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[Peri2022]

Sadly patches really did not suit me.  I tried Evorel first (due to shortages of my normal HRT) which gave me the most horrendous migraines I had ever had every day - swopped to Estradot which made me feel like I had drunk about 10 cans of Red Bull I was so wired and then the third day seemed to run out completely.  Also my blood level of oestrogen dropped to 69 which the Meno consultant told me was about the level I would be if I were not on HRT at all.  Thankfully Oestogel came back available and I have now been back on it for 9 weeks and am hugely improved already.  It is so true what suits one person may well not suit another and patches certainly did not suit me although I know they are brilliant for loads of women.  Horses for courses

Pippa, I got chills reading your post as this is exactly what I experienced and thought I was going mad! Good to hear that the gel suited you better. I’m really hoping the same will be true for me. I guess some people just metabolise the patch way too fast - that must be what’s happened for both of us.

[Pippa52]

Peri2022 it really does seem to be a case of finding which method of delivery suits you best.  I like the gel too because it is so easy to fine tune the dose - the spray was impossible to do this with.  Sadly it really does seem to be a case of trial and error to find the right type and level. I am sure you are right re the patches and the speed at which different people metabolise it.  Fingers crossed for you that things improve please keep us posted.xxx

[Peri2022]

Hi Pippa (and everyone!). I had a phone consultation with a really lovely pharmacist from Newson this afternoon. She said sometimes women on 200mcg patches have the same blood oestrogen levels as those on 50mcg!! So everyone really does metabolise it differently. She is starting me on 1 pump of Oestrogel then she says I can gently escalate it week by week. Incidentally she also said I can just take 100mg utrogestan vaginally instead of 200mg - this is not licensed but she says there’s evidence that the lower dose does protect the endometrium when taken vaginally.

I’m so glad to have my suspicions validated. There’s nothing worse than feeling like your own body is sabotaging you. I’m feeling ok wearing half a 50mcg patch til the gel arrives and then hopefully this will be the thing that works for me! I’ll keep you posted and I hope you stay well too.

[Pippa52]

Peri2022 - oh that's brilliant I'm so glad you have had advice that has really helped you.  I hope so much the gel works for you - at least it is so easy to adjust the amount of the gel too.  Fingers rightly crossed for you. xx

[EllaAurora]

Hello,

Does anyone know, if the patch is always releasing the same amount of oestrogen (irrespective of the person), or if there are individual variation in how much oestrogen the patch gives per hour? I'm asking as I feel with 50mcg patch that at the beginning I may be getting too much from it, and towards the end at day 3, it feels the dose is wearing off.

I know there is small gradual decrease over the 3.5 days but my question is if its possible that the variation is greater for some people? I had to move away from gel to patch exactly for the reason that I was absorbing gel too quickly and getting huge fluctuations. So now I'm wondering if the same can happen with patch, or if its not possible due to patch design releasing only certain maximum amount in a given time.

Thanks for support and hope you are keeping well! xxx

Hi Elle, I know this is an old thread but I’m so glad I found it. I’ve been on the patch for three weeks and having exactly the same issues you described here - a huge anxious high on day 1 as my body seems to hoover up too much of the patch. Did you ever find a good solution? Hope you’re feeling better now and would love to hear how things are going.

Hi! Sorry to hear you're facing similar issues with the patch I'm afraid I was never able to solve mine, and after some really bad days had to stop the patch and move back to oestrogel. At that time I felt my hormonal system was completely messed up and it took a long time to get it settled again. But this may have had nothing to do with the patch per se, perhaps it was just my own hormones fluctuating wildly in the background.

When I moved back to gel, I started again with 1 pump upping the dose veeeery slowly (adding like 1/4 of a pump per week) and within 2 months started to have some more normal days and gradually feeling better and better. I'm still on the gel and doing quite OK most of the days, even great occasionally, but there are still ups and downs -I guess I'm still late peri. After a few stable months I've felt again a bit 'off' recently and am wondering whether I should again increase the gel.. but that's a topic for another thread

Hope you'll find a balance with the patch soon or if not, have a chance to try another formulation! xx

[Kathleen]

Hello ladies.

