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Author Topic: Extend evorel patch for a week?  (Read 538 times)

juliaC

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Extend evorel patch for a week?
« on: October 27, 2025, 12:48:21 PM »

Hi ladies

I know it cannot be medical advice of course, but looking for your knowledge and experience. 

I need a break from the progesterone effects, I'm under a lot of stress, got tons of work to do and need to function.  I am also going to arrange a private menopause appointment today.

I am on evorel sequi and wondering if I just extend use of the evorel only patch for another week before using the combined, would this be a method some use to take a break from progesterone?  Or would I terribly mess up my cycle?

I imagine most of you understand it's impossible to ask most GPs at the moment but I am going to book a private appointment.

Meanwhile...  anyone able to offer their thoughts?
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sheila99

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Re: Extend evorel patch for a week?
« Reply #1 on: October 27, 2025, 01:06:02 PM »

It depends on your own cycle. If you don't have much of one this will work fine, if you do you'll mess up the timing which can result in two bleeds per cycle. If you don't get on with norethisterone it might be better to try a different progestogen.
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juliaC

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Re: Extend evorel patch for a week?
« Reply #2 on: October 27, 2025, 01:58:15 PM »

Thanks Sheila, that's what I hope to do with a private clinic now.  I'm pretty sure norehisterone (and therefore probably utrogestan as well) are causing fatigue, and prolapse symptoms as both resolve pretty much on evorel only (after a while) 

Maybe I'll just leave this patch on till tomorrow to get some use from it now I've put it on.
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bombsh3ll

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Re: Extend evorel patch for a week?
« Reply #3 on: October 27, 2025, 02:52:22 PM »

There are two issues, bleed pattern and quality of life.

As Sheila said if you have little or no residual ovarian function left you should in theory just bleed when you stop the course of progestogen.

If you are still cycling yourself then this can make things a little more complicated in terms of bleed pattern.

However short term if you have a particular event, work project, holiday etc it is ok to skip the odd course of progestogen, either to feel and function your best or in the hope of avoiding bleeding (although the latter is not necessarily reliable).

Longer term if you want to do long cycle in order to minimise the progestogen burden, even having found the least offensive candidate, which is what I plan to do myself, you would be best to get under the care of a supportive and open minded specialist, and if you can't find someone and end up going it alone, you MUST be really on it with private scans to monitor your endometrial health.

Personally I have the knowledge and confidence to do this safely however it does concern me when others who aren't that lucky are left to fend for themselves and end up running into problems with bleeding and hyperplasia.

Long cycle (5-12 weeks) with a therapeutic dose of estrogen has only ever been successfully accomplished over the long term in significant numbers with synthetic progestins, which are typically given at robust doses for 14 days.

There used to be a commercial preparation called Tridestra which had I think 2 weeks of provera at 20mg every 12 weeks, and there was also one week without estrogen, which I personally would skip if I were doing this.

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sheila99

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Re: Extend evorel patch for a week?
« Reply #4 on: October 27, 2025, 05:23:06 PM »

Thanks Sheila, that's what I hope to do with a private clinic now.  I'm pretty sure norehisterone (and therefore probably utrogestan as well) are causing fatigue, and prolapse symptoms as both resolve pretty much on evorel only (after a while) 

Maybe I'll just leave this patch on till tomorrow to get some use from it now I've put it on.
Utro is a different formulation so you may not get fatigue on it. I got fatigue on utro but not on norethisterone or the mirena.
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juliaC

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Re: Extend evorel patch for a week?
« Reply #5 on: October 30, 2025, 01:49:48 PM »

Long cycle (5-12 weeks) with a therapeutic dose of estrogen has only ever been successfully accomplished over the long term in significant numbers with synthetic progestins, which are typically given at robust doses for 14 days.

Thanks Bomsh3ll for your thoughtful response

Currently I'm 3 days over the time I should have changed to the combined evorel conti patch.  I'm already noticing I have what I'd call a much healthier discharge down below, I've slept without issues for the last few days (the conti patch makes me relaxed but not sleepy).  Yet at the same time I'm sensing a shift, my sugar cravings are rising, but not as intense as when on the conti patch.  So it feels like progesterone might be rising naturally anyway.

But this is all guesswork I know.

I've made contact with the Newson Clinic and a local clinic, I won't do this blind but I just feel I have to question something that might be ruining my pelvic floor (it's already better atm), making me weak and fatigued and gaining weight etc.  I struggle with vagifem, I seem to get migraine when using anything internally and I don't know why and know it goes against the theory.

I've quoted you above as I'm asking (and guessing) that the conti patch isn't a robust enough dose?

Thanks Bombsh3ll for taking the time  :)
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juliaC

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Re: Extend evorel patch for a week?
« Reply #6 on: October 30, 2025, 01:56:47 PM »

Thanks Sheila, that's what I hope to do with a private clinic now.  I'm pretty sure norehisterone (and therefore probably utrogestan as well) are causing fatigue, and prolapse symptoms as both resolve pretty much on evorel only (after a while) 

Maybe I'll just leave this patch on till tomorrow to get some use from it now I've put it on.
Utro is a different formulation so you may not get fatigue on it. I got fatigue on utro but not on norethisterone or the mirena.

Thanks Sheila, maybe I'll give it a try vaginally at the end of this week.  I tried it once and felt bloated and fatigued quite quickly but I didn't really give it a chance. 
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juliaC

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Re: Extend evorel patch for a week?
« Reply #7 on: October 30, 2025, 02:01:10 PM »

Something I should add, tmi but I get diarrhoea on the conti patch.  I was always someone who never had any kind of IBS symptoms. 

Once before when I took a break from the conti patch (2 years ago and doctor was aware) the diarrhoea stopped completely.  As a result I thought it was a long covid related thing but now thinking it's to do with progesterone again.
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juliaC

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Re: Extend evorel patch for a week?
« Reply #8 on: November 01, 2025, 10:56:16 PM »

Update, it's been a week.  Tomorrow I start the conti patch.

What I'm wondering is do I only use the conti patch for a week now (as I would have used it this week also).  Or do I use it for two weeks, having extended the estradiol for one week.

I have made contact with 2 private clinics so hopefully I will be seeing a doctor soon.
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