Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: Dyan on November 27, 2011, 04:31:31 PM
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I would like to hear of your experiences please-thanks.
Dyan X
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Hi Dyan
Is Sandrena the gel in a sachet? I was on this a few years ago but found it too high a dose at the time unfortunately. I also found it difficult to rub in over a certain area - I think it said over a handspan or something like that?
I think I stuck with it for about 3 months but due to the Estrogen level being too high for me, had to give up and go on to 25mcg patches.
Definitely worth a try though Dyan, I've had major problems in the past, (and even now) with being able to tolerate "normal" estrogen doses but it may very well work for you!
Good luck
Valxx
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Hi Val,
Thanks for your reply.
How did you feel on the too high dose?
Dyan X
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Anxious and irritable :o Just not myself at all.... I just felt "wrong" and wasn't sure whether I needed more Estrogen or more Progesterone :-\ Tried to cut down but to be honest, the gel is really hard to do that with. Mind you - that was when I was in the Perimenopause and I had little or no idea of anything ; I was so confused - when I found this Forum and all of the advice on offer - I became unconfused ;D
Valxx
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Hi Dyan, I was on Sandrena earlier this year for about 6 months. At first it worked well, then too well (had to cut down as had sore swollen boobs), then it stopped working altogether and I had to go back on to pills...which now aren't working that well either. I stick to low dose HRT for family history reasons.
None of this means that it won't work for you. The gel is certainly easier than a patch in that it can't fall off.
I remember I applied it to alternate thighs on alternate days. HTH
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I am Oestrogel, is that similar to Sandrena?
Have just upped the dose to two pumps per day, so waiting to see if anything good happens :) One pump didn't make any difference at all.
I do hope it works, I find it so easy to use, much better than taking a tablet - I hate tablets >:(
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I've been on Sandrena for ages, it's fab, works well, low dose, which is easy to vary and it does exactly what it "says on the tin". Worth giving it a try for you definitely..........
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Thanks everyone :)
Melbury the sandrena does contain oestrogel so it's probably same / similar
to what you are using.
I think it may be kicking in as I do feel a little better today.
Yesterday was a weird day,felt sort of high :o but at the same time
felt ratty >:(.
My poor Hubby noticed I think,but kept quiet- bless him!
I suppose the hormones have to level out as I've gone from pills to the gel.
It's only been a few days.
I'll keep you all informed.
Thanks all for your support :)
Love Dyan X
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This is from the Green Menu:-
OESTROGEL 2* measures once daily (1.5mg estradiol) increased if necessary to max 4 daily (3.0mg estradiol) £4.80 for
64-dose pump
SANDRENA 1 application daily 0.5mg or 1mg -dose range 0.5 to 1.5mg daily. £5.18 & £5.96
Bette x
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Thanks for that Bette, so Sandrena is a much lower dose of oestrogen than Oestrogel.
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Hi Dyan,
I have been using Sandrena 1mg gel for a year and it has been a blessing.
I am a lot older than you but still suffer from hot flushes, depression , irritability in fact all the menopausal symptons you can think of! I had a total hysterectomy many years ago and used HRT on a regular basis for years and was fine. I landed up in another country and a whole new culture, anti HRT, my GP refused to allow me to continue with HRT so went with out for 6 years, the worst in my life. Through Menopause Matters I found a clinic and have been prescribed Sandrena, I am eternally grateful
to this site for all the advice and guidance available, my husband can't believe the change in me, I am a much nicer person to live with! Judy
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Hi Judy
Just wanted to say how nice it is to hear from you again. :foryou:
Also - and I hope that you don't mind me saying this - but it's great to hear from an "older" lady who is still on HRT, as we often get pretty desperate "newbies" on here who are being told that they have to come off it because they have reached their gps idea of "a certain age." I'm blessed with a gp who has told me that she has patients on it in their 70s and sees no problem with that, so I'm determined to keep hold of her! ;D
Bette x
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Hi Judy,
I'm so glad you're doing well on sandrena,it's so good to hear positive things. :)
I'm a week in now of using it and I feel it is making a difference.
I've also been wearing a testosterone patch for 2 weeks,twice weekly.
I'm now feeling more like my old self.Whether it is the patch or gel or both
I don't know, but who cares as long as I feel 'NORMAL' again. :)
Love Dyan X
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:congrats: Dyan. Long may it last!
Bette x
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Just catching up on something said a while back about Sandrena and Oestrogel/Estrogel. It looks like Oestrogel contains Estradiol ( not sure which kind) and Sandrena contains Estradiol hemihydrate. I'm not sure whether that might make a difference to the dosage. It;s getting late for me to be on the comp and I've had a couple of drinks ( ;D) - it;s Friday night (!) so haven;t had a chance to look it up properly!
