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[donnacrichton]

Hi I am sorry but looking for some advice again previously I have gone from 4mg Estradot to femseven patches 50. The switch was a bit hard but coped and was feeling hopeful. Two days into patches and all my bleeding had stopped and still is hooray at last. Everything was ticking along until Saturday when I started noticing a rise in symptoms again. Went to the bathroom and checked the patch which had started to peel off. Not sure when that had started. Went home and read instructions which said apply new patch. Did that on other side of buttock as not to apply to same area. A couple of hours later felt something jaggy. On checking patch it had completely srunched up. Went home asap and applied another patch but put it on stomach so i could check that it was still in place. I new I would get a rough couple of days until it kicked in again. I am now back having painful breasts tingling back and tearyness. I have heard you get better absorbtion on buttock and don't know it is rougher as have applied patch to tummy. Does anyone have any advice to keep these in place. I had waited until was dry then held down for 30 seconds. Gratefull AGAIN for any advice would be lost without the support x

[donnacrichton]

Not settling but seems mostly to be anxiety. Will this settle with time? Only started femseven 10 days ago. It started really well but not sure if I still had tablet form in my body. Trying hard to just accept it is only anxiety doing cbt and mindfulness but struggling.

[Taz2]

Hi Donna - Femseven is notorious for not sticking. It's a real pain as the product is usually good. I find that I get sore breasts when I start it so not sure whether your sore breasts are because of the patch or not. The manufacturers deny there is a problem but so many comments have been made on here that we know that's not true!  I used to put mine on the top of the buttock holding it in place for a full two minutes with a really warm palm. Sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn't. The hormone is in the adhesive so if it's not sticking properly to your skin then you may not be receiving the full amount of hormone.

As for the anxiety - I'm not sure whether you are on the sequi or the conti patch? The conti patches can sometimes lead to a feeling of anxiety but it's worth persevering for the three months to find out if this HRT will suit you. Anxiety is such a horrible feeling.

Taz x

[donnacrichton]

I was coping fine then symptoms started knew to check patch as i was on a different one and that's why I came off it. Specialist said femseven stuck better.I am estrogen only as have the coil. Its so disappointing as bleeding stopped and adgitation all cleared in 3 days. I know I am being irrational with time scale. Been off work for summer holidays and due to return. I can usually talk myself out of anxiety and gi places I know will test me. Just can't seem to shrug it off. I am hoping it bas just a dip in the estrogen when patches came off as don't know how long they were off.Thank you for the reply so many stories in here I am very lucky x

[Hurdity]

Hi donnacrichton

I'm not clear about what you were on before the Femseven - you said it was Estradot 4 mg but Estradot is a patch so doesn't come as 4 mg and then later you say you thought you still had tablet HRT in your body? Perhaps you were on Elleste?

Anyway all I want to say is that Estradot (which is patch HRT) is very good at sticking and is changed twice a week so no worries if it comes a bit unstuck as it's soon time to change. They are very small and as you don't have to worry about the progestgoen because you are on the coil I would highly recommend these if you find you don't get on with the Femseven.

Also if you were on 4 mg tablet this would be a high dose and even though more oestrogen is absorbed from patches changing to a 50 mcg patch may well cause a resumption in symptoms, aside from the sticking problem.

I would find a patch that sticks well - and if the doc says 50 mcg - stay with it for a couple of months but if your symptoms return then you may need a higher dose eg 75 mcg.

I've always applied them to my buttock cheek (alternately) - out of the way of elastic and jeans waistband and they are mostly fine

Hurdity x

[SueRoe]

I find Femseven sticks best if you put a patch on before you shower so that your skin is completely dry. It also seems to help if you make sure you're nice and warm (say when you first get out of bed) so that the patch is sandwiched between a warm bum/tum/thigh and a warm hand when you first put it on. Seems to need holding in place for a minute or so. I find that it then welds itself to me! Toodlepip.

[katem]

Hi everybody,  finally got my GP to prescribe Patch HRT and have been on Femseven sequi now for 10 days. I maybe being over optomistic but I do feel it is really helping. My problem is the same as many other posters on here and that is getting the patch to stay on for seven days. I have taken to putting plasters all way round which means it stays on even if not completely flat but what I wonder is if this is okay? Any advice would be gratefully received. 

[Hurdity]

Hi katem

Glad you are feeling better! I don't use Femseven, but it isn't usually recommended to do this! It's important that all the patch is in contact with the skin to get maximum absorption of hormones. if you stick it down with something else, it can come unstuck in the middle and then the dosage drops.

Someone on here once recommended a special type of clear tape to put over all of the patch but cant remember who or what - and still not sure whether this would be adviseable!

Hopefully someone else will be along soon!

Hurdity x

[Taz2]

Hurdity is right katem. The hormones are contained in the actual adhesive and need to be stuck down onto the skin to be released into the blood stream. It's a question that's been asked lots of times about Femseven. You do need to follow the instructions exactly on how to apply it - although I used to hold mine down really tightly with a warm palm for at least two minutes and I'm not sure whether they say less than this in the leaflet? I also found that if I brushed my hand over it while in the bath it would float off. A couple of times when this happened I put the patch to dry out and it then restuck quite well!

Taz x

[donnacrichton]

Been on femseven for about 10 days starting to feel more human. Unfortunately I have taken a reaction to the patch my bottom looks like I have been scalded. Waiting on consultant again
 Was thinking of requesting gel. Gutted it helps but going to need to change

[Suzyq]

Tagaderm is the clear stuff you can put over your patch - it works fab and stops those marks you get with patches.

[donnacrichton]

I am now getting fair bit of relief from femseven but allergic to patch could I still use it then treat area with cream alternate weeks ? Reluctant to change as best relief in months

[donnacrichton]

Completely gutted femseven was great with relief of symptoms no bleeding either. Unfortunately I am allergic to patch and also tacderm. Been put back in Estradot 100. Body in shock again burninng all the time just like before you have a flush then having about 2 an hour. Feeling the tears all day at work and really sore breasts. I an taking evening primrose oil recommended by consultant. Is there anything i can do or take to help system settle a bit?

[Marsha11]

Hi

Changed from Evorel to Femseven patches recently and was dreading it, as I was going on holiday with lots of swimming in the pool.  Despite holding the patch with a warm palm for the recommended time, I did struggle with keeping them on and had to resort to using strips of waterproof plasters to hold them in place.  Not a good look when some of the ends hang out of your bikini bottoms!  Why oh why can the manufacturer not take on board that either changing these patches each week is too long or the adhesive is just not man enough for the job ?

I have now had to use the fourth week patch a little earlier and I am wondering if it will last a week and 3 days or if I should put a new one on for just 3 days?

Marshall

[katem]

Hi everyone. Now on my 9th week of patches and the problems with making them stick have continued. So, i got a repeat prescription from the docs and i now tend to replace my patches every three or four days rather than every seven days. I want to continue with the patches for at least 12 weeks to see if they are best way of dealing with my menopause problems, so far its been really very positive and I am hoping that things continue to improve. I have tried to get tagiderm but neither boots or superdrug sell it and I don,t agree with dealing with Amazon. So, this is where I am at the moment and will keep posting as time goes on  just in case this helps anyone else. Keep positive cos whats the alternative?

Katem