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[Jules53]

A quick update after my visit to the doctor again.

The lady doctor I saw is the expert on all things menopause at my surgery and she is doing lots of training so that was a breath of fresh air to hear! She is doing it as she said there are so many ladies who are suffering and she wants to be as  clued up as she can be. She is also going through it herself and is on HRT.  The only problem is she is going over to Africa to do volunteer medical work for 3 months😥.

Anyway, she gave me the choice of the gel or an estrogen patch. She said she couldn't be sure whether it was ths gel or a hormonal imbalance causing the itching.  The pharmacist could only get the Oestrodose in when I popped in to see her before my doc's appointment so I went for the patch. I have Evorel 50 patches. I stuck one on this morning so will see how it goes. The itching finally stopped this afternoon 😁 and I can actually feel that I am getting estrogen into my system.  I will use the Utrogestan again tonight and see if I have any itching in the morning, though I'm quite confident it was the gel or my own hormonal imbalance that was causing me a problem. 

Thanks again for all of you advice. I'll keep you posted on progress.

Jules x

[Donna-paul]

Donna paul - you are one of a few women on the forum who can't use Oestrodose but are OK with Oestrogel.

If you fall into this category you must ask your GP to write Oestrogel specifically on your prescription and also mention it to the pharmacist as they can make a note too.

In theory there shouldn't be any difference at all, and I for one can swop and change with no noticeable difference. However, it is what it is and you need to have the product you can tolerate.

I don't think I am the only one who's had problems with oestrodose as when I did my thread other women agreed. I know my pharmacist really struggles to get oestrogel so got 3 the last time but said to me recently I must give him plenty of notice when they are used. Also Dr Newson the menopause dr who's often on telly say she only prescribed oestrogel! She says it's a lot weaker!

[Dotty]

Jules...sounds a good plan 👍🏻

[Tinkerbell]

All I can say is that I have been on estrogel/Oestrodose nearly three years now and every time I use Oestrodose I get itching in the area I apply it and my symptoms come back.  I get upset when told that there is no difference as as I am not imagining it, great if it works for others though as hopefully it makes it easier for me to source the estrogel.

[Hurdity]

This saga runs on and on! We are going round and round in circles over this matter and I am having to repeat myself!

I have no wish to upset anyone but faced with continual speculation, rumour and hearsay about the composition of these two products, as a scientist I was puzzled and wanted to establish the facts – to help clear this matter up for the benefit of gel users. No-one had written to the manufacturers to find out so this is what I did.

Whatever anyone's individual experiences (which are of course valid) the fact remains that I have it first hand in writing from Besins that there are not two products but one, the only difference being in the outer package (the canister pump-pack), and possibly the box, and the leaflet. The 0.06% estradiol gel product produced in Belgium is named Oestrogel for the UK market (and maybe elsewhere) and Oestrodose for France and some other EU countries.  Besins have manufacturing plants for some of their products in Spain and Thailand but the information from Besins is that all the Oestrogel supplied to the UK market however it is packaged or named, is made in the Belgium plant. This is reflected in the leaflets supplied with all the UK Besins estradiol gels.

As discussed on the original thread I started after I had heard from Besins, we have no reason to believe otherwise unless there is something fraudulent going on in the supply chain – which would be extremely difficult to ascertain – for example I have several times written to at least two maybe more of the parallel importers but not had a reply although I always get replies from Besins.

It has been suggested many times that anyone who consistently gets an allergic reaction to one product rather than the other, must report this to the MHRA and also to Besins with the batch number, and should follow this up ie whether there is some fault with the product or that it is not as it says.

As for what Louise Newson says – well either she is wrong, or Besins are lying (to me), or she knows something that others don't ie something fishy is going on that no-one else knows about (in which case the leaflets would also be wrong....).. I would be interested to know what she basis that assertion on – that Oestrodose is weaker. As Stellajane says – most women happily use either product and don't even notice that they are using one rather than another. If it was weaker ie always a different product,  then they would experience a resumption of symptoms on one not the other.  If the gel is 0.06 % then that's what it is – and the list of carrier ingredients is also exactly the same.

