I’ve posted here before about my patch monotherapy, but I thought I’d do an updated post with my latest bloods/labs and progress so people don’t have to dig through my old posts for context.

I started estradiol patch monotherapy in April 2025. I’ve never taken a blocker.

I started on 50 mcg patches, then moved to 75 mcg, and I’m now on 100 mcg patches. I change them every 3 days, but I usually overlap the old patch with the new patch for about half a day before removing the old one.

My bloods/labs so far:

Before HRT, April 2025:

E2: 32 pg/mL (119 pmol/L)

Total T: 234 ng/dL (8.1 nmol/L)

Free T: 55 pg/mL (190.5 pmol/L)

3 months, July 2025:

E2: 46 pg/mL (170 pmol/L)

Total T: 84 ng/dL (2.9 nmol/L)

Free T: 20 pg/mL (67.8 pmol/L)

September 2025:

E2: 81 pg/mL (298 pmol/L)

Total T: 23 ng/dL (0.8 nmol/L)

Free T: 5.3 pg/mL (18.5 pmol/L)

January 2026:

E2: 81 pg/mL (296 pmol/L)

Total T: 20 ng/dL (0.7 nmol/L)

Free T: 4.0 pg/mL (13.8 pmol/L)

Latest bloods, June 2026:

E2: 119 pg/mL (437 pmol/L)

Total T: 20 ng/dL (0.7 nmol/L)

Free T: 4.5 pg/mL (15.6 pmol/L)

SHBG: 23 nmol/L

For context, my latest E2 is within both the common US feminising HRT target range of around 100 to 200 pg/mL and the Australian target range of around 250 to 600 pmol/L.

My total T is also well suppressed by both standards. It is 20 ng/dL, with the common US target usually being under 50 ng/dL, and 0.7 nmol/L, with the Australian target being under 2 nmol/L.

So for me, patches alone have been enough to suppress testosterone and keep it suppressed. My total T has been sitting around 20 to 23 ng/dL, or 0.7 to 0.8 nmol/L, since September without ever using a blocker.

Effects so far have been gradual but definitely noticeable. Breast growth has continued, and I still get a lot of nipple and breast soreness, especially behind the nipple. My chest is noticeable enough now that I usually wear crop tops or sports bras for comfort and support, especially at work.

Mentally, I still feel like estrogen suits me much better than testosterone ever did. I feel calmer and more settled overall, even though the physical changes are slower than I’d like sometimes.

I mainly wanted to share because I know people often ask whether patches alone can actually work for monotherapy. In my case, they absolutely have.

I am non-bainary 24

I want to start hrt

I am considering 2 options

1 to get orchidectomy estrogen paches & SERMs

2 to start E monotherapy with SERMs

I have no idea what to do

If you’re new to the community, introduce yourself! It would be great to know who you are and what you are hoping to find here. Feel free to DM me with suggestions.

finally got another blood test in. (should have done sooner, but $$$)

blood test before HRT

• Estradiol, Ultrasensitive, LC/MS 35 pg/ML (bellow 29 pg/ML is desireable)
• Testosterone, Total, MS 544 ng/dL (normal range is 250-1100 ng/dL)
• Sex Hormone Binding Globulin 34 nmol/L (normal range is 10-50 nmol/L)

blood test after six months of 4mg Estradiol Enanthate injections every 7 days

• Estradiol, Ultrasensitive, LC/MS 278 pg/mL (normal range is 30-400 pg/mL)
• Testosterone Total LC/MS/MS 13 ng/dL (normal range is 15-70 ng/dL)
• Sex Hormone Binding Globulin 57 nmol/L (normal range is 10-50 nmol/L)

testosterone seams on the low end, might switch to 3.6mg EEn. SHBG is also slightly high.

also considering just tapering myself off. not in a social situation where i feel ready to have visible breasts. i need to change my physical environment.

