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[Turkish delight]

Amber, Green, or don't notice between (them)

Were talking about Oestrogel again and the colour square on the bottom left of the back of the bottle.
I think this mini poll could help us work out whether it's likely that the colour squares mean anything significant.
And whether or not these are going to affect all, some or none of us.

Can you post under here which works best for you?
Or no difference noted?

TD
 

[Vicky81]

Hi i called the pharmacist in London who issued my green squared bottles... he said they are both the same ingredients x

[Amazing grace]

I've used both, currently got green square bottles, I  honestly can't tell any difference between the two, but we are all different in our response to things.

[Jane_w]

I've only been using oestrogel for just over 2 months and the bottles I've had have all had the green square so I know nothing other than what I've experienced using this and this alone. My symptoms of GSM have greatly improved  (I've had difficulty using anything topical and stopped using anything down below a few wks ago on Dr's advice, so I'm putting the improvement down to the systemic hrt). My mood has gone from suicidal (no joke, this was a grim time) to back to what I was...a grumpy old cow but one that can at least function. Insomnia (5yrs+ of very little sleep) resolved. Energy levels greatly improved. So make of that what you will. I'd take green, amber or any damn colour square tbh as long as I could be assured I could get it without the stress of all the shortages! I'm aware some folks may feel there is a difference though so i watch this with interest.

[Gnatty]

As already mentioned no problems for me either.

[Turkish delight]

Brilliant, thanks gals, this is helping already.

I've just lately been on the Amber square ones. Only known to check squares for past 2 weeks.
My next bottle is Green so will monitor it, trying to avoid the nocebo effect as someone else mentioned.

In January I had a dip in Oestrogen, cried my way through the whole month plus yoyoing mood, insomnia, headaches, and so as others have said January was a write-off.
I had to increase gel and then 2 weeks later felt better, so wondering whether it was the Green square effect.
Chucked the bottle out before I knew to check.

TD

[alibeau]

Well…..

I had a terrible six weeks from Xmas through Jan, severe fatigue, low mood, aches and pains….

In feb I started to feel much better and then discovered the amber/green square thread. I checked and was just coming to the end of an amber bottle…

I put two and two together and started to wonder if I had been using green bottles in Dec/Jan.. I currently have two bottles on the go, one of each… pretty reluctant to use the green one given how rotten I felt for the past few months although I have absolutely no proof at all, I wonder if the pharmacy could give me the batch numbers of my previous bottles?

I’ve gone ‘blind’ today, will continue to use my current bottle not knowing if it is amber or green and see how things pan out!

Ali x

[Flan747]

I definitely noticed a difference using the green square however I swapped to the patch and lasted just over 24 hours so maybe I was going through a bad period of time! I have one more bottle of orange so will see what happens when I use my last bottle of green! I’m hoping it is the placebo effect!

[Turkish delight]

alibeau interesting and clever to hide it from yourself, might have to copy that at some point 

Did you up the dose after feeling bad in new year?

TD

[alibeau]

alibeau interesting and clever to hide it from yourself, might have to copy that at some point 

Did you up the dose after feeling bad in new year?

TD

I felt so bad that I contacted Heather Currie by econsult through this website.

She advised that I could try to cut down to two pumps (as due to some of my symptoms she wondered if my own cycle had kicked in and therefore I had too much oestrogen). I was to try that for 2-3 months and if no better increase to 4 pumps as I might be low in oestrogen.  Unfortunately it appears that most symptoms can be caused by either too much or equally to little oestrogen so it is trial and error to try and find out!

Whilst I was waiting for Heather to reply I started to feel much improved and so by the time I received her suggestions I thought it best to leave well alone and stick with the 3 pumps I have been on for almost a year. Right up until Xmas this had worked well for me.

Then I discovered the thread about the coloured squares and wondered if this is what could have effected me?

Anyway, as I say I've gone 'blind' now. I am due a HRT review over the phone on Monday but I think I will try and ring my pharmacy on Monday morning to see it they can help re batch numbers. However I wonder if I am best not knowing as I am aware that Oestrogel is hard enough to source, never mind if I start requesting certain batch numbers!!!

Or I could ask the nurse if I can try patches but I'd really rather not switch as the gel had been working well for me.....

Sorry for the waffle!

Ali x

[Louise2010]

Just discovered this so sorry I’m late to the party Turkish Delight.
I’ve had no issues with my dosing for the he years I’ve had oestrogel until my last prescription. Suddenly back to anxiety, suicidal mood (no joke either) night sweats and waking with pounding heart. I happened across a live of a specialist talking with a gp about Besin changing their formula green square v orange square and how some women had their symptoms come back. The only similarity was that these women had the bottle with the green square.
I thought I’d go and check mine as I never notice things like that! Yep I have the green square bottle. It can’t be the nocebo effect for me.

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CTpiD9GqVS1/?utm_medium=copy_link

[Louise2010]

Meant to say that’s the link to the live. Very interesting and also covers a lot about hrt for those who are new to it.

[alibeau]

Just in case it helps anyone, I have upped my usual dose of 3 pumps to 3 and a 1/2 if I am using a 'green square' bottle and this seems to work for me.  I have just collected my latest prescription and the bottle is amber square so I will drop back down to 3 pumps when I use it.

HTH.

Ali x

[Flan747]

I’ve had returned symptoms again and now realised that it’s the new batch which is orange square but it has now orange swirl! Just watched an Instagram post about it! Thinking of swapping to Sandrena ?

[Louise2010]

Flan747 me too. Hope that doesn’t run out too 

Alibeau thank you for that tip. You’re really lucky getting hold of some it’s still not back in stock where I live.