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Injectable Estradiol Valerate
Weekly, or every other week, self-administered injection. Valerate is the most common injectable estrogen used in the US.
Injections only need to be taken every week or every other week based on your dose. We recommend this option for people who are comfortable with self-injecting.
Estrogens may interact and create more problems in persons with severe liver, thyroid or gall bladder disease, high blood triglycerides, and migraine headaches with aura or neurovascular symptoms. If you have these conditions or concerns, discuss this with you clinician here at Folx as well as your local medical provider.
Rarely, estrogen can cause benign (not cancerous) cell growth in the pituitary gland inside the brain. Estrogens could increase a person’s risk of breast cancer and decrease a person’s risk of prostate cancer. At present, it does not seem like estrogen creates much high cancer risks.
Allergic reactions can happen with any medication. Estrogen shots are mixed in different oils (cypionate in cottonseed oil and valerate in sesame seedoil). Please contact us if you notice a rash or skin swelling. If you experience lip or tongue swelling, trouble breathing, or feel like your throat is closing up, this is a medical emergency and you should contact 911.
Injections are preferred for those who don’t want to remember to take a pill daily.
Injections can be more suitable for those with skin sensitivity to patches.
Some notice faster changes using injectable estrogen than other methods.
BENZYL BENZOATE (UNII: N863NB338G)
BENZYL ALCOHOL (UNII: LKG8494WBH)
CASTOR OIL (UNII: D5340Y2I9G)
If you’re looking for specific ingredients due to allergies, it's always best to reference the documentation that accompanies your refill as it will be fully accurate to the medication you have in hand. If you have any questions please reach out to our team so we can help ensure your safety.
Popular Questions
Subq is more common route to take all injection medication because it's not as uncomfortable and has a smaller needle for the injection. The medication will work in your body the same way regardless of taking it subq or intra. Read more about the differences between subcutaneous (Sub-Q) and intramuscular (IM) hormone injections here in the library.
A lot of people think this, and for some people it might be true. What we know is that how fast your changes appear is much more linked to your dose than it is to the route you're taking your estrogen.
It is uncomfortable, but it should not be extremely painful. Over time, people have said they get more and more used to it.
You might see a bruise or a little bit of bleeding if you hit a small blood vessel. If you notice a lot of swelling or pain or itching that lasts a while (into the next day) then contact your clinician.
It is normal to see a little bit of fluid come out of the injection site after you remove the needle. One thing you can do is place the gauze over the injection site right after you remove the needle to limit the amount of leakage.
This depends on your dose and is something you'll discuss with your clinician and clinical team in training. You can learn more about what to expect and see a diagram here. Need a refresher? You can always ask for followup training with your RN.