Whatever it is, looks like it's working for some of you!
Good to hear you;re feeling better Dyan - do let us know if the T patch has the desired effect ;)
Hurdity x
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gynae told me that oestradiol valerate pills are the same chemical compound as the oestrogen in Sandrena if that helps anyone.
Glad it's working Dyan. x
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I'm getting confused! So are Oestrogel and Sandrena the same?
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Hi Melbury - I am confused too and apologies if I confused you further!
To all intents they are the same ie they are both gels applied externally and contain oestrogen - as estradiol. They are different brand names for essentially the same product (as far as I understand).
What is confusing is that when you look up all the patient info leaflets, netdoctor, or the summary of product characteristics they appear to sound different!
I had another look and one says estradiol as "estradiol hemi-hydrate" and the other says estradiol as "synthetic beta-estradiol" - even for the same product.
The only thing I was wondering earlier is that maybe the estradiol is in different forms and maybe experienced differently in different individuals - but I think I am probably wrong in this..... I am not a pharmacist or GP so maybe someone can shed some light on this!
The reason I thought this was because of the different doses given in the Green Menu which Bette pointed out - and I don't know why this is the case.
However because both are gels and you dispense the oestrogen by pumps then this enables the amount to be adjusted easily.
I see that Sandrena also comes in different concentrations (0.5 mg and 1.0 mg) so using this you would normally just presumably use the one dose per day depending on what you had been prescribed (ie similar to a 50 mcg or 100 mcg patch).
Estrogel is more easily finely tuned because you use two pumps per day (each one being 0.25) so you could up to 3 pumps ( to 0.75 mg) without doubling your oestrogen.
From what I can make out Sandrena is made in Finland and Estrogel in France - but trying to find the manufacturer as opposed to the distributor is quite difficult!
Bottom line ( ;D) is - if it works for you then that's great - but I doubt it would be worth changing from Sandrena to Oestrogel, unless for example you wanted to tweak it a bit yourself, and once a day sounds less trouble than twice. Some women may also be much more sensitive to changing oestrogen levels and prefer to apply it twice a day if they notice the effects wearing off.
I hope that is less confusing - but I am just working it out too from what I've read and what I am surmising from the info!!
Hurdity x :)
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Wow, thanks for the detailed reply Hurdity - very informative.
I won't be changing to Sandrena as I am on Oestrogel at the moment so want to see how I get on with it.
Thanks again.
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Hi I am using San Rena gel. I started with 1mg once a day but was spotting for up to two weeks after my period so I was then told to increase it to 2mg a day. I feel awful :'( my moods are dreadful and I just feel like crying. Am considering going back to 1mg and putting up with the spotting.
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Hi,
Hurdity I have just read your post above and I have just checked my Estrogel. The name on the container is Oestrodose, not Estrogel (although that is what the Parmacist has put on the typed sticky label). It also says that each metered dose (which I am assuming is one pump) contains 0.75mg estradiol and not 0.25mg as you have stated. Is this because I am using a different type ie Oestrodose?
Julie x
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Hi juliekim
The post I wrote below which you refer to was over 2 years ago! I really don't know where I got that information from and I can't remember now (!), but it certainly isn't correct now.
As far as I understand it Oestrodose is the brand name. It doesn't seem to be listed in the Green Menu to the left, but it sounds like the same concentration as Estrogel ie 1 measure (pump) = .75 mg estradiol.
Hurdity x
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Sorry Hurdity, I didn't look at the post date! Thanks for putting my mind at rest!
Juli x
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Hello 👋
Just about to start on sandrena & utrogestan- I'm hoping this is "the one"
Dr seems to have only given me one months supply of the sandrena(1mg) & 3 months of the utrogestan
I'm confused 🙄🙄
Can anyone help me understand the dosage? :) :)
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Hi, I am on sandrena 0.5 and utrogestan. I am really happy with my regime right now and find the sachets helpful as I put 14 in a box and use them in the mornings then when I go to get the next 14 I know I need to start taking the utro too so it keeps me on track.
I think there is a dosage comparison chart on here somewhere which says that 0.5 of sandrena is the same level as one pump of oestrogel, and the 1mg is the same as 2 pumps. I think the medication is the same but the other ingredients are different. I find it easy to rub in and quick to dry, easy to transport if I go away and have not had a hot flush since a week after I started on it
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Hi All, I see this is dated Feb 22 - but watching all on Sandrena as just started on 0.5 yesterday....... second attempt as HRT as was on Everol 50 patch but no great improvements. Hope you are all doing ok....