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[Annies]

Any advice much appreciated ladies.
After a couple of false starts decided I could not take much more sleeplessness so tentatively starting with half a pump estrogel.
I'm slim build and seem to be v sensitive to any med or hormone that I start using hence using really conservatively. I know some of you ladies use up to 4 pumps daily so this probably sounds ridiculously little but....since starting 10 days ago I have really sore, swollen breasts (not been a problem for years as was using progesterone cream which stopped all that..) and continual waking up from about 4am,  worse than before if anything. This stuff is clearly potent!
Since insomnia was a big reason for me trying this, do I continue on and poss increase the dose or stay on a half and see if symptoms subside? Or abandon as so far aggravating sleeplessness which was key reason for starting HRT..?
Might it be my body just isn't needing the extra oestrogen at the mo- am 48, peri, fsh in the 20's.
Any thoughts really welcome. 

[CLP]

Hi Annies
Just wondered how you are getting on with your half pump of estrogel? I have been on estrogel for almost 3 months now - was told to start at 3 pumps which made me feel terrible.  I have been varying the dose and have found even 1 pump makes me feel very grumpy.  I have tried half a pump today x

[sed]

Hi, I am in a quandary too.  I started on 2 pumps and feel awful.  Not sure whether to increase or decrease.  I also found (even though I have only been doing this for a week) applying to the arms makes me feel worse than applying to my legs.  Any ideas?

[sheila99]

I would reduce. It's always better to start low and increase gradually. Some people find they absorb better through their arms though it made no difference to me.

[Annies]

Hi CLP and sed,

Sorry to hear you're also struggling with the estrogel. I think even 2 pumps is quite a bit if you're sensitive to changes in levels, especially if you're still cycling naturally. Perhaps try starting at half and v slowly working up, keeping a symptom diary? What progesterone regime are you both on?
Since I last posted I've basically continued on with a dose of half to one pump alongside daily utro 100mg. How I feel on this regime is inconsistent to say the least. Some days the sleep isnt too bad and I feel human, more positive and energetic, and others, sleep is wakeful and I feel unmotivated, grumpy and exhausted! I've started seeing a meno specialist at Newson Health ( had first appt 6 wks ago) and she advised to up the estrogel to a couple at least but every time I try to I find my sleep suffers more and I bottle out! It's really tricky and quite disheartening.
Until about 2 mths ago I was still having periods anywhere from 20 to 30 days so I was convinced my own cycle going on  was responsible for the inconsistent results. But since taking the utrogestan every day without any break I've had no bleed for about 50 days now yet still feeling v up and down. Not sure if that has happened due to continuous utro usage or is because my periods are now naturally stopping?🤔 If you ladies are following this regime I'd be keen to hear if it's stopped your period too..?

[sheila99]

If you don't already use oestrogel on the morning I would do so. The conti utro may have stopped the bleeds but I don't think it will stop the ups and downs due to your own hormones. The bright spot is that it does get easier as you head towards meno.

[Annies]

Thnks sheila99..I do use the gel in the morn, generally never the eve. Do you find using later in the day causes worse sleeplessness? The meno specialist I consulted was pretty adamant that it should help with sleep....not with me tho. The utro does a little bit I think - was always worse when I stopped it for a few days..
Happy NY! X

[sheila99]

I'm on 4 pumps now so I use it night and morning. My insomnia was due to oestrogen deficiency but it was consistently bad. Might be worth keeping a diary in case you can link the sleeplessness to anything else - food, time of month, stress etc.