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[Harry Bear1]

Happy new year ladies!

I did promise to keep a daily log of my journey on HRT patches, and felt that I should share my experiences over the last 21days.

Having suffered from hot flushes, dryness, mood swings, lack of sex drive, and lack of sleep for the last 7 years- I now feel absolutely fantastic!! I applied my first patch on the 14th December 2017, and within 3 days the hot flushes were easing off. By day 7, I was experiencing full days without a hot flush.

I have got my life back ladies. I am more energetic, my sex drive is back, I am sleeping well, and enjoying life again. My GP has been very supportive, and listened to my very few side effects like tender breasts (which should ease off over time) and also experienced tingling sensation in my hands and feet, bit this has now disappeared.

I certainly don't miss my ‘old' menopausal body, which made me feel horrible and uncomfortable.


I am now a very happy lady with a better quality of life.

[Dotty]

Good to hear. Wish my story was as positive!

[Jenni]

I've been on Everol 25 patches plus Utrogestan 100 capsules for 2 weeks now and there's been no change at all in my meno symptoms.
Anyone know how long they take to start working?? I read somewhere on here you should give it 3 months.

I'm nearly 68 and had problems for over 20 years now, apart from when I was on Tibolone. I had to come off it last July when I had a mini stroke. All the hot flushes etc etc came back so my GP consulted with Dr Currie and has now put me on these patches instead.

[Dotty]

I ve been told 3 months for hrt to work and to not change dose or type in that 3 months.

[Hurdity]

Hi HarryBear - glad the patches are working for you - long may this last

Jenni - what symptoms are you wanting to alleviate? Although 3 months is the usual time frame to tell if an HRT is working - if it is hot flushes/sweats then you should normally notice a difference quite quickly with patches (within days or definitley by now). Other symptoms may take loinger. Give it another few weeks and if no difference then you might need to increase to 37.5 mcg? At you age re-starting hRT, and with your history it is important to have the lowest effective dose. Some women find that continuous progesterone (and its side effects) can seem to negate the positive effects of the oestrogen.

Hurdity x

[Jenni]

Hi Hurdity,
Yes, it is the hot flushes mainly, that I was hoping to alleviate. I think all the other symptoms, such as being weepy, constantly tired, confused and depressed, aren't helped by the lack of a good nights sleep. I've had a telephone consultation with my doctor today, and she is increasing the patches to Everol 50. She said the same as you, that I must be on the lowest, effective dose. So I'll go on those from Wednesday and hope they start to work.
WATCH THIS SPACE!!!!

Forgot to ask you. In what way does the continuous progesterone effect the oestrogen?

[Hurdity]

Hi Jenni

I can't really answer that - just that as reported on here, some women on cyclical HRT find that their flushes can temporarily return when on the combi part ( ie the oestrogen and prog part) of the HRT and those on separate combos ( ie gel or patch + prog) can increase their oestrogen. It doesn't happen with me but I have a feeling they did do so (ie flushes came back a bit) when I took norethisterone one summer ( as directed by my GP to ensure my lining was completely cleared). If your doc is increasing the dose to 50 mcg then that's great as that should do the trick! However don't be alarmed if you experience some spotting or bleeding which can happen on higher doses of oestrogen and Utrogestan 100 mg - depending on how much of the prog you absorb after digestion and metabolism.

Good luck and hope you feel better pretty soon

Hurdity x