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[Gigi]

Hello ladies,
I’m a 45 year old French Canadian menopausal girl and new to this forum. I’ve been having issues with the estrogen part of my hrt treatment. For the past year, I’ve been using utrogestan conti and transdermal estradiol (I started with oestrogel but now take Divigel, similar to oestrogel but comes in individual sachets) at 25 mcg, the lowest dose. There seems to be a pattern going on: when I start the treatment I feel initially very good and all symptoms disappear, but after about 6 weeks I start having intense anxiety and insomnia. It feels like I’m drinking red bull 24 hours a day.

Then I stop the estrogen part and feel relieved. I continue the utrogestan and I don’t notice any side effects from it. But after a couple of days the hot flushes and night sweats come back with a vengeance!

I’ve been on and off estradiol for the past year and it’s always the same pattern… it feels like the estradiol is building up and my body is reacting.

I’ve tried the patch with similar results.

Does any of you experienced the same issue? Should I be more patient and give it a try for at least 12 weeks?

Have any of you tried the gel every other day or even twice a week?

[Flossieteacake]

Hello Gigi and welcome to the forum. I am sorry to hear you are having difficulties tolerating oestrogen. There are members on here and a thread were people discuss this so you are not alone. I do not have any advice for you but just wanted to welcome you. I am sure somebody knowledgeable will be along soon. 

[Gigi]

 :)Thank you Flossieteacake!

[Diagonalley1]

Hi Gigi,
I’m Welsh and new here too ☺️ I’m having similar problems. I’m 48 and started with the gel and utrogestan in august but neither seemed to agree with me so I’ve switched to patches this week during my period and I cannot sleep on them! Insomnia, heart racing, feeling hot….Took it off in the middle of the night last night…
From bits I’ve read here, people have cut up the patches into quarters and built up gradually which I might try. I think the symptoms might be estrogen surges. I wonder if I should wait until I’m older to start hrt…

[Epona52]

Hi diagonally1
Try not to give in to it, go slowly with dosage at first and increase maybe one week at a time, I was 47 when I started with estrogen gel 1 pump, and I've only just increased to four pumps, I've never tried patches so can't answer your question about cutting them but here other ladies do, so you can only try,
Best of luck

[Gigi]

I’ve stopped both hormones for a week because I’m wondering if it’s just the estrogen part that I’m reacting to… I tried the patch and hated it, I also took it off in the middle of the night!

Two days ago I resumed with the gel and utrogestan, and didn’t take any yesterday. I didn’t have any bad reaction to it, except a little bit of anxiety the next morning. I’ll try it every other day for a couple of weeks to let my body adjust to it. Hope it works out!

[Flossieteacake]

I’ve stopped both hormones for a week because I’m wondering if it’s just the estrogen part that I’m reacting to… I tried the patch and hated it, I also took it off in the middle of the night!

Two days ago I resumed with the gel and utrogestan, and didn’t take any yesterday. I didn’t have any bad reaction to it, except a little bit of anxiety the next morning. I’ll try it every other day for a couple of weeks to let my body adjust to it. Hope it works out!

That is a good idea. I hope this allows your body to slowly adjust to it.

[Jan1976]

Hi I was wondering how you are feeling now, as I am 46 and started before Xmas on gel two pumps. Lasted max two weeks as my anxiety went though the roof so swapped to patches but having issues too with tingling sensations, so now cut patch down in quarter as was 100mg patch ?

[Gigi]

Hi Jan1976,
Sorry I didn’t reply to you sooner! Well, I was still having difficulties with estrogel, so I switched to Estradot 25 and now I’m using only a third of it (cutting it in half diagonally and taking off another tiny piece of it). I know the amount of estrogen I’m getting from this is ridiculously low but at least the adrenaline rush is less    severe and, believe it or not, it seems to be enough to manage my symptoms! It’s very strange because I do have symptoms of estrogen deficiency but at the same time seems to be very sensitive to it. Maybe that’s because we are on the younger side and we still produce some estrogen? I know technically I’m menopausal but on hrt it feels as if I’m in peri!

How do you feel on the patch? I guess by cutting it in quarters you have the equivalent of a 25mcg patch?

[Gigi]

Hi Gigi,
I’m Welsh and new here too ☺️ I’m having similar problems. I’m 48 and started with the gel and utrogestan in august but neither seemed to agree with me so I’ve switched to patches this week during my period and I cannot sleep on them! Insomnia, heart racing, feeling hot….Took it off in the middle of the night last night…
From bits I’ve read here, people have cut up the patches into quarters and built up gradually which I might try. I think the symptoms might be estrogen surges. I wonder if I should wait until I’m older to start hrt…

Are you still on the patch Diagonalley1? If so, I’m curious to know how long it took for the side effects to go away?