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Author Topic: Don't seem to be absorbing patches or gel!  (Read 3906 times)

MIS71MUM

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Don't seem to be absorbing patches or gel!
« on: August 15, 2018, 04:33:26 PM »

Can I have some advice please?

This past 3 weeks have been really awful for me.  I've had a massive return of my symptoms, sweats, flushing, poor sleep, dizzyness, nausea, etc.  The worst by far was the out of my skin anxiety!  I knew I was close to losing my marbles 10 days ago, even the way my husband looked at me, made me realise I wasn't great.

Anyway 10 days on - still sweating away but the anxiety has stopped thankfully. During this time, I managed to speak to a very dismissive GP whom I begged for blood tests.  I expained that I had suicidal thoughts for 2 days every so often, and she didnt seem the slightest bit interested.

Anyway - the results are back;

24.4 FSH
12.8 LH
153 Oestradiol pmol

My tests were at 10.30 am and I hadn;t applied my gel.  But I had applied 1 pump at 10.30 the pervious evening!

Looking back at my past results, I seem to have never had anything above 153 on patches or gel.  Admitedly I was on 75mg of patch but have been on 4 pumps of gel for about 4/5 months now.

What should I do next? 
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Emerald2017

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Re: Don't seem to be absorbing patches or gel!
« Reply #1 on: August 15, 2018, 04:39:23 PM »

Maybe you try tablets ? Why do you think your body doesn't absorb estrogen? What's your gyns explanation?
« Last Edit: August 15, 2018, 04:41:41 PM by Emerald2017 »
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MIS71MUM

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Re: Don't seem to be absorbing patches or gel!
« Reply #2 on: August 15, 2018, 04:46:07 PM »

I'm a bit reluctant to try the tablets as I thought they were higher risk for us ladies.

Also i'm not sure my rubbish gp (female) would support me going to 6 pumps. She told me to go private!!!

I'm 100% positive that I am still ovualating from time to time, and it's my own progesterone that's causing the awful anxiety.  I just need a preparation that will override my cycle so that I dont ovulate.

I've considered taking the Contraceptive Pill but I don't have a womb so I'm sure I'd be in trouble for taking something that I dont need.
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Emerald2017

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Re: Don't seem to be absorbing patches or gel!
« Reply #3 on: August 15, 2018, 04:54:49 PM »

I think that 6 pumps are too much, maybe you just need stronger estrogen. Did you try Qlaira or something like that?
« Last Edit: August 15, 2018, 04:57:18 PM by Emerald2017 »
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MIS71MUM

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Re: Don't seem to be absorbing patches or gel!
« Reply #4 on: August 15, 2018, 05:17:03 PM »

Can't for the life of me remember where I got it from but it was before my hysterectomy 18 months ago.

Never ended up trying but now I don't need it, I'm not sure a GP would prescribe it for me again.

6 pumps would be ridiculous, I'd run out of places to put it, im only 5 3!!

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MIS71MUM

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Re: Don't seem to be absorbing patches or gel!
« Reply #5 on: August 15, 2018, 05:32:34 PM »

What do you take Emerald? Are you peri? I'm sure we've been on threads together before?
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Emerald2017

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Re: Don't seem to be absorbing patches or gel!
« Reply #6 on: August 15, 2018, 05:41:01 PM »

Yeah, I think so! I tried livial, cyclo progynova and I am on Femoston 2/10 for a year now.
I feel good on it, I am 42, in peri and don't like the idea of patches...

« Last Edit: August 18, 2018, 04:56:39 AM by Emerald2017 »
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Verarose

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Re: Don't seem to be absorbing patches or gel!
« Reply #7 on: August 17, 2018, 11:07:38 PM »

I was put on patches after my hysterectomy and a blood test showed that my oestrogen levels were almost zero. I really did feel dreadful. My consultant said that some women just don't absorb HRT through the skin. I've been on tablets every since and feel amazing.
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Noheroicsplease

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Re: Don't seem to be absorbing patches or gel!
« Reply #8 on: August 18, 2018, 06:42:43 AM »

My huge sympathies! I have exactly the same absorption issues - but even worse. 3 x pumps a day and current blood tests showed oestrogen levels of 54 (range is 48-545)!!!

