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[lillith112]

Hi ladies, been on Oestrodose 2 months now, the controversial one. Anyways upped dose to 3 pumps per day, all my meno symptoms came back, including this new one, my periods are always a week late now and hardly any bleeding, didn't even need a pad ?. Now previously on patches periods were bang on 28 days and lasted 5 days. Could this be due to lack of Estrogen linked to this Oestrodose not appearing to work for me ?. 

Lillith.

[Hurdity]

Hi lilith

If you are peri-menopausal then your oestrogen levels will be going up and down. Also absorption will vary from time to time depending on what you put on your skin and the temeprature of your skin. If the timing of your period has changed then this will be most likely due to your own cycle coming into play. If you are post-menopausal then your own oestrogen levels drop dramatically immediately following menopause so you may well need a higher dose now? Really depends where you are in menopause I would say. Maybe increase the dose and see how you feel?

Oh I see you were on patches before? You may well not be absorbing so well from the gel. Why did you stop using the patches if they worked for you?

Hurdity x

[lillith112]

I'm perimenopause, was still having very regular cycles before HRT and very regular on the patches. I think I'm not absorbing, I'm tempted to do another private blood test to see as had one while on patches, it was 227.

I couldn't get hold of patches anywhere, Boots, Lloyds and Badhams had supply issues so Dr put me on gel 😕. Hurdity, do you know if patches are available now ?. I was on Estraderm 50, but happy to use any 50 strength patches.

Lillith.

[Hurdity]

Ah if you are peri and were on patches then it is either your cycle or that you are not absorbing the gel so well - nothing controversial - do not fret about that!

Yes patches are available but the precise brands will vary depending on where you are  in UK and where you get your prescription from. Take a look at the latest info on the British Menopause Society website here: https://thebms.org.uk/2020/06/british-menopause-society-further-update-on-hrt-supply-shortages-20th-june-2020/ This is excellent and tells you the story from the manufacturers themselves, but not about local variations in supply. The one I use at the moment is Elleste Solo, previously Estradot but the new one is absolutely fine. Do ask your local pharmacy to phone around and see what they can get hold of and either get your doc to prescribe a generic estradiol patch at the right dose rather than a brand so that the pharmacist can give you whichever is available, or if you know what is in stock then get your doc to prescribe that one. If it aint broke as they say. I have only ever used patches ( apart from a brief unsuccessful foray into gel for about 6 weeks) so i know what you mean.

Good luck

Hurdity x

[lillith112]

Thanks Hurdity, that's super helpful. I just checked the link, there still seem to be problems with supply etc of Estraderm and Estradot. I did ask my Dr for a prescription for a generic estradiol 50 patch but she said best to stick to one type and not to change brands.   

I was just starting to see positive changes with the patches too, joint pain, numb hands vanished, no night sweats, even my libido had started to come back. Now on gel I've gone backwards again and all symptoms are back. 

Lillith. x

[Hurdity]

Well that's fine if you can get the brand. Maybe get your doctor to prescribe the brand that is available in the pharmacy of your choice then if she won't prescribe a generic! That's crazy! I would persist. After all it;s your body. In the meantime maybe icnrease the egl but sounds like you abrob from patches better. I certainly did - I didn;t get on with the gel at all ( Sandrena) and because I knew that patches had worked for years I didn't bother trying to tweak the gel dose.

Hurdity x

[lillith112]

I don't want to faff on with the gel by increasing it anymore, the patches were so much easier. I'm going to ring Dr on Monday and ask for a prescription for patches, but like you said it's best to ring around the chemists first to check which brand they have in.

Fingers crossed I can find some.

Lillith. x

[Hurdity]

Sounds like a plan! Good luck with that and let us know

Hurdity x

[lillith112]

Thankyou lovely lady  , I have a Dr phone appointment on the 21st about going back on patches. I finished my utero 5 days ago, been using 3 pumps of gel and yet again just have a tiny bit of spotting, no proper bleed. I can only conclude that this is due to my estrogen being too low to build a good uterus lining up ?.

Lillith. x