One of the most common questions we receive about hormone therapy is: “How do you determine my starting dose?”
The answer is that everyone needs a thoughtful place to start. Your initial Oestra® dose is a clinically chosen ratio designed to give your body an appropriate starting point while allowing your Clinical Team to see how you respond.
Your starting dose is not necessarily where you will stay long term. It is the beginning of a process that allows us to learn what your body needs.
Why We Start With Standard Starting Dosages
When beginning hormone therapy, more is not necessarily better. We need to give your body time to respond before determining whether an adjustment would be beneficial.
Your answers to the initial questionnaire are all considered as part of your treatment. But even with a medical evaluation, we cannot know exactly how your individual body will respond to hormones until treatment begins.
That’s why your starting dose is exactly that—a starting point.
As your body adjusts, your Clinical Team can evaluate your symptoms and response and determine whether your current dose is working well or whether an adjustment may be appropriate.
Understanding Your Oestra® Dose
Oestra® is formulated with a carefully selected ratio of estradiol and progesterone. Your prescription label may look different from the dose information you see in your treatment materials because the pharmacy lists the concentration of the compounded cream, rather than simply the amount delivered with each application.
For example, your label may read:
Estradiol 0.6%
Progesterone 20%
These percentages represent the concentration of hormones in the compounded formulation. Always follow the application instructions provided with your prescription rather than trying to calculate or adjust your dose based on the percentages listed on your label.
Why the Vaginal Delivery Method Matters
Oestra® is a vaginal cream, and its delivery method is an important part of its formulation. The amount of hormone applied is not necessarily the same as the amount ultimately available to your body, which is why dosing decisions take both the formulation and expected absorption into consideration.
This is also why comparing the numbers on an Oestra® prescription directly with the dose of a pill, patch, or other hormone product may not provide an accurate comparison. Different delivery methods are absorbed and utilized differently by the body.
Supporting Your Hormones
Protein intake is another important part of supporting your body during hormone therapy.
We recommend aiming for at least 100 grams of protein each day. Adequate nutrition helps support the many processes involved in hormone metabolism and overall health.
If you regularly practice prolonged fasting or have difficulty consuming enough protein, let your Clinical Team know so they can consider the full picture when evaluating your progress.
More Isn’t Always Better
The goal of hormone therapy is to find the right dose for your body, not simply to increase the amount of medication you use.
Some clients do very well at their initial dose, while others may benefit from an increase or another adjustment over time. There is no predetermined timeline or “ideal” dose that everyone needs to reach.
Before making changes, we want to see how your body responds.
Giving your body adequate time at a dose helps your Clinical Team better understand whether your symptoms are improving, whether you’re experiencing any unwanted effects, and whether an adjustment may help you continue progressing.
Your Dose May Change Over Time
Hormone therapy is individualized, and your needs can change as treatment progresses.
During follow-up evaluations, your provider may recommend:
Continuing your current dose
Increasing your dose
Decreasing your dose
Making another adjustment based on your symptoms and response
An increase in dose does not mean treatment wasn’t working, just as staying at your starting dose does not mean you should be experiencing a certain level of improvement by a specific point in time. Your response is individual to you.
Follow Your Prescribed Directions
Always use Oestra® exactly as prescribed unless your provider instructs you otherwise.
It can be tempting to increase your dose when you want faster symptom relief, but changing your dose on your own can make it more difficult to understand how your body is responding and determine the most appropriate next step.
If an increase is appropriate, your Clinical Team will guide you through that adjustment.
Have Questions About Your Dose?
If you have questions about your starting dose, how your body is responding, or whether it may be time for an adjustment, reach out to your Clinical Team.
Your starting dose gives us a clinically appropriate place to begin. From there, your individual response helps guide where we go next.
*dosage increases may be subject to price changes.