Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: joziel on October 23, 2023, 02:12:29 PM
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Can other people using gel, tell me how it works for them with clothing?
I am putting my gel on, waiting for it to be touch-dry and then putting my clothes on. However, if I then or later in the day sit down, I find my (for eg) trousers kind of cling to my legs/my legs are very slightly tacky. So I'm wondering if the gel is getting into my clothes rather than getting absorbed by my body.
I had some bloods done a few weeks ago on 4 pumps and I was only 283pmol. So I'm trying to work out if there's anything I can do to improve how much I absorb. (I've now been increased to 5 pumps. I'm putting 2 pumps on each thigh and half a pump on each bum cheek(!) I am pretty skinny and there isn't enough space on the outside of my arms really.)
Should I wait longer before putting clothes on? Do other people find their clothes kinda stick to their thighs a bit? Especially trousers made from light material, tights etc? Or is something weird happening here for me?
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Yes! This always happens to me, especially with leggings or yoga pants. Always seems to take longer to dry than I anticipate! Perhaps it's like nail polish, touch dry shortly after application but takes awhile to properly dry underneath!
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Hmm, thanks. I'm going to freeze if I can't put clothes on sooner ;D
I can't figure out if this happens because I haven't waited long enough or if it's just the gel - and even if I waited 3 hours before putting clothes on or sitting down, it would still happen?!
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Pets can absorb HRT gel and become fiesty/sexually active :o
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Pets can absorb HRT gel and become fiesty/sexually active :o
Wow. Is this true? Or joking? :o
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Not a joke, I'm not into making fun of recent research. A lot of Vets are seeing cats/dogs which have bee neutered that are becoming sexually aroused because they absorb the gel from their owners arms.
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Hmm, thanks. I'm going to freeze if I can't put clothes on sooner ;D
I can't figure out if this happens because I haven't waited long enough or if it's just the gel - and even if I waited 3 hours before putting clothes on or sitting down, it would still happen?!
I think it takes a good 20 minutes. I put it on and go downstairs to get the kids up without bottoms on until after I've made a coffee and faffed a bit. Was fine in summer but our house is pretty cold now, especially the kitchen so I'm going for the tacky leggings look 🤣🙈
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Never been an issue for me I rub it in and get dressed, often put tights on, no sticky residue, but then again, i only use 1 pump.
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Interesting, I don't get why some of us get tacky legs and others don't....
I'm going to try 20mins then. I'll put a pair of shorts on or something(!). The only prob is I'm currently putting 2 pumps on each thigh and half a pump on each butt cheek and I don't fancy walking around the house without knickers on for 20mins ;D
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Interesting, I don't get why some of us get tacky legs and others don't....
I'm going to try 20mins then. I'll put a pair of shorts on or something(!). The only prob is I'm currently putting 2 pumps on each thigh and half a pump on each butt cheek and I don't fancy walking around the house without knickers on for 20mins ;D
Oh blimey perhaps you'll need longer then! So you do inner and outer thigh? Dressing gown to keep warm perhaps?
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Hi,
try exfoliating the skin- as some people have a layer of dry skin which hinders absorption.
PMxx
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Hi,
try exfoliating the skin- as some people have a layer of dry skin which hinders absorption.
PMxx
Ooh I wonder if applying the gel to the same place over time makes it build up and impact absorption. I am going to try that!
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Is this estrogel that is tacky? This is suprising though I have never used it but Testogel (the 1 % that I used to use now no longer available) has the same composition (apart from the active ingredient of course!) and never was tacky though Testim which I now use - is very tacky and I have to wait ages - and like you with the oestrogen gel - I put my socks on while it is still tacky. Sandrena ( which I did use) is like Testim - and stays tacky for some time which was really annoying. As far as I understand it the tackiness is due to the ingredients in the gel that aid its absorption into the skin.
Sandrena product info says this:
"The Sandrena dose is applied once daily on the skin of the lower trunk of the right or left thigh, on alternate days."
"After application the gel should be allowed to dry for a few minutes and the application site should not be washed within 1 hour"
"As soon as the gel has dried after application, application site should be covered with clothing"
"Sandrena is an alcohol-based estradiol gel. When applied to the skin the alcohol evaporates rapidly and estradiol is absorbed through the skin into the circulation"
Estrogel product info says this:
"A frequent change in application sites is recommended."
"Oestrogel should be allowed to dry for 5 minutes before covering the skin with clothing."
"Washing the skin or contact with other skin products should be avoided until at least one hour after application of Oestrogel."
