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Author Topic: Oestro gel  (Read 703 times)

shakilla

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Oestro gel
« on: August 15, 2024, 07:10:39 PM »

Hi

I've recently swapped to oestro get rather than the patch as didn't feel I was absorbing the patch.  I was on 75 patch and am now instead having 3 pumps of the gel. The problem is since starting the gel I'm having a constant period. Where as before I'd be on for half a day max I'm now 5 days bleeding still.  I'm wondering if I'm not using the gel right? Or should I use more or less of it?
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CLKD

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Re: Oestro gel
« Reply #1 on: August 15, 2024, 07:16:26 PM »

Would it be due to the alternation in medication?
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shakilla

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Re: Oestro gel
« Reply #2 on: August 15, 2024, 07:29:19 PM »

Maybe. I was just wondering if I'd got the dose wrong. When I first started hrt I swapped initially from a 25mg patch to a pump of gel and I was totally fine. So don't know what's gone wrong this time.
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Hurdity

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Re: Oestro gel
« Reply #3 on: August 15, 2024, 07:58:51 PM »

Hi shakilla

Bleeding can occur for all sorts of reasons.

It depends where you are in menopause - early or late peri or post. If peri then your own cycle will come into play.

Also depends on dose and type of both oestrogen and progestogen.

It's important to have sufficient progestogen to protect the womb because higher doses of oestrogen cause the womb lining to thicken.

If you tell us a bit more then maybe we can advise?

Hurdity x
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shakilla

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Re: Oestro gel
« Reply #4 on: August 15, 2024, 08:27:51 PM »

Thanks Hurdity.
I'm peri and normally have a period on exactly the same day each month. Usually very light lasting about a day. I take continuous progesterone due to migraines a d have taken it like this for 3 years.
I wqs getting really irritable and anxious all the time and had a period of really low mood so doctor suggested trying to increase the patch but my hair started falling out yhisbjas happned before when i increased hrt patch. so I swapped to  oestrogel.But since starting it I'm constantly bleeding. Pretty much feeling like I haven't got a clue what's going on in my body. Or whether I've now made things worse by swapping to the gel.
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Hurdity

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Re: Oestro gel
« Reply #5 on: August 15, 2024, 09:01:06 PM »

What progestogen are you taking and what dose?

The problem with taking progestogens continuously while peri-menopausal is that it is difficult to work out what is going on - as you are finding, as you don't know what your own cycle is doing, and whether the bleeding is normal or abnormal. If you have increased your oestrogen and still on a lowish dose of progestogen then maybe this is insufficient to protect your uterus? This may also occur if you miss ovulation as you become peri-menopausal?

One option is to have a Mirena, or a POP (which gives continuous progestogen) and then take systemic HRT in addition ie the right balance of oestrogen and progestogen.

Any abnormal bleeding that you are concerned about, especially if heavy - you really should mention to your doctor to check nothing untoward is going on and then take it from there.

Hope you get it sorted

Hurdity x
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joziel

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Re: Oestro gel
« Reply #6 on: August 15, 2024, 09:19:22 PM »

shakilla I also take utrogestan continuously during peri, due to a history of endo. But I schedule a break for 3-5 days. I either do this every 26 days or, if I start to bleed on say day 23 or early, I will start the break then. The rest of the time, I have no bleeding.

However, what I think is going on for you is that you might be absorbing the gel well (which is good). You've been swapped from 75 patch because you weren't absorbing to 3 pumps of gel, which is the equivalent dose - but you are absorbing it much better which means that actually you've had an increase in estrogen.

It is normal to bleed and spot erratically during the first 3 months of starting HRT or of any dose changes. So I would just keep taking your utrogestan and hopefully this will settle down. But I would also count 26 or 28 days (or whatever your cycle used to be) from day 1 of this bleeding and stop your utrogestan for 3-5 days then to schedule/allow a bleed.

If you schedule the bleeds like this, they don't worry doctors because you are bleeding due to the withdrawal of the progesterone. It is random unscheduled bleeding during the month which worries doctors - AFTER the first 3 months of any dose change. So not what you are experiencing now.
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shakilla

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Re: Oestro gel
« Reply #7 on: August 17, 2024, 07:48:16 PM »

Thank you both. This is really helpful.  Will def try the few day break from the utrogestan and see if that works.
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