I've really not wanted to do pills - I've heard gel is safer plus I hate tablets - but I'm now considering it.

I've got the mirena coil in. I didn't do well with progesterone in tablet form (utrogesteran),

Can I get just estrogen only pills? I find the whole thing confusing!
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Dotty

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Re: Don't seem to be absorbing patches or gel!
« Reply #9 on: August 18, 2018, 07:32:56 AM »

Yes you can get Oestrogen only tablets x
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Annie0710

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Re: Don't seem to be absorbing patches or gel!
« Reply #10 on: August 18, 2018, 09:35:02 AM »

Elleste solo (oestrogen only) worked great for me for years until I hit natural peri then I needed something more, I now realise it was probably testosterone all along my body was needing

Anyhow elleste solo comes in 1mg or 2mg and really are worth a try if you're not absorbing x
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Noheroicsplease

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Re: Don't seem to be absorbing patches or gel!
« Reply #11 on: August 18, 2018, 09:56:00 AM »

Thanks Annie. Did you get any side effects?
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Annie0710

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Re: Don't seem to be absorbing patches or gel!
« Reply #12 on: August 18, 2018, 10:39:19 AM »

Thanks Annie. Did you get any side effects?

None at all ! Although to be fair I wasn't looking for any but I felt absolutely great on them for 13 years.  Within 3 days my symptoms were gone, they came back after @3 weeks so dr put me on 2mg and I never looked back (until 13 years later when I hit natural peri ) x
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Noheroicsplease

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Re: Don't seem to be absorbing patches or gel!
« Reply #13 on: August 18, 2018, 01:32:18 PM »

That's very encouraging, Annie.
Do you know if Femoston also do a solo?

I'm so torn over how to proceed. My FSH is over 100, my estrogen levels 54. It's clear I'm far into meno, if not post. I didn't have a period for 14 months before starting HRT - and the only reason I did was because I am 48 and have osteopenia. My mum has osteoporosis (although she had a hysterectomy at 36 and no HRT).

I don't have any other symptoms really - except terrible fatigue, bad sleep. No flushes or sweats. Mood not brilliant but I exercise a lot.

If I'm not absorbing and I've come this far without, I wonder if I should whip out the coil and just go cold turkey? I'm nearly 49. My last dextra scan showed that I had not only stopped the progress of osteopenia but I had begun to reverse it.

That's the main reason for all this.

Sorry, just musing aloud!
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Annie0710

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Re: Don't seem to be absorbing patches or gel!
« Reply #14 on: August 18, 2018, 02:45:40 PM »

That's very encouraging, Annie.
Do you know if Femoston also do a solo?

I'm so torn over how to proceed. My FSH is over 100, my estrogen levels 54. It's clear I'm far into meno, if not post. I didn't have a period for 14 months before starting HRT - and the only reason I did was because I am 48 and have osteopenia. My mum has osteoporosis (although she had a hysterectomy at 36 and no HRT).

I don't have any other symptoms really - except terrible fatigue, bad sleep. No flushes or sweats. Mood not brilliant but I exercise a lot.

If I'm not absorbing and I've come this far without, I wonder if I should whip out the coil and just go cold turkey? I'm nearly 49. My last dextra scan showed that I had not only stopped the progress of osteopenia but I had begun to reverse it.

That's the main reason for all this.

Sorry, just musing aloud!

I honestly don't know about femoston, I only know about the hrt I've tried over the years

May sound really stupid but have you had your bloods done re tiredness ? Ie vid D, iron, thyroid, b12 etc ?

When I couldn't sleep I used Phenergan every other night and it worked great

It's so hard what to suggest as in terms of meno symptoms, you're really lucky (I don't mean it as if you're not suffering) but if you were to for example try testosterone you'd need good oestrogen levels before trying, testosterone would help with energy x
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