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[Mojo-swaptop]

It's now a week since I put my first patch on (just put my 3rd on this morning) and so far so good-ish.

First patch stayed on ok though did go crinkly. I hadn't expected that, as I had assumed it would be the same kind of feel as a nicotine patch. I kept checking to make sure it was still in place but other than that no issues.

2nd patch was not so good. I am not sure if it was my placement of it but it didn't stick as well and came off so had to replace it the next day. I covered the replacement patch with a large plaster which kept it in place until today.

Last Sunday I seemed to be in a continuous hot flush throughout the day, but since then despite the rising temperatures this week my flushes have calmed right down and I've only had one or two this week after exertion. My night sweats have been better too.
I did eventually start my period this week so not sure if that had something to do with the reduced flushes and night sweats.

I'm quietly optimistic that these new patches are helping and will continue to help but I am also anxious about what will happen when I go on to the combination patch next Saturday, so will have to see how that goes.

I have to say that I prefer just having to change the patches twice a week instead of faffing on applying gel every night and keeping an eye on when I last had food before taking the utrogeston.

Mojo-swaptop x

[Fusseh]

I think you need to give a regime time to see if it suits, unless you have a severe reaction. If you change too quickly  you may be ruling out good options too soon. A month to 6 weeks as suggested by doc is way too soon to know if a regime is helping imho, unless you can't tolerate, in which case you will probably know quite quickly. I would recommend keeping a diary of symptoms so that you have good data rather than relying on menopause brain!
Just my tuppence worth!

[joziel]

You don't need to worry about the food with the utrogestan, if you eat when you take it, you will just get extra sedated(!), it means your body absorbs it extra well. I take advantage of this and try to eat a snack when I take it, it helps with sleep.

[Mojo-swaptop]

Fusseh, thank you for your reply. I agree, we need to give these things time to see if it suits us, the option to see my GP in a month to 6 weeks was if I had a poor response to it, eg if my periods or other symptoms got worse.
I haven't been keeping a diary as such but I have been making a note of any changes good or bad. I definitely can't rely on remembering things even on a good day! 😂

Joziel I am pleased that you have found that taking utrogeston with a snack works for you and helps you to sleep, but as the PIL says to take it on an empty stomach (at least 2 hours after food) I wouldn't be keen to take it with food myself

Mojo-swaptop x

[Pippa52]

Hi Mojo - I have been swapped around re HRT meds so often I am not sure I can remember when I was on what some of the time.   Just to say I was on Oestrogel for over 20 years after a hysterectomy in my forties and I was on 3 pumps all those years and it worked brilliantly for me but everyone is different.  Then the shortages kicked in and I was swapped to Lenzetto - then to Estradot then the shortages again and I was changed to Femseven and also Evorel.  I have recently been changed back to my old friend Oestrogel 3 weeks ago and felt really awful for the first 2 1/2 weeks on it.  I also noticed that the amount of oestrogel in each pump full could vary quite considerably and being someone who is stupidly sensitive to dose changes I decided to weigh my dose out each time which really is no big hassle (I have some accurate little gram scales) and in the last few days having been on a very level dose (plus splitting my dose of 2 pumps worth into morning and evening rather than once a day) I have started to feel considerably better.  Its such a roller coaster getting the dose right.  I stopped absorbing Oestrogel properly around Covid time and they had changed the formulation every so slightly and looking back I honestly think if my dose had been altered accordingly it would have continued to work but then the shortages kicked in so it was unavailable anyway.  It does take a good long while (3 months at least) to level out on HRT as many ladies on here will tell you too.  Sometimes it is a matter of juggling the dose and sometimes some ladies absorb better from gel than patches and vice versa.  I do hope you start to feel better soon.  Did you have an oestrogen blood test level?  I know they are not totally reliable as they can vary but it does give a guide at least as to whether you are absorbing ok xx

[Mojo-swaptop]

Hi Pippa52, thank you for sharing your experience.
That is so annoying that you found a treatment that worked for you and then had to change due to shortages and formulation changes. I'm glad to see that you seem to be settled on a dose that works for you.
When I was using the gel I did notice that some of the pumped doses seemed smaller than others, especially when nearing the end of the bottle.
That's one thing I prefer with the patches, that the dose is (or at least should be) consistent.
I haven't had any blood tests yet but my GP did say if I didn't feel better on these patches that she would do a blood test to see what's going on.

At the moment it seems one step forward and two steps back.
My night sweats seemed to ease last week but since Sunday they're starting to ramp up again. Last night I was awake more than asleep with night sweats and the accompanying insomnia.
My hot flushes are lessening which is an improvement but I feel like I've got PMS even though my period has finished.

Bloody hormones, peri-menopause and all that comes with it.

[joziel]

Again... Your symptoms are all classic low estrogen symptoms. You are only taking 50mcg of estrogen, which is the bog standard starting dose and very low. You need more estrogen. You will find it hard to achieve this if you are on combined patches because they are only in 50mcg of estrogen dosages.

You need to dose your estrogen and progesterone separately because you need to be able to adjust both, separately.

[Mojo-swaptop]

Hi joziel, thank you for your reply. I think you may well be right in that my estrogen levels are too low, so when I get back to the GP I'll see about upping the dose.

I'm just in the 2nd week of the estrogen only patch and due to put the first combined patch on at the weekend so I'll have to see how I go on that and how my period and period pain is on it.

Mojo-swaptop x