Peri2022.- thank you so much for the update.

I think Newson Health only recently added their 'ask the pharmacist' service as a way to help ladies who didn't necessarily need to speak to their doctor. I am pleased that this arrangement has worked well for you.

Take care and let us know how you get on with the gel..

K.

[Peri2022]

Thanks Pippa for your good wishes.
Elle, I appreciate the update - I’m sorry you just didn’t get on with the patch but it’s encouraging that you were able to build up to ok-or-great on the gel. I hope your ups and downs settle a bit as time goes by. I’m grateful to you for sharing your original post because it helped me see that maybe I wasn’t going mad with this weird reaction!
Yes Kathleen, the pharmacist service is a great alternative to the full doc appointment. It’s not cheap (£50 for 10-15 minutes) but I was able to get help within 24 hours and I actually felt it was great value. As a health practitioner myself I feel awful going private but the GP surgery is so busy and gynae waiting list ridiculously long…I really hope that improves, for all our sakes!

[EllaAurora]

Thanks Pippa for your good wishes.
Elle, I appreciate the update - I’m sorry you just didn’t get on with the patch but it’s encouraging that you were able to build up to ok-or-great on the gel. I hope your ups and downs settle a bit as time goes by. I’m grateful to you for sharing your original post because it helped me see that maybe I wasn’t going mad with this weird reaction!
Yes Kathleen, the pharmacist service is a great alternative to the full doc appointment. It’s not cheap (£50 for 10-15 minutes) but I was able to get help within 24 hours and I actually felt it was great value. As a health practitioner myself I feel awful going private but the GP surgery is so busy and gynae waiting list ridiculously long…I really hope that improves, for all our sakes!

Hi Peri 2022,
thanks and pleased to hear you were able to get it sorted already with Newson and are moving to gel now. For me the key with gel was upping the dose very slowly, adding a small amount and then keeping that for couple of days or a week, before adding again. Its so interesting how the response to the different products is so individual. I remember being so puzzled and worried about my reactions to patch, as I had been told by gynae that usually patch helps to keep more even levels. But for some reason for me it worked differently. 
Hope you'll have success with the gel soon! Let us know how you get on xx

[Peri2022]

Thanks, I’ll check in next week and let you know how my gel adventures are going. To be honest I’m so desperate at this point, it’s tempting to just squeeze the whole thing out and bathe in it.

Joking! See you next week and thanks again for all the good wishes x

[Peri2022]

Hi ladies, just giving you an update as promised, but unfortunately this is not an HRT success story! On my first day on one pump of gel, I had my worst reaction ever - within 2 hours I was incredibly agitated and restless and my heart started racing so badly, I had to call my husband home from work. It was terrifying. The next day I tried about a third of a pump and still felt an adrenaline rush building after about 2 hours so I took a propranolol and vowed never to touch the stuff again. I don’t know why, but HRT and I just don’t get on. I’ve been off it now for 4 days and while I still have morning anxiety, at least now I feel more like myself, I can organise my thoughts and I can get some sleep instead of feeling like I’m on a constant bender. I hope this story doesn’t discourage anyone…if anything, maybe it will show somebody struggling with side effects that they’re not alone. Thanks to you all for the lovely support you’ve given me. X

[Kathleen]

Hello again ladies.

Peri2022 - thank you for your update.
I am busy reducing my Sandrena gel and the dreaded mood swings are upon me!

I completely understand why you feel that HRT may not be for you, I am wondering this myself ( though I was also wobbly when I stopped HRT altogether unfortunately).

What are you planning now? Please continue to update the forum as I am sure many are following your story.

Wishing you well and take care.

K.