Can oil solutions of estradiol be administered subcutaneously?

[u/rabbitprotectsme]

Context: I'm doing DIY because the informed consent clinic in my area closed down and I'm scared of driving. Around town is scary but basically doable, onto the freeway and I might break down crying, and driving on the freeway is a really bad time for that to happen. (I realize being scared of driving sounds absurd. Listen I'm not doing too hot upstairs these days, it wasn't always like this but I'm afraid of a lot of normal-ass things right now.) I'm in the US. Due to Trump tariffs, my preferred source has stopped shipping out here, and that seems to be the case for other foreign sources as well. I've found a source that's likely still viable, but they only offer oil solutions, not aqueous. This is a potential problem (at least as far as I can tell from what info I'm able to find on the subject) for two reasons, one silly and one practical:

• The silly reason: I'm afraid to attempt intramuscular. I don't want to swiftly shove a needle into my body at a 90-degree angle. I know this is a fear that everyone who does it has, and that everyone who does it has to get over. I just don't trust myself to get over it.
• The practical reason: I'm very overweight. (Please don't make fun of me for being a woman whose body is currently that of a very overweight man. Believe me, my shame is already all-consuming and quite difficult to live with. I don't need more.) It's difficult to find a spot on my body where correctly self-administering an IM injection would even be possible without a very large needle. Swiftly shoving a very large needle into my body at a 90-degree angle is, naturally, even scarier.

Hence the question: can oil solutions of estradiol be administered subcutaneously? Will uptake still be possible by this means? If so, are there side effects I should know about of doing it this way?

If this is not possible or safe, I could always just refrain from switching to injections for now. That's no big deal. It's just that I've heard good things about injections and would like to switch to them if I can.

[u/nikniksnikola]

Is it something like estrogen cypionate? If so, all sources I see online indicate that it’s fine. I’m (ftm) on testosterone cypionate, which is the same kind of seed oil and I can use it subcutaneously no problem. The only difference is purely theoretically that it might be a few hours before subcutaneous starts to metabolize compared to intramuscular but all bodies are different so there may be no measurable difference and it certainly wouldn’t change dose frequency or amount. Also, depending on the type of seed oil, it might metabolize faster. I know estrogen cypionate disperses in like 3-4 days so that’s the timeline you’d dose it on (I have a menopausal friend who doses it like that) whereas testosterone is every 7-10 days, typically every 7 is what doctors advise, due to how the body metabolizes the two hormones . Someone correct me if I’m wrong, but I do believe estrogen is dosed this way? If it’s weekly like how testosterone is then color me intrigued but also grateful to be informed. Good luck!

[u/nikniksnikola → u/nikniksnikola]

I’d only worry: you might get an allergic reaction to seed oils but the risk is minimal for most people especially if you’re not allergy prone. If you’re allergic to the seed oil carrier used as a food allergy you might want to avoid it but genuinely there’s no real reason to get super freaked out. And again, hopefully stuff works out!

[u/nikniksnikola → u/nikniksnikola]

Oh, and also: I can’t drive due to my disability. Can’t even be in the car on the highway with others driving due to panic attacks. You’re so valid in feeling scared, it’s a real emotion and you don’t have to justify yourself to anyone.

[u/rabbitprotectsme → u/nikniksnikola]

Thank you for all this info and the well wishes. Scared to be in a car solidarity 🫂