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[loonarider]

Silly question, but what if I'm out by a few mm when cutting the patch in half? Won't the doses not be equal when I use the other half eventually.

Or is this a non issue. Do people get out a ruler?   

[Hopeful]

I used to cut my evoril conti in half and never found any problem with them, and they were not always perfectly equal.

[Wrensong]

Yes, I do measure with a ruler to cut my patches   But mine are the very tiny Estradot & low dose at that, so really very small, & not much leeway to get it wrong.  Actually not me - OH gets all Blue Peter with the ruler & scissors.  He slaps the things on for me as they're fiddly to apply on the derriere    Easy to drop, then hard to find.  Also tricky to get the backing off  .

My butt not his btw    And it's the patches he measures.  Not my derriere.

If you pass our house & hear "brace yerself Sheila" in cod Aussie , you'll know what's going on. 
No, not that  .  It's patch change day .

[Taz2]

I think you are meant to cut diagonally - that's what my GP said a while ago when discussing my possible reduction in dosage when I reach 70. Obviously I wont do that though    Advice here from Alderhey as to where to cut https://alderhey.franktesting.co.uk/application/files/5415/0211/2954/Estradiol_PatchM.pdf

Taz x

[loonarider]

I think you are meant to cut diagonally - that's what my GP said a while ago when discussing my possible reduction in dosage when I reach 70. Obviously I wont do that though    Advice here from Alderhey as to where to cut https://alderhey.franktesting.co.uk/application/files/5415/0211/2954/Estradiol_PatchM.pdf

Taz x

Wow, that's helpful. Diagrams anad everything! Thanks

[loonarider]

Yes, I do measure with a ruler to cut my patches   But mine are the very tiny Estradot & low dose at that, so really very small, & not much leeway to get it wrong.  Actually not me - OH gets all Blue Peter with the ruler & scissors.  He slaps the things on for me as they're fiddly to apply on the derriere    Easy to drop, then hard to find.  Also tricky to get the backing off  .

My butt not his btw    And it's the patches he measures.  Not my derriere.

If you pass our house & hear "brace yerself Sheila" in cod Aussie , you'll know what's going on. 
No, not that  .  It's patch change day .

Hahaha, you're hilarious!

[loonarider]

I used to cut my evoril conti in half and never found any problem with them, and they were not always perfectly equal.

Thanks

[Wrensong]

Tried that with other patches Taz but the pointy corners tend to come unstuck.  Been cutting a third off my current lot to reduce 37.5s to 25s, so easiest to take off an oblong strip.

[Michelle7474]

I was informed that cutting patch in half wasn’t gonna help
Her words was .. it’s designed to allow so much to release through 24 hours & if it’s cut in half  it will still release the amount it’s meant too.

Dunno how true this is as I know others have cut patches in half with success

[loonarider]

I was informed that cutting patch in half wasn’t gonna help
Her words was .. it’s designed to allow so much to release through 24 hours & if it’s cut in half  it will still release the amount it’s meant too.

Dunno how true this is as I know others have cut patches in half with success

Seems to be a lot of conflicting opinions on this.

[Wrensong]

When I first started HRT I was advised to start on half patch (matrix type - not reservoir - shouldn't cut those), but when I asked the pharmacist he said manufacturers don't recommend it, so he couldn't endorse it.  I did start on half a patch & didn't come to any harm & in common with other members have continued to reduce my dose gradually by cutting measured pieces off whenever I've needed to stop e.g. for surgery.  That seems to minimise withdrawal effects compared with the one occasion when I had to stop suddenly.

I've just changed to a different type of regimen with a view to increasing dose & my consultant agreed without hesitation that I could start on half patch.

Just did a quick trawl online & there's mixed advice but there are medical sources who endorse it, albeit some with caveats, as shown in the following links & extracts . . .

https://www.nhstaysideadtc.scot.nhs.uk/TAPG%20html/pdf%20docs/Linked%20Documents/Tayside%20Menopause%20Guidelines.pdf

"To achieve lower doses . . . women can . . . cut up matrix patches (not reservoir patches). These are all unlicensed uses of HRT. If this is tried with sequential preparations, irregular bleeding will occur."

https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02264743
(Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust sponsored trial in collaboration with Chelsea & Westminster)

"Group B administered ½ Evorel Conti patches - trans-dermal Estradiol 25 mcg/norethisterone acetate 85 mcg (½ Evorel Conti patches) daily for the duration of the treatment phase (24 weeks)."

https://harrowhealthcare.co.uk/stopping-hrt/

"If you’re using patches, you can ask for a lower strength or simply cut the patch in half down the middle. If you wish to reduce your HRT even more slowly, taking a third or a quarter off your patch will work too. Pharmacists may tell you this makes the preparation unlicensed, but it works extremely well!"

Sorry, that doesn't answer your original question loonarider, as to how precise the cut should be, but it does at least show that it's recognised practice.

[loonarider]

When I first started HRT I was advised to start on half patch (matrix type - not reservoir - shouldn't cut those), but when I asked the pharmacist he said manufacturers don't recommend it, so he couldn't endorse it.  I did start on half a patch & didn't come to any harm & in common with other members have continued to reduce my dose gradually by cutting measured pieces off whenever I've needed to stop e.g. for surgery.  That seems to minimise withdrawal effects compared with the one occasion when I had to stop suddenly.

I've just changed to a different type of regimen with a view to increasing dose & my consultant agreed without hesitation that I could start on half patch.

Just did a quick trawl online & there's mixed advice but there are medical sources who endorse it, albeit some with caveats, as shown in the following links & extracts . . .

https://www.nhstaysideadtc.scot.nhs.uk/TAPG%20html/pdf%20docs/Linked%20Documents/Tayside%20Menopause%20Guidelines.pdf

"To achieve lower doses . . . women can . . . cut up matrix patches (not reservoir patches). These are all unlicensed uses of HRT. If this is tried with sequential preparations, irregular bleeding will occur."

https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02264743
(Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust sponsored trial in collaboration with Chelsea & Westminster)

"Group B administered ½ Evorel Conti patches - trans-dermal Estradiol 25 mcg/norethisterone acetate 85 mcg (½ Evorel Conti patches) daily for the duration of the treatment phase (24 weeks)."

https://harrowhealthcare.co.uk/stopping-hrt/

"If you’re using patches, you can ask for a lower strength or simply cut the patch in half down the middle. If you wish to reduce your HRT even more slowly, taking a third or a quarter off your patch will work too. Pharmacists may tell you this makes the preparation unlicensed, but it works extremely well!"

Sorry, that doesn't answer your original question loonarider, as to how precise the cut should be, but it does at least show that it's recognised practice.

Hey there,

Thanks for taking the time to respond with links. I'll have a look - seems it isn't frowned upon so will try a lower dose by cutting in half.