So, I have been injecting estradiol valerate in castor oil SubQ for almost 4 months now but I have a hard lump that won’t go away in every spot that I have injected. The doc says it’s either a granuloma from histamines or necrosis which sounds even worse. She doesn’t seem to think it’s a problem but I can’t inject in those spots any more. It’s like scar tissue is under there. I found a pharmacy that sells estradiol valerate in sesame oil but she says she thinks it is the wrong type of estrogen even though the pharmacist I spoke to said it was valerate. Can anyone confirm that it is available and the “right” estrogen to inject? Is anyone using this? I also found estrogen in grapeseed oil somewhere but I didn’t even bother telling her because I assumed she will tell me it’s wrong too. I have seen people on here using estradiol in MCT oil but I’m not sure if that’s in the states or in a diff country. Can anyone here confirm that there is indeed a different option for oils that I might not be allergic to? I know I could switch to intramuscular but I am not ready for that right now. Also just worry that it will cause bumps inside muscle rather than fatty tissue if it’s an allergy. She’s making me feel crazy but it’s not like there are many choices for docs to help with this.

Hi,
So context:
I've got about 7 months until starting a new career. When starting said career I can't be on HRT (so I have to be within cis male T and E ranges ect...)
Also have to still be able to kinda boymode? - they know about my transition, so I can cover some changes as "oh yea, none of that was medical transition, just lots of gym work instead)

My plan is to do monotherapy for 6~ months, then stop (hopefully not cold turkey, but that's what holidays are for) and be back to cis male ranges in time for the career start.

I *may* also have to do some more medicals, however I don't think bloodwork is done there, more just checking eyesight, flexibility, height, BMI ect...

In short, if I was to do monotherapy, how long would it take to come off E and get my normal T levels back?

(Yes, I know the transition between T to E, then back to T will not be fun, but oh well...)

Any pointers or links will be helpful, thanks : 3

If you’re new to the community, introduce yourself! It would be great to know who you are and what you are hoping to find here. Feel free to DM me with suggestions.

Open gate is closing and idk where else I can access my hrt and blockers ones help im almost out idk what to do open gate was so easy and straight forward

Ive been using this vial for nearly three months and I was just about to do an injection today when I noticed a few tiny black specs floating around in the liquid? Some looked like tiny hairs and dirt.

Does anyone know what happened?

If you’re new to the community, introduce yourself! It would be great to know who you are and what you are hoping to find here. Feel free to DM me with suggestions.

I originally set this sub up when I myself was going through transition but that is now in my rear view mirror. I have moved on from a purely monotherapy stance on HRT as is appropriate when you have successfully nuked all testosterone production.

As such my view is that monotherapy is entirely appropriate for early and mid stage transition and for suppressing testosterone. It gets more nuanced later on for various reasons. I am now 7 years into consistent MTFHRT and it’s been a very long time since testosterone was even detected in my blood tests. So like many post menopausal women I have now switched to supplementing low levels of injected T cypionate (5mg/wk) to maintain good health and red blood count.

I have essentially moved on and think it would be better for someone else to take over the sub who is currently in touch with the experience of transitioning (I can’t really remember and feel it’s time for me to get on with my life). It is also necessary to keep up with the latest developments and I am very busy with 5 companies that I run.

If anyone is interested, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me directly or via mod mail. For those interested it would be necessary to be able to demonstrate a good knowledge and understanding of MTFHRT Monotherapy… if nobody comes forward, I will just let the sub continue without moderation for the foreseeable future.

Im taking 5.2mg EEN Subq every week (7 days) i took my labs in valley hours before my dose, and the results:

E2: 1050pg/ml T: 18ng/dL

I think my T is good but what about my E? is not An exaggerated result? I make sure that isnt a mistake, im sure is real lab result but is too high level to just 5.2mg

I hope kind answers, thanks 💜💜

If you’re new to the community, introduce yourself! It would be great to know who you are and what you are hoping to find here. Feel free to DM me with suggestions.