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[JeanneHC]

I've been using Oestrogel for just over a week.  The first 5 days were awesome.  My energy was better, no night sweats, I felt more alert during the day.  Just felt a little edgy for the first 4-5 hours after applying it, which on balance is a fair trade if I don't have to put up with the other stuff. 

Now I feel like I'm back to where I started, or worse (although maybe that's just in comparison to feeling so effing good for the last few days).  Night sweats, brain fog, pounding heart several times per day, high anxiety, ears ringing.  Blech.  I just want to crawl back into bed and wait for the 'better' to happen again.

I read somewhere that the first week on estrogen you feel better, then it gets worse again.  Has this happened to anyone here?

[Milamam]

Hi Jeanne,
If you are perimenopausal it might be that you own hormones are fluctuating a lot still and it takes time on HRT to level out. I am not a specialist as many other ladies here are, I am myself still in my first month on HRT. My expectations were that once on the therapy, I'll feel up and brilliant throughout the month but It hasn't been like that. I had ups and lows but of note is the lows were much more manageable than before HRT. I would say give it sometime for the hormones to level out and for you body to get used to them.

[honeybun]

It's a bit of a shock to the body to suddenly have the hormones that have been lacking for a while.
It can take the full three months before you settle on a particular HRT.

How many pumps of gel are you using. Some ladies use it all at once and some find it better to split the dose. You may have to experiment a bit to get it right but that's easy with gel.


Honeyb
x

[JeanneHC]

Thanks for your replies, Milaman and Honeybun.

I'm using 2 pumps in the morning after my shower, but maybe I'll try splitting them up.  That might counteract the edginess I'm feeling.  3 months!  I hope my husband survives

[honeybun]

It's really early days yet. The first thing that usually goes is the flushes. It can take a while for the rest of the symptoms and sometimes we have to accept that not all will go.
Don't give up. It's taken your body a long while to become hormone deficient so can take a while for levels to build again.


Honeyb
x

[damejean]

Hi JeanneHC
Sorry to hear that your not feeling too good. I just wanted to say!  that I started on the
oestrogel which will be 2weeks this Friday.
I had finally gotten to see the Gynaecologist, she was ever so nice. I have had lots of bother with the progesterone. so she decided that I might benefit better using the Oestrogel plus Utrogestan 100mg continuously.
She prescribed 2 pump's a day, to see how I am with that dosage. And if it was not helping to up it to 3 or 4.   (4 being the maximin dose)   But after 3 days I started to get all my hot flushes back.
So I went straight to 4 pump's daily 2 on each of my arm's, and I must say!! I have felt
much better,  I am am post meno. Also would like to mention, I apply the gel at the same time every morning to keep a balance.
I hope this will be of some help to you.  :)x

[Dancinggirl]

Hi JeanneHC
I used Oestrogel for years - it's great. As others have said the peri stage means your own hormones will be fluctuating so this can cause problems. Also the oestrogen takes time to build up in the body so stick with 2 pumps per day for the first 2-3 months and if things are really not better increase to 3 pumps for another 2 months or so and then increase again if need be. I never used more than 2 pumps but occasion lay some women need a bit more. It's good to keep it lower particularly while in peri stage.
Try applying in two separate doses and also try applying to inner thighs - I never liked putting in on my arms as I always thought it got rubbed off more easily in the first hour while it was absorbing. Do wait a good 10mins after applying before getting dressed to allow it to dry.
Try to be patient - things will get better.  DG x

[JeanneHC]

Thanks everybody for your encouragement!  I'm really glad I didn't give up, because now a month on I'm seeing improvement.  The most noticeable thing is my anxiety and palpitations -- not perfect but most definitely better.  I'm planning to stick with 2 pumps and see if I continue to improve, if not I can up the dose.  Based on the advice here I've been splitting the dose, one in the morning and one at night which seems to help with the night sweats.   

I had a few days of head-achey PMS like symptoms and I've noticed that I seem to be more tender-hearted (tears in my eyes when watching sad bits on TV) but if that's the trade-off I'm happy enough to accept it.  Or maybe I'm just losing my toughness in my middle age    I think I may be seeing a little VA too, which hasn't really changed but I'll go see a gyno in a month if things aren't looking better. 

Again, thank you for your encouragement and advice.  It makes such a huge difference!