Hi there Starshell
My experience has been for migraines (I knew it wouldn't work and has nothing to do with my cycles but was desperate:
2 false starts on Oestrogel and Utrogestan - I realised that the gel was making me feel as though I 'd had too much coffee, then when I started the Utrogestan on day 15 I got the sore boobs. My mood was horrendous so I stoppped. I tried again about a month later as it was clear that my referral for CGRP injections (for migraines) was not gonna happen until i had tried everything including HRT. the same thing happened so this time I was put on Evorel Sequi which was AMAZING. It lifted my mood and helped enormously with pain from Inflammatory Arthritis (autoimmune) but did nothing for the migraines.
I have posted on here a few times for help with transiotioning back to the gel and I keep mistakenly sayng I'd been in the patches for about 10/11 months but I counted the empties and it's only 8 packets.
So, about 3 packets ago I noticed I was getting regular periods (never had that in my life) and the sore boobs thing and very low mood. I thought the boobs would die down after period but they were almost unbearable all the time and I just felt like crap. So I did the research, it's probably the Utrogestan causing the symptoms but this can be reduced by taking vaginally.
SO! Since last week I am back on the Oestrogel and and will start the Utrogestan in a few days. HOWEVER - it is really obvious that it is the Oestrogel causing me to feel tired yet wired at the same time. Others describe exactly the same thing. this happened literally after the first pump. I took another the following morning and I couldn't stand it. So I skipped a day and for 2 days I have taken just half a pump at night.
My GP appointments are hit and miss and no one at the surgery really knows what they are talking about. So a while a go I made an appointment with the hrt specialist at my local sexual health clinic but that's not until August 8th. But I want to show that I have given it a go with the gel and tablets.
The infuriating thing is that along with the instant mood change and weird fatigue from the gel, I also get instant relief from a disease flare that I am having at the moment.
I had no peri symtpms to start with so maybe I am just getting too much with hrt, but the positives are very welcome.
I'm looking forward to my appointment so that I can come back on here and report back what the expert says.
good luck