Menopause Matters Forum
General Discussion => New Members => Topic started by: Badga on May 07, 2013, 09:29:07 AM
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Hi everyone
I am 51, not had a hysterectomy, have not had periods for a year, non-smoker, very active, and have been prescribed Evorel Conti. I am on my second week and was hoping by now to have had at least some let-up from the hot flushes (I have around 20 per day), but sadly, nothing! Do have headaches, but no breast tenderness or breakthrough bleeding as yet. My concern with the patches is that I take part in high-intensity activity every day (Body Attach, spin, kettle bells and Body Pump - ex-fitness instructor), and have noticed that when I remove the patch, although the outer margin is stuck down, that the centre appears to have dried out or there is a pool of sweat underneath. I have emailed the manufacturer (Jenssen) regarding efficacy in this situation, but have had no reply. I am concerned that: a) I might not be absorbing the hormones due to my sweating; or b) that the dose might not be adequate. My FSH is 73 and estradiol 30, which are postmenopausal levels.
Any clues anyone?
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Hi Badga :welcomemm:
Evorel patches are the best, usually, at sticking so I am not sure what is going on here. As you have had no relief from flushes it does seem as if the hormones are not getting through. I have always noticed a difference within forty eight hours of applying both Evorel or Femseven patches. Where do you stick the patch and do you follow the instructions exactly when putting it on? It may sound a daft question but each make of patch seems to have slightly different instructions!
You will find lots of support on here and I'm sure someone else will be along soon to welcome you.
Taz x
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Hi Badga
Welcome to MM
I use Evorel Conti patches - mine stick well in the middle, but tend to lift a bit at the edges, certainly just before changeover day.
They seem to cope with sweaty exercise (hill walking) well. They are also fine swimming 2 or 3 times a week - ok damp not sweaty.
As Taz says, have you followed the instructions exactly when putting it on? I noticed a difference fairly quickly (within 12 hours) when I put my first patch on. It might be worth checking to see if you have a duff batch
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I am on the same patches as you and my flushes were almost gone within 48 hours. Mine stick very well. Sometimes they get a little fluffy around the edges but have never come off no matter what. Mind you my idea of exercise is a trudge with the dog or a bit of gardening.
Have you got more than one box....perhaps try a new one. Where are you sticking them exactly. I have mine on my side rather than my bum. I try to make sure they are not being rubbed by underwear. Don't use any body lotions before you stick them on.
Just reading your exercise regime makes me feel tired... ;D
Honeyb
X
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Thanks for the replies everyone :D I followed the instructions to the letter. The first two I applied on my abdomen below the navel - on the 'muffin top'. I have read posts on here about weight gain. I have put on a stone since my 50th, mainly around my mid section. However, I had become so exhausted alll of the time that my exercise capacity had dropped through the floor. I do admit that, aside from the relentless hot flushes, my energy levels have improved vastly since I started the patches, and I am trying to shift the weight through diet and exercise. The next location I tried sticking the patches was my bum, which was the worse site in terms of sweat underneath them at removal. The one I have on at the mo is on my outer thigh - right at the top near my body. I am trying this site as it is the coolest, least-sweaty, part of my lower trunk. The patch appears to have stuck well. However, I have not exercised yet since applying it the day before yesterday. Will see what it does after spin tonight. Still having the relentless hot flushes though >:(
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I find top of the thigh the best place to stick them. I took over a week for my flushes to go so don't give up.
LM
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Hi littleminnie
Yes, top of the thigh towards the outside seems to be the best place for me. It is the coolest and least sweaty part, and the least likely area to get rubbed off by clothing. Three weeks in and I think that the hot flushes are starting to diminish too ;D. I still have them, but not as many and not as bad. Feel tonnes better energy-wise though, which is great.
I have noticed that on the day I don't do sweaty exercise, the patch is OK. I change my patch after spin on Monday night, Tuesday is my non-exercise day, Wednesday night I do weights (non-sweaty exercise), but after spin and a shower on Thursday evening, the patch then starts to come away. I change it again after step (sweaty) and a shower on Friday morning. Sweaty exercise and a hot showers afterwards, seems to do the 'unsticking' damage. I spoke to another lady at the gym who said she was having the same problem.
