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[emma ray]

Hello to all, I'm new to MM and have been reading your many posts that are so helpful and supportive. Am really hoping your HRT journeys, experience and expertise may be able to help me!
Now just turned 58 I can see how the whole HRT business is trial and error and possibly getting the right specialist to understand 'you' as an individual as one size certainly does not fit all.
I started on Evorel Sequi patches for about 3-4 years which seemed to work ok apart from severe migraines ( I only started getting them in Peri never had any before).I have used Sumitriptan which works but I was getting too many per month and was recommended the estrogel/utrogetsan method which I switched to last Jan/Feb 2019 - however was told to use 4 pumps which made me dizzy and totally out of sorts and the V route so bothersome for the Utro. So went back to docs and told to persevere with less estrogel but after another hopeless month was put on Evorel Conti patches.
It made me feel normal again but still not brilliant.  Did not really notice any improvement in feeling good or change to libido.
Had a small polyp removed in June and doc did discuss Mirena coil but then decided I should stick with Evorel Conti. I asked about T-gel and managed to get Testogel which I started using a teeny blob of twice a week on thigh around July 2019. I asked if I could top up with Estrogel (as you ca do so off licence and Dr Newson also stated this on her website) it was agreed. So I topped up a half to one pump of Estrogel from Sept 2019.
I then noticed that I was shedding a lot of hair around Autumn/winter 2019 - at hairdresser could see when they brushed it wet was filled with hair - not had this before ( well maybe 30yrs ago told I had PCOS and had hair loss for several months, but it went away without much treatment and after I had my son, now 21, I never had prob again)

Due to the stressful situation regarding supplies (and Covid)  I started running out of the patches and had to change back to the Estrogel/Utro 3 x pumps plus 200mg utro v route I had tried unsuccessfully last year. This time it is sort of ok but...
1. Have not had bleed despite 12 agonising days on Utro with vile headaches and PMS, poor sleep, zero libido, hair shedding really bad lucky I have thick hair ( well not now)
2. Now on month two and took 7 days of 200 utro as symptoms so bad last month.
3. Now day 5 after stopping Utro and still no bleed! But PMS symtoms

My GP has prescribed estrodot to try from next month as I am convinced its the estrogel that's causing hair loss - yet how can you work it out? I am waiting for a referral to a meno clinic but in the meantime.. I need your help ladies..
1. What is the cause of the excessive shedding of hair ( diffuse)
2. Why no bleed?

Any thoughts or similar experiences I'd be so grateful

[Dotty]

Hi I will try to answer some of your questions.

When you were on Evorel Sequi you were on a sequential HRT so would have had a monthly bleed. When you changed to Evorel Conti this is a continuous HRT , so you shouldn’t have had a monthly bleed.

It is likely that you are not bleeding as you are post menopausal. If you are post menopausal then the dosage of Utrogestan is 100mg every day. The equivalent dosage of Oestrogel to Evorel Conti be 2 pumps.

Hair shedding can be caused by the norethisterone in the Evorel Conti.

Not sure if that helps x

[allie007]

Hi Emma ray

I also shed a lot of hair at the front using Estrogel within weeks of starting to use it, but it eventually stopped after about 6 months. I'm using Estradot patches now but do top it up with a pump of Estrogel and my hair is shedding a bit but nowhere near as badly as before. Unfortunately it hasn't grown back so my hairline does look patchy 😔

[emma ray]

Thank you so much for the replies...

So I'm using 3 pumps of estrogel (and Utro 12 days 200mg)  as I was topping up the evorel conti patches previously with a pump of gel that would make it equal to 3 pumps, I never had any break through bleeding so the norethisterone prob kept lining low. I only got hair shedding after some months of taking it prob when I added the extra pump of estrogel as I had NO hair shedding on evorel sequi which has the norethisterone too.

However I should get a withdrawal bleed now as changed to sequential (gel& utro) unless it takes longer to readjust to new regime? although I understand some women do not get a bleed on a cyclical regime - when I was on evorel sequi I occasionally would not get a bleed.

I'm very bewildered and today feel a bit wired and recently noticed palpitations...but my main concern  is the hair loss.

Allie007 do you think your hair shedding is from the gel?

[allie007]

I do emma ray, i think it was too much of a coincidence that it started a few weeks after starting the Estrogel x

[Helenmc]

Hi everyone,  I am new to this site. I was on fomostan and having heavy periods so was changed 6 weeks ago to Estradot50 with utrogestan 200 for 12 days starting  day 15. I finished the utrogestan  10 days ago and despite  cramps, I haven't  had a bleed. Do I just start the cycle again and if so when do I restart the utrogestan? I am very confused and would be grateful  for any advice

[emma ray]

Helenmc, I had no bleed after first month and still none on second month (despite reducing the amount of days from 12  to 7) still a lot of utrogestan (200mg) esp if taken via the V route I'm carrying for this third month...I have had the PMS symptoms but lie you no bleed..guess the utro is doing its job opposing the ostrogen??