I hope all of you who are using the gels find a dose that suits you so that you feel better most of the time - you have to do what's right for you

Hurdity x

[Hurdity]

A quick update after my visit to the doctor again.

The lady doctor I saw is the expert on all things menopause at my surgery and she is doing lots of training so that was a breath of fresh air to hear! She is doing it as she said there are so many ladies who are suffering and she wants to be as  clued up as she can be. She is also going through it herself and is on HRT.  The only problem is she is going over to Africa to do volunteer medical work for 3 months😥.

Anyway, she gave me the choice of the gel or an estrogen patch. She said she couldn't be sure whether it was ths gel or a hormonal imbalance causing the itching.  The pharmacist could only get the Oestrodose in when I popped in to see her before my doc's appointment so I went for the patch. I have Evorel 50 patches. I stuck one on this morning so will see how it goes. The itching finally stopped this afternoon 😁 and I can actually feel that I am getting estrogen into my system.  I will use the Utrogestan again tonight and see if I have any itching in the morning, though I'm quite confident it was the gel or my own hormonal imbalance that was causing me a problem. 

Thanks again for all of you advice. I'll keep you posted on progress.

Jules x

Thanks for the update Jules53.

If the itching disappears then maybe report this to the MHRA as a potential side effect of the Oestrogel? Not sure if you are supposed to report side effects that are already listed in the leaflet? Maybe not?

Good luck with the patch and hope it does the trick for you. Yes please keep us updated

Hurdity x

[Jules53]

Thanks Hurdity. Well the itching is back today😥. I'm on the Evorel 50 patch and used the Utrogestan vaginally last night.

I felt really calm when I woke up but as the day has gone on I  am feeling so itchy! Have put half a patch on now instead of a full one and still feel so itchy. It obviously wasn't the Oestrodose after all that.

Not sure whether I need more Estrogen or less. I'd really appreciate some advice please. Could it be fluctuating estrogen levels or the Utrogestan which is causing the problem?

On the plus side all the anxiety has gone
 😁.

Thanks in advance xx

[Dotty]

Hi Jules were you ok on Femseven ? If you were, then it's unlikely to be the oestrogen as it's the same in the Oestrogel and in the patch. By halving the patch you are not getting the same amount of oestrogen so its very likely that your levels will be dropping. X

[Jules53]

Hi Dotty

Yes I was OK on Femseven, although the anxiety was starting to creep back through, but there was no itching.

Should I go back up to a full patch, or should I increase on that to 1 and a half patches (75) do you think? Should I also miss the Utrogestan tonight to see if it's that?

Thank you X

[Jules53]

Thanks Annamuller. How long did it take for your levels to even out and which HRT are you on?

[Tinkerbell]

Okay, so why has every bottle of Oestrodose I have had been thinner in consistency than the estrogel, it feels different when she rub it between your fingers too, it dries quicker  and my VA and palpitations return.
I shall certainly report it if I have a return of symptoms when I have the misfortune to end up with the Oestrodose again.

Yes  this debate does goes round and round, although if someone else feels like me on a post I shall continue to comment on my experience with it and those who love the Oestrodose can do the same.

[Jules53]

Thanks Annamuller. I really don't know what to do for the best but will plough on for a bit. Maybe it's not for me either but I have to try as my anxiety has definitely got better.

Thanks for your replies x

[Jules53]

I agree! It's awful. I'm too scared to try and manage without HRT at the moment as the Femseven worked very well for me and I wish they hadn't discontinued it😥. I know there are thousands of women suffering because they have had to change.

I'm so glad your anxiety has gone.  Do you mind me asking how many years into menopause you are? Thanks

[Jules53]

Ok, thank you. I'm 2 and a half years post menopause so I hope it all ends soon🤞 x

[Donna-paul]

This debate may go on and on and people should not be made to feel as though they are making it up. I know I was allergic to something in oesrodose like I was with the fillers in the tablets. I agree that oesrodose is a lot thinner constituency and smells different and I agree with the menopause Dr newson when she says it is weaker version. My hot flushes and aniexty came back with a veganance to. We should not feel that we can't say it is different as to some people it is even my family noticed how different it made me!