![]() ![]() Not all pharmacies keep injectable estradiol in stock, so it is best to call ahead to make sure that a location has it available. There are two common types of injectable bioidentical estrogen: estradiol valerate (Delestrogen) and estradiol cypionate (Depo-Estradiol). But an injection under the skin (subcutaneously) in the lower belly or thigh area is also an option if there’s enough skin or fat there. Most commonly, estradiol injections are given in the upper, outer thigh (intramuscularly). With a GoodRx coupon, this therapy can cost as little as $ 7.00 per month. The starting dose of estradiol tablets is typically 2 mg to 4 mg per day. Your pharmacist may be unfamiliar with the sublingual method, and that’s okay! If your provider recommends this method, just let your pharmacist know that you’ve discussed it with them. The sublingual route is thought to be potentially safer than swallowing the tablet. But, with GAHT, it’s generally recommended to take them sublingually (dissolved under the tongue). TabletĮstradiol tablets are typically made to be taken orally. Your specific dose would be determined based on a personalized conversation with your provider. Please note that all doses listed below are examples of starting ranges. The term “ bioidentical” describes hormone therapies that are chemically similar to the hormones produced by our own bodies.īelow, we’ll briefly compare the three main uptake methods of estrogen - tablet, injection, and patch - and their related dosages. In estrogen-based GAHT, bioidentical estrogen (also known as 17-beta estradiol) is used. Estrogen therapyĮstrogen is a cornerstone of estrogen-based GAHT. In the sections below, we’ll review the different options that are available and what to expect from each therapy. The Endocrine Society, the University of California, San Francisco, and the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) have published clinical guidelines around how to prescribe medications for GAHT. Each group of medications can be administered in a variety of dosages and routes. Therapies used in estrogen-based GAHTĮstrogen, testosterone blockers or androgen blockers, and progesterone are the large groups of therapies that are typically used in estrogen-based GAHT. But generally speaking, it’s commonly prescribed to trans women, and transfeminine, nonbinary, and intersex people. The use of estrogen-based GAHT (also known as feminizing hormone therapy) is not limited to people with specific gender identities. Who typically uses estrogen-based (feminizing) GAHT? However, GAHT is a more accurate description of the use of hormones by trans people because nothing is technically being “replaced.” Medical professionals who treat transgender people are moving away from saying “HRT” as not to conflate the terms. The term HRT has often been used by the trans community to describe the process of GAHT. For example, estrogen may be prescribed to postmenopausal cisgender women to help with hot flashes. HRT classically describes the process of prescribing hormones to cisgender people, often to relieve symptoms of hormone imbalance. Since GAHT and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) are often confused or used interchangeably, let’s take a moment to differentiate them. In fact, it is considered the standard of care and is considered medically necessary by nearly every major medical association in the U.S., including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Family Physicians, and the American Psychiatric Association. Research has shown that the gender-affirming care model improves health outcomes for trans people. It’s prescribed to encourage physical changes in the body to help people live their authentic selves with respect to their gender identity. What is gender-affirming hormone therapy? Instead, gender-affirming care allows individuals to seek only those interventions they desire to affirm their gender identity. ![]() Previously, care for transgender people often followed an outdated one-size-fits-all framework, which meant that providers recommended the same set of hormones and surgery for every trans person seeking medical care. Gender-affirming care, a model discussed in-depth by the trans telehealth company Plume, is, at its core, exactly what it sounds like: healthcare that affirms you to live authentically in your gender. This is also true for gender-nonconforming, nonbinary, and intersex people. If you’re transgender, a broad term generally describing someone whose gender identity is different from their sex assigned at birth, estrogen might be a part of your gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT). It is one of the sex steroid hormones involved in the development of the various physical changes classically associated with puberty (think hair growth and changes in voice and body parts). Estrogen is a hormone we all naturally make, but different bodies make different amounts. Most people have probably heard of the hormone estrogen. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |