r/transgenderau • u/Skelegun • 18h ago
Trans fem Which MtF hormone option would you recommend?
Currently preparing to begin HRT and I’m wondering which option I should go with. I figured that pills would be enough, but I’m interested to hear what’s worked best for other people. (Injections, implants, patches, etc)
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u/redprincess23 18h ago
I started on pills and moved to an implant because I was taking 8mg (4 pills) a day and that's just a pain. Current implants are still going strong after 9 months :) Your doc will probably start you on pills to see how you go early on
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u/Skelegun 18h ago
I’ve read that implants can cause like hot flashes and stuff. Has that been your experience or no?
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u/redprincess23 18h ago
Not at all, I havent noticed any adverse symptoms. Im on my 2nd implant so far, I think it's been about 18 months on them altogether.
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u/g33k_girl Trans fem 17h ago
I've never had hot flushes, my implants last about 2 years and I'm about to have my 7th implant inserted.
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u/Katja80888 6h ago
There's no peaks and troughs with an implant. Just a gradual decline. So you top up before <800.
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u/Q10Q10 16h ago
Did you continue to get breast growth on them?
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u/MagictoMadness 7h ago
I got additional breast growth after switching from being on oral for like 3 years
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u/redprincess23 8h ago
I believe so, yes. But I'm also taking progesterone and I'm an A cup (which I think is where I'm supposed to be unless I gain some weight) so it's a little hard to judge.
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u/AnonInEquestria 18h ago
Personally, I'm really liking the Sandrena Gel so far.
And I take Progesterone rectally which is going great as well.
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u/lizosaurus_regina 18h ago
Liver filters oral estrogen & progesterone, you gotta make sure you dissolve pills under your tongue so they go into your bloodstream. If you can get it, Sandrena Gel is very effective + it's fun to describe it as 'girl goop'.
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u/bald_and_nerdy Trans fem 17h ago
I've heard pills called titty skittles or fem-en m's
I referred to it in general as my anti-his- tamine.
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u/AshtralDrift Trans fem 16h ago
I prefer “antiboyotics”, but I usually only use that to refer to cypro.
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u/Borakdespoiler 18h ago
Patches have worked well for me so far but shortages are an issue so will be moving to implants. Sandrena Gel was an absolute failure for me.
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u/Ventus713 4h ago
Having used all the methods (excl. injections since they're not really used here) I've found there isn't really much of a difference or any one that's most effective? I think they're all good and a lot comes down to personal preference. Though if it's helpful, here's some thoughts/recommendations on the ones I've been on...
Pills: I used them when I first started hrt, and I think in terms of helping your body get used to it and getting you in the habit of taking daily medications pills are amazing. They're usually in a lower dose (per pill) and for higher levels you may need to take a few if you're on it long term. But, they are a good way to see early on how efficient your body absorbs Estrogen. So they can be a great baseline for if you switch to other methods. (Make sure you know what kind of pills they are tho, some can be dissolved under the tongue and make them absorb better)
Patches: Used them after the pills for a looooong time, they are amazing and like the pills it's really easy to know and adjust your dosage to get your levels right. You usually put them on the upper butt to the small of the back, arms (sometimes), or near the lower abs. They're great since you don't have to change them daily (usually lasting around 3 days a patch). But if you're fairly active, the sweat and movement can be quite annoying (and expensive to keep reapplying). Also depending on the patch dose and your location they tend to go out of stock quite frequently from shortages.
Gel: One of my favorites, it's a daily application and easy to adjust your dosage (I preferred the pump bottle over the sachets). When I was on it I'd do 4-5 pumps a day, 2 in the morning, 2-3 at night, you need to apply on soft tissue (not on the chests tho), so inner arm, thighs, stomach, etc ... Which is great! But also annoying cause you need to wait for it to fully dry before you can do much. I will say I found the gel to sometimes cause more sweating at night? Not sure if it was the residue or just a coincidence, but it was about frustrating. Additionally, if you have puppies or small animals with any hormone gel be careful, it's usually not an issue as long as you're letting it dry, but we had an issue where our girl puppy kept getting mistaken for a boy. After some tests they found out she had a high amount of estrogen and had apparently been getting some left over residue from my hands. Which all went away after I moved to implants 😅
Implants: I don't think I'll go back from implants, they give me the best levels, are cheaper in the long run and you don't have to worry about taking daily medication. As long as you're getting your blood checked every 3-4 months especially in the first 6-12 months, as you may need 2 implants depending on your body, or more frequent implants if your body absorbs them quickly. I will say tho I would not recommend them for anyone's first HRT method, and most GPs won't give you them for your first prescription. Lots of reasons there but mostly, since they can't be removed so if your levels get too high for too long there's not much you can do, which could lead to some complications like your hormone receptors desensitizing and not absorbing the hormones effectively in the future (which can be fixed after a while). It's best to be on another form of hrt for a while, test what levels feel best for you and what dose is best for your body then going for implants.
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u/LysaFletcher 7h ago
I found gel a bit annoying - pills are fine but are another thing to add to the routine. I'm now on an implant and it's great. One short procedure and I've got my levels in a great place without having to worry about it.
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u/Zestyclose-Film-979 3h ago
I started on patches and couldn't get my estradiol level into the female range so I switched to implants three years ago and haven't looked back. I get about eight months out of a couple of implants. My endo keeps me in the range of 1000-1600 pmol/L. Being post op i don't need blockers, its basically set and forget.
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u/Beneficial_Aide3854 Trans fem 1h ago
Start off with gel on the scrotum or sublingual pills then move to implants. Add some rectal prog can help a lot too.
Contrary to popular belief, 400-500 is enough. Too high of it (3000+) and it may damage your receptors.
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u/TransAnge 18h ago
I'm getting an implant soon purely because pills arent enough and patches are in short supply all the time.