"Pharmacokinetic studies indicate that, when applied topically to a large area of skin in a volatile solvent, approximately 10% of the oestradiol is percutaneously absorbed into the vascular system, regardless of the age of the patient"
Therefore I'm guessing that even if still tacky it is fine to put your clothes on - but if you are using a large amount of gel - then maybe spread it a bit more thinly over a larger area? For estradiol it also says this:
"The area of application should be at least 750 cm2"
"Daily application of 2.5 g or 5 g Oestrogel over a surface area of 400-750 cm2 results in a gradual increase in oestrogen blood levels to steady state after approximately 3-5 days and provides circulating levels of both oestradiol and estrone equivalent in absolute concentrations and in their respective ratio to those obtained during the early-mid follicular phase of the menstrual cycle."
I did read some years ago that if it was spread too thinly, less is absorbed so I guess there is a happy medium. As the maximum dose given is 4 pumps then I doubt there are data for 5 pumps but I imagine the same principles apply but a slightly larger area could be covered?
Hurdity x
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I apply one pump over about am A5 size of my inner thigh. I changed sides daily. It is definitely tacky at the 5 minute mark, and yes, talking about estrogel.
Hurdity, I don't understand what they mean about 10% being absorbed vascularly? Isn't all of it meant to be absorbed that way in order for it to work, or are they saying that if you use too large a surface area, then not enough is absorbed?
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Following this with interest..I am only 5ft and very small arms. Hadn't realised the importance for absorbtion of spreading over a precise area. So too big an area is as bad as too small an area? This article references spreading down to wrist whereas only apply down to elbow.
https://www.mims.com/philippines/drug/info/oestrogel?type=full
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I've heard of Sandrena being tacky and sticking to clothes but not Oestrogel.
I use Oestraclin which dries in a couple of minutes and never sticks to anything. I used to use Oestrogel in a round container which also didn't stick to clothes and then Estrogel with a blue lid which again, didn't stick.
Has the gel been changed in some way?
That is not a good rate of absorption and the same blood level that I get from one pump of gel.
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Would be interested to hear if those experiencing the tacky feeling are using the new oestrogel bottle?
I found the clear topped bottle gel to be much more sticky and did not dry anywhere near the old style.
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Would be interested to hear if those experiencing the tacky feeling are using the new oestrogel bottle?
I found the clear topped bottle gel to be much more sticky and did not dry anywhere near the old style.
Mine is clear, well see through but i wouldn't say clear. I've been on hrt since December 2023 and I do think I had a white top before but can't remember 🙈
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Very strange, I dont find it at all tacky. I apply one pump and it rubs in and absorbs fully in under a minute.
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Yes, this is using the new style clear bottle lid.
I can't remember this happening with the old green lid bottles but it might have and I might just not have been paying attention.
I apply 1 pump to both inner thighs and one pump to both outer thighs. Then half a pump to each butt cheek(!). I use a spatula (a little silicone baking spatula) to spread it out so none gets on my hands and is wasted. I guess I could be spreading it too thinly, I didn't realise we could spread it over too big an area...
I don't find Testogel tacky but then the amount of Testogel used is so much less than Oestrogel.
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I apply one pump over about am A5 size of my inner thigh. I changed sides daily. It is definitely tacky at the 5 minute mark, and yes, talking about estrogel.
Hurdity, I don't understand what they mean about 10% being absorbed vascularly? Isn't all of it meant to be absorbed that way in order for it to work, or are they saying that if you use too large a surface area, then not enough is absorbed?
That's right it isn't all absorbed. The same for patches and for tablets. The dose in the actual product is never all absorbed for various reasons. Absorbed vascularly means absorbed into the blood stream. Same origin as "cardio-vascular system" which is the heart and blood-stream/vessels that form the circulatory system.
And yes if it is spread too thinly over a very large surface area it can evaporate before it is absorbed. This is why gel can be very variable compared with patches for example - but seasoned gel users can keep to approx the same area.
Hurdity x
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I apply one pump over about am A5 size of my inner thigh. I changed sides daily. It is definitely tacky at the 5 minute mark, and yes, talking about estrogel.
Hurdity, I don't understand what they mean about 10% being absorbed vascularly? Isn't all of it meant to be absorbed that way in order for it to work, or are they saying that if you use too large a surface area, then not enough is absorbed?
That's right it isn't all absorbed. The same for patches and for tablets. The dose in the actual product is never all absorbed for various reasons. Absorbed vascularly means absorbed into the blood stream. Same origin as "cardio-vascular system" which is the heart and blood-stream/vessels that form the circulatory system.
And yes if it is spread too thinly over a very large surface area it can evaporate before it is absorbed. This is why gel can be very variable compared with patches for example - but seasoned gel users can keep to approx the same area.
Hurdity x
Thanks! I keep to an A5 area, hopefully small enough!
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I'm going to try spreading less thinly in that case. Will report back...