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Hi badga
Mine used to come loose after a hot bath but provided it didn't come off completely, if I wasn't due to change it yet, afterwards I would apply the warm-hand treatment again for a couple of minutes and it would restick once cooled down (this is Estradot - much smaller but I'm sure same principle applies).
I suppose it stands to reason they will come a bit unstuck with heat since you have to apply warmth to stick them!
You may get a bit more breakthrough bleeding if it comes a bit unstuck as your prog level will drop but hopefully not too much. Have your headaches gone now?
Glad you seem to have sorted a way to make it work and you feel better - long may it continue!
Hurdity x
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Hi all
The headaches I had in the first week or so have gone. Sorted the best place on my body (outer thigh) for them to survive exercise and showering without coming unstuck too much - btw, blasting them with the hairdryer after showering helps them stick back down again :). The hot flushes started to go in week three and are now just the occasional 'tingle'. My problem now in week 5 is 'break through bleeding', which feels more like a full-blown period - sore, swollen tummy, fatigue, cold sore, etc. The bleeding made worse by the fact that I am a warfarin patient >:(.
Anyone else on here experienced breakthrough bleeding/having a period on Evorel Conti?
Badga
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I haven't, but had been strongly warned by my GP that it might happen, in the the first 3 to 6 months.
It hasn't happened in the first 6 months. Though I do get a draggy cramp like feeling in lower abdomen occasionally, no bleeding.
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I used to get bleeding on the conti regimes but now that I am 59 that seems to have stopped. You need to give it three to six months to settle down. I gave up when I was still having almost constant bleeding after fifteen weeks though on the menopause clinic's advice.
Taz x
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Hi! As the subject explains I am new to HRT and fairly new to the menopause. I've had four years of catastrophic migraines and untold trips to the doc and at the age of 42 was told ' you've just gone through the menopause'!? I suppose it was missed because of my age. I managed to have one child when I was thirty thank goodness and was settling down to the idea of just not having periods ;D Then I'm told that I have to have Evorel Conti patches and within five weeks I'm having a FULL ON PERIOD and it won't seem to stop! If anything after seven days it's getting heavier and I took the damn patch off two days ago!? Please can someone tell me what's wrong? I'm all bloated and feel really rubbish :'( My once smooth skin is now a mass of spots ! I was told this wouldn't happen to me. Can anyone recommend an alternative please??
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pingette
Maybe you are actually perimenopausal and your ovaries are still working? I would recommend and trip to the doctor to sort this out.
Andius
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Badga
I am on a round estradiol patch and it always seems loose in center when I remove it but is stuck down on edges so that it leaves a sticky ring. When i look at it, it seems more "used" in center. no fluid though.
Andius
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Andius,
thanks for the reply. My doc put me on these patches after doing some blood tests so I thought as I hadn't had a period in near enough two years that everything had stopped working? My ovaries couldn't start working again could they? I have a lot going on with my son right now so yet another dr appt is going to have to wait a while! :-\
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Hi pingette
:welcomemm:
When starting HRT it is normal to experience bleeds for a while especially on conti HRT - after all you are giving your body extra oestrogen which it isn't used to - and this stimulates the womb lining which must be shed.
On conti HRT you take a progestogen all the time which works by preventing the womb lining from building up - but this will take a while to settle, hence the bleeding.
If you don't want to have unpredictable bleeding then why not go onto a cyclical HRT (eg Evorel sequi) - which will give you a monthly bleed just like a normal period which is what you would have had if not gone through an early menopause. The only downside is you may get a couple of days of pmt when you change over - but many women tolerate all this quite happily.
Once you are used to HRT you might like to think of separate oestrogen and progesterone so that you could have a higher dose of oestrogen - which your body would have had, if not in menopause.
Hope you manage to find time to make that doctor's appointment - in the meantime read as much as you can about it - starting with the info in the menu on the left!
Hope this helps
Hurdity x
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I have been on evorel conti patches for 2 years after starting with evorel sequi. I have not had break through bleeding at all and didn't think you did when on conti but I suppose you can on the first three months my sweats also went within a week but still getting migraines but had them before went on hrt thinking it might help but hasn't I'm coming off hrt see where my body is at the moment but doing it slowly . But I guess if your not happy with patches you could change to another and see if better for you it can take a time to find one that suits you keep trying don't give up
Js