When using tablets, are you supposed to take them with a sip of water (if oral), or not?

most do yeah, I know some dissolve the pill under their tounge to bypass some liver(?) issues but do research before trying

Sublingual administration has a dramatic effect on both bioavailability and half-life. With a half-life of merely 2 hours (compared to 13 via oral), you need to take 3-4 doses per day, and your dosage would need to be adjusted. I would never recommend someone use sublingual directly in place of their oral, as once daily sublingual administration is absolutely not a good idea

I did once daily sublingual for like, 3 years. Switched to twice daily fairly recently and have noticed zero difference.

https://transfemscience.org/articles/sublingual-e2-transfem/

If you're swallowing a pill it should be done with water. If you're taking the pill sublingually it should be without water.

Oral and sublingual absorb differently, and have different half lives, and require different dosing. Use the method as directed.

My doctor specifically told me to take my pills sublingually, specifically twice a day. I've had results so far, so I'm happy with doing HRT this way.

This was a very interesting and good read, thanks! For the record though, it didn't seem to indicate that daily sublingual use is "not a good idea" in general.

It read to be that maybe sublingual use has meaningfully different effects on the body and one's hormone profile, depending on application. The danger profile appears to be extremely un-researched, and the evidence of that danger very low-quality, for now, according to the article.

The big difference, appears to be a measurably lesser suppression of androgens, when taken without anti-androgens though. That might be appealing for some people's gender goals, while something to be avoided for others.