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[Chi chi]

Has anyone found that 4 pumps per day is not enough? Can you even go higher than that??

[Joyce]

Check with your GP before increasing it. 4 pumps is quite a lot. Maybe a patch would be better. I was switched from oestrogel to Estradot patches & found them more effective & a lot less messy.

[Salad]

Hi

I went up to 6/7 pumps at one time, for a couple of weeks! Then came back to 4/5 when my symptoms were under control.
My GP (and Gynaecologist) knew but couldn't prescribe more than the four as it's not licensed to be used over 4 pumps.

Eventually I was changed to a patch as my GP said it looked like I absorbed the gel too quickly, giving me a super high Oestrogen level then as the level dropped I had symptom breakthrough.
I have had better symptom control using the patch and have reduced from Evorel 100 (equal to 4 pumps) to 75. This week I reduced to 50 for a couple of days.

It's not easy keeping things balanced

[Chi chi]

Thanks  I'm not planning to go above 4 yet, I was on 4 before I had the implants and they worked well but I always felt I could be better? Anyway had the implants but not been too good on them and my estrogen level has dropped so now I'm taking 2 pumps per day to top up.
Salad- how did your Dr work out you were absorbing it too quickly?

[Salad]

I used 4 pumps in the morning to control my symptoms. By 4-6 pm I had my symptoms back so needed another dose to get me through the night.

My GP checked my Oestrogen level - blood taken 11.00 am - and it was 2300 (should be between 100-1000), which she felt indicated I was absorbing too much too quickly instead of steadily over a 24 hour period. This gave me a hugh peak then as the level dipped I had symptoms again.
She talked about 'tachyphylaxis'.

Pleased to say I'm feeling a whole lot better now - not sure for how long though

[Dancinggirl]

Salad and Estelle - The beauty of using the gel is that you can spread the applications through day.  My gynae told me to apply some in the morning and some before bed, if I wanted to increase my dosage. I believe patches are supposed to give a more consistent dose but when I tried them I got a surge on the first day and then it trailed off a lot by day 3. We are all different but I wouldn't use 4 pumps of oestrogel at once - split it into two doses morning and night.  DG x

[Chi chi]

I used to do 2 pumps morning and night 

[warwick01]

Hi Estelle

If you don't mind me asking, how old are you? I was told at 55 4 pumps of gel was too much. However as I have been experiancing a return of all meno symptoms I have now been told some women like me become sensetized to the gel and it stops working.

its a mind field.......

[Chi chi]

It certainly is 
I'm 41 next month but last year when I started BHRT I was on 4 pumps, then had estrogen and testosterone implants and it's all gone to pot 

[Suzyq]

I started on the gel but could never achieve consistency on it - it was constantly wearing off and I didn't want to be applying 2-3 times a day! My estrogen levels never were very high with estrogel. I switched to estradot and am so much better on these - very even

[Chi chi]

Just Before I had the implants I felt things were not as good as they had been and that was on 4 pumps! Like it'd stopped working?
Is estradot patches?

[Dandelion]

I'm on evorel patches, dunno if the gel was an option at our practice.
I'm on evorel 100, which is really high, but I did try 50, then 75mcgs and then 100.
The 50 worked a bit, the 75 a bit more but the 100 works better.
I am really surprised I need this much oestrogen.
I'm only 48, but my meno started at 42, but I still have my womb, so it is all rather strange.
The flushes I was getting were soaking my hair and making me feel terrible.
Dunno if there is something wrong with me for needing so much oestrogen.
Femoston pills didn't touch me, even though they are supposed to offer as much oestrogen as the patches/gel.
I went through a stage, when on 75mcg evorel of wondering whether hrt just didnt work for me full stop, until I tried the 100mcg, and these are a lot better.
I still get hot but it's summer, and I don't get hot in spring or winter.
Last year, on a cold November day, I was walking round like a silly bugger, in a small thin top, sweating, but I saw a friend who wondered why I didn't have a coat on, and I said I was too hot. I was even too hot to carry the coat on my arm, so I had it in a bag.
I just hope that I don't start sweating and flushing through the evorel 100, but so far so good.
I don't know why some women need so much oestrogen and some can get away with just a little.
No one in my family needed as much as me.

[Dancinggirl]

It's strange that many of you seem to be having problems with Oestrogel as I've used it for many years and find it really good. Back when I was first peri menopausal in my late 30s I did try a patch, it was a 2mg dose, and I think this was too high a dose for me as I started to sweat a great deal for the first day or so with each patch applied. I don't know if this is unusual but I do wonder if too high a dose can cause sweating?!!!
I was then put on one pump per day of oestrogel with separate progesterone for 10 days each month and this was much better.  I only increased my oestrogel dose a couple of years later when I was clearly well into post meno and my hormone levels had probably bottomed out.  DG x

[Briony]

I'm on evorel patches, dunno if the gel was an option at our practice.
I'm on evorel 100, which is really high, but I did try 50, then 75mcgs and then 100.
The 50 worked a bit, the 75 a bit more but the 100 works better.
I am really surprised I need this much oestrogen.
I'm only 48, but my meno started at 42, but I still have my womb, so it is all rather strange.
The flushes I was getting were soaking my hair and making me feel terrible.
Dunno if there is something wrong with me for needing so much oestrogen.
Femoston pills didn't touch me, even though they are supposed to offer as much oestrogen as the patches/gel.
I went through a stage, when on 75mcg evorel of wondering whether hrt just didnt work for me full stop, until I tried the 100mcg, and these are a lot better.
I still get hot but it's summer, and I don't get hot in spring or winter.
Last year, on a cold November day, I was walking round like a silly bugger, in a small thin top, sweating, but I saw a friend who wondered why I didn't have a coat on, and I said I was too hot. I was even too hot to carry the coat on my arm, so I had it in a bag.
I just hope that I don't start sweating and flushing through the evorel 100, but so far so good.
I don't know why some women need so much oestrogen and some can get away with just a little.
No one in my family needed as much as me.

My GP and the endocrinologist I saw both said that, in our 30s and early 40s, our bodies need far more oestrogen than a decade later. I initially tried a 50 patch, then 75, but still had symptoms. Switched to a CCP with (bio identical) oestrogen levels between 20mg and 30mg and had much more relief. This is still considered 'low' for a CCP (and synthetic estrogens are even more potent). It's a mine field, isn't it?

[lancashirelass]

I think you need to get.your.levels tested i.would be.very surprised if.the implant.hasnt kicked in.by now