Estrogen patches, pills or injections?

[Devi SM]

Short question:
I want to hear experiences a out the different ways for estrogens.
I'd been 6 months on patches. I'd learn more how to wear them and probably got used to. Now there's not much irritation, itch with, and red spots after but still thinking on injections or pills.
Any insight with side effects, those already switch, better or less result in way or other way, thanks.

[Rachel Mari]

I used patches for one year before I switched to injections.

I've been on injections for about 4 1/2 years and I've found are a couple of differences.

There is more fluctuation in emotion with injections over patches. The estrogen is absorbed at a more consistent rate with patches whereas with injections is more cyclic in that respect. I prefer the up's and down's, I feel more.

Another difference is I felt a surge in physical changes that lasted about a year. The changes weren't much but it seemed to make a slight improvement and helped me feel like I was making progress.

Overall, I feel great. I didn't like the residue left over from the patches and they were more expensive than injections. Things make much more sense and I'm more in tune with myself.

I never tried pills and I don't know anybody off hand who is taking them, so I have no experience with those.

[Devi SM]

Thanks a lot Rachel.
Can you explain deeper what is feel better and the ups and downs?
And what is the frequency of shots?

[pamela7]

been on the pills. my dr, who is quite experienced with trans clients, says that E is broken up, remade many times over in its lifecycle. It's a long-term thing, and levels stabilise. My dose is small but effective, keeping it topped to the perfect level. I've heard some people don't absorb pills as well - but if you do, i reckon the best way, from my own knowledge base. emotionally yes, not more sensitive, but more affected by them than before.

[natasha]

Im on injections. I hate giving myself a shot, but I am very satisfied for the reason I am taking them. The patch was to cumbersome with having to change it every couple of days and worrying about it falling off etc.... The shot is a once a week deal.

[Heidi Stevens]

I’ve been on pills for 3.5 years. I take one third of my daily dose in the morning and two thirds at dinner to spread the dose out. I could take more and develop a bit, but I’m happy where I’m at now.

[Devi SM]

Natasha, thanks for your contribution. Anything different when switch to injections, more of this or less than that?

Heidi, thanks you too.
Where you in patches before?

[natasha]

Vanessa, I cant really point to one thing or the other honestly. One thing for certain though, the hormones in general has significantly made me feel like ME instead of who I was before. Absolutely no regret at all.

[Rachel Mari]

So, I wrote a response to this yesterday and as I was finishing it, I accidently deleted it. It was good too, oh well.

"Feel better" All my life I've always been very much in the middle with emotions and expressions; never very happy or very sad, just right down the middle. When I was on patches, I tended to be happier than before, things more sense to me, but there wasn't a lot of fluctuation, it was very steady.

After switching to injections, that changed again to where my emotions were more intense, the ebb and flow was much quicker. I felt alive. I would feel a mild depression on the Monday before my Wednesday injection (once every two weeks) and it would last about 24 hours. Like clock work.
Initially the batch's of estradiol were good for 4 months. There was one batch where that depression would be on Monday (when it was fresh) and by the end of batch (4 months later), it had walked itself back to I was feeling it on Saturday.
I have since changed sources and now the batch is good for only a month and has .5 mg more of Estrogen than before. The Monday depression is very mild and pretty much sticks to Monday's.

I prefer the cyclic fluctuations with the feelings of happiness and sadness and all that involves, I didn't really have that before and I appreciate the difference.

[Devi SM]

Rachel, natasha, do you inject yourself?

[Rachel Mari]

Yes, the first time was with my doctor, but I still did it myself.

I've giving myself injections since May of 2014 and I haven't had any issue at all. I've experimented with different sizes of needles and found I like 25g. 27g goes thru the skin very easy but takes a lot of pressure to push the fluid thru, 25g is a bit easier.

[natasha]

Yes, once a week.

[Devi SM]

Thanks Natasha, and Rachel for that helpful information.
Thanks too to all that post in this thread. I think I made a decision to ask my endocrinologist a switch to injections this coming Wednesday in my 6 months appointment.