Hormone Injections

[tgirlzoe]

I am considering switching to shots. I've been talking about doing it for a couple years. Two years ago (I only see my doctor once a year) said he doesn't normally prescribe shots and the onsite pharmacy (which is sliding scale) doesn't carry them but if I really want them, I need to contact Strohecker's or another place to find out equivilancies. He's good about taking my input and says that a lot of times "the transgendered community" is more knowledgeable than the medical community.

I am currently taking 4mg estradiol, 200mg spiro and 2.5mg medoxyprogesterone (I tried 5mg for a while, that was too much). He won't increase my estrogen dose, just out of general policy, which is silly, I think. I feel much better with 6-8mg, which I get online. I can't wait for my orchi!

How would I find out the equivilant injectable dose of estradiol? Is it worth switching to shots anyway? My doctor was like, "Just because it hurts doesn't mean it's more effective, you're getting the same amount of estrogen either way." What do you take?


(I ask this here because most of the girls are about my age, I'm 23, and because discussion of doseages is prohibited on many boards and chatrooms to discourage DIY).

[tsmandy]

I've been on shots for the entire time I've been on hormones, and I would love to switch over to pills at this point. I'm just sick of the bruises, and I'm sick of having to explain why I'm traveling with needles.

Of course, it is supposedly much better for your liver, and if you order through Stroeheckers (A. they rock!, B. They Rock!) a 6 month supply of estrogen will only cost you $30 or so.

[tgirlzoe]

Well, I get my estradiol pills sliding scale, it's less than $20 / 3 months so it's not about the money. I have heard good things from those who have switched from pills to shots, they said it kind of sent their body a shock and they had breast growth and other changes after they had stagnated on pills (as I have). I also have heard people who've only ever been on shots swear by them.

Mainly, I just have figured out that in 3 years, I've taken close to 10,000 pills, that's gross. 2xestro + 4xspiro + 1xprogesterone = 7 pills / day x 365 days / year x 3 years = 7,665 pills not counting periods double-dosing.

I definitely want to be only on shots post-orchi. I would love to only worry about it 2-3 times per month instead of per day!

[KiraHarden]

I have just switched over to the shot this past friday . 1ML every month

I was on the climara patch for 3 1/2yrs up to till friday. 0.01 mg patch every week

How many CC in a ML?


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I dont know what the prices are for other urologists, but I was charged $1650.00 in 2005 for a bi lateral orchiectomy.

[tgirlzoe]

Btw how much spiro do you take a day? 400 mg? Because more than 200 mg/day and you are just peeing it out.

200mg, it's just in 4 pills because my pharmacy doesn't carry 100mg tablets, only 50mg. I've had 100mg tablets from Inhouse before, which taste horrid.

I want an orchi asap, but I don't want to pay what most SRS surgeons charge. If and when I do get SRS, I plan to go to Dr Reed. But he wants 2.5K for a bi-lat orchi, and I know that most urologists don't charge that much.

My plan is Kimmel in Philly. He used to be associated with Spector but has replaced him when he retired. Kimmel is supposed to be much nicer than Spector was. He is $2000 and while I can get SRS for only 4-5x that in Thailand, I don't want to wait another 5 years to fix the hormone issue. I have a couple TS internet friends in PA who've said I could stay with them instead of a hotel. I plan to take a train across the country, I've never been off the west coast and I want to explore! I took a plane once to California when I was 9, that's it...

One benefit is that Kimmel doesn't require letters, which is nice. He will do anyone with his own set of guidelines, even non-TS who want to be eunuchs! I never bothered to get my SRS recommendation, I moved shortly after I got my HRT papers (I was DIY anyway, they were just for completeness when I switched to being prescribed). I never found a new therapist in my new town and Seattle, where I had it before, is just too far away (although one of my FTM friends is driving all the way down there!)

Not only does Kimmel not require letters, he gives them! Thus even an orchi can be "irreversible gender change surgery" needed to change legal documents at the state and federal level! That really excites me.

I haven't heard good things about Dr. Reed, perhaps your sources say differently. I am thinking of Chettawut but I don't want to do anything sight unseen.

[tgirlzoe]

How many CC in a ML?

One.

A liter is not actually part of the SI. It was part of the original metric system though.

[SarahG]

I was on the climara patch for 3 1/2yrs up to till friday. 0.01 mg patch every week

Ouch, I am sorry to hear that. I used climara for the first two years I was on hrt, really awful product (I was doing two 100 patches/week). They'd never stay on as long as they're supposed to, the epoxy would stain my clothing, and it did a number to my skin... it took another two years for my skin to heal after I stopped using the patches (that mark was there for a LONG time, thankfully it didn't scar). The most annoying part was when they'd fall off, since they'd never go back on (despite what the directions would say) and if you're doing it through a normal pharmacy like a cvs- you don't get spares to make up for losing one.

He won't increase my estrogen dose, just out of general policy, which is silly, I think.

Can you say hack? Anyone who has some randomly picked dosage that they administer to everyone, regardless of what your blood tests show your levels to be- doesn't know what they're doing and should lose their license IMO. Unless you're exhibiting side effects or some other thing to be worried about, its your levels that matter- not how many pills it takes to get there. For some people a low dosage is all it takes to have normal hormone levels, for some it takes twice that.

Don't be afraid to go shopping for a better doctor.

[KiraHarden]

I was on the climara patch for 3 1/2yrs up to till friday. 0.01 mg patch every week

Ouch, I am sorry to hear that. I used climara for the first two years I was on hrt, really awful product (I was doing two 100 patches/week). They'd never stay on as long as they're supposed to, the epoxy would stain my clothing, and it did a number to my skin... it took another two years for my skin to heal after I stopped using the patches (that mark was there for a LONG time, thankfully it didn't scar). The most annoying part was when they'd fall off, since they'd never go back on (despite what the directions would say) and if you're doing it through a normal pharmacy like a cvs- you don't get spares to make up for losing one.

He won't increase my estrogen dose, just out of general policy, which is silly, I think.

Can you say hack? Anyone who has some randomly picked dosage that they administer to everyone, regardless of what your blood tests show your levels to be- doesn't know what they're doing and should lose their license IMO. Unless you're exhibiting side effects or some other thing to be worried about, its your levels that matter- not how many pills it takes to get there. For some people a low dosage is all it takes to have normal hormone levels, for some it takes twice that.

Don't be afraid to go shopping for a better doctor.

I didnt have any problems with the patch, it worked fine. I just hated changing it every week and having it seen.

[MrsKellyPierce]

I've taken both but I prefer pills cause my hormon levels were more even.

[blonde zombie]

How many CC in a ML?


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1CC, (cubic centimeter) = 1 ML, (milliliter)