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[Rumbaba]

Hi all

I have been on HRT for 5 years now, and I seem to absorb less and less.  I am currently on  3 x 100 patches (!)  (under clinical supervision) and my levels are still low.  I am considering implants.  Has anyone had success with these when all else has failed? 

My current clinic does not do implants, so I'm thinking of changing.  Would be keen to hear of anyone who has used the Oxford Menopause clinic, and Dr K Barber? 

Many thanks in advance

Rumbaba

[laszla]

Rumbaba I'm to have implants quite soon after a few years of low absorption despite taking large amounts of estrogel. So too soon to report back but there are several women who go down this route. I'm having mine done at Chelsea & Westminster (NHS). Hopefully someone will be along who has experience of trialling them...

[Rumbaba]

Hi

Thank you for your reply laszla. How high did you go on transdermal before you were offered the implant? Good luck, and I'd be interested to see how you get on. Judging by the lack of replies, it seems like not many women are going down this route.

My daughter has an implant for contraceptive purposes, and she gets on very well with it

Rumbaba x

[floraljo]

How do you know if you are absorbing it? My oestrogen levels are all over the place. I'm on transdermal. Is there a way to check absorption? Gp said no because results are erratic in menopause.

[Rumbaba]

Hi floraljo

I'm post menopause, and I have frequent blood tests ( every 3 months).  So, my symptoms are not really being addressed, by the gel, and the blood tests confirm that my my l vels are still low, despite a sky high dosage.

 Your GP is sort of right about levels being erratic, but as I am 6 years post,  that's not really the case for me.

Do you have a return of symptoms?

Take care

Rumbaba

[laszla]

Rumbaba I'm on 4-5 pumps estrogel (about 100-150 mcg) and they suggested the implant. I do worry that the
implant will only be 50mcg but I suppose if it's better absorbed then the lower quantity won't matter.
If you're out of perimenopause and mainly or fully dependent on hrt for hormones then blood tests are very useful in monitoring serum levels of hormones.

[Happydayz]

Hi Rumbaba

I wasn’t absorbing gel or patches (went up to 2 x 100 mcg under supervision) so had the implants last year. The procedure was quick and painless so nothing to worry about! I had estrogen and testosterone and my levels for both increased which was fabulous!

Sadly, I had a massive struggle with progesterone and estrogen and testosterone didn’t alleviate my symptoms so I’ve gone down a different route now.

However, if estrogen make a difference to your symptoms I wouldn’t hesitate to pop them in!

Good luck!

[sheila99]

Have you tried oral? You might find your levels improve with it and it's probably easier to get hold of than implants. Not sure of safety of oral vs implant though.
I haven't had an oestrogen implant but did have testosterone. It took 2 months to work then stopped at 5 so I only had the benefit of it for 3 months out of 6. The scar has faded now but it hadn't after 6 months and I really didn't want a mass of scars.

[Rumbaba]

Hi

Thanks for all the replies. It seems like a mixed bag then. I am very lucky that utrogestan does not have any negative effect on me, I take it orally each night.

I'm starting to feel rough again, it's got worse since I was forced onto evorel from estradot, and even then it was not perfect. My joints anf bones ache so much, last night I had to take paracetamol in the middle of the night as my hips and legs we aching so much, it's a deep dull ache. My hands and shoulders are affected too.

I get very hot, but don't really sweat, especially at night, but in the day too. Oh and brain fog seems worse. I still work full time, so this is not good news for me
 

My health anxiety is starting to rear it's ugly head again.

Sheila, I'm a bit reluctant to take oral because of the increases risk of clots ( see ha comment above!), but would be glad to hear from anyone who has had major success with tablets after trying transdermal?

I'm getting my bloods done again this week, and would like to have explored options for when they come back. As I said in original post, I'm thinking of trying to switch to the Oxford clinic..

Thank you so much for your replies, it means a lot

Rumbaba x