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[Ellenp]

I am 58, my GP has put me back on Oestrogel, Utrogestan and testogel due to exhaustion and depression.
She wants me to use EIGHT pumps of oestrogel. I went up to that level for three weeks and was very ill, extremely heavy bleeding. I went down to four pumps and bleeding has stopped. She still wants me to go back up to 8 pumps. She is accessing my levels using a OE blood test.
I feel like coming off it completely as the symptoms are still the same.
btw I have a partial thyroid and am on 125 thyroxine
I have chronic migraine and cluster
HELP

[Hurdity]

Hi Ellenp

 

Sorry to hear about you symptoms but I am amazed that you have been recommended to use 8 pumps of oestrogel  . That really is an enormously high dose and no wonder it affected you! How long were you on HRT before and how  long were you off it for and what was your dose/regime before?

Blood tests are notoriously unreliable although if you are post-menopausal a couple of blood tests may give an indication of whather you are absorbing it. Make sure the blood is not drawn from the same area you apply the gel and not in the few hours immediately following application either.  Symptoms are more instructive. It would be normal to start with two pumps and see how you feel on that.  Were you suffering debilitating flushes and sweats in addtion to the exhuastion? Also what dose and preparation of testosterone are you taking? It is more important to mnitor testosterone levels.

Also how often and how are you taking the utrogestan - taken daily can mean no imporvement in depression as can taken orally. Some of us take it vaginally on a cycle but that means having a withdrawal bleed - maybe you are doing it like this anyway?

It doesn't sound like you are getting the best advice here but the doc must have her reasons?

Hang in there - do tell us a bit more and we can try to help you!

Hurdity x

[Jari]

Hi Ellenp and welcome!

You said your gp has put you back on it. How long were you on it before, what was your dose then and why did you come off it before?

8 pumps sounds very very high.

I took 2 pumps when I was on it and that had such a negative effect so I came off it. Can't imagine what 8 pumps would be like. Wow!! I would say, reduce to 2 a day and see if you feel better with a lower dose, but best to check with your doc first as I'm not sure re your thyroid issues. Maybe there's a good reason?! X

[Dancinggirl]

8 pumps of Oestrogel!!!!!!!  Far too high a dose.  Ellenp, your GP is nuts!!!  I'd go down to one pump per day for 2 weeks before increasing to 2 pumps.  2 pumps per day is the recommended dose for most women. DG x

[Saffy]

TBF some of us are on 2x100 patches twice a week as we are poor absorbers and by my calculations that is equivalent to 8 pumps of gel. I would agree that it would be better to increase gradually but my specialist increased my patch from 100 to 2x100 in one go as my levels were still so low.

[CLKD]

Again - information that is contradictory 

[Ellenp]

Thank you so much for your replies. 
I was on hrt originally 7 years ago when I was perimenopausal, with hot flushes and heavy bleeding - 2-4  pumps of oestrogel and a mirena coil for four years.

In May I was feeling totally exhausted and very glum so my gp put me on hrt - this time 8 pumps of gel, one utrogestan pill at night and some testosterone.
It seemed like a sledge hammer to crack a nut.
I have reduced down to 4 pumps at the moment but still have breakthrough bleeding. It has been 4 months back on hrt.
I still do not feel amazing which is what I was told I would feel and still feel tired all the time.
I did had my blood test in the same area that I was rubbing in gel as I didn't even think about that   I will remember that next time, thanks.
Any further help would be great!