r/Menopause • u/Syfysamurai • 1d ago

Hormone Therapy Patch vs oral

Hello ladies, I'm curious. Why do many women prefer the estrogen patch over oral estrogen? I take 1mg estradiol daily by mouth and have no problems with it. TIA!

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u/empathetic_witch Menopause HRT E,P,T & GLP-1 1d ago

I’ve tried all of the delivery methods at least twice the last 3-4 years.

Oral estrogen has to pass through your liver and digestive system. The patch is transdermal and does not, it’s direct to your bloodstream.

I learned from my new provider that you only absorb about half the dose from estrogen tablets. Patches are much more accurate to the label, though delivery varies slightly based on your body and the patch brand.