not so bad that no HRT is better). Injections are the most available path that makes it easy to bypass using blockers all together.
The first things to consider are injections and implants as these can be done without blockers. I don’t know much about implants tbh as they are not super available. Injections are very consistent and safe.
The second thing to consider is patches. Patches release hormones continually so there are no lows or highs and it’s simply more convenient. Some people have problems getting them to stick, but sometimes medical tape or applying them somewhere else etc help. There can be supply line issues with patches so they might just suddenly be out for a little while. You’ll need blockers which can be uncomfortable and have long term side effects.
The third thing to consider is spray/gel. Patches/spray/gel deliver hormones poorly to some people as they simply absorb poorly through their skin, but for others it’s a great route. Spray/gel has to be applied two or three times per day and it needs to dry. The area you apply to can also accidentally deliver hormones to animals and people that touch you for a little while, so best to not apply with your hands. Don’t apply to the arm you take blood tests from (to check hormone levels). Don’t spray while near someone. You’ll need blockers which can be uncomfortable and have long term side effects.
The fourth thing to consider is pills sublingually. It’s safer than swallowing pills, but you will accidentally swallow some and therefore have slightly elevated risks. Sublingual like the skin can be a bit hit and miss. Some absorb this way better than others. Not all pills can be taken sublingually. You’ll need blockers which can be uncomfortable and have long term side effects.
The last thing to consider is swallowing pills. Take this option when you have no others available.
Be aware that often the bad side effects are really only a concern when it’s over a long stretch of time. Taking pills orally for a few months or a year isn’t a big concern. Taking blockers for a year isn’t either. It’s an issue when you have to do this for the rest of your life and when there are better options available. Some people also have nasty short term side effects from blockers so avoiding them in the first place is best imo.
Thanks, added some clarifications, I’ve also added to look at your post.
Thats a pretty handy guide for medication path, thanks for posting it!
Thanks, updated it, by the way!
I’m curious about needles. I don’t think I’m squeamish, but does stabbing your skin for years on end have any bad side effects?
You should rotate where you inject. I switch thigh each time and try to not hit the exact same spot. Injecting into the same area too often can lead to scar tissue buildup which makes that part of the skin hard and therefore hard to penetrate with a needle.
I did this as well for spray in the beginning. Had that after administering, it sometimes felt for a few min as if someone was grasping my arm tight. So I rotated and after a week it no longef happened, then I tried going back to administering it on one arm only, and that worked well.
Not really, consider that some people regularly inject their skin for blood donation or checkups, and it goes fine. What WillStealYourUsername said is true, though.
Question 6 is missing ;) - and there doesn’t seem to be a need for question 5?
Yeah, sorry, I forgot. It’s updated now, thanks :)
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